Will I keep wearing my blue light glasses?
After trying out the glasses and gaining a healthy fear of blue light from Dr. Thau and the AOA, I'm going to do my best to wear the glasses when I think about it. I now keep a pair by my desk that I find myself reaching for towards the late afternoon when my eyes are getting a bit more tired. I also have a pair at home for whenever I'm spending a prolonged amount of time wiling away the hours on my smartphone. I'm not going to lie: It's not going to be something I'll always remember to do, but a little blue light protection is better than none at all, right?
Overall, I'd definitely recommend checking out blue light frames if you spend a lot of time staring at various screens (and in this day and age, who doesn't?)
Image via @healthyoffice
A few more tips for avoiding eye strain
Since I feel like something of an extreme case when it comes to blue light exposure, I asked the AOA for some other tips I could use to protect myself, in addition to wearing the glasses. Here are some of their top suggestions:
The 20-20-20 rule: "Doctors of optometry urge patients to follow the 20-20-20 rule: Take a 20-second break to view something 20 feet away every 20 minutes, especially when using any electronic device or computer."
Distance: "Maintain a comfortable distance from your device. To avoid bringing the device closer to your eyes, use the zoom feature to see small print and details."
Adjust your devices: "Reduce the glare on your device by adjusting device settings or using a glare filter to decrease the amount of blue light reflecting from the screen." (Sleep mode is one such option).
Avoid before bedtime: "Using digital devices that emit blue light before bed prolongs the time it takes to fall asleep, so avoid using technology at least an hour before bed."
See your doctor: "Visit a doctor of optometry regularly for a comprehensive eye exam and to learn more strategies to prevent blue light overexposure."
Image via Imaxtree
