Human eyes didn’t evolve with 144Hz gaming monitors and lush 4K with HDR in mind. It’s only in the last century that blue light has been a recurring figure in human life, and especially over the last four decades. We normally don’t see blue light, known for the way it appears on the light spectrum. With wavelengths too short for human vision, blue light remains a by-product of current display technology. TVs, monitors, smartphones, tablets, laptops – think of a screen, and think blue light. Since our eyes were not meant to handle blue light, extended exposure to it irritates tissues and structures in the eyes and affects our brains in many ways that are still being researched. While it’s likely none of these effects are overly dramatic, they may cause discomfort among many people.
There’s no way currently to totally eliminate blue light emissions, but filtering technology has been around for a while. Just like you can get glasses with blue light filters, manufacturers can apply screen layers that dissipate or block short wavelength blue light without compromising image quality.
Of course, those layers require additional precision processes and a longer production cycle, so you’re not going to get them with cheapo monitors, but rather with brands that pay attention to user health and comfort.