Do You Really Need Anti-Blue Light Lenses?

Anti-blue light lenses are becoming all the rage in this era of the domination of remote work. Now that more people are working remotely, they are more likely to spend more time in front of their computer and phone screen. Hence, eye care has become a hot topic of discussion.

What are Anti-Blue Light Lenses?

Anti-blue light lenses, or blue-light blockers, are a type of eyewear designed to block out blue light. These lenses still allow other types of light through them. They function by protecting the eyes from blue wavelengths, which are potentially dangerous for the eyes and can cause eye strain and affect the quality of sleep, supposedly. The theory is that prolonged exposure to blue light causes eye strain and reduces sleep quality.

These glasses have been widely touted to help with eye strain and are popularly recommended to remote workers and people who have to work long hours in front of their computer screens.

Do you work from home? Here are 5 ways to stay healthy while working from home!

Do Anti-Blue Light Lenses Really Work?

Now let’s take a moment to see if anti-blue light glasses really work or if they’re just a status symbol that’s the latest sensation.

There has been a lot of research on the subject, and some more studies are still ongoing with mixed results. Some studies found that people who used the anti-blue light lenses claimed to have felt less eye strain than others who did not use them.

Another study found that these lenses do not prevent eye strain or even improve the quality of your sleep as claimed. Another interesting fact to note is that blue light hasn’t been conclusively proven to cause eye strain associated with prolonged computer use, so using anti-blue lenses may not even be needed in the first place.

There have been no studies that conclusively associate the use of anti-blue light lenses with better sleep quality.

So, What’s The Conclusion?

So for now, it’s safe to say that anti-blue light lenses may actually not protect against eye strain, contrary to popular opinion. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t some benefit to wearing them! Since no negative effect is associated with wearing these lenses, it’s acceptable to keep wearing them. The only danger with their use is that people who wear them tend to neglect their eyes when working in front of their screens. This is because they wrongly believe that those lenses protect them and do not need to do anything else.

How Can You Protect Your Eyes from Blue Light and Eye Strain?

Prolonged screentime can cause eye strain. Some symptoms of eye strain include:

• Blurred vision.

• Headaches.

• Neck and shoulder pain.

• Dry eyes.

To protect your eyes, kindly follow these tips;

1 – Work in a well-lit room

Too much light may not be useful when working on your computer. However, it’s best work in a well-lit room to reduce eye strain and fatigue. You should aim to work in an environment with as much natural light as possible.

2 – Use the 20-20-20 rule

This rule simply says that if you stare at your screen for 20 minutes, you should look at something at least 20 feet away from you for up to 20 seconds. In general, it’s better to spend less time exposing your eyes to blue light from your screen.

3 – Get regular eye exams

Regular eye exams will save you a whole lot of grief in the future. You should discuss all your eye concerns with your doctor and check that you’re practicing good eye habits at every meeting.

4 – Adjust your phone settings for optimal eye health.

It may be best to put your phone on an automatic brightness setting that adjusts the screen brightness based on your environment. This reduces the amount of blue light you expose your eye. You can also increase your text size to make reading on your phone easier for your eyes. Make sure your phone screen is between six and eighteen inches away from you. Lastly, you can use night mode at night, if your phone offers such a feature.

Don’t forget, your eyes are irreplaceable and you should treasure them!

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Till my next post,

Dr. Omotola Oke