Do I really need a... Blue-light filter?
What does it do?
It cuts out a range of frequencies at the blue end of the colour spectrum. Products include PC monitors that reduce blue light; filters for screens; apps that reduce the blue light emitted by devices; and lens coatings for glasses that cut blue light.
Why would I want one?
Studies have shown that exposure to light from electronic devices and some energy-efficient lightbulbs, especially in the two or three hours before bed, can disrupt your biological clock. The sun emits a full range of frequencies, but it sets before we go to sleep. We may leave the lights in our houses switched on after dusk, but the yellowish light of incandescent lightbulbs is friendly to our sun-adapted brains. Newer gadgets emit more blue light, and it’s this that experts think is messing up our ability to sleep (see www.snipca.com/22890). Blue light seems to suppress the hormone melatonin, and this can not only influence your circadian rhythm but could even increase your risk of cancer.
What’s the catch?
There’s not much evidence that solutions actually help, although the makers of the blue light-reductioned app f.lux ( http://justgetflux.com) have compiled an interesting graph of various devices and filters ( www.snipca.com/22893). Making all your apps go a funny colour isn’t ideal, and for colour-related work, such as photo editing, you’ll need to turn any filtering off.
So can I do without it?
We’re talking about specific and possibly subtle effects. You need some exposure to blue light to stay healthy, andd anyway you’ll get 30 times more blue light standing outsideside than using a tablet. Eye specialists recommend you don’t spend long periods looking at a screen, regardless of blue light. Reading a Kindle or similar ‘electronic ink’ device should be better, but not if you use its backlight.
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ALTERNATIVE: Logitech M705 £40 This also has extra buttons and a switchable free/notched scroll wheel if you don’t need multi-pc connection