Three reasons blue light safety glasses are essential on the job

Think of places you visit regularly: the doctor, the mall, the grocery store, your workplace, or even the outdoors in bright sunlight. All of these environments expose blue light to your eyes. 

Energy-efficient light bulbs, your computer, and your phone contain light-emitting diodes (LEDs) that all contain a mix of yellow and blue light - that's how you get that intense white and brightness. 

Did you know even the sun exposes your eyes to blue light too? In fact, sunlight is one of the most powerful sources of blue light we encounter daily, especially when working outdoors.  

The good news? Here are three reasons why blue light-blocking safety glasses (especially ours) are essential on the job 

1. Blue light hazards could damage your eyes

Not all colors of light have the same effect on individuals. According to Harvard research, blue light is the culprit of several known health issues over long periods. Blue light is inherently dangerous because it has the shortest wavelength and the highest energy compared to other colors.

But, blue light isn’t necessarily bad. A huge benefit of blue wavelengths is that they’re important during daylight hours to help you boost attention, reaction times, and mood. 

However, the increase in means and longevity of exposure can bring on negative effects. Over time, too much exposure to blue light during working hours both indoors and outdoors can cause damage to the eye.  

Indoor work, such as working in bright warehouses, manufacturing facilities, and automotive plants, often have new overhead lighting systems with LED technology that emit more blue light than ever. Even the back-lit screens on your digital devices use bright LEDs. 

Outdoor work often includes working under intense sunlight. Since the sun is one of the strongest sources of blue light, outdoor workers are especially vulnerable to overexposure. 

Here’s how the damage happens: Blue light’s short wavelengths penetrate the back of the eye, harming the retina cells. Long-term, this can lead to macular degeneration, when a person loses their central vision (peripheral vision is unaffected) and can no longer see fine details. It can also cause eye strain, fatigue, and headaches.

The worst part? This kind of damage can develop slowly over time... and the effects are irreversible. 

2. Blue light could negatively affect your sleep

The proliferation of energy-efficient [LED] light sources and electronics with screens increases our exposure to blue wavelengths, especially at work and after sundown. The combination of blue light with nighttime seems to be when it is most disruptive.

Here’s why: the same reason that blue light is good for you during the day is why it is bad for you at night: it disrupts your biological clock (also known as your circadian rhythm). Exposure to light suppresses the secretion of melatonin (the hormone that regulates sleep), and the lower melatonin levels might explain the association with sleepless nights and daytime fatigue.

Even exposure to sunlight outside during the late afternoon and early evening can cause this extended disruption. While sunlight plays a vital role in keeping you alert during the day, prolonged exposure to its blue light wavelengths later in the day can delay melatonin production, throwing off your sleep schedule and leaving you wide awake when you need rest.  

Sleepless nights lead to short-term lack of sleep or insomnia, which impairs cognitive function, thus affecting memory, attention span, and the ability to reason.

What’s worse is that if persistent, insomnia can eventually contribute to serious physical and mental health problems, with research showing that it may contribute to the causation of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.

A study found a 60 percent higher incidence rate of breast cancer in nurses and attributed it to the blue component in light used in facilities during the night shift.

3. The right protection increases safety and compliance

The good news is that many eye issues listed above are preventable. 

The number one safety measure you can take is to wear safety glasses that reduce harmful blue light. 

This is especially true for workers who: 

• Have prolonged exposure to harsh artificial overhead light sources (mainly LED lighting), 
• Have access to digital devices for extended periods,  
• Work the night shifts,  
• Are overexposed to sunlight when working outdoors. 

Plus, the right safety glasses can protect against more than just blue light hazards – with many options including anti-fog, scratch-resistance, comfort, different styles, and more, workers will be more inclined to keep eyewear on their face if they like what they are wearing. 

What is the difference between CBR65® and CBR23™ lenses?  

CBR65® is ideal for indoor applications: 

• Blue light exposure is reduced by up to 50% 
• Ideal for tasks with high visual requirements in bright artificial light 
• Better contrast with no masking of color comprehension provides clearer vision and reduced eye strain 
• 65% visible light transmission prevents the eye from getting tired too fast 
• Helps increase focus in particularly bright workplaces, improving productivity and reducing risk 

CBR23™ is ideal for outdoor applications: 

• Blue light exposure is reduced by up to 50% 
• Ideal for tasks that cause overstimulation from prolonged exposure to bright sunlight 
• Minimize glare from reflective surfaces, improving safety and preventing the eyes from getting too tired too fast 
• 23% visible light transmission prevents the eye from getting tired too fast 
• Helps to maintain a more natural alertness during the day, allowing for a smoother transition to relaxation and sleep at night 

We have several options for outdoor eyewear protection already, including our Grey 23% tinted lenses – which you may already be wearing to help reduce glare while still having excellent color vision in bright sunlight and avoiding UV exposure. Our CBR23™ tinted lenses give you an additional level of protection beyond UV exposure in outdoor environments by blocking dangerous blue light. 

For those looking for additional lens options, it's important to consider how different tints affect vision.

Brown vs. grey lenses

• Brown is better for enhanced contrast and depth perception, creating a warmer and more vibrant view. Often referred to as the "happy lens," it is great for driving and fishing.
• Brown works well in variable light conditions, whereas grey is better suited for very bright conditions as it reduces brightness and glare.
• Grey provides true color accuracy; however, our brown CBR23™ lens has been tested and approved to pass signal color accuracy tests.

Plus, here are some tips that you can implement right now to help mitigate the effects of blue light: 

1. Build awareness with your employees on the effects of blue light 
2. Take a quick break if you’re starting to feel eye strain, fatigue, or headaches 
3. Shift works to different applications to help prevent extended exposure to areas of high blue light exposure 
4. Use a blue light filtering screen or turn off the blue light settings on digital devices 
5. Limit use of LED screen devices to 1 hour at a time 
6. Build blinking exercises into your daily routine to work eye muscles and refocus eyesight 
7. Wear a wide-brimmed hat or use other shading tools to minimize direct sunlight exposure 
8. Take regular breaks in shaded areas or indoors to rest your eyes from constant sun exposure 
9. Choose eyewear that offers UV protection, as UV rays also contribute to eye strain and long-term damage. All our eyewear is 100% UV protected, no matter the tint 
10. Adjust work schedules to avoid peak sunlight hours when possible, or move to shaded areas to reduce exposure 

Let us know if you need help or if you're ready to start a trial - our Solution Specialists are ready to work with you. Call 1.877.MY ARMOR or send us a message

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Plus, download your very own Blue Light Assessment Checklist to use in your workplace.

[Originally posted on April 5, 2019]