I've Been Framed!

Product: Blue Light Blocking Glasses

Many years ago, I had corrective eye surgery.Though it has been almost 30 years now and I am sure the surgery has advanced, there were a few long-lasting side effects such as my eyes becoming tired quite easily and light sensitivity. Life is different now with long hours of screen time being the norm. (Yeah, the internet wasn’t even a thing in those days!)

Lately, I have been logging a ton of screen time and I am not just talking Netflix. I also confess that I have a very bad habit of lying in bed, checking my phone and then getting lost down the internet rabbit hole. I know better, but it happens. This is horrible, not just for eye health, but for quality sleep because screens radiate blue light.

Think about light. I know I am more productive when the sun is shining, even if I am working inside. It makes sense. Light impacts us in so many ways. Bright sun makes us happy, releasing serotonin. It also releases cortisol, which we sometimes associate with negative stress, but it also serves to tell our bodies to wake-up and get going. Then there is melatonin, a sleep hormone we need at night; it is the only hormone that requires a lack of light to start production. We need blue light, too; it helps keep us alert and boosts cognitive function, memory and our mood. It also regulates our circadian rhythm, which is our wake-sleep cycle. This means it is a good light to be exposed to during waking hours, but it can disrupt our sleep patterns at night. Our bodies think it’s daytime when we are streaming blue light into our retinas, so nighttime screen use means we are not producing melatonin needed to ready a quality sleep.

Ideally, our digital devices should be shut down a few hours before bedtime. (Gasp!) At the very least we do need to give our eyes a break. Literally just looking off into the distance and away from our screens for 30 seconds at regular intervals will help reduce eye strain. Blue light blockers for evening computer use can also help not just reduce tension in our eyes but they can assist our sleep rhythm as well.

I purchased blue light blocking glasses to support my eyes and sleep; I also have worn them when driving on very bright days as I am very light sensitive. They are non-polarized, meaning they reduce overall light intensity. (They do not address glares or hazes. That is a job for polarized glasses.) The frame and lenses are composite so they are super light in weight and to wear. My one annoyance with them is that they are a magnet for smudges and I am constantly cleaning them. I also am fairly petite and they fit snuggly on my face so I am not sure if they may need adjusting for some others to wear comfortably.

I do recommend these for naughty people like myself who are screen-users in the evening to reduce the disruptive impact on sleep and eye health. Others have said that they have helped reduce headaches and even mitigated lingering effects from concussions.

I purchased mine through Amazon. They have many frame colours to choose from. They are not prescription specs, so they are easy to purchase.

So, shine on! (Just not at night.)