Two studies done by Dr. Mark Rosenfield, a professor at the College of Optometry at the State University of New York, showed interesting results about blue light glasses. So, you may be wondering, do blue light glasses really help with eye strain?

Blue light glasses do not help with eye strain. There is no significant effect on eye strain when blue light glasses are used. Even with 100% blue light filtration, blue light glasses still do not help alleviate eye strain.

There are things that can help with eye strain, although it may not be blue light glasses. In this guide, we’ll cover what eye strain is and how to fix it. 

Do Blue Light Glasses Help with Eye Strain?

Blue light glasses do not help with eye strain. Unfortunately, they’re more of a marketing gimmick. But don’t worry, that doesn’t necessarily mean that blue light filtration does not help. What it does mean is you don’t need blue light glasses.

If you want to try to reduce blue light in an attempt to reduce eye strain, you can enable a feature on your computer, tablet, or phone that turns on a blue light filter. These can be scheduled.

Blue light glasses are not proven to reduce eye strain. In fact, studies have concluded that blue light filtration helps with the body’s light cycle.

The light cycle can affect sleep. By using bright screens without a blue light filter before bedtime, you may experience disruption in sleep.

What Causes Eye Strain?

Reading, driving, using the computer and cell phone, or doing meticulous tasks like writing can cause eye strain.

Symptoms of eye strain can seem like allergies, stress, or neck issues. Here is a detailed list of eye strain symptoms: 

  • Watery eyes. If your eyes are watering a whole lot, they may be irritated.
  • Dry eyes. Interestingly, eye strain can cause the opposite effects. This is mostly the case with people who wear contacts, are in a dry climate, or do not blink as much.
  • Blurred vision. That’s right – your eyes may actually blur as the tear film evaporates. If a forced blink fixes filmy vision, you know you are suffering from eye strain.
  • Headache, neck, and shoulder pain. A mild headache in the forehead region may be the result of recent eye strain. Additionally, because your body posture may decline as you are driving or are using your electronic device, you may also notice neck and shoulder pain.
  • Difficulty concentrating. Due to the straining, it may be difficult to read or watch a video.
  • Burning or itchy eyes. Similar to when allergy season hits, your eyes may start burning. It may be difficult to tell which is which, so check out your other symptoms. Pay attention to your habits, and also check the local pollen count.
  • Hard time keeping your eyes open. You may find yourself blinking often and not wanting to look at the road or screen anymore. This is a tell-tale sign of eye strain.

Now that you know the symptoms and that blue light glasses cannot fix these symptoms, let’s figure out what can help with eye strain.

What Can Help with Eye Strain?

Eye strain is a common occurrence for people who work on the computer, play video games, or watch a lot of T.V.

To help with eye strain, try the 20-20-20 method. That’s where you look 20 feet away, for 20 seconds, every 20 minutes. Try looking out a window every 30 minutes to an hour, or far off during your work shift, for at least 30 seconds.

Generally, it’s always good practice to pause. Stop writing, stop looking at your phone, or get out of the car. Take a second and pause. Breathe in, and look at a nearby tree or structure.

This will help reset your eyes and brain. Looking at a 2D surface for extended periods of time, or straining to read street signs, can lead to eye strain.

Other things that can help with eye strain include:

  • Try eye drops. Even if you are not experiencing dry eyes or your eyes are watery, additional moisture as you blink will prevent your eyes from drying out. Also, the application process will aid you as you look away from your task.
  • Limit your screen time. It can be difficult to do this if you work from home, which is why we recommend the 20-20-20 method.
  • Take breaks. Get up from your workstation and look around as much as possible. Go outside for your break, or simply rest your eyes as you lay on the couch.
  • Dim your screens. Lower the brightness of all of your devices.

Conclusion

As you’ve read, blue light glasses simply do not help with eye strain. If you feel blue light may help you, enable a blue light filter on your device. This is a cost-effective way of trying blue light out.

If you are experiencing eye strain, take a look at your habits and try to implement some of the tips above. If anything, look away from the screen often. Take breaks away from the digital world.