Blue-blocking IOLs damage health

Blue-blocking intraocular lenses (IOLs) offer no advantages to the eye and could actually cause health problems such as insomnia and depression, according to Martin Mainster, MD speaking at the OSN Rome Symposium in May.

Dr Mainster emphasized how important blue light is to good vision and health. He explained that blue light-sensitive cells synchronize the body's biological clock to environmental day/night cycles, guaranteeing proper hormonal and physiological rhythms. Furthermore, blue light provides 35% of rod-mediated scotopic sensitivity, making it essential for good vision in dim-light conditions.

Dr Mainster also stressed that no evidence has been found of a correlation existing between blue-light exposure and the pathogenesis of degenerative retinal disorders.