High Performance Lens - What's that mean, exactly?

High performance, high definition. Those words get used a lot. When we talk about BluTech Lenses being "high performance," what exactly do we mean? 

BluTech Lenses are made infused with chemistry that mimics our natural Ocular Lens Pigment (OLP). OLP is the substance the very mature adult human eye uses to shield our retinas from high energy blue light. 

High energy blue light can have a negative impact on our daily vision, health and overall sense of well-being. There are a number of recent studies that confirm this correlation, linking blue light to health concerns like digital eye strain, retina damage, obesity, diabetes, and even health and behavioral problems in children. Using a BluTech Lens means that you are providing additional protection with the same solution nature provides, filtering the exact high-energy wave lengths that are most damaging. 

Where other "blue light treatments" actually deflect a small portion of blue light away from the eye, BluTech simply filters the wave lengths naturally; absorbing the most damaging wavelengths as nature intended, while still allowing through the wavelengths required for true to life color perception and control of our circadian rhythm (sleep/wake cycle). This filtering naturally enhances your ability to see well. Eyes that don't have to strain to see through blue light scatter are far more relaxed and comfortable. BluTech users often relate to us that they suffer less from digital eye strain, dry eyes, and fatigue. 

Beyond the potential health benefits, however, BluTech provides other high-performance benefits. The OLP lenses improve contrast, making your vision crisp and clear; Glare is significantly reduced; Colors appear brighter, and objects more defined. Indoor BluTech Lenses even improve clarity of vision when driving at night. And, outdoor enthusiasts especially love BluTech polarized for this reason. Golfers regularly tell us they can read the greens more easily while they're playing, because their vision is actually enhanced by the lens. 

But wait, there's more! BluTech Outdoor Lenses have all the optical advantages of polarized lenses, controlling glare and blocking 100% of UVA and UVB. They also allow the wearer to read their digital devices without removing their glasses. That means smartphone screens, tablet computers, digital car dashboards, and even your fish-finder. Finally - a lens that helps you interact with your world just the way you want to, while still protecting your vision. That's what we mean when we say "high performance."

My Migraines are Gone - a Patient's Story

A Phoenix optician working in an independent optometrist's office recently related this terrific patient story to us.

"About a year or so ago I had a patient come out of her eye exam upset she didn't have a prescription! Now as someone who has been in glasses since she was 6 I thought she was crazy.

     "So of course I started asking questions about why she wanted a prescription. Basically she worked on a computer 8+ hours a day and everyday she was coming home with a migraine. We had just started taking BluTech in the practice so I asked if she would be my "guinea pig." I offered her a guaranteed refund if she wasn't happy so she could try the lenses without feeling obligated.

     "Three weeks later, I found her back in my waiting room playing on her smartphone with her BluTechs on. I asked how she liked them and I was actually amazed by her answer. 'Since I've gotten them I haven't had one migraine. It feels so good wearing them I find I wear them all the time.'"

We're always thrilled to hear these kind of patient stories. Again and again, the user experience bears out the dramatic improvement that BluTech Lenses can have on the quality of patients' lives.

Do you have a great patient story to relate? We'd love to hear from you! Send us a message!

Blue Light Concerns: Not Just for Geeks

So everybody's talking about the dangers of blue light - how much exposure are we getting daily, and how does it affect our lives? There was a time in the not-very-distant past when only the techies were staring at computer screens for hours at a time. Now, it's all of us. The number of smartphone users in the US has nearly tripled since 2010, from 62.6 million to 163.9, and is projected to reach 220 million by 2018. (eMarketer) As a matter of fact, "Americans now own four digital devices on average" (EACH!) "and the average US consumer spends 60 hours a week consuming content across devices." (Nielsen)
 
We love our technology, and we're not going to give it up - that much is clear. But this monumental shift in the way we interact with it is probably going to have some unintended consequences. One clear effect is the way that these screens deliver light to our eyes. Blue light, a high-energy light wave, is all around us in the sunlight, and nature has designed our bodies to respond to it. We feel more awake, more energized, when exposed to it. But we are carrying "extra" blue light around with us throughout the day and into the evening hours as well. Small wonder our internal clocks are confused. Health advocates are now telling us that our tech gadgets shouldn't be in the bedroom with us because it disrupts our circadian rhythms and can impact restful sleep.

But it's not just sleep. Eye health professionals now believe that blue light not only causes "eye strain and impair[s] our daily vision, but it can also contribute to Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)," (Dr. Joseph Reitano). AMD is a leading cause of blindness in adults over age 50. There's also some significant scientific evidence linking blue light to other serious health concerns: diabetes, obesity, cancer, and behavioral issues in children.  (Harvard Medical School) The prevalence of blue-light emitting devices, which includes smartphones, tablet computers, LED televisions, computer screens, and even CFL and LED lightbulbs is relatively new. It may take decades before we are fully aware of the long-term implications of this exposure level. Many eye doctors are recommending limiting your digital screen time and using a blue-light filtering lens to protect your eyes from high-energy blue light to help prevent significant, long-term damage to your eyes.

How much time do you spend in front of the screen?
Weigh in here on our visitor's poll.

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Healthy in 2015

What's your new year's resolution? Is this the year of good health? Natural living? Planning to get in shape? Eat better? Get more rest?

As you think about your commitment to personal health for this coming year, consider your vision. Research shows that unprotected eyes, especially in our digital world, can have an impact on your well-being. The health and vision industry is buzzing over new information about the potential effects of blue light (emitted by your smart phone, tablet pcs, computers, and LED televisions). Nature never intended our eyes to have to cope with so much high-energy blue light. Overexposure can lead to headaches, fatigue, trouble sleeping, and even more serious issues.

Protection is easy. BluTech lenses are the only lenses available that filter blue light the same way that nature does, with ocular lens pigment actually imbedded in the lens material - like the ocular lens pigment in your eyes. It's designed by nature to offer protection from harmful, high energy light sources. Filtering out the most damaging wavelengths lets your eyes rest, and improves clarity of vision dramatically. And it mirrors nature.  According to Dr. Ramin Schadlu, a retina specialist in Scottsdale, Arizona,  BluTech eyeglass lenses are  "Nature's wisdom in a lens." We couldn't agree more.

Take care with your vision. Make BluTech lenses, indoor and outdoor, part of your health routine.

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Consequences of Blue Light Overexposure - a Patient's Story

Last year, a 13-year-old boy entered the San Diego practice of Jeffrey Morris, MD, with a strange collection of symptoms. "His mother told us he was constantly rubbing his eyes."

The attending doctor determined the boy didn't have dry eye. "He discovered the patient was constantly on his computer, took his iPad to bed and even had a television in his room," Dr. Morris says. "He also had problems sleeping." BluTech Lenses were prescribed.

BluTech Lenses filter blue light, block UV, most importantly without altering the patient’s color perception using a unique ratio of ocular lens pigment.  The resulting lenses provide the same protection, contrast enhancement, and color perception to the eye as the natural yellow-brown coloration of the human crystalline lens.

Dr. Morris cautions that BluTech is the only brand he’s evaluated that effectively filters out blue light. “Other companies advertise blue-light filtering. But I have testing devices in my office that measure if glasses filter blue light and the other brands I've tested don't.”

After a few weeks of wearing BluTech Lenses, the patient’s mother reported that the glasses had changed his life. “He stopped rubbing his eyes and was now sleeping like a rock,” Dr. Morris adds.

Before technology, humans weren't exposed to blue light at night; the usual source is the sun. Blue light emitted from electronic devices shuts off melatonin production, which can disturb the natural circadian rhythm that induces sleep.

"We can tell people to turn off devices, but that’s unlikely to happen," he says, "An alternative is blue light lenses."

Health ramifications to blue light overexposure are just being explored. "Northwestern University recently published a study showing blue light stimulates appetite, even after eating. Other studies have suggested that melatonin may be protective against cancer, so if you’re shutting down production of melatonin at night, that could correlate with other health issues." Another reason to wear blue light filters, he adds, is that blue light exposure is toxic to the retina and over time can lead to macular degeneration.

Dr. Morris reflects, "Blue light overexposure is a subtle thing, but the health implications are surprisingly broad."

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Jeffrey B. Morris is a board certified ophthalmologist with 27 years of experience in microsurgery of the eye and laser vision correction. He is the Founder and Medical Director of Morris Eye Group, in Encinita and Vista, CA.

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All Those Great Gadget Gifts - Did You Get the Right Accessories?

'Tis the season - for fabulous gifts, new tech, and... eye fatigue? Check out this list of popular gifts from this just-past holiday season:

• Xbox One
• PS4
• Apple iPhone 6 / 6S
• Kindle Fire
• Apple iPad

According to Gizmodo, 8 of the last 10 holiday buying seasons have featured at least one digital device among top-sellers (often several).  If you received one of these, or other popular digital gifts this year (or if your kids did!), best make sure you have a very important accessory - eye protection! These digital devices (along with our LED televisions, personal computers, tablets, readers, and dozens of other must-have items), emit high volumes of blue light, which has been linked to a stunning array of health issues, and can actually potentially damage vision.

A recent study by the Harvard Medical School has identified these blue light waves as major contributors to significant disruptions in sleep cycles, as well as diabetes, cancer, and obesity. Even more disturbing, researchers are linking disruptions in sleep cycles with the sharp increase in ADHD symptoms. The science indicates that the 7+ hours we spend daily gazing at these blue-light emitters can have a drastic impact on our well-being, and nobody really knows yet what the long-term cost of our digital lives will be. 

No matter which way you look at it, it's clear that protecting our eyes when we use digital devices can have significant benefits to our health. And don't forget the kids - they are exposed to unprecedented amounts of blue light, much earlier than their parents ever were. By the time they are 30, how much time will they have spent looking at smart phones, tablets, and computers?  Give your family a break - make sure you and your kids are wearing blue light filtering glasses whenever you access digital media. Chances are good, you'll be glad you did.

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