Most of us spend hours in front of screens, whether it’s a computer, phone, tablet, or TV. That has more people asking: Do I need blue light glasses? And do my regular glasses help at all?
What Is Blue Light, Anyway?
Blue light is a high-energy visible light that’s naturally present in sunlight but also emitted by digital screens and LED lighting. While it plays a role in regulating our sleep-wake cycle, too much artificial blue light, especially at night, can disrupt sleep and may contribute to eye discomfort.
Can Regular Glasses Help Block Blue Light?
In short: not really, unless they’re specifically made to. Standard prescription or non-prescription glasses do a great job of helping you see clearly, but they typically don’t offer blue light protection. Unless your lenses include a special blue light filtering coating, they won’t block the specific wavelengths of blue light that can interfere with your sleep or cause screen-related eye fatigue.
What About Anti-Reflective Coatings?
Anti-reflective (AR) coatings are often included on lenses to reduce glare and improve clarity. While they can make screen viewing more comfortable, most AR coatings only block a small portion of blue light—if any. They aren’t designed with blue light filtering as their main purpose.
How Blue Light Glasses Are Different
Blue light glasses are specifically engineered to filter out a portion of the blue light spectrum. Some use clear lenses with a subtle coating, while others use slightly tinted lenses to block more intense blue light. These glasses may help reduce potential disruption to your sleep patterns and ease discomfort from extended screen use, particularly in the evening.
Choosing the Right Lenses
Check with your local eye care professional to upgrade your lenses to blue light lenses so you can keep the health of our eyes optimized and the stress on them reduced. If you’re considering getting glasses to reduce your blue light exposure, pair the lenses you get from your eye care professional with any frame you select from Vari for a stylish, comfortable, on-trend frame that feels good on our face and is easy on the eyes.
Final Thoughts
Regular glasses can correct your vision and make screen time a little easier—but unless they include blue light protection, they won’t do much to reduce your exposure. If you spend long hours on devices or struggle with sleep after late-night scrolling, it may be time to try a pair of blue light glasses built to support your digital lifestyle.
We support the local eye care professional and encourage you to visit your eye care retailer at least once a year to maintain proper eye health. Speak to your doctor and discuss if blue light lenses are right for you.
