Boots ruling fuels screen risk debate

Most people dedicate a fair portion of the day absorbing blue light from the screens of digital devices.

But members of the public concerned about the effect this may have on their vision might be disappointed by the absence of a clear message from the sector about the potential harm from digital device light emissions. It appears that more research is needed – as shown by a ruling earlier this year when Boots Opticians was asked to amend an advertisement for its blue light lenses.

A leading authority on blue light, Professor John Marshall of UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, told Optician after the ruling in October that short wavelength light had been known to damage the retina at lower levels than longer wavelength light for the past 50 years. But mobile devices were not considered a real threat.