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Headaches are an all-too-common complaint in today’s screen-filled world. With more time spent on phones, computers, tablets, and other digital devices, many people turn to blue light glasses in the hopes of relief. But do blue light glasses help with headaches? What does the scientific evidence say? And when are they worth trying? In this post, we’ll walk through what’s known, what isn’t, and what you can do.
Blue light glasses are eyewear whose lenses are designed to filter or block some portion of blue light—often high-energy visible (HEV) light in the ~380-500 nm range. The idea is to reduce the strain on eyes caused by exposure to screens and artificial lighting, which emit blue light. These glasses may also reduce glare or reflection and sometimes include other tints (amber, rose, etc.) to shift color balance.
To understand whether blue light glasses might help, it helps to know how screens and light contribute to headaches:
The evidence so far is mixed. Here are some of the key findings:
A Cochrane review (2023) analyzed multiple randomized controlled trials comparing blue-light filtering spectacle lenses to non-filtering lenses. The reviewers found low-certainty evidence and concluded that blue light filtering lenses probably make little to no improvement in symptoms like digital eye strain or visual comfort for most people. - PubMed+1
Some trials did report adverse effects (though generally mild and infrequent), such as discomfort wearing the glasses, headaches, or lower mood, but these effects were not clearly tied to the blue light filtering itself and sometimes occurred with non-filtering lenses too. - PubMed
Many studies are short term. For example, comparisons over screen sessions or a few days/weeks often show minimal or no difference. The Cochrane review emphasizes that studies are heterogeneous (different populations, lens types, follow-up durations), which complicates drawing strong conclusions. - PubMed
Based on current evidence:
If you're considering blue light glasses to help with headaches, here are features and considerations to guide you:
|
Feature |
Why It Matters |
|
Wavelength / % of blue light blocked |
Lenses that filter out more of the shorter blue-wavelengths (e.g. ~450-480 nm) may be more helpful, especially for migraine/light sensitivity. But blocking more can distort color. Avulux, for example, is designed for specific wavelength targeting. - University of Utah Healthcare+1 |
|
Tint type (clear, amber, rose, etc.) |
Tints like FL-41 (rose/pink) have evidence in certain populations for reducing photophobia. - Association of Migraine Disorders |
|
Comfort / fit / coating (anti-glare, scratch resistant) |
Physical discomfort, glare, weight, or lens distortion can themselves contribute to headaches. |
|
When you wear them |
Evening use or during long screen sessions may be more helpful. Less so if you only wear them sporadically. |
|
Other lifestyle / environmental factors addressed |
Glasses alone typically won’t solve headache problems if poor lighting, sleep deprivation, bad posture, or uncorrected refractive error are present. |
Check out our selection of blue light glasses for men, women and children today! We'd be happy to help find the right pair for you. Please reach out with any questions you might have and our team will assist you in the journey to seeing the world in a whole new way!
