Blue light filter glasses - just a trend or actually useful?

There are hundreds of "practical" gadgets for the working world now. Some are arguably more practical than others. We have researched and questioned which utensils and devices are really useful.
Today's gadget: blue light filter glasses. Almost everyone knows this problem: after a long day of working in front of the computer, your eyes burn, you have a headache and maybe even a little dizziness. More and more brands are advertising the perfect solution: blue light filter glasses. But are these glasses really that useful and what is blue light anyway? We have summarised the most important facts.

Inhalt:

• What exactly is blue light anyway?
• Are blue light filter glasses the solution? 
• Advantages and disadvantages summarised

We are automatically exposed to blue light every day because it is part of natural sunlight. It also has some important and useful functions. Nerve cells in our retina pick it up and signal to our body that it is daytime. If we get too little of it, we feel tired and knackered. Normally, the blue light from natural sunlight is not harmful to our eyes.

However, white light lamps, daylight lamps and LED lights also contain blue light. However, screens such as televisions, computers, tablets and smartphones contain the largest amount of artificial blue light. In high quantities, this blue light can damage the retina.

However, it is not yet possible to say exactly how much blue light has what kind of effects, as there is still too little experience on this. It is certain, however, that excessive blue light is harmful and it is assumed that excessive exposure can trigger age-related macular degeneration (distorted or shadowed vision). It can also cause headaches, sleep disturbances, difficulty concentrating and dry, burning or irritated eyes. 

How many of these well-known symptoms really come from blue light after a long stressful day at work has yet to be proven, yet ophthalmologists agree that it can't hurt to protect your eyes from artificial blue light. 

Are blue light filter glasses the solution?

Blue light filter glasses work similar to sunglasses that protect our eyes from UV rays. The glasses have a coating that is supposed to protect the eyes from the blue light. This works with a yellow tint that absorbs the blue light component. The more tinted the glasses are, the more they help against blue light.

Many studies and statistics confirm the positive effect of blue light filter glasses. You can buy them completely without prescription for as little as €35 on the internet. But you can also buy a blue light filter for your prescription glasses at any optician. This is normally priced at an additional 40€.

Advantages and disadvantages summarised: 

In conclusion, it can be said that blue light filter glasses are very useful for preventing retinal damage when working a lot with a computer. Especially in modern working models, such as hybrid work, a lot of work is done in front of the computer. It can make sense to educate employees and recommend blue light filter glasses. 

Are you interested in hybrid working and desk sharing? Then take a look at our blog, where you will find many interesting articles on these topics. If you would like to learn more about desk sharing and our programme, please contact us for a free expert demo!