Why Your Eyes Are Begging You to Get Blue Light Glasses This Fall
Fall’s here, which means we’re all basically hermits now. The sun sets at what, 6:30? It’s ridiculous. And cold. So naturally, we’re all inside staring at screens like it’s our job. Which… for a lot of us, it literally is.
I’ve been getting this question nonstop lately: “Do blue light glasses actually do anything, or are they just expensive placebo glasses?” And honestly? I get it. There’s so much wellness stuff out there that sounds too good to be true.
But, here’s what I tell people, “Yes, they work! I’m not trying to sell you anything here, just sharing what I’ve seen. Why do the work? There’s the real question!
What Even Is Blue Light?
So blue light isn’t some evil force trying to ruin your life. It’s actually natural – the sun pumps it out all day, and that’s fine! Good, even. It tells your brain “time to be awake and do stuff.” If you have problems going back to sleep once the Sun’s up, it’s because of the Sun’s blue light.
The problem is your phone doesn’t know it’s 11 PM or 4 AM. Neither does your laptop. They’re just blasting blue light 24/7 because that’s what they do. Your brain gets confused and thinks “Oh, blue light = daytime = stay awake!” which is… not helpful when you’re trying to sleep. If you’ve had the problem of going to sleep too early and waking up at 4 AM, and then opening your phone, you know that it’s very tough to fall back asleep. This is because the blue light has hit you! Your brain then goes into overdrive!
It’s like your devices are gaslighting your circadian rhythm.
The Eye Strain Thing
If you work from home or have spent any significant time binge-watching shows (and let’s be honest, who hasn’t), you know that feeling where your eyes just… hurt. Like they’re tired and angry at you.
The research is pretty wild:
- 90% of people who use computers for 3+ hours get digital eye strain. Three hours! That’s basically a Tuesday morning for most of us.
- College kids are getting demolished – almost 90% deal with dry eyes, headaches, or blurry vision. Poor things are probably doing homework on their phones at 2 AM.
So if your eyes feel like sandpaper right now, you’re not dying. You’re just… modern.
How Blue Light Glasses Help
They filter out some of that harsh blue light. Think noise-canceling headphones for your eyeballs. Weird analogy, but it works.
What people tell me:
Sleep gets way better. There was a study at Indiana University where people wore them before bed and their sleep improved significantly. The night owls saw the biggest difference, which makes total sense.
Eyes stop feeling angry. Less of that gritty feeling. You can work all day without feeling like you’ve been staring into headlights.
Light sensitivity chills out. If bright screens make you want to hiss like a vampire, these help. Screens become tolerable again.
Mood improves. Better sleep = better everything. You stop walking around like a caffeinated zombie.
Other Stuff That Helps
Glasses aren’t magic. You still need good habits:
20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Sounds annoying but works.
Blink more. We literally forget to blink when focused on screens. Your eyes are probably dry right now, aren’t they?
Night mode everything. Turn brightness down in the evening. Future you will thank present you.
Timing matters. Evenings are when blue light glasses help most. That’s when your brain should be winding down.
Bottom Line
Blue light glasses can change your life. They can make your daily screen marathon more comfortable. They’ll allow your eyes the comfort they need when you are ready to sleep!
This fall, when screen time inevitably goes through the roof, ask yourself: am I making this harder than it needs to be? If your eyes hurt, if you get headaches, if you lie awake wondering why you can’t sleep… maybe try something that might help.
Sometimes the best solutions are simple. Get yourself some blue light blockers, and if you have a reading prescription already, make sure that they have blue light blocking indulded. Your life and your eyes will thank you for the well needed rest!
