Blue Light Glasses Australia: Do They Work? A Science-Backed Guide

Blue Light Glasses Australia: Do They Work? A Science-Backed Guide

If you've searched "do blue light glasses work?", you're not alone.

In Australia, screen time is at an all-time high - for adults, teens, and children alike. Laptops, tablets, phones, classroom devices, late-night scrolling, digital homework, remote work… our eyes and brains are exposed to artificial light for longer than any generation before us.

Blue light glasses are everywhere. Trusted brands like Luxottica (OPSM), Specsavers, Oscar Wylee, Bailey Nelson, Independent Optometrists all sell them. Truth is it's hard to come by one that doesn't.

But what do the Optometry governing bodies say? - lets take a look. (spoiler alert - it's all against using blue blocking glasses)

UK Optometry Position on Blue Light Filtering Glasses (2026)

As of 2026, major UK optometry governing and professional bodies maintain that there is no strong scientific evidence to support the general use of blue light filtering glasses for improving eye health or visual performance.

Key positions from leading organizations include:

1. College of Optometrists (UK)

The College states that the best available scientific evidence does not support using blue-blocking lenses in the general population for:

1. Alleviating eye fatigue or visual discomfort

2. Improving sleep quality

3. Conserving macular health or preventing eye disease

Guidance for Professionals: Optometrists selling these lenses must inform patients of the lack of strong evidence.

View the full info here:

2. Association of Optometrists (AOP)

The AOP emphasizes that digital devices emit far less blue light than natural sunlight, and these levels do not approach eye safety limits.

No Proven Link: There is insufficient evidence to link screen-emitted blue light to conditions like age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

View the full info here:

3. Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO)

Insufficient Evidence: ABDO advises that there is currently insufficient evidence to generally recommend blue light filters for reducing eye fatigue or enhancing sleep.

Marketing Restrictions: They advise members to avoid making definitive claims about eye health or circadian cycles when dispensing these lenses.

View the full info here:

Recent Evidence (2023–2026)

The stance of these bodies was reinforced by a significant 2023 Cochrane Review, which concluded that blue-light filtering spectacles probably make no difference to eye strain or sleep quality compared to standard lenses.

Regulatory Context

The General Optical Council (GOC) requires registrants to be honest and trustworthy. Clinicians must not make misleading or unsubstantiated claims in their advertising or consultations.

In the past, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has ruled against optical retailers for making unsubstantiated claims about blue light protection.

Even though many regulatory bodies have taken this stance:

Why do Optometry practices sell them?

Why do so many leading optics companies like Zeiss and Hoya manufacture them?

Why do consumers keep buying them?

Do they actually help - or are they just another wellness trend?

This guide cuts through the noise - using peer-reviewed research, and real-world optometric experience - to explain what blue light does, when protection matters, and how to choose the right solution for your eyes, sleep, and long-term digital wellbeing.

What Changed When Screens Took Over

Over the past 20 years of clinical testing, I've watched something quietly but profoundly shift.

When I was 16 and computers first entered everyday life, digital eye strain wasn't even a term. Screens existed, but they weren't designed to hold attention endlessly. You used a computer… then you stopped. There was a natural pause.

That pause no longer exists.

As technology evolved, so did behaviour. Social media, infinite scrolling, short-form video - everything is engineered to keep you engaged. Platforms know attention drops if nothing changes every few seconds, so content moves faster… and we stare longer.

We blink less.
We lean closer.
We stay locked in.

Clinically, that's when symptoms began to rise.

Dryness. Headaches. Eye fatigue. Difficulty focusing. What we now call digital eye strain became increasingly common - not just in adults, but in children.

School nurses began reporting more students presenting with headaches during the day, often after extended screen use. When those children came in for eye exams, the pattern was clear: screen exposure increased, and symptoms followed.

At the same time, we started paying closer attention to light itself.

Blue Light and Retinal Cell Studies

Blue light interaction with ocular tissue has been studied for decades. Laboratory and animal studies have shown that short-wavelength light can trigger photochemical stress, oxidative damage, and mitochondrial disruption in retinal cells when exposure is intense or prolonged.

Early work by Ham et al. demonstrated that the retina is particularly sensitive to short-wavelength (blue) light, with damage occurring at lower energy thresholds compared to longer wavelengths (Ham et al., 1976; Ham et al., 1978).

Subsequent research has reinforced these findings, showing that blue light can induce reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial DNA damage in retinal pigment epithelial cells (Godley et al., 2005; Nakanishi-Ueda et al., 2013).

What Is Blue Light? (And Why It's Different)

Blue light sits in the short-wavelength, high-energy end of the visible light spectrum (UV light is 100 to 400nm, and blue light sits closely to that at 380nm to 500nm).

According to the International Commission on Illumination (CIE) and ISO 21348, UV radiation is precisely subdivided into three bands: a) UVA 315-400nm | b) UVB 280-315 | c) UVC 100-280

Its worth noting here that according to the info I could find, there is overlap in the classification between UVA and 'Blue light' from the 380 to 400nm range. So why is this important? 

Blue light and UV are closer than most people realise.
At the edge, it’s often the same light with a different name.

There are two main sources:

1. Natural blue light from the sun (essential for alertness and circadian rhythm during the day)

2. Artificial blue light from LEDs - phones, laptops, tablets, monitors

The associated risks depend on timing, intensity, and duration.

Modern screens emit concentrated, narrow-band blue wavelengths, late into the evening, at close viewing distances, with reduced blinking. This combination is what research increasingly links to eye strain and broader digital wellbeing issues.

Referenced studies:

1. Ham et al., 1976

2. Ham et al., 1978

3. Godley et al., 2005

4. Nakanishi-Ueda et al., 2013

Do Blue Light Glasses Work? The Short Answer

Yes - when they are properly designed and used correctly. But not all blue light glasses are the same, and not all claims are backed by science. see the ocushield glasses range

To understand how they work, we need to look at three key areas:

1. Digital Eye Strain

2. Melatonin & Sleep

3. Long-Term Digital Wellbeing

1. Blue Light & Digital Eye Strain

Digital eye strain (Computer Vision Syndrome) is one of the most common complaints we see clinically.

Symptoms include:

Burning or gritty eyes, Dryness or watering, Headaches, Blurred or fluctuating vision, Light sensitivity and Difficulty focusing after screen use.

Clinical studies on visual fatigue and comfort suggest that blue light contributes to visual fatigue and reduced visual comfort during prolonged screen use. In other words, blue light contributes to tired eyes when using computers screens.

Cutting out short-wavelength light has been shown to improve subjective eye comfort and reduce symptoms of eye strain in people exposed to digital displays. A controlled study by Lin et al. found that short-wavelength-blocking eyeglasses significantly attenuated symptoms of eye fatigue during screen tasks (Lin et al., 2017). Similar improvements in visual performance and flicker sensitivity were reported with blue-reducing lenses in clinical populations (Ide et al., 2015; Colombo et al., 2017).

FDA and MHRA approved laptop screen protectors

What the science shows

Research indicates that blue light:

1. Increases visual scatter inside the eye

2. Forces the visual system to work harder to maintain focus

3. Contributes to ocular surface stress when combined with reduced blink rate

Blue light filtering lenses can:

1. Reduce short-wavelength glare

2. Therefore reduce the risk of visual fatigue during prolonged screen use

👉 This is where blue light glasses help most with comfort and strain, especially for long screen hours.

Referenced studies:

1. Lin et al., 2017

2. Ide et al., 2015

3. Colombo et al., 2017

2. Blue Light, Melatonin & Sleep

Melatonin, explained simply

Melatonin is your body's darkness hormone.
It rises in the evening to signal that it's time to sleep.

Blue light - particularly wavelengths around 460–480nm - has been shown to suppress melatonin production, even at low intensities.

What the research shows

1. Evening screen exposure delays melatonin onset

2. Sleep timing shifts later

3. Sleep quality declines

4. Children and teens are more sensitive than adults

A Japanese study on children showed significant melatonin suppression from tablet exposure - even at household brightness levels.

Another human study demonstrated that wearing blue-blocking glasses in the evening can reduce melatonin suppression and improve sleep timing in individuals with screen-related sleep complaints (Perez Algorta et al., 2018).

These effects appear more pronounced in children and adolescents, whose eyes transmit more blue light to the retina.

👉 Wearing blue light glasses in the evening can reduce this suppression and support healthier sleep patterns.

Timing matters:

1. Daytime: blue light supports alertness

2. Evening: blue light disrupts sleep biology

Referenced studies:

1. Perez Algorta et al., 2018

2. Japanese paediatric melatonin study

3. Blue Light Effects on Systemic Health

Emerging research - including studies referenced in multiple studies - shows associations between excessive evening blue light exposure and:

1. Circadian rhythm disruption

2. Altered glucose regulation

3. Increased stress markers

4. Reduced overnight cognitive recovery

This doesn't mean blue light causes disease. But it reinforces a critical point:

👉 Light affects biology.

That's why digital wellbeing is about:

1. Protecting eyes

2. Supporting sleep

3. Respecting circadian biology

4. Creating healthier device habits for adults and children

Blue Light Glasses vs Screen Protectors

This isn't an either/or choice.

Blue light glasses work best when you're moving between devices or need evening protection. They help with eye comfort, reduce visual fatigue, and are ideal when you're switching from phone to laptop to tablet throughout the day.

Screen protectors work at the source. They're perfect for fixed devices like your work laptop, desktop monitor, or your child's school-issued tablet. They reduce emissions before the light even reaches your eyes.

The most effective approach? Layer your protection. Think of it like sunscreen and a hat - both work, both help, and together they're even better.

Blue light glasses | Phone Screen Protectors | Ipad Screen Protectors | Macbook Screen Protectors | Laptop and Desktop Screen Protectors

What Makes Blue Light Glasses Effective

Not all blue light glasses are created equal.

What actually matters is wavelength specificity. You need glasses that target the right range of blue light - not just any tinted lens with marketing claims. Measured transmission data shows exactly what wavelengths are being filtered. Optical clarity matters too, because poor quality lenses can actually cause more strain than they prevent.

Independent testing separates real protection from clever marketing.

This is why Eyehouse partners with Ocushield. They're clinically tested with independent spectral data. Their filters are FDA and MHRA approved. And they're designed to protect without over-filtering - because you still need some blue light during the day for alertness and circadian health.

Blue Light Protection for Children & Schools

Children's eyes are different from adult eyes.

Their eye lenses transmit more blue light directly to the retina. Their sleep cycles are still developing. And they're the first generation exposed to screens from early childhood - often for hours each day in classrooms, at home, and during recreation.

Digital citizenship isn't about banning devices. It's about using them responsibly and protecting developing eyes and sleep patterns. Using kids blue light glasses introduces them to safer habits early on while protecting them from these negative effects.

kids ocushield blue blocking glasses - FDA and MHRA approved

Where Skincare Fits In

Blue light doesn't only affect eyes.

Research shows that high-energy visible light can increase oxidative stress in skin, disrupt the skin barrier, and contribute to pigmentation changes. Your skin is being exposed to the same artificial light as your eyes - often for the same long hours.

That's why Eyehouse takes a whole-system approach. Blue light glasses protect your eyes. Screen protectors reduce emissions at the source. Eye-friendly cleansers remove daily buildup without irritating the delicate eye area. Night-time moisturisers support skin repair. And red and near-infrared light therapy can help counterbalance some of the effects of blue light exposure.

It's all connected.

Eye friendly cosmetics | TGA approved red light therapy mask

Do Blue Light Glasses Prevent Eye Disease?

Let's be clear about this.

Long-term exposure to visible and short-wavelength light has been explored in relation to retinal ageing and macular health. Detailed studies investigating sunlight exposure and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) suggest associations, but not direct causation (Taylor et al., 1990; Cruickshanks et al., 1993; Fletcher et al., 2008; Sui et al., 2013).

Reviews of this literature consistently conclude that while blue light can contribute to photochemical stress, real-world risk is influenced by multiple factors including genetics, antioxidants, cumulative exposure, and protective mechanisms within the eye (Margrain et al., 2004; Wu et al., 2006).

There is no conclusive evidence that blue light glasses prevent macular degeneration or eye disease. But there is evidence of increased photochemical stress created by blue wavelength light - meaning your retina is working harder when exposed to it.

Anyone claiming prevention of macular degeneration is overstating the science.

What blue light glasses do support is comfort. They help reduce eye strain. They support better sleep timing when worn in the evening. They improve your tolerance for long digital sessions.

And that still matters.

Referenced studies:

1. Taylor et al., 1990

2. Cruickshanks et al., 1993

3. Fletcher et al., 2008

4. Sui et al., 2013

5. Margrain et al., 2004

6. Wu et al., 2006

So… Do Blue Light Glasses Work?

Yes - when used intentionally and chosen wisely.

They're not a cure-all.
They're a tool.

And in a world that isn't getting less digital, protecting your eyes and sleep is no longer optional - it's foundational.

Keep protecting your eyes.
Support your sleep.
Respect your biology.

👉 Explore Blue Light Protection Solutions