*DISCLAIMER* this article is not sponsored.
I had a problem. When writing, watching, or scrolling on my laptop I never once thought about the damage it could do to my eyes. Thanks to genetics I’ve never needed glasses or contacts, in fact, I’ve never really thought about the health of my eyes until last year. As a student, I stare at my screen for hours a day drafting essays, articles, and stories; not to mention the loads of homework each week dedicated to reading and completing assignments on my laptop as well. My situation is probably relatable to almost every college student out there: our computers hold the entirety of the degrees we’re working towards. Sure, I’m paying bucket loads for tuition, but the one thing I wasn’t about to sacrifice was my eyesight.
You’ve probably heard about blue light before, and science has long known that a balance of blue and red light keep our circadian rhythm (the exchange within our bodies that allows us to have a regular sleep pattern) intact. We get most of our blue light from sunlight, which was totally fine until we started getting a lot of extra blue light from our screens. As reported by Forbes and studied by the University of Toledo, knowledge of wavelengths, rods, cones, proteins, and chemistry all add up to the fact that overexposure to blue light deteriorates your eyesight over time, and throws off your circadian rhythm. This not only makes it harder to fall asleep, but is painful on the eyes as well. Â
Before I dug into the science of blue light, my first indication that my computer screen wasn’t good for my eyes was when they got red, dry, and itchy after just an hour or two of writing on my laptop. I’ve definitely experienced difficulty falling asleep after looking at a screen, but really, my eyesight was even more important to me than sleep. So what’s the solution? Turns out even though I have 20/20 I still found a use for glasses. Blue light filtering glasses have been around for a while but most of the older models look like orange goggles (and that was not going to happen).
Thanks to the internet a simple Google search gave me dozens of options to choose from. Personally, I went with frames and lenses by EyeBuy Direct, a website that allows customers to pick their frames, input their needed prescription, and get glasses delivered right to their doorstep. I’d read good things about them from people on social media, and decided to give it a shot. EBD offers two types of filtering lenses: EBD Blue lenses that “reduce harmful blue light from digital screens” or their Sight Relax lenses a.k.a. “eyewear for a digital life.” Both types are similar, but the Sight Relax lenses claim to “enhance reading” as well.
I have to say, I was skeptical at first. The lenses are clear, the frames modern, and the price reasonable. I went with the EBD Blue lenses, and though I was hopeful that these glasses would work, I was determined to find a catch. When my glasses arrived in a cute little box I used them immediately. Before I knew it, the time was past midnight and I was still doing homework–without my eyes burning. I took them off and felt fine to fall asleep right then. Whether it was a placebo effect or actual results, I actually slept better that night. Truth is, I forgot I even had the glasses on. Here I am, over a year later, writing this very article with the very same pair of glasses. To be honest, I swear by these things. They’ve helped me fall asleep faster, and gives me peace of mind about the over-production of retinal, deterioration of rhodopsin, and preservation of my eyes’ photoreceptor cells (told you I did my research).
Long story short: I recommend blue light filtering glasses. The options are limitless, available at online shops like Ladyboss, EyeBuy Direct, Pixel Eyewear, and more. If you’re in front of a screen more than a couple hours a day (hello 99% of the world) then get some protection, and look cute while doing it.
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