In today’s world of constant screen exposure and digital eye strain, headaches, brain fog, and disrupted sleep cycles have become really common complaints.
The blue light emitted from phones, tablets, and computer screens is often blamed for poor sleep, blurry vision, and more. So, in your search for solutions, you might have come across blue light glasses.
But… Do blue light glasses work? And if so, which ones should you choose?
This article dives deep into explaining the benefits, drawbacks, and overall effectiveness of blue light-filtering glasses, and which ones to choose.
Key Takeaways
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Blue light exposure is natural, but prolonged artificial exposure (from screens) may affect sleep quality and cause eye fatigue.
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Blue light glasses may help reduce how much blue light enters the eye, lessening its negative effect on the sleep hormone melatonin.
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Properly designed lenses like those in Dream Recovery’s blue light-blocking glasses, filter out harmful wavelengths while letting beneficial visible light through.
What Is Blue Light?
Blue light is part of the visible light spectrum and sits on the shorter end of light wavelengths (around 380-500 nanometers).
It is high in energy and primarily emitted from artificial sources like digital screens, fluorescent lights, and LED bulbs.
Although natural blue light from the sun is essential for regulating our circadian rhythm (the body’s 24-hour clock), excessive artificial blue light exposure can disrupt sleep cycles, suppress the hormone melatonin, contribute to symptoms of digital eye strain, and even damage the retina over time.
Do Blue Light Glasses Work?
The question, "Do blue light glasses really work?" has sparked a few debates across the scientific and medical communities. Let’s take a closer look at what the research has to say.
Scientific Evidence on Blue Light Glasses
The effectiveness of blue light glasses has frequently been up for debate. While there isn’t much research yet on blue light glasses and eye strain, there is evidence to suggest that blue light-blocking glasses may improve sleep by inhibiting how blue light exposure can suppress the release of the hormone melatonin in the evenings. (1)
Research aside, there are countless anecdotal accounts of people experiencing positive benefits from wearing blue light glasses such as fewer headaches, deeper sleep, and reduced eye strain symptoms.
Try Our Dream Blue Light Blocking Glasses Today
The Benefits and Risks of Blue Light on the Eyes
Blue light can have both positive and negative effects on your health. We’ve put together a quick summary below:
The Benefits of Blue Light
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Natural blue light from sunlight (not from screens) helps regulate your internal body clock and mood (i.e. the circadian rhythm).
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It may boost alertness during daytime hours.
The Risks of Blue Light
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Excessive exposure to artificial blue light from screens can impact your eye health and cause digital eye strain, with symptoms like blurred vision and dry eye.
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Prolonged screen use may also suppress melatonin production, leading to sleep issues, poor sleep quality, and disruptions to your circadian rhythm.
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Some reports suggest that high-energy wavelengths of blue light might contribute to long-term retina damage but it’s important to note that this is still up for debate.
6 Reasons Why Blue Light Causes Eye Strain
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Prolonged Screen Time
Any extended exposure to screens like computers, phones, and tablets forces your eyes to continuously focus and refocus - this process can lead to eye fatigue.
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Poor Blinking Habits
It’s been found that people tend to blink less while using digital screens, which can cause the eyes to become more dry and irritated.
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High-Energy Wavelengths of Light
Blue light has shorter wavelengths that scatter more easily, making the eyes work harder to focus.
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Increased Glare from Screens
Digital devices emit a strong glare that can contribute to increased eye strain over time. This glare often forces the eyes to work harder, leading to discomfort, dryness, or even headaches. Prolonged exposure can make it difficult to focus and may negatively impact overall eye health over time if not managed properly.
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Disruption of Circadian Rhythms and Sleep Issues
Blue light exposure in the evening hours may suppress melatonin - the hormone responsible for inducing deep restorative sleep.
How to Defend Your Eyes Against All Types of Potentially Harmful Light
Combatting the effects of blue light requires a multi-faceted approach. Here are some effective solutions:
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Dream Recovery’s Blue Light Glasses
Dream Recovery’s glasses use blue-light-blocking lenses designed to filter out harmful blue wavelengths without blocking beneficial colors of light. Not only are they effective, but they are incredibly comfortable and easy to wear for long periods.
Support deeper sleep and eye health with Dream Recovery’s Blue Light Blocking Glasses.
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The 20-20-20 Rule
The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends that when you’re spending a lot of time in front of screens, you should give your eyes a break every 20 minutes, by looking at an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds to rest your eyes.
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Limit Screen Time at Night
If you can, it’s best to put away your devices and stop watching TV around 2 hours before bedtime. If that’s not possible, try to reduce your exposure to the amount of blue light at night by using devices like blue-blocking glasses and switching to night mode on your phone.
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Anti-Glare Screen Protectors
Something that might help is to attach anti-glare protectors to your computer screen and phone to reduce reflections and screen glare that can negatively impact your eye health.
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Proper Lighting in Your Workspace
Ensure your environment has good lighting in order to minimize eye strain, particularly if you are reading a lot of text.
FAQ
How do blue light-blocking glasses work to improve sleep?
Blue-light-blocking glasses work to improve sleep by reducing your exposure to blue light at night, which can disrupt your sleep-wake cycle by negatively impacting melatonin.
What is a blue light filter?
A blue light filter works to reduce the amount of blue light emitted from electronic devices like smartphones, laptops, and TV screens.
Why is blue light harmful?
Blue light is harmful because it can impact the body’s sleep-wake cycle by suppressing the hormone melatonin and may lead to eyestrain that has been linked to headaches, blurry vision, and dry eye.
Do blue light glasses help with sensitive eyes?
Yes, blue light glasses can help with sensitive eyes. This is because excessive blue light exposure can increase the risk of eyestrain and symptoms like blurry vision and dry eyes.
What is the best way to protect your eyes from the computer screen?
The best way to protect your eyes from the computer screen is by using blue-light blocking glasses and reducing the brightness on your devices.
Final Thoughts
Blue light glasses may not completely eliminate digital eye strain symptoms, but they offer noticeable benefits for those who experience headaches and sleep issues from prolonged screen exposure.
The most effective way to protect your eyes from screens is by combining solutions like the 20-20-20 rule, Dream Recovery’s Blue Light Glasses, and reducing your screen time when possible (particularly in the evenings).
Support deeper sleep and eye health with Dream Recovery’s Blue Light Blocking Glasses.