It can seem as if most of our waking hours are spent staring at one screen or another, as consumer electronics of varying sizes have crept from our living room walls into our pockets.

The number of devices we use regularly has increased significantly, because has our own time invested on them for work, e-commerce, social media, fitness training, gaming activities, education, and so on. Remote and hybrid function, in particular, has made adults even more aware of accumulated screen time and the potential worries over more and more exposure to blue light. Studies have shown that long-term blue light exposure can cause harm to eye tissue and impact sleep patterns.

In response to the particular growing concerns over glowing blue light exposure, leading screen manufacturers are using a new rating system, similar in order to the SPF rating on sunscreen, that’s designed to establish standards for measuring blue light and color performance of screens. By adopting the Eyesafe® Certification 2. 0, screen makers hope in order to provide consumers transparency when shopping for devices. Panel manufacturers, including Lenovo, Dell, HPHPQ, LG Display and BOE, have all adopted the display certification requirements, which customers can expect to see upon packages this holiday shopping season.

Recently, Lenovo released three new monitors, the first to adopt the new Eyesafe® Certified 2 . 0 status. “The company is very passionate about creating products for customers that provide high value and also address safety concerns, ” said Stefan Engel, vice president plus general manager of Lenovo’s visual business.

Consumer issues on azure light security

In addition to harming eye cells and impacting sleep, studies have demonstrated that extensive blue gentle exposure can lead in order to age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the most common cause of blindness/vision impairment, and can contribute to cataracts, eye cancer, and growths on the clear covering over the white part of the eye.

The average consumer searching for monitors may not know about the effects of glowing blue light publicity. Gamers plus remote workers tend to be more conscious of health issues.

“Concern over azure light emissions is not generational or even age-defined, but experienced users that are a lot more informed about blue lighting safety are usually looking with regard to products that have the particular certification, ” Engel said.

“While the broader consumer is not really as aware of these new safety features, consumers increasingly want more information on how they will be protected, ” Engel said in an interview.

Parents of school-aged children, many of whom are using computers for extended periods associated with time, and college students who are required to use digital content in school are becoming more aware of the particular issues of blue light.

“When people shifted to an at-home work environment during the pandemic, screens became very important, and customers added a lot more professional equipment to enhance their experience, ” Engel said. “ With greater levels of hybrid work environments, user interest in better experiences plus safer screen monitors has risen. ”

The amount of gaming users has grown substantially in recent years, and the number of hours that the average gamer spends daily on a device has also increased, prompting a need inside the marketplace for safer devices.

Research and collaboration drive product innovation

Consumers today can try to adapt their behavior to minimize contact with glowing blue light exhausts by wearing blue-light filtering glasses or using screen protectors that came on the market since consumers grew more interested in the particular effects associated with blue lighting on their health. Still, these types of solutions don’t address the problem at the device level. The companies that manufactured the aftermarket protective gear claimed that will their products offered consumers some protection from azure light, yet Paul Herro, chief operating officer of Eyesafe, said that many of these products are not certified.

“Many of the claims across the industry were not true plus misled consumers into believing that the particular products removed or filtered out the blue gentle, ” Herro said.

Before 2018, the measurement for blue light emissions was simply a pass/fail without any specific scale. TÜV Rheinland, an independent certifier of industry standards, collaborated with Eyesafe as well as the consumer electronics industry in order to ensure its certification specifications address the particular concern associated with blue light emissions and color performance in the device level. The Eyesafe Vision Health Advisory Board comprises leading vision care professionals who consult with Eyesafe to provide medical insights that help drive research regarding the effects of glowing blue light on the eyes plus brain.

According to the white paper, Defining Blue Light Requirements regarding Digital Displays , published by TÜV Rheinland, azure light has greater potential than other wavelengths of visible lighting to cause harm to eye tissues. The long lasting health impacts of cumulative blue gentle emissions through digital devices are still being evaluated. Still, there are immediate and every day effects associated with display make use of, such as the effects on our biological clock and sleep designs. At night, light exposure may “trick” the body, creating difficulty with sleep.

“Consumers are looking at displays from the particular time they wake up through bedtime, ” Herro, the Eyesafe COO, said. He noted how blue lighting emissions would significantly influence younger generations as their direct exposure grows over the course of their lives. A rating program would assist consumers consistently compare exposure levels from different products.

“The new Eyesafe® Certified 2 . 0 standard refines the much-needed specificity around the particular general concept of low blue lighting, ” stated Frank Holzmann, global field manager intended for electrical plus business stream products of TÜV Rheinland. “This empowers consumers to make informed comparisons among contending solutions. ”

RPF can be likened in order to SPF within sunscreen

The particular industry regular for measuring the effect of glowing blue light is called Radiance Safety Factor, or even RPF. The ratings range from 0 to 100, with 35 being the minimum rating for any passing certification. Similar in order to sunscreen, which usually has a good SPF rating to evaluate the levels associated with defense against the sun’s UV rays, gadgets with an RPF of 35 or higher will provide shoppers with an easy way to identify safe levels associated with blue light emissions. “The update simplifies and focuses the requirements against the area of most concern regarding high-energy blue gentle and offers a simple metric with RPF to help customers understand reduction levels, ” said Dr. David Friess, chair of the Eyesafe health advisory board.

RPF will make understanding the level of azure light minimization and color performance easier to identify, but “there are other factors that customers may be looking for in terms of selecting a computer, including response period, resolution and processing time, ” Engel, the Lenovo executive mentioned.

Features are a deciding factor

Consumers rate various features differently based on their own needs, Engel said. For example , a gamer places high value on Eyesafe Certifications based on the length associated with time these people spend on gaming devices. A student may consider the device’s weight the more critical factor if they must carry it daily whenever traveling to and through school.

Lenovo’s newest screens have improved color accuracy, Engel stated, noting exactly how valuable that is for many users. “Graphic and fashion designers, to get instance, need to be confident that the colors they will see around the screen reflect what will be on the product, ” he said.

“We have already launched gaming devices in the mainstream market place with Eyesafe certifications, ” Engel added. “Our customer concerns more than health plus well-being in the video gaming world provided us the opportunity to address the issue of blue lighting emissions actively. ”