Worried About Macular Degeneration? Here's One Easy Way To Reduce Your Risk
Macular degeneration is one of the leading causes of blindness in old age and one to be wary of. Unlike many genetics-based conditions, you do have some control over whether or not you get macular degeneration later on in life. If you want to avoid this disease, here's what you need to know to drastically reduce your risk.
The Impact of Blue Light
Blue light is just one portion of the lightwave spectrum, but it's a potentially dangerous one. Like ultraviolet rays, blue light can potentially cause damage to certain types of tissues, including the eyes. Studies have shown that blue light exposure increases the risk of developing macular degeneration. With that in mind, all you need to do is limit how much blue light you expose your eyes to in order to reduce your risk.
Sources of Blue Light
Blue light is everywhere, but it's only the sources of the majority of it that you need to be concerned about. One of the most common sources is the sun. Staying out of the brightest times of day is a good way to help protect yourself.
However, it's possible that the most blue light you're being exposed to is from the very device you're reading this on. Computer screens, phone screens, and televisions all produce high levels of blue light. Since so many people are staring at some type of screen through most of the day, it can have a tremendous impact on your vision over time.
Limiting Exposure
The easiest way to protect your eyes from blue light is to choose a pair of glasses that offers blue light filtering.
These types of lenses are available for people who need prescription lenses as well as those who don't. A coating filters out the majority of blue light, dramatically reducing the amount your eyes are exposed to when you use digital devices or go out in the sun.
If you're not sure if your current glasses have blue light filtering, head in to an eye doctor's office to ask. They can test your glasses to find out if they're adequately protecting you, and if not, they can start the process of selecting a new pair of glasses with you.
Protecting your eyes from blue light is the best thing you can do for your long-term vision health. Pick up a new pair of blue light filtering lenses from your eye doctor's office.
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