Blue-light-filtering glasses, more commonly known as blue-light glasses, are touted for their supposed ability to combat the physical consequences of too much screen time. The glasses have become a popular purchase, especially since the pandemic, to reduce blue light exposure from computers, tablets and iPhones.
according to Harvard Medical SchoolBlue light can help boost focus and mood during the day, but can disrupt nighttime sleep and suppress the release of melatonin, the sleep hormone. Blue light is also known to cause eye strain and discomfort. As a result, people have been spending money on blue-light-filtering glasses in hopes of dozing off peacefully and reducing eye strain. Although sunlight is a major source of blue light, our excessive digital diet makes people wary of blue light exposure levels.
But new research suggests that the benefits of blue light glasses are less clear.
Analysis of 17 randomized controlled trials from 6 countries, published in Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews On Thursday, researchers found that blue-light glasses may not improve eye fatigue compared with glasses that don’t filter out blue light; no conclusions could be drawn about their effects on sleep or daytime alertness.
“Over the past few years, there has been a debate about the value of blue light filtering lenses in ophthalmic practice. Studies have shown that patients in many parts of the world use these lenses regularly, and there has been a range of marketing claims about their potential benefits. Dr Laura Downie, study author and head of the Downie Laboratory: Anterior Ocular, Clinical Trials and Research Translation Group at the University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, said in a report Press release. “The findings of our review, based on the best currently available evidence, suggest that the evidence for these claims is inconclusive and inconclusive.”
While optimizing our health and performance is top of mind for many, glasses may not be worth the money. Downey wants professionals and consumers to take note, adding that based on the findings, she is not in favor of prescribing blue light glasses to the public.
Downey also said it was “unclear” whether blue light glasses would affect vision and sleep quality, as well as long-term retinal health. There is also a lack of information on differences between glasses in terms of contrast sensitivity, color discrimination, discomfort glare, macular health, serum melatonin levels, or patients’ overall visual satisfaction.
The evidence is vague
An article in 2021 American Academy of Ophthalmology “There is no scientific evidence that blue light emitted by digital devices can cause eye damage,” the website said. Dr. Rahul Khurana, a spokesman for the American Academy of Ophthalmology, said the article added that eye strain many of us experience Might be related to digital fatigue, as we blink less while scrolling.
Ways to Reduce Eye Strain
Experts say there are ways to improve visual comfort without glasses: Change the type of things you focus on or your field of view. Staring at a computer all day only affects a specific part of your vision. It’s also important to blink and try the “20-20-20” rule: Every 20 minutes, look at an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
Limit overall screen time and dim the brightness as much as possible.
no harm no foul
While the researchers didn’t find any significant benefits of blue light glasses, they also didn’t find any significant harmful consequences of blue light glasses use (besides the potential headaches and discomfort associated with wearing glasses in general). A key limitation, however, was the duration of the trial, with assessments performed between one day and five weeks after wearing blue-light or non-blue-light glasses. The sample size for each trial also varied from 5 to 156. Therefore, the team draws conclusions only for short-term use.
The researchers hope to further study the effects of blue light glasses on sleep, eye health and more, study author Dr. Sumel Singh of Downey’s lab said in a news release.
“They should examine whether there are differences in efficacy and safety results between different populations and (using) different types of lenses,” he said.
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