These Aren’t Your Mother’s Reading Glasses
The devices many of us use every day (smartphones, laptops, tablets, etc.) emit significant amounts of blue light, an unfocused visual “noise” reduces contrast that can contribute to digital eyestrain and potentially eventual blindness. High energy blue light scatters more easily than other visible light and is not easily focused.
Blue light glasses, or computer reading glasses, are eyewear featuring a patented, advanced lens technology that helps reduce potentially harmful blue light from reaching your eyes.
Specially designed reading glasses for computer use reduce screen glare for less eye strain and improved contrast for a more comfortable digital experience. If you experience blurred vision, or your eyes feel strained, irritated, or dry when viewing screens (or if you are wanting to avoid these symptoms), computer reading glasses could be for you.
The fact that blue light penetrates all the way to the retina (the inner lining of the back of the eye) is a distinguishing factor in the way blue light affects the eye compared to other types of light rays. Laboratory studies have shown that excessive exposure to blue light can damage light-sensitive cells in the retina that can cause damage to the retina similar to macular degeneration, which is known to cause lack of vision.
Additional research is going on to determine how much man-made bluelight is unhealthy for the retina. Many eye care providers have expressed concern that the additional exposure from phones, tablets, and computer screens increases the risk of macular degeneration later in life and can cause eye irritation and headaches.
Blue light itself is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, it comes from the sun and is everywhere. Researchers have determined that blue wavelengths, the wavelengths at high ends of the light spectrum, are beneficial during daylight hours because they boost attention, reaction times, and mood. But with all this computer usage, blue light is being consistently beamed directly into our eyes. This is a significantly different dose of blue light than the human retina is suited to take on.
Direct, sustained exposure to artificial blue light can cause the following symptoms: headaches, blurred and/or double vision, eye fatigue, eye strain, dry, irritated, itchy eyes, and even neck, back, and shoulder pain due to changes in posture. Device users may experience digital eye strain symptoms differently. Some may feel most of the symptoms described; others may feel only one. Some people are more prone to Computer Vision Syndrome and Digital Eye Strain than others and everyone experiences it in varying degrees.
If you have been experiencing eye strain or any of the other symptoms described, we encourage you to investigate if blue light exposure could be part of the problem. Here at Visualites, we provide a wide selection of designer blue light blocking glasses for you to choose from.
Jerry Willis is the owner of Lumen Eyewear and the computer glasses and reading glasses brand Visualites. Jerry has years of experience in eyewear frame and lens design and manufacturing of eyewear and is a member of the Vision Council of the United States of America. Lumen Eyewear is also a FDA licensed manufacturer and importer of reading glasses and computer glasses. Visualites is dedicated to bringing its customers products that not only improve their vision but the health of their eyes.
