In an increasingly digital age, we spend more time each day staring at our computers, watching TV and tinkering on our smartphones and tablets. All that screen time can add up to a lot of eye strain. But blue-light-blocking computer glasses can offer relief.
What are computer glasses and how do they block blue light? What is blue light? What kind of blue light glasses are there? Our guide will help you select the best computer glasses for you.
What are computer glasses?Computer glasses have specially coated lenses designed to relax your eyes while using a computer. The lenses are designed to help prevent digital eye strain, headaches, dry eyes, blurred vision and other symptoms of digital eye strain.
Prescription and non-prescription computer glasses are available.
Not sure if your monitor is far enough from your eyes? If your screen is about an arm’s length away, it’s the perfect distance from your eyes.
What is blue light?Electronics like your smartphone, computer and TV give off blue light. That light can disrupt your sleep cycles and make it hard to get restful sleep.
So, if anyone has ever cautioned you to put your phone away an hour or so before bed, they gave you sound advice.
Computer glasses are similar to the night mode on a smartphone. They block blue light to help your body maintain a natural day-night cycle.
Computer glasses also make it more comfortable to look at your screen and easier to focus on the work at hand, no matter the time of day.
What kinds of computer glasses are there?Computer glasses can be made with:
Prescription or non-prescription lenses
Different lens tints to filter or block different percentages of blue light
Anti-glare and/or scratch-resistant lens coatings
The best computer glasses for you depends on your overall vision and the type of work you’re doing.
If you already have prescription glasses and want to start wearing computer glasses, you’ll need to order a new pair. Blue-light-blocking coatings and filters cannot be added to your current lenses but they can easily be applied when new glasses are being made. Whether you need , a blue light filter .
If you shop online, you can find a pair with prescription lenses for as low as $31. Pricing varies, depending on the frames you order, your prescription strength, the lens upgrades you want, and the type of lenses you need (such as single vision or progressives).
If you don’t need vision correction, prefer to wear contacts or don’t want to spend much on a new pair of prescription glasses, “plano” computer glasses (with non-prescription lenses) are an inexpensive way to help protect your eyes from blue light.
Online retailers offer many frame styles and lens coating options to fit your personal style and budget.
Computer glasses come in a variety of lens tints and coatings.
Here’s how lens tints and coatings block blue light and ease digital eye strain caused by looking at screens for hours at a time:
Lens tints
If you’re looking for some serious blue light blockage — up to 94% — invest in a pair of yellow- or amber-tinted lenses. On the spectrum of light, blue light has a short, squiggly wavelength, whereas amber and yellow have long, loose wavelengths.
The amber and yellow tints offset and absorb the blue light before it reaches your eyes. This blue-light-filtering allows a better night’s sleep and reduces symptoms of digital eye strain.
Lens coatings
Tinted lenses aren’t for everyone. But there are clear lens options that also provide blue light protection. Anti-reflective coating is also beneficial for computer glasses, since it prevents screen glare from irritating or distracting your vision.
READY TO SHOP FOR COMPUTER GLASSES? Find an optical store near you or shop online.
Best computer glasses in 2023With so many blue-light blocking computer glasses on the market, it can be tough to narrow down your choices. Here are five of the best computer glasses for a variety of needs.
The clear lenses in these fashionable oversized frames include a barely perceptible tint that filters more than 40% of high-energy, visible blue light. Peepers Showbiz computer glasses also have anti-reflective and anti-scratch coatings.
The sturdy, lightweight polycarbonate frame comes in four different colors: Gray Tortoise/Pink; Blue Quartz/Blue; Sand Quartz/Yellow and Tortoise/Green. Lenses are available in magnification strengths from +1.0 to +3.0.
The Jackie Ohh computer glasses have clear non-prescription lenses that filter blue light, eliminate glare and provide 100% UV protection. The flattering and stylish cat-eye frames come in the color Shiny Havana.
These highly rated retro black frames come in four different blue-light-blocking lens tints for indoor/outdoor use:
Clear – 35% blue light filtered
Amber – 65% filtered
Amber Max – 98% filtered
Amber-React – 65%/90% filtered
Gunnar Intercept lenses have scratch-resistant and anti-reflective coatings and are available with or without a prescription. Lenses can accommodate prescriptions ranging from -6.0 to +5.0.
Foster Grant’s computer glasses for kids filter up to 30% of potentially harmful blue light and provide 100% UVA/UVB protection. The colorful frames come with impact-resistant, non-prescription lenses and a carrying case so kids can work on electronic devices away from home.
Oakley NXTLVL glasses are designed specifically for adult gamers, with a large, square lens shape and an unobstructed view to take you to the next level when your game intensifies. Oakley’s Prizm Gaming prescription lenses filter up to 40% of blue light for an easier-on-the-eyes gaming experience. The frame’s temple design, nose pads and earsocks hold the glasses comfortably in place while wearing headsets.
They may be at a higher price point, but if you’re a frequent gamer, the investment may be worth the higher cost. Want to scale back on the price? Check out some of the other options in Oakley’s gaming collection.
Can I wear blue light glasses all day?In most cases, wearing blue light glasses all day is safe and unlikely to cause problems. However, if you begin to experience mood changes, you may want to save your blue light glasses for only digital screen time.
Excess blue light is thought to cause a number of eye and sleep issues, but in the right amounts, blue light helps regulate your sleep patterns and plays an important role in your mental and emotional health and .
If you’ve experienced symptoms of digital eye strain, it’s best to see your eye doctor and get a comprehensive eye exam to make sure there’s nothing else causing your symptoms. Ask your eye doctor if computer glasses could help make your workdays more comfortable.
