Did you know that your version of Internet Explorer is out of date?
To get the best possible experience using our website we recommend downloading one of the browsers below.

Internet Explorer 10, Firefox, Chrome, or Safari.

Hero

Avoiding Blue Light: A Complete Guide

According to The Vision Council, nearly six out of ten American adults report digital eye strain symptoms. These symptoms include neck and shoulder pain, headaches, eye strain, blurred vision, and dry eyes.

Neck pain seems easy enough to explain. Most people know they adopt poor posture when sitting at their laptops or scrolling on their phones. However, how can you account for the various eye problems?

The short answer involves a phenomenon called blue light. Blue light can have several deteriorating effects on eye health.

That’s why avoiding blue light is so crucial for your eyes. However, avoiding blue light can be a challenge when so many devices utilize it.

Fortunately, you can learn how to do it in this guide! Read on to discover some top-grade eye care tips for avoiding blue light.

Cut Down on Screen Time

The first thing you can do to avoid blue light is to cut back on screen time. The average American spends 7 hours and 4 minutes looking at a screen daily. The global average is 6 hours and 58 minutes on their screen.

One of the best ways to cut down on blue light is to avoid looking at screens in your downtime. Consider finding non-digital pastimes when you’re away from work, such as reading hard copies of books.

What about essential time looking at screens? After all, many Americans have to use screens for their work. Staring at screens throughout your workday can cause eye strain.

Fortunately, there are some ways to practice eye care during the workday. Every 20 minutes, look away from your screen. Try focusing on an object at least 20 feet away instead of looking at your phone or other devices.

Practice this focus for roughly 20 seconds at a time. In doing so, you can give your eyes a break from the constant stream of blue light. It can also help to take periodic walks throughout the day to get away from screens.

Take a Break From Blue Light at Night

Screen breaks are perhaps the most crucial during the evening. The light emitted from electronic devices can interfere with your brain’s sleep cycle and prevent you from getting enough sleep at night.

There are a few ways to avoid this issue. First, keep screens out of your bedroom if possible.

Second, try to power down your devices sometime between 90 minutes to three hours before going to bed. Doing this can help you prevent blue light from affecting your body’s release of the sleep hormone melatonin.

Melatonin is a critical factor in getting REM sleep. REM sleep is the restorative stage of sleep that helps people feel rested when they wake up in the morning. It’s possible to get eight hours of sleep and still not reach this stage.

This lack of REM sleep often affects those who watch significant amounts of television at night. Cutting back on that screen time, in addition to your phone and tablet, can significantly improve your sleep quality. In addition, it can improve your eye condition.

Use a Filter on Your Devices When Avoiding Blue Light

Another way to avoid blue light is to add a screen filter to your devices, including:

  • smartphones
  • tablets
  • computer screens

Filters decrease the amount of blue light that your phones emit. From there, you can reduce the blue light that reaches your retinas.

You can also switch your devices to something called “night mode.” Different devices may have different processes for activating this mode, so check your settings to learn how to do it.

This setting lowers the screen’s brightness, decreasing the blue light quantity it emits. Doing this can ease your digital eye strain and help you reach REM sleep. If you can’t avoid your screens at night, “night mode” can be a helpful alternative.

Consider Purchasing Blue Light Glasses

Blue light glasses are a product that uses yellow-tinted lenses that can increase the contrast on your screen. Alternatively, there are glasses that use a coating on the lenses to block blue light from your eyes.

In doing so, manufacturers claim that blue light glasses (or computer glasses) filter blue light from your eyes. Many claims that this contrast can ease or eliminate eye strain. There are two primary types of computer glasses.

First, there are non-prescription computer glasses. These glasses do nothing to improve or enhance your vision.

Their sole purpose is to filter blue light away from your eyes. The second type of computer glasses are prescription models.

Many prescription glasses now include filters that provide the same type of contrast as computer glasses. These filters can protect your eyes.

Many proponents of computer glasses claim that they provide additional benefits, such as:

  • reduced risk of eye diseases
  • decreased headaches
  • allows you to continue using digital devices
  • improved sleep

Researchers are unsure whether there is enough evidence to support the potential benefits of blue light glasses.

However, there is no evidence to suggest that these glasses harm their wearers. It’s up to individuals whether they want to purchase blue light glasses.

Begin Pursuing Eye Care

These steps can make avoiding blue light easier. However, avoiding blue light is the first step in pursuing eye care.

It’s also critical to see an optometrist receive comprehensive eye care. An optometrist can assess your current eye condition and determine what resources you need to preserve your eye health.

If you live in Texas, visit our office! We provide several expert optometrists who can assess your eye condition. Contact us today to schedule an appointment!

Eye Care

Leave a Comment

Select Brands from Our Optical Shop

Our Location
Cedar Park Vision
908 W Whitestone Suite 100, Cedar Park, Texas, 78613
Phone: (512) 259-2020