How to Test Blue Light Glasses?

Blue light glasses have become a fast growing trend in recent years. They are believed to reduce potential side effects of blue light, a visible light spectrum known for causing vision problems due to the high energy. They are more than just fashion products.

It’s understandable if you feel overwhelmed by the countless choices. After all, blue light glasses are a growing niche, so many manufacturers are trying to entice buyers with their specially-crafted products. Don’t quickly put your trust on eyewear before knowing the features it comes with.

As we know, blue light glasses are health-related equipment. They’re designed to help relieve symptoms of digital eye strain. True glasses should be able to block blue light effectively, while the counterfeit ones do nothing to harmful wavelengths trying to reach the deeper part of your eyes.

At a glance, it’s hard to differentiate the two because they can look identical. The best way to ensure quality is through testing. Or you can also buy a pair from a reputable manufacturer, one that’s known for making blue light glasses for years.

How to test blue light glasses? Well, this is an interesting topic to discuss, so keep reading.

How to Test Blue Light Glasses Correctly

1. Request a spectrum report

You can ask for this data from the company where you purchased the glasses. This report shows information on the amount of blue light a product is able to block out.

There are two types of blue light glasses by lens tint. The first one is clear or transparent glasses and the second one is tinted glasses. Clear glasses have transparent lenses without a hint of another shade. They are most commonly used for professional work or fields that can’t tolerate color distortion.

Meanwhile, tinted glasses are those with slightly-colored lenses, usually shades of amber. These are suitable for gaming and night driving because not only do they have protection against HEV blue light, but they can also increase contrast.

2. Inspect the lens

To find out if a lens filters blue light, you can see the color that’s reflected off the surface. If you can see a shade of blue, then it shows that the lens does block some blue light.

But if violet or purple is what shows up, then it’s an indication that blue light can pass through. Reach out to the seller and ask for an explanation. If they’re honest with the products they sell, they shouldn’t hesitate to give an appropriate answer.

3. See colors through them

Another test you can take at home is seeing colors through the lens. If a lens doesn’t feature blue light filtration, this color would remain the same as you see it through the lens.

But if there this technology implemented, the blue color will darken considerably or even go completely dark. Another color that would change when seen through the lens is green.

Try to see a shade of green with glasses on, you should notice that the color goes darker. If nothing happens, then the glasses ain’t doing anything.

FAQs – Testing Bluelight Glasses

How can you tell if your glasses block blue light?

Real blue light glasses filter out the blue spectrum of light. Hence, the easiest type of test you can do is seeing blue through the lens. Get a picture of a light spectrum that has blue wavelengths in it. After that, put your glasses on.

If the lens doesn’t change how the light spectrum looks, then it shows that it has no blue light filter. If it makes the blue spectrum darker, then the glasses work great at filtering blue light. By the way, the color switch also depends on how much blue it can block.

Not all glasses are created equal. Some have lower blue light protection, others have it higher. The more blue light a product can filter, the more significant the change it causes on this component of the spectrum.

Can blue light glasses be harmful?

If they are not real blue light glasses, they could be. Original blue glasses are meant to protect your vision, not causing damage. They have coatings that reduce exposure to harmful wavelengths, such as blue light and UV rays. For this reason, it’s important to check on the quality of a product before buying.

Also, make sure the glasses come with anti glare and anti blue light coatings. They have different purposes, but can be applied together. Anti glare coating serves to reduce glare.

It softens light emitted from digital devices, relieving strain on the eye. It’s also useful for night driving because the protective layer helps bounce off blinding headlights.

Do blue light blocking glasses need to be yellow?

Nope, blue light glasses don’t have to be yellow. In fact, the colorless varieties remain highly popular since they don’t interfere with colors. Blue light glasses come in two types, colored and colorless ones. Colorless glasses look like regular reading glasses. The lens doesn’t have a hint of another color. It’s crystal clear and transparent.

Are they better than tinted glasses? Not necessarily. Both types have advantages and disadvantages. Clear lenses may not filter blue light as efficient as tinted lenses, but they have an edge in color clarity. They work better for jobs that require seeing colors in their true quality, such as graphics designing, video editing, etc.

On the other hand, tinted lenses boast more thorough blue light protection and improved contrast. Now if you’re confused on what to buy, just tailor it to your needs.

If color perception is the biggest concern, then clear glasses would be a sensible choice. If not, then tinted like amber glasses would be awesome to wear.

Do blue light glasses work at night?

They work at all times. Wearing them at night will prevent blue light from entering your eyes and help induce sleep. For the record, blue light produced by digital screens can disrupt melatonin release in the body. The night is the time when the body is prepared to sleep. The level of melatonin gradually increases before bed.

Now if you work on your laptop in this period without protection, blue light will keep you awake because it is known for increasing alertness. As a result, you’ll struggle falling asleep. The drowsiness will also go away. To prevent this, blue light glasses can be the answer.

Since they keep blue light out, your vision won’t be affected by it. Even if you work on your laptop before bed, you won’t experience a sudden wave of energy travelling throughout the body. Therefore, it won’t mess with your sleep pattern.

Do blue light glasses have a tint?

Some do, some don’t. Blue light glasses are an umbrella term for glasses that have the capability to stop blue light before it passes through the cornea and causes any damage. As we know, this light possesses high energy and a short wavelength. To make it worse, our eyes haven’t evolved to filter this light naturally, so it can reach deeper areas.

Research suggests that blue light may affect the photosensitive cells in the retina. When the exposure is intense and prolonged, damage could happen in the form of macular degeneration. To avoid this, blue light glasses can help, but are they better tinted or clear? It depends. If you don’t mind color distortion, then amber or yellow glasses (which is famous in gaming) would be a great pick.

But if you don’t feel comfortable with how colors are presented through a tinted lens, then stick with the transparent model. A transparent lens can also provide that kind of protection because it has unique coating for this purpose.

Final Thoughts

Digital eye strain is a common problem in today’s growing use of digital devices. Many of us can’t keep our hands off gadgets even for a minute. Working on a laptop for over 10 hours a day has become a commonplace. The problem is our eyes aren’t still adapted to the impact of blue light. Nearly all devices from laptops to Smartphones produce blue light in high concentrations.

Hence, don’t be surprised by how much blue light we consume daily. Prolonged exposure to it has shown to cause what’s referred to as digital eye strain. It’s a condition characterized by eye fatigue, blurry vision, and headaches. If this happens repeatedly and frequently, more serious damage could happen in the long run.

Mind you, blue light is also linked to problems like cataracts and macular degeneration. To avoid them, wearing special eyewear that blocks blue light is a good idea. These glasses are designed to block a large portion of blue light, so it doesn’t tire out the eyes. Many people find their symptoms improve after wearing them for quite some time. Their screen time also increases following use.

If you’re a gamer or someone whose job requires you to stay on your laptop all the time, investing in quality blue light glasses is the way to go. They will help reduce the impact this light spectrum has on the vision.

Last but not least, hopefully now you can learn how to test blue light glasses in an easy way at home.