Blue Light Glasses: Help or Hype?

Thanks to COVID, I get this question daily!

First of all, what is blue light? It is the high energy, short wavelength portion of the visible light spectrum. Here are some facts that will hopefully shed some light (pun intended) onto which claims are backed by science vs. marketing:

1) there is no scientific evidence showing blue light from devices to be harmful for your eyes

2) you are exposed to MORE blue light from sunlight than electronic device use!

3) eye strain is usually due to HOW you use your computer/tablet/smartphone use - such as dry eyes from incomplete or infrequent blinking, not taking enough breaks, excessive screen glare - rather than the light being emitted

What we DO know is blue light exposure can suppress the release of melatonin or the hormone that regulates your sleep cycle. This is why I recommend my patients (especially young people) to switch their devices to night mode in the evenings and stop usage altogether at least 2 hours before bed so they can fall asleep more quickly, more soundly and stay asleep without interruption - all of which will help improve their alertness and productivity during the day.

Take home message: while it is not harmful to wear blue light glasses, I do not recommend going out of your way to spend $$ on them out of fear or because that IG influencer is pushing the product. Prioritize quality UV eye protection instead!