智能手機普及的今天，眼乾、眼澀、眼疲勞似乎成了很多手機族的常態。最新研究顯示，手機和電子產品發出的藍光對眼睛的傷害是不可逆轉的。看完下面的報道，你還會每天拿著手機幾個小時不放嗎？
We all know that the blue light that emits from our smartphones isn't good for our eyes, but a new study has discovered just how much damage it can cause.
我們都知道智能手機發出的藍光對眼睛有傷害，但一項最新研究解釋了藍光能造成的傷害程度。
Researchers say that this light is absorbed by vital molecules in our retina and triggers the production of a toxic chemical that kill cells.
研究人員稱，視網膜上面一些重要的分子會吸收這些藍光，並會產生能殺死細胞的有毒化學物質。
This damage can lead to large blind spots in our vision that are the hallmark of macular degeneration, a disease that leads to blindness.
這種傷害可導致視力出現較大的盲點，這也是黃斑變性的典型特徵。黃斑變性會導致失明。
The team from the University of Toledo in Ohio says it is urging the public to not use phones in the dark because this can dilate pupils and lead to even more harmful blue light entering our eyes.
俄亥俄州托萊多大學的研究小組呼籲公眾不要在暗處使用手機，因為這會使瞳孔放大，導致更多的有害藍光進入眼睛。
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of vision loss for those aged 50 or older, according to the National Eye Institute.
美國國家眼科研究所的數據顯示，老年性黃斑變性是50歲及以上人群視力喪失的主因。
The condition occurs when the macula, an oval area near the center of the retina that allows for sharp vision, becomes damaged.
當視網膜中心附近橢圓形的黃斑區受到損害時，就會出現視力喪失。黃斑區的狀況決定視力水平。
Sufferers will experience blurred vision or even 'blind spots' in their central vision that may grow larger as the retina dies.
黃斑變性患者通常會覺得中心視覺區域視力模糊，甚至出現“盲點”，而且隨著視網膜細胞壞死，視覺模糊和出現盲點的區域會擴大。
Treatments include medications that stop new blood vessels from forming in the eye as well as laser therapies that destroy abnormal blood vessels.
對黃斑變性的治療包括使用藥物治療防止眼內形成新生血管，以及破壞異常血管的激光療法等。
For this study, the team decided to focus on retinal, a form of vitamin A found in the retina that coverts light into metabolic energy.
在此次研究中，研究小組把重心放在視網膜上，視網膜上發現的一種維生素A能夠把光轉換成能量代謝。
Photoreceptor cells, known more commonly as rods and cones, use retinal to covert light into signals that are sent to the brain.
感光細胞（通常被稱為幹體與錐體細胞）通過視網膜將光線轉換為信號，並傳遞給大腦。
'The human eye reflects UV light (such as from the sun) very well but it allows blue light to enter and the retinal can absorb blue light very well,' lead author Dr Ajith Karunarathne, an assistant professor in the UT department of chemistry and biochemistry, told Daily Mail Online.
研究報告的主要作者卡如那拉西恩博士告訴每日郵報網站說：“人的眼睛反射紫外光（比如來自太陽）的能力很強，但會讓藍光進入眼睛，視網膜吸收藍光的能力也很強。”他是托萊多大學化學和生物化學系的助理教授。
Dr Karunarathne noted that blue light alone or retinal that hadn't absorbed blue light did not have any effect on the cells.
卡如那拉西恩博士指出，僅僅是藍光，或是沒有吸收藍光的視網膜不會對細胞有任何影響。
He added that there was no activity when retinal was exposed to other light colors such as green, red or yellow.
他補充說，當視網膜暴露於綠色、紅色或者黃色等淺色時，不會有任何反應。
The team did find a molecule, a vitamin E derivative known as alpha tocopherol, that can stop the cells from dying.
研究小組發現了一種分子能夠阻止細胞的死亡，這是一種維生素E的衍生物，也稱為α生育酚。
'When you damage the photoreceptor cells, they’re damaged for good, so the vitamin E derivative currently just mitigates damage,' said Dr Karunarathne.
卡如那拉西恩博士說：“感光細胞受到的傷害不可逆，所以維生素E的衍生物目前也只能減輕這種傷害。”
'We're currently screening for more molecules to see if they can quench this damaging reaction.'
“目前我們正在篩選更多的分子，看它們是否能終結這種損害反應。”
He explained that as we get older, the ability to prevent attacks from retinal that has absorbed blue light became weaker, which leads to macular degeneration.
他解釋說，隨著年齡的增長，吸收了藍光的視網膜防受損能力也在減弱，導致黃斑變性。
Dr Karunarathne says some of the ways we can protect ourselves include wearing sunglasses that can filter both UV and blue light, using blue light filters on our phones, and not looking at cell phones or tablets in the dark.
卡如那拉西恩博士說，有幾種辦法可以保護眼睛：佩戴可以過濾掉紫外線和藍光的太陽鏡，在手機上貼上藍光濾膜，不要在暗處玩手機和平板。
'Looking at cell phones in the dark can be very harmful because the pupils are dilated so more blue light can get in and cause damage,' he said.
他說：“在暗處看手機非常有害，因為瞳孔會放大，從而使更多藍光進入眼睛，導致傷害。”
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