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Dec. 16, 2019 -- Erin Lynn Sattler started worrying when her vision became blurry while using the computer, but her eye doctor said her eyes were fine. Then she got a new computer at work, with a much brighter screen, and her eyes and head started hurting. She'd heard of blue light glasses and did some online research to learn more.

"For $50 I figured it was worth a shot," says Sattler, of Bellevue, WA. "Lo and behold, my eyes don't feel as strained, my blurry vision is gone, and as weird as it sounds, my face doesn't feel so tired after work."

Sattler is among the growing number of people who wear special eyewear to block or filter the high-energy blue light coming from digital screens. Market Study Report, a market research company, says the global market for blue light eyewear will increase to $27 million by 2024, up from $18 million in 2019. Th e advertised benefits of the glasses include less eyestrain, improved sleep habits, and prevention of eye disease.

But do blue light glasses really work? It depends on who you ask.

Because the glasses are a newer product, there's not a lot of research to show either way. The FDA doesn't regulate the eyewear because it's not marketed as a medical device.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology says you don't need them and has gone on record as not recommending any kind of special eyewear for computer users. The organization says blue light from digital devices does not lead to eye disease and doesn't even cause eyestrain. The problems people complain about are simply caused by overuse of digital devices, it says.

"The symptoms of digital eye strain are linked to how we use our digital devices, not the blue light coming out of them," the AAO says.

In the United Kingdom, the Association of Optometrists says there is "a lack of high quality evidence to support using BB [Blue Blocking] spectacle lenses for the general population to improve visual performance or sleep quality, alleviate eye fatigue or conserve macular health."

But some eye professionals believe they have benefits.

Greg Rogers, senior optician at Eyeworks in Decatur, GA, says he's seen the benefits of blue light glasses among the shop's customers. The staff asks a client how much time they spend in front of a screen daily. If it's 6 hours or more, some sort of blue light reduction technique is recommended, whether it's glasses or a special screen for a computer monitor.

The Vision Council, which represents the optical industry, says "specialized glasses" are "one tactic" that might cut eyestrain. Samuel Pierce, OD, former president of the American Optometric Association, told he recommended using blue light glasses to lessen eyestrain.

Blue Light is Everywhere

We were getting plenty of blue light before modern digital life began. Most of it comes from the sun. But gadgets like televisions, smartphones, laptops, and tablets that populate modern life emit the brighter, shorter-wavelength (more bluish) light.

A 2018 survey by Acuvue, the contact lens maker, found office workers spend about 6.5 hours a day sitting in front of their computer. A Pew Research Center survey found that 28% of American adults say they go online "almost constantly," up from 21% in 2015. Younger adults are online the most, with the Pew survey finding around half of respondents 18-29 years old reporting they're online constantly.

Susan Primo, OD, an optometrist and professor of ophthalmology at Emory University, agrees that the research so far shows digital overuse, not blue light, causes eye problems. But some patients who wear blue light glasses do report less eyestrain, she says.

"If you want to wear them and find some benefits, that's fine," she says.

Primo says she's bothered by some of the marketing and advertising of blue light eyewear because it doesn't line up with the research.

"They can word it in such a way that makes it appear to be beneficial. They can say this might be possible. They can use words like 'may' and 'might,'" she says. "Marketing can take things to a level that might not be a sound recommendation, sound science, for people to go out and get them."

An example: A chain of stores in the United Kingdom, Boots Ltd., was fined 40,000 pounds in 2017 for misleading advertising that said digital blue light caused retinal damage and that special eyewear sold at Boots Ltd. could protect users, Optometry Today reported.

Trying to Get Some Sleep

Another argument in favor of blue light glasses is that they help you sleep better at night. Researchers agree that blue light from LED devices like your smartphone or laptop holds back the body's production of sleep-inducing melatonin.

A 2017 study done by the University of Houston found that participants wearing the glasses showed about a 58% increase in their nighttime melatonin levels. "By using blue blocking glasses we ... can improve sleep and still continue to use our devices. That's nice, because we can still be productive at night," said Lisa Ostrin, PhD, a professor at the university's College of Optometry, according to a university news release.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology takes a different approach. "You don't need to spend extra money on blue light glasses to improve sleep -- simply decrease evening screen time and set devices to night mode," the group says.

'If It Helps, Who Cares?'

Sattler says she knows about the studies that say the glasses don't do anything. "I've heard the naysayers," she says. "It very well could be placebo, but if it helps, who cares?"

Cindy Tolbert of Atlanta had a variety of vision problems and spent an extra $140 at the eye doctor for blue light lens.

"It's not terribly apparent that the glasses help when you're wearing them, but I believe I can work longer and I know I can work more comfortably," she says. "Usually my eyes poop out after 4 or 5 hours of computer work, but I can work longer with the glasses."

Michael Clarke of San Diego says he doesn't care what the experts say about blue light glasses. They work for him.

"I use them so often that I have a pair of blue light glasses around my neck all day," he says. "I'm not an optometrist. I just know that my eyes don't get as tired at the end of the day. My frequency of headaches has gone down. I'm able to focus on things easier on a screen."

You can easily order prescription and nonprescription blue light glasses at the optometrist's office or online.

Calls to optometry offices showed that adding blue light blocking to prescription glasses cost $40-$60 at LensCrafters and $47-$125 at Pearle Vision, with nonprescription blue light glasses starting around $99.

Zenni has a special Blokz line of blue light glasses that start at $16.95. At Warby Parker, you add blue light blocking at checkout for $50. Felix Gray blue light lenses start at $95.

Give Your Eyes a Break

If you're worried about how computers and other blue light-emitting screens are affecting your eyes, you can find relief without special eyewear.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology, the Vision Council, and other vision-related organizations urge moderation in screen use. Most of them recommend adopting the 20-20-20 rule. That means that every 20 minutes you'll look at an object at least 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology also recommends taking these steps:

Adjust your seat, or the position of your computer, so your eyes are about 25 inches from the screen. Position the screen so you're gazing slightly downward.

Use a matte screen filter on the screen to reduce glare.

Use artificial tears when your eyes feel dry.

Pay attention to the lighting in the room where you work. You might try increasing your screen contrast.

If you wear contact lenses, give your eyes a break by wearing glasses now and then.

Sources

American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Maureen Beddis, vice president, marketing and communications, Vision Council.

Greg Rogers, senior optician, Eyeworks, Decatur, GA.

USA Today: "Do blue light glasses actually work? Everything you need to know before you buy a pair story on blue light glasses."

StudyFinds: "Average Office Worker Spends About 1,700 Hours A Year In Front Of Computer Screens."

Pew Research Center: "About three-in-ten U.S. adults say they are 'almost constantly' online."

Susan Primo, OD, optometrist; professor of ophthalmology, Emory University.

Optometry Today: "Boots Opticians Fined £40,000 Over Misleading Blue Light Advertising."

News release, University of Houston.

Erin Lynn Sattler. Bellevue, WA.

Cindy Tolbert, Atlanta.

Michael Clarke, San Diego.

News release, MarketWatch.

Zenni.

Warby Parker.

Felix Gray.

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Blue Light Glasses - Helpful or Just Hype?

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Dec. 16, 2019 -- Eri­­­­n Lynn Sattler started worrying when her vision became blurry while using the computer, but her eye doctor said her eyes were fine. Then she got a new computer at work, with a much brighter screen, and her eyes and head started hurting.

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Bad internet connection makes it hard for the teacher to teach a lesson and the students to get valuable info

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way too easy to get distracted by the multitude of awesome things to do in my house

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way too easy to get distracted by the multitude of awesome things to do in my house

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Having a regular routine, especially a familiar one can be greatly beneficial to health.

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Having a regular routine, especially a familiar one can be greatly beneficial to health.

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According to Northwestern Medicine, routines help reduce stress levels, which leads to "better mental health, more time to relax and less anxiety." Any of those can help anyone in a time like this where mental health is at the forefront of public health issues, and the pandemic induces stressful situations on everybody. https://www.nm.org/healthbeat/healthy-tips/emotional-health/importance-of-a-routine

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Colloquium with online learning is a huge waste of time and should be a day off or study hall as no real learning would occur and making students attend just to fulfill a state requirement and not learn is not the best idea.

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Online school stresses teachers out as well, many of the teachers are up late trying to map out the best lesson plan.

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we don't move much throughout the day compared to in school where we have to walk to the other side to go to class which is bad 

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we don't move much throughout the day compared to in school where we have to walk to the other side to go to class which is bad 

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Studies have already shown that many students don't get enough sleep due to the amount of homework and the starting time of schools. The starting time could be explained before as parents had to drop their kids off before work, however, now that everyone is staying home, it is unnecessary to keep the start time this early. Students would benefit from the time being pushed back even an hour.

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Accommodations should be given to students. Pretending its a normal school year and trying to simulate the normalcy is damaging.

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students could have jobs or other responsibilities

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students could have jobs or other responsibilities

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It's super easy to get distracted at home and everybody has different things going on in their homes that might make it more difficult for them

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its easier to get sleepy and feel tired because you are by your bed 

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its easier to get sleepy and feel tired because you are by your bed 

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sitting in a chair while looking at a screen for several hours a day can be very harsh on the eyes

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sitting in a chair while looking at a screen for several hours a day can be very harsh on the eyes

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The new schedule should give students more time off of school because it is more difficult to sit in front of a computer alone for hours than to sit in an actual classroom.

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busy teenage life already makes having a good sleeping pattern hard and then add on the excess amount of online screen time from and online day combined with online homework is too much blue light for a child and blue light has be proven to stimulate to brain to thinking that it is day time causing teenagers/children's sleep patterns to worsen and lead to them being more tired in the day time/ school hours

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busy teenage life already makes having a good sleeping pattern hard and then add on the excess amount of online screen time from and online day combined with online homework is too much blue light for a child and blue light has be proven to stimulate to brain to thinking that it is day time causing teenagers/children's sleep patterns to worsen and lead to them being more tired in the day time/ school hours

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Sleeping patterns get hard to deal with if you're not moving throughout the day. Sitting at a computer screen all day will not get you tired to get ready for bed.

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The school schedule in not efficent as it builds in times for passing periods spread out throughout the day, which wont be used properly by students sitting at their desk the whole day. This time can be removed or used in other places.

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in school, they say that looking at technology too long is bad but it is what we are doing now

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in school, they say that looking at technology too long is bad but it is what we are doing now

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i have to use earbuds because i share a room, my ears literally kill by the end of the day

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There are many factors that seem to be overlooked like students that need more focused or directed learning that can only come from being in a physical classroom.

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Staring at a computer screen for over 7 hours can be draining especially when you have to do it everyday and are expected to excel and succeed!

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Extroverted people hardly get to express themselves during online school which could damage their self-esteem and make them feel lonely

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it feeds into a already unequal system

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there can be a lot of distractions in someones house 

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there can be a lot of distractions in someones house 

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Remote school can't follow the normal schedule if a large number of students don't have the internet access necessary to do so.

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Remote school can't follow the normal schedule if a large number of students don't have the internet access necessary to do so.

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It's hard to interact with your classmates through the screen. Due to that, we have unnecessary time that a "real school" schedule would fill up with chit-chat or getting materials.

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Students are unable to properly focus at home like they do in school. The school should adapt and respond to students' new learning environment.

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Some students have problems at home so being at school was their escape. 

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Some students have problems at home so being at school was their escape. 

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Staring at a screen is extremely strenuous on the eye

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doesn't really affect us as high schoolers, but parents who have young children have to pay for a ton of childcare while their child is doing school ALL DAY

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sitting for 8 hours  straight is unhealthy

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sitting for 8 hours  straight is unhealthy

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Abolish the system

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Home life and school life should be kept separate. There are too many distractions. 

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Home life and school life should be kept separate. There are too many distractions. 

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Not all students are fortunate enough to have good internet and technology devices. Also mental health can also be a problem when people are staring at a screen for 7 hours.

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Not all students are fortunate enough to have good internet and technology devices. Also mental health can also be a problem when people are staring at a screen for 7 hours.

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some students could have unstable internet

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No because it is not healthy to stare at a screen for 8 hours at a time

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No because it is not healthy to stare at a screen for 8 hours at a time

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its hard to interact with classmates and teachers through the screen 

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its hard to interact with classmates and teachers through the screen 

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There is many aspects of a student's home that can interfere with their ability to stay on the schedule. Internet problems, noisy households, family members, mental health, etc all play a part in remote learning. Keeping the same schedule can be damaging and distracting.

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We should adapt the schedule to fit the new system that we are working with. We are not going to school in the same format so why should the schedule stay the same?

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there's literally so many distractions it makes it so hard to concentrate for seven hours

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In-person school requires movement throughout the day. When we follow the same schedule, we can't guarantee that students are moving around.

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the conditions the students are in are different so our new schedule should reflect that.

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the conditions the students are in are different so our new schedule should reflect that.

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No because people may have responsibilities to do outside/during school hours like taking care of sibilings

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Following a normal school schedule while doing remote learning can cause damages to someone's health. Our education is important but while we were in school, we were able to socialize without having to sit in front of a computer all day. 

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Following a normal school schedule while doing remote learning can cause damages to someone's health. Our education is important but while we were in school, we were able to socialize without having to sit in front of a computer all day. 

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This isn't a normal school year so we shouldn't pretend like it is.

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Being in front of a screen for 8 hours is straining on your eyes and we like our eyes

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Being in front of a screen for 8 hours is straining on your eyes and we like our eyes

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A normal school schedule doesn't translate properly - we get to spend class time interacting with people - and spending that time sitting in front of the computer is bad for your focus as kids don't have the proper incentives to listen. It's also bad for physical well being as sitting for prolonged periods of time consecutively (6 hours) increases chances of death by at least 19% 

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A normal school schedule doesn't translate properly - we get to spend class time interacting with people - and spending that time sitting in front of the computer is bad for your focus as kids don't have the proper incentives to listen. It's also bad for physical well being as sitting for prolonged periods of time consecutively (6 hours) increases chances of death by at least 19% 

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A study from the American Cancer Society finds a link between long periods of leisure time sitting and a higher risk of death from all causes, including 14 of the 22 causes of death measured by the study. This includes 8 of the 10 most common causes of death. The study was published online June 29, 2018 in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

Previous studies have linked prolonged sitting time with death from cancer, heart disease, and "all other causes." To examine the other causes of death in detail, the new study used data from the American Cancer Society CPS-II Nutrition Cohort, which included 127,554 people who had no major chronic diseases when they joined the group, and who were followed for 21 years. During the study's follow-up time, 48,784 people died.

Risks of death among those who reported the most leisure time sitting were higher from cancer, coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, kidney disease, suicide, lung disease, liver disease, peptic ulcer and other digestive disease, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, nervous disorders, and musculoskeletal disorders.

Screen time has increased sitting time

As technology has advanced during the last few decades, sitting time has increased. One Australian study estimated that 90% of non-work time was spent sitting, and more than half of that sitting time was spent on the computer or watching TV. Previous studies have shown that prolonged sitting time raises risk of death even for people who get healthy amounts of moderate or vigorous physical activity when they aren't sitting.

In the American Cancer Society study, prolonged leisure time sitting was associated with a 19% higher rate of death from all causes combined compared to sitting less than 3 hours per day. The study defined prolonged sitting time as 6 or more hours a day.

According to lead author Alpa Patel, PhD, American Cancer Society Sr Scientific Director, Epidemiology Research, "While we still have yet to understand how to quantify what a safe amount of sitting time may be, what is clear is that individuals should take any opportunity to take breaks in sitting time and cut down sitting time to whatever degree they can."

Possible explanations

The study was not designed to find out why excess sitting time is linked to an increased risk of death. However, the authors offer several possible explanations.

Time spent sitting might be taking the place of activity, including light levels of daily activity. Health effects of light levels of activity have not been studied.

Time spent sitting may be associated with other unhealthy activities; for example, snacking while watching TV.

Time spent sitting has a negative impact on the body's hormone levels and the way the immune system works. This may be a factor in the link between sitting time and mortality.

Tips for getting more movement into your day

According to Patel, the study adds to the collective body of evidence that reducing sitting time is important for a healthy lifestyle. She said, "Advances in technology have encouraged us to be sedentary, so we need to be mindful about finding ways to move." Patel says adding a few minutes of activity to break up sitting time throughout the day at work and during leisure time can add up. She suggests:

Standing and folding laundry while watching TV

Doing a few simple exercises or stretches while you watch

Getting up and doing something instead of skipping through TV commercial breaks

Taking short breaks at work to walk around your office building

Walking up the escalator or stairs instead of taking the elevator

Using the farthest bathroom from your desk

American Cancer Society guideline for physical activity

The American Cancer Society recommends adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity each week (or a combination), preferably spread throughout the week.

For kids, the recommendation is at least 60 minutes of moderate- or vigorous-intensity activity each day, with vigorous-intensity activity occurring at least 3 days each week.

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Sitting Time Linked to Higher Risk of Death from All Causes

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A study from the American Cancer Society finds a link between long periods of leisure time sitting and a higher risk of death from all causes, including 14 of the 22 causes of death measured by the study. This includes 8 of the 10 most common causes of death.

# data[].attributes.body
sitting down in front of a screen for 8 hours a day from the moment you wake up is not good for anybody's health and it can cause headaches and eye sight loss. We should use a schedule similar to that of last year where classes are shorter and there is time between each class to take breaks and that schools end sooner.

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We would have to wake up too early

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Waking up early gets harder when you are at home and don't have a destination.

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no, some students have a hard time focusing or have technical problems so it makes everything much more difficult 

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no, some students have a hard time focusing or have technical problems so it makes everything much more difficult 

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looking at the screen for too long is bad

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The "normal" school schedule is flawed in itself. The times that students need to wake up at are unreasonable given that teenagers  biological clock points them to sleeping later at night and thus waking up later in the day, which clashes with the 8am wake up time that comes with the normal schedule. Thus schools should not follow the normal schedule to reduce symptoms associated with lack of sleep that hinder learning in classrooms.

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The "normal" school schedule is flawed in itself. The times that students need to wake up at are unreasonable given that teenagers  biological clock points them to sleeping later at night and thus waking up later in the day, which clashes with the 8am wake up time that comes with the normal schedule. Thus schools should not follow the normal schedule to reduce symptoms associated with lack of sleep that hinder learning in classrooms.

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Sitting at my desk for so long hurt my back A LOT

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Remote school is bad because there's no sense of community online. It's rare to see a classroom bond and laugh together online. 

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Remote school is bad because there's no sense of community online. It's rare to see a classroom bond and laugh together online. 

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home responsbilities including sick family members may collide with school.

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Following the normal schedule means using the computer for hours at a time, which can be harmful for our eyes and makes it difficult to focus on the lessons.

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Following the normal schedule means using the computer for hours at a time, which can be harmful for our eyes and makes it difficult to focus on the lessons.

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There is going to be technical issues so enforcing the same rules is going to cause problems. Many students are sharing one network or worse, one device, which causes delays in answering questions or working with others.

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remote learning could enable many students from getting a proper education because they may not have the technology/devices needed

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No, we are not in the same environment as before. Sitting down and staring at a screen for 8 hours at a time is completely different than attending the school and still being able to walk around. You just can't have a school schedule set up while you are not at school. It's unhealthy to be staring at a screen for that long, or waking up that early to just stare at a screen. Also, there are many complications with translating the school schedule back at home. Such as if a student has trouble focusing or technical issues. 

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No, we are not in the same environment as before. Sitting down and staring at a screen for 8 hours at a time is completely different than attending the school and still being able to walk around. You just can't have a school schedule set up while you are not at school. It's unhealthy to be staring at a screen for that long, or waking up that early to just stare at a screen. Also, there are many complications with translating the school schedule back at home. Such as if a student has trouble focusing or technical issues. 

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No because there is limited interactions with our teachers.

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No because there is limited interactions with our teachers.

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Essentially, when you need help, it is difficult for a teacher to help you 1 on 1 through technology versus when we are in school. Furthermore, 7 hours of learning is a lot of information to take in from a computer. It's for a student to grasp and understand all information online when they are used to in person learning. This could be the case for many students which would then make it difficult to receive the help you need to actually grasp these concepts

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In actual school we are able to walk around and stand up but online you have to sit at a computer and stare at it for 7 hours

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Waking up early is unnecessary when at home.

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Waking up early is unnecessary when at home.

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The point of early start times for school is for parent to be able to get to work. Now with kids at home, parents are either staying at home, working at home, or something similar. With no transport to and from school or work, this removes the need for an early start, as parents will not need to send their kids to school or go themselves to work.

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It can be hard for a student to get a lot out of a 100 minute session without any direct engagement. 

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It can be hard for a student to get a lot out of a 100 minute session without any direct engagement. 

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Staying in front of the screen for blocks at a time can be stressful for the students.

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too