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Not to get too personal, but I’m prone to headaches. Sometimes those headaches are actually migraines. This is especially true when you add in laptops, tablets, and smartphones. Like every other millennial, I’m logged into the internet more than I’d like to admit, and it’s even more once you factor my job in digital media. My exposure to screens is basically tenfold.
So, that’s why I decided to give blue light glasses a try. How I happened upon them the first time is a story in and of itself, but it all boils down to my having to spend about $1,500 before the end of 2019, which added up to a little over two weeks. One of the many purchases I made were on a pair of Dolce and Gabbana reading glasses with the addition of blue-light-blocking technology. I was skeptical of how it even worked but thought I should take a chance, especially since my regular pair of aviator Ray-Bans just weren’t effective anymore.
When my glasses finally arrived, I immediately had to test them out. My initial reaction after wearing them and staring into the computer screen was “Wow, everything is yellow.” Little did I know that was the beauty of blue-light-blocking glasses.
Humans are accustomed to blue light naturally since most of it comes from the sun, but because of our increasingly digital world, we’re exposed to blue light rays from our TVs, computers, and cell phones. The science of blue light blocking glasses is heavily debated, mostly because of its recency, but from my testing, I can say it reduced my eye strain tremendously.
I should be completely honest in saying that I have 20/20 eyesight. This isn’t a humblebrag, it’s the truth. I don’t really need reading glasses, but my optometrist said wearing a pair with a .75 prescription, especially since I work on a computer eight hours a day, will help me to prevent straining my eyes and maintain my 20/20 for a bit longer.
Recently, GlassesUSA hooked me up with a pair to try, and according to them, their BLUEASE lenses block up to 95% of blue light. They’re also made from MR-8, a specific polymer to make them stronger than the lenses you’ve used before. BLUEASE glasses also prevented glare from all of the screens I’ve used, which is an added bonus.
Working with blue-light blocking glasses was so much easier on my eyes. Like I mentioned, the yellow screen reduced the amount of strain and squinting on my eyesight throughout the day. I was able to concentrate on edits and my own content without succumbing to headaches, especially when it was later in the day without the aid of daylight.
Even when I used them in my own free time, I was shocked to discover how lightweight they were. When I glanced at my computer or phone screen it had a slight yellow tinge that wound up making the difference in how long I was able to use my devices. Not to mention they looked amazing on my face. Harry Potter glasses for the win, even if my little sister called me a grandma.
While the board of optometry is super skeptical when it comes to blue light glasses, I think it’s worth it to give them a try, especially if you already use reading glasses on a regular basis. They aren’t going to have any negative effects on your eyesight, and if you have 20/20 like me and would love a pair to reduce eye strain, you can pick some out without a prescription. That way you can get the best of both worlds, a la Hannah Montana.