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If you work from home or spend a lot of time staring at screens, you may be considering a pair of computer glasses (aka blue light glasses). Read on to learn about the benefits of blue light glasses and why we recommend shopping sustainable and eco-friendly brands for your first (or next!) pair.
Do I need computer glasses?
Between computers for work and our phones for play, we’re often spending upwards of 12 hours a day looking at some sort of digital screen. That’s a lot for our eyes, which can dry out or bring on headaches. One potential solution is to invest in blue light glasses. With tech emitting brighter, shorter wavelength light (aka the blue light), filtering glasses can help reduce digital eye strain, aid with sleep, and more. While the jury’s still out on whether light-blocking glasses work for everyone, it may be worth picking up a pair of your own to see for yourself.
We’ve found seven eyewear brands offering blue light filters with prescription or non-Rx glasses, all using sustainable materials sourced from plants or recycled plastic. With frames starting at just $50, it’s a worthwhile investment to ease your eyes’ everyday experience.
Pro Tip: If you have vision insurance, you may be able to submit a claim for reimbursement after ordering blue light glasses. Likewise, you may be able to use FSA/HSA dollars when purchasing. Check with your insurance provider’s benefits or the brand’s website to see if this is an option!
Why consider sustainable blue light glasses?
The production and disposal of plastic eyewear frames are known for having a major impact on environmental degradation, which makes sustainable blue light glasses a smart and responsible choice. Eco-friendly frames can reduce waste and our carbon footprint, and the production process of sustainable eyewear involves fewer harmful chemicals, helping to minimize pollution and conserve natural resources while prioritizing fair labor practices and safe working conditions. An added bonus: Sustainable blue light glasses are typically made of more durable and high-quality materials, reducing the need for frequent replacements!
Our criteria:
Our editors have researched and reviewed sustainable fashion for a decade. After personally wearing and vetting the best sustainably made blue light computer glasses, these are our top picks that use sustainable materials and ethical practices and are durable, too. We regularly update this list with emerging favorites that meet the following criteria.
DURABLE | Made with durable materials, these glasses brands are crafted using high-quality materials that are made to last.
ECO-FRIENDLY | Each of these blue light glasses is made with eco-friendly materials like recycled plastic and bamboo while also ensuring minimal to no new materials are being used in their production.
FUNCTION & EFFICACY | These blue light glasses stand behind their claims, and help reduce headaches, alleviate eye strain, and make long work days on the computer more bearable!
Look for more sustainable work-from-home upgrades? Try these sustainable desks and these supportive and ergonomic office chairs.
1. Covry
Made In | Handcrafted in China with family-run manufacturing partners
Frame Materials | Plant-based acetate (cotton & wood pulp)
Our Pick | Subra Gold ($125)
Price Range | Starting at $85+
Tired of industry standards, Athina Wang and Florence Shin founded Covry to make more inclusive eyewear for every kind of face. Today, these handcrafted frames have an Elevated Fit®, meaning longer nose pads, reduced curvature, and a narrowed nose bridge for maximum comfort. Not sure where to begin? Covry offers home try-ons with five frames at a time. With 30+ dozen blue light filtering frames, your eyes will be protected from sunup to sundown.
2. Zenni
Made In | Zenni-owned lab in Danyang, China
Frame Materials | Made from 100% post-consumer plastic, recyclable packaging, gives back to the Wyland Foundation
Our Pick | Andaman ($40)
Price Range | Starting at $40+
Zenni has been a go-to brand for buying affordable, cute eyewear online, but with their new ReMakes line, they’ve truly leveled up on the sustainability front. The Remakes by Zenni collection feature the quality styles we all know and love made from 100% recycled plastic. Shipped in a recyclable paper tube and available in sizes for the whole family, what’s not to love?
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3. Panda
Made In | A small, vetted factory in China
Frame Materials | FSC certified bamboo & recycled lenses
Our Pick | Wesli ($189)
Price Range | Starting at $189+
What started as a successful crowdfunding campaign in 2012 is now global eyewear brand Panda. Panda’s sunglasses and blue light blocking frames are about as eco-friendly as you can get, made with natural bamboo and recycled materials. A portion of every purchase supports environmental and philanthropic initiatives, including 1% for the Planet and Optometry Giving Sight. And at just $50 a pair, they’re incredibly affordable.
4. Pela
Made In | Ethically made in China & Canada
Frame Materials | Cellulose acetate & flax straw
Our Pick | Sulu in Olive Oil ($30)
Price Range | Starting at $30+
You may be familiar with Pela—it’s been a leading sustainable brand for years! This certified B Corp and climate-neutral brand creates six blue light styles in a number of gorgeous colors (the olive oil one is swoonworthy!). The frames are biodegradable, and use a third less emissions and water usage than conventional pairs. Pela takes back frames when you’re done, and gives back to eco-friendly causes.
5. Sunski
Made In | Designed in San Francisco, CA & made at vetted factories in China
Frame Materials | Recycled plastic
Our Pick | Yuba in Clear ($58)
Price Range | Starting at $58+
Give tired eyes a break with Sunski’s affordable blue light glasses. Sunski developed its own sustainable material after seeing how few options were out there; the result is SuperLight recycled resin made from scrap plastic. Designed in the Bay area, there are eight blue light frames that will elevate any look. Before you commit, you can try on frames virtually or purchase a few, thanks to Sunski’s easy return policy.
6. Peep Eyewear
Made In | Vintage frames upcycled in the UK
Frame Materials | Varies
Our Pick | ‘80s Silhouette in Aqua (£88)
Price Range | Starting at £48+
Peep Eyewear knows you can’t get any more sustainable than upcycling. The team sources old frames that are no longer in use, breathes new life into them, and curates vintage options for the bespoke consumer. With each purchase, Peep plants one tree through Trees for Cities. For those in the UK, Peep Eyewear offers home try-ons of up to three frames at a time. Once you’re ready to purchase, ask for a blue light filtering lens to be added to your frames and see how your eyes improve.
7. Proof Eyewear
Made In | Ethically made in a family-owned factory in China
Frame Materials | Cotton-based acetate & sustainably sourced wood
Our Pick | Barber Acetate ($150)
Price Range | Starting at $75+
Proof Eyewear, headquartered out of Idaho, believes that everyone can be a global citizen. This sustainable brand uses responsibly sourced wood, cotton-based acetate, and recycled aluminum for sunwear and optical frames. Then, each frame purchase gives back to Proof’s Do Good Program helps plant five trees through the Eden Reforestation Project. Choose from any of its blue light filtering styles that will work on any face shape.
Featured image from Covry
