DARN! My Favorite Color is Declared Toxic!

Isn't BLUE the most beautiful color? I have more blue neckties than all other colors combined. Science has proven that people actually see better when there is a little blue mixed-in.


This concludes this meeting of the BAS (Blue Admiration Society)!


Most of you know that the spectrum of visible light is situated in a very dangerous neighborhood, right in-between evil ultraviolet (shorter wavelengths) and dangerous infrared (longer wavelengths). New research suggests that the boundaries between safe and unsafe visible light are very blurry!

Visible blue light is felt by some vision scientists to be potentially toxic to the human retina. They say blue light causes excess oxidative stress to the irreplacable photoreceptors and the underlying retinal pigment epithelium. These cells do not regenerate - you get a lifetime supply at birth and that's it!

If you accept the premise that blue light can be harmful (like ultraviolet and infrared) you'll want to protect yourself and loved ones.


First, get rid of those stylish blue-tinted sunglasses. These shades filter visible wavelengths other than blue, exactly what you want to avoid!


Yellow or amber lenses do a good job at blocking visible blue light. Good for your retina but bad for how you perceive the world. Most folks have trouble adapting to a muted, azure-free world and there are good reasons why.

We know that visible blue light stimulation makes your visual field wider and increases brightness. Want more proof? Notice how your pupils shrink to bright light? It's the blue wavelengths that trigger that pupil response. So, if you eliminate the color blue from your visible palette you will not only have trouble seeing in dim environments your world will appear dimmer, less vibrant, and a bit blurrier.

There is no concensus regarding whether or not visible blue is truly dangerous. We've all been through this before with coffee, red wine, and artificial sweeteners. For now moderation is a reasonable approach to take. Hey, you never looked good in those blue shades anyway!

Related Topics: First Aid for Eye Injuries, Low Vision and Your Eyes

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