Blue Light Screen Protector Vs Blue Light Glasses + Top Tips


It can be difficult to determine what type of blue light protection is the best choice for you. For that reason, this article compares blue light screen protector vs blue light glasses so that you can decide which of them, if any, is a better fit for you. Plus, as a bonus, you’ll also find a comparison table that helps you to compare each product at a glance!

If you’re in a hurry, here is a site I recommended for office equipment with lifetime guarantee!

Blue Light Screen Protector Vs Blue Light Glasses

In general, the key differences between blue light screen protector and blue light glasses include their price, the number of devices that you are shielded from, how they are used and how easy they are to purchase to fit your needs or device.

  1. Purpose of product
  2. Level of protection provided
  3. Number of devices you’re protected from
  4. Cost
  5. Ease of purchase
  6. Ease of use
  7. Application
  8. Visual quality
  9. Anti-glare protection
FeatureBlue Light Screen ProtectorBlue Light Glasses
Purpose of productDesigned to reducing digital eye strain and/or improve sleep for person viewing a screenDesigned to reducing digital eye strain and/or improve sleep for person wearing glasses
Level of blue light protection providedGenerally available as a clear film which offers lower protectionOffers lenses in varying shades for lower protection for daytime up to higher protection for nighttime or sensitive eyes
Number of devices you’re protected fromDevice itselfBlue light in view while wearing glasses
Cost$9.99 – $125 +$15 – $129.99+
Ease of purchaseEasier for popular brandsMedium
Ease of useEasyEasy
ApplicationOne deviceAll blue light in sight
Visual qualityNo blur and limited tintLimited blur and tint varies
Anti-glare protectionUsually includedBack and front anti-glare coating for less glare

Blue light is linked to digital eye strain and disruption of your sleep patterns. Source

It’s clear that while there are many similarities between a blue light blocking screen filter and blue light glasses, there are also some staggering differences which could ultimately be a game changer for you. Read on to get some more insight into the differences between these 2 products.

Blue Light Screen Protector Vs Blue Light Glasses


Purpose of product

When deciding between a blue light blocking screen filter and blue light glasses, the first step is to determine the primary purpose of the unit. This will immediately help to filter down to the type of blue light device that best suits you.

There are 2 primary reasons for investing in blue light blocking devices:

  1. To prevent digital eye strain
  2. To prevent sleep disruption

Since both blue light screen protectors and blue light glasses can support both of these requirements, it’s a matter of determining which one completes a better job of offering protection.

Also, considering the type of device that will suit your preferences and budget will help to make the final decision. These will be covered in the next few sections.

Tip: If you experience problems sleeping, calculate how much time you spend exposed to blue light before bed, including blue light exposure from lighting and devices.

Level of protection provided

Generally speaking, both blue light screen protectors and blue light blocking glasses can be purchased in varying levels of strength to protect you from blue light.

A screen protector covers the entirety of the device to ensure you are not exposed to any corners of blue light.

In comparison, blue light glasses only shield your eyes. So, if you are concerned about blue light causing skin damage and premature aging, the screen protector would offer the most coverage.

In order to minimize digital eye strain, people will generally find sufficient relief by using clear blue light lenses which provide protection at the peak of 455nm.

If you are more sensitive to blue light, then you may require a tinted pair of glasses or pair them with the blue light screen filter on your device.

For those of you looking to minimize sleep disruption, a pair of tinted glasses are probably the better solution.

These range from a lower protection yellow tint all the way up to orange and even red tints.

High energy short wave blue light between 415 and 455 nm is the most dangerous. Source

Tip: The best method to reduce eye strain is to adopt the 20-20-20 technique. This involves looking at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes.

Number of devices you’re protected from

With blue light screen protectors, you are protected from the device that you are working on. However, with anti blue light blocking glasses, you are shielded from any blue light emitting device that you look at while wearing them.

Therefore, if you regularly switch between looking at your phone and laptop or TV, you will receive greater protection by wearing blue light glasses.

Let’s not forget that lights in the room also emit blue light; blue light glasses would also protect you from these as well.

Recommended product: LED light, flicker-free, dimmable + lifetime warranty

Cost

Blue light glasses tend to cost more than blue light blocking screens.

Blue light glasses range in prices from $13.99 up to $129.99+. If it’s prescription blue light glasses, then you can expect even higher costs.

GUNNAR prescription blue light glasses cost between $189.99 – $249.99.

In contrast, blue light screen protectors vary in price depending on the size of the screen. As the screen size increases, so does the price.

Anti blue light screen protector prices start at $9.99 for a phone and can range all the way up to $125+ for a 27” monitor.

Prices can increase as much as double or even triple when comparing budget priced blue light glasses with higher quality ones.

At a minimum, you should expect to spend at least $30 on a pair of clear lenses.

Tip: Avoid choosing lenses which are too dark as this could cause eye strain due to inadequate lighting getting into your eye.

Related: How Much Do Blue Light Glasses Cost? + 35 Popular Examples! 

Ease of purchase

When purchasing a blue light screen protector, it’s a matter of finding one that fits your screen or model of device.

Sometimes, websites will have the option to pick a screen protector based on the type of phone or tablet that you own.

This is quite common for iPhones and Apple products, namely on the Ocushield site.

With blue light glasses, it becomes a bit more complex.

Firstly, if you wear prescription glasses, it is generally recommended to go to an optician to get your glasses. They will have high quality equipment that will offer you a clearer blue light lens compared to those bought off the internet.

If you don’t have prescription glasses or you would just rather order online, you’ll need to pick out a pair of glasses and hope that they fit and suit your face.

Some of the superior sites, such as GUNNAR, offer a virtual try on option so that you can see how the glasses look on you through your device camera.

However, it won’t be until you receive and try on the glasses that you’ll know how well they fit or how they feel in terms of quality.

Furthermore, with prescription glasses purchased online, you’ll have a difficult time trying to return them if you simply don’t like them.

Related: 12 Pros And Cons Of Blue Light Glasses & Expert Insights!

Ease of use

With blue light glasses, you’ll need to ensure that they fit you properly. If you bought prescription glasses from an optician, it’s usually a matter of paying them a visit when they arrive to try them out.

However, some opticians now send them out to your home.

After that’s all sorted, you will need to remember to wear them or bring them with you when you are going from place to place, and even room to room.

Will you really get out of the couch if they’re left up in the bedroom?

For blue light screen protectors, there is the initial hurdle of attaching them to your screen.

There is a technique to this as you’ll want it to sit perfectly on the screen without bubbles.

However, after this is completed, the screen filter sits there until you remove it again. From this perspective, it may be the easier of the 2, especially if you’re a forgetful person.

Related: Should I Put Desk In Front Of Window? You Need To Know Why

Application

When and where you will need protection from blue light should also be considered. With the blue light blocking filter, it can only be applied to the device, so it is there until you remove it.

Blue light glasses are portable and can be worn both at home and at work.

However, if you choose blue light glasses, you will also need to select a level of lens tint. This can vary from clear lenses right up to red lenses.

If you opt for a tinted version, it will encourage you to sleep better and block a greater level of blue light. However, it may also make them unsuitable for certain activities, especially if it distorts the color of the screen.

Also, if you opt for a strongly tinted pair of glasses, these tend to be only suitable for nighttime use.

In some cases, people will have a pair of clear lenses for daytime and a tinted pair for evening use.

Visual quality

Both blue light screen protectors and blue light glasses should provide a blur-free view. Generally, blue light blocking screens come in a clear film which means that they won’t give off a yellow tint on your screen.

If you opt for tinted blue light glasses, then you’ll either have to tolerate the yellow tint or take off the glasses if the yellow tint is affecting your work.

Tip: Some blue light screen protectors offer the added bonus of a privacy filter.

Related: How Do Blue Light Screen Protectors Work? + Myths Debunked!

Anti-glare protection

Both blue light screen protectors and blue light glasses can come with anti-glare protection. This coating is designed to reduce or eliminate the reflection of light on your screen, thus giving you comfort from glare on your screen.

When purchasing a blue light filter screen, check the specs to see if anti-glare is a feature.

This feature is predominantly useful if you use a device in a place where it is sunny or has bright lights shining on the screen.

An anti-reflective coating is a valuable add-on that can also be incorporated into your blue light glasses to improve your vision.

Furthermore, it minimizes glare that people see when looking at the glasses themselves.

This makes the glass lens free of annoying reflection which can interfere with your vision and people’s ability to see your eyes.

However, this coating will need to be added on when you are purchasing the glasses as opposed to it being retrospectively fitted.

Modern anti-reflective coatings can allow as much as 99.5% of light through the lens and into the eye. This allows you greater visibility, as there is less glare blocking your vision on the lenses.

When researching this coating, the best option is anti-glare coating which is provided both on the back and front of the lens as this minimizes glare.

This is particularly valuable at night when the available lighting is already limited.

Tip: Blue light glasses which include an anti-reflective coating on the front and back of the lens helps prevent a shadow of your eyeball reflecting on the glasses.

Related: 21 Pros And Cons Of Natural Light + Surprising Benefits!

Conclusion

The above pros and cons should help you to narrow down which option suits you best.

Irrespective of what option you pick, the key factor is getting adequate protection from harmful blue light.

If you require protection from digital eye strain throughout the day, clear lenses which block blue light at a peak of 455nm tend to offer sufficient protection for the majority of people.

I have personally looked into the Ocushield brand, and they seem like the most promising product on the market.

The Ocushield anti blue light glasses claim to block, “up to 99% of harmful UV & blue light emissions between 300-400nm and up to 40% of harmful blue light between 400-470nm”.

Do you own any blue light protection products, or do you rely on a blue light filter app? I’d love to hear your thoughts and opinions in the comments below.

Sharon

With years of both professional and first-hand experience in office equipment and work settings, I now want to help you avoid making mistakes that countless others do. Whether you're studying or working from home, this site will help you create the ultimate haven for working safely, comfortably and productively in!

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