Why Blue Light is Bad for Your Eyes

It wasn't until recently that studies have shown the effects blue light can have upon our vision. The results are clear…  blue light, in large doses, can be damaging to your eyesight, causing everything from headaches to changes in your mood and energy levels.

As more people spend increasingly long hours in front of their TV, scrolling on their cell phones or tablets, and surfing the web, the negative effects of artificially created blue light emitted by these devices is taking its toll on our wellbeing.

Thankfully, there are blue-light reading glasses available to help minimize the effects of blue light and the symptoms that come along with it. If you’re still skeptical about its effects, Look Optic has gathered some important insight for you here, so get ready to learn.

What is Blue Light?

Before diving into the details, it’s important to have an understanding of precisely what blue light is and where it comes from. It can be a little complicated, but according to NASA, the full light spectrum we’re able to see contains both short and long wavelengths of light.  Much of this we don’t notice throughout the day because we’re seeing all of the wavelengths at the same time.

Blue light is located at the lower end of the visible spectrum. When you walk outside, UV rays from the sun contain a multitude of blue light; we're naturally exposed to it every day. Although we’ve been exposed to blue light for thousands of years, it’s only until the recent rise of electronic devices that it’s become more of a problem for our health.

What Does Blue Light Do?

 Now that we know what blue light is, we can take a look at how it affects us. As mentioned above, being exposed to smaller amounts of blue light throughout the day is quite normal. It can even benefit us by increasing our energy and making us more alert; it’s even used as a form of light therapy to treat seasonal affective disorder. However, when exposed to too much blue light, it can quickly become an issue because it will affect your body in a negative way, which leads us to our next point...

What’s So Terrible About Blue Light Exposure?

 Too much exposure to blue light can put strain on your eyes, which, if you’re staring at a computer screen or another device all day long, are likely already experiencing. As mentioned above, it will affect your body, in particular its circadian rhythm. Your body’s circadian rhythm is like its internal clock and it regulates a variety of processes, like your sleep schedule. Essentially, it’s the thing that tells your body to wake up when the sun rises and sleep when it goes down.

But these days, the light emitted from our devices can harm us, sending mixed messages to our bodies and disrupting our sleep cycles. That’s why it’s so easy to stay up all night when you’re glued to your smartphone or in front of your tablet; your body actually thinks it’s daytime. The blue light is causing your body not to produce melatonin, which helps calm you down and makes you feel sleepy.

How Does Blue Light Affect the Eyes?

When it comes to your eyes, blue light can cause strain and make your eyes feel tired or even hurt after a long period of exposure. This is most often experienced by those who work in front of a computer screen or spend long periods in front of some other type of electronic device. Also known as digital eye strain or computer vision syndrome, this can eventually result in everything from blurred vision and headaches to, in more extreme cases, severe pain that can really take a toll.

How Do I Protect Myself from Blue Light?

For those who want to avoid such issues as the ones mentioned above, there are some ways you can protect yourself from the effects of blue light. Some of them include:

• Using Light-Filtering Software

  If you’re unable to limit the amount of time you spend in front of the screen, it may be time to invest in light filtering software (some operating systems on devices even have a built-in light filtering or “night mode” option). Using this type of software or built-in option on your device changes the wavelength of the light your screen produces, giving your screen a darker, yellow, or orange tint to help protect your eyes.

• Limit Your Screen Exposure

  Another way to minimize the effects of blue light on your eyes is by limiting your screen exposure each day, especially at night. Take breaks while working and try to stay off your cell phone during these breaks. Try limiting your screen usage to a certain time during the evening, then stopping it well before you get ready for bed. This will give your body time to adjust and start creating the proper levels of melatonin so you get a good night’s sleep.

• Invest in Light-Filtering Eyewear

  To add another level of protection to your eyes, you can invest in light-filtering eyewear like the blue-light reading glasses available from Look Optic. One of the best parts is that these glasses are both effective and affordable. For those who spend 40 hours a week or more in front of a screen, they’re an absolute need for many. Over the long term, wearing blue-light reading glasses can help drastically reduce the development of the symptoms mentioned above and help you feel more relaxed at night.

One of our most popular frames is the Blue-Light Casper, which is perfect for all genders and comes in a variety of different colors. All of the lenses in our Blue-Light Collection come outfitted with UV400 Retinashield protection and are available without magnification, or from +1.0-+3.0 strengths. Since our eyes aren’t very good at filtering blue light out on their own, having a pair of quality blue-light reading glasses handy can make all the difference.

Contact us today for more about blue-light reading glasses

One of the leading benefits of investing in the blue-light reading glasses from Look Optic is that they’re built with high-quality materials, like Italian spring hinges that don’t wear down over time, as well as light and durable matte frames (T90) with an adjustable  that doesn’t require heating. This means it’s easy to make your frames fit your face perfectly without needing to visit a store for a professional fitting. With a pair of Look Optic reading glasses, you’ll be both comfortable while avoiding eye strain.

These days, we understand that you want blue-light reading glasses that are not only functional but fashionable as well. That’s why all of our frames are designed with fashion at the top of our mind, taking inspiration from some of today’s leading name-brand designers. If you want   for a fraction of the price, shopping with Look Optic is ideal.

In addition to our high-quality blue-light reading glasses, we also carry some of today’s most eye-catching styles of traditional reading glasses. All of our reading glasses are available in a variety of colors, making them perfect for those who want to accessorize and mix and match with their outfits. If you’re hitting the beach, our reading sunglasses will help you read the fine print while minimizing the glare. They offer 100% UV protection, to keep you safe and comfortable. You can even match with your littles ones with our collection of reading glasses for kids!

When it comes to stylish reading glasses that don’t break the bank, you can rely on Look Optic, so contact us today by emailing hello@lookoptic.com or calling 1 (877) 857-LOOK. We’re happy to hear from you anytime!