Blue blocking sunglasses were very popular at one point of time. They were popular because people believed they prevented eye problems from happening. They at least improved how clear the regular objects appeared. Initially, these glasses were designed for the NASA space program because their astronauts need powerful eye protection where ultraviolet rays from the sun are incredibly strong.

Nowadays, there are glasses which can not only block the UV rays but also blue rays. Besides providing more visual clarity, these glasses can help you to block blue light and thereby help you to regulate your internal clock to control sleep patterns and other body functions. Avoiding blue light at night is also very crucial for protecting your health.

The benefits of wearing blue light blocking glasses

There are many benefits of blue blocking glasses. The primary benefit of such glasses is prevention of damage to the DHA essential fat at in the retinal pigmented epithelium. It is responsible for converting sunlight into vital DC electric current which is necessary for your body.

If you are getting additional blue light, it will increase the distance of the proteins in the respiratory electron transport chain in your mitochondria. As a result of that they will be far less efficient in producing mitochondria.

In a recent study published in Bipolar Disorders scientists have found that using blue blocking orange-tinted glasses in case of people suffering from bipolar disorder, helped them with tremendous results. They found improvements after just three nights of use and it continued and resulted in significant improvements in symptoms of mania compared to those people who wore clear glasses.

Recently it was discovered that intrinsically photo responsive retinal ganglion cells are the receptors present in your eyes that can detect only blue light. Such receptors communicate with areas of your brain which are linked to control of the biological clock or hypothalamus, mood and emotions.

Another study done in 2009 found that dramatic improvements happened in insomnia and mood in bipolar patients who wore blue blocking glasses.

Why exposure to artificial blue light is bad

Exposure to artificial blue light is bad for you and it is one of the most overlooked health risks. Nowadays, artificial light is a very important part of our lives and it is not possible to avoid it completely. Along with artificial light, blue artificial light is also getting into our life with the help of different types of machines and screens that we use. There are computers, LED lights, televisions, tablets and smart phones and they rule our lives. You are exposed to different amounts of blue light through them and such exposure is also happening at night, when it is not supposed to happen. As a result of that your body is confused so as to what to do.

When you wear a blue light blocking glasses it protects your body's internal rhythm and that helps in having held the sleeve and a reduced risk of different types of chronic diseases. When you have that, even though you are exposed to blue light, it will not be able to which your eyes and as a result of that you will be safe from all these problems.

Besides using blue blocker sunglasses, you can also try to get more antioxidants for better eye health. Zeaxanthin and lutein are the most important antioxidants which will help you to protect your eyes from the harmful effects of blue light.

References

1. Swanwick Sleep – Quality Sleep Products
2. Amber lenses to block blue light and improve sleep: a randomized trial
3. Blue-Light Filtering Spectacle Lenses: Optical and Clinical Performances