Blue light is everywhere. It’s emitted by our computers, TV screens, smartphones, tablets, and even our LED lightbulbs. It also comes from the sun. Blue light is what keeps us awake during the day and, before the advent of technology that utilized blue light, its absence was what allowed us to fall asleep at night.
With so many devices emitting blue light being used long past the sun has set, blue light may prevent us from getting a good night’s sleep. Blue light may also cause eye strain, which can lead to dry eyes, headaches, and more.
What Are Blue Light Glasses?
Blue light lenses are glasses that are designed to block out blue light. This means that, contrary to their name, the lenses actually appear yellow in color. When you wear them, the lenses filter out the blue light, thereby reducing your exposure to blue light coming from your smart devices.
Do Blue Light Glasses Prevent Eye Strain?
Blue light lenses do succeed in blocking out blue light. The jury is still out on whether or not blue lenses work in preventing eye strain. Some wearers have found that they experience less eye strain after having worn them. However, some professionals believe that the glasses don’t do much to prevent eye strain from looking at a computer screen.
Do Blue Light Glasses Prevent Sleep Disruption?
In preventing sleep disruption is where blue light lenses actually shine. Because blue light triggers the inhibition of melatonin, which is the hormone produced by the brain’s pineal gland that enables us to sleep better. By blocking out the blue light from computer screens, smartphones, and TVs, the blue lenses can help ensure that you’ll have more melatonin when it comes time to go to sleep.
Are Blue Lenses Right for Me?
People who look at screens a lot are typically at greater risk for sleep disruption and eye strain. While their effectiveness in preventing eye strain isn’t necessarily confirmed, some who wear them say that they have experienced less eye strain as a result. If you spend a lot of time looking at a computer screen or other device, such as a smartphone, tablet, or TV screen, whether it’s for work or entertainment, and experience eye strain or sleep disruption as a result, you may want to invest in a pair of blue lenses.
Can I Use the 20-20-20 Rule Instead?
The 20-20-20 rule involves looking at something 20 feet away from you for 20 seconds every 20 minutes during the time you’re working on a computer or other device with a screen. This can help prevent eye strain and doesn’t involve wearing glasses. If this method works for you, then perhaps you don’t need blue lenses for eye strain. However, some people may find it difficult to remember to actually look away from their screens in the middle of work.
Some people may both follow the 20-20-20 rule and wear blue glasses to prevent eye strain.
Do Blue Lenses Come in Contacts?
Some people prefer to wear contact lenses because they don’t like the way glasses feel when they wear them. If you’re willing to wear both, the blue light glasses can be convenient because you can wear your normal contact lenses and wear the glasses over them only when you’re looking at a screen. If you don’t like glasses at all, however, they may be blue light contact lenses that you could use instead, although you wouldn’t be able to wear them instead of your normal contact lenses.
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