Wearing Blue Light Glasses All the Time: Should You Do This?

• Defining Blue Light
• The Side Effects of Blue Light
• Do You Need Blue Light Glasses?
• Choosing the Best Pair of Blue Light Glasses

Since the advent of smart technology, you’ve likely seen all sorts of comments and articles about how harmful blue light is for one’s vision. And while this information is certainly useful to know, quite a few people who are exposed to it more often come away wondering what exactly this “blue light” even is. It’s okay if you’re in this boat; in fact, this article is here to help you.

A discussion of blue light glasses and their overarching value often surrounds the analysis of blue light and its negative effects. Another popular question around blue light is whether or not it is okay to wear blue light glasses all day?

Yes, it is okay to wear blue light glasses all day and doing so will not negatively affect you or your eyes. In fact, wearing blue light glasses all day will actually help protect your eyes and ensure that you are keeping them safe from harmful blue light exposure.

Keep reading to learn more about this unique form of light, how it can harm you, and how blue light glasses can potentially negate side effects.

Defining Blue Light

When most people think of light, the first images that may come to mind are the white fluorescent lights that fill their homes or the natural, warm sunlight they’re exposed to on a regular basis. However, there are all kinds and colors of light out there that actually exist on a wide spectrum, much like the rainbows we can occasionally glimpse after heavy rain.

Blue light is one of the kinds of light available within that spectrum. It most often comes from two sources: LED screens (such as those featured on our tablets, smartphones, and computers), and the Sun itself.

The Side Effects of Blue Light

Blue light can actually be good for us in small doses - think of it as a biological signifier. Since so much blue light already emits naturally from the Sun, we tend to “perk up” when we see it. It’s a built-in reminder that it’s time for us to go about our day as actively as we can, and it keeps us awake and alert.

The main issue comes when we are exposed to blue lighttoo much and too often. Think about those minutes or even hours you’ve spent in bed at night, scrolling through the news or your favorite social media site. While you know you need to sleep, you’re too entranced by the goings-on within your phone—and it isn’t just because of the easy access you have to the latest, most intriguing news. It’s the blue light pouring directly into your eyes from your phone screen. This same type of light streams effortlessly from our smart devices—our tablets, our phones, even our televisions—and is more than capable of keeping us just as awake as the Sun does, even late into the night. This can lead to the development of eye strain and even insomnia, as blue light exposure reduces our natural production of melatonin and makes it harder for us to feel sleepy when nighttime falls. In some cases, blue light has even contributed to the development of blindness.

Do You Need Blue Light Glasses?

While you won’t necessarily go blind from browsing your Twitter feed at night every so often, there are a few cases where blue light glasses can be an invaluable investment:

• You tend to work late at night, especially in front of a screen.
• You already struggle with insomnia or other sleep difficulties.
• You have been diagnosed with or are beginning to show symptoms of Computer Vision Syndrome, a unique type of eye strain caused by long-term, excessive exposure to digital screens.
• Most of your time is spent looking at a screen.

Choosing the Best Pair of Blue Light Glasses

There are two main types of blue light glasses: those that block out 99 percent of blue light, and those that block out 50 percent of it. “99” blue light glasses are aimed at those with special sensitivity toward blue light or those who are prone to working or otherwise being active late at night; the lenses are designed to boost visual contrast and come in a striking yellow tint. “50” blue light glasses, on the other hand, are meant to be used during the middle of the day or for daytime work in front of screens. Their tinting is more subtle, and they also are available via prescription. We recommend purchasing “50” blue light glasses if you really want to wear them on a regular basis.

We hope this article has made it easier for you to not only understand blue light and how it can harm your vision, but also the importance of investing in blue light glasses to keep your vision protected and healthy. At DIFF, we make it a priority to keep a selection of carefully vetted, high-quality blue light glasses in stock for interested customers. Contact us to learn more about our inventory, general retail services, and so much more.