Screens, Blue Light glasses & Myopia: What You Need to Know

Quick summary

Myopia (also known as short-sightedness) means difficulty seeing things at a distance without glasses or contact lenses. It’s common—around 1 in 3 people in the UK are myopic.
Screens/near work are linked with myopia, but the strongest evidence for prevention is more time outdoors; simply reducing screen time alone hasn’t yet shown strong preventive effects.
For children who already have myopia, there is evidence that special measures (described below) can slow progression by ~40–60% over 1–3 years
Blue light glasses are not a recognised treatment to prevent or slow myopia in the current UK evidence review.
For digital eye strain, UK HSE guidance emphasises regular short breaks and changes of activity (e.g., 5–10 minutes every hour is better than 20 minutes every 2 hours), good posture and a proper workstation setup.

What is myopia?

Myopia (short-sightedness) is when you see close objects clearly, but distant objects look blurry. It typically starts in later childhood and often progresses through the teen years.

When to get checked: If you or your child are squinting at road signs or the classroom board, or complaining of headaches/tired eyes, book an eye examination with an optometrist. In the NHS, optometrists do the testing and prescribing; hospital ophthalmology services manage eye disease and complex cases (e.g., at Moorfields Eye Hospital).

Are screens causing a myopia “epidemic”?

Here’s what the best UK-relevant evidence says:

Myopia is increasing worldwide and is a public-health concern because higher levels raise the risk of complications later in life.
Time outdoors protects against the onset of myopia (mechanism still unclear). There’s an association between near work (including screen use) and myopia, but simply reducing near work hasn’t yet shown strong evidence that it prevents myopia starting. My optician friend believes time outdoors is protective because it gives us a rest from screens, and allows us to focus on objects in the distance.

Bottom line: Screens/near work likely play a role, but encouraging more outdoor time in childhood has the clearest evidence for prevention.

As you can imagine, our work at the practice involves a lot of screen use and administrative duties. Therefore, I make as much time as possible to exercise outdoors, and I recommend it to everyone to help stop the onset of myopia, as well as the other health benefits.

What actually slows myopia progression in children?

According to the College of Optometrists’ evidence review:

Myopia-management spectacle lenses (with peripheral myopic defocus),
Multifocal contact lenses, and
Orthokeratology (overnight corneal-shaping) lenses

can each slow progression by ~40–60% over 1–3 years versus standard single-vision correction. A medicine – Low-dose atropine can produce similar effects but currently lacks a UK licence (trials ongoing). These methods do not prevent myopia from starting; they slow worsening once it’s present.

My optician friend informed me about the above treatments. I was not aware they existed, and he informed me they were not available everywhere. From my point of view, parents often complain of noticing their children blinking more, or having difficulty seeing the board at school should see an optician for an eye exam. They should also spend regular time outdoors.

Remember, in the UK, children under 16 years of age, and children between 16 and 18 years of age in full time education are entitled to free eye tests.

Digital eye strain: why your eyes feel tired on screens

Digital eye strain isn’t the same as myopia. It’s the temporary discomfort (tired eyes, blurred vision, sore neck/shoulders, and yes—headaches) after long periods on computers, tablets or phones. UK HSE guidance for display screen equipment (DSE) focuses on your work routine and workstation setup:

Employers should plan breaks or changes of activity for DSE users.
There’s no fixed legal break length, but short, frequent breaks are best—5–10 minutes every hour beats 20 minutes every 2 hours.
Use breaks to stand, move, stretch and change posture.

I like to use an external screen rather than a laptop when possible. This means I can adjust the monitor appropriately to eye level. I also like having a supportive chair which helps me prevent back pain during long clinics. It is difficult to have a 5-10 minute break during my clinic times as we have a lot of patients, however, I try to keep as much eye contact with patients as apposed to looking at my screen during consultations (lack of eye contact can sometimes be rude!).

Do blue light glasses work?

In the UK myopia evidence review, blue-light-filtering lenses are not listed among treatments that prevent myopia or slow its progression. The focus is on outdoor time (prevention) and specific optical/pharmacological treatments (control).
For digital eye strain, HSE guidance prioritises breaks, posture and task variation; it does not rely on blue-light glasses for symptom control.

Takeaway: If your goal is myopia control, speak to an optometrist about evidence-based options. If your goal is easing digital eye strain, build in regular breaks and check your workstation ergonomics first.

It does not seem that blue light glasses are helpful to prevent myopia.

Remember, blue light can interfere with sleep – which I wrote about here.

How screens relate to well-being (especially for teens)

WHO/Europe reports a rise in problematic social media use among adolescents (7% in 2018 → 11% in 2022) and 12% at risk of problematic gaming across 44 countries/regions in the HBSC study. This is about mental health and habits, not myopia specifically—but it’s a useful reminder to support healthy screen routines at home and school.

Screen use can also interfere with our sleep. Sleep is very important for our mental health. Also, sleep helps with our learning and development. I have written about sleep hygiene and some top tips for getting a better nights rest. On it, I discussed limiting screen use.

Practical checklist for families (save/share)

Book regular eye examinations with your local optometrist (usually every 2 years, sooner if symptoms).
Build outdoor time into each day for children.
If myopia is present, ask about myopia-management from your optician.
For digital eye strain at work or study: 5–10 min break each hour, change tasks, move and stretch; optimise posture and screen setup.
If headaches persist despite breaks and a good setup, arrange an eye examination and consider GP review to rule out other causes. I am planning to do a write-up about headaches soon (stay tuned).

FAQ

What causes eye strain?
Long, unbroken periods of near work on screens, sub-optimal posture, glare/lighting and poor workstation ergonomics are common triggers. Plan frequent short breaks and adjust your setup.

Can eye strain cause headaches?
Yes—HSE lists headaches and fatigue alongside neck/shoulder discomfort as potential outcomes of prolonged/poor DSE use. Breaks and posture changes help.

How to stop eye strain?
Follow HSE DSE advice: 5–10 minutes every hour, stretch/move, vary tasks, and optimise your workstation. If symptoms persist, book an eye examination. I realise that taking 5-10 minutes break every hour in some jobs can be difficult! If any busy professionals are reading this, try your best to look away from the screen every hour and have a stretch.

Do blue light glasses work?
They’re not part of evidence-based myopia control in the current UK review. For eye-strain relief, prioritise breaks and ergonomics.

My child has myopia—what are our options?
Discuss myopia-management options with your optician (these treatments are not available everywhere). These can slow progression by ~40–60% over 1–3 years.

For referrals & next steps

In the UK, start with your optometrist (optician) for a formal eye examination and personalised advice. The optician will assess your eye, and in some cases will do a referral to hospital. Hospital ophthalmology teams (e.g., Moorfields Eye Hospital) manage complex cases and complications.

References

College of Optometrists – Childhood-onset myopia management: Evidence review. Key points on outdoor time, near work, and proven myopia-control options (spectacle lenses, multifocal/ortho-k lenses, low-dose atropine). college-optometrists.org
HSE (UK) – Working safely with display screen equipment (especially Work routine and breaks). Practical guidance on breaks, posture, and DSE risk management. HSE
WHO/Europe – Teens, screens and mental health (HBSC data on problematic social media/gaming). Context for healthy digital habits. World Health Organization
Moorfields Eye Hospital – Myopia (short-sightedness) (definition, symptoms, and UK context). Moorfields Eye Hospital

This article is intended for general information and does not replace personalised medical advice. If you’re worried about your eyes, book an eye examination with an optometrist.

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