Chemists Discover How Blue Light Speeds Blindness

Isao writes: It (apparently) has been known that blue light damages eyes and accelerates macular degeneration. A new article on Phys.org may have identified how this happens. It seems that unlike other light colors, blue causes a necessary molecule (retinal) to permanently kill photoreceptor cells. "The researcher found that a molecule called alpha Tocopherol, a Vitamin E derivative and a natural antioxidant in the eye and body, stops the cells from dying," reports Phys.org. "However, as a person ages or the immune system is suppressed, people lose the ability to fight against the attack by retinal and blue light." The authors will continue their research and recommend filtering and blue-light reduction in the meantime. The study has been published in the journal Scientific Reports.

Comments

Blue light isn't the issue, getting old is...

[cyn1c77]

The blurb (and even the article) is jaded and implies that blue light causes blindness to ride the anti-screen wave.

If you read it, you find that the issue is actually that the body makes alpha Tocopherol, a Vitamin E derivative, which keeps the photoreceptor cells from dying. Some people lose the ability to make that alpha Tocopherol as they age, leading to blindness.

So the issue isn't to avoid blue light and buy crazy glasses... (how are you really going to avoid blue light if you ever want to see white again anyway? Are you going to stop looking at white paper?) Rather it's to find a way to keep supplying alpha Tocopherol to the eye as people age.

Re:Blue light isn't the issue, getting old is...

[Alsn]

That's true. However it could also mean that in the meantime the people who suffer from the deficiency could use filter glasses to keep their sight until a permanent treatment is discovered. Assuming that their findings are correct and that blue light is the only culprit.

Re:It's harmful only if you already have a problem

[magarity]

So as soon as I figure out how to stop aging I won't have this issue?