What are Blue Light Glasses?

Should You Be Worried About Blue Light?
Let’s be honest: People love staring at screens. These days, it feels like we are shuffling between phones, televisions, tablets, and computers nearly nonstop, and all this constant screen time means constant exposure to blue light. Research shows that blue light exposure, especially at night, can disrupt natural sleeping patterns and can contribute to symptoms of computer vision syndrome, also referred to as digital eyestrain.

How Does Blue Light Affect Vision?
We may not notice it, but screen time adds up. Whether you’re watching TV, scrolling through social media, or responding to emails on your computer (or more likely these days, all of them at once), you’re saturating your eyes in blue light. Blue light damage doesn’t happen overnight. The longer you spend in front of a screen without protecting your eyes, the more likely you are to experience problems in the future.

These symptoms are associated with digital eyestrain – which is categorized as a group of vision-related issues caused by prolonged digital screen use.

Blue Light and Permanent Eye Damage
On average, most people spend about 10 hours a day staring at a digital screen. As you look at those screens, blue light passes through your eye’s cornea and lens, reaching the retina. Some studies have shown that too much exposure to blue light can cause damage to the light-sensitive cells in the retina. This damage can cause changes in your vision, resembling those of macular degeneration – a common eye condition found in aging eyes that can ultimately lead to blindness. Although it has not been determined exactly how much blue light exposure is too much for the retina, many eye care professionals are concerned that it may lead to serious or permanent eye damage. Therefore, it’s recommended that you wear blue light glasses to minimize any eye damage.

 

How Blue Light Filtering Glasses Can Help Protect Your Vision
If you spend long hours in front of a digital screen, your eyes can benefit from blue light glasses. Because awareness about the effects of blue light are still becoming more widely known, first we should answer the question: What are blue light glasses? Blue light blocking glasses have filters that may help protect your eyes against the blue light that comes from screens. Prescription blue light glasses are designed specifically for the distance at which you view your digital devices and can help correct other existing vision problems simultaneously. Blue light blocking glasses can be worn day or night for around-the-clock protection. Benefits of blue light glasses may include:

• Improved Sleep: Studies have shown that the high energy frequency in blue light can keep you up at night. Using blue light blocking glasses when staring at a digital screen can help ensure you get a full night’s rest.
• Decreased Eyestrain: Blue light filtering glasses can help alleviate eye discomfort when staring at a digital screen and decrease symptoms of computer eye syndrome.
• Protection Against Macular Degeneration: Digital screens can cause damage to the retina and lead to early signs of macular degeneration. Blue light glasses can help prevent cell damage to your retina.

Where Can I Get Blue Light Filtering Glasses?
Once you’ve decided blue light glasses are a solution for you, the next question is where to get them. For prescription blue light glasses, you can visit your neighborhood Pearle Vision and explore options like Eyezen^® Start^™ lenses. Not only do these lenses protect against blue light, they defend you from digital eyestrain and combat visual fatigue, all while helping provide clear vision from all angles.

Book an appointment at your neighborhood Pearle Vision EyeCare Center to obtain a prescription for computer glasses with blue light protection.

Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6288536/
https://sites.psu.edu/ist110pursel/2018/02/21/americans-devout-more-than-10-hours-a-day-to-screen-time-and-growing/
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/how-blue-light-affects-kids-sleep