The Importance of Computer Glasses

After a long workday in front of the computer, your eyes will start to feel irritated and dry, therefore you might need the help of a pair of computer glasses.

It is given that in every modern workplace, there will always be computers and other digital devices. In fact, the very fact that you are reading this article right now is one proof that you are using either a phone or a computer. It has become difficult for us to live at work or even at home without our devices which can cause stress as well.

Computer vision syndrome is when you start to notice that your eyes are becoming strained and irritated during the day. This a temporary vision condition that is being caused by staring at a computer screen for a long period of time without using the blue light glasses for computer use. The common symptoms that are associated with this condition are blurred vision, red or dry eyes, double vision, dizziness, and headaches. This is caused mainly from staring at the glow that is being emitted from a screen that is called blue light.

A lot of people wear glasses to correct vision problems, but regular eyeglasses are not similar to computer glasses. This is because computer reading glasses are being specifically made to help reducing eye strain. They also have an anti-reflective coating that can help to reduce the glare and a tint that help increase the contrast to enable easier viewing. If you are already wearing glasses, there are also prescription computer glasses that are available.

Blue Light Computer Glasses – Why They’re Worth Checking Out

Blue light is the visible spectrum of light that consists of a range of colors that ranges from blue-violet on the lower end to red on the higher end. It is the light on the lowest end of the visible spectrum has the shortest wavelengths, and the light on the highest end has the longest wavelengths. But since the shorter wavelengths emit more energy, blue light is also known as High Energy Visible or HEV light.

In a glorious bright sunny day the most of us love, this is the main culprit in blue light exposure. But, even though there are those who prefer to stay indoors, they are still not immune because they can still be exposed to artificial blue light from smartphones, TVs, computer screens, and artificial lighting. Even though digital devices are emitting only a fraction of the HEV light that is being emitted from the sun, the number of the hours that we spend in using our devices can also have both an immediate and a cumulative effect on our eyes. If you will ask if you should be concerned about exposure to blue light, the answer would be yes. This is because blue light like salt, which our bodies will need it but if you consume too much, it can also cause high blood pressure. Even though exposure to blue light does have some positive benefits, the advancement of our modern digital world has overexposed us to it.

The use of blue light is that it regulates our circadian rhythm which is also known as the sleep/wake cycle. This is basically how our bodies know when to go to sleep and then when to wake up. The blue light that is being emitted from the sun is responsible for the increased energy and the wakefulness, but our habits of checking our emails before we go to bed or going to sleep in form of the TV can cause disruption to our natural sleeping patterns by unnaturally exposing us to the blue light at night.

Blue light’s contribution to eye strain is that our eyes are not evolved for our model digital world. The cornea of our eyes and lens are not good at filtering HEV light from reaching out retina, and the thin layer of light-receiving tissue that lines at the back of the eye. As time passes, this can cause damage to its light-sensitive cells. And as we grow old, it can get worse and can make us more prone to eye diseases like macular degeneration and cataracts. For young children, they are even more sensitive to blue light exposure because the lens of their eyes are even more transparent than adults, thereby allowing more HEV light to pass through.

Here are some helpful tips that will protect your eyes

• It is better if you wear computer glasses or blue blocking glasses.
• You should try to expose yourself to natural daylight.
• Try to take frequent breaks from viewing devices.
• It is better that you use sunglasses during daytime.
• You should avoid using digital devices before you go to bed.
• Try to protect your eyes from excess artificial blue light by wearing one of the best computer glasses.

Below are some of the best blue light glasses that you can consider –

• The Eight Sleep Blue Wave Glasses

The Eight Sleep glasses specializes in sleep products that are equipped with the latest technology, and the company’s Blue Wave Glasses are no exception. Even though the glasses come only in one style, modern black frames can still work with anyone’s look. They are stylish enough and no one will know that you are wearing blue-light blocking glasses instead of the regular ones.

The Blue Wave Glasses will block a relatively large range of light which blocks 60% of light in the 380 to 500 nm range. The light-colored lens also means that you can be able to wear them all day if you want. They are a great pick if you are looking for something that you can wear all day even when you are at work on a computer and still keep them on into the evening.

These glasses may cost a bit more than others, but the design is backed by Eight Sleep’s Science Advisory Board so that you are confident that you are getting the highest quality.  The glasses also come with a carrying case and a cleaning cloth.

• The J+S Vision Blue Light Shield Computer Reading or Gaming Glasses

This J+S Vision Blue Light Shield glasses line has something for everyone. The shoppers can be able to choose from classic rectangular frames, round frames, or wayfarer frames – each of these is available either in black or tortoiseshell. These frames are also stylishly designed, and with a light-colored lens, they also appear to like a trendy pair of glasses instead of a technical gear.

You can also choose two different lens options one is a low color distortion (LCD) lens that minimizes the color distortion that is a good choice for people with color-sensitive work, like graphic designers, and the other one is a high definition (HD) lens that is focusing more on clarity and glare reduction that is a good choice for extended computer use or gaming. The J+S Vision glasses can block out 90% of the blue light in the 400-430 nm wavelengths.

These lenses themselves were also durably constructed with a 7-layer anti-reflective coating and hydrophobic treatment. But, the J+S Vision glasses are more expensive that is costing up to three times the price of other lenses.

• The Eyekepper BB98 Slim Vintage Computer Readers Reading Glasses

The Eyekepper reading glasses attempts to balance all needs. These glasses are available in up to 16 frame styles and the lens color also varies to suit different style preferences.

Customers can choose from transparent, orange, or amber tinted lenses. These orange tinted lenses do the best job of blocking blue light which can block 95% of light in the 395-500 nm wavelengths. But, Eyekepper also recognizes the BB98 causes serious color distortion.

Eyekepper glasses are designed like traditional frames, which is why they made them available in both non-prescription and fourteen prescription strength options, this is so that people can switch out their regular reading glasses with these whenever they are working. The prices of these lenses range from $10 to $30 depending on the lens a prescription strength being chosen.

• The Spectra479 Blue Blocking Amber Glasses for Sleep

Spectra479 made the Blue Blocking Amber Glasses which are one of the most effective blue-light blocking glasses on the market which blocks 99.8% of blue light in the 280-510 nm wavelengths. This is one of the widest ranges that you will find with blue-light blocking glasses.

The Spectra479 glasses feature a wraparound style, which prevents peripheral blue light from hitting your eyes. The dark amber lens is being designed for nighttime wear only, so you will not have to wear these during the daytime. But, what you lose in flexibility, you can earn this back in effectiveness from blocking blue light when the most need it blocked during the night.

The Spectra479 Amber Glasses for Sleep are one of the most expensive blue blocking glasses, however, if you are really sensitive to light and you really want to make sure that you can wind down before you go to bed, the price may be worth it.

• The Gamma Ray Blue Light Blocking Computer Gaming and TV Glasses

The Gamma Ray’s Blue Light Blocking Computer Glasses are making things simple. There is only one lens color and one frame color, one unisex size that is designed to fit most of the adult men and women, and there is no prescription strength available. The black frames of the glasses feature a lightweight style which can look good on a wider range of faces than some of the heavier frames. The frames of Gamma Ray glasses are TX-compatible thus the lenses can be replaced by an optometrist with the right prescription strength.

Gamma Ray also has traditionally sold ultraviolet and blue-light blocking glasses for daytime computer use, however, these are their first pair that is more focused on aiding sleep.

Because blue light blocking glasses go by a lot of names, and this includes video gaming glasses or computer reading glasses, however, they all do the same thing, that is, they block out intense blue light. To help you more with your choice, here are some of the key design features of Blue Light Blocking Glasses:

• The blue light blocking range

The quality of the blue light blocking glasses serves as a note to the percentage of the total blue light being blocked, together with a range of wavelengths. You should look for glasses that can block to at least 90% of blue light.

• The lens color

The color of the lens can range from yellow to orange and even dark red. The amount of blue light being blocked out is indicated by the darkness of the lens. This means that the darker lenses are more appropriate for nighttime use, while the lighter lenses are better suited for daytime computer use. So when you are planning to use the glasses, this will determine the lens color that you should pick.

• The frame color

The blue light blocking glasses also come in various frame styles and color to be able to suit different preferences, however, as they are serving a utilitarian purpose, generally, these frames are generally limited to black or tortoiseshell frames.  

• The head size

The blue light blocking glasses can give benefits to people of all ages, as long as they are using digital devices for a huge amount of time. There are also some brands that are making their glasses available for kids. Most of the adult versions, however, are made available in a unisex size that is intended to fit most of the average-sized heads.  

• The fit-over style

If you are a person who is already wearing eyeglasses to treat a vision problem, you may want to either wear contacts with your glasses which can be uncomfortable on your eyes, or you can buy a pair that is created in the fit-over style. These are designed to fit easily over the glasses that you are already wearing.

• The prescription strength

There are some blue light blocking glasses that come with magnification options that are going to match prescription strength. Just like reading glasses, these glasses will also have the same magnification in both lenses as being opposed to the more custom magnification options that you will find in prescription lenses.