Why Norwegian Kids Need Blue Light Glasses

Your Child's Eyes Are Not Small Adult Eyes – They're Far More Vulnerable to Blue Light

I need to tell you something about your child's eyes that most parents don't know. Something that makes me genuinely concerned when I see Norwegian kids glued to iPads at 8 or 9 PM, or doing homework on laptops right before bed.

Children's eyes transmit significantly more blue light to the retina than adult eyes do. This isn't a minor difference – we're talking about substantially higher penetration of the exact wavelengths that disrupt sleep, affect mood, and potentially cause long-term damage. Yeah I know it sounds extreme, I am trying to raise the alarm that light matters, this is before we go into the EMF battle or the dopamine hijacking from new media. This matters, mental health is in a terrible downward spiral and I believe light has at least a part to play.

And here's what makes this particularly relevant for Norwegian families: that same sensitivity that makes your kids vulnerable at night is exactly why they bounce out of bed so easily on bright summer mornings. Their eyes are exquisitely tuned to respond to light – which is brilliant when it's natural daylight, and potentially harmful when it's artificial blue light after sunset.

The Biology Behind Children's Light Sensitivity

Let me explain what's actually happening inside your child's eyes, because understanding this changes everything about how we should think about screen time.

The lens of the eye naturally filters some blue light before it reaches the retina. But here's the critical difference: a child's lens is significantly more transparent than an adult's lens. The crystalline lens yellows with age, which gradually filters more blue light. This is a protective mechanism that develops over decades. Think about the oldest in the family, they struggle with sleep and yet can sleep almost anywhere, anytime. This isn't just about light, but it is one factor.

What does this mean in practical terms for you and your kids?

A 10-year-old's eyes transmit roughly 65 to 90 percent of blue light wavelengths to the retina. A 40-year-old's eyes transmit approximately 50 to 60 percent. A 60-year-old's eyes transmit around 20 to 30 percent.

Your child's eyes are letting through two to four times more blue light than yours are. They're not just spending more time on screens than we did as kids – their eyes are fundamentally more vulnerable to the effects of that blue light exposure.

Why This Sensitivity Is Both Useful and Dangerous

So, this happens to every person throughout their life but in some countries this understanding is crucial. Let's look and see why this matters specifically for Norwegian children. Remember this isn't just my experience or knowledge, I have a young daughter so I am invested in this as much as you.

That high light transmittance and sensitivity to blue wavelengths serves a biological purpose. It's part of why children wake up alert and ready to go when exposed to morning light. Their eyes are designed to be highly responsive to the blue-rich spectrum of daylight, which helps set strong circadian rhythms and promotes healthy development.

In summer, when we have those gloriously long Norwegian days, this works beautifully. The natural blue light from the morning and daytime sun helps your child maintain proper sleep-wake cycles, supports mood regulation, and promotes alertness when they need it. We have all experienced the good (and the bad) of that..... a flicker of daylight and your kids are up and ready to go, perhaps you are hankering for some more sleep??

But here's the problem: that same sensitivity that serves them so well in the morning becomes a serious liability in the evening.

When your child sits in front of a tablet at 8 PM, their eyes are receiving blue light wavelengths at intensities and durations that their biology interprets as "it's morning or lunchtime, time to be alert." Their developing circadian system – which is more plastic and sensitive than an adult's – responds accordingly by suppressing melatonin production.

The result? They can't fall asleep when they should. Their sleep quality suffers. Their mood, concentration, and behaviour the next day all take a hit. And it's not because they lack discipline or because screens are inherently evil – it's because their eyes are physiologically responding to blue light the way they're designed to. Again, we haven't even begun to talk about the blue light without the equally powerful protective red, near infrared and infrared wavelengths of light. That by itself should be enough to help protect your kids eyes from the oxidative stress and subsequent damage that is being caused.

The Norwegian Context: Why This Matters More Here

I've worked with families throughout Norway, and there's something specific about our situation that makes the blue light issue particularly acute for children.

Our winters are dark. Properly dark and for a long time! Kids go to school in darkness and come home in darkness for months. We're already fighting an uphill battle with light exposure and circadian rhythm maintenance.

So what do we do? We compensate with artificial light. Bright overhead LEDs. Screens for homework and entertainment. Tablets to keep kids occupied during the long, dark evenings.

The problem is that most of this artificial light is heavily weighted toward blue wavelengths. Modern LED lighting and digital screens emit strong blue light peaks, particularly in the 450 to 480 nanometer range that most effectively suppresses melatonin.

For Norwegian children dealing with months of darkness, their screens become one of their primary light sources. And because their eyes transmit so much more of that blue light than adult eyes do, they're receiving a massive dose of circadian-disrupting wavelengths exactly when they should be winding down for sleep.

I see this pattern repeatedly: Norwegian kids who struggle with sleep during winter, who are tired and irritable, whose parents can't figure out why bedtime has become a battle. Often, the screen time isn't even excessive by modern standards – it's just that the timing and the child's physiology are working against each other.

How Blue Light Affects Your Child's Sleep (and Everything Else)

Let me break down what actually happens when your child uses screens in the evening.

Immediate effects:

Melatonin suppression begins within 30 to 60 minutes of blue light exposure. Alertness increases when it should be decreasing. Core body temperature regulation (which naturally drops before sleep) is disrupted. The circadian clock receives "daytime" signals, shifting sleep timing later.

Downstream consequences:

Difficulty falling asleep, even when tired. Reduced total sleep duration (they still need to wake up for school). Lighter, less restorative sleep architecture. Grogginess and irritability the next morning. Difficulty concentrating during school. Increased appetite for carbohydrates and sugar (sleep deprivation affects appetite hormones). Mood dysregulation and emotional reactivity. All these can be seen after just 1-2 nights of disrupted sleep.

This isn't minor stuff. Sleep is when children's brains consolidate learning, when growth hormone is released, when the immune system strengthens. Chronic sleep disruption during childhood has been linked to everything from academic performance issues to increased risk of obesity, mood disorders, and behavioral problems.

And the mechanism? It starts with blue light hitting an eye that's far more transparent and sensitive than an adult's eye.

When You Actually Need Blue Light Glasses for Your Child

I'm not going to tell you that every child needs blue light glasses. That would be dishonest, and it would ignore the fact that the best solution is often reducing evening screen exposure.

But here's when blue light glasses become not just helpful, but genuinely necessary:

Homework that requires screens in the evening

This is increasingly common in Norwegian schools. If your 12-year-old has an assignment due tomorrow that requires computer work, you can't just say "no screens after 6 PM." The work needs to get done. Blue light glasses allow them to complete their homework without receiving the full circadian-disrupting dose of blue wavelengths.

Children with diagnosed sleep issues

If your child already struggles with sleep onset or maintenance, evening blue light exposure will make it worse. I've worked with parents whose kids were diagnosed with delayed sleep phase disorder – they simply couldn't fall asleep at a reasonable hour. In many cases, strict blue light management (including glasses) was part of the solution that actually worked.

High screen time that can't be reduced

Some children, particularly those with learning differences or during periods of remote schooling, genuinely need more screen time than the ideal recommendations suggest. If that's your reality, blue light glasses become a harm-reduction strategy.

Light-sensitive children

Some kids are simply more sensitive to light stimulation than others. If your child seems easily overstimulated, has trouble settling down in the evening, or complains about bright lights bothering them, their visual system may be particularly reactive to blue wavelengths.

Norwegian winter evenings

Here's the practical reality: from November to February, if you're following the "no screens after sunset" rule, your kids would have almost no recreational screen time. That's probably not realistic for most families. Blue light glasses allow for some evening screen use during our darkest months without completely sabotaging sleep.

It might seem like I am completely against screens for kids, I'm actually not at all. There are some things that are quite useful. What I am trying to make people aware of is the issues that poor lighting (including screens) can cause or contribute to. For example, I watch films with daughter each week and she sometimes does some of homework on the tablet before dinner. She even has some games on her tablet. I will go into the reasons in another blog post, but the things I won't allow on her tablet or the tv are dopamine hijacking social media - TikTok, Instagram, Youtube Shorts etc. At the same time, there is incandesent bulbs on, red light and she must go outside before and after the screen time. The idea is that long format, slow cuts and removal of instant gratification improves one aspect of the screen time that is now common place in life in 2025.

Choosing Blue Light Glasses That Actually Work for Norwegian Children

This is where most parents get stuck, because the market is flooded with products that range from genuinely effective to completely useless.

Here's what you need to know:

Lens color matters – and it depends on timing

For daytime and early evening use (before 6 to 8 PM), clear or very light yellow-tinted lenses are appropriate. These filter 30 to 50 percent of blue light in the harmful range while still allowing enough through for normal vision and circadian function. Your child can do homework, watch some TV, or play games without completely eliminating all blue light exposure.

But here's the critical part that most companies won't tell you: clear lenses cannot block enough blue light for evening use close to bedtime. The physics simply doesn't work. To meaningfully protect the circadian system in the 1 to 3 hours before sleep, you need amber or orange-tinted lenses that block 95 to 100 percent of blue wavelengths up to about 500 nanometers.

Yes, everything looks orange. Yes, it's weird at first. But this is what actually works when screen time happens close to bedtime.

Check for actual specifications, not marketing claims

Any legitimate blue light glasses should provide a spectrophotometer report showing exact wavelength filtration, specific percentages blocked at key wavelengths (particularly 450 to 480 nanometers, where melatonin suppression is strongest), and testing methodology that's independently verifiable.

If a product just says "blocks blue light" without specific data, assume it's minimally effective.

The 450 nanometer problem

Most cheap blue light glasses block some blue light, but they often miss the peak problematic wavelength around 450 to 460 nanometers. This is exactly the range where melatonin suppression is most pronounced. Look for glasses that specifically address this range with at least 90 percent blockage if you're using them for evening wear.

Fit and comfort for children

The best blue light glasses in the world are useless if your child won't wear them. Look for frames specifically designed for children's faces – adult frames don't just look oversized, they don't sit properly on smaller heads and noses. The glasses need to be comfortable enough that wearing them for 1 to 2 hours isn't a battle.

What About "Night Mode" and Screen Filters?

I get asked this constantly: "Can't I just use Night Shift on the iPad? Why do we need glasses?"

Here's the honest answer: Night mode and similar software filters help, but they're not sufficient for children's eyes.

These features work by reducing the blue wavelength output of the screen – essentially making everything warmer-toned and slightly dimmer. This is better than nothing, and I do recommend using them in addition to blue light glasses.

But here's the limitation: Night mode typically reduces blue light by maybe 30 to 50 percent. For an adult's eyes, which already filter a significant amount of blue light naturally, this might be enough. For a child's eyes, which transmit 65 to 90 percent of blue wavelengths, you're still getting a substantial dose of circadian-disrupting light.

Think of it like this, it's -10 outside and you have wool jumper on, it's a great start, but you are going to need something else longer term. Children's eyes are "blue light sensitive," and night mode alone isn't high enough protection for evening use.

The combination works best: use night mode to reduce the blue light being emitted, and use properly-rated blue light glasses to block what still gets through.

Practical Guidelines for Norwegian Families

Based on working with families here in Norway, here's what actually works in real life:

Create two "zones" for screen time:

This is what I use:

Before 5:30 PM: Normal screen use is fine, though daytime clear or light yellow blue light glasses can help if your child has sensitivity or does a lot of screen-based work.

After 5:30 PM: This is when blue light protection becomes important. If screens are necessary, your child should wear properly-rated amber or orange glasses that block 95 percent or more of blue light below 500 nanometers.

This might seem early to many of you. Obviously you can adjust your timings for the age of your kids and their bedtimes.

Build the habit gradually

Don't just hand your 10-year-old orange glasses and expect compliance. Start by explaining why it matters in terms they understand: "These help your brain know it's nighttime so you can fall asleep easier." Let them try them for short periods. Make it part of the evening routine, like brushing teeth.

Track the results

Pay attention to whether your child falls asleep more easily when using blue light glasses in the evening. Monitor their morning mood and energy. Most parents report noticing a difference within 5 to 7 days of consistent use.

Don't use them as an excuse for unlimited screen time

This is important: blue light glasses don't solve all the problems associated with screens. They don't address the content your child is consuming, the sedentary nature of screen time, or the displacement of other activities. They're a tool for harm reduction when screens are necessary or unavoidable – not a free pass for unlimited use. I will just leave this here - you have light sensitive cells all over your body (not as sensitive or as powerful as your eyes, but they are there). That means that you are protecting your most sensitive receptors but if you over do the screen time, you are still getting some negative effect through other receptors.

The Morning Advantage: Using Children's Light Sensitivity Productively

Here's something positive to balance all this concern about evening exposure: that same high light sensitivity that makes Norwegian children vulnerable at night can be leveraged in the morning.

Because children's eyes transmit so much blue light, they respond more strongly to morning light exposure. This is actually beneficial. If your child gets good light exposure in the morning – ideally natural sunlight, but even bright indoor light helps – it anchors their circadian rhythm and promotes evening sleepiness at the right time. Yes it's true - the stronger the light source in the morning, the bigger the contrast between morning and evening light, the easier it is for their body's to get into rest and relaxation.

During Norwegian summer, this happens naturally. Those bright mornings do exactly what they should for your child's sleep-wake cycle.

During winter, you might need to be more intentional.  I don't like this and still have some misgivings about using artificial sources that aren't complete, but what other choice is there? A bright light therapy lamp (ideally combined with incandescent for the near infrared and infrared or a red light therapy device) in the morning (10,000 lux for 20 to 30 minutes before/while eating breakfast) can help maintain that strong circadian signal that their sensitive eyes are designed to respond to.

The principle is simple: use their light sensitivity strategically. Strong light exposure in the morning, protected or reduced blue light exposure in the evening. Work with their biology, not against it.

What I Use for My Own Children

I should mention that I have a daughter myself, and I practice what I'm writing about here.

My child use clear daytime blue light glasses when doing extended homework on computers, especially if it is dark outside. These filter enough to reduce eye strain without affecting their vision or making everything look tinted.

After 6PM during the school year, if she needs to use screens for any reason, She wears my properly-rated amber glasses that block 95 percent or more of blue light. She never complained, because she has seen me wearing them,  it's just routine.

I also make sure She get good light exposure in the morning, especially during winter. We head outside as soon as the sun comes up and aim for no screens before natural light. We have a light therapy lamp with some blue, red and near infrared on the table at the breakfast table that runs from late October through March. Her eyes respond strongly to that morning light, which helps offset the challenges of dark Norwegian winters.

Does this eliminate all sleep challenges? No. Kids are kids, and sleep patterns fluctuate for all sorts of reasons. But I can tell you with certainty that on evenings when screen time happens without blue light protection, bedtime is harder. The difference is noticeable enough that my daughter now reaches for the glasses herfself if the ambient light is getting dark.

The Research Actually Supports This (Unlike Some Wellness Trends)

I want to be clear about something: the concern about blue light and children isn't based on panic or pseudoscience. The research on this is substantial and consistent.

Blue Light Study
Blue Light Review for mental health 
Blue light and digital addiction

Studies have shown that children's eyes do transmit significantly more short-wavelength light than adult eyes. Evening blue light exposure causes greater melatonin suppression in children than in adults. Screen use within 2 hours of bedtime is associated with delayed sleep onset and reduced sleep duration in pediatric populations. Blue light blocking interventions improve sleep outcomes in children and adolescents.

This isn't speculative. The mechanism is well-understood, and the effects are measurable.

What we're still learning about is the long-term implications. Children today are getting unprecedented levels of blue light exposure at ages when their eyes and visual systems are still developing. We don't have 30-year longitudinal studies yet because the technology hasn't existed that long.

Some researchers have raised concerns about potential long-term effects on retinal health, myopia progression, and other visual outcomes. The data isn't conclusive yet, but the precautionary principle suggests that protecting children's eyes from excessive blue light exposure – particularly given their higher transmission rates – is prudent.

When Glasses Aren't Enough

Sometimes, even with blue light glasses, children continue to have sleep difficulties. This usually means there are other factors at play beyond just light exposure.

Consider whether your child is getting enough physical activity during the day. Is the bedroom environment properly dark and cool? Is there too much general stimulation (not just light) before bed? Are anxiety or stress affecting their ability to wind down? Is screen content itself overstimulating (action games, intense shows)?

Blue light glasses address the circadian disruption caused by light wavelengths. They don't solve every sleep challenge. Sometimes you need a multi-faceted approach that includes behavioral changes, environment optimization, and yes, light management.

You can see my room lighting options here

What This Means for Your Family

If you're a parent in Norway reading this, you're probably wondering: do I actually need to buy blue light glasses for my kids?

Here's my honest take:

If your child uses screens for homework or entertainment in the evening hours (6 PM onward during school nights), yes, blue light glasses are worth having. The combination of their naturally high light transmittance and the blue-light-heavy nature of screens creates a genuine circadian disruption risk.

If your child already has sleep difficulties, this becomes more important. Blue light protection won't fix everything, but it removes one significant obstacle to healthy sleep.

If you're just looking for the absolute minimum intervention and your child has no particular issues, start with strict limits on evening screen time and use of device night mode features. See if that's sufficient. If sleep problems persist, consider adding glasses.

The key is understanding that this isn't about being an overprotective parent or buying into wellness trends. It's about recognizing a genuine biological reality: children's eyes are different from adult eyes, and those differences matter when it comes to artificial light exposure in the evening.

Getting Started with Blue Light Protection for Your Children

If you've decided blue light glasses make sense for your family, here's how to approach it:

Start with one properly-rated pair for evening use. Don't buy five different colors and styles right away. Get amber or orange-tinted glasses with documented filtration in the 450 to 500 nanometer range, let your child adjust to wearing them, and see if you notice the sleep and behavior benefits.

Kids glasses: From 6+ Click here

If evening glasses work well and your child does extensive daytime screen work, you can then consider adding clear or light-yellow daytime glasses for eye strain reduction.

Make sure any glasses you buy come with actual spectrophotometer data (all mine have this data and I do my own spectrometer testing on new batches to make sure they are what they say they are) showing what wavelengths are filtered and by what percentage. This should be available in the product listing or provided upon request. If a company can't or won't provide this data, don't buy from them.

And remember: glasses are a tool, not a solution by themselves. They work best as part of a broader approach to healthy light exposure that includes good morning light, reduced evening blue light, and consistent sleep routines.

Why I Care About This

I started Home Light Therapy because I saw what light was able to do for me. Gaining an understanding of light in specific terms related to pain, and depression led me down the rabbit hole of light therapies. Now, I wish to help Norwegians struggling with light-related health issues that have practical solutions. I've spent years studying photobiology, working with families, and testing products to see what actually works in real-world conditions.

When it comes to children and blue light, I care because the stakes are high. Sleep during childhood affects everything from growth to learning to emotional regulation. And unlike adults who can make informed choices about their own health, kids are depending on us to understand these issues and make good decisions on their behalf.

I test every product I recommend. I use these interventions with my own family. I'm not interested in selling you something that doesn't work or creating unnecessary anxiety about normal childhood activities.

But when there's a genuine biological factor – like children's eyes transmitting two to four times more blue light than adult eyes – that combines with modern behavior patterns to create predictable problems, I think parents deserve to know about it and have access to effective solutions.

Your child's eyes are remarkable, sensitive instruments. That sensitivity serves them well in many contexts, particularly here in Norway where responding strongly to available light is adaptive during our dramatic seasonal changes.

But that same sensitivity means they need more protection from evening blue light exposure than you might have realized. Not because screens are evil or technology is ruining childhood, but because biology is biology, and children's eyes are fundamentally different from adult eyes.

Understanding that difference, and taking simple protective steps, can make a real difference in your child's sleep, mood, and overall wellbeing through the challenging Norwegian winter and beyond.

For more information about light therapy and optimal light exposure for Norwegian families, visit lighttherapy.no. I keep stock of properly-rated blue light glasses for both children and adults, with full spectrophotometer data available for every product. Free shipping over 3000kr, and I'm here to answer your questions.