Working in the Tech industry invariably means you get to spend a lot of time on your laptop and smartphones and for all we know, the lights emanating from these screens are not healthy for the eyes.

The eye is among the most important organs of the human body. Without it, we cannot function optimally so it’s necessary we take precautions to ensure that our eyes are healthy.

Too much screen time can be damaging to the eyes but for someone who makes a living off the internet, these lights also known as Blue Lights are unavoidable.

Blue Lights, simply put are a range of lights that contain the highest amount of energy in the visible spectrum. Your laptops, smartphones, your LED televisions all have one thing in common: Blue Lights of which excessive exposure to, have been found to cause certain damages to the retina.

Too much exposure to blue Lights can cause Macular degeneration (which can lead to permanent vision loss), and Digital eye strain.

According to Charles Awuzie, a Nigerian TechPreneur based in South Africa, one of the good advices we should no longer take in 2023 is “Reduction of Screen time”. Just like he said, we now work, study, hold meetings and carryout transactions on devices and screens. Reducing screen time will mean reducing productivity and for a large part of the world population, it will mean putting a limit to our source of income especially, people in Tech. This does not mean he cared less about eye health.

What can you then do to keep your eyes healthy and out of harm’s way even as you work in the Tech space?

1. Blue light filters: if you are always exposed to the “screen”, a convenient way to reduce exposure is to apply blue light filters to your device screen. These filters are available for smartphones, computer screens and tablets and you can easily purchase them where computer devices/electronics are sold.

2. Protective eye wears: wearing blue light blocking glasses, yellow-tinted computer glasses or glasses with anti-reflective lenses can also help keep your eyes safe.

3. Ensure you rest your eyes: choose a time when you usually get off work and use that period to rest your eyes.it could be during the weekend when you do not have much to do on your computer.

4. Eat foods that support eye health: consuming less junks and more healthy foods will help you stay fit. Special attention should be paid to carrots, bell peppers, kale, spinach, broccoli, strawberries, oysters, salmon, eggs, meats and healthy fats as they promote and support good eye health.

Having a career in Tech and especially working remotely means we cannot totally avoid exposure to Blue lights but we can take measures to keep safe while on the screen. Do the best you can to support your eye health.