Best Blue Light Supplements for Digital Eye Strain Relief

Your screens aren’t just tiring your eyes—they may be quietly thinning your built-in blue-light shield. The good news? Nature stocked your retina with pigments and antioxidants that can be replenished. In this guide, you’ll discover which foods and supplements help rebuild that protection, why timing matters for sleep, and how a few smart tweaks can ease strain today while helping to safeguard your long-term vision.

Key Takeaways

• Protect the macula: Lutein + zeaxanthin filter blue light and support macular pigment density; vitamins C/E and zinc add antioxidant defense.

• Relieve screen fatigue: Omega-3s, carotenoids, and berry extracts show benefits for dryness, focus, and comfort—alongside the 20-20-20 rule and night modes.

• Think whole-body: Evening blue light disrupts circadian rhythm; diet, timing, and sleep-friendly settings matter as much as supplements.

Digital Eye Strain Isn’t Inevitable—Here’s the Natural Countermove

Who’d want to be without their laptop, tablet, or smartphone today? These tools have become indispensable, and most of us would feel lost without them. But there’s a dark side to these shiny tools we need to address before we do ourselves serious harm.

Not only does gazing at a screen for hours a day risk sore, dry, and strained eyes, but the high-energy blue light that radiates from these devices penetrates deep into the eyes, striking the retina like a laser beam. This can damage it and put our vision at risk.

Thankfully, our eyes have their own blue light-protective shield, which is formed from two special nutrients we can only obtain by eating certain colorful foods and/or taking eye health supplements. Together with other supportive nutrients, we can go a long way to protect our eyes, relieve digital eye strain, and save our sight.

What Is Blue Light?

Sighting a beautiful rainbow in the sky prods us to recall that white light from the sun is made up of seven colors, one of which is blue. Each color has a unique wavelength and strength that forms the visible light spectrum (as distinct from invisible light such as UV rays, X-rays and radio waves). 

Blue light’s wavelength range is between 380 to 500 nanometers. This is short in length and high in energy, allowing it to more easily penetrate the eyes and induce biological effects, both positive and negative.

Most blue light comes from the sun itself. It starts to build in intensity from dawn and when we awaken it boosts alertness and elevates mood to prepare us for the day ahead. Approaching dawn, it gradually disappears allowing the body to produce melatonin, the hormone that relaxes us and prepares us for sleep.

This blue light dimmer switch is therefore essential for regulating the sleep-wake  (circadian rhythm) cycle; a cycle that’s crucial for our health.

Long ago when we lived entirely alongside nature, disruption to the cycle wasn’t an issue, and even past methods of producing light such as oil lamps, candles and wood torches produced little or no blue light.

Today it’s quite a different story. 

In the modern world we’re flooded with artificial blue light at all hours from fluorescent lights, LEDs, TV screens, smartphones, tablets, computer monitors and gaming consoles.

This excessive blue light exposure - especially after dark when we weren’t designed to receive any - has consequences for the whole body but especially for our eyes.

Digital Devices Irritate The Eyes

Extended use of digital devices is a serious health issue because it can damage the retina, the transparent layer of cells at the back of the eye that’s crucial for clear vision (or any vision).

This damage takes years to develop, and we’ll look at this in more detail later, but in the short term the bombardment from blue light and other issues from prolonged staring at a screen can lead to digital eye strain, aka computer vision syndrome, which has these common symptoms:

• Eye Strain: Staring at a screen for long periods forces the muscles to work harder, causing fatigue and discomfort.

• Dry Eyes: Less frequent blinking is common when focusing on a screen, causing dryness and irritation, and may create a burning sensation or they may feel itchy. Ironically, the eyes may sometimes compensate, producing watery eyes.

• Blurred Vision: Excessive screen time can cause problems with focusing on longer distances. Dry eyes can also cause this.

Staring at a screen, holding a fixed and unnatural body position for a long time, and using devises after dark also has consequences away from the eyes.

Digital Devices Harm The Body

Headache, neck pain, and shoulder pain can be caused by eye strain and poor posture from continually leaning forward. In the evening, blue light emitted from both LED lighting and devices severely disrupts melatonin production, potentially harming the immune system and causing insomnia and other sleep problems.

The knock-on effects of persistent poor sleep can be serious. It plays a role in heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, dementia, and some forms of cancer. It can even lead to an early grave, so what may appear as annoying but minor eye problems from blue light exposure can take on much greater significance when disruption to the circadian rhythm is taken into account.

Dr. Steve Kay, one of the world’s top experts on the genetics of circadian rhythms at the University of Southern California, warns us that “disruption of our highly evolved circadian lifestyle is making us ill. Humans are not evolved for night shifts, nighttime lights and intercontinental travel. Modern-life challenges to our circadian system present a long-term threat to our health.”1

While not the whole answer to these concerns, there are at least some simple steps you can take to reduce the harm caused by device overload.

Tips to Blunt Digital Eye Strain

Limiting the use of devices and avoiding screens several hours before bedtime is the best way to keep eye strain in check, but this often isn’t possible, so take these simple precautions:

• Consciously blink: Blinking keeps the eyes lubricated and moist. Follow the 20-20-20 rule by setting a repeat alarm every 20 minutes. When it sounds, take a 20 second break by looking at an object at least 20 feet away.

• Adjust light settings: Eye strain and fatigue can be reduced by making sure the screen’s brightness and contrast settings match the surroundings. Avoid a screen that’s too bright compared to the environment or very dim screens in bright settings.

• Keep a safe distance: Sit 20-26 inches away from the computer screen

• Use night light and night mode: These screen features reduce blue light exposure at any time but were designed for after dark use to improve eye comfort and improve sleep quality. In addition to what’s supplied, some people find the free f.lux blue light filter app useful, with one reviewer saying “my eyesight has literally improved.”

• Drink water throughout the day: Eyes need to be well hydrated for clear and comfortable vision.

• Take eye health supplements: These are listed below.

Digital eye strain is bad enough, but years of excessive blue light exposure can lead to far more serious eye issues.

The Effects of Blue Light on Vision

The harm caused to the eyes from blue light is summed up by eye experts in the International Journal of Ophthalmology. They write that “it passes through the cornea and lens to the retina causing diseases such as dry eye, cataract, [and] age-related macular degeneration.”2

How does blue light wreak such havoc? Much of it comes from a single problem that affects different parts of the eye, and that’s excessive free radicals. These unstable molecules, if not neutralized by antioxidants, will run amok, inflicting untold cellular damage.

The eyes are especially vulnerable to an overload of free radicals (oxidative stress) because of their constant exposure to light and extremely high oxygen and energy demands.3 Areas at risk include:

• The cornea: Free radicals in the form of reactive oxygen species (ROS) can attack the clear front window of the eye that focuses and transmits light into the retina, triggering inflammation to these tissues (and eyelids) and provoking the death of cells (apoptosis). Oxidative stress, inflammation and  apoptosis also contribute to dry eye syndrome.

• The lens: Sunglasses are worn to protect against the well-known hazard of UV radiation that can provoke cataracts. Similarly, blue light can induce ROS and cloud the lens over time.

• The retina: Blue light stimulates oxidative stress in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), a layer of cells crucial to the health of the retina. Damage to the RPE can lead to various eye diseases, including macular degeneration. ROS is also generated when lipofuscin absorbs blue light. Lipofuscin is a fatty waste product of the RPE that accumulates with aging. It’s been linked to the death of photoreceptors – cells in the retina that detect light - and to macular degeneration.

As Professor Gianluca Tosini, Chief Scientific Research Officer at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta is keen to point out: “[T]he public needs to be aware of the fact that exposure to blue light may negatively affect the retinal photoreceptors and thus vision.”4

His warning needs to be heeded because, while a cataract operation will replace a dull, cloudy lens with a shiny new one, the same can’t be said for…

The Growing Problem of Macular Degeneration

The macula is a tiny yellow spot at the back of the retina that allows for clear, detailed and colorful central vision.  Damage to the macula severely harms the ability to see what's directly in front of us, yet this affects around 20 million Americans, mostly over the age of 50, which is why it’s usually referred to a age-related macular degeneration (AMD).5

However, people younger than this are not in the clear. They too can develop the condition if they have a family history of the disease. Younger people also put themselves at greater risk if they’re obese, have high blood pressure or smoke cigarettes. The condition is also linked to diabetes and a diet that lacks antioxidants.

Losing central vision will put an end the driving, make reading printed books difficult if not impossible, and create difficulty recognizing people’s faces, so everything should be done to avoid ever getting into this position.

That’s why it’s so important to protect the eyes from blue light, and there are potentially several ways of achieving this.

The Importance of Blue Light Protection

Blue Light Supplements

The prestigious research institution, INSERM France, led an international team of eye specialist from nine countries, including the US, to examine the hazards of excessive blue light and what can be done to prevent the harm it causes.

In their 2023 report they wrote:

“In humans, macular pigments (composed of lutein and zeaxanthin) represent a natural protection by filtering blue light and can be increased through increased intake from foods or food supplements. These nutrients are associated with lower risk for AMD and cataract. Antioxidants such as vitamins C, E, or zinc might also contribute to the prevention of photochemical ocular damage by preventing oxidative stress.”6

Their view of supported by Professor Johanna Seddon, a pioneer in the field of AMD research at UMass Chan Medical School. She informs us that “there is now overwhelming evidence that diet, nutrition, antioxidants and inflammatory factors play a role in disease susceptibility and prevention.”7

Let’s look at the nutrients the INSERM team highlight - all of which must be obtained from the diet and/or supplements – and why they’re so important.

Lutein and Zeaxanthin

These yellow carotenoid plant pigments are present in the macula at concentrations tens of thousands of times greater than any other tissue but decrease with aging. They’re also the only carotenoids found in the lens. Both pigments absorb blue light to reduce retinal damage, and they also prevent the development of, and neutralize, ROS.

Higher dietary levels are linked to a lower risk of AMD and cataract, and supplements were shown to sharpen vision and increase macular thickness (macular pigment optical density) in human randomized controlled trials. Consistent benefits seen across multiple studies led the INSERM-led scientists to write confidently that lutein and zeaxanthin are successful “in restoring the eyes’ natural blue light shield.”

While these carotenoids are not proven to directly impact eye strain and fatigue, studies suggest they do so indirectly by maintaining the thickness of the macular pigment. Optometrists believe the benefits in visual performance seen with lutein and zeaxanthin supplementation, may therefore “be clinically relevant for treating individuals with digital eye strain.”8

This is backed up in the real world by comments made on Reddit by people who buy blue light supplements. These include:

• “Way less eye fatigue when I'm working on the computer, and less eye strain/whatever when I'm out doing yardwork.”

• “Improved ability to read small text.”

• “Less eye strain and definitely less dry eyes.”9

Testimonials on WebMD are equally enthusiastic saying:

• "After 1 to 2 months i started feeling a great relief” (from eye strain and dryness).

• “…after week 3, yes, it really works! my eyes focus, and I don't get a headache.”10

Vitamins C, E and Zinc

The retinal cells membranes, which contain the RPE and outer segments of the photoreceptor cells, are very rich in vitamin E - a potent fat-soluble antioxidant - and vitamin C is found in the lens and other areas of the eye. Zinc is also found at unusually high concentrations in the eye compared to other tissues, especially in the retina and choroid - part of the eye that supplies blood, oxygen and nutrients to the retina.

The Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) reported back in 2001 that vitamin C (500 mg), vitamin E (400 IU), zinc oxide (80 mg) copper oxide (2 mg), and beta-carotene, are safe to take and can slow the progression of AMD.

Since then, beta-carotene has been replaced in the new formula (AREDS2) by lutein (10 mg) and zeaxanthin (2 mg). This was more effective at reducing AMD progression compared to the original formula. They also reduced the zinc dose to 25 mg, finding it was equally effective.11

Astaxanthin

While not specifically mentioned by INSERM as a natural blue light supplement, recent research suggests this highly potent antioxidant is eye protective. Scientists in Japan showed this red-orange carotenoid found in microalgae, salmon, and shrimp, protects retinal cells from death by blue light-induced damage. Their results, they concluded, “suggest the potential value of astaxanthin as a dietary strategy to prevent blue light-induced retinal degeneration.”12

Astaxanthin was also shown to produce clearer vision and less eye strain in video display terminal workers.13

One reviewer said it “has been great for reducing dry eyes” while another said they “had some pretty good results with astaxanthin.”14

Bilberry

WWII bomber pilots ate bilberries before a flight to help them see more clearly in the dark, although scientific evidence for this is lacking. However, a 2018 study found bilberry protected retinal photoreceptor cell damage induced by exposure to blue light,15 so this may also work as a blue light supplement. In addition, the berry contains antioxidants called anthocyanins which fight inflammation, and improve symptoms of eye fatigue, eye strain and dry eye.16

Maqui berry extract

Increased tear production in people suffering eye dryness with considerable reduction in symptoms and less eye fatigue.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

These fats have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and a large Harvard study found DHA and EPA decreased the risk of AMD.17 In addition, omega-3 supplements are commonly recommended by eye care practitioners for increasing tear production and evidence from human trials supports a 20% reduction in dry eye symptoms.18

Other nutrients

A shortage of almost any single vitamin will harm the eyes. For instance, vitamin A deficiency causes night blindness, and if severe with cause corneal ulcers. A shortage of B2 causes blurred vision. Vitamin D or B12 deficiency can give rise to dry eye disease. Minerals like magnesium and selenium are also crucial to eye health. It’s important therefore to eat a nutrient-rich diet such as the one recommended by the INSERM collaboration which is…

The Mediterranean Diet

This diet naturally contains nutrients that build the macular pigment – the eyes' natural blue light filters - and are also chock full of antioxidants that fight the free radicals that choke off photoreceptors.

The diet emphasizes vegetables, legumes, fruits, unrefined cereals, nuts and fish, with low amounts of meat, low to moderate dairy, olive oil for drizzling over salads and cooking, and moderate levels of wine.

The diet is high in lutein and zeaxanthin if foods such as kale, spinach, bell peppers, corn, carrots, pistachios and egg yolks are included. Many other vegetables contain smaller amounts. The diet also contains high amounts of vitamins A, C and E.

High adherence to the Mediterranean Diet is linked with a lower risk of age-related eye diseases such as AMD, diabetic retinopathy and visual impairment. However, nature never foresaw the digital load the eyes would have to bear, so these foods should be eaten in combination with supplements to get the much higher protection that we need today.

Another way to protect against blue light is simply to block it out with special eyeglasses. In theory this seems like a winning strategy, but experts give them the thumbs down. Here’s why.

Blue Light Filtering Glasses – Disappointing Results

It’s claimed blue blocker glasses reduce digital eye strain and protect the retina, but evidence to support this is thin on the ground.

On the plus side, one study of 12 volunteers found those wearing a blue-light shield a few hours before bedtime had higher melatonin levels and subjects reported better sleep compared to those wearing non-blue blocking glasses.19 Another very similar study with 14 subjects produced results that were much the same.20

However, few studies have assessed whether such eyewear reduces eye fatigue, or improves symptoms of eye strain, and none looked at whether they prevent eye diseases such as AMD. Most studies that pit blue-blocking lenses against non-blue-blocking lenses found no significant difference.

This led the INSERM experts to conclude that “there is no consistent evidence to support the use of blue-blocking filters in spectacle lenses, or their introduction in the clinical practice as a treatment for eyestrain or eye fatigue.”

Despite disappointing findings, protecting against blue light from LED lighting and screens after dark seems sensible and should improve sleep as the above - admittedly very small - studies show.  One reviewer did say the glasses “help a lot if I work in the evening,” so wearing glasses after dark is worth considering.

Who Needs Blue Light Protection?

It would be easier to ask who doesn’t. Whether a student or a senior, an office worker or retired, we all have eyes therefore we’re all at risk, but it’s true that some are at greater risk.

• Children: As their lens is more transparent to short wavelengths they’re more sensitive to blue light. Blue LEDs, including those in toys, may dazzle and harm the eyes, especially those under three.

• Adolescents: Smartphone use has increased dramatically in recent years and the sheer amount of time spent on them (many take them to bed) means they’re having a negative impact on their eye health especially as adolescents tend to sleep and wake later.

• Night shift workers: Nighttime exposure disrupts the circadian rhythm. Night workers have more occupational accidents and are more likely to develop health problems.

• Older adults: Discomfort is more likely. Blue-rich light sources, including vehicle lights, can increase glare and image distortion. Those with existing retinal problems may be more susceptible to harm.

Summary

Today, we’re bombarded with artificial blue light from modern lighting and long periods of screen use. This is making for dry, tired and uncomfortable eyes and poses a risk to different parts of the eye, especially the retina, so risking macular degeneration and the ability to see clearly.

As well as taking simple precautions when looking at screens, eating a Mediterranean diet will supply more lutein and zeaxanthin, nutrients that maintain the density of the macula, as well as vitamin C, vitamin E, and zinc which are needed by the eyes for healthy vision. World-leading eye experts agree these need to come from blue light supplements as well as the diet.  

Frequently Asked Questions

Can supplements protect against blue light?

Yes, long-term studies show blue light supplements can protect against blue light and support eye health by quashing free radicals and building macular pigment.

Side effects of blue-light supplements?

All the protective ingredients are naturally found in food and the effective dosages are well within safe upper limits. However, people taking anticoagulant medication such as warfarin should speak to a medical professional before taking vitamin E as it has a slight blood thinning effect. Those with sensitive stomachs may have mild gastrointestinal issues with 25 mg of zinc.

Do natural supplements reduce digital eye strain?

Scientific research supports this. The evidence for omega 3 is described as “robust” and for carotenoids and berries as “promising”.

Which ingredients naturally protect the retina?

Lutein, zeaxanthin, vitamin C, vitamin E, and Zinc are proven to safeguard the retina, protect eyes naturally and are recommended daily. Astaxanthin and bilberry are also valuable.

Astaxanthin vs lutein: which is better?

At this stage, lutein gets the nod because it’s part of the macula pigment, has been researched and used in high quality human trials for decades, and its benefits are well established. Astaxanthin is a relatively new kid on the block and needs more research and human trials before we can make a final judgment.

Do supplements really help with screen fatigue?

Yes, you can be confident when you buy blue light supplements that it's not only backed up by research but also by user testimonials.