Ah! The days when we used to read good old Joystick Magazine sitting on the edge of the toilet are long gone. Much like our co-founder Paul, many prefer reading their favorite authors on tablets or e-readers.
We get it, it has many advantages. But do you know if this extraordinary reading tool emits blue light? Is it dangerous for your eyes? It depends! We explain everything in detail.
In this article:
- What is blue light?
- Blue light: what are the dangers?
- E-readers and blue light: what you need to know
- Solutions to avoid blue light from e-readers
- [BONUS: choosing an e-reader with a blue light filter]
What is blue light?
Light is composed of electromagnetic particles that move in waves. So far, nothing complicated.
These waves emit energy and vary in length and intensity. For example, the shorter the wavelength, the higher the energy.
Each wavelength represents a different color and is grouped into categories: gamma rays, X-rays, ultraviolet (UV) rays, visible light, infrared light, and radio waves.
🌈 These wavelengths make up what is called the electromagnetic spectrum.
Still with us?
The human eye is sensitive to only one part of this spectrum: visible light – a bit like vampires, you see?
This part of the spectrum is divided into colors, ranging from violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange, to red – it reminds us of the Power Rangers, but it’s not exactly the same thing.
So-called blue light has a very short wavelength and therefore projects a high amount of energy. ⚡
Where is blue light found?
Blue light is everywhere, as sunlight contains this wave—originating from the electromagnetic spectrum. It is necessary for good health, but the closer we get to violet, the more intense it is, and that is where the problem lies.
Since the popularization of digital devices, many other sources of blue light have been added to that of the sun. We are talking about the brightness of digital screens (computers, tablets, TVs, and smartphones), in addition to other electronic devices or fluorescent or LED lighting.
Blue light: what are the dangers?
The evolution of digital screen technology has progressed considerably over the last two decades. The vast majority of electronic devices we use are equipped with high-tech LED backlighting.
This technology emits high-intensity blue light waves. Phones, our computer screens, flat-screen televisions, tablets, and e-readers all use this type of lighting.
Our daily use of these machines increases our exposure to blue light and for longer and longer periods—and yes, if we played a little less PS4, we wouldn't be in this situation!
Numerous studies confirm that over time, exposure to this light in the spectrum can cause serious damage to our eyes.
A few figures:
- 📱In 2022, 95% of French people use a mobile phone or smartphone daily and 83% use a computer.
- 🌐 Almost all young people browse the Internet from a mobile phone: 85% of 12-17 year olds, 97% of 18-24 year olds, and 92% of 25-39 year olds¹.
- 📅 In 2019, internet users logged on an average of 22 days per month, which is 4 days more than 10 years ago².
- ⏱️ On average, the French spend 2 hours and 12 minutes on the Internet every day² (to which all other digital devices are then added).
¹. Data from the Ministry of the Economy's digital barometer - Link.
². Data taken from the results of a Médiamétrie survey.
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Logically, this new amount of time spent on digital devices affects our ocular system and causes various pathological manifestations.
Eye strain
Digital eye strain is becoming an increasingly recurring condition in people who spend very long hours in front of a screen—waiting for a reply from their crush on Instagram, for example.
Eye strain can lead to various symptoms, ranging from mild to severe. This condition can also affect learning and our productivity.
The symptoms of this fatigue (also called computer vision syndrome) are as follows:
Good to know: digital eye strain doesn't just affect adults who spend their days in front of a computer analyzing charts as long as the loading time on Team Fortress 2. No, children are also individuals at risk.
Indeed, as major users of digital tools, children are not spared. You should know that before the age of 10, the eyes of children are not yet fully formed; they are still cute little Pokémon in the middle of evolution.
Until adolescence, their pupils are still very fragile, which is why parents must be very careful about the time they spend in front of screens.
If you are interested in this topic, we have devoted a long article to it, which you can read again at this link: Protecting children from blue light.
Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
Although still debated, scientific studies are increasingly highlighting the risks associated with overexposure to blue light. It could potentially cause retinal photochemical damage, leading to eye lesions and destroying cells in the center of the retina.
These enemy attacks could play a significant role in age-related macular degeneration, leading to accelerated vision loss.
Disruption of your biological cycle
The white LEDs used in our screens emit a lot of concentrated blue light (like natural sunlight, even if it doesn't feel like it).
This powerful artificial light stimulates our internal biological clock, adding to the one already present from the sun, and completely disrupts our circadian cycle (day/night rhythm). This is why you sometimes end up with wide-open eyes staring at the ceiling of your bedroom all night long.
The alteration of your biological rhythm will also affect your rest time, which will have an impact on your mood, your concentration, your mental and physical health, your muscles, and your innate ability to win all your fights in Dead or Alive.
To learn more about sleep problems related to blue light, we recommend reading our article: Am I sleeping enough?
E-readers and blue light: should we protect ourselves?
E-readers are not exempt from blue light. Their screens can—in the vast majority of cases—emit this harmful light, although their lighting remains less dangerous than devices with LED screens.
Some e-readers have a backlit screen, which is more concentrated in blue light than natural light, even though most of them use e-ink screens today.
E-ink screen: what is that thing again?
E-ink e-readers are very quickly recognizable since they seem to emit no light. When reading a book on this type of device, it feels like reading on a real sheet of paper.
Today, the majority of e-readers (Kindle Paperwhite, Kobo Forma, Vivlio) use this E-Ink technology, although they still offer built-in lighting (which can be turned on/off according to your needs).
On the latest e-readers, this lighting does not come from under the screen, but from the sides, allowing for less aggressive blue light. But! There is still blue light.
Do e-readers have blue light filters?
It depends. From one brand to another, e-readers may (or may not) have a filter option.
- At Kindle for example, the classic 2019 model and the Kindle Paperwhite 2018 model do not offer this feature, while the 2019 Oasis model does.
- Same at Kobo: the Clara, Libra, and Forma models are equipped with a blue light filter for reading your code book in the dark, while its Nia model does not offer it.
- At Vivlio, on the other hand, the last four models in the range (Touch, Color, and InkPad3) are equipped with a blue light filter called Smart Light—which adjusts according to the ambient brightness.
So, what are the dangers?
E-readers do not completely eliminate the emission of blue light that can come from their internal lighting. Even if manufacturers seem to be making tremendous efforts to overcome this problem, the emission of this light still exists.
Advocates of prevention over cure, we prefer to recommend a few solutions to ensure your retinas don't get tired.
What are the solutions to avoid these dangers?
The enemy is there, before your eyes, everywhere, hidden behind every screen in your daily life. Like a sage with good advice, we have listed below a few defense techniques to protect yourself from the almost invisible adversary, alias the blue light of your e-reader.
Wear protective anti-blue light glasses
In our opinion, there are very few solutions as effective as wearing anti-blue light glasses to protect yourself from the effects of this light wave.
The advantage of glasses is that they can accompany you everywhere with their anti-blue light filter: at work, at home, at your crush's place, in front of the television, when you use your phone, when you read your latest science fiction novel late at night on your beloved e-reader.
If you are still hesitating to join the Horus-X protective eyewear team, take a look at the anti-blue light filter glasses in our store.
Avoid reading on your e-reader at night
Even if the end of the day seems like the best time for reading, perhaps choose a good old dusty grimoire-style book instead of your e-reader.
We understand that this can be a radical solution, but if your device does not allow you to reduce blue light, you should avoid using it before going to bed—it risks keeping you awake longer than planned.
Reduce brightness
As explained above, some e-readers are equipped with anti-blue light features or offer to reduce their backlighting to provide a warmer and less aggressive light for our pupils.
Reducing the brightness of your e-reader can help reduce the impact of the blue light emitted by the device. Nevertheless, it must remain comfortable for reading, otherwise you will end up with a huge headache from trying to apply yourself to reading the long descriptive paragraphs of Terry Pratchett's Discworld Annals.
Apply a filter to your e-reader
In addition to adjusting the brightness, anti-blue light filters are an interesting solution for blocking the harmfulness of the waves from your e-reader's lighting.
If you are wondering how these physical filters work or if they are truly useful, we invite you to read our article on the subject: Anti-Blue Light Screen Filters. As for your e-reader, we don't necessarily recommend it because this solution is permanent and risky if you do it wrong (air bubbles will deteriorate your reading comfort).
BONUS: Which blue-light-free e-reader should you choose?
Any e-reader with lighting will inevitably emit some light, but it is possible to turn this lighting down to the minimum and drastically reduce the blue light emitted. All these e-readers are an excellent choice:
- Kindle Paperwhite
- Kindle Oasis
- Vivlio Touch Lux 5
- Sony DPT-RP1/B
- Kobo Clara HD
- BOOX Nova Air
Kindle Blue light: Everything we can read in your eyes…
The latest e-readers are equipped with features that allow for reducing the intensity of their backlighting; there is still a small risk of exposure to blue light, even if it is much lower than on PCs, smartphones, or other LED screens.
When it comes to protecting your pupils, retina, and cornea, there is no room for half-measures. If you want to read with complete peace of mind, consider adopting a few useful habits to give your eyes the rest they deserve.
Protective glasses, filters, brightness settings... These are all ways that will allow you to protect yourself against the blue light from your e-reader.
