Blue Light Hazard- Youth at Greatest Risk
We are all involved in an experiment right now… and our eyes are the petri dishes!! Please hear me….our children are at the greatest risk!! We have no idea what is going to happen to the health of our kid’s eyes as they get older. I want to shout it from the rooftops the dangers of blue light. As your community eye care professional… it is my responsibility to educate you about these dangers. I am starting with our youth, and then in subsequent blogs… I will discuss further the other dangers that blue light poses. I fear for our children’s future as it relates to their eye health!!
What is blue light? It is the blue part of the visible light spectrum- between 400 and 500 nanometers.
The sun is our biggest exposure. However, now we are exposed to indoor blue light: fluorescent lighting, compact fluorescent lighting, LED lighting and LED screens. It is an overexposure to blue light that is damaging. As it is a cumulative lifetime exposure to blue light that causes photo-oxidative retinal damage that leads to Macular Degeneration. Due to advancements in technology, we are exposed to more blue light today than at any point in human history. We can’t get away from electronic devices… it is not realistic… they are a part of us now…almost like another appendage.
You ask… why are children at more risk? They have shorter arms (the closer the device- the more intense the energy), larger pupils, and very clear crystalline lenses which allows blue light to enter at full strength. There is also a protective pigmented layer in the macula that filters blue light (more to come on this later), but it does not start developing until our early 20’s. Therefore, not only can more blue light get into kid’s eyes, but it can do more damage.
In addition to time spent outdoors, a 2012 study showed that kids age 8-18 years old spent an average of 9 hours on electronic screens held close to their eyes. WoW!!
So…. What can we do about it? I don’t think you will be able to take away your teenager’s Iphone!! No, I don’t think that’s an option… I have a teenager… I know!!
As of yet, there is only one lens that filters 100% of the harmful blue light. It is called a BluTech lens. It is not a tint… it has ocular lens pigment (our natural protection within our eyes) that is infused into the lens. They are available as an indoor lens and an outdoor lens. You can get them in prescription or non-prescription, as well as clip-ons to go over your current eyewear. I do not let my kids use an electronic device without them… and now, they don’t even want to. They say they can barely stand to look at a LED screen without their BluTech’s on. In fact, to protect my own eyes, I don’t get on a device without my BluTechs!!
To learn more go to: www.blutechlenses.com
In Good Health,
Dr. Kim Walters
MIYA GALLERY HOSTS SCULPTURE EXHIBIT by HARVEST HOUSE STUDENTS
General AnnouncementsMIYA GALLERY WILL HAVE AN EXHIBITION AND SALE OF CERAMIC SCULPTURE BY STUDENTS FROM THE HARVEST HOUSE IN ASHEVILLE, NC. THE SHOW STARTS ON MARCH 14 AND RUNS THROUGH THE 3RD OF APRIL. OPENING RECEPTION WITH WINE AND FOOD WILL BE ON MARCH 18, FRIDAY FROM 5:00 TO 7:00.
Glass and Metal Day April 2 Folk Art Center
General AnnouncementsThe Folk Art Center is just around the corner from us up on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Make Weaverville your center point during your Western North Carolina getaway. Stay with us at the Dry Ridge Inn, and enjoy our wonderful vibrant Main Street just a few short blocks away.
Biltmore Fashionable Romace
General Announcements, Places to StayWe toured the Biltmore this week. Enjoying the Fashionable Romance Wedding Gowns in Film exhibition. Biltmore Blooms opens in April.
Come stay with us and enjoy.
Dine to Be Kind
General AnnouncementsHello Everyone! We here at the Creperie and Cafe are thrilled to be a part of the Weaverville Business Association. We look forward to connecting with our neighbors and supporting the work we all do to make this place great!! Together, we are mastering the “Art of Small Town Hospitality.”
Speaking of connecting with our community, we would like to invite you and everyone you know to come dine with us anytime, during normal business hours, on Tuesday, March 8, 2016. We are proud to participate in the Dine to Be Kind fundraiser for the Asheville Humane Society. 15% of the days earnings will be donated to support the facility. Come on by, help make it the BEST Tuesday ever! The puppies and kitties will greatly appreciate it!
See the event listed here for more details.
Photo Restoration
General Announcements, ServicesBefore you frame it…Restore it!
From repairing a badly damaged photo, to a simple, high-quality copy, Bob at Art Accents can provide complete digital restoration services. Save those cherished memories!
Check out some before and after restoration examples here.
Kristen’s Egg Flowers Breakfast Entree
General Announcements, Places to StayEGG FLOWERS
6 sheets phyllo pastry 6 large eggs
3 Tbsp. butter, melted 4-6 tsp. chives, minced
6 tsp. Parmesan cheese, grated salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease six 21/2-inch muffin cups. Brush one
sheet of phyllo with butter. Top with another sheet and brush with butter.
Cut pastry into six 4-inch squares. Stack three squares together, rotating so
that corners do not overlap. Press into prepared muffin cup. Repeat with
remaining squares. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon cheese into each phyllo-lined cup.
Break one egg into each cup. Sprinkle chives over eggs. Season with salt
and pepper if desired. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until pastry is golden or
the eggs are set. Yield: 6 servings.
Click Here for Kristen’s Recipes
Art Safari Registration Deadline – February 29, 2016
General AnnouncementsThe registration deadline is almost here. Sign up at:
http://www.wvlarts.com
Blue Light Hazard- Youth at Greatest Risk
General AnnouncementsBlue Light Hazard- Youth at Greatest Risk
We are all involved in an experiment right now… and our eyes are the petri dishes!! Please hear me….our children are at the greatest risk!! We have no idea what is going to happen to the health of our kid’s eyes as they get older. I want to shout it from the rooftops the dangers of blue light. As your community eye care professional… it is my responsibility to educate you about these dangers. I am starting with our youth, and then in subsequent blogs… I will discuss further the other dangers that blue light poses. I fear for our children’s future as it relates to their eye health!!
What is blue light? It is the blue part of the visible light spectrum- between 400 and 500 nanometers.
The sun is our biggest exposure. However, now we are exposed to indoor blue light: fluorescent lighting, compact fluorescent lighting, LED lighting and LED screens. It is an overexposure to blue light that is damaging. As it is a cumulative lifetime exposure to blue light that causes photo-oxidative retinal damage that leads to Macular Degeneration. Due to advancements in technology, we are exposed to more blue light today than at any point in human history. We can’t get away from electronic devices… it is not realistic… they are a part of us now…almost like another appendage.
You ask… why are children at more risk? They have shorter arms (the closer the device- the more intense the energy), larger pupils, and very clear crystalline lenses which allows blue light to enter at full strength. There is also a protective pigmented layer in the macula that filters blue light (more to come on this later), but it does not start developing until our early 20’s. Therefore, not only can more blue light get into kid’s eyes, but it can do more damage.
In addition to time spent outdoors, a 2012 study showed that kids age 8-18 years old spent an average of 9 hours on electronic screens held close to their eyes. WoW!!
So…. What can we do about it? I don’t think you will be able to take away your teenager’s Iphone!! No, I don’t think that’s an option… I have a teenager… I know!!
As of yet, there is only one lens that filters 100% of the harmful blue light. It is called a BluTech lens. It is not a tint… it has ocular lens pigment (our natural protection within our eyes) that is infused into the lens. They are available as an indoor lens and an outdoor lens. You can get them in prescription or non-prescription, as well as clip-ons to go over your current eyewear. I do not let my kids use an electronic device without them… and now, they don’t even want to. They say they can barely stand to look at a LED screen without their BluTech’s on. In fact, to protect my own eyes, I don’t get on a device without my BluTechs!!
To learn more go to: www.blutechlenses.com
In Good Health,
Dr. Kim Walters
Weaverville Realty
General AnnouncementsEstablished in 1996 and at the center of it all on Main Street, Weaverville Realty is a boutique real estate firm that specializes in Buncombe and Madison County properties, yet covers all of Western North Carolina.
Century 21 Mountain Lifestyles
General AnnouncementsCentury 21 Mountain Lifestyles is located on Highway 25-70, 1/2 mile beyond the Lowes-Walmart Center. We specialize in Weaverville, Buncombe & Madison Counties; homes & acreage, and have since 1990. Our agents are all experienced and average eight years of devoted , knowledgeable, ethical service to our clients. Century 21 is the oldest and largest organization in the U.S. and in the world. We are affiliated with Century 21 Mountain Lifestyles in South Asheville and Hendersonville. Allow the power of Century 21 and the friendly service and experience of our office to assist you in purchasing or selling. We have a national referral service and can assist you in buying or selling anywhere in the world. We are Weaverville’s most professional and experienced real estate office.