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Let’s face it: Most of us are probably too attached to our devices. But it’s hard to avoid screen time when you work on a computer or can’t resist the siren call of the bedtime doom scroll. Short of actually putting your smartphone or laptop away, you can still prevent some potential negative effects of blue light—which, as SELF has previously reported, can include disrupted sleep and headaches—with a pair of blue light glasses.
They’re by no means a screen time silver bullet (the American Academy for Ophthalmology states that blue-light-filtering glasses aren’t completely necessary for good eye health). But Jennifer Tsai, OD, an optometrist and founder of Line of Sight in New York City, tells SELF they’re worth a try if you deal with poor sleep or eye fatigue and irritation after long stretches of blue light exposure. Plus, there are some pretty darn stylish pairs out there, which we’ve tracked down for your browsing pleasure right here. But first, let’s take a closer look at how blue light glasses work in the first place.
What to look for when shopping for blue light glasses
As SELF has previously reported, visible light occupies wavelengths between about 380 and 700 nanometers (nm)—blue light falls between 400 and 500 nm on that spectrum. Effective blue light eyeglasses are designed to block a percentage of that range of light, and most brands will mention the level of blue light protection they offer somewhere on their site, Brian Boxer Wachler, MD, a board-certified ophthalmologist, refractive surgeon, and founder of the Boxer Wachler Vision Institute in Beverly Hills, California, tells SELF. Some brands don’t specify how much blue light their pairs block and only state that they provide a warm tint that can offset blue light. It’s harder to know how effective these glasses will be, which isn’t ideal—but if they come from a reputable brand, you can still give them a try, Dr. Boxer Wachler says.
There are few other key features that’ll set a high-quality pair apart from the rest. They should also block ultraviolet (UV) light and feature an antireflective coating, Dr. Tsai says. She notes that yellow- or orange-tinted lenses may help filter out more blue light, but adds that blue light glasses with clear lenses can still be effective and won’t impact your color perception if you decide to wear them all day. Finally, just like any other pair of glasses, your blue light frames should fit your face and feel comfortable, even for hours at a time.
Our top picks
- Best Overall: Felix Gray Nash
- Runner-Up: Theraspecs Audrey
- Best Budget: Zenni Square Glasses
- Best Splurge: Roka Oslo 2.0 Blue Light
- Best Size Range: Eyebuydirect
- Best for Gaming and Computer Screens: Gunnar Ellipse
In this article
The best blue light glasses
Now that you have a clearer idea of what to look for, check out our favorite blue light glasses below. They won’t stop you from watching TikToks at 11 p.m., but they’ll make that activity a little easier on your eyes (and sleep schedule).
- Clear lenses are easier to wear all day
- Free exchanges and full refunds within 30 days of purchase
- Stylish frames
- Next to none—practically perfect
Felix Gray uses proprietary filters built directly into its glasses’ lenses to block about 90% of blue light. The lenses are also designed to prevent glare, and they’re available with or without amber tints. As far as the frames go, there are a bunch of cute, classic options to choose from—plus you can filter them by face width (narrow, medium, or wide) and by low-nose-bridge designs.
We picked the Nash frame for its chic green color, but it’s also available in black, clear, and tortoise shell (if you’re not sure which frames to choose, the site’s virtual try-on feature makes the decision a little easier). In addition to offering prescription lenses—which start at $145—Felix Gray also gives you the option to order a pair with reading glasses lenses.
Prescription available: Yes | Sizes: Medium (49-17-140 millimeters)
- Multiple tint and filtration options
- Reader lenses also available
- A little pricier than our overall pick
Dawn Buse, PhD, clinical professor of neurology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, previously recommended Theraspecs to SELF. It makes a few types of lenses for different light-blocking needs: The Contrast HEV line filters wavelengths under 455 nm, while the FL-Blend and FL-Pro lines filter wavelengths between 480 nm and 520 nm (the key difference is their tint—Blend lenses are purple-plum and designed to be easier to wear all day long, while Pro lenses are rosy to better block artificial and fluorescent light).
All three lens varieties are available in the Audrey frame, which has a subtle cat-eye shape that’ll make your screen time feel a little more chic.
Prescription available: Yes | Sizes: One size (50-18-144 millimeters)
- Frames and lenses cost as little as $23
- Huge inventory
- Some reviewers report difficulty with color perception, regardless of tint
Zenni sells all kinds of eyewear for a wide range of budgets, including sunglasses, prescription lenses, and frames for kids. When you find the frames you want (we’re partial to this bold square style), you can opt to add the brand’s Blokz blue light lenses to your pair. Standard Blokz filter light up to 420 nm and Blokz Plus lenses filter up to 450 nm. Either option is great if you want to make the blue light from your digital devices less intense.
You can choose from a variety of tints or keep your lenses clear—just note that adding Blokz lenses to your glasses also adds $17 to your overall order.
Prescription available: Yes | Sizes: One size (52-16-126 millimeters)
- Designed to stay put during exercise and other activities
- Cool, minimalist frames
- No clear lens options
Roka’s ultra-sleek glasses are made with clever features like grippy nose pads and lightweight frames, so you can enjoy your favorite activities without worrying about your specs getting in the way. Like Zenni, Roka offers lenses with a blue light-filtering coating in a bunch of its frames (including the slightly rounded Oslo). They can block 53% of light at the 455 nm range and have a subtle yellowish tint. These sporty glasses are a little more expensive than our other picks, but if you’re an active person who doesn’t want to switch between glasses when going from workouts to phone time, we think they’re worth the investment.
Prescription available: Yes | Sizes: Small (48-20-139 millimeters) and regular (58-20-139 millimeters)
- Lots of styles for different face shapes and sizes
- Multiple filtration options
- Site can be slow and glitchy
This small-faced writer can personally attest to Eyebuydirect’s thorough search capabilities, specifically when it comes to finding frames with particular dimensions. You can filter by overall size or use the toggle options to select measurement ranges for the total frame width, lens height, lens width, bridge width, and arm length. Once you find your just-right size (the inventory is vast, but it’s possible), you can select one of three types of blue-light-filtering lenses at checkout.
EBDBlue Plus lenses filter blue light between 400 and 455 nm. EBDBlue 360 lenses offer that same range of filtration, as well as an antiglare coating. EBDBlue Smart lenses are blue light-filtering and photochromic, meaning their tint adjusts in response to the lighting of your surroundings.
Prescription available: Yes | Sizes: Small (48-19-140 millimeters), medium (50-19-145 millimeters), and large (51-19-145 millimeters)
- IDesigned for spending extended periods in front of screens
- Multiple tint options
- Certain styles may bend easily or feel a little flimsy, according to Amazon reviewers
Whether you’re starting a campaign, doing a little cozy gaming, or going into focus mode to tackle a bunch of spreadsheets, Gunnar’s best-selling computer glasses have you covered. The brand makes several different lens tints—the best and most popular option is Amber, which blocks about 65% of blue light, but you can also try Clear, which blocks less blue light but won’t mess with your color perception (this can be key if you’re paying close attention to the graphics on your screen).
In addition to its lenses, Gunnar’s glasses have more features to help you stay comfy at your desk. For example, the Ellipse style has adjustable nose pads and a lightweight design that won’t create pressure points if you wear headphones with them.
Prescription available: Yes | Sizes: One size (51-18-136 millimeters)
More great options
While we couldn’t find specific blue light filtration info on the following pairs, we still think they’re solid options if you’re looking for fashionable, potentially protective frames.
Arguably the direct-to-consumer eyewear brand, Warby Parker makes it super easy to find a pair of glasses that suit your style and face. It has a home try-on service that allows you to test up to five pairs at a time and lots of size options. For an additional $50, you can add blue-light-filtering lenses to these sleek frames.
Prescription available: Yes | Sizes: Extra narrow (46-16-130 millimeters), narrow (47-18-145 millimeters), medium (48-18-142 millimeters), wide (50-20-145 millimeters), and extra wide (55-20-150 millimeters)
One SELF staffer wears her Diff glasses when her eyes start to feel blurry and strained: “I find that the blue-light-blocking glasses help give my eyes a little bit of a break; they seem to take down the brightness on the screen,” she says. She also notes that Diff’s frame options are especially cute, which certainly doesn’t hurt.
Prescription available: Yes | Sizes: One size (54-19-142 millimeters)
Glasses USA is similar to Zenni and Eyebuydirect in the sense that you can spend hours scrolling through its selections—but if you know what you’re looking for, the checkout process is a breeze, right down to adding blue light lenses to your order.
Prescription available: Yes | Sizes: Small (49-18-140 millimeters), medium (51-18-145 millimeters), large (45-18-145 millimeters), and extra-large (54-21-145 millimeters)
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