Are Blue Blocking Glasses for Screen Time Worth it?

By Kelly J.

Several years ago, I was one of the very few who experienced adverse vision side effects after 1 session to help treat my hemiplegic migraines. If you’ve read my article, My Break Up With Botox, you also know that because of the damage it did, I have been left with what seems to be more long-term damage than short. This has left me with having to find a LOT of reading glasses and naturally for me, losing a lot of reading glasses.

Because I also struggle with an autoimmune disease that can affect vision changes in my eyes pretty frequently, it’s forced me to collect just about every single type of reading glasses possible.

Noticing a correlation between migraine attacks and screen time

But it wasn’t until last year that I noticed how frequent my migraines correlated with working on my screen all day long and when I began to keep track of the days when I would develop a full-blown migraine from eye-straining, it was alarming. So I did the only thing I knew of at the time, and I invested in a few pair of blue blocker readers. Many places sell them online, for very cheap (mine cost around $8-10 a pair). Many websites offer different reading levels along with the blue light blockers, which can be harder to find. Dig around and see where you can use an online coupon system or cash back when you make purchases. I’m thrifty.. so when I saw I scoured the internet for the reading glasses that actually work for me, I researched all I could.

Eyes feel less strained with blue blocking glasses

So have they helped? Absolutely. I am on my computer for nearly 8 hours straight every day doing different things. I cannot begin to tell you how much mine has helped and the difference I feel. My eyes feel less strained all day long. When I don’t wear them, it’s like a switch is flipped around 12:30-1pm every day and my headache only worsens until bed. If I feel migraine symptoms coming on, I’m immediately reaching for them even if I’m not in front of a screen.

Wearing blue light blocking glasses for television and movies too

I also wear them when I watch TV, am tooling around in the kitchen, and for most other things. Now, they just feel like the correction prescription I should have always had with a very special added bonus that will actually help alleviate the strain in my eyes when I need to look at a computer, tablet or TV screen. I’ve also worn them in movie theaters and highly recommend that you take them with you to any large screen like that.

I’m one who loses them quickly, so I’ve also had to order 3 backups - which is not bad considering as soon as I order a new pair I usually find the “old” ones and keep them in other places like my partner’s house, next to any computers/TVs, different purses, and backpacks I use. I also always *try* to keep a pair in the car.

Have you tried blue light blockers to reduce migraine attacks?

Have blue light blockers helped alleviate your “screen brain” at all?

Has eye strain and reading from headaches ever been an issue for you? Let me know your thoughts down below and see how we can help each other eliminate screen time stress and even different ways of knowing when you need to step away from the screen.

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Join the conversation

1chfo0
I wear prescription glasses. ALL of them, from my every day progressives, to my PC/reading glasses and my prescription shades have the blue-blocking filter that Costco gives for free on them. It's a HUGE help. (The anti-reflective and anti-glare coatings are standard and help alot, too!) I don't know how I survived working in an office and being a serious hobbyist digital artist before this came along!
1. Kelly J. Moderator
 So glad these have been helpful to you!! Glad that our community has had such positive feedback with this type of tool. Awesome that you were able to get the filter for free! I can't imagine how much this has improved your work!! Kelly, Team Member
dizzylady
I have regular prescription glasses, so for the last couple of years I've been using some amber-lense blue-blocking Haven sunglasses that fit over my glasses. I love them because they are formed to protect my eyes peripherally, too, and do a great job of lowering the visual input that sets off my migraines. They are a little expensive but I found a coupon for about 50% off, so they've been well worth the relief I've gotten over the last 3 years and counting. When I put them on my family and friends know I'm close to the "edge" of a migraine and also encourage me to give myself grace and back off of things, so that's an added benefit.
1. Kelly J. Moderator
 That's great you were able to find lenses to fit over your prescription glasses! They can be very expensive - glad you found a coupon to get a little money off of them! I find that they have helped me and even done a great job of preventing the eye strain that I would usually have reading a paperback book. Kelly, Team Member
bluesguy
Great and informative article. I am not certain about the lenses that I use blocking blue light. However, I have a pair of Thera-specs. I wear them when I am on the computer. They definitely are helpful, and reduce some of my eye pain. It is important to me to keep things darker, as I am very light sensitive, and my migraines are always coming from behind my left eye.
1. Kelly J. Moderator
 That's great, <inline-mention user-id="3787176" username="bluesguy"/> !! I have heard many people using Therapecs that have seen improvements in their daily wear. Glad to know this has been a helpful tool for some of our community! Kelly, Migraine Team Member
glassmind
I use yellow-tinted glasses ans adjust the color tone,on all screens rhat I can. It is very helpful My glasses are juast inexpensive "fashion" glasses picked up at tourist shop. I had more expensive ones marketed for driving or fishing, but I find the fashion frames work just as well. They are polarized for glare, cheaper, and suit my style better.
1. glassmind
 And not blue-blocking but I do wear regular sunglasses inside bright businesses. Some in my are have gone "eco friendly" with reduced lighting. They are now favorite stores.
aurabelle
I recently bought Theraspecs, they're a bit pricey but I felt immediate relief on my eyes when I put them on. I haven't had them long enough to see if they are working significantly, and I recently started on Butterbur so I have a bit of a combo. Saying that, I do feel there is a relief on my eyes and would recommend them! I try to limit screen use (phone limited to less than an hour). Work is particularly difficult with the fluoro lights and enforced screen time - Theraspecs seem to be working quite well so far.
usedtogarden
I'm very light sensitive. What I found worked for me and the computer was to simply get a screen designed for light sensitive people so I wasn't constantly stressing my eyes. They actually have two I know of on the market that are e-inks (like the original kindles) and don't emit light or flicker. They're not for everyone as they're black and white, but for those who can barely stand to get on the computer because it hurts so much (waves hand!) they might be something to know about. I know I was so happy when my dad told me he found them online. We had tried pretty much every screen by that point. I used to use one by Dasung, and now use one made by Boox called Max2, which I really like. I also wear FL-41 lenses, which others have mentioned, and find those great for other things.
oliver-christensen
Great post! And a very exciting topic. I also have a great experience with the use of Blue Light Blocking Glasses. They just made my life better. I am having a lot of screentime in front of my computer, television and phone. I usually will get a headache after 30 min. ish. The blue light from screens are making my eyes dry and makes my migraine explode after some hours. But when i am wearing the blue light blocking glasses i can go on for many hours without this. I bought a cheap pair from Amazon, a brand called Combina Eyewear. They came with a nice case, a cleaning cloth and a testkit. They look very stylish and are very comfortable. It was a gamechanger for me! I work as an computer technician looking at screens all day. Many people won't believe they work because they are so cheap, but they do the job. I hope more people will take blue light from screens more seriously. This is a big problem in our world when we have to look at screens all the time, in our jobs or in our private time. Thank you for writing this article, I think many are not aware that eye fatigue, headaches, migraine, eye strain, sleeping problems and much more are a side effect of too much screentime. I can only recommend everybody to buy a pair of Blue light blocking glasses. It is an easy and cheap solution to a major problem. Combina Eyewear made it for me, but maybe other brands are just as good.
rlb59
A very good post. Thank you for posting it. I will have to get a pair of those blue blocking glasses. My eyes are dry anyway and I do use drops and I also use a eye wash as well. If those don't work I put in a eye gel. As I'm very light sensitive and I've also lost part of my vision to our friend and the term is very loose lol. The migraine. It's been checked and my Retinologist said it won't get any worse. Thank goodness. I have my text very large and of course filters on all of my computer gadgets. It makes life a little easier. So I will start looking for these glasses as I always wear one of them plus a visor or a hat. It doesn't make for pretty hair like I was used to but we are going for protection and nothing else. So we all have the glasses that if we wished we could dress them up I suppose right? Just kidding tho but you still could. You know my hubby just rolled over and asked who I was texting lol. He knows it's either family or here with you guys. I hope and wish everyone less pain. .