Blue light from phone screens accelerates blindness, study finds

Light from digital devices triggers creation of toxic molecule in the retina that can cause macular degeneration

Man looking at blue light on a phone screen
Blue light affected retinal, the molecule that makes photoreceptor cells in the eye sense light. Photograph: tommaso79/Getty Images/iStockphoto



Blue light, which has a shorter wavelength and more energy compared with other colours, can gradually cause damage to the eyes.

Dr Ajith Karunarathne, an assistant professor in the university’s department of chemistry and biochemistry, said: “We are being exposed to blue light continuously and the eye’s cornea and lens cannot block or reflect it.


Macular degeneration, which affects around 2.4% of the adult population in the UK, is a common condition among those in their 50s and 60s that results in significant vision loss.

It is caused by the death of photoreceptor, ie light-sensitive cells, in the retina.

Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness in the US and while it does not cause total blindness, it can make everyday activities such as reading and recognising faces difficult.


The researchers found that being exposed to blue light causes retinal to set off a chain of reactions that leads to toxic molecules being created in the photoreceptor cells.



The researchers found that introducing retinal molecules to other cell types in the body, such as cancer cells, heart cells and neurons, caused them to die off when exposed to blue light.

They also noticed that blue light alone or retinal without blue light had no effect on cells.


The scientists found that a molecule called alpha-tocopherol, a natural antioxidant found in the eye and body, stops the cells from dying but fails to offer any protection to the ageing population or those whose immune systems have been suppressed.

Karunarathne said: “That is when the real damage occurs.”

For those wanting to protect their eyes from blue light, Dr Karunarathne advises wearing sunglasses that can filter both UV and blue light outside and avoiding browsing on mobile phones or tablets in the dark.

The research is published in the journal Scientific Reports.