It is now common knowledge that the blue light emitted by the screens of our devices is harmful to our health. However, the modern way of life makes it impossible to avoid them, greatly increasing the time we spend daily exposed to them. According to research, the average time users spent on their mobile phones in 2020 was between 3-4 hours a day. At the same time, those who work on a computer, spend another 8 hours a day in front of a screen. In total, this means about 12 hours a day of exposure to Blue Light, not counting activities such as gaming, watching videos or TV, the transition to e-books, studying for school or university etc., which are part of most people's daily routines and require the use of these devices.

What exactly is Blue Light?

 

The visible spectrum of light includes different shades (red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet), each of which corresponds to different wavelengths and emitted energy. The rays at the red end of the spectrum emit longer wavelengths and less energy, while the blue-violet light rays emit shorter wavelengths and more energy (electromagnetic radiation). Thus, blue light has almost twice as much energy as red light at the other end of the visible spectrum. These waves penetrate deep into the eye and long-term exposure can cause severe damage to the retina.

 

How to protect yourself from Blue Light

 

To protect your eyes from the Blue Light of the screens, you can follow these tips:

 

• Use a blue light filter on your mobile phone or computer. Some phones already have it built-in (and it can be turned on and off whenever you want). Alternatively, there are apps that add this filter to smartphones or tablets. There are also special screen protectors that filter blue light.
• When working on the computer, make sure your eyes rest. Every 20 minutes look away from the screen (about 6 meters - for example outside the window) for 20 seconds.
• Use artificial tears to moisturize your eyes. Constantly looking at the screen, especially if we are focused working, we often do not blink as much as we should. This results in dryness, irritation and pain.
• If you wear prescription glasses, add the special coating that filters the blue light to the lenses. But even if you do not use prescription glasses, you can choose a frame that suits you and add the special blue light lenses, without adding degrees of myopia.

 

After using the "computer glasses" as many people call them, there has been a reduction in complaints of visual fatigue, eye irritation, headaches, difficulty concentrating, dizziness, dry eyes and sleep disturbances - symptoms attributed to long hours of use digital devices. They are ideal for children who attend online classes or play electronic games, for adults who use computers at their job, for those who read on computers or tablets, and for those who spend their free time watching movies and series.

 

Blue light glasses are considered the easiest and most economical solution to improve our quality of life and to relax our eyes. As an added bonus, they also allow us to finally wear stylish glasses without having myopia, presbyopia or any other visual problems.