Are Blue Light Glasses Worth Buying?

We were getting plenty of blue light before modern digital life began. Most of it comes from the sun. But gadgets like televisions, smartphones, laptops, and tablets that populate modern life emit the brighter, shorter-wavelength (more bluish) light.

A survey by Acuvue, the contact lens maker, found office workers spend about 6.5 hours a day sitting in front of their computer. A Pew Research Center survey found that 28% of American adults say they go online “almost constantly,” up from 21% in 2015. Younger adults are most, with the Pew survey finding around half of respondents 18-29 years old reporting they’re online constantly.

Susan Primo, OD, an optometrist and professor of ophthalmology at Emory University, agrees that the research so far shows the overuse of digital causes eye problems, not blue light. But some patients who wear blue light glasses do report less eyestrain, she says.

Another argument in favor of anti blue light glasses is that they help you sleep better at night. Researchers agree that blue light from LED devices like your smartphone or laptop holds back the body’s production of sleep-inducing melatonin.

A study done by the University of Houston found that participants wearing the blue light blocking glasses showed about a 58% increase in their nighttime melatonin levels. “By using blue blocking glasses, we can improve sleep and still continue to use our devices. That’s nice, because we can still be productive at night,” said Lisa Ostrin, PhD, a professor at the university’s College of Optometry.

1. How Do You Know if You Need Blue Light Glasses?

If you regularly use electronic LED devices at night, particularly once the sun is down, you may benefit from trying on screen protection glasses. However, if you don’t want to invest in these blue light computer glasses and are skeptical about their effects, experts suggest simply decreasing your evening screen time and/or setting all of your devices to “night mode,” which helps automatically result in less blue light exposure.

2. Is It Ok to Wear Blue Light Blocking Glasses All the Time?

This may not be necessary, but it shouldn’t be harmful either. Some people find that wearing the clear blue light glasses while they work helps their eyes feel better and allows them to work longer more comfortably.

If you spent a couple of hours on electronics daily, especially during the daytime, it’s probably not a problem to skip the glasses. Some blue light exposure during the day, particularly from natural sunlight, is even beneficial for regulating your circadian rhythm, so don’t be worried about a normal level of blue light exposure.

Overall, the best time to wear blue light eyeglasses is at night, during the hours leading up to bedtime when your body is producing more melatonin. But if your eyes feel less strained when you wear them during the day too, then experts say this is fine to continue doing.

Of course, if not necessary, we don’t recommend wearing anti blue light lenses all the time, because it may affect the adjustment of your sight. Finally, if you want to buy suitable anti blue ray spectacles, please contact us.