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6 November 2020

Exposed Magazine

In a tech savvy world, we all spend a lot of time looking at our devices, working from a computer or just scrolling through social media, but screen time for both work and play could be having a serious effect on your eyes. Blue light can be harmful and have some pretty nasty side effects, so we’ve put together some information and considerations to help you pick some glasses that would be right for you.

1. What Blue Light Is

Blue light or HEV rays are rays of light produced by both the sun and artificial light sources. They have the highest amount of energy and the shortest waves. Blue light exposure is relatively beneficial to the human brain, but as artificial lighting is a relatively modern technology, it’s the continued exposure into the night time hours that causes blue light to have a harmful effect on our health and lives.

2. How Blue Light Can Affect You

Blue light, like UV lighting, has both benefits and risks. Lots of exposure to blue light during daylight hours has been linked to boosting mood, increasing focus and reaction times.

Some studies suggest that exposure to blue light has links to diabetes, heart disease and obesity, but that is not proof of a direct link or how night time exposure to blue light affects us.

Mostly, it’s the suppression of melatonin production, thus inhibiting the body’s circadian rhythm (body clock) and affecting the amount and quality of our sleep.

3. How Blue Light Glasses Can Help You

The benefit of blue light blocking glasses has become something of a phenomenon in the last couple of years. They are raved about by influencers and academics alike for preventing headaches, strained and sore eyes, and reducing anxiety and depression in some cases. They can also keep your eyes from stinging and becoming tired. Some people have even suggested that blue light glasses help with night driving and other nocturnal occupations.

4. Who Blue Light Glasses Can Benefit

  • People who are prone to headaches/migraines: Providing some filter to the blue light helps reduce the likelihood of serious migraine attacks while using technology.
  • People that work at a computer for long periods of time: Although a lot of medical journals have hit out at companies, suggesting that it was merely overuse of devices causing problems with eye strain, sometimes you have to work with tech way past the recommended hours, if you have a big presentation or project it might be useful to have a pair on hand to provide a barrier.
  • Those who work primarily at night: Many studies have proven that exposure to blue light is at its most harmful during the night time hours, so working at night especially with technology could help ease eye strain symptoms.
  • Teenagers exhibiting anxiety symptoms during extended periods of study: Teenagers spend a lot of time in front of their devices, and as their eyes aren’t fully developed the anterior system is not as well equipped to deal with blue or UV light rays as an adult.
  • People who drive a lot at night.
  • Smartphone addicts!

5. How to Select the Best Blue Light Blocking Glasses for You

Blue light blocking glasses come in many shapes and sizes. From transparent to red lensed, the darker the lens the better the protection is a general rule of thumb. If your work is colour sensitive (e.g graphic designers), you’ll need a pair that are LCD or low colour distortion. Most people that work with computers tend to go for transparent screens like these clear blue light glasses, to stop any colour distortion while protecting your eyes during extended screen time!