If you’ve spent an evening rubbing tired eyes and wondering why your eyes feel fatigued, itchy, and dry, you may be experiencing computer vision syndrome, or CVS. This syndrome, characterized by the aforementioned eye irritations and sometimes accompanied by headaches and eye strain, results from hours spent in front of a computer or smart device screen. These devices give off short-wavelength rays of light called high energy visible, or HEV, light. This light irritates the eyes and, over time, can cause permanent damage to the retina.
Obviously, we aren’t putting down our smart devices any time soon, so what can be done? Enter blue light readers. Blue light readers are eyeglasses with specially crafted lenses that filter and/or block the blue light emitted from our computer screens and smart devices, thus protecting our eyes from CVS and potential long-term HEV damage. The question on everyone’s mind, however, is do they really work? The survey says, yes, they do indeed! Here are three reasons why blue light readers really work.
Blue Light Readers Prevent Eye Irritation
People who wear blue light readers can attest: their eyes aren’t nearly as dry, irritated, and red as before they began using them. Staring at a blue-light emitting device for hours on end causes the eyes to strain. This results in headaches and in discomfort in the eyes. If you’ve ever reached for a bottle of eye drops at the end of a long day, you have experienced the effects of blue light irritation. Wearing a pair of blue light readers blocks the irritation you experience from exposure to blue light. However, get diagnosed by a specialist to make sure you get the right lenses for you. Any PECAA member optometrist can help guide you make the right choice. Your eyes don’t experience dryness, redness, or irritation after a day of working on a device while wearing blue light readers.
Blue Light Readers Assist in Preventing Eye Fatigue
In addition to eyes feeling irritated at the end of a day of working on a screen or device, your eyes can feel fatigued. This is a secondary sign of eye strain. It may even feel as though your vision has become blurry or compromised. This again, is a result of CVS. Sitting in front of a screen for long hours is simply hazardous to our eye health. Blue light readers, which sometimes have a pale yellow tint, effectively minimize the blue light that enters your eyes while you work. When less blue light enters the retina, your eyes don’t feel the need to squint and strain as much. Your eyes feel less fatigued and tired when they have not been required to strain and squint.
Blue Light Readers Can Help Prevent Permanent Eye Damage
There’s been a lot of research regarding blue light and increased risk for macular degeneration. Though studies are still forthcoming, what we can conclude is that there is definitely evidence that suggests all our exposure to blue light is harming our eye health. As such, it makes sense that we should be using something to shield our eyes from the harmful rays emitted by our favorite technological devices. Blue light readers are an affordable, stylish, and easy way to accomplish the task. Blue light readers are:
- Available in non-corrective and corrective lenses;
- On trend; they are stylish and affordable for every budget;
- Easy to use; there’s no adjusting to the lenses; in fact, you won’t even notice you’re wearing them; and
- The perfect way to protect your eyes from short term and permanent damage from blue light.
The evidence is clear; blue light readers aren’t just a passing fade. With the use of computers and smart devices increasing rapidly on a seemingly daily basis, we can only expect our exposure to blue light to increase exponentially. Wearing blue light readers is a smart decision to protect the health of your eye and prevent strain, irritation, and fatigue.