Ask a doctor: Are blue-light-blocking glasses worth it?

Selecting a new pair of glasses poses many questions — single, bifocal or progressive lenses? Round or square frames? All-day wear or just for reading?

These days, you also have the choice to add a blue-light-blocking coating. But what does that mean, and is it really worth the added cost?

The quick answer

This special lens coating is intended to filter out some of the potentially harmful blue light waves primarily from digital screens. Blocking excessive blue light waves can be especially beneficial if you spend a lot of time in front of a screen (phone, TV or computer). Limiting your exposure to blue light waves can reduce symptoms like eye strain, fatigue, dryness and headaches.

Take a deeper look

Blue light waves come from both natural sources (the sun) and digital sources (phones, TVs and computers). These waves tend to scatter more than others as they hit your eye, making it harder to filter. This can lead to symptoms such as visual fatigue, strain or twitching, as well as headaches or dizziness.

With blue light waves existing in and out of the home, a protective coating could be beneficial for both temporary symptoms and long-term eye health.

Many other factors play into your eye health, but if you spend a lot of time looking at screens every day, it could lead to eye fatigue at a younger age than otherwise anticipated.

It’s important to remember, though, that you get what you pay for with blue-light-blocking technology. Similar to sunglasses, the polarization on cheaper and/or poorly made sunglasses will wear off sooner than others, reducing their level of protection.

If you’re experiencing symptoms related to screen usage or you’re interested in adding an extra layer of protection for your eyes, explore high-quality blue-light glasses with your ophthalmologist or optometrist.

If neither of those situations fit you, the cost may not be worth it. Consider trying a cheaper option first to see if you notice any difference to determine if higher-quality, longer-lasting blue-light glasses could be right for you in the future.

If you have school-age children, who are spending more time working on computers and tablets, a pair of blue-light-blocking glasses could also be a good idea to protect their eyes from a young age.

When to seek care

If you notice persistent eye symptoms such as fatigue, strain, blurring, spots in your vision, twitching, or headaches or dizziness, it’s time to see your ophthalmologist or optometrist.

While trying blue-light-blocking technology could help, give these tips a try, too:

• Manage your device settings — enable “night mode” on your device or look for settings that let you reduce blue light manually.
• Follow the 20-20-20 rule — take a 20-second break from your screen every 20 minutes by looking at something 20 feet away.
• Don’t forget to blink — staring at a screen could reduce the number of eye blinks you make, which you need to produce tear film and prevent dryness.
• Get kids outside — you likely know not to let children sit too close to the TV, but it’s just as important to get them outside where their eyes get a break and they’ll naturally be looking at things farther away.

Information provided by Nate Biancardi, OD, with MultiCare Rockwood Eye & Optical Center. This information does not qualify as individualized medical advice. Please schedule an appointment with your care team to ensure the most appropriate care.