Blue Light Glasses for Reading: What They’re & Our Top Picks

Screens are a modern-day reality. You just can’t avoid them, especially if they’re an important part of your routine life. 

However, the effects of blue light from these screens on your eyes, sleep, and overall well-being are a growing concern. 

If you spend hours in front of these screens, whether for reading or performing other tasks, blue light glasses can provide you the necessary protection. 

In this guide, you’ll learn how blue light glasses work and why you might need them for reading. We’ll also review a couple of the best blue light glasses for reading. 

Let’s dive in. 

Why is Blue Light a Concern?

Blue light is a part of the visible light spectrum, which ranges from violet to red. It’s one of the 7 colors white light consists of.

Importantly, blue light has high-energy because it lies at the low-wavelength range of the white light spectrum. 

While the sun is the largest natural source of blue light, our digital screens like laptops and mobile phones also emit it. 

Natural blue light regulates your body’s circadian rhythm by keeping you alert during the day. Artificial blue light exposure, especially after sunset, can disrupt your body’s natural sleep cycle. 

Blue light exposure prevents your body from producing melatonin, the sleep hormone, making it hard for your body to wind down. 

In addition, some believe that continuous exposure to this high-energy light in the form of digital screens might be responsible for digital eye strain. 

Symptoms of this condition often include:

• Dry eyes
• Blurred vision 
• Headaches 
• General eye fatigue

What are Blue Light Glasses for Reading

Blue light glasses for reading are designed to keep this low-wavelength part of the white light from entering your eyes. 

They contain a special filter or coating that absorbs or reflects a good portion of this blue light, providing an effective shield for your eyes. 

However, note that they’re typically not a replacement for traditional reading glasses, which are often designed to magnify text. 

Blue light glasses for reading can protect your eyes, sleep, and overall health for anyone who spends time reading from screens. 

Types of Blue Light Glasses for Reading 

The right type of blue light glasses depends on your reading source, specifically whether you read physical books or digital ones. 

For Digital Books 

Now, when you read books on an e-reader, table, smartphone, laptop, or a computer, the screen itself is a source of blue light. 

That’s why many people experience eye strain or difficulty sleeping after reading late-night on one of these devices. 

Blue light glasses are designed for the purpose of blocking the blue light, helping you with the negative symptoms. 

Clear Lenses: You can use these all day without any issues. Clear lenses block a lower percentage of blue light, making them perfect for casual screen use. They don’t cause significant color distortion. 

Yellow/Amber Lenses: These filter a higher percentage of blue light, which makes them perfect for long screen sessions. 

Red/Orange Lenses: These ones are the most aggressive and block almost all the blue light wavelengths and even some green light. 

You get a more comprehensive protection with red lenses, so use them in the evening or at night for sleep regulation. 

However, note that since these distort colors, you don’t want to use red tints for color-sensitive tasks like graphic designing and image editing. 

For Physical Books 

While physical books don’t emit blue light themselves, the fluorescent lights you use to read them often do. 

If you read physical books under a lamp, a bulb, or a tubelight, you’re indirectly exposing your eyes to blue light. 

For physical books, the main feature of blue light glasses is an anti-reflective or anti-glare coating. 

The coating minimizes the harsh reflections from light sources on the page. Many blue light glasses combine a subtle blue light filter with an excellent anti-glare coating. Some even come with a magnification feature.

That makes these glasses an ideal solution for both physical and digital reading. 

Best Blue Light Glasses for Reading 

Daytime Wayfarer Blue Light Reading Glasses - Black 1.0x

Designed for the modern reader, Sleep ZM's Daytime Wayfarer Reading Glasses combine style with essential eye protection. 

The classic matte-black Wayfarer frame houses computer-clear lenses with a +1.0 magnification for better clarity. 

This makes reading fine print and digital text a breeze. 

These lenses filter 45% of blue light, which means less digital eye strain and headaches during long reading sessions. 

It’s made from durable and lightweight TR90 material, offering all-day comfort and a long-term companionship. 

Daytime Wayfarer Blue Light Reading Glasses - Black 2.5x

These classic matte-black frames are made from durable TR90 material, providing a lightweight, comfortable fit that you’ll barely notice, even after long reading sessions. 

The computer-clear lenses with a +2.5 magnification provide exceptional clarity for reading fine print, working on your laptop, or tackling detailed tasks. 

Designed to filter 45% of harmful blue light, these glasses work to reduce eye strain, minimize headaches, and keep you comfortable throughout your busy day.

Blue Light Glasses for Reading: FAQs

Are Blue Light Glasses the Same as Reading Glasses?

Blue light glasses block blue light, whereas reading glasses magnify text. However, specialized blue light reading glasses, such as this one from Sleepzm, offer both features. 

Do I Need a Prescription for Blue Light Glasses?

No, you only need a prescription for vision correction. You can get blue light glasses without a prescription, or add a blue light filter to your existing prescription lenses. 

What’s the Difference Between Clear, Yellow, and Red Lenses?

Clear lenses are for general use, blocking less blue light. Yellow lenses block more, enhancing contrast. Red lenses block the most, designed for evening use to help with sleep.

How Can I Tell If My Blue Light Glasses are Working?

You’ll likely notice reduced eye strain, headaches, and fatigue after screen time. An improved sleep onset and quality is another prominent sign if you’re using high-tint blue light glasses for sleep regulation. 

Conclusion 

While blue light glasses may seem like a niche accessory, they can be multi-purposed. Some blue light glasses for reading offer the best of both worlds. 

They block the sleep-disrupting blue light and offer magnification for a better reading experience. 

However, eyeglasses that don’t have the magnification feature will only protect your eyes from blue light from your surroundings (Digital screens, fluorescent lights, etc.). 

Read More: Best Blue Light Glasses for Sleep (Reviewed)