Can blue light glasses help stop vertigo during screen time? With my timeline on Facebook plastered in stories about Hillary Clinton wearing special “blue light” sunglasses to stop seizures, it made me wonder if there were anything like this to help light sensitivity and vertigo?
Do you suffer from light sensitivity?
Do computer screens, florescent lights and even the TV trigger vertigo attacks?
This was something that I suffered terribly from when I was really sick with Meniere’s. I am sure many of you find computer screens and TV etc can spark attacks, so I did a quick search on google to see what I could find.
After sifting through page after page of the Clinton story I came up with a study on NIH related to epilepsy:
and an article in the Daily Mail related to vertigo: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2255454/Glasses-beat-blues-The-latest-high-tech-specs-treat-dizziness-deafness–combat-depression.html
I looked on Amazon to see if they sell any and indeed they do. Prices range from nearly $90 down to around $10. So these glasses must widely available and easily accessible.
I posted immediately in a Meniere’s groups and the first comment to appear confirmed that these glasses did indeed help stop vertigo attacks:
“I use blue light goggles, and they help . I consulted Consumer Reports and they rated the cheap 8$ ones as filtering out the most blue light ( 70% I think ). They are not attractive but I don’t go into a store with fluorescent lighting without them or use any screen without them . . I would recommend them. In an acute attack reading on my tablet triggers an immediate vertigo. Mine were 8$.”
Other comments made on the subject in Meniere’s Disease supports groups online were as follows (2020):
- “Most of the time they work for me but I did have one experience where they added to the problem but I was off balance a bit more that week. They were fine after that day”
- “Have blue for office and computer screen and yellow for my progressives. No issues at all.”
- “Big difference for me personally!”
- “Made a HUGE difference for my migraines.”
- “I love mine! Been using them for years now. I also have the blue light filter set on all my tech that has it, and I have a chrome extension that allows me to adjust the light/dark of websites.”
- “Therespecs… they’re a miracle worker for me. When I go into stores or offices I no longer get dizzy when I wear these.”
- “Mine have helped”
- “I use a blue light filter on my phone and it really helps me”
- “They help take that pressure off my eyes and forehead so decrease the chances of a migraine.”
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“I used to be an optical consultant for a UK wide opticians.Blue light filters were and remain controversial, with many denouncing the benefits due to lack of science.My personal experience is that they make unnatural lighting significantly more comfortable daily and reduce eye strain.”
- “They’ve been great for me. I suggest getting looser fitting frames that you use only @ home for comfort.”
So, Can Blue Light Glasses Help Stop Vertigo?
To my knowledge there are no cited studies relating to vertigo or Meniere’s disease. However, there are studies indicating that blue glasses help computer vision syndrome (CVS), a condition resulting from focusing the eyes on a computer screen. Two of the listed symptoms of CVS are dizziness/vertigo and Migraine.
In addition to possibly preventing vertigo, blue light glasses are also beneficial for those who suffer from insomnia.
By Mike Spencer
Founder of Menieres-Help.Com
Supporting sufferers since 2004
Researcher and author of Managing Meniere’s Disease and The Need for Balance – Dealing with the Causes of Meniere’s
Help other Meniere’s sufferers. Do you use blue light blocking glasses or goggles? Do they help? Let us know in the comments section below or email Mike at meniereshelp@gmail.com
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