Today, it is hard to keep a safe distance from digital devices. Whether you are in a workplace or at home, you will come across multiple digital devices, especially computers. You are reading this article on your phone or computer is a clear manifestation of how unavoidable the screen is nowadays. But this is not the point. The point here is to unearth something magical that can help eyes in front of the computer screens.
If your eyes have the same struggle and you want a partner for your eyes in a long workday routine, a pair of computer glasses will be the best option for you.
It is pertinent to mention here the fact that digital device screens can cause stress to human eyes, which has a direct impact on the brain and cause headaches. If you use the computer at work or even at home for long hours, then you must have experienced the same. In this case, the screen starts to render stress to the eyes and a point comes when one wants to through the computer out in the street.
To avoid all these worries, a pair of glasses for the computer screen is inevitable.
Why Computer Glasses?
Before addressing this question, it is important to know what effects eyes when viewing your computer screen. If your eyes get irritated and strained during the working hours, it is from the computer vision syndrome or CVS.
For the want of definition, a CVS is a condition that occurs by staring at a computer screen for long hours without proper glasses of the computer. The symptoms of this condition usually include blurred vision, dry or red eyes, double vision, and headaches. CVS is caused by staring at the glow that emanates from a screen, called blue light.
The visible spectrum of light that you see, consisting of a range of colors, from blue-violet on the lower end to red on the higher end, is considered blue light. Those who have some prior knowledge may know that light on the lowest end of the visible spectrum has the shortest wavelengths. On the other hand, light on the highest end has the longest wavelengths. As shorter wavelengths emit more energy, blue light is also known as High Energy Visible or HEV light.
It is trite but true to say that those of us who use our smartphones, TVs, and computer screens, are not immune to blue light. All digital devices emit the HEV light. Although the amount they emit is small, it becomes cumulative and immediate in the number of hours we spend using our devices.
Since the problem is not regular and its causes are not ordinary, an ordinary or regular pair of glasses will also not work here. This is the reason why we need computer glasses for this. Computer reading glasses are specially designed to reduce eye strain. They contain an anti-reflective coating in them which helps in reducing glare. They also have a tint in them which helps increase the contrast for easier viewing.
It is important to understand here that computer screens are usually positioned at 20 to 26 inches from the user's eyes. This distance is the intermediate zone of vision, which is closer than driving vision but farther than reading vision.
Blue Light: An Eye Strainer
Now, you might be wondering how the blue light causes eye strain. For this, the basic thing to understand here is that our eyes have not evolved in this modern digital age. With the rapid speed of inventions and discoveries in the information technology, it is becoming difficult for the cornea and lens to sustain things.
The strain in the eyes is caused when cornea and lens stop filtering HEV light from reaching our retina. Over time, this makes retina light-sensitive. As the man grows and moves to a later stage of the age, eyes become more vulnerable to diseases such as macular degeneration and cataracts. Younger children are even more prone to this as their eyes are more sensitive to blue light exposure. Younger eyes are more transparent than adults, which makes HEV light to pass through it more easily.
Why We Must Be Concerned About the Blue Light?
Take it in this way: blue light is like salt. Though our bodies need it, if taken in access it can cause trouble. By the same token, blue light is also necessary but if taken in access, it can cause serious damage to our eyes. With the time that we spend on our digital devices in a day, it is highly likely that we intake this salt more than we need. We are now overexposed to blue light in the wake of digital devices. If you did not pay heed toward this issue on time, there is a high chance that you will suffer from sleep disruption.
Sleep Disruption
It may come as a surprise for many, but blue light has the tendency to regulate human circadian rhythm - also known as the sleep-wake cycle. In simple words, there is a predefined function of sleep that everybody understands. When to go to sleep and when to wake up is scheduled in the body. But blue light has the power to disrupt it.
You often have heard the advice of not checking your phone or computer for emails and messages before bed or falling asleep in front of the TV, right? Have you ever wondered why you get this advice every time? What science is involved behind it? Well, the answer to these questions is a fun fact. When you are exposed to blue light, you disrupt your natural sleep patterns. Blue light suppresses the body's secretion of melatonin, which is a hormone that regulates sleep and wakefulness.
For the clarity of thought, understand the natural process of sleep. Sun's rays also include blue light, which prevents the secretion of melatonin and we do not sleep. However, when the sun is gone in the evening, bodies start to produce melatonin freely. As a result, it sends a signal to the body that it is time to prepare for sleep. But when you are exposed to digital devices, without any pair of glasses, it prevents the secretion of any kind of hormone. Which disrupts the rhythm of sleeping and makes it harder to fall asleep or get a good rest.
How Do Computer Glasses Work in Preventing Eye Strain?
Computer glasses are special-purpose glasses which are formed to optimize the productivity of an individual by improving eyesight for digital devices. They reduce glare, which is a major cause of eye strain. Apart from this, they work to increase contrast and enhance what you see through the lenses. Eventually, it enables you to look at the screen for long hours without any hindrance.
There exist two main features of special computer glasses: one, they have anti-reflective coatings, and second, they have color tints. An anti-reflective coating reduces the glare. The glasses from Gunnar and Amber Eyewear are the best examples of it. However, not all the glasses have anti-reflective coatings. For example, the older glasses either do not have or have a very cheap coating that constantly catches smudges and dirt. Which results in more eye strain and vision problems. secondly, color tints play a vital role in increasing the contrast on the screen and filter out the harsh and uncomfortable light spectrums. This yields a moment of relaxing for the eye muscles.
Are Computer Glasses Enough for The Eye Strain?
This is a matter of subject because, as Dr. Anshul suggests, computer usage, work environment, and viewing habits also impact the visual abilities. But many shreds of evidence suggest that computer glasses have a vital role to play in relieving eye stress.
Apart from computer glasses, there are some other helpful tips that you must adopt to protect your eyes.
- Expose yourself to natural daylight
- Take some time off from your devices and do the work in intervals
- Wear sunglasses in the daytime
- Rule out all the devices from your bed and do not use them before bedtime
- Always buy the best computer glasses to protect your eyes from artificial blue light
For many, getting blue-blocker computer glasses is a no-brainer. Because they feel like their eyes will be squeezed out just after the hours of research on computer screens. But for others, computer glasses are nothing but a way to compliment their look. These glasses become a hindrance to them when they are on work. For instance, Dr. Robert Noecker, an ophthalmologist, says that "Computer eyewear does not necessarily prevent eye strain in an already optimized environment. Also, eyeglasses get smudges which can interfere with vision as well."
The bottom line is, reducing eye strain and headaches are only possible with computer glasses. Nonetheless, if the problem remains even after using computer glasses, you must not wait and immediately consult your doctor. The longer you ignore it, the bigger issue it will become.