I TRIED AND RESEARCHED BLUE LIGHT GLASSES, HERE’S WHAT I FOUND

Since I started blogging and working a full time office job, I spend more time in front of a computer than ever (and more than I would like to admit). Especially during my first week of work, I was experiencing some head aches and tired eyes by the end of the day.

I would like to add, I think sitting in front of my computer screen, all-day contact wear, and not drinking enough water (whoops) are all factors into the headaches.

I have heard so much about blue light glasses that I thought I would try them out.

First, I ordered this adorable pair of Quay Australia blue light filtering glasses.

I wore them my glasses for three full work days. I have to say, I have not experienced any headaches since wearing them, but I am wary of attributing that entirely to the glasses. So, I decided to do some more research into what this whole blue light concern is, and if it has any validity.

According to an article written by Celia Vimont for the American Academy Of Ophthalmology, while many people are worried about the light given off by screens damaging our eyes, there is no evidence to prove that it does.

She also writes that while exposure to ultraviolet light increases the risk of eye disease, The National Library of Medicine found no measurable UVA or UVB radiation from computer screens.

Alex Schwartz writes in a Popular Science article that while blue light makes up the highest energy potion of the visible light spectrum, no one definitively knows if blocking it protects your eyes or not. There’s never been a clinical trial on this or clinical evidence of harm.

What can cause damage or strains to your eyes for sure is staring at a computer screen all day without blinking.

Our eyes are pretty adapted to handle blue light since it’s part of the visible light spectrum. We actually need blue light to help regulate our sleep patterns. It can also elevate mood and improve brain function. That being said, my understanding of people’s concerns is that sitting in front of screens provides much more blue light than we would encounter out in nature.

The one thing blue light has been proven to have adverse effects on is sleeping patters. According to one Harvard Study “while light of any kind can suppress the secretion of melatonin, blue light at night does so more powerfully. Harvard researchers and their colleagues conducted an experiment comparing the effects of 6.5 hours of exposure to blue light to exposure to green light of comparable brightness. The blue light suppressed melatonin for about twice as long as the green light and shifted circadian rhythms by twice as much (3 hours vs. 1.5 hours).”

In order to offset the effect blue light has on sleep, that same Harvard report advises spending lots of time in bright light during the day and dimming any screens or LED lights at night.

There are plenty of articles out there on this, but here’s what I’ve gathered.

1. Blue light from a computer in the middle of the day is most likely harmless
2. Blue light at night can disrupt your sleep patterns (which are extremely important to overall health)
3. My Blue light glasses are super cute, and I haven’t gotten headaches since I’ve been wearing them (which may or may not be related)

All in all, it seems like blue light glasses are most beneficial after the sun sets, if at all. I have also come to the conclusion that I think mine are a cute accessory and that I will continue to wear them despite their inconclusive effect on my eyeballs.

If you’re thinking about buying some blue light glasses, I hope this helped! I’d love to answer any more questions you might have on this topic, or do any other beauty/trend related research if you’re interested, so please feel free to shoot me a DM or comment with anything else you’ve been wondering about!