Tired Eyes? How Blue Light Glasses Can Help Relieve Eye Fatigue

13 Oct Tired Eyes? How Blue Light Glasses Can Help Relieve Eye Fatigue

If you live near Billings, Montana, and spend hours looking at your phone, computer, or tablet—especially now that the days are shorter and we spend more time indoors—you are probably familiar with tired, dry, and strained eyes. This common problem, often referred to as digital eye strain, is caused by the way we use our devices, forcing our eyes to work harder than they were designed to. At Total Eye Care, we understand this problem and offer specialized eyeglass lenses and coatings designed to improve comfort. By helping to reduce glare and excess high-energy light from screens, these specialized lenses can make your long hours in front of a screen much easier on your eyes.

What is Digital Eye Strain (And Why It’s So Common)

Digital eye strain (sometimes called Computer Vision Syndrome) is a group of eye and vision problems caused by spending long periods looking at digital screens. Research shows that nearly 90% of people who use a digital device for more than three hours a day will feel some symptoms.

Why does looking at a screen make your eyes so tired?

1. Repetitive Effort: Your eyes grow tired and strained, just like any other muscle, because they must exert extra focusing effort to read the pixels on a screen for hours on end.
2. Blinking Less: When you are focused on a screen, you don’t blink as often as you should. Less blinking means your tears evaporate quickly, leading to dry, gritty, red, and itchy eyes.
3. The Blue Light Factor: All digital devices—computers, phones, and tablets—utilize LED backlights that emit high-energy visible light, commonly referred to as blue light. This high-energy light can exacerbate visual fatigue because it requires your eyes to work harder to focus.

Symptoms of this strain include blurry vision, headaches, neck pain, and a constant feeling that your eyes are dry or uncomfortable.

The Blue Light Problem (and the Sleep Connection)

Blue light is a color in the visible light spectrum that has a short wavelength and high energy. While the sun produces the most blue light, our devices constantly emit smaller amounts of it.

For your eyes, this high-energy light contributes to eye fatigue and strain. Because blue light’s focus point falls slightly in front of the retina (the back of the eye), your eye must constantly work to adjust, which contributes to the feeling of fatigue.

The second major issue is the effect of blue light on your sleep cycle:

1. Circadian Rhythm: Blue light is essential during the day because it helps regulate your circadian rhythm—your body’s natural clock that tells you when to be awake and when to sleep.
2. Late-Night Use: When you look at screens late at night, the exposure to blue light can confuse your brain, making it harder to fall asleep. Disrupted sleep then contributes to your overall daytime tiredness and exacerbates dry eye symptoms.

How Specialized Eyeglass Lenses Can Help

Specialized eyeglass lenses and coatings are designed to address the two primary digital issues: glare and high-energy light.

1. Anti-Reflective (AR) Coatings

These clear coatings, sometimes referred to as “non-glare” lenses, are applied to both the front and back of your lenses. They work by reducing the reflections that bounce off the lens surface.

1. Reduces Glare: AR coatings reduce glare from overhead office lights, the light reflecting off your monitor, and the bright headlights of cars when driving at night.
2. Improves Clarity: By removing these distracting reflections, your vision becomes clearer, and your eyes don’t have to fight through the clutter, which instantly enhances comfort.

2. Blue Light Filtering Lenses

Products specifically designed to filter blue light, such as authorized BluTech lenses, are available right here at Total Eye Care. These lenses are made with materials that effectively block most of the high-energy visible light that comes from your electronic devices.

1. Eases Strain: By filtering the high-energy light, these lenses can make your screen displays easier to look at, reducing the eye fatigue caused by that constant focusing effort.
2. Protection: Think of these specialized lenses as a kind of “SPF for the eyes,” providing protection while you are working on electronic devices.

Your Solution for Winter Eye Fatigue in Billings

During the cold months in Montana, we naturally spend more time indoors and rely more on our digital devices for work, entertainment, and staying connected with family. This increase in screen time directly leads to higher levels of eye strain.

If you are experiencing headaches, fatigue, or dryness that come with working on a computer, the problem is likely your lens, not your prescription. Upgrading to specialized lenses that feature anti-reflective coatings and blue light filtering can significantly enhance your comfort.

Don’t just manage the discomfort with over-the-counter drops. Address the root of the problem and invest in the right tools to protect your eyes. Visit Total Eye Care today to speak with our staff about blue light-blocking glasses in Billings, Montana, and discover the perfect specialty lens option—like BluTech—to support your vision and keep your eyes comfortable all winter long.