Are Blue Light Glasses Worth the Money?

We spend long hours staring at screens — whether at work, at home in front of the TV, or just staring at our phones texting or scrolling social media. We’re not judging; it’s nearly impossible to avoid technology these days. But studies have shown that too much of this blue light can affect your sleep, and all the screens put strain on your eyes. Can one of the hundreds of blue light glasses on the market help? Or has blue light from screens just gotten a bad rap? We tapped optometrists Dr. Meenal Agarwal and Dr. Ashley Hayden to find out.

According to Dr. Hayden, blue is from screens is emitted more than other colors in the spectrum. However, this does not mean blue light is damaging to your eyes. “The damage from blue light was studied [and] light from the sun [gives off] much greater levels of blue light than what is produced by screens,” she says. There are no studies that prove the blue light harms any part of the eye. Most likely what you’re feeling is eye strain rather than damage from the light. Taking breaks from screens and resting your eyes will help. As for blue light glasses, sometimes called blue light-blocking or blue light-filtering glasses — which have lenses that filter the blue light that comes out of your phone and computer screen — more research is needed. 

“The effectiveness of blue light glasses is an ongoing debate,” Dr. Agarwal explains. “While some people swear by them, scientific evidence is mixed. We know blue light can contribute to eye strain anecdotally, but the evidence is limited and inconclusive.” Her suggestion? Try out a pair of blue light glasses and see if they help. Some of Dr. Agarwal’s patients love them, and if that’s the case, she doesn’t see any harm in wearing them. 

“What we can confirm with evidence,” Dr. Agarwal says, “is that blue light can interfere with your body's natural sleep-wake cycle by suppressing the production of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep.” Blocking some of this blue light with glasses may help certain people sleep better.