Beat the January Blues… With Blue Light Computer Glasses!

From video calls with family and friends, to working or studying for extended periods at a computer, the pandemic has meant many of us are now spending more time than ever using digital devices and looking at screens.

That poses potential problems for our eyes. Digital eye strain is a well-known condition that can cause dry and irritated eyes, blurred vision, back, neck and shoulder pain, headaches, and poor sleep. You might also have heard about the blue light that screens produce and how it has been suggested to contribute towards eye problems.

Let’s look at what blue light is, how it affects your eyes and the benefits of blue light glasses.

What Is Blue Light?

The light spectrum contains the range of colors that the human eye can see – red, orange, yellow, green and blue, and many shades in between. Sunlight is a combination of all these colors.

Beyond the edges of our visible color spectrum are invisible rays of light, such as infrared rays at the red end and ultraviolet (UV) rays at the blue end. Red light produces low energy, warming light. Blue light is at the opposite end of the spectrum to red and produces a high-energy light. Blue light travels through your cornea at the front of your eye, to the back of your eye where the retina is.

Blue light and UV light are found in sunlight can actually be very beneficial on a day to day basis, keeping you alert, boosting your reaction times, and helping you to produce vitamin D. However, in this day and age, many of us are spending so much more time at screens and on digital devices, meaning we’re being exposed to a lot more of blue light and for longer periods of time.

The Problem with Blue Light

We know that UV rays can cause damage to our skin and eyesight if we’re exposed to too much. Blue light isn’t as strong as UV rays and won’t cause sunburn, but some studies suggest it can still affect your eyes if you’re exposed to too much of it.

Blue light is thought to contribute towards the onset of digital eye strain, along with disrupting your sleeping patterns.

How Do Blue Light Glasses Work?

If you use a digital device or screen regularly, it’s worth considering investing in blue light shield glasses. They’re an easy way to protect your eyes from the effects of eye strain, without having to make major adjustments to your lifestyle.

Blue light shield glasses are designed with a special filter that prevents too much blue light from getting through to your eyes. This helps them to relax, making it easier to look at a bright screen. This is especially useful if you work long hours in front of a computer, or generally spend more than two hours looking at digital devices each day.

You can get a blue light lens coating for your glasses whether you wear prescription or non-prescription glasses and here at Specs for Vets, we also include a standard anti-reflection coating on your lenses for free after choosing your frames on our website, giving you even more protection from eye strain.

Dealing with Digital Eye Strain

As well as choosing blue light computer glasses, there are other steps you can take to help minimize the effects of digital eye strain.

If you use a screen for more than a couple of hours at a time, make sure you take regular breaks, ideally every 20 minutes, looking away from your computer screen for 20 seconds and focussing on something in the distance.

It’s also worth trying to turn off all devices and computers at least one hour before you go to bed. This will give your eyes more of a chance to relax and get you ready for a good night’s sleep.

Always Contact Your Eye Care Professional

Your eyesight is precious, and it’s important to get clinical advice from an eyecare professional about your glasses prescription before making any decisions about lenses. This will ensure you make the right choice when it comes to ordering glasses and lenses that suit your lifestyle and visual needs.

At Specs for Vets, we’re here to take care of the eyewear needs of US military personnel, veterans, and their families. If you’re thinking about investing in blue light shield glasses, there’s never been a better time! Until the end of January, we’re offering 25% off all frames, including classic American brands such as Harley Davidson, Ray-Ban and Calvin Klein so you can benefit from even more savings while investing in your vision.