Episode
Knock Knock Eye: Victor Wembanyama Has the Strictest Bedtime and a Pair of Blue Light Glasses
- Published
- Jun 4, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 2209
- Processing state
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Summary
Victor Wembanyama, the 7'5" alien playing for the Spurs, apparently refuses to look at blue light after 9pm, which allows me to get into my love-hate relationship with blue light glasses, the misinformation campaign that has them treating everything from dry eye to macular degeneration, and the one claim that actually holds up: sleep and circadian rhythm. Then a great Patreon question drops me into retinopathy of prematurity. What it is, why preemies are vulnerable, and how oxygen, vascularization, and laser treatment all fit together. From there, the bigger problem: 90% of U.S. counties don't have a single pediatric eye specialist. Four states, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, have zero pediatric ophthalmologists. And surprise, this comes right back to private equity, because every Knock Knock Eye episode does. Takeaways: Blue light blocking glasses have one evidence-based benefit: improving sleep by helping regulate circadian rhythm. Claims about reducing dry eye, eye strain, or preventing macular degeneration are not supported by the data. Retinopathy of prematurity is caused by a mismatch between an underdeveloped retina and the oxygen exposure premature infants receive — too much supplemental oxygen damages fragile capillaries and can lead to neovascularization, retinal detachment, and blindness. 90% of U.S. counties have no pediatric eye specialist, and New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Vermont have zero pediatric ophthalmologists at all, driven by low reimbursement rates and consolidation that deprioritizes the subspecialty. Private equity-owned ophthalmology practices aren't expanding into pediatric care because it isn't profitable, kids need Medicaid coverage, not cataracts and LASIK, leaving rural and Medicaid families with the fewes…