Freelance writing is detail-oriented work. You need to have a wide range of samples at your disposal—covering a diverse array of topics—just to optimize your freelance writing portfolio.
If you’re juggling multiple clients at once, you need to get your deliverables in before every deadline while simultaneously maintaining quality so you can maintain your professional reputation. All these tasks will see you working long hours just to get things done.
This kind of work—which is, more often than not, done remotely—can pose significant risks to your physical health. The main thing you’ll want to worry about is your eyes. Freelance writers, as well as other people who work outside offices, spend an average of 13 hours a day looking at screens. That includes not just your work devices, but other gadgets you use for leisure after you clock out (like smartphones and TVs). All that time spent looking at screens up close causes you to blink less and locks your eyes in one position for prolonged periods, straining them.
The result? Computer vision syndrome (CVS). This condition can cause pain and discomfort that can affect your productivity—and, ultimately, the quality of your writing. If you’re looking for ways to alleviate it, one common solution you may discover is the use of blue light glasses.
But what exactly are they? Here’s a quick guide to these specs for freelance writers:
Key Takeaways
- Freelance writing requires diverse samples and the ability to deliver quality work under tight deadlines.
- Excessive screen time, averaging 13 hours a day for freelance writers, can lead to computer vision syndrome (CVS), impacting productivity and eye health.
- Blue light emitted from screens can disrupt sleep quality and may lead to permanent retinal damage.
- Blue light glasses can effectively filter harmful wavelengths, reducing the risk of CVS while retaining productivity benefits.
- To maximize the benefits of blue light glasses, maintain good lighting, hydrate eyes, and take regular breaks.
The dangers of blue light
Blue light is a group of light wavelengths primarily emitted by the sun—and artificially emitted by digital screens. That means you’re exposed to it both outdoors and indoors, including when you’re working on freelance writing projects.
As with most other things, blue light is beneficial in moderation. Because it mostly comes from the sun, it can help regulate your sleep cycles. That means blue light can make you more alert and focused, boost your mood, and even sharpen your memory and thinking skills. These are all pluses for productivity when you’re writing during the day.
However, considering how long you use devices when working for a client, you’re likely regularly overexposing yourself to blue light. At the most, that will disrupt your body’s circadian rhythm, worsen your sleep quality, and make it harder to keep regular working days. However, most of the risks that come with blue light affect your eyes.
One of the effects you may experience is CVS. However, reviews on artificial blue light add that the eye isn’t designed to naturally filter these wavelengths, so they can reach the retina—which helps your brain process what you see—all the way at the back of the eye. Given the vision-heavy tasks involved in freelance writing, you may thus permanently damage the retina due to blue light overexposure. That can impact your ability to continue this career in the long run. More importantly, it can lead to irreversible eyesight changes that negatively impact your quality of life.
Why blue light glasses can help
As their name suggests, these specs can block blue light. Backed by more than a decade of research, today’s blue light glasses now integrate special pigments into the lenses that allow them to block wavelengths ranging between 440 and 500 nanometers (nm) on the light spectrum. That effectively filters the majority of blue light, which is found between 400 and 500 nm.
Though you’re usually not exposed to much sun—and thus blue light—indoors, these glasses can be especially beneficial for the long work hours of the freelance writer, which are often spent looking at digital devices and can increase the risk of overexposure with every passing hour. If you’re a digital nomad, blue light glasses can help block the additional wavelengths emitted by the sun when you’re working outdoors. The best part is that, since these specs leave around 40 nm for blue light to come through, you can still reap its productivity-boosting benefits while avoiding adverse effects like CVS and retinal damage.
How to get blue light glasses
Blue light glasses can be bought in person or online, and the latter option may be more appealing because it can be more cost-effective and means you can get yourself a pair even while you’re working. If you’re shopping on the internet, make sure to check for product page listings that confirm a pair of glasses can block blue light within the aforementioned 440 to 450 nm. If you work outdoors often, opt for a pair with blue-violet light-blocking lenses that can additionally shield you from the sun’s UV rays. From here, make sure to carefully detail your measurements.
One thing you’ll want to get right is pupillary distance, which measures the distance between the centers of your pupils to anchor your lenses and provide greater visual comfort. The wrong measurement can cause eye strain and fatigue, which will negate the benefits of these glasses altogether. Opticians will take your pupillary distance and apply it to your lenses when you’re buying your glasses physically. If you’re wondering how to measure pupillary distance at home, try getting the Opthy app to do it for you with your smartphone camera, then use the results to purchase your pair of glasses.
You’ll also want to ensure your frames will uniquely and securely fit your face. That’s easily done via trial and error when shopping in-store, but how do you fit glasses remotely? Look to Ditto’s virtual try-on app. It’ll ask you to take a short video of you rotating your head in multiple directions, then draw on its library of 3D glasses models to help you find suitable frames based on the estimated size of your face. With it, you can ensure that the blue light glasses you buy can be worn comfortably, even during longer writing sessions.
Ways to boost the benefits of blue light glasses
Of course, blue light glasses work best when used as part of a holistic strategy to protect against CVS. To make the most out of wearing them while freelance writing, make sure you also do the following:
- Work in a well-lit environment. If your screen is brighter or darker than your surroundings, your eyes will strain twice as hard just to see what you’re writing.
- Keep your eyes hydrated. Try to be self-aware of the fact that you blink less when looking at screens. Rapidly blinking for 30 seconds every so often is considered a great eye exercise that helps your eyes naturally moisturize themselves with tears. If you still experience eye dryness, apply oil-based eye drops designed to supplement that moisture and lock it in for longer.
- Take more breaks. Try standing up, stretching, or simply looking away from your screen at least every 20 minutes or between the pieces you’re writing. This will help give your eye muscles a break so they don’t get strained.
With a passion for helping students navigate their educational journey, I strive to create informative and relatable blog content. Whether it’s tackling exam stress, offering career guidance, or sharing effective study techniques
