It’s everywhere. At your 9-to-5 job, on the train, in the bathroom, even in your bed as you’re trying to fall asleep. If you’re reading this, it’s right in your face — blue light. Ever since we’ve been able to tap away at a computer screen we’ve been faced with an unnatural amount of blue light.
Not all light is created equal. Blue light signals to our brain that it’s day time. When the sun is out and a clear blue sky is overhead, our brains tell our bodies that we should be awake. The blue light wavelengths have been shown to increase our attention and reaction time while also lifting our moods.
But many of our electronic devices emit this same light. Our laptops, our phones, our tablets all fire lowkey caffeine waves to our eyes via blue light. This can be an issue at night when we’re on our devices because it inhibits our body’s from winding down naturally. We produce less melatonin and end up staying awake longer. Our circadian rhythms get knocked off course and can cause major health problems including increased risk of diabetes, depression and more. On top of that, blue light has been shown to have an even more profound affect on our melatonin secretion compared to other wavelengths of light. So while having your table lamp turned on will affect your circadian rhythm, blue light specifically can shift your circadian rhythm by up to twice as much.
Aside from making sure you put away your electronic devices two to three hours before bed and using more red-tinted lights in your house which has less of an affect on melatonin secretion, a good way to avoid blue light oversaturation is to wear blue light blocking glasses. While red light is helpful, not everyone appreciates its aesthetic. Plus, if you’re like many a modern worker, you likely have to be on your devices frequently. Glasses made specifically to block blue light can help keep your body on track and avoid health issues later on. These are the best blue light glasses to wear.
Warby Parker
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Just Get This
DTC Warby Parker has been able to deliver stylish frames to the masses for a measly price. They’ve churned out a vault’s worth of designs, so there’s something for everyone.
TIJN Blue Light Blocking Glasses
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Smart-Spend
Using spring hinges which adapt comfortably to the wearer and UV-protected scratch-resistant lenses, TIJN’s eyewear covers all the bases. Plus, they’re just under twenty bucks. No wonder they’ve been some of the most popular on Amazon.
Ray-Ban New Wayfarer
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The Step-Up
Yes, your tried-and-true Wayfarers come in blue-light-blocking lenses, too. Still made in Italy using premium acetate, these modern-day lenses are polarized to reduce glare and increase clarity, all white dampening the blues.
Akila Atelier
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Los Angeles-based brand Akila has floored us with its range of eyewear. They’re made in small batches with some serious bang for your buck and the recent addition of blue light blocking glasses is a must-cop.
Diff Eyewear Jaxson
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Diff’s glasses are another solid option if you’re looking for a range of well-designed silhouettes. Its Jaxson is a classic P3-style frame featuring hand-cut acetate and scratch-resistant lenses.
Felix Gray Nash
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Felix Gray’s slick frames are aimed at getting you to bed. The lenses target the range of blue light that decreases melatonin the most and, despite the tinted appearance, give you a true sense of color.
Umizato Brighton
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Umizato’s Brighton’s offer a simple square frame design that works well with most faces. The lenses offer UV-400 protection, cut down on screen glare and filter up to 90 percent of blue light. Plus, they’re available in several magnifications, making them a great pair for reading.
Garrett Leight Wilson
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These days, many storied eyewear brands offer blue light blocking lenses as an option, including Garrett Leight’s legendary frames. They use DuraVision BlueProtect lenses made by Carl Zeiss which divert harmful blue light waves into the spectrum of light which actually helps us fight insomnia and depression. That innovative tech coupled with Garrett Leight’s reputation for quality and design makes these a top-tier set of blue light blocking glasses.