. 2023 Feb 18;12(2):755–788. doi: 10.1007/s40123-023-00675-3

Table 1.

Effects of blue light on eyes—Wavelengths absorption of different eye tissues and potential mechanisms of effects of blue light

Eye tissue	Wavelengths absorption	Percentage of blue light passing through the eye structure	Potential mechanisms	References
Ocular surface (tear film, corneal epithelial tissue, conjunctival tissue)	Ultraviolet B (< 295 nm)	Transmits all wavelengths ≥ 295 nm	Ocular surface inflammation Oxidative stress damage Cell apoptosis	[4, 5, 36–39]
Lens	Ultraviolet A and B (295 to –390 nm and a part of the near infrared wavelengths In young adults; peak of absorption around 365 nm At 60 or 70 years old; peak of absorption around 400 nm	In young children, around 80–90% of blue light at 450 nm passes through the lens At about 25 years old, 20% of the light between 400 and 460 nm and 50% of wavelengths between 400 and 500 nm are transmitted to the retina; In the elderly, the transmission of blue light to the retina is notably reduced due to the yellowing of the lens absorbing most of the blue light	Photobiological damage Oxidative stress Cell apoptosis	[4, 41–43, 48]
Retina	Visible (380–780 nm) Near infra-red (780–1400 nm)		Photomechanical damage, caused by high irradiance and short exposure independently of the wavelength of light (e.g., therapeutic laser with YAG for iridotomy and capsulotomy); photothermal damage, caused by long exposure (e.g., therapeutic laser photocoagulation); photochemical damage, caused by incident radiation with wavelength in the high-energy portion of the visible spectrum, mainly blue light; Increase in ROS production (loss of photoreceptors, lipid peroxidation, and cell apoptosis); Activation of inflammatory reactions, DNA damage, inhibition of mitochondria, and lysosome function	[51] [52] [53–56]

Eye tissue

Wavelengths absorption

Percentage of blue light passing through the eye structure

Potential mechanisms

References

Ocular surface (tear film, corneal epithelial tissue, conjunctival tissue)

Ultraviolet B (< 295 nm)

Transmits all wavelengths ≥ 295 nm

Ocular surface inflammation

Oxidative stress damage

Cell apoptosis

[4, 5, 36–39]

Lens

Ultraviolet A and B (295 to –390 nm and a part of the near infrared wavelengths

In young adults; peak of absorption around 365 nm

At 60 or 70 years old; peak of absorption around 400 nm

In young children, around 80–90% of blue light at 450 nm passes through the lens

At about 25 years old, 20% of the light between 400 and 460 nm and 50% of wavelengths between 400 and 500 nm are transmitted to the retina;

In the elderly, the transmission of blue light to the retina is notably reduced due to the yellowing of the lens absorbing most of the blue light

Photobiological damage

Oxidative stress

Cell apoptosis

[4, 41–43, 48]

Retina

Visible (380–780 nm)

Near infra-red (780–1400 nm)

Photomechanical damage, caused by high irradiance and short exposure independently of the wavelength of light (e.g., therapeutic laser with YAG for iridotomy and capsulotomy); photothermal damage, caused by long exposure (e.g., therapeutic laser photocoagulation); photochemical damage, caused by incident radiation with wavelength in the high-energy portion of the visible spectrum, mainly blue light;

Increase in ROS production (loss of photoreceptors, lipid peroxidation, and cell apoptosis);

Activation of inflammatory reactions, DNA damage, inhibition of mitochondria, and lysosome function

[51]

[52]

[53–56]

DNA deoxyribonucleic acid, LED light emitting diodes, nm nanometer, ROS reactive oxygen species