Can you wear blue light glasses all day?
With the rise of the digital age, we have become dependant on our devices. From morning to night we are glued to our screens. Whether it be our phones, laptops or our TVs there isn’t much escape. Although we can thank technology for many things, we have to be aware of the issues it can create.
Most people have probably heard of blue light glasses over the past few years, as they have become increasingly popular with anyone using a digital device. And if you aren’t living under a rock, that’s probably you.
What is blue light?
To put it simply, blue light is a short, high-energy wavelength in the visible light spectrum. This electromagnetic spectrum is made up of wavelengths of varying lengths, seen as colours by the human eye. Every wavelength is represented by a different colour: violet, indigo, green, yellow, orange, red or blue.
Blue light is the highest frequency visible to the human eye. It is positioned at the top of the light spectrum and is very close to Ultraviolet light – well known for causing damage.
Blue light is natural and can be found everywhere. Sunlight is the main source and the way most people get exposed. The wavelength of blue light is very short, and due to its high energy, it scatters very easily when it meets air and water. This is why we can thank blue light for the colour of our sky.
Blue light naturally boosts attention, supports your memory, increases your reaction times and lifts your mood. It also helps your body create its natural circadian rhythm, and aids your natural production of melatonin – the hormone that tells your mind and body when it’s time to sleep and wake up.
How can blue light glasses help?
There was an obvious problem with the way we were using our devices, and blue light glasses have stepped in to save the day. Blue light glasses offer specialised lenses that help filter out high energy blue light from your devices, allowing you to be more productive and avoid symptoms of digital eyestrain. There are varying degrees in which glasses filter blue light, so before investing in a pair you may want to double check what percentage is filtered out in that pair of glasses. Baxter Blue's blue light glasses filter out nearly 80% of the high energy blue light, and are also designed to reduce glare completely, resulting in better contrast, crisper visuals, and more enjoyable digital optics. As a result of this their glasses are proven to significantly relieve Digital Eye Strain symptoms, such as headaches and insomnia.
Can you wear blue light glasses all day?
One common question people ask when it comes to blue light glasses is, “can I wear blue light glasses all day?” or “can you wear blue light glasses outside?”. And the simple answer is, yes. Blue light glasses will not affect or damage your vision if you’re wearing them throughout the day time or outside.
However, it’s important to note, that blue light in its natural form is actually a good thing and can be found in the sun’s rays. The sun emits large amounts of blue light wavelengths which are responsible for giving the sky its blue appearance. The blue light from natural sources helps to energise our bodies, which helps to elevate our moods, enhance alertness, and increase reaction times.
So, it really depends on how much blue light your blue light glasses block as to whether you can wear them all day. Our signtaure blue light glasses with the clear lens focus on filtering out the wavelengths of blue light associated with the symptoms of digital eye strain and let the 'good blue light' in during the day that helps maintain your circadian rhythm and can be worn during the day. However our sleep range of blue light glasses with the amber lens filter out more of the blue light in the higher end of the blue light spectrum and by by wearing these or the blue light glasses with the orange and red lenses all day you may run the risk of blocking out too much blue light, which could affect your alertness and energy levels throughout the day.
When to wear blue light glasses.
Although blue light glasses can be worn throughout your day, we recommend they be worn when you’re using a digital device, such as your phone, computer, and television. We also suggest switching up your glasses at certain times of the day.
Similar to the way the sunlight can help you feel alert and energised throughout the day, blue light has the same effect. Due to blue lights short wavelengths and high energy, it delays the release of melatonin in the body, which is a sleep-inducing hormone that allows us to wind down and fall asleep, as well as enjoy deeper and longer periods of rest.
As you can imagine blue light, particularly before bed, can greatly affect our sleep cycle by making us more alert and less likely to wind down. If you can, try putting down your devices two hours before bed, but if you simply can’t help scroll through your socials, then sleep glasses will be your new best friend.
Baxter Blue’s amber Sleep+ TM lenses (melatonin magic makers!) have been specifically developed to target the blue light in the 450-500nm range responsible for suppressing melatonin that helps you sleep.