Blue light blocking glasses are said to reduce the risk of eye strain and improve sleep quality when spending hours behind screens. However, a study shows that their effectiveness is questionable…
This is the weapon sold by opticians to improve our sleep, reduce eye fatigue, prevent damage to the retina: are anti-blue light glasses effective for all that? Researchers from Australian and English universities wanted to find out for sure based on 17 anonymized trials. And the results, published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviewsare hardly in favor of these glasses.
No short term benefits
The team assessed the effects of glasses that filter blue light compared to those that did not, to determine if there were any improvements in visual performance and sleep quality, as well as retinal protection. According to the study, there would be no short-term benefit of wearing blue light-filtering glasses to reduce eyestrain associated with computer use “.
There is no certainty about improved quality of vision or sleep-related outcomes; no conclusions can be drawn around longer-term retinal health effects either. Brief, nothing says that these blue light blocking glasses are actually used for anything.
The glasses filter 10 to 25% of the blue light emitted by artificial sources (they themselves represent a thousandth of what we receive from natural daylight). Filtering out higher levels of blue light would require much more tinted lenses, which would have a substantial effect on color perception.
The researchers nevertheless point out that the studies to which they have had access do not make it possible to accurately assess the results of these glasses over the long term. ” High-quality, large-scale clinical studies with longer follow-up in more diverse populations are still needed to more clearly determine the potential effects of blue light filtering glasses on visual performance, sleep and eye health. “says the study.
While these glasses are probably of little use, there are also no adverse side effects associated with their use — only mild, rare and temporary effects related to wearing glasses in general and possible discomfort.
Source :
EurekAlert