Many glasses for use in the workplace, whether fitted with single vision or progressive lenses come with a blue light filter. If you have had an eye exam in the past few years, your eye care provider may have asked you how many hours a day you look at a computer screen. They may have suggested “blue tinted” lenses as there is some thought that these filters reduce eye fatigue during extended screen time and may even protect against macular degeneration. But is it true or are we looking through “rose colored glasses”? 

In a recent study conducted by the Professional Association of German Ophthalmologists (BVA), they found that the reported improvements from these glasses may not be due to the filter effect. Instead, researchers suggest that the improved corrective lenses compared with the previous glasses or no glasses at all may be the reason for the improvement. Hmmm, that’s interesting, so, maybe we just needed a stronger prescription in the lenses we were currently using versus blue tinting? What did they recommend? Yep, adjusting your current glasses with appropriate additions for screen and reading distances for computer work instead of relying on blue light filters. 

Before you throw your blue light filter glasses away, ask yourself this. Do your eyes feel less tired at the end of the day when you use these glasses? Do you notice less eye dryness, eye pain, headaches, and concentration issues? If so, keep your glasses! Studies are great, researchers are great, but outcomes are interpretive. What works for you may not work for someone else. Stay well and stay informed!  

For more information:

Blue‐light filtering spectacle lenses for visual performance, sleep, and macular health in adults – Singh, S – 2023 | Cochrane Library