You’ve probably seen or heard something about blue light blocking glasses in the last year or two, and if you’ve never really looked into them before, or don’t even know what the heck blue light is, let me shed some light…pun unintended. If you (like me) are constantly staring at a screen for work, then class, then to catch up on your favorite Netflix binge, you’ve probably noticed some super annoying headaches, dry eyes, the occasional hallucination, and even excessive exhaustion and loss of focus. Enter blue light. Now, blue light isn’t all bad. It’s actually necessary for our REM cycles and other natural hormonal resources, like breaking up our melatonin during the day. Blue light is in natural light forms, and that’s the stuff that tells you when it’s time to wake up and be alert, whereas white light tells your brain to relax and go to sleep.
Blue light becomes harmful when it is used in excessive amounts, which in this day and age is pretty common. The brightness of our phones, laptops, TVs etc. all play into our tolerance to blue light, or lack thereof. In other words: blue light could be the reason you haven’t slept in the last 10 years, just saying. Interesting, right? So here’s the deal. Blue light-blocking glasses are designed to do just what their name suggests: block blue light. Wearing them while you look at an artificial source of blue light is supposed to help reduce headaches, dry eyes and all the other bad stuff that we’ve been getting too much of, while promoting better sleep and focus! Now, it sounds kind of like a futuristic gimmick, right? I was pretty skeptical about this at first too. So, instead of sitting around and wondering about it, I tested three of the biggest names in blue light blocking technology to see just what they can do, and if they’re really all they crack themselves up to be. Curious? Keep reading.
PIXEL
This is the first pair that I tried so, I had no idea what to expect, especially being someone who has never needed glasses and therefore has never worn them. After a few days of wearing them, I noticed my tolerance to my laptop gradually increasing. Normally I find myself having to turn down the screen brightness as it starts to really bother my eyes, but with Pixel, I was much more relaxed.
The glasses didn’t stay on my face very well, and I found myself flexing my facial and earlobe muscles a lot to keep them up, which obviously became uncomfortable after subconsciously doing this while wearing them so often. However, I’ve never worn glasses, so this could just be attributed to me getting used to the feeling. I mean, I also had to get used to my eyesight suddenly being fogging after doing the dishes, and remembering not to adjust the lenses while eating greasy food. Woops.
Verdict? I’ve found a higher tolerance to my computer screen and can do work for a longer period of time without feeling tired or not being able to focus on the screen because it gets blurred/my eyes burn.
Style: I tested the Meru Matte Navy, which I would deem the cute version of nerdy. This is my practical pair that goes with everything but still looks trendy. I like the big frames and the sleek matte finish. 8/10.
Comfort: not bad but not great. Again, it could just be because the size of my head is kind of small compared to other average human heads. They slip down and cause me to strain my facial muscles, so I’m gonna say 7/10.
Affordability: The price range for these is between $80-$100 which, for the product you’re buying and the quality, is not outrageous in the least. 9/10.
Effectiveness in blue light blocking: my tolerance is up and my headaches are down so, A+!
BAXTER BLUE
This is the second pair I got so I had something to compare them to at this point, and I was super curious to see how they measured up. My first impression was not bad, I feel the same way about how they don’t stay on my face so I guess that’s probably just the feeling of glasses. My head is small after all.
Just like with Pixel, my eyes do feel less strained and worn out already, but I don’t think it’s about short-term effects or the way you feel while you’re wearing them, it’s more about the long-term effects and how they make you feel in the long run/what they prevent and the long-term benefits. So if you don’t feel that different while wearing them, try to pay more attention to how you feel in a month, or even 2 weeks after wearing them.
A little perk about this website: You can upload a photo and virtually try on any pair of glasses! This makes shopping super easy, and helps narrow down your choices, just like an in-store shopping experience.
Style: Lane/Crystal. Definitely upscale chic. These are very modern and current in terms of style. I love the look, it’s very minimalist and literally matches everything considering they’re transparent. The rounded frames are elegant and don’t make me look or feel like a kid playing dress up. 10/10.
Comfort: they have a feeling of “barely there” other than the fact that I’m flexing to keep them up. But other than that they’re light and the arms are a great size, they rest neatly behind my ears. 8/10.
Affordability: BB ranges from $89-$100 so they are on the higher end, but even so, still an insanely good price for the product! 9/10 ONLY because there are technically cheaper pairs.
Effectiveness: eye strain is definitely down, and so are my after-work headaches!
Bonus: They give a pair of reading glasses to someone in need for every pair purchased!
ZENNI
This is the last pair I got, so I really had some experience with glasses under my belt at this point, and the first thing I noticed was that these were the first pair that actually stayed put on my head and didn’t make me strain my facial muscles. Not that the others are unbearable, but these ones are like, light as air. I honestly forgot I was wearing them after an hour or two. So whether the thing that makes me strain is the size of my head/lack of experience wearing glasses, or weight of the glasses themselves is still up for debate.
As far as effectiveness goes for actually curing the eye strain, they feel exactly the same as the other two. So I’m thinking any company is as good as the next, as long as they’re using the appropriate blue blocking technology. It just depends on your price range and style preference.
This site also has the option to virtually try on glasses like BB: a huge perk!
Style: Pink Round Eyeglasses 782419. The pair I chose have a marble effect and are very trendy and in style. They do seem like they may be less durable, however, than the other brands, but it doesn’t seem like that plays into the appearance of them. The case is not as sleek or efficient as it could be, considering these come in a rather bulky plastic case. 8/10.
Comfort: Suuuuuper comfy, could barely even tell I was wearing them most of the time. BUT one of the eyeglasses is closer to my eye which makes it a little uncomfortable rubbing against my eyelashes, so I have to situate them just right. 8/10.
Affordability: This is definitely, definitely going to be your more affordable brand. But there are honestly SO many choices, you can pretty much pay as much or as little as you want. The prices are all over the board, from about $7-$50 approx, so there’s a little something for everyone! 10/10.
Effectiveness: definitely helping my eyes relax after staring at a screen, and also combatting those annoying blue light overload headaches.
Overall, I really love all three brands and think that all of them are a good option if you’re looking into blue light blocking glasses. My tolerance to screen brightness is way up when I’m wearing any one of them; I feel like I can work on my laptop for a longer period of time, and they all look super adorbs on my face! So, win-win! And remember, these can be bought with or without a prescription. So if you don’t need glasses, don’t take yourself out of the game! I have the ones with no prescription and they are fab. Whether you’re slaving away in front of the screen all day, or just using your phone for texting and the occasional Insta post, I would seriously suggest looking into a pair of these bad boys!
Protect your eyes while you swipe on the Hey! VINA app!
VINAZINE 