Do blue light glasses work and everything you need to know
If you've been shopping for a new pair of eyeglasses recently, you've probably seen playgrounds for blue obscuring lenses that are supposed to reduce eye strain and reduce the sleep disturbances that come from using digital screens. But do they live up to the hype? Let's take a look.
How do special glasses reduce blue light?
There are many claims about the benefits of blue light filtering glasses (which we'll cover below), but first, let's take a look at how lenses filter for blue light.
It's very simple: each lens that blocks blue light is colored in such a way that more red, green light and less blue light can enter. Usually, not all blue light is blocked, and the amount of reduced blue light varies depending on the type of lens and its manufacturer.
When you wear blue light filter glasses, what your eyes see is the yellow light (a combination of red and green light that comes through it). You will see the world with a more yellow tint.
Do blue light glasses help with eye strain?
To determine how effective blue light filtering lenses are, you need to separate the various claims from them. One common claim is that they reduce eye strain while looking at screens on devices such as smartphones, tablets, and computers.
According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), there is currently no scientific evidence that light emitted by digital screens harms the eye or causes strain. As a matter of fact The organization cites a recent study suggesting there is no reduction in eye strain using blue light filter lenses versus completely transparent lenses.
Instead, AAO recommends reducing eye strain by reducing screen time and taking regular breaks while using your digital devices.
Do blue light glasses prevent sleep disturbances?
LensCrafters prescription eyeware International Retail claims that blue light can disrupt your sleep by blocking the release of melatonin, a hormone that naturally makes you feel sleepy.
The 2019 study backed up this claim to some extent. LensCrafters offers a solution, claiming that blue light filter lenses can help prevent those disturbances. But fortunately, in The study, cited by the company, participants' melatonin levels recovered to normal levels 15 minutes after they stopped looking at screens — without the need for special glasses.
The supernatural premise disrupting artificial sleep blue light is that day and night the natural cycles of the earth regulate our internal body clocks, making us revitalized during the day when the sun is bright and sleep normally at night when there is dim light. If you stay up late looking at your bright blue tablet or smartphone, you're probably sending the wrong signals to your brain, telling it to be alert when it should be sleepy.
However, if this hypothesis is correct, you need to be exposed to both blue light and warm yellow light to function properly throughout the day. It's no exaggeration to point out that wearing blue lenses throughout the day may prevent you from being exposed to some of the necessary blue light needed to help you feel alert. You may feel sleepy all day while wearing them.
This means that if you get light blue glasses, it may be better to wear them only in the evening. A recent systematic study suggests that blue light glasses do not have a positive effect on people suffering from insomnia when worn in the evening. But this study also suggests that blue blockers are more effective when worn especially as part of effective medical treatment for insomnia rather than a 24-hour lens solution for regular glasses.
Ultimately, wearing blue prescription glasses may not matter because the lenses aren't uniform among vendors, according to an article in Harvard Harvard Heartletter. This means that there is no guarantee that the blue light lenses you buy will block the correct frequencies or the amount of blue light to have any effect whatsoever. Your mileage may vary.
A cheaper way for eye health and sleep
With the mixed reputation of blue veil glasses, there is a less expensive way to keep your eyes healthy. For eye strain, take breaks every 20 minutes while using a digital display. To prevent sleep disturbances from screens, experts recommend not using devices such as smartphones, tablets and computers 2-3 hours before bedtime.
If you use screens at night, use a warm light filter like
Apple's Night Shift, Microsoft Night Light, or Google's Night Mode to reduce the amount of blue light coming from your screen. Also, if you want to read digital books at night, consider buying a Kindle. E-readers that use e-ink have screens that are comfortable for the eyes.
