Are you spending hours on your computer, smartphone, or other digital device? If so, you’re exposing your eyes to harsh blue light that can cause eye strain. Learn more about light wavelengths, common causes of eye strain, and all about blue light glasses. Discover how these digital eyeglasses may protect your eyes and help you get a great night’s sleep.
Recent research questions the effectiveness of blue light glasses in preventing digital eye strain.
Despite this, the disruptive nature of blue light on your sleep, messing with your circadian rhythm, is well-established. If you find yourself scrolling through your phone late at night or battling insomnia, blue light glasses might offer a helpful solution.
What Is Blue Light?
Blue light is a high-energy, short-wavelength light from various sources such as smartphones, computer screens, televisions, office fluorescent lights, and the sun. In the visible light spectrum, it has the shortest wavelength and the highest energy.
While all light colors are present in the sun, blue light stands out due to its energetic nature. It is known to influence circadian rhythms and may affect sleep patterns, making it a topic of interest in discussions about eye health and digital screen use.
What Are Blue Light Glasses?
Blue light glasses are eyewear that reduces exposure to harmful blue light from digital screens, smartphones, and other artificial light sources. These glasses typically have lenses with a special coating that filters out or blocks a certain amount of blue light.
The goal is to alleviate eye strain, fatigue, and potential disruptions to sleep patterns associated with prolonged exposure to blue light. While the effectiveness of these glasses is a subject of debate, they are a solution to mitigate the effects of excessive screen time on eye health.
Styles and Types of Blue Light Eyeglasses
Blue light eyeglasses can come in a wide range of styles and types. Here are just a few features you can add to your glasses:
- Prescription lenses
- Anti-reflective coating
- Multifocal lenses
- Progressive lenses
Personalize your eyewear to your style, prescription, and lifestyle. Digital eyeglasses reduce the blue light strain on your eyes, helping you sleep easily and get through the workday without eye strain or neck pain.
Sources of Blue Light
The most common natural source of blue light is the sun. This form of light affects your body’s circadian rhythm, which helps prepare you for sleep at night and wakes you in the morning. Natural rhythms of blue light throughout the day aren’t necessarily damaging to your eyes.
There are, however, many unnatural sources of blue light. Here are some common blue light sources that you may experience throughout your day:
- Fluorescent bulbs
- LED lights
- Smartphones
- Laptops
- TVs
There are a few reasons that unnatural blue light can damage your eyes. First, it can cause eye strain. People typically blink less when focusing on a digital screen, which dries out their eyes and causes discomfort.
Blue light has more energy than green, orange, or red light as a short-wavelength light. This can damage your eyes over time. Blurry vision, irritated eyes, headaches, and neck pain are common discomforts caused by long-term blue light exposure.
Artificial blue light can alter your natural circadian rhythm. Computer or smartphone use shortly before bed can disrupt your circadian rhythm. If you are having trouble sleeping or feeling irritable, depressed, or anxious, it could be caused by exposure to blue light.
How To Reduce the Effects of Blue Light
Thankfully, there are ways to reduce your exposure to blue light. Here are some tips to reduce the eye strain caused by normal computer usage.
- Take Regular Breaks: Follow the 20-20-20 rule— Pause every 20 minutes and focus on an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
- Optimal Distance: Sit at least 25 inches away from your computer screen to minimize eye fatigue, maintaining an arm’s length distance.
- Combat Dryness: If your eyes feel dry, use eye drops regularly. Also, blink more frequently.
- Consider Blue Light Glasses: Invest in blue light blocking glasses to filter out high-wavelength light sources during screen use.
Why You Should Wear Blue Light Glasses?
It is advisable to use blue light protection to safeguard against prolonged exposure to excessive blue light. Wearing these glasses offer benefits in different ways.
Prevents Eye Strain
Blue light glasses filter harmful blue light, reducing digital eye strain and enhancing focus. Opt for glasses with yellow lenses for prolonged device use and seek medical advice for persistent eye strain.
Reduces Eye Disease Risk
Excessive exposure to blue light increases the risk of eye diseases like cataracts. Blue light penetrates the cornea and reaches the retina, making blue light glasses a preventive measure against these risks, as they mitigate the effects of constant exposure.
Promotes Better Sleep
Blue light disrupts sleep cycles and melatonin production. Wearing blue light glasses before bedtime or minimizing screen time 30 minutes prior can counteract these effects, improving sleep quality and maintaining a healthy body clock.
Protects Against Dryness
Blue light glasses prevent dry eyes, enhancing comfort during prolonged screen use. Avoid excessive eye rubbing and discomfort by incorporating these glasses into your routine, especially after extended periods of online activities.
Extended Device Use Without Concern
As daily tasks increasingly involve smartphones and computers, continuous exposure to blue light becomes inevitable. Blue light glasses offer a protective shield, allowing prolonged device use without compromising eye health. Encourage children to wear these glasses for sustained eye health while using digital devices for learning purposes.
Get The Most Out of Your Blue Light Glasses
At Marvel Optics, our professionals are here to help you get the most out of your blue light glasses. Whether it’s for daily use or work, we have the expertise to meet your needs. Browse our website today and shop your blue light glasses for enhanced vision and improved sleep.
FAQs
Why Is Blue Light Bad for Your Eyes?
Research shows that frequent exposure to blue light, particularly digital devices, can lead to blurry vision, headaches, neck and back pain and eye irritation. While not conclusive, it appears that continued exposure to blue light can damage your eyes and affect your sleep cycle in negative ways.
How Does Light Affect Your Eyes?
The different colors of lights are caused by different wavelengths. As the wavelengths increase, the light moves from blue to green, yellow, orange and then red. Increased wavelengths reduce the risk of eye damage from long-term exposure to this form of light.
Smaller wavelengths have an increased frequency. High-frequency light can be damaging to your eyes. Extreme light frequency is ultraviolet light, which not only damages your eyes but is the cause of your skin being sunburned. Just like sunscreen for your body, prescription blue light glasses are designed to protect your eyes from the damaging effects of blue light.
Research is still being conducted on these lenses. There are early signs that blue light filtering technology may protect your eyes, particularly from continued exposure to computer screens.
Can I Purchase Blue Light Blocking Prescription Glasses?
Blue light blocking eyeglasses are available in your personal prescription. Order glasses online at Marvel Optics to select your prescription lenses. Choose bifocal, single vision or no prescription blue light eyeglasses to see how they can protect your eyes while still offering clear vision as you work.
Can These Glasses Help Me Sleep?
There is a limited amount of research available concerning the effectiveness of blue light eyeglasses. However, continued exposure to blue light may affect your circadian rhythm. Late-night screen time may make it difficult for you to fall asleep or wake up feeling rested. Limiting your exposure to blue light may reduce these negative effects.
Where Can I Buy Computer Glasses?
Marvel Optics has a wide range of blue light glasses to fit your style and your budget. Shop for iconic frames that won’t break the bank. Stay safe throughout the day with prescription lenses, tinted lenses or other lens options for your digital eyeglasses.
Shop for digital eyeglasses today at Marvel Optics to see how you can reduce the risk of eye strain and enjoy clear vision throughout the day. Don’t let continued use of digital devices cause you discomfort or pain, but see how these powerful lenses can protect your eyes.
