Short answer: blue light glasses with no magnification are non-prescription glasses with flat lenses: they don't change how large or sharp things look, they just filter part of the blue light. They suit anyone who sees well without glasses, or who wears contacts. Choose the lens for the time of day: clear or yellow for daytime screens, orange or red for the two to three hours before bed. If small print is getting harder to read, you want reading glasses with magnification instead.
Below: what "no magnification" means, who these glasses suit, which lens to choose, and what to look for when buying.
What Does "No Magnification" Mean?
Glasses come in three broad types:
- No magnification (non-prescription): flat lenses with no focusing power. You see exactly as you do without glasses. These are sometimes labeled 0.00 or "plano".
- Reading glasses: magnifying lenses labeled with a plus strength, such as +1.00 or +2.00, for seeing up close.
- Prescription glasses: lenses made to your own prescription by an optometrist.
A blue light filter can be added to any of these. "No magnification" simply means the glasses filter light without changing your vision.
Who No-Magnification Blue Light Glasses Suit
- People who don't need glasses and want a blue light filter for screens or the evening
- Contact lens wearers, since the contacts already correct their vision (see wearing blue light glasses with contacts)
- Office workers, students and gamers who like a warmer-looking screen during the day
- Anyone winding down in the evening who wants to cut blue light from screens and room lights before bed
If you need reading glasses, a no-magnification pair won't help you read small print. Our ReadAid reading glasses combine magnification with a clear blue light filter. There's more in our guide to blue light glasses with magnification.
Which Lens to Choose
Here are our four main blue light lenses, as measured by Micro-Light Optics:
- Clear (InvisiAid): blocks 35% across 400–500nm, 86% light transmission (ISO 12312-1 Category 0). Natural colors, for daytime screens and color-accurate work.
- Yellow (ScreenAid): blocks 60% across 400–500nm, 79% light transmission (Category 1). A warmer-looking screen during the day.
- Orange (SleepAid): blocks 99% across 380–550nm, 48% light transmission (Category 1). For the two to three hours before bed.
- Red (SleepAidMax): blocks 99.7% across 380–580nm, 22% light transmission (Category 2). For the last hour before sleep.
Orange and red lenses are not for driving. Not sure which suits you? The Lens Finder takes a minute.
What They Do and Don't Do
In the Evening
This is where blue light glasses have the clearest purpose. Bright, blue-rich light in the evening can delay the rise of melatonin, the hormone that tells your body it's getting dark. An orange or red lens cuts most of that blue light. Clear and yellow lenses let too much through for this. See our guide to wearing blue light glasses before bed.
During the Day
Many people like the look of a screen through a clear or yellow lens, and that's a fine reason to wear one. But be wary of big claims: a 2023 Cochrane review found blue light filtering glasses probably make no difference to eye strain in the short term, and the American Academy of Ophthalmology says the light from screens doesn't damage the eyes. Tired eyes at a screen usually come from focusing up close for a long time, blinking less and glare.
Vision
No-magnification glasses don't correct or change your vision. If things look blurry, or you're squinting at a screen, book an eye exam.
What to Look for When Buying
- A measured blocking figure: a percentage with the wavelength range it applies to. Two lenses of the same color can filter very differently.
- Light transmission or filter category: tells you how dark the lens is and where it's suitable to wear.
- UV protection: all our lenses are UV400.
- Comfort: a lightweight frame with flexible arms is easier to wear for hours.
- A fair return policy: useful when you're buying glasses online.
You may also like: how much do blue light glasses cost?
Better Screen Habits
Glasses are one part of the picture. These help whatever you wear:
- The 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
- Good lighting: avoid working at a bright screen in a dark room.
- Night mode: set your phone and computer to warm the screen automatically in the evening.
- Screen setup: keep the screen about an arm's length away and slightly below eye level.
FAQs About No-Magnification Blue Light Glasses
Do Blue Light Glasses Have Magnification?
Most don't. Standard blue light glasses have flat, non-magnifying lenses. Blue light reading glasses are the exception: they're labeled with a plus strength.
Can I Wear No-Magnification Glasses All Day?
Clear and yellow lenses, yes, indoors. They don't change your vision, so they won't harm it. Keep orange and red lenses for the evening.
Do They Change How Colors Look?
Clear lenses: hardly at all. Yellow: slightly warmer. Orange and red: a strong warm cast.
Can Kids Wear Them?
They're safe for children to wear if the frame fits, but they aren't necessary. For kids, screen breaks, time outdoors and screens off before bed make the bigger difference. If a child is squinting or complaining about their eyes, book an eye exam.
Conclusion
Blue light glasses with no magnification filter light without changing your vision, which makes them a good fit if you don't need glasses or you wear contacts. Choose clear or yellow for daytime screens and orange or red for the evening. If you need help reading small print, choose reading glasses with a blue light filter instead.
Browse our blue light glasses or use the Lens Finder.
