Blue Light Hazard for 445nm enthusiasts

[Encap]

Article on Blue Light Hazard for people who have not hread of it before--important information for people who are 405nm and 445nm laser enthusiasts.

With a 445nm laser thermal eye damage hazard is not the only occular hazard -- there is also a "blue light hazard" which effect both visual and non-visual biological functions.

See article here: http://www.crizalusa.com/content/dam/crizal/us/en/pdf/blue-light/Blue-Light-Roundtable_White-Paper.pdf

There is a section on non-visual functions subject to "blue light hazard" that is very intriguing.
A newly uncovered third type of photoreceptor cell in addition to rods and cones that most have never heard of, which regulate several important biological functions and are subject to photochemical damage due to blue light.

From the article:

Blue light is Vital for life
"These non-visual functions depend on a newly discovered third photoreceptortype that exists along with the rods and cones.
Called intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs), these cells contain melanopsin, a photopigment, and, unlike cone cells, they are not concentrated in the fovea. Instead ipRGCs form a photoreceptive network broadly across the inner retina. Because melanopsin is so important to the daily resetting of our biological clocks, the absorption spectrum of melanopsin is sometimes called the chronobiological spectral band. This band peaks at about 480 nm, within the blue range. The ipRGC response to light in the chronobiological band regulates many non-visual physiologic functions in the human body, including circadian entrainment, melatonin regulation, pupillary light reflex, cognitive performance, mood, locomotor activity, memory, and body temperature. Studies have shown that pupil constriction, the eye’s natural defense against exposure to strong light, is wavelength-dependent and peaks at 480 nm."

 

[Razako]

I don't really understand all this 'blue light hazard' stuff. The monitor you're looking at right now is putting out blue light. Sunlight contains blue light. Obviously it can't be that bad or we'd all be blind by now.

 

[Cyparagon]

Right. Your "background dose" of blue light is thousands of times higher than anything you'd get from playing with a blue pointer. If blue light were actually dangerous, there's really no way of avoiding it unless you want to wear yellow glasses for the rest of your life. I'll take any risk of late-life eye problems over being a dichromat ANY day.

Also, the article seems to suggest wearing yellow glasses will affect "cognitive performance, mood, locomotor activity, memory, and body temperature." which just sounds like bullshit to me.

Another indication this isn't a serious paper is that they feel the need to explain simple physics concepts to the reader, like what the EM spectrum is.

 

[Encap]

I don't really understand all this 'blue light hazard' stuff. The monitor you're looking at right now is putting out blue light. Sunlight contains blue light. Obviously it can't be that bad or we'd all be blind by now.

With so may newcomers wanting, making, or buying 3W to 7W 445nm lasers my thought was to put up something about Blue Light Hazard.
THe article is OK although it is as Cyparagon says "Another indication this isn't a serious paper is that they feel the need to explain simple physics concepts to the reader, like what the EM spectrum is"
I meant to put up a paper that was basic with explaination of simple physics concepts for new people who are not familiar with much other than they want a low cost high output powerful blue laser for whatever reasons.

Yes blue light is all around us, it makes the sky look blue.
Yes, between smartphones, laptops, and tablets adults are constantly being exposed to blue light from digital devices.

I thought to say something about the blue light hazards because >1W to 7W 445nm lasers are common now and exceptionally brght 445nm blue lasers are not an ordinary everyday blue light sources.

Blue light related damage is cumulative happening slowly over time. High energy blue light can contribute to permanent retinal damage and increase the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration.

It is what it is--can't hurt to be aware of the situation if spending a lot of time using high powered 445nm lasers without goggles.

 

[AaronT]

Don't let the over complicated explanation and vague warnings scare you.

The warning is how blue light can throw off your circadian rhythms.

The great breakthrough/mystery/unanswered question is they discovered a part of your eye specifically responsible for detecting blue light in a way that infers that these points (blue lite the specific eye cells and circadian rhythms) are all related.

Burn out these receptors and you may suffer what blind people call "non-24" and have to take a sleep aid for your circadian rhythm to stay normal.

Personally I smell too much BS in this article. Someone dressed up a real science discovery (newly discovered eye cells) and decided to try to scare people with it by extrapolating possible evil boogiemen that could take advantage of it.

 

[Trendkilla254]

I do have a pair of sunglasses with "blue blocker" tint (yellowish). I use them to ward off migraine headaches. These were prescribed and insurance pays for them. They work very well. I don't know all the physics behind it to be quite honest. I am able to give a real world experience though. I am able to tell a difference in the amount of headaches per week with and without the lenses. I have Wiley-X SG-1 sunglasses with interchangeable lenses. I have normal smoke grey and the yellow-ish ones as well.

 

[Cyparagon]

It is what it is--can't hurt to be aware of the situation if spending a lot of time using high powered 445nm lasers without goggles.

Of course using high powered lasers without safety equipment is a bad idea. But telling people any blue light will harm them isn't well founded or supported.

Again, blue light is EVERYWHERE, and in enormous amounts. Come to think of it, you're probably a LOT safer playing inside with a blue pointer than you are outside in the dreadful sunlight :yh:

 

[RedCowboy]

It's amazing how much our super bright LED flashlights let through, I know it's a blue LED coated in phosphor, but look at one with your orange laser safety glasses on, some converted green is blocked I suspect but wow, there must be a ton of blue getting through.

-------edit-------

Oh yea, I remember putting a LED flashlight through a RGB 4 way prism cube from a projection TV and there is a good bit of green, but also a lot of blue and of course red too.

I think the problem is when there is a lot of blue only such as the splash, I would not stare at the splash/spot/bar for long times as receptors won't bleach out if you're getting too much bright blue only, the beam in the air or spot at a distance I would not worry about, except of course any inadvertent specular reflections, diffuse at a distance I look at often, it's a judgement call.
If in doubt safety first.