If you are struggling with dry, tired, strained eyes, I feel your pain. This honest review of blue light glasses by Warby Parker — the popular, philanthropical, and cost-effective eye retailer — lays out all the details about blue light glasses generally and why I recommend these computer glasses by Warby Parker specifically.
A bestselling lifestyle product on The Literary Lifestyle!
First, this post discusses frequently asked questions about blue light glasses. Then, it gives my honest review of blue light glasses by Warby Parker. It also discusses the frame of computer glasses by Warby Parker I recommend for small faces (like my own).
These specific Warby Parker blue light filtering glasses are the ones I wear.
Frequently Asked Questions About Blue Light Glasses
Below are some frequently asked questions about blue light glasses, with answers from For Eyes.
DISCLAIMER: I AM NOT A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL AND THIS POST DOES NOT CONSTITUTE MEDICAL ADVICE. IT IS SIMPLY A REVIEW OF A PRODUCT I HAVE PERSONALLY USED AND INFORMATION PUBLISHED BY A LEADING EYE EXAMINATION AND RETAIL CENTER. PLEASE NOTE THAT VARIOUS SOURCES DISAGREE AS TO THE EFFECTIVENESS OF BLUE LIGHT GLASSES. PLEASE BE GUIDED ACCORDINGLY AND SEEK THE CARE OF A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL IF NEED BE.
Blue light glasses may be used to potentially limit exposure to harmful blue light, which is found in your cell phone, certain light bulbs, and even sunshine.
Blue light glasses may potentially alleviate eye discomfort or strain. If used when exposed to blue light at night, they may potentially help you sleep better, as the frequency of blue light can keep you awake. Blue light glasses may potentially also fight against age-related macular degeneration.
Wear blue light glasses when exposed to blue light for many hours per day; for example, if you work on a computer.
Honest Review of Blue Light Glasses by Warby Parker
Why I Purchased Them
I purchased Warby Parker blue light filtering glasses as a reading accessory after my cheap store-bought pair (of a brand I won’t name) broke. I had been suffering from dry eyes, eye strain, and headaches for about a year, and I noticed a huge increase in these symptoms when I started working from home on my small laptop during the Coronavirus pandemic.
At the time I purchased my Warby Parker blue light filtering glasses (and at the time of posting this article), the non-prescription lenses (with frames) cost $95 and the blue light filtering cost an additional $50.
Buying tip: you can purchase prescription or non-prescription Warby Parker blue light lenses.
I thought the cost of bookish style with these computer glasses by Warby Parker was expensive, as my store-bought pair was about $15, however, my store-bought pair felt very thick and heavy on my face, broke, and never really suited my face shape. So, I decided the investment was worth it for an everyday product.
Free Home Try On’s
I chose Warby Parker because I love how they reinvented the process and price of buying eyewear to be easy and cost-effective.
They are also a very philanthropic company, donating glasses when glasses are sold and providing other community support.
In the past, I hated the cost (several times what Warby Parker charges) of my eyewear, and I never seemed to pick the best frame in person at a store. I would end up only wearing my glasses before bed, after paying an arm and a leg for them.
Shopping Tips: Warby Parker has a solution for online eyewear shopping! With their free home try-on process, you simply select five frames to try at home for free, and Warby Parker ships them to your home.
You can also take a quiz to help you select the best frames for you.
And if you don’t want to do a home try-on, you can also do a virtual try on.
I had previously done a free home try-on from Warby Parker for my standard prescription lenses (which I bought before blue light filtering was available), so I already knew what frame suited me best this time around.
I found the free home try-on process to be easy and seamless, and I loved being able to ask my husband and friends (via text and Instagram) which frames to select. Within five days, you just mail the five frames back with a pre-paid return label.
As mentioned, I have always struggled to pick out a good frame for myself in person, and the Warby Parker frames I selected were the first frames I ever truly loved after buying them.
Pros
- lightweight
- comfortable
- can be worn over contacts
- sturdy and long-lasting
- prevent eye strain and headaches
So, I easily selected non-prescription blue light lenses in the same frame I have for my prescription lenses. I generally wear contacts, so I did not choose prescription lenses for my blue light glasses, but you can choose either prescription or non-prescription Warby Parker blue light lenses.
My blue light glasses were delivered just a few days later, and I have worn them every single workday since (several months now)! They are lightweight and comfortable — so much more so than the cheap store-bought ones I had, which felt very burdensome on my face.
They come with a hard case and a cleaning cloth, both of which I use daily.
I have never been one to wear glasses consistently, so it’s very telling that I choose to wear these all day, every day now. I often forget they are on.
And I have had no issues wearing my Warby Parker blue light-filtering glasses over contacts.
I’ve been pleased with the sturdiness both in my blue light glasses, which I have had for about two years now, and my prescription Warby Parker glasses, which I have had for about six years now with no quality issues.
If I forget to put my Warby Parker blue light filtering glasses on during the workday, I generally will notice eye strain, dryness and/or a headache within about an hour or two, so I do personally believe they work for me. I can’t imagine not wearing them at this point.
Cons of Blue Light Glasses by Warby Parker
My only complaint to date with my Warby Parker blue light glasses is that I would love to have them manually adjusted by a professional. While they generally fit me well, I think I would benefit from a few custom tweaks to make them tighter on my face. I am lucky enough to have a Warby Parker store in my city to make these adjustments for me.
Hassle-Free Return Policy
And although I kept my blue light glasses, Warby Parker states:
We have a 30-day, hassle-free return or exchange policy for our eyewear and accessories.
Warby Parker also has a “one-year, no scratch guarantee for our lenses; [they will] replace your scratched lenses for free within the first 12 months.”
FSA / HSA / Insurance Are Accepted
Warby Parker states it “accepts FSA dollars for all prescription eyewear purchases (including prescription sunglasses and progressives!) and eye exams, as long as your FSA or HSA card is affiliated with a major credit card.”
(I used my HSA card to buy them with no problem.)
Warby Parker also states it’s “an in-network provider for vision plans through UnitedHealthcare as well as for select employer groups through Davis Vision.”
Buying Tip: Warby Parker very rarely has sales or discount codes. They are already priced at a fraction of the cost of other prescription eyewear plus the company donates a pair to someone in need with your purchase. I’d say that’s a win-win overall!
Final Thoughts
Are Warby Parker blue light glasses worth it?
Overall, I have no regrets about buying my Warby Parker blue light filtering glasses and recommend them to anyone in the market for a quality pair of blue light glasses.
I’m also pleased to say that my readers on this book blog seem to like them as well. They are a top-selling lifestyle product on my blog, and one of my favorite things.
I definitely recommend that you check them out and schedule your free home try-on.
Blue Light Glasses for a Small Face
Since I have a small female face, I wanted to specifically recommend a particular Warby Parker frame for blue light glasses for a small face. I tried on all of the smallest Warby Parker frames available and found this specific Oliver frame to be the most flattering to a petite face.
Warby Parker describes it this way: “Slightly narrower with a sloped rectangular shape, Oliver is as flattering as it is wearable.”
I have both the black and whiskey tortoise colors, which are the most classic options, but there are several additional colors available in this specific Oliver frame.
Or, for more “petite” frames, check out these extra narrow options and these narrow options. Unless your face is extremely small, I recommend these narrow options for most petite people.
Helpful Links
I hope this honest review of Warby Parker‘s blue light lens glasses — a best-selling lifestyle product on this blog — was helpful to you. Below I repeat again the links I think you may find to be the most helpful for easy shopping:
- Get your free home try-on
- Take a quiz (to help you select the best frames for you)
- Do a virtual try-on
- Shop the “Oliver” (the frame I own; also popular with my readers)
Hi! I am wondering if these glasses have bad reflections the way a lot of cheap blue light glasses do.
This is a great question. I just tested them with my cheaper pair in front of the computer and it was definitely less with the Warby Parker. I’d say the reflection of these is more similar to what you would expect from standard eyeglasses.
Nice review, thanks for sharing.