title: Short-Wavelength Light-Blocking Eyeglasses Attenuate Symptoms of Eye Fatigue.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine whether subjects who wear short wavelength-blocking eyeglasses during computer tasks exhibit less visual fatigue and report fewer symptoms of visual discomfort than subjects wearing eyeglasses with clear lenses.
  
  
  
  A total of 36 healthy subjects (20 male; 16 female) was randomized to wearing no-block, low-blocking, or high-blocking eyeglasses while performing a 2-hour computer task. A masked grader measured critical flicker fusion frequency (CFF) as a metric of eye fatigue and evaluated symptoms of eye strain with a 15-item questionnaire before and after computer use.
  
  
  
  We found that the change in CFF after the computer task was significantly more positive (i.e., less eye fatigue) in the high-block versus the no-block (P = 0.027) and low-block (P = 0.008) groups. Moreover, random assignment to the high-block group but not to the low-block group predicted a more positive change in CFF (i.e., less eye fatigue) following the computer task (adjusted β = 2.310; P = 0.002). Additionally, subjects wearing high-blocking eyeglasses reported significantly less feeling pain around/inside the eye (P = 0.0063), less feeling that the eyes were heavy (P = 0.0189), and less feeling that the eyes were itchy (P = 0.0043) following the computer task, when compared to subjects not wearing high-blocking lenses.
  
  
  
  Our results support the hypothesis that short-wavelength light-blocking eyeglasses may reduce eye strain associated with computer use based on a physiologic correlate of eye fatigue and on subjects' reporting of symptoms typically associated with eye strain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States 2Neuroscience Graduate Program, Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States.
authors.forename: Jonathan B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: College of Optometry, University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, United States.
authors.forename: Blair W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Gerratt
authors.affiliation: College of Optometry, University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, United States.
authors.forename: Carl J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Bassi
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States 4Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States 5Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States.
authors.forename: Rajendra S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Apte
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001248:Asthenopia / Q000628:therapy*; D016288:Computer Terminals; D004867:Equipment Design; D005139:Eyeglasses; D005260:Female; D005425:Flicker Fusion / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008027:Light / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014792:Visual Acuity; D055815:Young Adult