Blue light fear for children's vision

Children’s vision and the dangers of excessive sunlight, particularly blue light, were highlighted by The Daily Telegraph this week.

Parents were encouraged to provide adequate eye protection for their children in the June 26 article which recommends lenses tinted towards the brown end of the spectrum.

John Marshall, Frost Professor of Ophthalmology at St Thomas’ Hospital said there were growing numbers of patients with cataracts and a ‘huge increase in age-related macular degeneration’. 

He warned of the dangers of inappropriate sunglasses. ‘My heart sank when I recently saw the Beckhams in blue-tinted sunglasses. The aim is to absorb blue light so your sunglasses should absolutely not be blue. But retailers often don’t offer much in the way of advice about sunglasses.’

The item quoted optometrist Michel Guillon who has mounted a campaign to inform his customers about the need for children to wear properly fitted sunglasses.

Optician clinical editor Bill Harvey said: ‘Despite some previous concerns about tinted lenses in early life hindering visual development, research is increasingly pointing to the fact that short wavelength damage to the retina and lens contributes to macular degeneration and cataract in later life.

This damage may occur during the earlier years when the crystalline lens has yet to yellow and therefore transmits more of the shorter blue end wavelengths.’