Will blocking out blue light, however, aid in reducing digital eye strain caused by prolonged screen time? Ophthalmologist Rahul Khurana, a clinical representative for the American Academy of Ophthalmology, says there is a difference between digital eye strain and blue light’s harmful effects on the eyes.
Basically, after gazing at the computer all day, it’s not the blue light that’s irritating your eyes. It involves spending hours at a screen without pausing. Khurana does not advise wearing any particular eyeglasses for regular computer use because of this. He clarifies that most people’s eye strain isn’t always digital, saying, “In the end, I’m not really sure how it’s going to help with digital eye strain, which is what’s bothering people.” When you focus on anything, whether reading a book, staring at a screen, or watching TV, it can happen.
But according to Chris Moore, training manager at MOSCOT, wearing blue-light-blocking spectacles can also help delay the onset of age-related macular degeneration, a condition that can get worse from exposure to too much blue light. Moore claims it’s still a useful prophylactic step even though the research is still a little hazy on the subject: “I consider it sunblock for your eyeballs.”
Blue light from screens can interfere with natural sleep patterns, so even if you’re sceptical that blue-light-blocking glasses can actually prevent age-related problems or eye strain, they can still be helpful if you stare at your phone immediately before bed.
According to Cathy Goldstein, an associate professor of neurology at the University of Michigan Sleep Disorders Centre, blue light exposure right before bed “pushes our internal clocks later, so that it’s harder to fall asleep and harder to wake up in the morning.” This is because our bodies associate blue light with the daytime.
In an ideal environment, you would start limiting your exposure to blue light from screens four hours before bed. However, if you find it difficult to put down Instagram or the feared doomscroll before bed, blue-light-blocking glasses may be of assistance. We searched the internet for the most fashionable and practical solutions, consulting eye doctors and eyewear specialists about their recommendations.