BLUES - stabilizing mood and sleep with blue blocking eyewear in bipolar disorder – a randomized controlled trial study protocol

AbstractIntroduction Chronotherapeutic interventions for bipolar depression and mania are promising interventions associated with rapid response and benign side effect profiles. Filtering of biologically active short wavelength (blue) light by orange tinted eyewear has been shown to induce antimanic and sleep promoting effects in inpatient mania. We here describe a study protocol assessing acute and long-term stabilizing effects of blue blocking (BB) glasses in outpatient treatment of bipolar disorder.Patients and Methods A total of 150 outpatients with bipolar disorder and current symptoms of (hypo)-mania will be randomized 1:1 to wear glasses with either high (99%) (intervention group) or low (15%) (control group) filtration of short wavelength light (