Light and health

El presente artículo explora los diversos puntos de vista que han surgido sobre el uso seguro de dispositivos electrónicos, particularmente en el manejo de pantallas y los posibles efectos en la vista que puede conllevar su uso prolongado. Se determina que el buen uso de pantallas, y específicamente la luz azul de estas, no producen debilitamiento de la vista. Sin embargo, sí producen un empeoramiento de los síntomas que padecen pacientes con síndrome de resequedad ocular. Esto no quiere decir que la enfermedad agrave, sólo implica un aumento de irritación especialmente tras 3 horas continuas de exposición. Por otro lado, los estudios confirman perturbaciones del ciclo circadiano, patrones del sueño y cambios en concentraciones hormonales por uso prolongado de pantallas. El hecho de que las pantallas produzcan ceguera o enfermedades como la miopía parecen quedar como fake news.

The present article explores the distinct points of view that have had emerged upon the safe use of electronical devices, particularly about the management of screens and the possible effects on the sight that a prolonged use may lead to. It has been determined that the proper use of screens and specifically blue light of these, do not produce sight weakening. Nevertheless, they do worsen symptoms of the dry eye disease. This does not mean that the disease aggravates, it only implies an increase of irritation specially after 3 continuous hours of exposition. On the other hand, studies confirm perturbations on the circadian cycle, sleep patterns and changes on hormonal concentrations due to a prolongated usage time of screens. The fact that screens produce blindness or diseases like Myopia seem to remain as fake news.

Life on Earth evolved in day-and-night cycles. Plants and animals, including insects such as the fruit fly, have a biological clock that controls their circadian rhythms — as the 2017 winners of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine showed. Now, humans’ increasing reliance on artificial lighting is changing those rhythms.

The paper examines using relatively recent discoveries on how evolution has embedded within all living organisms a natural sensitivity towards their native environment, in particular luminance levels and specific wavelengths of light. The studies conducted so far indicate that lighting installations that are visible after dark impact on humans, flora and fauna and influence our evolutionary dispositions, possibly with negative consequences. So far, little is known by the general public about the non-visual effects of light on human beings and the discovery of a new photoreceptor type in the eye (ipRGC -intrinsic photosensitive retinal ganglion cells) which is responsible for the regulation of the internal circadian clock, which, in turn, affects the immune system and triggers numerous biochemical processes.

La recherche médicale et scientifique a démontré que notre santé et notre bien-être sont fortement liés la lumière.
Les impacts de la lumière sur la santé peuvent être regroupés en trois catégories :
– les influences de la lumière naturelle sur le fonctionnement biologique des êtres humains ;
– les impacts potentiellement négatifs de l’éclairage artificiel actuel sur la santé ;
– l’utilisation de la lumière à des fins thérapeutiques (luminothérapie).
La prise de conscience de notre sensibilité physique à la lumière (que la lumière soit « naturelle » ou « artificielle ») et la connaissance de ses bienfaits ou de ses méfaits potentiels visent à encourager son utilisation raisonnée.