Screen time has become a constant part of daily life, from scrolling social media and answering emails to watching TV and working on computers. As time spent on digital devices continues to rise, researchers are taking a closer look at how prolonged exposure to artificial light, especially blue light produced from phones, tablets and computers, may be affecting your overall health.
A new research study led by Ashay Bhatwadekar, PhD, MPharm, at the Indiana University School of Medicine Department of Ophthalmology is investigating how this exposure may disrupt the body’s natural rhythms and impact eye health. Circadian rhythms are the body’s internal clock, regulating sleep, alertness and other essential daily functions. However, modern lifestyles, marked by increased nighttime screen use, can interfere with this system. Blue light, in particular, has been shown to uniquely disrupt circadian rhythms, with young adults being especially vulnerable.
This study, funded by a National Institutes of Health R21 grant, focuses on understanding how blue light affects the eye at a biological level. Researchers are examining the role of orexin, a brain chemical messenger that helps regulate wakefulness, to better understand how light exposure influences circadian function.
“Disruptions to circadian rhythms are becoming increasingly common in today’s digital world,” said Bhatwadekar. “Our goal is to understand how blue light exposure affects the eye and the body’s internal clock, so we can identify strategies to reduce potential harm.”
By uncovering how blue light impacts these biological processes, the research team hopes to inform future approaches to protecting eye health and improving sleep patterns, particularly in younger populations that are most exposed to digital devices. This work represents an important step toward understanding the long-term health implications of modern light exposure and could guide future recommendations for safer technological use.
