Blue light is a specific type of light, with a short wavelength, that is emitted by your computer screen, mobile device, flat-screen TV, and many other devices that have screens. To help reduce the damage caused by blue light, blue light protection glasses and lenses have been introduced, and these glasses may help limit the amount of blue light your eyes are exposed to each day.
Why is blue light bad for your eyes?
Blue light is a type of visible light in the light spectrum, and it has a relatively short wavelength of between 415 and 455 nanometers. Because of this, blue light rays contain more energy than other types of light. Blue light is not only produced by artificial sources; we see blue light naturally every time we look at the blue sky.
Humans have been exposed to blue light during the hours of sunrise for hundreds of thousands of years. Our brains are therefore trained to interpret blue light as a signal of alertness and activity, keeping our bodies ready to work. This is why exposure to blue light from a device can confuse your body, and your sleep-wake cycle can be disrupted by exposure to high levels of blue light, for example, from an artificial source (such as your smartphone) in a dark environment. If you are exposed to too much blue light during the day, your eyes may become tired. Dry eyes are also a side effect of too much blue light exposure, and you may be using your devices for more than 10 hours every day, whether at home or at work, so you should be fully aware of these symptoms. That’s why it’s recommended to use safety glasses that aim to filter out blue light as the light waves pass through to your eyes, the idea being that this will allow you to use sources of blue light, such as smartphones and laptops, with minimal side effects.
Do blue light glasses protect your eyes from blue light?
The American Academy of Ophthalmology does not currently recommend special blue light-filtering glasses for use when working with computers, but that may change in the future. A 2023 study comprehensively examined whether blue light-filtering glasses have real benefits, and concluded that there may be no short-term benefits to using blue light-filtering lenses for reducing visual fatigue when using a computer, compared with non-blue light-filtering lenses, and that more research is needed.
A 2017 review of three clinical trials found “weak” evidence to support the use of blue light-blocking glasses to maintain eye health and prevent dry eyes. Another 2017 study found that only a third of study participants said they benefited from using glasses with a blue light-blocking coating on the lenses, and those participants claimed that these glasses reduced glare and improved their vision during the time they were looking at their screens.
It should also be noted that this latest study was funded by Swiss Lens Laboratory Ltd, a retailer of blue-light blocking lenses, which could indicate some bias in the study results due to private funding with a vested interest in the results that could increase the company's profits.
Are there any lifestyle tips to reduce your exposure to blue light?
You don’t have to buy safety glasses to reduce your exposure to blue light, but all you can do is protect your eyes from eye strain and fatigue by adopting some eye-healthy habits, including:
Take eye breaks from screens. You can do this by taking a walk outside during the day, and avoid checking your phone during these breaks. You can also get vitamin D by spending time outside and connecting with the natural world, both of which can reduce stress.
Adjust the lighting in your home or workplace to a dimmer setting, and opt for red light instead of LED bulbs as a nightlight in your bedroom. Red light is less disruptive to your circadian rhythm because it emits shorter wavelengths.
Pursue hobbies that don’t involve screens. Spending some screen-free time—perhaps reading, knitting, or baking—can help reduce your exposure to blue light.
Establish a no-screen rule in your bedroom, and make an effort to avoid screens for 2 to 3 hours before you go to bed at night.
Create screen-free spaces in your home, and you can go to these places to get a temporary break from blue light exposure. Treat dry eye symptoms, which you can do with over-the-counter eye drops.
What are the negative effects of exposure to blue light?
Symptoms of blue light exposure from screens, also known as computer vision syndrome, include:
Eye strain and fatigue.
Dry eyes.
Blurred vision.
Headaches.
The signals that blue light sends to your brain can also disrupt your body’s production of the sleep hormone melatonin, which can make it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep after using your devices at night. Beyond the quality of your sleep, a melatonin disruption can throw your entire body off balance, and poor sleep quality can also change the way your body senses stress. When you don’t get REM sleep, your brain can’t fully relax.
Signs that require seeing a doctor
If you are someone who uses screens on a daily basis at work, school, or elsewhere, you should also make an appointment with an ophthalmologist if you suffer from the following:
Recurring bouts of eye strain.
Eye strain that lasts for days.
Recurring symptoms of dry eyes for long and recurring periods.
Decreased quality of your vision.
Blurred vision.
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