IRIS Eyewear Expands Customer Base in UAE and KSA as Blue Light Comes into Focus

IRIS Eyewear brings stylish, health-conscious, competitively priced blue light protection glasses at the touch of a button

Online direct to consumer brand, IRIS Eyewear, has launched a new range of stylish, price-competitive, blue light protection glasses for 2022 after selling out of its initial stock following its launch in April last year.

And the company is setting its sights on expanding across the Middle East as more people become aware of the health effects of over exposure to blue light. With 80 per cent of orders coming from Dubai and Riyadh, IRIS Eyewear is looking to grow its customer base in other cities in the UAE and KSA, and the wider region.

According to research by Statista, 97 per cent of people living in the UAE have a smart phone and nearly 70 per cent use a computer.  Today’s fast-paced lifestyles and growing reliance on devices for work, reading and gaming make blue light exposure an increasing health threat.

Blue light is the most harmful of the seven colours in the digital light spectrum.  At best, over exposure symptoms include dry or irritated eyes; at worst, macular degeneration and cataracts can occur, along with headaches, mental fatigue and sleep deprivation according to medical experts, who say that at least 50 per cent of digital users have eye problems.

IRIS Eyewear supplies prescription and non-prescription glasses online, with delivery to anywhere in the UAE and KSA within 48 to 72 hours. Customers can choose from a wide range of reasonably-priced eyewear – updated seasonally to reflect latest styles, colours and fashion trends – for men, women and children. Every pair is made from lightweight and impact -resistant material – including biodegradable options – and comes with lenses that feature scratch resistant, hydrophobic and antistatic filters while blocking 100 per cent of blue light. A range of UV protection sunglasses is also available.

Issa Younes, Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer at IRIS Eyewear, says: “Natural blue light, which is emitted from the sun and gives the sky its blue colour, is actually good for you, as it regulates natural sleep and wake cycles, boosts alertness and promotes overall wellbeing. But it’s a different story with artificial sources of blue light, including cell phones, computer screens, fluorescent lighting and LED lights. That’s why we launched the IRIS eyewear brand, and are continuing to focus on digital wellbeing awareness to protect people across the region and promote a healthier mental and physical lifestyle.”

Research shows that blue light from devices is harmful and accumulates throughout the day to become more impactful in the evening, according to Dubai-based sleep experts, Nurture 2 Sleep.

“Exposure to blue light at night including extensive use of electronic devises can disrupt our sleep or exacerbate sleep disorders,” says Julie Mallon, Senior Sleep Consultant. “Blue light is known to inhibit melatonin, a key sleep facilitator that controls our daily wake-sleep cycle, and therefore sleep is often compromised.  The effects of blue light, including compromised sleep and other health issues, are impacting adults and children:  before the Covid-19 pandemic, research estimated that more than 80 per cent of children were spending three hours or more a day using digital devices”.

IRIS Eyewear is committed to sustainability and social impact, too. As part of its carbon neutral approach, for every pair of glasses purchased, the company will plant a tree in Africa through a partnership with Tree Nation.  IRIS is also planning a series of roadshows at businesses and schools across the UAE and KSA – and potentially further afield – to raise awareness of blue light among people who electronic devices for work and lessons during the day, and perhaps for reading, gaming or social networking in their spare time.  Further initiatives are also in the pipeline.