Blue light filters don't work – controlling total luminance is a better bet

TechStrider

21 Feb 2026 — 1 min read

Introduction to Blue Light Filters

As someone who spends a significant amount of time in front of screens, I've often wondered about the effectiveness of blue light filters. These filters, found in many devices and apps, claim to reduce the negative effects of screen time on our eyes and sleep. However, a recent article suggests that blue light filters may not be as effective as we thought.

Why Blue Light Filters Don't Work

The article, published on NeuroAI Science, argues that blue light filters don't address the root cause of the problem. Instead of focusing on the specific wavelength of blue light, we should be looking at the total luminance of our screens. Luminance refers to the overall brightness of a display, and it's this that can cause eye strain and disrupt our sleep patterns. By controlling the total luminance of our screens, we can reduce the negative effects of screen time without relying on blue light filters.

How to Control Total Luminance

So, how can we control the total luminance of our screens? Here are a few tips:

Adjust the brightness of your screen to a comfortable level, taking into account the ambient light in your surroundings.
Use a screen dimmer or adjust the backlight to reduce the overall brightness of your display.
Consider using a device or app that allows you to adjust the color temperature of your screen, which can help reduce eye strain.

# Example of adjusting screen brightness using a command-line tool
# (Note: This is a simulated example and may not work on your device)
$ xbacklight -set 50

Benefits of Controlling Total Luminance

Controlling the total luminance of our screens has several benefits, including:

Reduced eye strain and fatigue
Improved sleep quality
Increased comfort during extended screen time

Who is this for?

This information is relevant to anyone who spends a significant amount of time in front of screens, including developers, gamers, and remote workers. If you're looking for ways to reduce the negative effects of screen time, controlling the total luminance of your screens is definitely worth considering.

So, what do you think? Are blue light filters a waste of time, or do they still have a place in our screen-time routines? Do you have any tips for controlling the total luminance of your screens? Let me know in the comments!

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