Short answer: the best time to use blue light glasses is in the evening, for the last two to three hours before bed, with an orange or red lens. That's when cutting blue light has the most support, because bright evening light can delay the body's sleep signals. During the day, a clear lens at your screen is optional. Never wear orange or red lenses for driving.
What Blue Light Glasses Are
Blue light glasses filter part of the blue light from screens, bulbs and the sun. How much depends on the lens:
- Clear lenses filter some blue light and look like regular glasses. For daytime.
- Yellow lenses filter more, with a mild tint. Also for daytime.
- Orange and red lenses filter almost all blue light. For the evening.
Why Timing Matters
Blue light isn't bad in itself. In the morning and during the day, bright light, including blue light from the sun, helps keep your body clock on track and keeps you alert. The problem is bright light late in the evening, which can delay melatonin, the hormone that helps signal it's time to sleep. A 2015 study in PNAS found that reading on a light-emitting e-reader before bed delayed melatonin and made people less alert the next morning, compared with reading a printed book.
That's why the evening is when blue light glasses make the most sense. For daytime eye strain, a 2023 Cochrane review found blue light filtering lenses probably make little or no difference, and the American Academy of Ophthalmology doesn't recommend them for computer use.
When to Use Blue Light Glasses
In the Evening, Before Bed
Put on an orange or red pair two to three hours before bed and keep them on until lights out, especially if you'll be on your phone, laptop or TV. Dim the lights at home too. See blue light glasses before bed.
When You Use Your Phone at Night
A phone held close to your face in a dark room is one of the brightest things many people look at before bed. If you're going to scroll, an orange or red lens is the one to wear. See blue light glasses for phone use.
During Long Screen Days (Optional)
Some people prefer how a clear filter feels during long workdays. That's fine, but it won't replace breaks, good screen position and an up-to-date eye exam. See blue light glasses for work.
Night Shifts
If you work nights, orange or red lenses on the way home in the morning (as a passenger, not driving) and before you sleep during the day may help, alongside blackout curtains. Talk to your doctor about a sleep plan that fits your shifts.
When Not to Use Them
- Driving. Never drive in orange or red lenses. For twilight or night driving, a lens needs to let through at least 75% of light, the minimum EN ISO 12312-1 sets. See blue light glasses for driving.
- Morning and daytime, with tinted lenses. Daytime light helps set your body clock. Save orange and red for the evening.
- Color-critical work. Tinted lenses change how colors look.
- Instead of sunglasses. Outdoors you need proper sunglasses. See can you wear blue light glasses outside?
Which Lens, When
| When | Lens | Blue light blocked | Light let through (VLT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daytime screens (optional) | InvisiAid (clear) | 35% (400–500nm) | 86% |
| Long daytime sessions, gaming | ScreenAid (yellow) | 60% (400–500nm) | 79% |
| Evening | SleepAid (orange) | 99% (380–550nm) | 48% |
| Last hour or two before sleep | SleepAidMax (red) | 99.7% (380–580nm) | 22% |
Lab figures measured by Micro-Light Optics. All are UV400. Never drive in SleepAid or SleepAidMax lenses.
Habits That Work Alongside Them
Take Regular Breaks (the 20-20-20 Rule)
Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Blinking less at screens is a big cause of dry, tired eyes, so blink fully too.
Use Your Device's Night Mode
Night Shift, Night Light and similar settings warm the screen in the evening. They reduce blue light from that one screen; glasses filter everything you look at. Using both is fine.
Get Morning Light
Bright light early in the day helps set your body clock, which can make it easier to feel sleepy at night. See blue light to wake up.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I wear blue light glasses all day?
You can wear a clear pair all day if you like, but you don't need to. Save orange and red lenses for the evening. See can you wear blue light glasses all day?
How long before bed should I wear them?
Two to three hours before bed is what most studies used. Keep them on until lights out.
Is it OK to wear blue light glasses in public?
Yes. Clear lenses look like regular glasses. Tinted lenses are better kept for home in the evening.
Should I wear them when using my phone?
In the evening, yes, with an orange or red lens. During the day it's optional.
Do I need them if I don't have any problems?
No. They're optional. If you use screens late and want to cut evening light, an evening pair is the one worth having.
The Bottom Line
Use blue light glasses in the evening: orange or red lenses for the last two to three hours before bed. A clear lens during the day is optional. Keep orange and red lenses off the road, and pair your glasses with breaks, night mode and morning light.
