The Case For: Back-To-School Blue Light Glasses.

So what exactly is blue light? Look at you, ready for class, asking genius, scholarly questions. For those of you that haven’t already done their blue light homework, blue light is also known as high-energy visible light. It’s a color in the visible light spectrum that can be detected by the human eye; however, our eyes cannot effectively filter blue light and much of it passes through the eye into the retina. For context, the wavelength of a blue light ray is just slightly less powerful than a UV ray. So, just as you need to protect your eyes and skin from the sun with sunglasses and SPF, you can think of protecting your eyes from blue light in a similar way.

Fun fact: blue light is a naturally occurring substance! The largest source of blue light comes from the sun itself. And it’s not all bad, blue light promotes alertness, can boost your memory and mood, and even help regulate your circadian rhythm (sleep cycles). As you know, blue light is also emitted from certain types of lightbulbs, especially LED lights, which are used in pretty much all of our digital devices with screens. So if the sun emits more blue light than our screens, then what’s the big deal? Well, the thing about the sun, is that it sets. Our phones, TVs, and computers on the other hand, are up for pulling an all-nighter any night of the week, circadian rhythm be damned.

Now that you’ve been schooled on what blue light actually is, let’s review how it can be harmful. If you recall, approximately two paragraphs ago we discussed that the eye cannot effectively filter blue light and that it’s basically a close second to staring at the sun. Now that most of our work, life, entertainment, and school year involves a screen of some kind, we can deduce that foregoing blue light protection will lead to eye strain. Digital eye strain comes in many forms, including but not limited to, blurred vision, dry eyes, headaches, insomnia, and developing a strange penchant for staring into the abyss with your tired, tired eyes for prolonged periods of time.

This is why students far and wide, young and old, in-person and online learning, should seriously consider finding a pair of blue light blocking glasses or adding blue light protection to their current prescription lenses. This way, not only will you look as smart as you are (if not a tinge smarter), but you’ll protect your eyeballs from an onslaught of unpleasant symptoms, unproductive nights, and potential long-term damage.

The case for starting the school year with a pair of blue lights or “computer glasses,” as the kids call them, has never been stronger. Frankly, you don’t even have to be going back to school, just being a student of life in 2022 is reason enough to adopt a more professorial look, all the while protecting your general eye health by blocking harmful blue light.

Of course, when we’re kids, teens, young adults, or young at heart, our glorious sense of invincibility abounds. This is why some exciting blue light frames make a smart graduation or back-to-school gift. Might we suggest they start the year with something stylish like the Abundant, Spindle, or Exuberant frames? Nothing says “I love you (and care deeply about the future of your eye health)” more than sending them back to class with some sassy blue light glasses that come with a 90-day return policy and are extremely easy to exchange. You’re welcome.