In our digital age, blue light has become a common topic of discussion, particularly regarding its effects on eye health and sleep. As screens dominate our daily lives, many people have turned to blue light glasses, claiming they can reduce eye strain, improve sleep, and enhance overall comfort. But do these glasses really work? Let's dive into the science behind blue light and the potential benefits of blue light glasses.

1. Understanding Blue Light

Blue light is a type of high-energy visible (HEV) light emitted by various sources, including the sun, digital screens (computers, tablets, smartphones), and LED lighting. It has a short wavelength and is known for its intensity. While blue light plays a vital role in regulating our circadian rhythm and boosting alertness during the day, excessive exposure, especially in the evening, may disrupt sleep patterns and contribute to digital eye strain.

2. The Concept Behind Blue Light Glasses

Blue light glasses are designed to filter out a portion of blue light emitted from screens. These glasses typically have a special coating or tint that can reduce glare and alter the wavelengths of light that reach the eyes. Here are some common claims associated with blue light glasses:

• Reduced Eye Strain: Users often report decreased eye fatigue and discomfort after using blue light glasses during extended screen time.
• Improved Sleep Quality: By blocking blue light, these glasses may help promote the production of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep.
• Protection Against Retinal Damage: Some studies suggest that excessive blue light exposure may lead to retinal damage over time, and blue light glasses may offer protective benefits.

3. Scientific Evidence on Blue Light Glasses

• Eye Strain: Research on the efficacy of blue light glasses for reducing digital eye strain is mixed. While some studies suggest that blue light glasses can alleviate symptoms of eye fatigue, others find little to no significant impact. Factors such as screen glare, brightness, and contrast also play a role in eye comfort.
• Sleep Quality: Several studies indicate that blue light exposure in the evening can negatively affect sleep quality. Wearing blue light glasses before bedtime may help reduce the impact of blue light on melatonin production, potentially leading to better sleep. However, the overall effectiveness may vary from person to person.
• Retinal Damage: The relationship between blue light exposure and retinal damage is still under investigation. While some laboratory studies suggest a link between high levels of blue light and retinal cell damage, the real-world implications for everyday exposure are less clear. The amount of blue light emitted from screens is significantly lower than levels shown to cause harm in studies.

4. Other Factors to Consider

• Screen Time Management: Reducing overall screen time, taking regular breaks (such as the 20-20-20 rule), and ensuring proper lighting can also help reduce eye strain and improve comfort.
• Digital Device Settings: Many devices now have built-in features to reduce blue light exposure, such as "night mode" or blue light filters. Adjusting your screen settings can be an effective alternative to wearing blue light glasses.
• Overall Eye Health: Regular eye exams, proper lighting, and maintaining a healthy distance from screens can also contribute to eye health and comfort.

5. Conclusion: Are Blue Light Glasses Worth It?

While the scientific evidence surrounding blue light glasses is not conclusive, many people report subjective benefits such as reduced eye strain and improved sleep quality when using them. If you find that wearing blue light glasses enhances your comfort during extended screen time, they may be worth considering as part of your overall eye care routine.

However, it’s essential to combine their use with other healthy habits, such as managing screen time, using proper lighting, and ensuring regular eye check-ups. Ultimately, if you have persistent symptoms of eye strain or sleep disturbances, consulting with an eye care professional is recommended to determine the most appropriate course of action for your specific needs.

Presbyopia is farsightedness caused by the increasing rigidity of the lens in the eye as we age.

It affects nearly everyone older than 65, and for the 42 percent of Americans who are already nearsighted, this creates a complication. People who previously had 20/20 vision can just grab a pair of reading glasses to combat presbyopia, but nearsighted people will need to either pair reading glasses with contact lenses for their nearsightedness or else upgrade their single-prescription glasses to bifocals, trifocals, or progressives.

The Pros and Cons of Bifocals

Bifocals are fairly self-explanatory. One area corrects for nearsightedness and the other area corrects for presbyopia or farsightedness. As presbyopia worsens, it may become necessary to have a middle range for things like reading a computer screen, which is where trifocals come in. They are a simple, effective solution, but not without their flaws.

The hard line between the prescription sections can be very jarring and create an image jump effect in the wearer’s field of vision. And just as having braces carries a connotation of immaturity because most orthodontic patients are teens, bifocals and trifocals have a connotation of advancing age that many would rather avoid.

Progressive Lenses: The Modern Solution for Presbyopia

Anyone who feels that the drawbacks of bifocals outweigh the benefits might do better with progressive lenses. Where bifocals and trifocals are multiple lenses put together like puzzle pieces, a progressive lens is a single lens in which the prescription gradually changes from distance vision at the top to near vision at the bottom, with a middle section if needed in between. Depending on how they tilt their heads, the wearers are able to see clearly at all distances.

The Adjustment Period with Progressive Lenses

With every new lens prescription comes an adjustment period, particularly for your first pair of progressive lenses. Here are a few quick tips to adjust quickly:

• Practice looking at objects at different distances by reading a book and watching TV at the same time.
• Practice moving your head instead of your eyes to see things at different distances.
• Make sure the glasses fit properly so that the corridor of power in the middle of the lens stays where it needs to be.
• Keep wearing your new progressive lenses instead of switching back and forth to your old glasses. Doing that resets the clock on getting used to your new glasses and makes it take longer to get used to them!

Have Questions or Need an Adjustment?

If you’d like to learn more about progressive lenses or if you’re having trouble with yours, give us a call! We want to make sure all our patients are happy with their glasses and able to see comfortably and clearly.

Sources:

• Presbyopia, Bifocals, and Progressives

The shorter days of winter inevitably lead to more night driving than in the other seasons.

Those of us without perfect eyesight may find it a stressful adjustment each year. It can even be a dangerous one if we don’t take the dangers of night driving into consideration. We can make a big difference in our lives and the lives of those we pass on the road with a few basic precautions.

The Hazards of Night Driving

The road can look very different at night than it does in broad daylight, even to someone with perfect eyesight and excellent night vision. Upcoming curves and obstacles can be harder to notice through the deep shadows and the glare of oncoming headlights. Even if you’re confident that you can adjust to these conditions, not everyone on the road is in your situation, so we should all be extra careful to help minimize the risk of nighttime car accidents.

Night Driving Gets Harder With Age

The older we get, the worse our night vision tends to become. This is because we gradually lose some of the rods in our eyes (the photoreceptors that distinguish between light and dark). At the same time, the lenses in our eyes become stiffer and cloudier over the decades, making focusing harder and increasing our sensitivity to glare. The combined result makes it harder to be confident in our night driving.

Be Mindful of How Your Eyesight Changes

Early symptoms of eye problems that can eventually compromise your safety on the road at night include cloudy, dim, or blurry vision, increased glare, halo effects around lights, and eye fatigue. If you’re experiencing these symptoms, we urge you to schedule an eye exam. We might be able to correct the underlying problem or address them with a change in glasses prescription.

Night Driving Aids

Mild to moderate night driving difficulties can sometimes be mitigated with aids and solutions, including wearing night driving glasses, being well-rested before getting on the road, and eating plenty of eye-healthy foods. These include carrots, sweet potatoes, and spinach. Something as simple as keeping the windshield, windows, and headlights clean can make a big difference.

Know When to Stay Off the Roads at Night

Past a certain point, it’s simply safer and wiser to avoid driving at night. We know how inconvenient this can be, but it’s worth the effort to stay safe and no longer have to worry about the danger of driving in those conditions.

Make Use of Your Best Resource: The Eye Doctor

If night driving has become more of a struggle lately, don’t put off your next eye exam. We’re happy to help you discover the cause and find the best solution. Bring us whatever questions or concerns you have about night driving or other vision-related issues.

Sources:

Good Practices for Safe Night Driving, December 28, 2022

What are screen readers?Screen readers are a type of accessibility technology that allows people who are blind or visually impaired to use devices like phones and computers that have a screen. This allows people to access digital content when they might otherwise be unable to.

Who Uses Screen Readers?

As technology becomes more widespread and harder to live without, it becomes more and more necessary to create ways to make this technology accessible to everyone. Braille works well for text on paper, but you can’t use braille to read what’s on a screen. That’s where screen readers come in.

Screen readers are typically used by people who are blind, visually impaired, or may otherwise struggle to read on-screen content.

People may be visually impaired for a variety of reasons. In fact, the World Health Organization estimates that about 2.2 billion people worldwide have some type of visual impairment. The leading cause of visual impairment worldwide is age-related eye conditions such as:

• Age-related macular degeneration. Age-related macular degeneration happens when part of the retina, called the macula, is damaged. The retina is the layer of cells at the back of your eye. The macula is the area in the center that helps you see fine details.
• Cataracts. Cataracts may form and cause the lenses of your eyes to become cloudy. Each lens sits behind the colored part of your eye, called the iris, and ordinarily focuses light onto the back of the eye.
• Diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy is the result of high blood sugar damaging the blood vessels in your retina.
• Glaucoma.Glaucoma is caused by damage to the optic nerve, the nerve that runs from your eyes to your brain. It’s one of the leading causes of blindness in patients over age 60.
• Refractive errors. Refractive errors happen when the shape of your eye doesn’t bend light the right way, which causes your vision to become blurry. This can usually be treated with corrective lenses like glasses or contacts.

“Normal” vision is 20/20 vision. This means that you see an object that is 20 feet away as well as the majority of other people see the same object when it is 20 feet away.

Sources:

What to Know About Screen Readers for Blind or Low-Vision People Written by Sarah Vallie November 03, 2022

Most people who wear glasses are familiar with the excitement and confidence boost that accompanies wearing new specs for the first time. But sometimes there is an adjustment period before your vision is fully comfortable. Things may look blurry, or you may notice feeling dizzy after prolonged wear. Some of these symptoms can be a normal part of the adjustment period, but sometimes they’re a reason to contact your eye doctor.

How long will it take to adjust to my new glasses?

Most issues related to adjusting to new glasses resolve on their own after a few days, but for some people, the adjustment period can take up to two weeks.

However, if you experience eye strain, distorted vision and especially headaches for more than two or three days, contact your eye doctor or optician. They may want to have you come in to take another look at your eyes, confirm that your glasses were made correctly or even recheck that your eyeglass prescription is right for you.

What Are Some Possible Visual Symptoms I Could Experience?

Some common experiences shared by those adjusting to new eyewear include:

• Eye strain, headache
• Blurry vision
• Trouble with depth perception, nausea and dizziness
• “Barrel distortion” — objects appear distorted, for high plus lenses
• “Fishbowl effect” — the feeling that your visual field is being bent along the edges, as if you’re looking through a fishbowl, common in high minus prescriptions

Why Do My New Glasses Give Me a Headache?

Fatigued eye muscles can cause headaches. But your eyes aren’t the only things adjusting to your new lenses. Your brain is also working hard to create a clear picture of the messages it’s receiving from your eyes. This extra brain activity can sometimes bring on a headache, which should only last about a day or so.

New glasses, same prescription but it feels weird

Why might the same prescription lenses in a new pair of frames cause adjustment issues. This can happen for a few reasons:

• Different lens type. If you purchased a different type of lens, the way you see through your lenses can change. For instance, if you switched from single vision or bifocal to progressive lenses, or opted for a thinner lens design or material, your eyes may need some time to adjust to the change, even if you have the same prescription.
• New frame style. If you purchased a different frame shape or style, that can impact the shape, size and curvature of your lenses. For example, if you had small rectangular frames before but got new glasses with oversized round frames, the curve of your lenses will be altered and may require a new adjustment period, even if your prescription hasn’t changed.

When Should I Call My Eye Doctor?

When the adjustment period extends beyond a few weeks, there is a possibility that there was an error in the manufacturing of the lenses. Many people purchase eyewear from somewhere other than their eye doctor or order glasses online, and some studies have shown that up to 40% of online eyewear is made incorrectly or inaccurately.

It’s important to note that many offices may charge fees to check eyewear that is not made by them and that there may be fees for rechecking a patient’s refraction when glasses are made by another source.

Discomfort that lasts longer than a couple of weeks means it’s time to call your optometrist. Persistent symptoms like headaches, dizziness, or blurry vision can indicate that your glasses aren’t well suited to your eyes and need adjusting. Your optometrist will double check the prescription of the glasses among other things to ensure that the new glasses are right for you.

If you need new glasses or are having a hard time adjusting to a new pair, don’t hesitate to contact Golden Eye Optometry to schedule an appointment.

Sources:

1. How Long Does It Take to Get Used to New Glasses? Aug 17, 2020

Did you know that blinking helps prevent dry eyes?

The most frequent complaint to eye doctors is dry eyes, known as aqueous insufficiency, meibomian gland dysfunction, or dry eye syndrome. Twenty-five percent of patients who visit ophthalmic clinics report symptoms of dry eye, making it a growing public health problem and one of the most common conditions seen by eye care practitioners.¹

As we age we are more likely to experience dry eye: 2.7% in people aged 18-34, but 18.6% over 75 years old.  Women are twice as likely to suffer from dry eye as men. ²

Symptoms typically include irritation, dryness, burning, grittiness, difficulty reading for long periods of time, and, even though it may seem contradictory, excessive watering or tearing as the eyes attempt to solve the problem.

Anatomy of our tears

The moisture-laden surface of the eye contains three interrelated layers known as the tear film. Stable continuity of that surface and the production of tears rely on the function of these three layers, which need to be produced in proper balanced amounts by the body to avoid dry eye syndrome:

• Mucous layer. The innermost layer of the surface of the eye is a mucous layer that forms the bulk of the tears and contains electrolytes, a variety of proteins, and water. It also has some anti-microbial properties.
• Aqueous layer. On top, on the outside of the mucous layer, is a mildly alkaline aqueous layer (watery) comprising up to 90% of the thickness of the tear film.
• Meibum layer. Outside the watery layer is an oily lipid layer that slows the evaporation of the tear film. This thin layer is made up of meibum, produced by the meibomian gland.

Essential blink function to fight dry eye

The blink function is key to keeping the surface of our eyes moist. We take blinking for granted, but the American Optometrists Association recommends consciously blinking more regularly to help with dry eye.

The normal blinking process acts as a pump on the lacrimal sac, the gland that produces tears) to move more fluid to the eye and distribute it across the surface of the eye. Blinking brings material from the watery and oily layers and helps to remove debris. It is an essential part of eye comfort because the tear film naturally begins to degrade after about 10 seconds and needs renewal. Therefore, we normally blink automatically about 10-12 blinks a minute.

Sometimes we don’t blink enough

Blink rates matter because after about 10 seconds the tear film is unstable and poorly protects the surface of the cornea from irritation.

Studies have shown that computer users blink less while using the computer. When focused intently on something, our blink rate slows, as when working on the computer, which can result in dry eye syndrome.

Under relaxed conditions our mean blink rate is as high as 22 blinks/minutes. During normal daily activity our blink rate is about 10-15 blinks per minute, when working on the computer our blink rate slows.³ Different studies report a wide variation in blink rates.  One study reports a normal blink rate during a conversation at about 17 blinks/minute, but only 6 blinks/minute when reading.⁴

Partial blinking is a problem

A partial blink, not fully covering the cornea is also significant.⁵ It is the cornea that tells the brain to send messages to the body to produce more or fewer tears and when to blink. Solving incomplete blink patterns may require establishing new motor memory of voluntary complete, rapid, and relaxed blinking as a basis for efficient spontaneous blinking. “Voluntary forceful blinking may undermine the motor memory of efficient blinking and risk the depletion of any reserves of lipid.”⁶

Blinking exercises can be really helpful to strengthen and maintain your blink response, especially if you suffer from chronic dry eye syndrome. Do these easy exercises several times an hour, especially while sitting at your desk working on your computer, or while reading.

#1 Close and open eyelids

• Gently close your eyes.
• Keep your eyes closed for 2 seconds.
• Gently open your relaxed eyes
• Repeat 5 times

#2 Close, squeeze, and open eyelids

• Gently close your eyes.
• Keep your eyes closed for 2 seconds.
• While your eyes are closed, squeeze your eyelids together slowly and gently.
• Gently open your eyes and relax them.
• Repeat 5 times

Lifestyle support for dry eye

• Drink plenty of water. Small sips frequently are more effective and comfortable.
• Use a humidifier to add moisture to the air in your bedroom
• Anti-inflammatories. There is some evidence that reducing inflammation is helpful.
• Supplement with helpful nutrients and eyedrops (see recommendations below).
• Managing stress is important for managing this condition
• Pay attention to drugs that harm the eyes

Footnotes