Do Blue Light Glasses Help With Headaches? What the Evidence Says

Guide · 5 min read

Screen headaches are real, but blue light is rarely the main cause. We sell blue light glasses, so you would expect us to say they fix it. Here is what the evidence says instead, and where a pair can still earn its place.

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What the research says

The most thorough look so far is a 2023 Cochrane review, which pooled 17 randomised trials of blue light filtering lenses. Its conclusion: the lenses probably make little or no difference to eye strain from computer use over the short term, and the evidence on sleep and other outcomes was too limited to call. Headaches showed up in some trials only as a reported side effect, not as something the lenses improved.

That does not prove the glasses do nothing for anyone. The trials were small and short. But it does mean no honest brand can promise you fewer headaches.

No honest brand can promise you fewer headaches. What a good lens can offer is a more comfortable screen.

What actually causes screen headaches

Headaches that come on during or after screen use usually trace back to one or more of these:

• An uncorrected or outdated prescription. Even mild long-sightedness or astigmatism makes your eyes work harder at screen distance. This is the most common fixable cause.
• Focusing up close for hours. The muscles that focus your eyes tire like any other muscle held in one position.
• Blinking less. People blink far less while concentrating on a screen, which dries the eyes and makes them sore.
• Glare and brightness mismatch. A bright screen in a dim room, or a window behind your monitor, forces constant adjustment.
• Posture. Neck and shoulder tension from a low laptop screen is a classic tension headache trigger.
• The basics. Dehydration, skipped meals, caffeine, poor sleep and stress.

What to try first

If it has been more than two years since your last eye test, or the headaches are new, book one. No blue light lens will fix a prescription that is out of date.

Where blue light glasses can help

Plenty of wearers say screens simply feel more comfortable through a filtered lens, particularly in the evening. The likely reasons are practical rather than medical: an anti-reflective, blue-filtering coating reduces glare, and a yellow or orange tint lowers contrast and warms a stark white display. If harsh, bright screens are what bother you, that is a reasonable thing to try.

This is the thinking behind Clique: one frame, with a lens for each part of the day.

If they do not make screens more comfortable for you, send them back within 30 days.

A note on migraine

Light sensitivity is a recognised part of migraine, and some specialist tints, such as the rose-coloured FL-41, have been studied for it. Those are a different product from standard blue light glasses. If you have migraine, speak to your GP or optician before buying any tinted lens for it.

When to see someone

See your GP if headaches keep coming back, are getting worse, or painkillers do not help. Get urgent help for a sudden, severe headache, or a headache with vision loss, weakness, confusion or a stiff neck. Glasses of any kind are not the answer to those.

Quick questions

Can blue light glasses cause headaches?

Occasionally. Strong tints, or poor quality lenses with distortion, can be uncomfortable for some people, especially at first. If a pair gives you headaches, stop wearing them.

Are they worth trying for screen headaches?

Only after the free fixes above, and only with a returns policy. They are a comfort aid. They will not fix an out-of-date prescription.

Which lens colour is best for screen comfort?

Clear for daytime work where colour matters. Yellow or amber in the evening if you want a warmer, lower-contrast view.

This article is for general information and isn't medical advice. Clique frames are lifestyle eyewear and not a medical device. Source: Singh S, et al. Blue-light filtering spectacle lenses for visual performance, sleep, and macular health in adults. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2023.