Blue Blocker Glasses

[Sooki]

I'd like to share my experiences with blue blocker glasses and how dramatically they improved my swollen red eyelids.  I have Lupus as well as Sjs so I'm UV sensitive to begin with.  Then I had eyelid surgery in January.  After the wounds healed (normally), my eyes remained hugely swollen and red.  I had to go back to work on the computer after 2 weeks and I could feel my eyelids sizzle when I looked at the screen.  It was even worse with the TV. 

My UV blocking glasses didn't help.  I learned that low wavelength blue light in the range from 400-500 nm (UV tops out at 400) can be harmful, so I did some reading on ways to block harmful blue light.

After some initial tries, I got some cheap UVEX glasses - they're dark orange safety glasses that block out all UV and all blue light below 500nm.  They're the gold standard for blue blocking and great for dx. They're cheap online.  They're also ugly, uncomfortable, and tend to fall off your face.  But my eyes felt soothed right away and the swelling and redness has been going down.  I would recommend them for diagnostic purposes if nothing else.

I have just replaced them with Spectra479 wraparound glasses with the same orange lenses found in UVEX but in glasses that fit.  They make my eyes feel good.  Instant soothing.  I wear them outdoors, when watching TV, and other occasions that don't require prescriptions.

I have tinted glasses from readingglassesetc. for computer work. It's the second to darkest tint they have.  I may someday get tinted reading glasses from them.  For now, I'm putting stick-on bifocal patches onto my computer glasses for reading.  Their website includes spectrograms for all the tints they offer.

I chatted with the f.lux program people. They are very knowledgeable and have various custom programs people can put on their computers. I highly recommend communicating with them if you're interested in using f.lux to reduce your computer emissions. But none seemed to be just what I needed.

Glarminy dot com has tested blue coating and blue blocker glasses with spectrometers and have shown spectrograms of each for comparison.   The blue coatings used in most prescription glasses like Blue Tech don't remove much of the harmful blue rays; they're more to reduce glare.  Gunnar gaming glasses reduce more, but not enough for me.  NoIR also has good blue blocking glasses, but they're not available online yet.  BlueBlockGlasses are good but are designed as sleep glasses and might not stay on during the day - not sure.

I have some Gunnar gaming glasses I bought early in the search.  I hope to wear them when my eyes are better.  They don't block as much blue but they're very comfortable and I like the way they look

So, finally, my swollen eyelids are reducing in size and the redness has disappeared. I use cold packs twice a day.  I wonder how much of my scleral redness in the past was caused by light sensitivity.  I'm happy for now and hope that my increased sensitivity wears off after my eyes feel soothed and secure for awhile.

I read in my research that people who have cataract surgery sometimes get increased UV/blue sensitivity.  I hadn't heard of that happening otherwise.  My surgeon wasn't aware, nor was my rheumatologist. I also learned in passing that all polycarbonate lenses (the very lightweight plastic ones) are all UV blocking (but not blue blocking)

[eye2dry]

hi Sooki.

I wear faux Blue Blockers ......just plain old ones I bought
at W*lmart......they have elderly people modeling them
on the box.  I paid $50.00.

Now I wear regular glasses and have to put the faux Blue Blockers
over my glasses...so I am stuck with wearing 2 pairs.
However, the relief and comfort I get is worth it.
They wrap around my eyes to my temple and have like a shield
over the top of the frame towards my brow.

shelly

[Joe S.]

I paid 20 and got two pairs. when I ride in the car I ware one pair. If it is over cast I ware a pair of HD glasses. it is easier to see in overcast, low light, rain and fog.

[Sooki]

eye2dry - until I get those stick-on bifocals, I'm also wearing two pairs of glasses to read.  My tinted computer glasses are 1.5 and I put on another pair of 1.5 to make a 3.0 to read by.    I just recently learned the strengths were additive!