With the advancement of technology, blue-light screens and LED lamps have become ubiquitous in our daily lives, and concerns about the impact of blue light have also increased. Many people have begun to choose to wear blue light filter glasses, hoping that these glasses can reduce the potential damage of blue light to the eyes and improve sleep quality. However, are blue light filter glasses really as effective as advertised?
Although many studies suggest that blue light may have adverse effects on vision health and biological rhythms, there is currently a lack of conclusive evidence on the effectiveness of blue light filter glasses.
Blue light is located in the violet-blue band of the visible spectrum, with a wavelength ranging from approximately 400 to 450 nanometers. Such short-wavelength light energy has a range of physiological effects, most notably including potential effects on retinal health and cyclic biological rhythms. According to a 2019 report by the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES), intense blue light exposure may cause short-term effects on the retina and is associated with age-related macular degeneration. While some studies have linked long-term sun exposure to blue light for outdoor workers, a report released by the International Commission on Illumination (CIE) in April 2019 also noted that the risk of blue light hazards from general lighting bulbs using LED technology is relatively low.
The impact of blue light on biological rhythms has also attracted widespread attention. Biorhythms, the human circadian rhythm, are affected by light and darkness. Research shows that blue light affects people's sleep patterns by activating the melanopsin protein in the retina. Harvard Health Publications highlights that exposure to blue light at night can have significant negative effects on sleep. The ANSES report mentioned that even very low levels of blue light exposure in the evening or night can disrupt biological rhythms and sleep.
Existing research has not found clear evidence that blue light directly causes digital eye fatigue. A similar situation also applies to the effect of blue light on skin diseases.
Blue light filter solutions have received widespread attention. There are a variety of blue light filter glasses on the market, especially brown, orange and yellow lenses, which claim to reduce blue light exposure. However, this beneficial feature is not widely supported by scientific evidence, and there is currently considerable debate as to whether exposure to blue light in normal life is actually dangerous enough to require these glasses. There is also uncertainty about the effectiveness of wearing blue light filter glasses, because if worn for a long time, these glasses will affect the blue light exposure during the day and may interfere with biological rhythms.
In response to the excessive publicity of Blu-ray, the British Optical Council has warned certain businesses of false advertising. For example, Boots Opticians was fined for failing to provide evidence of the effectiveness of blue light filter glasses. A similar situation also occurs in the marketing of some well-known brands, which claim that their products can effectively reduce eye fatigue and improve sleep, but these claims lack scientific support. The American Medical Association also issued a statement investigating the relationship between the brightness of street lights and sleep quality, pointing out that titanium white LED lights have a greater impact on biological rhythms, but no convincing evidence of the harm of blue light was found.
Many advertisements and studies have exaggerated the dangers of blue light, which has gradually deepened the public's fear of blue light. In fact, comfortable eye habits and moderate blue light exposure are beneficial to health.
The conclusion is that the effectiveness of blue light filter glasses is still a topic worthy of discussion. Most reviewers and experts recommend focusing on other ways to reduce eye strain, such as maintaining proper eye distance, taking regular breaks, and using appropriate lighting. Future research may reveal the full truth about the health effects of blue light, but until then, will you choose to continue using blue light filter glasses?