Everything You Need to Know about Blue Light Glasses
In the last few years, optometrists have been receiving complaints from growing numbers of patients concerned with digital eye strain. Reported symptoms tend to include dry eyes, dizziness, headaches, blurred vision and insomnia. Indeed, instances of this new type of eye condition are now so numerous that it even has a name - ‘computer vision syndrome’. There’s a known culprit - it seems to be caused by blue light emitted from the screens of the devices that we use every day. Blue light is a potentially harmful form of light. While it is naturally emitted by the sun, electronic devices (upon which we’re spending more and more time every day) are also high-level producers. Blue light rays at a wavelength between 415nm - 455nm can damage your retinal cells, which may lead to premature eye ageing and vision problems in the future.
Is Blue Light the Enemy?
The problem with blue light is similar to the problem with UV light. UV light is emitted by the sun and is not a problem in small doses (for example, it is what gives you a suntan), but prolonged exposure can lead to sunburn or even skin cancer in extreme cases.
Blue light is similar. It’s also emitted by the sun, and while it won’t give you sunburn or skin cancer, it can still cause quite a few problems - see the symptoms associated with computer vision syndrome listed above. The blue light emitted from computer screens is somewhat insignificant compared to that emitted by the sun, but is still harmful. This is due to a combination of two factors: prolonged exposure to it from staring at LED screens, coupled with the fact that our eyes are just not that well adapted to blocking it.
Six Tips for Protecting Your Eyes Against Blue Light
1. Get Your Eyes Checked
The best way to pre-empt any eye health issue is to get your eyes tested regularly. This will give you a head start if you are displaying any of the symptoms of computer vision syndrome, and your optician will be able to give you all the advice you need to nip it in the bud.
It’s worth noting that even with all the safety measures listed below in place, you still need to go for regular eye tests. It is always advisable to have your eyes checked at least once a year.
2. Invest in Blue Light Glasses
Recognizing the scale of the problem posed by blue light exposure, the eyewear industry has responded by developing computer lenses, or blue light blocking lenses. They’re treated with a coating that blocks blue light from entering the eye, allowing the wearer to focus on LED screens for prolonged periods with a much lower risk of experiencing vision problems like fatigue and strain. You can find out more about how to protect your eyes from blue light with anti-blue light glasses with zFORT® technology.
3. Stay Hydrated
Although there are many possible reasons why your eyes may be dry, dryness in the eyes is a common symptom of digital eye strain. Just like every other part of your body, your eyes need water to keep them functioning, healthy and lubricated. One of the best ways to curb dryness in the eyes is to drink plenty of water. Plus, with proper hydration, you’re much less likely to experience other niggling conditions like tiredness, thirst and headaches.
4. Take a Break
For many of us, staring at a screen for hours on end is unavoidable, given how many jobs involve working on computers all day. However, there are some simple exercises you can do to protect your eyes; one we love is commonly known as the 20-20-20 rule.
Give your eyes a break every twenty minutes. During each break, look away from your screen for around twenty seconds, blink a few times and close your eyes for a few seconds to moisten and refresh your eyes. Once you have done this, stand up, move around and look at something that is twenty feet away. This will allow your eyes to refocus on objects that are further away and avoids the eye strain that can happen when focusing on objects close to you.
5. Clean Your Screens
How clean is your computer screen? Most LED screens, on computers or mobile phones, are usually covered with our fingerprints, marks and dust particles, and this can actually help intensify the blue light entering your eyes, or worsen the clarity of images on-screen, causing you to strain to make out detail. The worst culprit is dust on your screen. Dust particles reflect the light, which will affect your eyes over the course of the day. Give your screen a dust down with a slightly damp microfiber cloth, and you’re all set.
6. Adjust Lighting to Suit the Mood
The intensity of the light coming from your computer, tablet or smartphone can be very harsh, especially when the brightness and contrast is set on high. If you’re the type who likes reading e-books before you go to sleep or working late at night, most devices have a night mode function, which minimizes the light from the screen. Additionally, there are several apps out there that can help reduce the brightness of your devices and keep them at the same intensity as your indoor lighting - we like f.lux. It’s one of the most widely used, and is completely free!
I’ve Read Up on Blue Light and I’m Looking for Some New Glasses. What Now?
Congratulations. You’ve got the hardest steps out of the way. Now, it’s time to select a pair of glasses - or even sunglasses - that’s right for you. At SmartBuyGlasses we’re proud to host a whole range of luxury brands, value models, cutting-edge technologies and more. We stock loads of brands with blue light glasses- just select your new prescription on checkout. If you’ve seen a pair you like the look of, but aren’t sure how they’ll look ‘on-face’, why don’t you have a look at…
For more information on computer lenses, check out our guide and get yourself a pair today.
