How to Tell If Glasses are Blue Light?

✓ Medically Reviewed by Jack Cincotta

blue light glasses

If you have a pair of blue light glasses, you may want to understand whether they work. Not all blue light glasses are created equivalent so its essential to check if you blue light glasses are actually blocking blue light.

You can also have a pair of glasses that you think may have a blue light filter included from your eye doctor. If this is the case, then we can demonstrate how to test your blue light blocking glasses to understand whether they block blue light or not. Blue light disrupts your sleep and this has been shown in studies.

If you prefer to watch a guide on how to test blue light glasses, you can watch our viral video below. 

Testing Computer Glasses

Computer glasses are a variety of blue light glasses that filter a very modest portion of dangerous blue-violet light. They have a clear lens color. Computer glasses are worn during the daytime when using your computer or when exposed to artificial blue light from LED sources.

As screen time increases so does our exposure to blue light.

To test your computer glasses to see if they are blue light glasses, you should do one of two things. Use a lab grade spectrometer. These are not easy to come by, or cheap for that matter. However, they will provide the most accurate reading for showing if your glasses are blue light blocking and will show the exact amount of blue light your glasses block across the blue light spectrum.

You can also see what colour your lenses are reflecting. An authentic pair of computer glasses will show a blue reflection when tilted towards an artificial light source. If your blue light glasses are reflecting purple or green light, they may only have an anti-reflective filter and not a blue light filter. This indicates your glasses are not blue light blocking.

 

A test to avoid is the blue laser pen test. This test is just a marketing strategy as the pen does not even emit blue light rendering it useless.

Testing Blue Light Blocking Glasses

The best blue light blocking lenses will block 100% of blue and green light up to 550 nanometers. These blue light filtering glasses will have an amber or red lenses. This banding of blue and green light has been shown in academic studies to disrupt our sleep. Light in this banding can sabotage our quality of sleep and circadian rhythms.

Blue light blocking glasses can be tested using three different approaches. The primary test involves the spectrometer again, but as we know it's too expensive to consider as an at home test for blue light glasses.

The image below shows the spectrum report for BON CHARGE Blue Light Blocking Glasses

You can also use the RGB color chart test below to test your blue light glasses.

Steps

1.     Look at the chart below

2.     Put on your blue light blocking glasses

3.     The B section will appear black if your blue light glasses are blue light. They ill also change the shade of the G circle.

RGB colour test for blue light glasses

Finally, you can use the square test to see if your glasses are blue light. This will work on blue light blocking glasses that have red or amber lenses.

Steps

1.     Look at the squares below

2.     Put on your blue light blocking glasses

3.     If your glasses are blocking blue light effectively both squares will appear the same colour.

Blue Light Glasses Square Test

Other Ways to Test Blue Light Glasses

These 3 alternative blue light blocking glasses testing methods are a fantastic addition to those we have already discussed.

1.     Just wear your glasses. If you feel incredible wearing them when at an LED screen, they are most likely filtering blue light correctly.

2.     If your sleep is significantly improving when wearing blue light blocking glasses after sunset they are most likely working as intended.

3.     Are you getting less migraine headaches? If so your glasses are most likely blue light blocking.

Conclusion

If you want to understand if your glasses are blue light, you can conduct a few straightforward at home tests.

To guarantee you get excellent blue light glasses ensure you purchase from a reputable company that advertises their independent testing results on their website. BON CHARGE displays all their blue light glasses spectrum testing reports.

BON CHARGE glasses go one step further than some other companies and are registered as medical devices in Australia in the ARTG. Our blue light glasses are also registered with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States of America.

If you want to find out if blue light glasses work, you can read more here.

    • 2024’s Holiday Gift Guide: 8 That’ll Bring Joy and Wellbeing

      2024’s Holiday Gift Guide: 8 That’ll Bring Joy and Wellbeing

      Mark Pearce

        Struggling with gift ideas this holiday season? Whether you're shopping for the wellness fanatic in your life (or a well-deserved treat for yourself), we've picked the top 8 best-selling...

    • Stimulate Hair Growth With Red Light Therapy

      Stimulate Hair Growth With Red Light Therapy

      Lina Nilsson

      Red Light and Near-Infrared Light have a wide range of benefits, most commonly known is its effects on skin and muscle recovery. But did you know you can use your...

    • The Dangers of Blue Light: Skin, Eyes, and Sleep

      The Dangers of Blue Light: Skin, Eyes, and Sleep

      Lina Nilsson

      Not all blue light is bad for you, but the extended exposure most of us face everyday has a serious impact on our wellbeing. Here's how you protect yourself from potential harm?

    1 of 3