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    We Spent a Week Wearing Glasses That Block Blue Light

    *Pushes up glasses* How do I look?

    John Mihaly
    by John Mihaly

    BuzzFeed Staff

    Every single person in my family wears glasses. Except me. I’m not sure how or why I’ve been granted these “eagle eyes” but I know I’m super lucky to still have 20/20 vision at this point in my life.

    BuzzFeed

    I’m also becoming a bit concerned (i.e., paranoid) about my sight, considering my eyes are affixed to some sort of glowing screen for the better part of each day. There have been times when I’ve experienced eye strain and some mild headaches toward the end of the workday.

    Part of me has always secretly wondered what it would be like to wear glasses, to have to go through that process of figuring out what shape my face is (still no clue) in order to land upon just the right frames. If only there was some way to combat my growing fear of macular degeneration with my unrequited vanity for eyewear.

    The Basics

    BuzzFeed

    Get this: Each day, about 80% of adults in the US spend more than two hours with their digital devices and more than half (60%) report experiencing digital eye strain caused by blue light emitted from screens. Natural blue light (from the sun) is known to boost attention, reaction times, and mood during daylight hours. But at night, blue light can suppress the secretion of melatonin and adversely affect one’s natural circadian rhythm. No matter the time of day, potentially harmful blue light is beamed into our eyeballs whenever we stare at a screen.

    The Blokz by Zenni (starting at $17 plus frame cost) are virtually clear lenses for all-day, everyday use, designed to protect your vision from the blue light emitted from our digital devices that can cause tired, dry, blurry, irritated eyes, difficulty focusing, or headaches. The lenses are made with a special polymer that prevents said bad blue light from passing through to your peepers. Unlike cheap coating methods, the polymer is incorporated directly into the lens so it won't chip or wear away.

    What/Who It’s Best For

    20th Century Fox / Via giphy.com

    The Blokz by Zenni are for anyone with eyeballs glued to screens all day, already bespectacled individuals seeking fashionable and affordable frames (there are 3,000+ to choose from) with a little something extra, and the eyewear-curious crowd looking for a healthy reason to wear some specs (available in both prescription and non-prescription options for men and women).

    The Good

    The most challenging part of this review was remembering to actually put on the glasses. Sometimes you just want to sit down and get to staring at that screen, y’know? But after overcoming that initial roadblock, I found the glasses to be quite comfortable, meaning they never pinched too hard or slipped down my nose, and they rested just right on my ears.

    I worked my way up to wearing them for longer periods of time each day until I was sporting them anytime I was staring at a screen larger than my smartphone (and sometimes both at the same time). Other than being aware of the frames, the lenses were clear as can be. It wasn’t like looking through a pane of window glass; it was as if there were no window at all.

    Everything was crystal clear and, best of all, I didn’t experience any headaches or eye strain at the end of the day. And when I stopped wearing them, that eye strain starting creeping back.

    The-Not-So-Good

    Marvel Studios / Via giphy.com

    Question for the glasses-wearing public: How much time do you spend wiping smudges off your specs every day? I began to feel like I was leaving eye prints just by looking through the lenses. Luckily they included a lens cloth!

    Speaking of those lenses, like most blue blockers, they do have a slight yellow tint (that may increase depending on prescription strength) but I was told that I didn’t look like Tony Stark.

    Honestly, the hardest part of testing these glasses (for me) was picking the right frames. The virtual try-on option certainly helped whittle down the options. I selected two different models: one for work and one for home (because if my experiences with sunglasses have taught me anything, it’s that I’ll likely leave them behind on my desk). So now I’ve got a new “work” look and “home” look. And I’m still totally weirded out by seeing myself wearing them.

    The Takeaway

    BuzzFeed

    I’m definitely going to continue to wear the Blokz by Zenni beyond this initial testing phase. Effectiveness ultimately comes down to the wearer and is dependent on conditions, but it’s totally worth it for my eyes (and peace of mind), regardless of how I think I look. We have no idea what prolonged exposure to blue light may do to us, but if you’re feeling any sort of eye strain or headachiness that comes from everyday screen time, a pair of Blokz might be a cost-effective and immediate solution.