Our eyes take in daily light from many sources. Natural outdoor light, indoor lighting, computers, and other screens. For each light source, there is a vast spectrum of light rays with varying amounts of intensity, or wavelengths.
If you were to illustrate the light spectrum in terms of the rainbow’s colors, imagine red being at one end of the spectrum. As you view through the remaining colors, orange, yellow, and green you get to the blue portion of the spectrum. Inside the blue portion is invisible ultraviolet light, which we know causes snow blindness and sunburns.
This light spectrum includes harsh rays with high electromagnetic radiation because of their short wavelength. The other end of the spectrum consists of longer wavelengths containing less energy that do less harm to our bodies. The rays on the harsh end of the spectrum with shorter wavelengths include blue light rays (400-470nm).
Some scientists say that even though this blue light spectrum has shorter wavelengths, they aren’t harmful enough to cause substantial damage. They warn that it’s the ultraviolet radiation, part of the invisible spectrum of light, that we need to be diligent about blocking. Many people already do this with sunscreen and polarized sunglasses.
Other scientists point out that even though blue light isn’t harmful in moderation, we are now overexposed because we spend an abnormal amount of time exposed to screens and LED lights. These are the scientists who recommend blue light-blocking glasses to help curb exposure during those long hours in the light, whether it’s outside, inside, or on our screens.
Is Blue Light Harmful to Your Eyes?
- Blue light is harmful, and overexposure can increase the risk of eye disease.
- Time spent on digital devices does cause eye strain, and symptoms include dry eyes, blurred vision, teary or watery eyes, disrupted sleep patterns, and headaches.
- Natural blue light in the proper amounts isn’t dangerous.
- The wavelengths are what makes the sky blue. They help regulate our natural circadian rhythms, our natural wake, and sleep cycles.
- It can also boost alertness, elevate moods, and ward off depression.
- Too much natural blue light can be extremely harmful, leading to eye strain, macular degeneration, retina damage or blindness, and disrupted sleep patterns.
- Artificial blue light, including electronic devices (i.e., computer screens, cell phones, tablets), some televisions, fluorescent bulbs, and LED lights, have a well-documented history of causing eye strain and sleep cycle disturbances.
It is believed that while blinking less is problematic and contributes to eye strain, the evidence does point to blue light as a contributing factor. There may not be long-term studies revealing its contribution to eye disease, but there’s plenty of current data pointing to blue light exposure as a problem.
In particular, even if the blue light emitted from screens and light bulbs is minimal, it makes sense that spending a growing percentage of our days staring at screens will lead to more exposure to blue light and a higher risk of damage.
Eye Relief Without Special Eyewear
Whether or not it is a contributing factor, it’s well established that screen time leads to eye strain and disrupted sleep patterns because of the tendency to blink 50% less while staring at screens. Luckily, because computer vision syndrome (CVS) is well-researched, we do know there are several things you can do to help reduce symptoms and long-term damage.
- Obey the 20-20-20 rule. Ophthalmologists have been recommending this for decades. Take a 20-second break every 20 minutes to look at something 20 feet away. This short break can offer a break to overstrained eyes.
- Use artificial tears. You can shut your eyes for short periods to allow moisture to build up briefly and to give your eyes a break. For chronic dryness, using teardrops can lubricate the eyes of some individuals.
- Keep screens at a distance. Your phone and computer screen should be kept at about 20 inches away, or the approximate length of your arms.
- Keep glare to a minimum. You can adjust the brightness on your screen, control the contrast, consider a matte screen filter, and sit in a location where lighting is sufficient, but also minimizes glare.
Summary of the benefits:
- There are an increasing number of studies being done to show that blue-light-blocking glasses help with age-related and genetic deterioration, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
- It interferes with our natural sleep cycles – our circadian rhythm.
- It can help get our cycle back to normal when worn regularly. This is not only helpful for people who spend a great deal of time in front of screens, but those who regularly work night shifts.
There is plenty of evidence, particularly anecdotal for now, with increasing scientific studies, that show these lenses can help alleviate eye strain and irritation. That includes blurred vision, headaches, tired eyes, watery eyes, and dry eyes.
So, Do Blue Light Glasses Work?
While long-term studies are still missing from the body of research, we do know that staring at screens for long periods can cause computer vision syndrome (CVS). This condition leads to many uncomfortable symptoms, including dryness, watery eyes, blurred vision, headaches, and sleep cycle problems.
We also know that blue light is a short form of light radiation that can be beneficial in everyday life but can lead to significant eye damage when overexposure occurs. Some scientists point out that there isn’t data about the blue light emitted from artificial light sources to know whether they are causing real damage.
Other doctors and scientists point out that since we know blue light is damaging and we know that people are spending an increasing amount of time on blue light-emitting devices, using blue light-blocking glasses is a useful way to avoid likely overexposure.
Article by: Michelle Lievense a contributing writer for Overnight Glasses.