19 best blue light blocking glasses to ease your eye fatigue – whether you're working from home or the office
Blue light blocking glasses are not only a modern day necessity, but the next must-have accessory when we're working (from home or the office). And if your WhatsApp groups are anything like mine, they've probably been bursting with selfies of your mates wearing blue light glasses for quite some time now. It's no surprise: their promise of easing the eye fatigue and strain caused by near-constant use of digital devices – all while upgrading your video call #lewk in an instant – is a tempting one. And sales of the best blue light blocking glasses have doubled since the beginning of the pandemic as a result.
Don't be mistaken: just because lockdown is over (thank GOD), it doesn't mean our screen time has diminished. Working from computer screens five days a week plus the FaceTiming of loved ones, the watching of Bridgerton, the checking of our phones and the internet shopping we're doing for spring dresses and spring jackets means we're still exposed to digital screens as much as we ever were circa June 2020.
Though cutting your screen time altogether is clearly the best way to reduce the negative impacts of blue light exposure on your eyes, that's ahem not always realistic. So, blue light blocking glasses could be beneficial to your eye health.
Do I need blue light glasses?
While the jury is still out on the long-term effectiveness of glasses with blue light protection, there are many reasons why investing in a pair of blue light glasses could be a good idea. Sure, prolonged exposure to any kind of light is bed for your eyes, but harmful blue light is the worst of the bunch.
Blue light wavelengths are shorter than those of other types of light (like red or yellow), means means they’re more high-energy. Plus, blue light is not filtered out by the cornea or lens in our eyes, which means it can cause retina damage or long term eye conditions (like macular degeneration - ouch). In fact, one study found that removing blue light during periods of prolonged light exposure drastically reduces retinal damage.
Blue light is also the primary cause of a condition called computer vision syndrome - or digital eye strain, as it's more commonly known. The good thing is that this condition is temporary - but it can still be rather uncomfortable. It's defined by symptoms like dizziness, migraines, dry eyes and blurred vision caused by staring at a screen for a long time.
If you're still not convinced, you might like to know that wearing blue light lenses could also result in better sleep. One study found that blue light suppresses melatonin production, the hormone that controls your sleep cycle and circadian rhythm. As such, wearing blue light glasses could help regulate melatonin production once more.
Do blue light blocking glasses really work?
Blue light glasses - some with tint - aim to filter out blue light rays with anti-glare lenses which shield the fibres in your eyes. Many wearers report reduced headaches when wearing them, though some studies have suggested this could just be a placebo.
Dr. Mark Rosenfield, a professor at the College of Optometry at State University of New York, found that when participants read from a tablet computer for about 30 minutes wearing commercially available spectacle lenses that typically block around 20 to 25% of blue light, they reported no significant change in the symptoms of digital eye strain in comparison to the group who did not wear blue light blocking glasses. Rosenfield suggested that this may be to do with the distance from which we tend to hold our devices in comparison to printed material, rather than the blue light itself...
That said, Rosenfield did state that even if symptoms are not visibly reduced, blue light glasses could be super helpful when it comes to regulating our body's internal light cycle. Basically, they could stop that late-night phone screen staring from preventing you from getting to sleep. In addition, a study in the Journal of Adolescent Health showed that when a group of young boys wore blue light blocking glasses while looking at their phones for a few hours before bed, they felt "significantly more sleepy" than they did when they wore clear glasses.
In short, though optometrist research is a tad inconclusive, there is no harm in adding a pair of blue light filter glasses to your eyewear collection to see if they make a difference to you and your sleep quality. Even if wearing blue light eyeglasses makes you more aware of your screen time - and pulls in a few virtual compliments - the investment is worth it, right?
Is it OK to wear blue light blocking glasses all day?
Is it bad to wear blue light glasses all day? As far as we know, no. There are no studies which suggest it may be harmful to wear your blue harm glasses for the entirety of your working day.
Do prescription blue light glasses exist?
Yes! If you already wear prescription glasses, you can add blue light blocking technology to most prescription lenses as an upgrade. Bypass our gallery of the best blue light glasses below, and chat to your optician, instead.
For more from our Commerce Editor Sophie Cockett, follow her on Instagram @sophiecockettx. After more content to make your work life a breeze? We've got cute desk accessories, desk chairs, small space desks, standing desks, floating desks and fold away desks.
What are the best blue light blocking glasses? Scroll for our full edit of bestseller blue light glasses to add to your checkout.
Anti blue light glasses
ASOS DESIGN Recycled Frame Blue Light Clear Lens Glasses in Green Crystal, £10, ASOS
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Blue blockers glasses
Quay Front Row Blue Light Aviator Glasses in Clear, £49, ASOS
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Computer glasses for women
Blue blocker glasses
ASOS DESIGN Recycled Frame Blue Light Clear Lens Glasses in Pink Crystal Fade, £10, ASOS
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Best blue light blocking glasses for small faces
Foxmans Blue Light Blocking Computer Glasses, £26, Amazon
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Best blue light blocking glasses Amazon
Cyxus Blue Light Filter Computer Glasses for Blocking UV Headache, £24.99, Amazon
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Blue ray glasses sale
Jeepers Peepers Round Blue Light Glasses in Black, £15.50, ASOS
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Glasses for computer use
ASOS DESIGN Recycled Blue Light Clear Lens Glasses in Blue Crystal, £10, ASOS
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Aviator blue light glasses
Vero Moda Blue Light Aviator Glasses in Gold, £16.80, ASOS
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Best blue light blocking glasses UK
HILBALM Blue Light Blocking Glasses 3 Pack, £21.83, Amazon
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Quay blue light blocking glasses
Round blue light glasses
Quay blue light glasses
Best blue light glasses Amazon
ATTCL Unisex Blue Light Blocking Glasses, £18.89, Amazon
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Blue screen glasses
Glasses that block blue light
LifeArt Blue Light Blocking Glasses, £22.05, Amazon
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Blue filter glasses
Blue light glasses women
COOLOO Blue Light Blocking Glasses, £8.39, Amazon
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Designer blue light glasses
Blue light glasses prescription
Anti-smudge blue light glasses
