Will blue light glasses help with dry eyes

It's no secret that the majority of us are using devices constantly throughout the day. After a long day, this can cause dry eyes. Blue light from digital screens can harm your eyes. 

This article will explain how blue light and dry eye are related, as well as what preventive measures you can take.

According to research, excessive screen time is linked to an increased risk of dry eye disease. Dry eyes are caused by an excess of blue light, which frequently causes digital eye strain. Using a pair of blue light glasses can help you relieve and prevent dry eyes. Let's take a closer look at blue light and the relationship between it and dry eyes.

What is blue light?

Blue light is everywhere, and the sun is our primary source of natural blue light. It is particularly common in digital devices.

Blue light has a short wavelength and a high energy level. Excessive exposure stresses and damages the eyes. To make matters worse, our modern device-centric lifestyle exposes us to blue light throughout the day and night.

Overexposure to blue light frequently disrupts sleep; if we are constantly exposed to blue light, our brains continue to function in alert mode, suppressing the melatonin produced by our brains. (Melatonin is a sleep-inducing hormone produced by our brains).

Blue light, due to its high energy and short wavelength, also stresses and damages the eyes. The more time we spend staring at digital screens, the greater our exposure, increasing our risk of developing dry eye.

Over exposure of blue light, we might develop health problems like:

• Dry eyes
• Eye strain
• Migraines & headaches
• Reduced productivity
• Mood swings

While most of us cannot escape using our devices, taking precautions is essential.

What is dry eye?

Dry eye is a condition in which the eyes are unable to produce enough tears to keep the eyes lubricated, or the tears are of poor quality. The most noticeable symptom is a feeling of dryness in the eyes.

Dry eyes can make it difficult to focus on your computer screen, which can make it difficult to work properly. You may also feel itching or a burning sensation in your eyes.

This causes even more irritation, and you may find yourself rubbing your eyes frequently to relieve the unpleasant sensations. Other undesirable symptoms that may accompany dry eyes include:

• Light sensitivity
• A burning or stinging sensation in the eyes
• Red eyes
• The feeling like something is in the eyes possibly something gritty
• Trouble using contact lenses
• Difficulty driving at night
• Blurry vision
• Tired feeling eyes

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it is possible that you have been exposed to too much harmful blue light.

What's the link between blue light and dry eyes?

The cornea absorbs blue light, which passes through the retina. Blue light, due to its high energy and short wavelength, can impair your vision and prematurely age your eyes. According to research, excessive blue light exposure may cause retinal damage, digital eye strain, and dry eyes.

Furthermore, people who spend a long time working on a computer or digital screen tend to become hyper-focused. This means they frequently stare intensely and forget to blink, which means they're constantly absorbing dangerous blue light. This results in digital eye strain and dry eyes.

How can you prevent dry eyes?

Here are some tips on how to avoid constant exposure to blue light that can lead to dry eyes:

• Blue Light glasses: Blue light glasses protect your eyes from harmful short-wavelength blue light.
• Reduce screen time: Take short breaks to rest your eyes and reduce your time spent in front of these screens.
• Screen Filters: Anti blue light screen filters help reduce the amount of blue light emitted from our digital devices. 

What effect do blue light glasses have on dry eyes?

According to a study published by NCBI, reducing short-wavelength blue light improves visual acuity in dry eye patients.

Wearing blue light glasses for dry eyes can help alleviate the symptom by preventing harmful blue light from entering your eyes. Try out a pair of our anti-blue light glasses to help prevent and relieve dry eyes and other negative effects.

We now offer prescription lenses with Ocushield's blue light coating.  If you wear glasses or contact lenses and you visited your optometrist recently for an eye exam, you can add the updated vision metrics to your blue light blocking glasses!