I hate to be the bearer of bad news...

[Gobi-Wan]

I got the blue blocking feature on my latest prescription glasses. Its intended to reduce fatigue due to staring at a computer screen, I wonder how much it helps when staring into the aquarium?

 

[JCOLE]

I will ask my eye surgeon the next time I see him and see what he thinks

That is if you get to actually "SEE" him.

 

[klp]

You need to download f.lux on your computer mate it will automatically start filtering out blue light more and more as it gets later at night. I also use "twilight" on my phone as it is similar (although many phones have an inbuilt blue light filter these days).

I am on the computer a lot and would get very tired eyes. I bought a Benq low blue light zero flicker and no more issues.

 

[klp]

I am on the computer a lot and would get very tired eyes. I bought a Benq low blue light zero flicker and no more issues.

Benq monitor.

 

[oldbob50]

It is the color temperature (frequency) of the light that effects the eyes. It is not the the source of that light. If the t5's produce the same wavelengths and intensities as the LEDs then they are just as bad. If they produce more intense light they would be worse. The report centers on LED's because most modern computer displays, phones and tables use LED light sources. This means the general public is more exposed than it used to be. This is not specifically an aquarium problem but a "long term exposure to certain wavelengths" problem. Where aquariums come in to this, is we tend to run the lighting on them for long periods of time at the wavelengths that can cause long term damage. I have seen several recommendations on this forum that advocate all blue lighting or very little white light. One of the better LFSs that I frequent never has white light on on the coral tanks, just on the fish tanks. 15 minutes by the coral tanks is about all I can stand because of the extremely high power light they use. This may boost coral coloration or growth but it is not natural for us or them. I run my lights at a day light cycle the starts dim and blue (1.5 hrs), ramps up to white for 10 hrs. ramps down dim and blue (1.5 hrs) and then spends 6 hours at a very low intensity blue (moonlight). The corals seem to be doing fine and the 6 hr moonlight cycle is well after we go too bed. Like many things in life, if you over do it you are at risk of hurting yourself. Having a tank in the blue spectrum for several hours is not going to hurt you if you don't stare at it for several hours. Staring at a computer screen or phone for five or six hours a day is probably more damaging than a daylight normal reef aquarium light cycle.

 

[Forsaken77]

I wonder if this is why some of my fish go blind after 2 years? They swim up for food and get the light right in their eyes.

 

[Bruce Burnett]

Well I would assume it might be related to light frequency as we know the blue light from uv sterilizer is bad. I know that with Children looking at led screens tend to have more problems but it was thought to be from the flickering even if it was not really noticeable. Most leds for aquariums are above 360 nm even the ones that are lower have few leds in that range. My lens from cataract surgery remove most uv but the tank sure looked better. Did not read the article but just saying blue light covers a pretty large range.

 

[aquaman67]

I would like to see the affect of blue LEDs through water.

How many people actually see the source of the light - the actual LED - as opposed to just the light it gives off through water?

Do you stare at your bulbs? I don’t.

I’m sure water changes the light that reaches our eye.

Staring at an LED screen - TV, computer, phone - may be a problem. I don’t think our tanks qualify.