Should I use my glasses or contacts all the time?

Wearing contact lenses or glasses is generally safe and, for many people, necessary to correct vision. Andrew Huberman and Jeffrey Goldberg from the Huberman Lab discussed the impact of contact lenses on eye health. Most people, especially younger individuals, have sufficient tear film and oxygen reserves to tolerate contact lenses well. Although contact lenses alter tear dynamics on the surface of the eye and reduce the amount of oxygen reaching the surface, they are generally tolerable and safe for daily use 1.

Additionally, contact lenses can provide a higher quality of vision compared to glasses by correcting higher-order aberrations that glasses might not correct 1. However, it is crucial to follow good contact lens hygiene to avoid infections and consider using daily disposable lenses for higher safety, as recommended by Dr. Jeffrey Goldberg 2.

When it comes to light exposure, which is essential for circadian entrainment and overall health, Dr. Huberman suggests that it is fine to wear glasses or contacts while exposing oneself to sunlight as these lenses are designed to focus light onto the retina 3 4.

To sum up, when deciding whether to use glasses or contacts all the time, the primary considerations should be correcting your vision effectively, ensuring hygiene when using contact lenses for eye health, and allowing eye tissues to have access to necessary light exposure for circadian rhythm regulation 5 2. If you have any specific concerns, it is best to consult with an eye care professional for personalized advice.

The Huberman Lab could not locate information specifically stating whether taking off your glasses at times could improve vision in their podcast. However, there are discussions around the importance of having clear visual experiences both when wearing corrective lenses, and when being exposed to natural light without lenses for the benefit of eye health and preventing conditions like myopia 1.

Dr. Jeffrey Goldberg also discussed the difference between providing corrective lenses for focusing and the development of robust eye muscles, especially in children and young adults. The discussion mentioned the benefit of not always using full corrective measures, e.g. under-correcting or avoiding the use of full prism correction, to encourage eye muscle development 2.

For more information on the topic, consulting with an eye care professional might be helpful, as individual needs and conditions may greatly vary.

Preventing myopia, or nearsightedness, is a topic that has been addressed in the Huberman Lab. Several key points have been discussed:

1. Outdoor Time: Spending around two hours a day outdoors without sunglasses has been shown to reduce the likelihood of developing myopia. This natural blue light exposure, even during cloudy days, can impact eye health positively 1.

2. Dark Sleeping Environment: Children who sleep in rooms with night lights or dim lights are more likely to develop myopia, while those who sleep in darker rooms have a significantly lower probability of developing this condition 2.

3. Viewing Distance and Environment: The prevalence of myopia is increasing with changes in children's visual environments, such as spending more time on near work (reading, using computers or mobile devices). Creating a healthy visual environment involves incorporating activities which encourage looking at farther distances, not just close-up work 3.

   Preventing Myopia

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   Andrew shares the results of several studies that show getting two hours of outdoor time without sunglasses or blue light can significantly reduce the probability of getting myopia. Spending time outdoors can enhance mood, metabolism, hormone levels, and dopamine levels. A study of 693 students showed that encouraging them to spend 11 hours a week outdoors reduced the risk of myopia.

   

   Huberman Lab

   The Science of Vision, Eye Health & Seeing Better | Huberman Lab Podcast #24

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4. Myopia Control Strategies: An emphasis on creating visual environments with less near work and more far vision experiences is crucial for children and adolescents as the eye develops. Understanding the right balance is key for proper eye development 4.

Implementing these strategies, which include managing light exposure, sleep environment, and the balance of near versus far focusing activities, can help in preventing the onset and progression of myopia in both children and adults. It's worth incorporating these daily habits into one's lifestyle to maintain healthier vision.

Sleeping in complete darkness has several benefits for mental and physical health, as highlighted in the Huberman Lab:

1. Improved Mood and Mental Health: Darkness during sleep helps improve mood and mental health outcomes, which is beneficial in a way that's independent of light exposure during the day or sleep itself. Thus, it's important to ensure that you are in very dim or entirely dark environments for a continuous stretch of time within your 24-hour cycle 1.

2. Melatonin Regulation: Exposure to bright lights at night can significantly suppress melatonin levels—a hormone essential for feeling sleepy and falling asleep. Therefore, dark environments during sleep help maintain healthy melatonin levels, thus promoting better sleep quality 2.

3. Prevention of Myopia (Nearsightedness): Sleeping in a dark room reduces the likelihood of developing myopia in children. Keeping very low light or complete darkness during sleep is linked to a significantly lower probability of developing myopia, especially because certain wavelengths of light can penetrate the eyelids when sleeping 3.

   Light and Dark

   Andrew Huberman

   Discover the surprising impact of light and darkness on mood and mental health. A recent study reveals that spending 6 to 8 hours in a dim or dark environment within every 24-hour cycle can significantly improve mental health outcomes, independent of light exposure and sleep. Learn how to optimize your circadian rhythm for better well-being.

   

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4. Supports Deep Sleep: Keeping the sleep environment dark and at a lower temperature helps the body to drop a few degrees, which is necessary for initiating and maintaining deep sleep 4.

5. Blood Sugar and Metabolism: Darkness during the critical sleep hours of 10 PM and 4 AM helps to maintain healthy dopamine levels and can prevent negative impacts on learning, immunity, blood sugar regulation, and reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes 5.

To gain these benefits, it is recommended to limit exposure to light in the hours leading up to sleep and ensure your sleeping environment is as dark as possible.