As hundreds of thousands of bargain hunters wreak havoc on malls and outlets across America this Black Friday, savvy online shoppers will be avoiding chaos and potential bodily harm by waiting until Cyber Monday to score their holiday deals.

But while it reduces the likelihood of being caught in a stampede of savings-crazed soccer moms, Cyber Monday can come with its own drawbacks. Online shoppers spending as little as two hours in front of a screen on Cyber Monday are susceptible to digital eye strain. And let’s face it, you don’t have to be a shopaholic to get sucked down the Amazon rabbit hole and hit that two-hour threshold.

This is part four in a four-part series guest-written by nationally recognized blue light expert, Gary Morgan, OD.

Over the course of the past three blog posts, we have examined why closer working distance, large pupils, and clear crystalline lenses contribute to children being more vulnerable to the adverse effects of blue light. 

So with the “why’s” out of the way, let’s examine the “how’s,” as in, how to help children reduce their blue light exposure and combat digital eye strain. 

This is part three in a four-part series guest-written by nationally recognized blue light expert, Gary Morgan, OD.

In parts one and two of this series, we discussed two primary factors affecting blue light exposure: proximity of the light source and pupil size.  These factors increase retinal luminance in children viewing blue-light emitting devices more than they do adults. 
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The third factor affecting retinal luminance is the density of the ocular media that light is passing through. In the eye, the only media that significantly changes density is the crystalline lens.  

This is part two in a four-part series guest-written by nationally recognized blue light expert, Gary Morgan, OD.

When considering the impact of blue light on children, most of us immediately think of behavioral tendencies that lead to increased exposure.  When we see little Johnny or Suzie immersed in a three-hour game of Minecraft on a tablet eight inches from their eyes, many of us think about the potential consequences of all that screen time on their eyes. 

But there are less obvious physiological factors that come into play when considering blue light exposure, and why children are at increased risk.  

This is part one in a four-part series guest-written by nationally recognized blue light expert, Gary Morgan, OD.

Kids today are being introduced to digital technology earlier than ever. From speech training to potty training, many boys and girls are learning to tap and swipe before they walk and talk. But while there are obvious benefits to getting our kids ahead of the learning curve with digital technology, there’ a less beneficial result of all that screen time.  

​In this four-part series, we’re going to examine three primary reasons why kids could be at greater risk of blue light exposure than adults, and how you as an eye care provider can help.  ​