Blue light from phones, tablets can impair your vision, study finds

If you’re guilty of scrolling through your smartphone or tablet at nighttime, you might want to reconsider: According to a new study published by the University of Toledo, that type of technology contains a lot of blue light, which can accelerate blindness and impair your vision.

“Think of it this way: The inside of your eye is like photo paper. It’s so sensitive, it’s like a camera,” Dr. Marc Siegel told FOX Business’ Stuart Varney during an interview on Tuesday. “And this stuff causes chemicals that damage the eye, and we’re seeing more and more visual loss as a result. Very serious problem.”

The report, released on Wednesday, found that blue light -- a powerful, high-intensity part of the light spectrum -- from digital devices can transform vital molecules in the eye’s retina, damaging it.

And because the exposure is so constant, the eye’s cornea and lens cannot block or reflect it, according to the study. That can eventually lead to age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness in the U.S, with more than 2 million cases reported annually.

While Siegel said the blue light is unlikely to actually cause blindness, he warned that people should be more cognizant of how to protect their eyes -- by switching their phone to night mode when scrolling in the dark, or by avoiding using it too much, for example.

Some phone companies and third-party apps also offer a blue-light filter to the screen, to better protect people’s eyes.

“Blindness is a huge word,” Siegel said. “I’d say it’s very rare that it could cause actual blindness. But it decreases your visual acuity as you get older when you need it the most.”