{"id":27404,"date":"2020-01-26T16:09:17","date_gmt":"2020-01-26T16:09:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tmc.edu\/news\/?p=27404"},"modified":"2020-01-29T17:16:34","modified_gmt":"2020-01-29T17:16:34","slug":"debunking-blue-light-glasses-claims-to-focus-on-proven-eye-issues","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tmc.edu\/news\/2020\/01\/debunking-blue-light-glasses-claims-to-focus-on-proven-eye-issues\/","title":{"rendered":"Debunking blue light glasses claims to focus on proven eye issues"},"content":{"rendered":"
Blue light glasses are among the hottest trends in eyewear. Popular eyewear companies, such as Warby Parker and Felix Gray, are selling lenses that claim to filter out blue light emitted from electronic devices to reduce eyestrain, headaches and sleep issues.<\/p>\n
The ubiquitous bedtime use of laptops, smartphones and tablets can throw off our circadian rhythms, prompting people to look to a fairly unregulated market for a solution to block blue light.<\/p>\n
But do blue light glasses really work?<\/p>\n
The short answer: No.<\/p>\n
Blue light glasses aren’t needed<\/strong><\/p>\n According to an\u00a0American Academy of Ophthalmology<\/a>\u00a0report<\/a>,\u00a0\u201cit\u2019s not necessary to spend money on special [eyewear] for computer use.”<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s really no evidence that [blue light glasses] help,\u201d said Amir Mohsenin, M.D., Ph.D.<\/a>, assistant professor in the Ruiz Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Science<\/a> at UTHealth<\/a>‘s McGovern Medical School<\/a>. \u201cWe don\u2019t really have any data that supports blue blocking glasses as being better for your eyes when you\u2019re using a computer. In fact, I would say that we don\u2019t know if there\u2019s any potential harm in wearing blue block glasses. It\u2019s hard to recommend something without knowing more details about it.\u201d<\/p>\n Studies have shown that blue wavelengths can disrupt the body\u2019s natural circadian rhythm by suppressing melatonin production levels through certain non-image-forming photoreceptors in the eye called melanopsin, a type of photopigment in retinal cells. This helps us stay alert and focused during the daytime, but it can interfere with sleep.<\/p>\n