With an increase of day to day digital screen usage, more people are relying on blue light glasses to help relieve eye strain. And although they are a popular among computer users, the real question is, do they really protect eyes from harmful digital rays? We turned to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) for current recommendations.

The AAO has stated that there is no current evidence that light from digital screens are harmful to eyes. According to the organization, the eye strain is associated with long hours of screen usage and dry eyes. So, to minimize eye strain, it is better to minimize overall screen usage.
It’s no surprise that computer workers can have eye fatigue, headaches, eye twitches, eye redness and can lead to decreased productivity. Before these symptoms start negatively impacting you and your work, there are a few other tips you can follow to help reduce eye strain:

1. Minimize the glare – consider getting an anti-reflective screen and check for any reflections that show up on your screen.
2. Adjust the text size – enhancing the text size is one of the easiest ways you can give your eyes a break.
3. Check your monitor – older computer screens can be harder on the eyes. Consider using a flat LED screen if possible. Otherwise, try to choose one with a higher resolution.
4. Stop and blink – it sounds silly but take breaks to stop and blink your eyes frequently. Also, it may be handy to keep eye drops (artificial tears) on hand. Especially if you suffer from dry eyes.
5. Look away – another simple one but take several rests from looking at your screen. Staring at something up close can be fatiguing, try focusing on something far away in the distance for 20 seconds at a time.
6. Check your lighting – having lights that are too bright around your computer only contributes to the problem. Aim for ambient light that is far from harsh and try to minimize fluorescent lighting around you.
7. Get an eye exam – be sure to have an annual eye exam and express any vision concerns to your eye care provider.

With that being said, you don’t necessarily need a pair of blue light glasses if you are concerned about eye strain. But that doesn’t mean that blue light glasses don’t offer benefits. Researchers agree that blue light interferes with melatonin production, so by wearing blue light glasses before bedtime, you can sleep better at night. Blue light glasses are available to purchase (prescription or nonprescription) from your eye doctor’s office or online.

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