Artificial light affects us very differently from natural light.

Originally, we should receive mainly natural light during the day, but now due to changes in the way we work, we stay indoors all day, and the light we receive has become artificial light.

Originally, there should be no light at night, but now at night, all the lights at home are artificial lights.

The biggest impact of this change on the eyes is that there are many more people with myopia than in the past.

The blue light stimulation of outdoor natural light during the day can promote the secretion of dopamine, while the blue light in indoor artificial light has too much energy and can inhibit the secretion of melatonin.

The same blue light has completely different effects on endocrine. The blue light of natural light can promote the secretion of dopamine and inhibit myopia, while the blue light of artificial light at night can inhibit melatonin and cause poor sleep.

The secretion of dopamine and melatonin are mutual inhibition and mutual antagonism. Dopamine can inhibit the secretion of melatonin through the dopamine receptors on photoreceptor cells. The more dopamine is secreted, the less melatonin is secreted. Dopamine is an important retinal neurotransmitter in the development of myopia. Dopamine also participates in the circadian growth of the eyeball and inhibits the axial growth of myopia . The dopamine receptor antagonist – melatonin, will increase the growth of the eye axis .

So now people stay indoors under artificial light for a long time during the day, and have no time to go outdoors to receive natural light, which will greatly reduce the secretion of dopamine during the day, making it impossible to send out signals to inhibit the growth of the eye axis, resulting in long-term stay indoors. More and more people are myopic.

At night, when we turn on the lights in the room, the artificial light released will inhibit the secretion of melatonin, making it difficult for us to fall asleep, and the effective sleep time is greatly shortened. Insufficient sleep time will lead to an increased incidence of myopia.

In many similar studies, it has been confirmed that insufficient sleep time will significantly increase the incidence of myopia. How sleep affects myopia, the complex mechanism of which may not be clear to us now, but to prevent myopia, we have to ensure that we have enough sleep.

Therefore, during the day, we must set aside time, even two hours, to go for a walk outdoors, bask in the sun, receive the stimulation of natural light, and let more dopamine be secreted. At night, you must turn on the lights at home, and the release of artificial light cannot be avoided. We’d better wear technology goggles to block the blue light that absorbs artificial light, weaken the energy of blue light, reduce the inhibitory effect of blue light on melatonin secretion, and improve Sleep quality.

Only in this way can we reduce the damage to the eyes caused by artificial light indoors for a long time, prevent our myopia from deepening, and let us have a pair of healthy eyes.

Lutein enhances macular function, and other macular diseases are not yet conclusive

Lutein is a fat-soluble carotenoid, which itself is an antioxidant. Like zeaxanthin, it is an important component of the macular part of the retina in the eye. It can inhibit free radicals and filter blue light to reduce damage to photoreceptor cells in the eye. , can also inhibit the transmission chain related to cell inflammation, reduce the generation of active oxidative substances, thereby regulating the immune system and inflammation. However, the human body cannot produce lutein on its own and must be obtained from the diet.

Supplementing lutein can enhance the function of the macula and improve visual sensitivity in the eye health care of healthy people; according to research, long-term supplementation of lutein can also reduce the risk of senile macula, but for other macula Diseases such as high myopia and diabetic macular edema have not yet been definitively determined.

Not only buy healthy food, get lutein from fruits and vegetables

Foods rich in lutein include spinach, cabbage, broccoli, peas, green peppers, kale, etc. in dark green vegetables, as well as yellow vegetables such as jade melon, corn, cucumber, pumpkin, carrots, and oranges. , kiwi, raisins and other fruits.

If you can’t get enough lutein from natural food, you can also buy commercially available lutein supplements. There are two types of lutein health food, one is free type, the other is esterified type, free type Its molecular weight is only half of that of the esterified type, and it is generally believed that the absorption rate is better. Although the esterification type has better bioavailability and stability, it must be decomposed by intestinal enzymes before it can be absorbed and utilized by the human body. Therefore, it is best to take it together with oil. Better, it is not recommended to eat esterified lutein. Research suggests that a daily intake of 6mg (milligrams) of lutein for healthy adults can help slow down the risk of macular degeneration, while Taiwan’s Ministry of Health and Welfare’s Food and Drug Administration recommends that adults should not exceed 30mg of lutein per day .

Special attention should be paid to the fact that eating more lutein is not beneficial. If you accidentally take too much lutein, the problem of yellowing of the skin may occur; in addition, it is recommended not to use it together with B-carotene supplements, because it will produce competitive absorption. This reduces the absorption rate of lutein. In addition, the health benefits of lutein are not immediate. It must be taken continuously for 2 to 4 months to increase the concentration of lutein in the macula of the retina and achieve the effect of resisting blue light. Dry Eye Syndrome｜Sitting in an air-conditioned room for a long time makes your eyes dry and tired? 3 major ways to relieve symptoms of dry eye syndrome｜Looking at the computer for a long time is harmful? The image in front of the eyes is distorted, the color tone is abnormal, and the risk of macular degeneration cataract｜A 60-year-old woman mistakenly believes in acupuncture and moxibustion remedies. The macula of the eyeball is damaged, causing irreversible damage to the eyes.｜Eye discomfort and only supplementing lutein is useless? Find out the reason first and use 4 tips to maintain your eyes with an eye-protecting diet｜Vitamin A prevents night blindness and dry eyes. The doctor reveals 6 secret recipes for eye protection. Eye health｜Photophobia for no reason may be a precursor to disease! To ensure the health of your eyes, eat like this every day…

Street lamps and advertising signs in cities are one of the culprits of light pollution. Light pollution will not only make people living in cities unable to see the stars in the night sky, but also affect the natural life patterns of animals and plants and destroy the entire ecology. In recent years, studies have also pointed out that light pollution can endanger human health, and it not only damages the eyes, but is also related to diabetes.

Studies confirm that artificial light at night has “these” effects

Previously, Phyllis Zee, director of the Circadian Rhythm and Sleep Medicine Center at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, and his research team had published a study investigating the effects of light during sleep on healthy adults in their 20s. .

The research team let the subjects sleep under dim lights such as TVs with the sound turned off. They found that only one night’s sleep would increase the blood sugar and heart rate of the young group, and said that artificial light at night was associated with weight gain, obesity, Metabolic dysfunction related to insulin secretion.

Through this study, the research team believes that artificial light at night is associated with the development of diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Recently, they used China’s disease surveillance data for research and analysis, confirmed the previous research results, and published new research results in the medical journal “Diabetologia”.

How to avoid sleep hazards? Pay attention to the light type, position

Phyllis Zee mentioned in the “CNN” report that the public should pay attention to the hazards of artificial light and the type of light, especially blue light is the most stimulating light. It is best to prohibit the use of computers, smartphones and TVs in the bedroom etc. Any electronic device that emits light in the blue spectrum.

If it is necessary to use a computer, mobile phone, etc., the screen light should be changed to orange or amber light with a longer wavelength. She also mentioned that it is best to position the bed away from windows, use blackout curtains, and when going to bed at night, dim the ambient lights at least 2-3 hours before bedtime.

If it is necessary to turn on the light to sleep based on safety considerations at night, she suggests dimming the light and changing the light to a reddish or brownish tone. In addition, the height of the night light should not be flush with the bed or close to the eyes , can be placed on the ground to use the ground to reflect light to avoid adding more light sources.

Artificial light has some impact on human health, especially at night. However, Phyllis Zee also reminded that daytime light is necessary, and the most important thing is daylight, because sunlight is good for your health.