A study found that continuous exposure to blue light from smartphones and laptops can lead to macular degeneration.

Blue light emitted from digital devices such as smartphones and laptops can accelerate blindness. 

According to a study from University of Toledo, repeated exposure to the blue light from smartphones, laptops, tablets and the sun “transforms vital molecules in the eye’s retina into cell killers,” a press release from the university states. 

Ajith Karunarathne, co-author of the study and assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said in the release that blue light harms the eyes.

“We are being exposed to blue light continuously, and the eye’s cornea and lens cannot block or reflect it,” Karunarathne said. “It’s no secret that blue light harms our vision by damaging the eye’s retina. Our experiments explain how this happens, and we hope this leads to therapies that slow macular degeneration, such as a new kind of eye drop.”