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蓝光？盲光？

健康社科

困难 1446

根据一项最新研究成果，手机屏幕所释放的蓝光会显著增加失明的风险（其实电脑和平板的屏幕也不例外）。

This probably isn't the most pleasant article to come across on your phone, but facts are facts: according to a new study, the blue light from your phone can accelerate blindness (and laptops and tablets are similarly culpable). Prolonged exposure to blue light can advance the process of macular degeneration, as researchers from the University of Toledo discovered. Are you side-eyeing your phone yet?

今天我们要谈论的话题可能会让人有些不快，但现实往往很残酷：根据一项最新研究成果，手机屏幕所释放的蓝光会显著增加失明的风险（其实电脑和平板的屏幕也不例外）。托莱多大学的研究人员发现，肉眼长时间暴露在蓝光之中会加速黄斑退化，从而危害视力。看到这里，此时正握住手机的你，是不是有了几分恐怖的感觉？

The University of Toledo study concluded that exposure to blue light "triggers poisonous molecules to be generated in the eye’s light-sensitive cells that can cause macular degeneration — an incurable condition that affects the middle part of vision." Blue light is particularly damaging, the paper says, because it "has a shorter wavelength and more energy compared with other colors".

西班牙托莱多大学的研究显示，当肉眼暴露在蓝光下，会“在光感细胞中产生有害分子，引发黄斑退化，这一过程无法治愈，最终导致视力下降”。论文指出，蓝光在各种可见光中最具破坏性，因其“波长较短，且与其他颜色相比易集聚更多的能量”。

So what exactly is macular degeneration? It is a common condition among those in their 50s and 60s that results in significant vision loss, which is caused by the death of photoreceptor – light-sensitive cells in the retina. Photoreceptor cells do not regenerate in the eye. When they’re dead, they’re dead for good.

那么究竟什么是“黄斑退化”？黄斑退化又称黄斑变性，是50岁至60岁人群中一种常见的眼科疾病，由视网膜上的光感细胞死亡引发。人类眼球中的光感细胞是不可再生的，一旦死亡便无法再生。

This isn't the first time digitally-emitted blue light has come under scrutiny. As reported before, exposure to blue light during the evening can disrupt our body clocks and interfere with sleep. Screens produce a bright light which can stop the body producing melatonin — the sleep hormone — which is produced naturally as the evening becomes darker.

这并不是电子屏幕释放的“蓝光”第一次受到公众的注意了。前几年媒体曾报道过晚间双眼暴露于蓝光下会导致生物钟混乱，进而影响睡眠。这是因为电子屏幕上的明亮光线会阻止身体释放褪黑素。褪黑素又被称为“睡眠激素”，正常情况下，人体会在夜色降临之时自然产生。

So what can we do to salvage our sleep and preserve our eyesight? Doctors advise wearing sunglasses that can filter both UV and blue light outside and avoiding browsing on mobile phones or tablets in the dark. Plus, some smart phones and tablets offer “Night Mode”, which reduces the emission of blue light from device screens in the evening hours. Most importantly, drop your phone when it’s the time to sleep. Avoiding blue light maybe is a way to keep away from blind eyes.

那么我们该采取什么行动挽救我们的睡眠和视力呢？医生建议在户外活动时佩戴能够有效过滤紫外线和蓝光的墨镜，在暗处则尽量避免使用手机和平板。此外，当下已经有不少手机和平板推出了“夜间模式”，能够在夜间有效减少蓝光的输出。最重要的是，到了该睡觉的时间，就要本本分分地放下手机，投入梦乡。躲开那一束束刺眼的蓝光，或许一生就能与失明二字彻底绝缘。