What Do Blue-Light Glasses Do? These Glasses Will Protect Your Eyes From Digital Screens

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I spend way too much time looking at screens. As a blogger, I’m constantly scrolling, reading, drafting, and editing, and all that time in front of the computer takes its toll. I get a headache if I’m at the computer for more than an hour or two. My vision starts to blur if I stare at the screen any longer than that.

Honestly, these symptoms have me a little worried. Is it normal to feel uncomfortable doing something that millions of people do every single day for hours at a time? I wanted to know exactly why I was experiencing these problems, and figure out how others were addressing the issue. After all, my computer and phone are my livelihood; I couldn’t afford to get sick while using these tools of the trade.

As it turns out, I’m not alone at all. Roughly three in five screen viewers suffered from symptoms just like mine. Millions of office workers report getting headaches, blurred vision, eye strain, and interrupted sleep. It’s so common that the American Optometric Association even has a name for it: “Computer Vision Syndrome.”

Another blogger at my coworking space told me about Healthy Office, a company that makes “computer glasses” specially designed to protect your eyes from this harmful blue light. Jack bought a pair without a prescription directly from their website, and he said these special glasses helped him focus on his work without suffering. He even claimed that he was sleeping better once he started using Healthy Office glasses at work. Sick of popping aspirin and rubbing my blurry eyes, I decided that I had to give them a try.

I bought two pairs: the Marina with clear frames and the tortoiseshell Presidio. Both sets of lenses block 90% of high energy blue light, while letting through the less-harmful low energy blue light. They also block 100% of harmful UV rays. Available in small, medium, and large fit, Healthy Office carries a pair of computer glasses for everyone. Each comes with a 24-month warranty, too, and worst case, I could take advantage of Healthy Office’s easy return policy.

The first day immediately felt different. I noticed that I could look at the screen from the morning until lunch without getting that familiar, awful headache. It was liberating to not have to walk away from my computer after just an hour or two, and I felt even better not taking headache medication every four hours. My productivity skyrocketed: now that I didn’t need to take constant breaks, I could finish my blog entries in about half the time. The blurry vision started to go away, too, which was a huge relief.

Healthy Office’s glasses work so well because they filter out the unnatural and unhealthy blue light that eminates from our screens. People aren’t meant to stare at unnatural light for such a long time, which is why I kept getting headaches, blurred vision, and eye strain whenever I tried to push through the work day. The blue light emitted by screens is especially harmful because it reaches the retina and could cause damage to light-sensitive cells. Blue light can even interrupt sleep cycles — no wonder I was reaching for a third cup of coffee before lunch.

Healthy Office says on their website that people “shouldn’t have to sacrifice their health to advance their career.” If this sounds dramatic, think of how much blue light you encounter just to make a living, let alone the directions you follow on your smartphone, the scrolling through Instagram and the dozens of text messages sent each day. Between laptops, TVs, and smartphones, we’re exposed to a ton of harmful blue light every day, but thanks to Healthy Office, I can keep on truckin’ without sacrificing my vision and eye health.

Update: HealthyOffice is having a huge end of year closeout sale with limited quantities remaining