There has been a lot of hype about blue blocking lenses in the last few years. The fact of the matter is that research does not conclusively show deleterious effects.
What is Blue Light?
Blue light is higher-energy low wavelength of light between 420 nm and 480 nm on the visible light spectrum (remember ROY G BIV from school?) that can be both beneficial and harmful.
Blue light is all around us, with biggest source of blue light being the sun. Blue light helps suppress the body’s melatonin production for boosting general alertness and awareness during the day. However, if there is prolonged exposure to blue light from digital screen screens, it can throw off the body’s circadian rhythm off.
While prolonged, natural UV exposure from direct sunlight can have long-term consequences on vision, the artificial blue light emitted from digital device screens isn't harsh enough to have this effect. That said, extended device use can cause other problems, such as dry eyes, blurred vision, eye strain or headaches.
While blue light blocking glasses are clearly not a cure-all, they can help to combat the potential harmful effects of blue light exposure.
Make sure to talk to your eye doctor to discuss ways you can prevent eye strain and eye fatigue from prolonged digital device use.
Dr. Kaur