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I ask about adding blue light coating to eyeglass lenses, not separately wearing blue light glasses.

Evidence for

SeeCoat Blue Premium | Nikon Lenswear Canada

Recommended For: Those who regularly use digital devices and who want the ultimate protection against the harmful effects of blue light.

ZEISS DuraVision BlueProtect UV

Increases risk of macular degeneration
On the other hand, there is a body of evidence to suggest that long-term exposure to blue-violet light below 460 nm, with a maximum at 440 nm, may contribute to photochemical damage of the retina, increasing the risk of macular degeneration over time (known as the ‘blue light hazard’).

Evidence Against

Do Blue Light Blocking Glasses Actually Work? – Health Essentials from Cleveland Clinic

It may surprise you, but many eye issues that are caused by digital screens aren’t due to blue light.   

Ophthalmologist Rishi Singh, MD says many people experience eye discomfort from digital screens, but most of the issues actually fall under a term called computer vision syndrome (CVS). (It’s sometimes also referred to as digital eye strain.)

[...]

“Unfortunately, there hasn’t been a lot of research done with blue light blocking glasses,” explains Dr. Singh. “And of those studies that have been done, they’ve been too small and it’s not the same thing we’d see in clinical practice.”

Debunking blue light glasses claims to focus on proven eye issues - TMC News

Blue light glasses aren’t needed

According to an American Academy of Ophthalmology report, “it’s not necessary to spend money on special [eyewear] for computer use.”

“There’s really no evidence that [blue light glasses] help,” said Amir Mohsenin, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor in the Ruiz Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Science at UTHealth‘s McGovern Medical School. “We don’t really have any data that supports blue blocking glasses as being better for your eyes when you’re using a computer. In fact, I would say that we don’t know if there’s any potential harm in wearing blue block glasses. It’s hard to recommend something without knowing more details about it.”

Studies have shown that blue wavelengths can disrupt the body’s natural circadian rhythm by suppressing melatonin production levels through certain non-image-forming photoreceptors in the eye called melanopsin, a type of photopigment in retinal cells. This helps us stay alert and focused during the daytime, but it can interfere with sleep.

However, a growing body of research is challenging the notion that blue light is bad. Scientists at the University of Manchester published a study in Current Biology that showed that yellow light disrupted sleep patterns in mice more than blue light.

“The reality is that most of the problems we’re having with computers and eyestrain isn’t from blue light; it’s from how we use the computers,” said Mohsenin, who also treats patients at the Robert Cizik Eye Clinic and Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center. “We’re spending more and more time in front of the computer screens. There are things you can do to minimize eyestrain, but as ophthalmologists, we’re not recommending blue blocking glasses.”

Nico Damascus
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    Well, I sure hope they work, because I've been wearing them for the last few months. – F1Krazy Sep 11 '20 at 06:50
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    Most modern devices already have a built-in option to reduce blue light, if that's what you're worried about. It's often called "Night Mode" or something similar, if not outright "Blue Light Filter". IF you're worried about blue light, just give that option a poke instead of wearing a potentially expensive set of glasses. – T. Sar Sep 11 '20 at 12:32
  • Related: https://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/48245/are-blue-light-filters-not-blue-lights-on-phones-and-computer-screens-harmful – Michael W. Sep 11 '20 at 17:15
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    There seems to be two issues: watching a computer screen, and its blue emissions. In the old days of cathode ray tube VDUs it was crucial to have a good make, because a poor one would bring on eye strain and headaches. I suffer none of that with the modern flat VDUs, although it should be obvious that if the text isn't large enough (say on a phone) that will cause eye strain, and that is not a computer issue anyway, because even small text on paper can do that. – Weather Vane Sep 11 '20 at 18:50
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    @T.Sar I'm asking about buying/adding blue light coating on eyeglass lenses, not wearing blue light glasses. –  Sep 14 '20 at 19:00
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    My comment still stands. You can turn on the blue filter on your device instead. – T. Sar Sep 14 '20 at 22:58
  • Night mode isn't to protect your eyes from harm, it's to prevent influence on your hormonal regulation, which typically prevents people from falling asleep as easily. – dandavis Sep 15 '20 at 21:26
  • If the main proponents of a certain and under-publicized problem are also selling a solution, be very wary. Why is it that only people selling coatings and lenses are concerned about poor everyone's eyesight? – dandavis Sep 15 '20 at 21:33
  • @dandavis night mode reduces blue light. What effect that's has is the same as using a blue filtering glass. – T. Sar Sep 16 '20 at 03:23
  • My grandmother who suffers from Age Related Macular Degeneration has been advised by her specialist to get a blue light blocking coating put on her glasses to prevent further damage, so there could be some scientific evidence to suggest that blocking blue light helps to prevent AMD. What you have written though seems to me to suggest the opposite as the full context is lost without going to the source of the quote. – Chris Rogers Oct 02 '20 at 07:01
  • [Lawrenson et al (2017)](https://doi.org/10.1111/opo.12406): "... a systematic review of the literature ... Three studies (with 136 participants) met our inclusion criteria ... We find a lack of high quality evidence to support using BB spectacle lenses for the general population to improve visual performance or sleep quality, alleviate eye fatigue or conserve macular health." – Arnon Weinberg Oct 05 '20 at 00:31

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