If you’re reading this, you’re probably pretty smart. You prefer facts over fads. You care about your health and the health of those you care about. And you are almost certainly looking at a blue-light emitting screen right now. So let’s look at the facts around blue-light blocking glasses - and what they can and cannot do for you.
First, what is blue light?
Of all the colours in the visible light spectrum (colours seen by the human eye), blue (or blue-violet) light has the shortest wavelength and the highest energy. Our primary source of blue light is the sun and for centuries this was our only source of blue light. However, we now have many artificial sources of blue light, including LED lights, fluorescent and compact fluorescent light bulbs, flat screen LED televisions, computer monitors, smart phones and tablets.
Is blue light bad for your health?
Yes and no. Blue light is known to have significant health and wellness benefits. These include helping to boost alertness and mood, as well as improving memory and cognitive function. Blue light helps to regulate your circadian rhythm, which is your body’s natural wake and sleep cycle. It also contributes positively to eye growth and eye health in children.
But, as they say, too much of a good thing can be bad. With so many artificial sources of blue light, it affects us negatively too - especially with prolonged exposure to fluorescent lights and screens.
The negative effects of blue light
Due to its frequency, blue light easily passes through the front of the eye to the retina. Research shows that continued exposure to blue light can damage the retinal cells, potentially leading to premature visual degeneration, cataracts, growths or cancer. Children are particularly vulnerable to blue light, as their eyes absorb more blue light than adults.
Blue light, at the wrong time of day, also interferes with the production of melatonin - a hormone produced by your brain in response to darkness. Melatonin helps regulate your circadian rhythm. It helps you to get a decent night’s sleep. And good sleep is of course essential to physical and mental health and wellbeing.
But how bad is blue light from digital devices, really?
The truth is, we don’t know exactly how much damage is done by the blue light emitted by digital devices. The blue light exposure from screens is less than that of the sun and considered safe for short-term use. The real concern, however, is with prolonged blue light exposure, as well as the relative proximity to the screen. There is simply insufficient research to conclude exactly how much damage blue light is doing to us or our children over time.
What we do know for sure is that blue light from screens can be very disruptive to sleep cycles, which can in turn lead to or aggravate various physical and mental health concerns. Studies have also linked night time blue light exposure to depression, diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease.
What do blue-light blocking glasses do?
Blue-light blocking glasses do exactly what they say. They have special, built-in layering in their lenses to block or filter out a certain amount of harmful blue light, preventing it from penetrating the eye. Some lenses also block UV light. The Sophie Moda blue-light blocking glasses block 40% of blue-violet light and also provide 100% UV400 protection.
Sophie Moda blue-light blocking glasses also have a slight yellow tint to them, which helps to improve contrast, making screen time much easier on the eye.
What blue-light blocking glasses cannot do
Standard blue-light blocking glasses do not offer any form of magnification. This makes them perfect for people who do not wear prescription glasses. For those who do wear prescription glasses, it is possible to have blue light filtering added at the point of manufacture, but not after.
Blue-light blocking glasses cannot remove digital eye strain completely. Lessening your screen time is preferred, but not always possible. When looking at your screen for long periods of time, it is advised that you follow the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes, look at an object 20 feet (6 metres) away for at least 20 seconds.
So blue-light blocking glasses do what they say, but do we really need them?
As mentioned, we don’t yet know the true extent of artificial blue light damage over time. But many have turned to blue-light blocking glasses as a preventive measure, based on what we do know about the harmful effects of blue light in general.
While more scientific research would certainly be helpful, there are thousands of positive personal accounts from people using blue-light blocking glasses. First-hand benefits listed include improved eye comfort, less strain, less dryness and redness, less eye fatigue, fewer headaches and improved sleep.
Studies have also proven that the use of blue-light blocking glasses does increase melatonin production at night, which leads to better sleep and all the benefits that come with it.
Are blue light blocking glasses right for you?
Do you spend lengthy amounts of time looking at screens? Can you use your devices without prescription glasses? Do the above-mentioned benefits sound appealing to you? If yes, then give blue-light blocking glasses a try. There are no known risks associated with wearing them.
Still undecided? See for yourself what customers have to say about Sophie Moda blue-light blocking glasses here.
Many thanks to the following sources:
https://mhanational.org/blog/how-blue-light-affects-mental-health
https://www.allaboutvision.com/cvs/blue-light.htm
https://www.allaboutvision.com/cvs/children-computer-vision-syndrome.htm
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/blue-light-has-a-dark-side
https://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X%2814%2900324-3/fulltext
https://www.webmd.com/eye-health/blue-light-health
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