I found that when I had to wear my blue light glasses every time I was looking at a screen, it made me more aware of just how often I was looking at a screen. I usually only wear (non-light-blocking) glasses when I'm driving. $95 at They made me more aware of my screen time. I opted for Nash frames in the 'Whiskey Tortoise' pattern with blue light filtering and no magnification. The glasses are also adorably chic, with options to add magnification if you need it.

They also add an anti-glare coating on top to cut down on digital eye strain. Their glasses filter out the higher end of the blue light spectrum, so the lens don't look yellow. The company I tried, Felix Gray, is a newer brand. Blue light glasses don't have to be ugly. Here's what I learned from wearing blue light blocking glasses for a week. Admittedly, these were small studies, but the findings are intriguing. Another study conducted with 20 adults had similar findings. Studies have found that too much exposure to blue light at night suppresses the secretion of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep cycles.Ī study in the Journal of Adolescent Health showed that when a group of young boys wore orange glasses while looking at their phones for a few hours before bed, they felt 'significantly more sleepy' than when they wore clear glasses. But now we're constantly bathing in artificial light, most of it blue. Until fairly recently, humans were mostly exposed to natural light during the day and darkness at night. Researchers have determined that blue wavelengths - at the high end of the light spectrum, right before UV - are beneficial during daylight hours because they boost attention, reaction times, and mood. According to the American Optometric Association, 58 percent of Americans suffer from digital eye strain (DES), primarily from their laptop and desktop computers, but also from cell phones and tablets.īlue light itself isn't a bad thing.

I often felt like my eyes were red and tired by the end of the day, and wouldn't feel the ache begin to lift until I finally turned off my devices. Plus, unfortunately, in my downtime after work, I would often find myself staring at another, smaller screen: the rectangle of my iPhone, which would constantly beam more blue light into my face. I'd heard of blue light blocking glasses before: They were yellow, ugly, and not worth the laughter I would get from both roommates and coworkers if I wore them regularly.īut, I had a problem: For my job, I needed to spend a minimum of eight hours a day staring at a computer screen. Here's what she had to say about her experience: In fact, that's what writer Gina Tomaine did. If you're still curious about blue light glasses and want to give them a try, there's no harm-you can find plenty of inexpensive and stylish options to test out. You can also improve your sleep by reducing screen time before you hit the hay. They recommend sitting an arm's length away from your screen, taking frequent breaks (look away from your computer for at least 20 seconds every 20 minutes) and keeping lubricating eyedrops nearby (if your peepers tend to get dry). Of course, anyone who has stared at their fourth Zoom of the day knows how tired the eyes can get from constant computer use, but the AAO says that is due to the way we use our devices rather than the light emitting from them. One large review found a lack of high-quality evidence that blue light blocking glasses to anything to improve sleep, alleviate eye fatigue, or protect eye health. And yes, while studies have shown that exposure to intense blue light from the sun can raise your risk of cataracts, macular degeneration and other eye conditions, there is just not enough light emitted from your laptop, iPad or phone to cause damage or strain, the AAO has concluded.

But experts including those at the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) and the American Macular Degeneration Foundation say there's no solid evidence that blue light from electronic devices causes any harm. Editor's note: Glasses that block blue light have become increasingly popular over the past few years-especially during the COVID pandemic, when we found ourselves stuck at home staring at our computers all day long.

Beyond blue uv blocker