Many recent rumors have discouraged the extensive use of technology such as computers and smart phones due to the damage they may have on eyesight. Studies are back and forth about whether or not spending time on devices can cause lasting harm to eyesight; however, everyone agrees that it can definitely cause discomfort. This is something that many people, myself included, have noticed. It is likely that people who spend lengthy amounts of time on devices have experienced symptoms such as eye strain, headaches, fatigue, blurred vision, or difficulty focussing. Personally, as I have gotten older, these symptoms have become more relevant. The time I spend on the computer likely doubled since beginning college a few months ago because the majority of my work is now online. I found that after a certain point of being on the computer for too long, I would totally lose focus. Not only that, but I did notice myself developing major headaches and growing tired quickly due to digital eyestrain. However, when I turned the device off, I couldn't fall asleep (partially due to my self-diagnosed insomnia, but also because of the time spent on the computer). I wanted find a solution to all of these issues since, as a journalism major, I will likely be spending most of my career life on the computer.

After looking into it for a bit, I found out about "computer glasses." They are glasses with a yellow tint designed to block blue light. Blue light (the light that computers emit) has shorter wavelengths and therefor releases a large amount of energy. The harshness of the light causes all of the symptoms mentioned prior. The glasses typically have an "anti-reflecting coating" on the lenses and are tinted in order to deflect or reduce blue light. Seems pretty legit. I read a lot of reviews and everyone that used them seemed to swear by them. Here's the thing, though: a lot of them were super ugly. They looked like glasses we used to wear in chemistry lab but with yellow lenses. I looked around and finally came across Phonetic Eyewear. They look like normal glasses, they have tons of cute styles to choose from and, the best part: they didn't have an overly-obnoxious yellow tint. I wanted to see if they actually worked and I wanted to review them so that if they did end up working, I could introduce some of you to a potentially game-changing product.

I got the style "Grace" in Tortoise. The headline photo is a slightly awkward picture of what they look like on me (it's awkward because I'm awkward, the glasses are really cute).

The glasses do have a slight yellow tint, but it's not always noticeable. They feel pretty sturdy for being as light as they are. When I'm wearing them, the only indication that they are actually on my face is that they fall down sometimes. Besides that, they're so light, I hardly notice they're there.

After wearing them for about a week, I'm happily surprised at how well they work. You can see them working; blue is reflected off of the glasses when they come into contact with blue light. You can actually see the lenses blocking the light. I spend a lot of time on the computer when I'm writing. It can take me a while to think of what to say, so sometimes I'm sitting there staring at a blank screen for hours. I've realized my eyes get tired really quickly. I'm prone to being strongly affected by all of the symptoms that come from spending a large portion of time looking at a screen. After using the glasses, I realized that I could spend more time on the computer without eyestrain than I usually can. Eventually, my eyes did start to hurt a little, but it took a lot longer to get there. One thing that they completely halted were the headaches. I usually get a pretty big headache after spending a lot of time on the computer, but I haven't had one since I started using the glasses. This has consequentially made it easier to focus. That's one thing I typically have a hard time with after spending a good amount of time working on the computer; I lose focus easily. I think the main reasons I would lose focus is because of the headaches and eyestrain. With those symptoms eliminated, it cancels out the issue I had with focussing. As for my sleep goes, it's hard to say since sleeping problems have taken a tole on me for my whole life. I do find that it is easier to distinguish between real fatigue and eye strain, so I know when my eyes are tired and not just hurting from being on the computer.

All in all, I really don't have any complaints with Phonetic Eyewear. I'm currently obsessed with these glasses. Sure, the slight yellow tint looks kind of weird when you're in public, but I think their usefulness outweighs that. I was intrigued by them initially because I thought it would be a cool article to write and actually having them work would be a bonus. I didn't expect to continue wearing them after reviewing them. Now, if you run into me studying somewhere, you'll probably see me with these on and yes, you may try them on.

The one thing that did throw me off before I became familiar with the glasses was the price. It is about sixty dollars per pair. To me, a struggling college student, that seemed pretty pricey. Having used them, I think they are worth it, but I still think they could be a little cheaper if numbers regarding profits and whatnot allowed for it (I clearly don't know business lingo). If you want a pair, use the code ODYS10 to get 10% off of your total order. :)

You can find your pair here: https://phoneticeyewear.com/