Blue Light Blocking Glasses From Pill Bottles (2024)

Introduction: Blue Light Blocking Glasses From Pill Bottles

By the6thstar

More by the author:

Step 1: What It's Used For/How It Works

The basis of the science is that when you're exposed to sky blue light, it prevents the production of melatonin, which then interrupts your body's sleep cycle. Constant exposure to sky blue light at night-time, most commonly the LED backlight on screens and monitors, tells your body that it is still daytime. One way to reduce blue light at night is to wear orange glasses at night (hmmm I wonder how I would be able to make a pair).

Step 2: Tools and Materials

For this project, you will need:

Pair of Sunglasses (or regular glasses)
Orange Pill Bottles
Big Book
Gloves
Heat Gun
Scissors
Parchment Paper
Sharpie
Tape
Regular Paper
X-Acto Knife (optional)
Hand Saw (optional)

Step 3: What Color of Pill Bottles to Use (Optional)

If you happen to have pill bottles in more than 1 shade of orange, there is a way to test which will work best (if you only have access to 1 color, then move on to the next step).

If you have normal vision and your monitor can display RGB, then the 2 spectra above will have a noticeable difference. The upper one has a normal color range, but the lower one has the color cyan removed. To test which color of pill bottle will work best, look through each pill bottle (so that your vision appears orange) at the 2 spectra. Choose the color of pill bottle where the spectra look the most alike (when looking through said pill bottle).

Step 4: Pop Lenses Out

For this first step, hold the frame in place and push the lens forward, gradually increasing pressure along and around the frame until it comes out. Do this for both of the lenses.

Step 5: Cut Open the Pill Bottles

Use your handsaw to remove the bottom of the bottle by sawing it off. Then, cut through the middle "hot dog" style to cut it in half vertically (only on one side). You can use scissors instead of the hand saw, you just have to cut it open vertically first, and then cut off the bottom.

Step 6: Flatten the Plastic

Flattening the plastic is much easier with two people, one to hold the plastic and one to operate the heat gun.

Step 7: Cut the Plastic Lenses Out

After you've flattened the plastic, trace the original lens on a piece of paper and cut it out. Make sure you press the paper against the lens to include the lens' curve in the tracing. Then, cut out the shape from the flattened plastic using the paper as a template. Remember, it is better to start out cutting it bigger than you need it to be, and the carefully trimming it down to size. As you trim it down to size, compare it to the original lens and check to see if it fits in the glasses frame yet.