When a customer comes to see us with his prescription at one of our service points and asks questions about the available options to protect their eyes from blue light, we quickly show them our true colours (ha!) Here we share Bonhomme à lunettes’ opinion on this to help you make an informed decision.
What is blue light exactly?
Basically, blue light is a kind of light that screens emit. It's the same kind of light you would see outside on a sunny day. According to certain studies, exposure to blue light can cause insomnia, headaches, and other health problems. Exposure to blue light has also been linked to increased anxiety, depression, ADHD symptoms, and obesity. Yet, the blue light emitted by the sun, which is the most powerful emitter of blue light, seems to help solve all of these problems. Weird, isn't it?
So? Do you recommend blue light filters or not ?
No. We don't. Why? Because there are free and healthier solutions : reduce the time you spend in front of a screen and spend more time outside. The problem with blue light emitted from screens is more likely to be a problem related to… the amount of time you spend in front of a screen. It's a bit like the problem with carbonated drinks, which is actually a problem related to the amount of sugar consumed (and not about the bubbles or carbon dioxide in the beverage). Drinking a flat cola doesn’t solve the too-much-sugar problem.
As we know, reducing our screen time is not easy. We work in front of computers, we play on our personal computer, on our mobile phones, our tablets, our video game consoles, etc. Managing all this isn’t easy, for us or our children. Let's salute parents for whom managing screen time is tantamount to waging war. The fact remains that imposing limits can do some good. Systems like Android or IOS offer options to reduce the blue light emitted by the screen. That’s great, if it helps you, but the scientific community has not reached a consensus yet about the effects of blue light. The same goes for the effect of blue light filters on glasses. See, there is this thing called the placebo effect.
The real solution is super simple, and you’ve heard it before: spent time outside! It’s great for your overall health, but it’s also great for your eyes. It is also a great opportunity to leave your mobile phone in your pocket or, even better, at home.
But Wouldn’t a Filter on Glasses Also Help?
Honestly, we're really not convinced. What we see there is a "marketing" solution that boosts the average price of glasses without solving the problem because in the end, it does not address the root of the problem.
We're not alone. Le Pharmachien looked into this in an episode that aired in December 2021. It is available on Tou.tv, but needs an EXTRA subscription to view it. It's unfortunate, because it showed how complicated this problem is and that you can't simply solve it with your bank card. Moreover, as you will see in this article published in 2018, even the American Academy of Ophtalmology is not big on the idea of blue light filters.
But What If I Want a Blue Light Filter Anyway?
If despite all this you absolutely we certainly won’t prevent you from getting it. The decision is yours. And since we do business with the same lens labs as the big-name stores, we’ll get you similar options at the best prices, as we always do.
Our advice, however, is this: save your money for something else and rethink your screen habits!