Studies on whether dark mode and other blue light filtering solutions work to mitigate blue light exposure are inconclusive. The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) states that digital eye strain is caused by the way we use our digital devices, not necessarily the blue light that comes from them.

These anecdotes about blue light and eyes aren’t necessarily backed by research or supported by expert opinion, though. The reduction in blue light may reduce any squinting or strain associated with high amounts of brightness. In theory, this is because default screen settings expose you to more blue light after dark, disrupting your circadian rhythm and suppressing melatonin, the hormone that signals your body that it’s bedtime.ĭark mode may also be easier to read, especially when you’re in a room with the lights off. People who promote dark mode sometimes claim that using it in the hours before bedtime helps them to fall asleep more quickly and stay asleep for longer periods of time. While we’re only now starting to understand the side effects of excessive blue light exposure from screens, you can imagine why it would start to confuse your eyes. These waves have more energy than other colors of light and send our brains the signal that it’s daytime. But blue light comes primarily from the sun, scatters into our atmosphere, and colors our sky blue. To understand whether dark mode has any health benefit, we first have to consider the way the blue light affects our eyes.īlue light waves are emitted from our screen devices.

Black light background