Eyes Wide Shut: Protecting Your Vision from Blue Light Hazards

I’m Brandon Wilson. I am constantly working toward improving my mind, body, and spirit using various ancient techniques and cutting-edge biohacking tools and devices. I want to be healthy, but not at the expense of being happy. This simple idea is what it means to be wellthy.

First time reading? Let’s get you in the club.

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Some of you may have seen my pictures from Biohacking Conferences and wondered what’s up with the glasses with yellow lenses. I want to share a secret I use daily to eliminate headaches from eyestrain and ensure I fall asleep moments from when my head touches the silver-infused pillowcase.

My history with glasses started in seventh grade. I became nearsighted and couldn’t read the chalkboard or overhead projector slides. In 1999, I decided to wear contact lenses, which had their benefits over glasses but were still annoying. In 2014, I finally got LASIK surgery, which restored my vision to 20/20. Ten years on, my distance vision is still excellent.

I enjoy not wearing glasses, including sunglasses. I wouldn’t be wearing any glasses unless they provide substantial benefits. I have found special glasses that help with eyestrain during the day and at night to support quality sleep.

Daytime

Humans evolved with sunlight, which has a broad spectrum of wavelengths, including blue light. Some blue light is good for you. Blue light daytime exposure can positively affect cognitive performance, alertness, and reaction time.¹ Sunlight exposure, especially at sunrise and sunset, helps reset your daily sleep-wake cycle, known as your circadian rhythm.

I work from home and stare at four widescreen monitors all day. I used to get eyestrain headaches from all the junk light emitted by those screens. Once I started wearing blue-light-blocking glasses, my headaches disappeared. Even if you don’t spend all day in front of computer screens, you likely spend a lot of time indoors under artificial light.