China/Shenzhen – On September 26, 2018, TÜV Rheinland and Healthe held a press conference launching the “Blue Light Filtration Certification of Digital Device Accessory Screen Protection” at the Intercontinental Shenzhen Hotel. This new standard specifically provides consumers with a Retina Protection Factor or RPF value, an easy to understand numbered rating that designates the level of high-energy visible blue light being filtered from a digital display. Additionally, the standard and associated RPF value ensures that overall display color quality is maintained so that the visual experience is not impacted. Jay Yang, Vice President of Electrical，TÜV Rheinland Greater China, Justin Barrett, CEO of Healthe, and Steve Chan, Director of ZAGG China Operations attended the conference.
This standard was developed through collaboration between TÜV Rheinland, Healthe, and several globally recognized organizations from the eye care community. Recent studies have shown that people have growing concerns over potential long-term eye health impacts from increased digital screen time and cumulative blue light exposure (CF. Blue Light Exposure Research & Sources). While the new blue light rating will greatly assist all consumers, it will be especially beneficial for such high-risk groups as children and the elderly.
At the press conference, Mr. Jay Yang stated that “TÜV Rheinland is glad to be working with Healthe to bring forward a new blue light filtration standard for digital device and accessory manufacturers. Working with Healthe, we’ve developed a rigorous testing and evaluation protocol while providing the consumer with a consistent, easy way to understand the respective blue light emission filtering level of a given display.”
“The TÜV Rheinland blue light filtration standard provides important new information for digital device consumers,” said Dr. David Friess, an internationally recognized optometrist who leads Healthe’s Eyesafe Vision Health Advisory Board. “Given the growing body of research involving eye health and systemic concerns around chronic digital device exposure, filtering the harmful blue light spectrum between 415-455nm is of importance, while maintaining the superior color quality of the display.”
The new testing and evaluation protocol measures the level of protection based on the Spectral Weighting Factors for Blue-Light Hazard, as published by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) in 2013 and adopted by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) in 2015.
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ZAGG, the global leader in screen protection with InvisibleShield products, is the first to achieve TÜV Rheinland blue light management certification for accessory products which was announced at the press conference. “ZAGG has partnered with Healthe to infuse Eyesafe technology into its screen protection solutions, achieving TÜV Rheinland certification for effective filtration from harmful high-energy visible blue light is a big step forward for ZAGG product innovation and it shows our responsibility for product quality and health concern of our users.” Mr. Steve Chan said.
About Healthe LLC:
Healthe is a worldwide supplier of Eyesafe® blue light filtering technology for the world’s leading device manufacturers. Eyesafe technology and associated intellectual property portfolio was developed by world-class engineers and a team with decades in electronics, display materials, and light management to selectively filter UV and high-energy visible (HEV) blue light while maintaining color quality. Similar to sunscreen, Eyesafe technology has an RPF® or Retina Protection Factor rating which corresponds to the amount of blue light energy filtered. Based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Healthe works to develop technologies and standards in conjunction with leaders in the eye care community. To learn more about Healthe and Eyesafe® technology, please visit Eyesafe.com. Eyesafe®, RPF™, and Retina Protection Factor are registered trademarks of Healthe.
About TÜV Rheinland:
TÜV Rheinland is a global leader in independent inspection services, founded 145 years ago. The group maintains a worldwide presence of more than 20,000 people; annual turnover is nearly EUR 2 billion. Its independent experts are committed to ensuring quality and safety for people, technology, and the environment in nearly all aspects of life. TÜV Rheinland inspects technical equipment, products, and services, oversees projects, and helps to shape processes and information security for companies. Its experts train people in a wide range of careers and industries. To this end, TÜV Rheinland employs a global network of approved labs and centers for testing and education. Since 2006, TÜV Rheinland has been a member of the United Nations Global Compact to promote sustainability and combat corruption. Website: www.tuv.com
Blue Light Exposure Research & Sources:
1. Vision Council. “2016 Digital Eye Strain Report.” https://www.thevisioncouncil.org/sites/default/files/2416_VC_2016EyeStrain_Report_WEB.pdf
2. PLoS One. “Phototoxic action spectrum on a retinal pigment epithelium model of age-related macular degeneration exposed to sunlight normalized conditions.” http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0071398
3. Ophthalmology, Volume 115. “Outdoor Activity Reduces the Prevalence of Myopia in Children” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18294691
4. Harvard Health Letter. “Blue Light Has A Dark Side” http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/blue-light-has-a-dark-side
5. Photochemistry and Photobiology. “Effects of Light-Emitting Diode Radiations on Human Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells in
Vitro” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22989198
6. Journal of Adolescent Health. “Blue Blocker Glasses as a Countermeasure for Alerting Effects of Evening Light-Emitting Diode
Screen Exposure in Male Teenagers” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25287985
7. PLoS One. “Reducing Short-Wavelength Blue Light in Dry Eye Patients with Unstable Tear Film Improves Performance on
Tests of Visual Acuity” http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0152936
8. J Ophthalmol. “Attenuating Photostress and Glare Disability in Pseudophakic Patients through the Addition of a Short-Wave
Absorbing Filter” http://www.hindawi.com/journals/joph/2015/607635/
9. Eyesafe.com/research