Why Are Blue Light Glasses Good For You
The blue light produced by your computer, TV, mobile phones, etc. is awfully bad for your eyes. According to doctors, most eye problems occur because of prolonged exposure to blue light. Majorly because when you are using digital screens, you constantly shift your focus and move your eyes. Moreover, the glare and contrast can be hard on the delicate eye retina.
But if you wear blue light lenses like Eyezen while using digital screens, you can protect your eyes from the detrimental short-wave blue light. The blue light glasses also help to prevent headaches and eye strain caused by the rays from the screens. Further, these glasses help to regulate your sleep patterns by blocking the blue lights, which are otherwise known to affect the secretion of melatonin in the body.
Do Blue Light Glasses Actually Work
These trendy lenses have risen in popularity in recent years. But their effectiveness is still up for debate.
As digital spaces have become one of the main ways we work, socialize and communicate with each other, its no wonder the amount of time Canadians spend on their screens has been on the rise. Consequently, many of us have become more aware of how devices are impacting our eyesand what we can do about it. Enter blue light glasses.
Fatigue, eyestrain and headaches are all symptoms of computer vision syndrome, a condition that results from prolonged screentime. Non-prescription blue light glasses purportedly combat the negative impact screens can have on our eyes. But are they really worth buying? We asked two experts to weigh in.
Pandemic Screen Time: Will Blue Light Glasses Help
As people in lockdown spend more time staring at laptops and other digital screens, theyâre ordering more blue light glasses, despite a lack of conclusive evidence the glasses actually reduce eyestrain or protect from the effects of blue light.
The optical company Zenni says sales for the blue-light-blocking product Blokz have risen 60% annually for the last 2 years, with nearly 2 million pairs sold in 2020 alone.
The glasses were already popular with office workers and gamers, âbut most certainly the pandemic has had a pronounced effect with nearly everyone absorbing more and more digital blue light than ever before,â says Sean Pate, a brand marketing and communications officer for Zenni.
The Book Club eyewear company says sales for its blue light glasses through March and April 2020 rose 116% over the same time in 2019, with the surge continuing, according to The Business of Fashion.
âYou never predict a moment like is the moment that a brand blossoms and all of a sudden starts to sell out and gain attention,â says creative director Hamish Tame.
360ResearchReports, a market research company, says the global market for blue light eyewear will increase to $28 million by 2024, up from $19 million in 2020. The advertised benefits of the glasses include less eyestrain, improved sleep, and prevention of eye disease.
But do they really work? It depends on who you ask.
But some eye professionals believe they have benefits.
Also Check: Glasses For Round Chubby Face Female 2021
What To Look For In Blue
Shopping for glasses online is tricky because you cant try them on to find a pair thats both comfortable and complements your face shape. Most over-the-counter glasses are sold in only a size or two, while prescription pairs and some higher-end non-prescription sunglasses usually have three numbers etched into the arms, such as 50-16-135. These are millimeter measurements that correspond to the lens width, bridge width, and arm length, respectively. Remove some of the guesswork by using a pair of well-fitting glasses to figure out your size. Either look at the numbers or, if theyre missing, measure the frames yourself. Try to stick to glasses that closely match those measurements, particularly the bridge and the arm.
Then consider the lens color. All of the glasses Wirecutter tested appeared to be colorless at first glance, but when we wore them, we noticed they all have a faint to moderate orange tint. Orange lenses block blue light because they only let through light with similar wavelengths, like orange and red. The stronger the orange tint, the less blue light gets through, decreasing the amount your eyes are absorbing and potentially helping to counteract negative effects.
But Is Blue Light Harmful
Because of all that blue light, it makes logical sense that spending a lot of time on digital devices could potentially lead to eye strain. However, studies into the potential harm caused by blue light havent been too conclusive. Research is ongoing, but there have been mixed results thus far.
If you suffer from migraines and are trying to determine if blue light glasses work for migraine or light sensitivity, you can find out here.
Read Also: Are Blue Light Glasses Good For Your Eyes
Benefits Of Blue Light Glasses
On the other hand, research also shows blue light glasses bring significant benefits to those exposed to this kind of harmful light. Much of this growing body of research points out the benefit of blue light glasses blocking blue light and improving or restoring good sleep and normalizing circadian rhythms.
Proponents of blue light glasses say they can:
- Improve your symptoms of sleeplessness
- Increase the amount of good sleep you get
- Restore your circadian rhythms
- Improve cognitive performance such as learning and memory
- May increase the speed by which your brain processes information
Best Style: Felix Gray Turing Glasses
If you’re going to wear your blue light blocking glasses to the office , you probably want a pair that gives you a clean, polished look. Felix Gray’s Turing Glasses are the best of both worlds. They are both stylish and effective and use filtering technology to eliminate up to 50% of blue light.
Frame Material: Organic acetate | Blue Light Absorption: Up to 50% | Lens Color: Clear
Verywell Health / Simone Scully
Also Check: Sunglasses Made In Charleston Sc
How Do I Clean Blue
You can clean blue-light-blocking glasses like any pair of lenses with these steps: Remove any visible gunk with a cotton swab rinse the glasses under warm water to dislodge excess grime squirt a pea-sized drop of dish soap onto the lenses and rub the soap in with your fingers rinse off the soap shake the glasses dry and wipe them down with a microfiber cloth. Our post on How to Clean Your Glasses offers a little more detail.
Blue Blockers Bipolar Patients And Sleep Quality
A 2020 study randomized 20 hospitalized bipolar patients in a manic state, with some wearing clear glasses and others wearing blue blocking glasses for 7 days. During that time, their motor activity, sleep, and wakefulness patterns were monitored. After 5 nights, the blue blocker group experienced significantly better sleep efficiency and less wakefulness after getting to sleep.
These findings suggest that blue blocking glasses may help hospitalized manic patients sleep better. However, the sample size of the study was small, and no baseline data was gathered before the study.
Recommended Reading: Best Place To Get Frames For Glasses
What To Look For When Shopping For The Best Blue Light Glasses:
A market full of blue light glasses has sprung up over the last few years, with a range of affordable options to prescription-backed designer options that may even be partially covered by your optical insurance. But finding the right pair of blue light glasses can feel overwhelming, as standalone opticals aren’t regulated by any healthcare organization, and distinguishing a well-made pair among low-cost options can be quite difficult. Try to use the following parameters to help you pick the best pair of blue light-blocking glasses when shopping around:
Tinted versus opaque lenses: Without advanced tools and in-the-know experts, it’s impossible to tell how much blue light a pair of glasses is capable of filtering just by looking at them. The best way to see if a pair of glasses actually aim to curtail exposure to electronic light is to examine the tint on the lenses closely previously published research suggests that amber-tinted shades filter out blue light more effectively than clear, translucent lenses, especially over an extended period of use. Generally speaking, a darker tint equates to more blue light exposure being effectively blocked while there are clear lenses used in blue light-blocking products, they may not be as effective as a tinted option. Tinted lenses are visible to most consumers when reviewing products in person, but you can ask retailers about the level of tint on their products when online shopping, too.
How We Picked And Tested
To find some stylish pairs of blue-light-blocking glasses, we scoured both prescription and non-prescription online sellers, Instagram influencer feeds, and forums. We also asked our friends, family, and colleagues for their chicest recommendations. We found 22 over-the-counter pairs with plastic or wire frames, ranging in price from $2 to $30. We narrowed down our testing pool by reviewing the frame styles, materials, color choices, brand reputation, third-party reviews, and prices. We also considered frames from brands we recommend in The Best Places to Buy Glasses Online. And we preferred lenses that were described as colorless or nearly colorless, as opposed to dark-orange polarized lenses.
For this guide, we had three people test 13 pairs of glasses while working on our laptops and scrolling through our friends social feeds on our phones. We paid special attention to style, quality, fit, comfort, and lens glare. Some glasses seemed comfortable at first but felt too heavy or tight after a few hours. Some had distracting glares that suddenly became very noticeable during a video call. We steered clear of glasses with easily scratched lenses, twisted arms, and rigid hinges .
Read Also: My Glasses Are Too Tight
Can Blue Light Glasses Be Harmful
There appears to be no evidence that blue light glasses are harmful. However, people who wear them may expect them to work and therefore not take other precautions that could help alleviate symptoms associated with screen time.
Several companies manufacture blue light glasses and lenses. Products include:
- Hi-Vision BlueControl
- Gammaray Optix blue light blocking glasses
- Felix Gray Turing glasses
- Uvex Skyper blue light blocking glasses
- Cyxus blue light filtering computer glasses
- Prospek blue light glasses
The AAO recommends the following tips for avoiding eyestrain:
- Stay around an arms length, or 25 inches, away from screens.
- Look slightly downwards at the screen.
- Use the 20-20-20 rule, which involves looking away from the screen to an object at least 20 feet away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes, to give the eyes a break.
- Use artificial tears to add moisture if the eyes feel dry.
- Adjust the lighting in a room and the contrast levels of the screen to make it comfortable to look at.
- Use a matte screen filter if needed.
- Wear glasses when using a screen, if an optometrist or opthalmologist has prescribed them.
CVS is a collection of eye and vision problems that can occur following prolonged use of digital screens, such as those on a computer, tablet, or smartphone.
Symptoms of CVS include:
The Best Blue Light Glasses According To Health Experts
If you decide to give them a try, Dr. Hau recommends finding a pair with anti-glare lenses. You can easily find options with a quick Google search. Warby Parker sells blue-light-filtering lenses, which can be added to any frame for $50. Brands like Target and J.Crew sell blue light glasses for about $10, while options from Look Optic and Felix Gray cost around $65 to $95.
Theyre not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, however, so it can be difficult to know if youre getting a quality pair. Hau says to visit an optical shop that has an optometrist or ophthalmologist working on-site. They should be selling legitimate products, she says.
Dr. Branchini adds that though research so far doesnt show a benefit to these glasses, that could change in the future as more studies are conducted. I dont routinely recommend them because I dont think its been well demonstrated to have much benefit, Branchini says. That being said, the jurys still out. We dont really know for sure.
Don’t Miss: How Do You Keep Your Glasses From Fogging Up
Are Blue Light Glasses Worth It
Now, there are few different factors that lead to eye discomfort on the computer:
- Not blinking often
- When you are focused on something close up, such as a screen, our eyes are naturally strained and become contracted
Being that we live in a digital age, especially with most of us working remotely for time to come, treating yourself to blue light glasses is definitely beneficial. We cant give up our computers, so take any appropriate steps you can to nurture your eye health. We have multiple collections of blue light glasses, including gender neutral options, to help your search on finding the best pair for you:
In addition to blue light-blocking glasses, Optamologists also suggest trying these tips for screen time:
- Practice the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This will help your eyes relax.
- Use eye drops throughout the day to help keep your eyes lubricated while you work at a computer.
- Sit an arms length away from your screen. Most people sit too close to the computer and experience eye strain.
And since blue light has been shown to affect sleep, turn off all digital devices at least one hour before bedtime. Healthy eyes are happy eyes, after all!
What Are Blue Light Glasses
Blue light blocking glasses have specially crafted lenses that are said to block or filter out the blue light given off from digital screens. The lenses are often marketed with lofty claims that they protect your eyes from eye strain and can help reduce potential damage to your retina from prolonged exposure to blue light.
Don’t Miss: Tom Ford Sunglasses Nordstrom Rack
Is Blue Light Really Bad For You
But whats so wrong with blue light? For one thing, it contributes to eye strain, and can also increase the risk of macular degeneration as well as other vision complications. It can also affect your sleep by disrupting your circadian rhythm. And while were all exposed to the blue light that comes from the sun , which actually boosts attention and mood during the day, its our exposure to blue light outside of daylight hours that can affect us in less desirable ways.
Do Blue Light Glasses Help Improve Sleep
Where blue light glasses really seem to shine is in improving sleep. While its uncertain whether or not blue light causes eyestrain, its more definitively linked to sleep disruption. Blue light glasses can help increase melatonin levels if worn at night when looking at a screen. A study done by the University of Houston in 2017 found that in people who wore blue light glasses while looking at a device screen before sleeping had 58% more melatonin and were thus able to sleep better afterward.
Considering Blue Light Glasses?
You May Like: Best Sunglasses For Wide Heads
Is Blue Light Harmful To Your Eyes
As mentioned, there are two sides to every coin, and the discussion on blue light has compelling perspectives on both sides, making the utility of blue light blocking glasses a confusing matter.Two things scientists all agree on:
The scientific disagreement lies in whether the blue light rays emitted from digital devices cause these symptoms and are harmful enough to warrant blue light blocking glasses.
Protect Your Eyes With Blue Light Filtering Glasses
Both our non-prescription and prescription blue light filtering glasses and prescription computer glasses are designed to protect your eyes from extended exposure to harmful blue-violet light. Whether youre wearing them for gaming, working into the wee hours of the night, or binge-watching your favorite show, blue light filtering glasses and glasses for computer use are the way to go.
Recommended Reading: Ralph By Ralph Lauren Sunglasses
What Our Testers Say
“According to the Felix Gray website, their sleep blue light lenses are made to filter the range of blue light that impacts melatonin secretion. After wearing the glasses for a little over two weeks, I felt like I slept a little better. I also seemed to get fewer headaches after long work nights writing at my computerso for that alone, they were definitely worth it for me. One thing to keep in mind is that the glasses are on the fragile side. If you live in a home with young children or you plan to commute with the glasses, its definitely something youll want to keep in mind.” Simone Scully, Verywell writer and product tester
Eye Relief Without Special Eyewear
Whether or not blue light is a contributing factor, its well established that screen time leads to eye strain and disrupted sleep patterns because of the tendency to blink 50% less while staring at screens. Luckily, because computer vision syndrome is well-researched, we do know there are several things you can do to help reduce symptoms and long-term damage.
- Obey the 20-20-20 rule. Ophthalmologists have been recommending this for decades. Take a 20-second break every 20-minutes to look at something 20 feet away. This short break can offer a break to overstrained eyes.
- Use artificial tears. You can shut your eyes for short periods to allow moisture to build up briefly and to give your eyes a break. For chronic dryness, using teardrops can lubricate eyes for some individuals.
- Keep screens at a distance. Your phone and computer screen should be kept at about 20 inches away, or the approximate length of your arms.
- Keep glare to a minimum. You can adjust the brightness on your screen, control the contrast, consider a matte screen filter, and sit in a location where lighting is sufficient, but also minimizes glare.
Also Check: Black Glasses Frames Women’s
