Blue Light Glasses Yellow Tint: Everything You Should Know
Whether you’re working on a computer, watching YouTube videos, or scrolling on social media, your eyes are constantly glued to screens.
After a few hours, you start feeling the effects; tired and dry eyes begging you to give them some rest. Maybe a headache is brewing as well.
You may even have difficulty sleeping later on at night. You’re not alone. Many people who use digital screens experience this, and the culprit is often high-intensity blue light radiating from digital screens.
Blue light glasses with a yellow tint can help. How? By blocking a significant portion of this blue light!
Let’s talk about how they work, why you should use them, and who benefits the most. We’ll also discuss some crucial questions at the end, so stick with us.
Blue Light 101: Not All Light is Created Equal
First things first. The essential question: What is blue light? Think of light as a rainbow. Each color has a wavelength and a color. Blue light has a short wavelength and high energy.
How does blue light reach our eyes? Here are its major sources:
- The Sun: The biggest source! Natural blue light during the day keeps us awake and alert and can boost our mood.
- Screens: Mobile phones, laptops, TVs, tablets; they emit blue light, and we stare at them for hours during the day and at night.
- LED Lights: Many modern bulbs use LEDs, which emit blue light.
Why Worry About Blue Light?
Blue light isn’t all bad; it regulates your mood and keeps you alert in daytime. The problem arises when you expose yourself to too much artificial blue light from screens.
Digital Eye Strain
If your eyes feel tired after a long day in front of a screen, it’s not in your head. The symptoms are real:
- Dry and itchy eyes
- Blurry vision
- Headache
While not the sole culprit, blue light can cause these symptoms in people with screen-heavy lifestyles.
Sleep Trouble
Blue light exposure, after sunset, tricks your brain into thinking it’s still daytime. It keeps you awake and alert even when you need rest and sleep.
You don’t feel sleepy in bed because of unnatural blue light exposure at night.
How Do Yellow-Tinted Blue Light Glasses Work
Wearing yellow-tinted blue light glasses significantly reduces the blue light that reaches your eyes. Here’s how they work:
The Tint Acts as a Filter: The yellow tint (Sometimes orange) absorbs a good portion of the blue light, acting as an effective filter.
Enhances Contrast: The yellow tint in blue light glasses can also increase contrast, especially in low light. As a result, you need less squinting to see text, potentially reducing strain on your focusing muscles.
Reduces Glare: Lastly, yellow-tinted blue light glasses reduce screen glare, which means less effort for your eyes.
Who Gets the Most Bang for Their Buck with Yellow Tints?
These glasses may not be for everyone. Here’s when and who gets to benefit from them:
If You Spend Hours in Front of Screens: Spending 4+ hours in front of a computer, laptop, or phone? These glasses are for you.
Anyone Prone to Eye Strain and Light Sensitivity: Do your eyes often feel tired, dry, or itchy after screen time? Does bright light irritate your eyes? Wear yellow-tinted lenses for noticeable relief.
People in Artificial Lighting All Day: Do you work under fluorescent or LED lights all day? You’re getting unnatural blue light exposure! Wear these glasses to filter excess blue light.
What Yellow-Tinted Glasses Don’t Do?
Let’s understand yellow-tinted glasses more by discussing their limitations. It’s crucial to manage your expectations.
They Don’t Block All Blue Light: Blue light isn’t all bad, especially when it’s emitted by the sun.
The goal of any pair of blue light glasses is to protect your eyes from unnatural blue light exposure, especially at night.
Yellow tints are designed to block a significant portion of blue light, but not all of it.
They Aren’t a Cure-All: Wearing yellow tints won’t magically fix your eye issues, especially if they’re related to vision.
To address underlying vision problems, you’ll need prescription lenses on top of blue light filters.
Plus, giving your eyes enough rest, limiting screen use 2 - 3 hours before bed, and practicing good eye hygiene are also important.
What to Look for (Buying Guide)
If you’re ready to get a new pair, here are a few important things to consider:
Tint Level Matters: Understand your needs. Light-colored tints are great for daytime use. They don’t distort colors and offer enough blue light protection.
Darker (Orange) tints block more blue light, making them suitable for evening use.
Lens Quality is Key: Look for good optical clarity, scratch resistance, and anti-reflective coating (AR).
Prescription Vs. Non-Prescription: If you’re already wearing prescription glasses, talk to your doctor. They can prescribe you a pair with a blue light filter.
Blue Light Glasses Yellow Tint: FAQs
Here are some questions related to blue light glasses with a yellow tint and their short answers.
Why Do My Blue Light Glasses Have a Yellow Tint?
Your blue light glasses have a yellow tint because there’s a filter in them. This filter blocks a portion of blue light from reaching your eyes.
Can I Wear Yellow Tint Blue Light Glasses All Day?
Yes, there’s no harm in wearing blue light glasses with yellow tints all day since they don’t block all the blue light (Blue light from the Sun keeps you alert during the day).
Do Yellow Tint Blue Light Glasses Help with Sleep?
Yes, studies show that these glasses can help regulate your sleep by blocking the part of the visible wavelength that disrupts melatonin production (Your sleep hormone).
Conclusion
Wearing blue light glasses with yellow tints can help reduce eye strain and enhance sleep quality. They protect your eyes by blocking a good portion of visible light’s high-intensity wavelengths.
Wear these glasses while using laptops, mobile phones, tablets, etc. They’ll make your screen time more comfortable and safe.
If you’re having sleep troubles because of blue light exposure, wear them 2 - 3 hours before going to bed.
Note that these glasses aren’t a cure-all. For optimum eye health and sleep quality, give your eyes enough rest and follow good eye hygiene as well.
