Reduce eyestrain with digital lenses

You may have heard about blue light, or sometimes known as digital lenses, from friends or via the internet. Digital lenses use new technology and are designed to assist us in our 21st century lives by reducing eye strain when using digital screen with glowing megapixels, as well as in situations where your eyes need to focus between objects that are different distances away.

Digital lenses aren’t just for prescription glasses wearers. A growing number of people who don’t rely on glasses are seeing how Blue Light lenses can help them in their daily activities and improve their overall health and wellbeing.

What are Blue light lenses?

Health Partners Optometrist, Joanne Tran is a strong advocate for this cutting edge technology.

“Digital lenses are the new standard of lens option that provide the eyes with relief when using digital devices, and switching focus between objects of near and far distances,” Joanne says.

Perfect when using digital devices, these lenses reduce your absorption of artificial light. They filter the blue light that can trick your body clock and cause disruptive sleep.

How do they work?

Joanne explains, “Blue Light lenses optimally support the ciliary muscle, which is a muscle in the eye that relaxes or tightens to enable the lens to change shape for focusing. Blue Light lenses, therefore, make it easier for the wearer to focus their vision where they want it.”

Blue Light lenses take into account the typical movements of an individual’s eyes and the shorter reading distance that is becoming more common with the increased use of smartphones and small font sizes.

What are the benefits to the wearer?

Joanne says Blue Light lenses help the eyes to feel more comfortable by reducing the amount of strain the eyes experience when using digital devices and helping to prevent the symptoms of eye fatigue.

“More people are becoming shortsighted or complaining about problems with their eyes or general health as a result of this strain,” Joanne says. “A staggering 50% of the population suffers from one or more symptom of digital eye strain.”

Who can benefit from Blue Light lenses?

Children, and people aged in their 20s to early 40s are those most commonly prescribed Blue Light lenses. These age groups are generally on their tablets, computers or phones more than other age groups and suffer from the effects of eye strain and fatigue.

Tips to help prevent digital eyestrain:

• Relax your eyes regularly over the course of the day – look into the distance every hour for a few minutes (without focusing).
• Talk to your optometrist for advice on eye strain – your Optometrist can check your eyes for possible symptoms.
• Combine your regular eye test with an eye stress test – every two years is recommended.
• Consider anti-blue light lenses which can help to reduce eye strain caused by looking at digital screens.