Key Takeaways
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Blue light glasses do not correct astigmatism but may ease some symptoms related to screen time.
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Astigmatism is caused by the shape of the cornea or lens in the eye and requires prescription glasses, toric lenses, or other types of corrective lenses.
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On the otherhand, blue light glasses can help reduce eye strain, glare, and light sensitivity during screen time.
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People with astigmatism can safely use blue light glasses, and many prescription glasses now include blue light filtering lenses for additional benefits.
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An eye doctor can diagnose astigmatism and recommend the right vision correction.
If you have astigmatism and spend long hours on digital screens, you may wonder if blue light glasses help with astigmatism.
While blue light glasses will not correct astigmatism or blurred vision, they can help reduce eye strain and glare, which can make your vision feel more comfortable.
In this guide, we’ll explain what astigmatism is, how blue light glasses work, and when they may be useful.
What is Astigmatism?
Astigmatism is a common vision problem caused by an irregular shape of the cornea or lens. Instead of light focusing evenly on the retina, light enters the eye unevenly, causing blurred or distorted vision at different distances.
Common symptoms include blurry vision, double vision, eye strain, headaches, squinting, and trouble driving at night. Astigmatism is diagnosed during an eye exam by an eye doctor and is usually corrected with prescription glasses, contact lenses, or even surgery in severe cases.
What Are Blue Light Glasses?
Blue light is part of the visible light spectrum and is naturally emitted by the sun and artificially emitted from digital devices like phones, computers, and TV screens.
Blue light glasses use a special filter to reduce the amount of blue light that enters your eyes. If you’re wondering, “Are blue light glasses worth it?”, the answer is yes!
With today’s high screentime, they can make a big difference for improving eye comfort and reducing the risk of screen-related headaches. Learn more about how blue light glasses work here.
They are also often used to support sleep by reducing artificial blue light exposure at night. Checkout the best blue light blocking glasses for sleep.
Do Blue Light Glasses Help With Astigmatism?
Blue light glasses do not help correct astigmatism. Astigmatism is a structural refractive error involving the cornea or lens. Blue light glasses cannot change how light focuses inside the eye.
People with astigmatism need prescription glasses, toric lenses, or other corrective lenses for sharper vision. However, you can get blue light glasses with a prescription too, which combines the best of both worlds.
Learn more here about the benefits of blue light glasses and find our guide to the best blue light blocking glasses for gaming here.
Why Blue Light Glasses Can’t Help with Astigmatism
Astigmatism affects how light focuses in the eye, which blue light glasses cannot change. Here’s a deeper dive into the reasons behind this.
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Astigmatism Is a Refractive Error
Astigmatism is caused by an uneven cornea or lens. Corrective lenses are needed to bend light properly.
Blue light glasses alone do not provide vision correction and cannot replace prescription lenses. However, you can get prescription lenses that also come with a blue light filter coating.
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Blue Light Glasses Do Not Change Eye Structure
Blue light glasses filter visible light but do not reshape the cornea or lens. Only prescription glasses, toric contact lenses, or refractive surgery using lasers can actually correct astigmatism.
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They Do Not Fix Blurred Vision
Blurred or distorted vision from astigmatism requires a proper lens prescription. Blue light glasses may reduce glare and help with blurriness stemming from eye strain, but will not fix double vision or blurred vision caused by astigmatism.
How Blue Light Glasses May Help Symptoms of Astigmatism
Blue light glasses cannot correct astigmatism, but they may reduce some symptoms linked to long-term screen use. Let’s take a look.
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Reduced Digital Eye Strain
People with astigmatism often experience digital eye strain during long periods spent in front of screens. Blue light filtering lenses can help reduce eye strain and visual fatigue from digital screens. For more on this, take a look at our guide: Do blue light glasses help with eye strain?
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Less Glare and Light Sensitivity
Blue light glasses can reduce glare from screens and bright lighting. This can be helpful since one of the symptoms of astigmatism is light sensitivity (known as photophobia) and seeing halo effects around lights, as a result of the cornea scattering light inconsistently.
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Improved Screen Comfort
People with astigmatism may be more prone to eye strain since the eye has to work harder to focus through an irregular cornea or eye lens. Blue light glasses may help reduce discomfort and eye strain during prolonged screen use, even if they do not directly help with astigmatism.
Struggling with headaches from screen time? Keep reading at: Do blue light glasses help with migraines?
Essential Steps to Manage Astigmatism the Right Way
Managing astigmatism requires a proper diagnosis and the right vision care with a healthcare provider. Here are the essential steps.
Step 1: Schedule an Eye Exam
An eye examination with an eye doctor is essential to diagnose astigmatism and detect vision changes early.
Astigmatism is usually diagnosed using these methods:
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A refraction test to determine how light focuses in the eye and what prescription is needed.
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Keratometry or corneal topography to measure the shape and curvature of your cornea.
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A visual acuity test helps identify how much blurred or distorted your vision is.
Step 2: Use the Correct Prescription
Prescription glasses, toric lenses, or multifocal lenses, all of which can help correct astigmatism by focusing light properly on the retina
Wondering, “Can I add a blue light filter to existing glasses?” The answer is yes!
Step 3: Protect Your Eyes During Screen Time
Blue light glasses can help reduce digital eye strain, a very common symptom of astigmatism, especially during long periods in front of screens for work or entertainment.
Understanding the difference between anti-glare lenses vs blue light filters also helps when choosing eyewear.
Can You Use Blue Light Glasses If You Have Astigmatism?
Yes, blue light glasses are safe for people with astigmatism and may even help to reduce some of the common symptoms like eye strain or headaches. Some people might choose to wear prescription glasses with built-in blue light filters or use clip-on lenses.
If you’re wondering about cost and insurance coverage when choosing eyewear, take a look at our guides are blue light glasses fsa eligible, and does insurance cover blue light glasses?
Give Your Eyes a Rest With Dream Recovery Blue Light Filter Glasses
Blue light glasses will not correct astigmatism, but they can help reduce eye strain and glare from digital devices.
Dream Recovery Blue Light Glasses are built for daily screen use with durable lens coatings that block up to 98% of blue light. With two specialized lens options: Amber for daytime use and orange for nighttime use, they are designed to provide continuous blue light protection for different times of the day.
Protect your eyes today with Dream Recovery Blue Light Glasses.