The American Academy of Ophthalmology takes a different approach. That’s nice, because we can still be productive at night,” said Lisa Ostrin, PhD, a professor at the university’s College of Optometry, according to a university news release. “By using blue blocking glasses we … can improve sleep and still continue to use our devices. Researchers agree that blue light from LED devices like your smartphone or laptop holds back the body’s production of sleep-inducing melatonin.Ī 2017 study done by the University of Houston found that participants wearing the glasses showed about a 58% increase in their nighttime melatonin levels. Trying to Get Some SleepĪnother argument in favor of blue light glasses is that they help you sleep better at night. could protect users, Optometry Today reported. “Marketing can take things to a level that might not be a sound recommendation, sound science, for people to go out and get them.”Īn example: A chain of stores in the United Kingdom, Boots Ltd., was fined 40,000 pounds in 2017 for misleading advertising that said digital blue light caused retinal damage, and special eyewear sold at Boots Ltd. They can use words like ‘may’ and ‘might,’” she says. “They can word it in such a way that makes it appear to be beneficial. Primo says she’s bothered by some of the marketing and advertising of blue light eyewear because it doesn’t line up with the research. But gadgets like televisions, smartphones, laptops, and tablets that populate modern life emit the brighter, shorter-wavelength (more bluish) light.Īnd because of the pandemic, we’re staring at those devices even more, according to Vision Direct, which surveyed 2,000 adults in the United States and another 2,000 in the United Kingdom. We were getting plenty of blue light before modern digital life began. The Vision Council, which represents the optical industry, says it doesn’t promote individual brands or products, and it “encourages everyone to do their own research, speak with an eye care provider, and determine the right solution for them and their family.” Blue Light is Everywhere If it’s 6 hours or more, some sort of blue light reduction technique is recommended, whether it’s glasses or a special screen for a computer monitor. The staff asks a client how much time they spend in front of a screen daily. Greg Rogers, senior optician at Eyeworks in Decatur, GA, says he’s seen the benefits of blue light glasses among the shop’s customers. In the United Kingdom, the College of Optometrists says, “The best scientific evidence currently available does not support the use of blue-blocking spectacle lenses in the general population to improve visual performance, alleviate the symptoms of eye fatigue or visual discomfort, improve sleep quality or conserve macula health.”īut some eye professionals believe they have benefits. “The symptoms of digital eye strain are linked to how we use our digital devices, not the blue light coming out of them,” the AAO says. The problems people complain about are simply caused by overuse of digital devices, it says. The organization says blue light from digital devices does not lead to eye disease and doesn’t even cause eyestrain. The American Academy of Ophthalmology says you don’t need them and has gone on record as not recommending any kind of special eyewear for computer users. Th e advertised benefits of the glasses include less eyestrain, improved sleep, and prevention of eye disease.īut do they really work? It depends on who you ask.īecause the glasses are a newer product, there’s not a lot of research to show either way. “You never predict a moment like is the moment that a brand blossoms and all of a sudden starts to sell out and gain attention,” says creative director Hamish Tame.ģ60ResearchReports, a market research company, says the global market for blue light eyewear will increase to $28 million by 2024, up from $19 million in 2020. The Book Club eyewear company says sales for its blue light glasses through March and April 2020 rose 116% over the same time in 2019, with the surge continuing, according to The Business of Fashion.
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