All light is not equal: blue wavelengths are the most potent portion of the visible electromagnetic spectrum for circadian regulation. Therefore, blocking blue light could create a form of physiologic darkness. Because the timing and quantity of light and darkness both affect sleep, evening use of amber lenses to block blue light might affect sleep quality. Mood is also affected by light and sleep; therefore, mood might be affected by blue light blockade. In this study, 20 adult volunteers were randomized to wear either blue-blocking (amber) or yellow-tinted (blocking ultraviolet only) safety glasses for 3 h prior to sleep. Participants completed sleep diaries during a one-week baseline assessment and two weeks' use of glasses. Outcome measures were subjective: change in overall sleep quality and positive/negative affect. Results demonstrated that sleep quality at study outset was poorer in the amber lens than the control group. Two- by three-way ANOVA revealed significant (p<.001) interaction between quality of sleep over the three weeks and experimental condition. At the end of the study, the amber lens group experienced significant (p<.001) improvement in sleep quality relative to the control group and positive affect (p = .005). Mood also improved significantly relative to controls. A replication with more detailed data on the subjects' circadian baseline and objective outcome measures is warranted.

:The use of light-emitting electronic devices before bedtime may contribute to or exacerbate sleep problems. Exposure to blue-wavelength light in particular from these devices may affect sleep by suppressing melatonin and causing neurophysiologic arousal. We aimed to determine if wearing amber-tinted blue light-blocking lenses before bedtime improves sleep in individuals with insomnia. Fourteen individuals (n = 8 females; age ± SD 46.6 ± 11.5 y) with insomnia symptoms wore blue light-blocking amber lenses or clear placebo lenses in lightweight wraparound frames for 2 h immediately preceding bedtime for 7 consecutive nights in a randomized crossover trial (4-wk washout). Ambulatory sleep measures included the Pittsburgh Insomnia Rating Scale (PIRS) completed at the end of each intervention period, and daily post-sleep questionnaire and wrist-actigraphy. PIRS total scores, and Quality of Life, Distress, and Sleep Parameter subscales, were improved in amber vs. clear lenses condition (p-values<0.05). Reported wake-time was significantly delayed, and mean subjective total sleep time (TST), overall quality, and soundness of sleep were significantly higher (p-values<0.05) in amber vs. clear lenses condition over the 7-d intervention period. Actigraphic measures of TST only were significantly higher in amber vs. clear lenses condition (p = 0.035). Wearing amber vs. clear lenses for 2-h preceding bedtime for 1 week improved sleep in individuals with insomnia symptoms. These findings have health relevance given the broad use of light-emitting devices before bedtime and prevalence of insomnia. Amber lenses represent a safe, affordable, and easily implemented therapeutic intervention for insomnia symptoms.

CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION:ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02698800.

Blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in liquid crystal displays emit high levels of blue light, exposure to which is harmful to the retina. Here, we investigated the protective effects of colored lenses in blue LED light-induced damage to 661W photoreceptor-derived cells. We used eight kinds of colored lenses and one lens that reflects blue light. Moreover, we evaluated the relationship between the protective effects of the lens and the transmittance of lens at 464 nm. Lenses of six colors, except for the SY, PN, and reflective coating lenses, strongly decreased the reduction in cell damage induced by blue LED light exposure. The deep yellow lens showed the most protective effect from all the lenses, but the reflective coating lens and pink lens did not show any effects on photoreceptor-derived cell damage. Moreover, these results were correlated with the lens transmittance of blue LED light (464 nm). These results suggest that lenses of various colors, especially deep yellow lenses, may protect retinal photoreceptor cells from blue LED light in proportion to the transmittance for the wavelength of blue LED and the suppression of reactive oxygen species production and cell damage.

Spectral transmittance values in the wavelength range of 300 to 800 nanometers were measured using a spectrophotometer for 18 intraocular lenses (IOLs) including clear (ZCB00) and yellow-tinted (ZCB00V, both from AMO Japan) IOLs with three different lens powers. Also measured were the blue-light irradiance (BLI) values, which might reflect retinal damage caused by sunlight, and the melatonin suppression indices (MSIs), which might reflect the nonvisual photoreception function, through these IOLs. The BLIs (in mWcm) calculated were 7.62, 7.50, and 7.46 for the +10-diopter (D), +20-D, and +30-D ZCB00 IOLs, respectively; 4.10, 3.92, and 4.00 for the +10-D, +20-D, and +30-D ZCB00V IOLs, respectively; 5.76 for phakic eyes; and 15.00 for aphakic eyes. The MSIs (in mWcm-2sr-1) calculated were 1.18, 1.19, and 1.18 for the +10-D, +20-D, and +30-D ZCB00 IOLs, respectively; 0.98, 0.94, and 0.95 for the +10-D, +20-D, and +30-D ZCB00V IOLs, respectively; 1.03 for phakic eyes; and 1.21 for aphakic eyes. The data from the six clear IOLs (SA60AT, Alcon Japan; VA-60BBR, Hoya; AU6 K, Kowa, N4-18B, Nidek; X-60, Santen; KS-3Ai, Staar Japan) and seven yellow-tinted IOLs (SN60AT; YA-60BBR, Hoya; AU6N, Kowa; N4-18YG, Nidek; NX-60, Santen; KS-AiN, Staar Japan; XY-1, Hoya) reported previously also were discussed. Compared to aphakic eyes, ZCB00 and ZCB00V IOLs reduce the BLI values by 49-50% and 73-74%, respectively; and currently available ultraviolet-blocking clear and yellow-tinted IOLs reduce the BLI values by 43-82%, respectively. Yellow-tinted IOLs absorb more circadian rhythm-associated light than clear IOLs. Although the data presented in this study cannot be applieddirectly to IOL implanted in patients, the balance between photoprotection and photoreception must be considered when using IOLs in a clinical setting.

It has been recently discovered that blue wavelengths form the portion of the visible electromagnetic spectrum that most potently regulates circadian rhythm. We investigated the effect of blue light-blocking glasses in subjects with delayed sleep phase disorder (DSPD). This open-label trial was conducted over 4 consecutive weeks. The DSPD patients were instructed to wear blue light-blocking amber glasses from 21:00 p.m. to bedtime, every evening for 2 weeks. To ascertain the outcome of this intervention, we measured dim light melatonin onset (DLMO) and actigraphic sleep data at baseline and after the treatment. Nine consecutive DSPD patients participated in this study. Most subjects could complete the treatment with the exception of one patient who hoped for changing to drug therapy before the treatment was completed. The patients who used amber lens showed an advance of 78 min in DLMO value, although the change was not statistically significant (p = 0.145). Nevertheless, the sleep onset time measured by actigraph was advanced by 132 min after the treatment (p = 0.034). These data suggest that wearing amber lenses may be an effective and safe intervention for the patients with DSPD. These findings also warrant replication in a larger patient cohort with controlled observations.