Blue Light Glasses: A Necessity in a Remote Work World

With the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions slowly easing back, many people who realized the practicality and freedom of working from home, are continuing to remain in positions that let them do just that.

While our commute times may have gotten shorter (as in, from the bedroom to the home office), the time spent in front of our computers has not.

It can be tricky to know when to shut it down, and step away from electronics for the day.  With a more heavily blurred line between work and play, and sometimes working odd hours around kids and family, we might be looking at a screen later than we should, resulting in a harder time getting to sleep, and trouble with headaches and vision due to blue light.

What’s a work at home aficionado to do?

Invest in a pair of blue light glasses of course! Not being able to step out of the confines of home for the last year might have had you putting off a visit to your optometrist to look into a pair of these lifesavers. However, with remote work not nearly over and probably here to stay, being as comfortable as possible at your home work station can result in a more productive, stress free life both on and off the clock.

How do blue light glasses work?

Blue light glasses may help ease eye strain by blocking the high energy blue light rays emitted from our phones and laptops. The sun emits these rays too, and we all know its tough to sleep when the sun is shining! Our bodies aren’t meant to sleep when blue light is plentiful.

These rays may also interfere with melatonin production since our brains register our screens like they register a sunny day, keeping us awake longer than we should be, and interrupting our bodies natural rhythms. If possible, avoid using devices too close to bedtime. If you’re working after dark however, a pair of blue light glasses can ease the strain, and help keep you feeling more calm at your computer.

How can the Optical Shop of Westport help me find blue light glasses?

Now that you’re ready to nix headaches, and make sure you’re getting your rest at night even in your work from home environment, Optical Shop of Westport can help you find a pair of glasses that helps block blue light.

They don’t have to look unfashionable, like the typical picture of plastic textured blue light glasses we often envision.

We can help you to find beautiful stylish frames that will have the added benefit of looking great on all of those Zoom calls and remote meetings you still have to attend!

Choose from tortoiseshell, round, rectangular frame styles, and more. We can help craft a bespoke pair of blue light glasses to add to your work from home wardrobe for both fashion and function.

You may be still only be wearing leggings, but you can certainly feel stylish and confident just the same!

To inquire, check our homepage for the hours we are open and come stop by! Or, email us at opticalshopofwestport@gmail.com to schedule an appointment with Margharet.

Healthy eating protects your eyes along with your heart and brain

The great news about sticking to food that benefits your heart and brain is that your eyes will benefit, too, without any special additions or deletions to the healthy diet you have already chosen. 

So if you are nutritionally sound already, you don’t have to do anything extra to protect your eye health.

The cautionary news is that the things your doctor tells you to stay away from – sugar, fats and other good-tasting items – can also harm your eyes if you over-indulge.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology has investigated how food affects your eyes, and it came up with a list of 36 vision-healthy foods, featuring fruits, vegetables, beans and fish.

Harvard Medical School promotes a similar eye-healthy diet, with an added focus on yellow and orange fruits and vegetables, plus egg yolks. They feature antioxidant vitamins and minerals (A, C, and E, and the mineral zinc). Although there is not yet solid proof, studies have suggested that these vitamins and minerals may help prevent the progression of macular degeneration and cataracts.

As the Academy of Ophthalmology points out, it is no surprise that a diet to help your heart would also help your eyes. Tiny arteries provide oxygen-filled blood to eyes, a key to their health.

Like Harvard, the eye physicians recommend fruits and vegetables high in vitamin C, including:

• Oranges

• Tangerines

• Grapefruit

• Peaches

• Red bell peppers

• Tomatoes

• Strawberries

Vitamin E, an anti-oxidant, may help prevent or delay macular degeneration and cataracts, according to an Age-related Eye Diseases Study, first conducted in 2001 and updated in 2011.

Vitamin E is found in:

• Avocados

• Almonds

• Sunflower seeds.

Omega-3 fatty acids, as you no doubt have already heard, are considered heart-healthy because they lower bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol. That trait is good for eye health as well. The best fish to supply these chemicals:

• Salmon

• Tuna

• Halibut

• Trout

• Sardines

Beans and legumes offer zinc, which may help your eyes reduce the harmful effects of natural light. (You should also always wear sunglasses that block all ultraviolet rays when enjoying the outdoors.) Excellent sources of zinc that are also easy to find in the grocery store are:

• Black-eyed peas

• Kidney beans

• Lima beans

Another plus to eating healthy is this: You don’t need to buy bottled vitamins and minerals. An exception is made for those who already have macular degeneration. In that case, your doctor will probably recommend supplements.

There is a flip side to eating to support the healthy functioning of all parts of your body. You can make yourself – and specifically your eyes – sick by indulging in the usual suspects:

• Instead of fat-filled mayonnaise, try a squirt of lemon juice to spice up your next sandwich.

• Fill up with whole grains breads and even pasta instead of carbohydrates based on white flour.

• Keep your intake of red meat and sausage to a minimum

• Keep your hand away from the French fries and potato chips. Skip the bowl of ice cream. Instead, enjoy an apple and a single cookie for dessert

Your eyes will thank you, and you will be thankful for the extra years of eye health you will enjoy.