BLUE CUT Lenses To Protect Your Eyes From Harmful Blue Light
WHAT IS BLUE LIGHT?
Blue light is naturally produced by the sun but also by computer monitors, smartphone screens and other digital devices. In addition to these, blue light is produced by LED and fluorescent lights, and compact fluorescent light bulbs. Blue light is essential in maintaining your sleep and wake cycle, mood and keeping your memory sharp.
HOW DOES BLUE LIGHT AFFECT OUR SIGHT?
Most of us think of light as the absence of darkness; light is either present or absent, either natural or from a man-made source. While none of that is incorrect, there is actually much more to light than (pardon the pun) meets the eye. There have been studies that have shown that an excess of blue light can alter your vision.
Nearly all the blue light that touches your eye passes through the back of your retina. The prolonged exposure to blue light may increase the risk of a retinal disease known as macular degeneration, which can worsen with age, according to research.
WHY WE NEED BLUE LIGHT LENSES OR GLASSES?
- Blue light is everywhere - While manmade sources of blue light include fluorescent and LED lighting, flat-screen televisions, and the display screens of computers, electronic notebooks, smartphones and other digital devices; our main source of blue light is the sun, and we are most exposed to it when we are outdoors during daylight hours. This is where the most damage occurs and our children are also vulnerable to it since they are more likely to spend a significant amount of time outdoors whether at school or in the playing field.
- Natural blockers are ineffective - While the cornea and lens of the eye are effective at blocking UV rays from reaching our light-sensitive retinas, almost all visible blue light passes through these barriers, which could reach and damage the delicate retina.
- Increased risk of macular degeneration – Because blue light may reach and contribute to damage the light-sensitive cells in the retina, while being more and more exposed, this may be one more important contributing factor to permanent vision loss.
- Increased vulnerability post cataract surgery – Always ask your surgeon what type of Intraocular lens (IOL) will be used to replace your cloudy natural lens, and how much harmful blue light protection that lens provides. You may also benefit from eyeglasses that have lenses with a special blue light filter, which contributes to reduce eye strain from staring at screens for too long.
- It contributes to digital eye strain – While this is less dangerous than the effects of the blue light generated by the sun, digital eye strain is something we are all at risk of. Most people spend at least 12 hours a day in front of a screen, though it takes as little as two hours to cause digital eye strain. Dry eyes, eye strain, headaches and tired eyes are all common results of staring at screens for too long. Blue light exposure from computers and other digital devices can be reduced with special computer glasses.
Who needs blue light protection lenses?
While most of us tend to spend at least a couple of hours a day peering into our phones or computer screens, the need for blue light protection lenses is greater when it comes to the following categories of people:
- Professionals – A basic 9-5 job for 5 days a week that needs you to work on your laptop or PC can expose your eyes to quite a lot of blue light. Working professionals most certainly should use blue light protection lenses.
- Gamers – Playing games online for hours together without blinking for several minutes can be quite stressful for the eyes given how much blue light your eyes are being exposed to.
- Binge Watchers – Your favourites series and movies can get you hooked to your TV or mobile device for hours and before you realise it, your eyes will have absorbed a lot of blue light. To prevent this, you need blue light protection lenses.
- Students – With online classes now, students have to completely depend on their digital devices for those long hours of studying and revising their lessons. It is much the same with kids who seem to want to play games on mobiles and tablets for a better part of the day. To protect their vision, such students and children should use blue light protection lenses.
For the outdoors
Ultimately though, we need to go back to the fact that the blue light generated by the sun is by far the strongest and most likely to do us harm, so simply protecting our eyes against man-made sources isn’t enough.
For protection, it is necessary to use lens coatings to filter out the harmful blue light and let in the good. This will ensure constant protection for your eyes without affecting your vision at all.
Clear protective lens coatings like Crizal, are perfect for indoor and outdoor use, making it a convenient solution to the harmful blue light.
For both indoor and outdoors
Another effective method is to use photochromic lenses that are clear in low light conditions but darken as the light increases. Transitions lenses offer optimal protection from harmful UV rays from both the sun and blue light from digital devices and house lights.
These glasses are suitable for wearers of all ages, a clear advantage especially with children under the age of 12 who are more vulnerable to sun damage due to the fact that their eyes’ natural protective barriers are still underdeveloped.
Where Can I Buy the Best Blue Light Blocking Lenses in India?
A lot of eye-health issues are caused by blue light from computer, TVs, smartphones, etc. And to protect your eyes, it won’t be enough to just get yourself a pair of regular glasses or make do with anti-glare glasses.
To find the ideal pair of best blue light blocking glasses, visit our website and choose from any of our brands to explore our blue-light lens offerings. Make sure you choose the right pair of blue-light lenses that match your unique lifestyle and requirement.
You can check out our Store Locator and visit us to explore our options in person!
FAQ
Is blue light harmful to eyes?
Yes, blue light is harmful for the eyes and most of us are easily exposed to the blue light from computers, smartphones, the TV and other digital gadgets. Prolonged exposure to the blue light is also the cause of some eye problems such as macular degeneration, blurry vision and in some severe cases, even cataract.
How to check blue cut lenses?
To check blue cut lens, you will need to conduct a blue light filter test. Ideally, blue cut lenses that filter out 30% of the blue light, as recommended, will have a slight yellowish tint on the lens. Though this tint will not be visible when you are wearing the glasses, when you hold them up against the clear sky, you should be able to notice this tint.
Do anti-glare lenses block blue lights?
The function of anti-glare glasses is not the same as blue cut lenses. Anti-glare glasses reduce the impact or the glare of light on your eyes. However, they do not block the visible light spectrum in any way, which is why they do not block the blue light as well. On the other hand, blue cut lenses specifically filter out a majority of the High Energy Visible Light to relieve the strain on the eyes.
Can I use blue light blocker glasses all the time?
Since blue light is also present in natural light, you can wear blue light blocker glasses all day. This will not negatively affect your eyes in any way. Even if you don’t do so, it won’t cause any problems. However, if you are spending time in front of the computer, TV or smartphone, it is advisable to wear your blue light blocker glasses to help protect your eyes from the impact of the blue light.
Do kids also need blue light blocker eyeglasses?
Yes, kids do need to have blue light blocker glasses, especially if they spend hours watching television or playing games online or on the smartphone. Now with online classes, hours of online lessons can expose their eyes to blue light which can be damaging for their vision. Hence, children who are exposed to the computer and TV screens for at least more than an hour per day should use blue light blocker glasses.
Why blue light lenses have a slight yellow tint?
No matter where you are, if there is some amount of light, your eyes will get at least some exposure to blue light. Hence, blue light lenses have a slight yellow tint to filter out the blue light which can harm your eyes. If blue light blocking glasses have clear lenses, they won’t have a negative impact on your vision; however, they filter out minimum blue light as compared to the tinted lenses.
How do I choose the right blue light lenses?
For indoor usage
We can’t seem to escape blue light even if we’re indoors with all the windows shut, because chances we’re sitting in front of a computer, TV, or using our smartphone. For those who spend the majority of their time indoors, computer glasses like Eyezen protect your eyes from extended exposure to blue light and help relax your vision reducing digital eye strain.
Spending a lot of time in front of digital screens?
Ask one of our optical expert partner about lenses that protects you against harmful blue light
