Over the past two years, COVID-19 has greatly impacted the amount of screentime that adults and children have experienced. With ongoing restrictions sweeping the nation, as well as the world, we’ve turned to our digital devices at a far greater amount than before the pandemic. Many employees have made the switch to working remotely from home. Meanwhile, e-learning has become commonplace for college students, high schoolers, and even elementary level students. These changes have long lasting effects on those experiencing them, both physical and mental. In trying to cope with the unexpected increase in screentime, some have turned to blue light blocking glasses.

What are blue light blocking glasses?

Blue light blocking glasses are made specifically to help protect your eyes from the strain of excess blue light accompanied by extended amounts of screentime. The blue-violet lights which are emitted from digital devices can cause severe eye strain, headaches, and even damaged vision. These specially crafted lenses filter out those damaging lights in order to reduce potential damage from prolonged digital exposure.

Do eye doctors approve of the use of blue light glasses?

Eye doctors agree that, at the very least, blue light glasses will not harm your vision. They are indeed effective at filtering out blue light, and may protect your eyes from blue light damage.

The issue, according to some doctors, is that blue light isn’t the only culprit behind screen-induced eye damage. It’s still important to take breaks during extended periods of screen use to give your eyes a rest [1].

For outdoor, non-screen usage, blue light glasses are also fine. Eye doctors recommend that any glasses worn outdoors, especially sunglasses, should filter out UV rays that cause eye damage. In particular, look for lenses that filter out UVB rays, the leading cause behind skin cancer in the eyelid region.

Between a good pair of blue light glasses for computer use and a high-quality pair of sunglasses for outdoors, your eyes should be protected from a wide variety of harmful light waves.

Sources

[1] https://www.scripps.org/news_items/6889-are-blue-light-glasses-necessary