Chemists discover how blue light speeds blindness • Hacker News Board

Re: Chemists discover how blue light speeds blindness

#91

Post by saltcured » Thu, Aug 09, 2018, 5:06 PM UTC

rconti wrote: post #46

gambiting wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So I used to have glasses with a blue blocker filter on them - I absolutely hated every second of wearing them. Literally everything appeared yellow through them - my screens, sheets of paper, even snow looked like it had been peed on - awful. I mean, it's certainly not surprising - they did block blue light after all. But I wore them for 3 months and then marched back to the optician to have them replaced with norma…

My new eyeglasses have a coating that reflect blue light. They absolutely do NOT shift the color spectrum. You can't tell the coating is there. Perhaps it's newer or different tech. Look into it.

Are you talking about the coating opticians are pushing for "computer glasses" now in the US?

I have that, and while it is subtle, I definitely can tell it is there. It doesn't ruin general color perception, unlike many obviously yellow/brown lenses. But, it definitely alters the world to have a slight yellow tinge, a bit like you can get from the haze caused by a distant dust storm or wild fire.

It doesn't bother me, but I am aware of it. I actually prefer brown sunglasses and photochromatics because what is marketed as "gray" often looks sickly purple to me.

Re: Chemists discover how blue light speeds blindness

#92

Post by mikeleeorg » Thu, Aug 09, 2018, 5:06 PM UTC

For the f.lux Mac users here, do you prefer that to Mac's Night Shift?

I just found this article, which details why f.lux is better than Night Shift. But it's written by f.lux, so it's a bit biased.

https://9to5mac.com/2017/03/28/flux-developer-says-apples-ne...

I'm guessing both are better than nothing, but is one actually better than the other?

Re: Chemists discover how blue light speeds blindness

#93

Post by georgeam » Thu, Aug 09, 2018, 5:07 PM UTC

One solution I use is a 1/8" thick sheet of amber transparent rigid plastic/acrylic. It is designed to cut UV, but it also cuts blue light. I bought a 2'x4' sheet from an online site (since ads are probably not permitted, I will not mention the name of the company), and they cut it to size specifications for me. Out of that I got filters for my 14", 15" and 17" laptops, and a 30" LED TV.

I find it easier on my eyes at night (both laptop and TV), and it has its place since the TV can't run f.lux and redshift.

Re: Chemists discover how blue light speeds blindness

#94

Post by sp332 » Thu, Aug 09, 2018, 5:08 PM UTC

georgeam wrote: post #93

One solution I use is a 1/8" thick sheet of amber transparent rigid plastic/acrylic. It is designed to cut UV, but it also cuts blue light. I bought a 2'x4' sheet from an online site (since ads are probably not permitted, I will not mention the name of the company), and they cut it to size specifications for me. Out of that I got filters for my 14", 15" and 17" laptops, and a 30" LED TV. I find it easier on my eyes a…

Recommendations of products are fine. Paid promotions or kickbacks are frowned on though.

Re: Chemists discover how blue light speeds blindness

#95

Post by walterbell » Thu, Aug 09, 2018, 5:09 PM UTC

hestipod wrote: post #87

This or something connected to it is literally ruining my last chance at life but I cannot solve it and there is always a catch. I was disabled long ago by bad surgery and left in lots of pain. My physical career was ended. I was denied social assistance and fell in every crack. Life has never been stable enough long enough to reeducate and rebuild. In suicidal desperation I posted in a few places asking for ideas. A…

Do you wear glasses? Have you tried an iPad Pro with 120Hz refresh + Night Shift? How much ambient light do you have when using the computer? Is the ambient light natural or artificial? If artificial, what spectrum/type?

Re: Chemists discover how blue light speeds blindness

#96

Post by sp332 » Thu, Aug 09, 2018, 5:09 PM UTC

JimboOmega wrote: post #81

I don't quite understand. Blue light - any blue light - causes blindness? So we shouldn't look at the sky even? I've never heard blue being a danger other than its effect on the biological clock, so that seems like a pretty bold claim. Ultraviolet, sure... Though buried in there is something about immune system and vitamin E levels... I really find it hard to believe that blue light exposure is automatically bad. We…

It says that your body's normal antioxidants prevent damage. This is only a problem for people who have low levels of alpha tocopherol, e.g. from malnourishment or aging.

Re: Chemists discover how blue light speeds blindness

#97

Post by piyh » Thu, Aug 09, 2018, 5:11 PM UTC

rory096 wrote: post #64

shittyadmin wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The biggest problem I have with it is that everything looks so much worse that I just wind up turning it off all the time. Is this so seriously a threat to vision that it's worth it? I don't have the sleeping issues with screens some people seem to report, so I wasn't really willing to commit to it over that.

Make sure you change it to the "Slow: Natural Timing" transition speed so the shift is gradual. The faster speeds (which I believe are default) are jarring and too easy to notice.

Also Alt + page up/down to adjust brightness without affecting colorshift.

Re: Chemists discover how blue light speeds blindness

#98

Post by jefe_ » Thu, Aug 09, 2018, 5:13 PM UTC

DavideNL wrote: post #62

Is this the same blue light as emitted by for example the Philips light therapy lamps? https://www.usa.philips.com/c-p/HF3429_60/golite-blu-energy-...

I use one of these every day, found two things, one from Philips in 2011 with some PDF documents, making claims the light is safe: http://www.p4c.philips.com/cgi-bin/cpindex.pl?ctn=HF3332/60&...

2011 was a while ago, this Stack Exchange post from 2013 seems to indicate there is a possibility for macular degeneration with use of these devices, particularly if you are already at risk for the condition: https://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/13891/can-blue-...

Some googling seems to indicate there were rumors of these lights potentially causing issues, and it sounds like the Chemist article may be presenting a scientific basis for that speculation.

Turned off my light for now.

Re: Chemists discover how blue light speeds blindness

#99

Post by upofadown » Thu, Aug 09, 2018, 5:13 PM UTC

Note that the lens of the eye yellows as you get older which significantly reduces the amount of blue light that reaches the retina. So much so that there is an idea floating around that older people don't get enough blue light to properly make the circadian stuff work and that teenagers get too much.

Re: Chemists discover how blue light speeds blindness

#100

Post by sbjs » Thu, Aug 09, 2018, 5:13 PM UTC

mikeleeorg wrote: post #92

For the f.lux Mac users here, do you prefer that to Mac's Night Shift? I just found this article, which details why f.lux is better than Night Shift. But it's written by f.lux, so it's a bit biased. https://9to5mac.com/2017/03/28/flux-developer-says-apples-ne... I'm guessing both are better than nothing, but is one actually better than the other?

I use Night Shift. I'm able to fall asleep minutes after closing my laptop and laying down. For me it's more about comfort than sleep. The blue light is much too bright late at night. My computer no longer hurts my eyes when I stay up late working on cool things.