Over a year ago I purchased my first pair of blue light glasses. At the time I was getting major headaches from working on my laptop all day. I was also worried about the strain on my eyes as I get older from too much screen time. Let me tell you, when 30 hit, my body told me that I’m not as young as I once was! But do blue light glasses work to prevent these issues?
To be honest, I didn’t do much research on them at the time. Someone said they worked and I thought I would give them a try. But what is the research that has gone into these glasses that claim to be the cure-all for screen fatigued eyes?
What do the eye doctor’s say about blue light glasses?
Obviously the first place you’re going to look for any medical advice is WebMD, am I right?
According to this article, there are two sides to the blue light glasses story. The American Academy of Ophthalmology and the Association of Optometrists in the UK both say that there are no proven benefits to blue light glasses. Their argument is that eye fatigue is caused by excess screen time, and not specifically the blue light that our electronics emit.
On the other hand, numerous optometrists are quoted in the same article stating that they have seen benefits to their customers from using blue light glasses or by adding protective screens to their computer monitors.
In this article by the Cleveland Clinic, Ophthalmologist Rishi Singh, MD makes the argument that the discomfort that you feel after working on your computer all day has nothing to do with the blue light being emitted from our screens but rather computer vision syndrome, CVS. Which is essentially the irritation you feel because your eyes are constantly shifting focus and moving while you work on your computer.
What do the people who have tested them say?
In 2018, Good Housekeeping had one of their writers test out blue light glasses for a week. Her consensus at the end of the week was that blue light glasses worked “small miracles.” Her eyes felt more rested and visibly less red. You can read her full review here.
In a Washington Post article last month, Sami Main, a life coach from Brooklyn, states that she wears her blue light glasses as “preventative health care.” She believes that blue light glasses allow her to work and feel less tired and her eyes less irritated. It’s worth noting that in this same article they state that: “[The] six ophthalmologists, optometrists and academics we spoke with say there’s little evidence at the moment that the blue light emitted from our devices causes digital eye strain or any long-term damage.”
As I mentioned before, I have been wearing my blue light glasses on and off for over a year. My opinion? I think they help! I notice that I can work longer while wearing them and I get less headaches. Maybe it’s a placebo effect, but I am going to continue wearing mine!
The Productivity Hack That Changed My Life
We all have the same 24 hours in a day and that’s it. You can’t get 25 or 26 on the days that you really need that extra hour or two. This method helps you prioritize what is important and what you could delegate to someone else, or outsource.
What does everyone agree on when it comes to wearing blue light glasses?
There has to be something that we can agree on right?
These practices suggested by Dr. Singh are ones that we can all get behind:
- The 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. (This will help your eyes relax.)
- Use eyedrops to keep your eyes lubricated throughout the day.
- Sit an arm’s length (about 25 inches) away from your screen. Most people sit too close to the computer and experience eye strain.
What do you think? Are blue light glasses a hoax or do they help? Have you used them? I’m curious to know your experience with them. Comment below and let’s talk about it!
