Our in-depth testing clearly revealed the quality and comfort of Benicci Glasses
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Blue light is a type of light emitted by cell phones, computers, and televisions—in other words, the same devices most of us spend huge parts of our day using. “Blue light glasses are glasses with special coatings designed to eliminate the short wavelength of blue light,” says Brian Lojka, OD, an optometrist at Clarkson Eyecare and medical officer of optometry for EyeCare Partners. “These can be lenses with prescription or without… [and] people who feel stress or strain upon their vision after looking at computer or phone screens might want to wear them.”
To choose the best blue light blocking glasses you have to consider your prescription needs, when and where you’re planning to wear your glasses, and—of course—their overall comfort and degree of protection against blue light (and, in some cases, UV light, too). Our editors wore 20 pairs of blue light blocking glasses for one week and evaluated how their eyes felt after spending several multi-hour sessions using screens. Throughout the test, we paid close attention to how the glasses fit in terms of size and weight, how it felt to wear them for long periods of time, and how clear the lenses were or how any tint affected our clarity of vision. A board-certified ophthalmologist from our Medical Expert Board also reviewed the contents of this article for medical accuracy surrounding blue light blocking glasses and the effectiveness of different materials and tints. We will continue to test the top performing glasses to see how they perform over time.
Unlikely to fit larger faces
If you’re looking for a pair of untinted, go-with-you-everywhere, no-adjustment-needed blue light glasses, the Benicci Blue Light Blocking Glasses are our best overall pick thanks to how durable, comfortable, and effective we found them to be. In testing, these glasses scored high in fit, feel, and clarity, coming across as a lightweight, well-fitting, and well-made pair that could hang out on your work desk as easily as they can be tossed in a bag for travel.
We noted that one thing helping these glasses fit so comfortably is their lightly textured material, which helps prevent slipping without pinching the nose or ears and causing sore spots. They do run a little small and are probably better suited to women than men, but they come in a variety of colors and even include a blue light refraction tool that allows you to check how much blue light they’re actually blocking.
Lastly, wefound there was almost no difference in their vision when wearing these glasses; there’s no tint to adjust your eyes to, and the lenses were crystal clear. These glasses are everything you would want in a pair of blue light blockers, and with an affordable price point, they are a great introduction to blue light glasses.
Price at time of publication: $22
Sizes: One size | Prescription Option: No | Virtual or Home Try-on: No | Return Policy: Returnable within 30 days
Not a universally flattering style
No one wants to spring for prescription glasses that turn out not to fit their face or style, but the try-before-you-buy possibilities available through Warby Parker make these blue light blocking glasses the best prescription option around. In testing, we found these glasses to be lightweight and super comfortable around the nose bridge, with a clear tint that didn’t obscure our vision. We also noticed a long-term improvement to eye strain symptoms throughout the length of the test—so while there wasn’t immediate relief, our eyes did feel less tired around day four of use, especially after wearing them for a full eight-hour work day.
On top of comfort and clarity, Warby Parker excels at assisting you in choosing the right style. While we didn’t love the Thurston frames (as a matter of style), there are dozens of other options to choose from, and a virtual try-on tool is accessible for app users with the iPhone X or above. If you don’t have those capabilities, don’t stress: You can also choose up to five frames to receive and try on at home, at zero cost to you, making it easy to commit to prescription blue light blockers from Warby Parker.
Price at time of publication: Starts at $145
Sizes: Medium and wide | Prescription Option: Yes | Virtual or Home Try-on: Yes | Return Policy: Returnable within 30 days
Easy to slip on and off
Reduced headaches in our testers
Does not include a case or pouch
If headaches are one of your chronic eye strain symptom complaints, we noticed an improvement after a week of wearing Peepers by PeeperSpecs. The combination of comfortable, flexible frames and clear, magnifying lenses helps these blue light glasses make daily screen use an overall more comfortable experience, with us noting that they passed our attribute reviews with flying colors.
After wearing the glasses for five work days, we found them to be lightweight but well-made enough to stay in place, even when we moved our head around a lot. They were easy to put on and take off thanks to the flexible arms, and they didn’t cause any pain around our ears or nose. They have a just-right amount of magnification for reading glasses, a clear tint that doesn’t interfere with vision, and they’re stylish to boot: We commented on their flattering shape and shimmery frames. Plus, we noticed fewer headache symptoms after just one day of wearing the glasses while using screens.
Price at time of publication: $29
Sizes: One size | Prescription Option: No | Virtual or Home Try-on: No | Return Policy: Returnable within 30 days
Snug and secure but lightweight and comfortable, we chose the Readerest Blue Light Blocking Reading Glasses as our best-fitting pair because we liked how they felt even after hours of wear. We had literally zero complaints about the fit or feel of these glasses; they were comfortable to have on our faces for extended periods of time while working on laptops and smartphones. The lenses are clear, and we noticed less eye strain during our test than when we didn’t use them.
We noted that these glasses simply fit well, felt comfortable, and improved our eye strain—and on top of all that, they were stylish enough for video calls and meetings but functional enough to work for long sessions of focused work.
Price at time of publication: $20
Sizes: One size | Prescription Option: No | Virtual or Home Try-on: No | Return Policy: Returnable within 30 days
If you want to reduce the amount of blue light your eyes are exposed to but also look like you keep up with current trends, we recommend the Caddis Blue Light Blockers in the ’70s-inspired Hopper style. Sure, they’re trendy—but in our testing, we also found them to be comfortable, stable even when we were active, and quite clear, despite their light tint.
More importantly, we definitely noticed eye strain improvement: our eyes did not experience any strain while we used these glasses. Usually, we experience strain after an hour or so, so this was an improvement.
These glasses won’t be the right stylistic choice for everyone (they’re definitely a statement piece!), but if you’re interested in the aviator shape, we recommend them—especially since their blue light blocking power means they aren’t just for show.
Price at time of publication: $109
Sizes: One size | Prescription Option: No | Virtual or Home Try-on: No | Return Policy: Returnable within 60 days
Includes case and dust cloth
If you’re constantly attending video meetings while wearing your glasses, you’ve probably noticed some lenses cast a very noticeable (and distracting) reflection on your screen—this experience was something we were happy to miss when we tested the Felix Gray Jemison Glasses. It’s how they became our top pick for video meetings.
In addition to minimizing that annoying glare during video calls, the Felix Gray pair were also comfortable to wear throughout several eight-hour work days without needing adjustment. There was no slipping or pinching, either. As for clarity, we thought the untinted lenses were crisp and clear, though there was a more subtle rather than dramatic improvement in eye strain symptoms than with other glasses. (In other words, they may help reduce eye fatigue and headaches…or they may not.) Overall, if you need a pair of glasses that doesn’t cause a distracting, glare-y reflection during video calls, the Felix Gray Jemison is your best bet.
Price at time of publication: Starting at $100
Sizes: Wide | Prescription Option: Yes | Virtual or Home Try-on: Yes | Return Policy: Returnable within 30 days
Verywell Health / Riddle Gemperlein umbrella
May be too small for those with larger heads
If you’ve noticed that your eyes can’t keep up with your TV watching habits, the MVMT Everscroll Glasses performed well in our testing when it came to streaming videos. They were gentle on our eyes, somehow making screen images crisper but also less harsh than other glasses (or no glasses at all). And the benefits manifested pretty quickly, too, which is also a bonus for anyone who just wants to stream their favorite show without ending up with eye strain.
As for the other attributes, the MVMT blockers weren’t the absolute best-fitting pair we tried; they didn’t fit one of our testers as well as some other glasses, causing them to recommend this pair for people with smaller heads or narrower faces. However, choosing a different style frame from MVMT might solve the fit problem, since the glasses themselves are well made and the frames come in two different sizes.
Price at time of publication: $78
Sizes: 51 mm and 54 mm | Prescription Option: No | Virtual or Home Try-on: No | Return Policy: Returnable within 30 days
Slight distortion around edges of lenses
For anyone who games regularly, reducing harsh light and glare is key to making those long hours focusing on a screen more comfortable. We like that the Gunner Optiks Razer Glasses do exactly that, making them our best for gaming pick. With a subtle yellow tint, these glasses go the extra mile in blocking blue light—and while we thought they were maybe not the most stylish option to choose from, the fact that you’ll most likely be wearing them alone at home means style can take a back seat to function—specifically, blue light blocking—in this situation.
These glasses are also comfortable, with a lightweight and wide-frame fit that didn’t dig into the sides of the head during our testing. We noted a slight distortion around the edges of the lenses, but it was only noticeable when we weren’t looking at a screen. Overall, these are probably not the best glasses for work or socializing, but we think they are a “solid, no-frills choice” for anyone who spends hours laser-focused on a screen and needs major glare protection and brightness reduction (for instance, as the category suggests, gamers).
Price at time of publication: $100
Sizes: One size | Prescription Option: No | Virtual or Home Try-on: No | Return Policy: Returnable within 30 days
Might not help reduce fatigue
Cute, stylish, and clear, the Emory Glasses from LensDirect scored high marks for fit and clarity in our tests, making them our most comfortable pick. Despite having a low bridge and a small face, we even remarked that these glasses needed much less adjusting than many other types of glasses, meaning they’re an easy-to-wear option right out of the box, even if you have a somewhat unconventional face shape.
We also found these glasses to be exceptionally clear in testing, beating out other pairs in this aspect. However, they didn’t manage to reduce eye strain or fatigue complaints (other than glare) or some other pairs. While they’re stylish and comfortable, with clear, untinted lenses, we didn’t notice much of a difference between wearing them or not.
Price at time of publication: Starting at $74
Sizes: Medium and wide | Prescription Option: Yes | Virtual or Home Try-on: Yes | Return Policy: Returnable within 30 days
Good for small to medium faces
May slide down the nose without adjustment
What the Eye Buy Direct glasses lack (a bit) in overall fit, they more than make up for in feel and clarity, something that’s key when choosing transition lenses. Previously, we had worn transition lenses in Eye Buy Direct frames and appreciated how clear the lenses were and how smoothly they were able to make the transition between different fields of vision.
In fact, these glasses were tested in a variety of scenarios: outside, looking down at phones and laptops, and at different times of the day. They performed at or above our expectations in all cases, never interfering with our vision and noticeably improving eye strain symptoms. They were made of high-quality materials and didn’t cause any pain or sore spots with hours of use. The one place where they could perform a bit better is with fit: We thought they would be better for smaller, not larger, faces and noticed that the arms were a bit too short to prevent slippage.
Price at time of publication: $54
Sizes: One size | Prescription Option: Yes | Virtual or Home Try-on: Yes | Return Policy: Returnable within 14 days
4.8 to 5 stars: These are the best blue light blocking glasses we tested. We recommend them without reservation.
4.5 to 4.7 stars: These blue light blocking glasses are excellent—they might have minor flaws, but we still recommend them.
4.0 to 4.5 stars: We think these are great blue light blocking glasses, but others are better.
3.5 to 3.9 stars: These blue light blocking glasses are just average.
3.4 and below: We don't recommend blue light blocking glasses with this rating; you won't find any on our list.
The Verywell Health team tested 20 pairs of blue light blocking glasses at home and at work to see how well they fit, how comfortable they felt after hours of wear, and how clear the lenses were, along with how well they reduced eye strain and glare. We paid special attention to how well the glasses improved our experience using screens for long periods of time.
First, our editors and testers used screens as they normally would—without blue light glasses—for around four hours. We asked them to make note of any common eye strain symptoms, like headaches, dry or itchy eyes, and sensitivity to light. After that, they wore blue light glasses for around four hours, again making note of how their eyes felt. From there, we asked our testers to continue wearing their blue light glasses while using screens for one week, with the goal of noting any differences in eye health from the first day of use until the last.
The three attributes we rated in our testing were fit, feel, and clarity. We considered whether their glasses fit snugly and comfortably on their faces, noting when glasses slipped down, pressed too tightly against their heads, needed constant adjustment, or felt too large or small for their faces. (We also made stylistic notes here, too, when a pair seemed particularly on- or off-trend.) For feel, we evaluated how our eyes felt after hours of wear; if we noted short- or long-term improvement in eye strain symptoms over the course of the testing week, those glasses scored higher for feel than others that didn’t give us any noticeable improvement.
Finally, we evaluated clarity. Since some blue light glasses feature tinted lenses, we rated each pair’s clarity based on how crisp and clear our field of vision was, along with whether any tint caused undue eye strain or otherwise interfered with our use of screens.
Additionally, we spoke with these eye professionals for their expert advice:
In our Lab test, we identified 20 pairs of blue light blocking glasses worth noting, but only included 10 on our final list of recommendations. The remaining pairs of glasses seemed to reduce much of the eye strain associated with blue light, but we found that fit and comfort varied widely—they were too big, too tight, too loose—and that, often, these glasses had tinted lenses (when we preferred clear).
If you already wear prescription glasses, you can still utilize blue light blocking technology, but not without investing in a new pair of specs, unfortunately. According to Vanessa Hernandez, optometrist at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai in New York City, the blue light filters can’t be added to your lenses once they’re made. Of course, if you're a regular contact lens wearer, popping on a pair of blue light blocking glasses won't be an issue.
“Clip-on [blue light blocking lens] options are available, though they are not made to fit every frame,” says Hernandez. “There are filters you can attach to computer monitors for daytime use, or [you can] adjust your device's settings to produce a warmer background instead of stark white background, especially when using devices at night or in a dark room.”
Just like with any other pair of eyewear, whether they’re prescription bifocals or trendy sunglasses, comfort is important when choosing the right pair for you. If your glasses aren’t comfortable on your face, you’ll start finding any reason not to wear them, totally defeating the point of having them in the first place. Plus, ill-fitting glasses can cause ear pain, nose pain, and even headaches, so you want to make sure you have a secure fit. Keep these key points in mind about how glasses should feel when deciding on the right ones:
Any new pair of glasses will need a short adjustment period, but ideally, you should start being able to put your glasses on and forget they’re even there after a few days of regular use. If this isn't the case, call your doctor for advice.
If you’re considering a pair of blue light glasses, you may want to make sure the lenses also include an anti-glare or anti-reflective coating—otherwise, you may find your headaches or digital eye strain continues to persist.
“Anti-reflective properties reduce glare and reflections off the surface of your lenses, which is beneficial when using a computer or mobile device,” says Dr. Brocwell.
Many prescription lenses come with the anti-glare option, but if you’ve never worn glasses before, you may not realize how much of a difference this feature can make, especially if you’re constantly looking at a glowing screen all day. Without the coating, your screens can cast distracting reflections off the surface of your glasses, often obscuring your vision.
Different blue light blocking lenses are recommended for use at different times of the day. “Artificial blue light may contribute to digital eye strain and affect your sleep cycle,” explains Dr. Hernandez. Since your body still needs to be exposed to blue light during the daytime hours to preserve your circadian rhythm, clear or yellow lenses are better for daytime use, says Dr. Hernandez.
If you’re struggling with insomnia or using your laptop or smartphone late into the evening hours, on the other hand, you may want to choose darker lenses. Red lenses actually block 100% of blue light along with nearly all green and violet light, which means they block all varieties of light that may be disruptive to your sleep cycle and may help you fall asleep faster if you wear them a few hours before bedtime.
The sun's ultra-bright rays can cause damage if we expose ourselves to them for too long or too often without protection. Just like you would never spend a day at the beach without putting on some SPF, you shouldn’t spend lots of time outdoors without protecting your delicate eyesight, explains Dr. Brocwell.
Unfortunately, the jury is still out on whether blue light glasses actually provide the benefits their manufacturers claim. Kelly Crews, OD, an optometrist with Virginia Eye Consultants, says some studies have shown that blue light may interfere with sleep cycles, cause eye strain and possibly contribute to macular degeneration—but she also says those studies are limited and inconclusive thus far.
That doesn’t mean they don’t work at all, just that studies haven’t proven these claims yet. It also means that you, personally, may rave about how well blue light glasses work for you while someone else finds they make no difference at all.
“Blue light glasses don't work for everybody [but] they can sometimes provide subjective relief from some of the glare and stress put on the eyes by computer screens,” says Dr. Lojka. “Some people will feel relief when on a computer for a prolonged period of time and some will feel no difference—it’s a very subjective response with no clear test to identify those who would benefit and those who do not.”
You have several options when it comes to finding a shopping locale for blue light glasses, from Amazon to brick and mortar stores to optometrist offices and vision care centers (online and in person). Wherever you choose, New York City-based optometrist Jonah Berman, OD, stresses the importance of making sure your seller has high consumer ratings and a solid customer service reputation, including a good exchange or return policy.
It depends on your personal needs. Some people require heavily tinted lenses, in yellow, orange or red, which can block anywhere from 50 to 100 percent of blue light. However, there are limitations to who should use these tints, how long you should wear them, and where you should wear them.
Many people only require the percent of blue light blocking provided by clear lenses, which Dr. Berman says can be designed to block 20 to 35 percent of harmful blue light. But these aren’t truly blue light “blocking,” per se, and may not be strong enough for you.
“There are blue light coatings that can be added to prescription lenses, but the reality is that these coatings only block a small percentage of blue light from reaching the eye,” says Dr. Crews. “To truly block certain wavelengths of light, glasses need to be tinted.”
How tinted your glasses should be is something that can be assessed by your eye care provider, says Dr. Crews, but in general, people who may benefit from blue light glasses would be those who spend lots of time on screens and suffer from eye strain, headaches, light sensitivity, or insomnia.
According to Dr. Berman, blue light filtering glasses are safe to wear all the time—with some caveats. For starters, the color of the lenses may limit your ability to comfortably wear them in all environments.
“Strongly tinted yellow lenses will block blue light, but they may affect color perception, especially under dim lighting conditions,” Dr. Berman explains.
Similarly, while there’s nothing inherently bad about wearing blue light blocking glasses outdoors, you may not find them to be that comfortable, especially if the lenses are clear. Some users report glare or reflectiveness when it’s sunny outside.
It’s also important to keep in mind that your body requires some blue light to function properly. Only when you get too much from “unnatural” sources like digital screens do you run into trouble. It’s smart to take a break from your blue light glasses sometimes, including when you go outdoors—and this is especially true if you wear darker tinted blue light blocking lenses, like orange-tinted ones (which block more blue light than clear lenses ).
They shouldn’t, says Dr. Berman, as long as they have clear, non-tinted lenses with your correct prescription (if one is needed) and an anti-reflective treatment; lens glare is a common cause of headaches, and lenses with noticeable tints can cause you to squint in low-lighting environments, adding to eye strain and sometimes triggering headaches.
Sarah Bradley has been writing health content since 2017: everything from product roundups and illness FAQs to nutrition explainers and the dish on diet trends. She knows how important it is to receive trustworthy and expert-approved advice about over-the-counter products that help you manage everyday conditions. Although she didn’t personally test the glasses for this list, she has experience testing other personal care products for Verywell Health—and as a migraine sufferer, she understands the importance of finding a pair that actually helps.
Tähkämö L, Partonen T, Pesonen AK. Systematic review of light exposure impact on human circadian rhythm. Chronobiol Int. 2019;36(2):151-170. doi:10.1080/07420528.2018.1527773
Shechter A, Quispe KA, Mizhquiri Barbecho JS, Slater C, Falzon L. Interventions to reduce short-wavelength (“Blue”) light exposure at night and their effects on sleep: A systematic review and meta-analysis. SLEEP Advances. 2020;1(1):zpaa002. doi:10.1093/sleepadvances/zpaa002
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