J Korean Ophthalmol Soc.  2018 Mar;59(3):230-237. 10.3341/jkos.2018.59.3.230.

Reduction of Blue Light Emission in Internet-protocol Television and Its Effect on Ocular Fatigue

• Kim H
• Kim HT
• Shin DH
• Lim HT
• Choi CY
• Cho WJ
• Kim JY
• Kim CY
• Tchah H

• KMID: 2406957
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3341/jkos.2018.59.3.230

Abstract

PURPOSE
The blue light emitted from electronic devices may be harmful to the eye. We investigated whether internet-protocol television (TV) with lowered blue light emission reduced ocular fatigue.
METHODS
A total of 98 healthy subjects were recruited. They watched an animated movie (A) and an identical version except for reduced blue light (B), sequentially for 1 hour in random order. Before and after watching the movies, we measured the distance and near refraction and tear break-up time objectively. Ocular discomfort score and the earliest onset time of the ocular fatigue symptoms were also measured using our specially designed subjective ocular discomfort scale.
RESULTS
The median age of the participants was 28.5 years, and there were 56 females out of 98 total participants. Both distance and near refraction were not significantly different before versus after watching the movies, nor between viewing movies A and B. However, the accommodative amplitude measured by subtracting the near refraction from the distance refraction was found to be greater after watching movie B compared with movie A in a subset of subjects with hyperopia [1.92 vs. 1.72 diopters (D) for the right eye and 2.14 vs. 1.83 D for the left eye; p = 0.04 and p < 0.01, respectively]. The ocular discomfort score was lower (15.40 vs. 12.85; p = 0.10), but not significantly, and the earliest ocular fatigue onset time was significantly delayed (23.48 vs. 34.51 minutes; p < 0.01), after watching movie B.
CONCLUSIONS
Reduction of blue light emission alleviated ocular fatigue caused by TV displays. Watching TV with lower blue light may provide benefits to hyperopic individuals by reducing eye strain and improving the accommodative amplitude.

Keyword

Digital eye strain; Internet-protocol television; Ocular discomfort score; Ocular fatigue

MeSH Terms

Fatigue*
Female
Healthy Volunteers
Humans
Hyperopia
Motion Pictures as Topic
Tears
Television*

Figure

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  Figure 1 Measurement of refraction using an open-field autorefractor b (WAM-5500, Grand Seiko, Tokyo, Japan). Measuring both distance and near refraction allowed us to calculate the degree of near accommodation.

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  Figure 2 Eye tracking test using the SMI Eye Tracking Glasses 2 Wireless (Sensory Motoric Instruments, Teltow, Germany). Fixation was continuously traced while watching videos.

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