“But soft! What light through yonder window breaks?” - Shakespeare, probably
Don't get us wrong, eye-popping high-definition resolutions are pretty sweet. But, all that screen time isn't doing our eyes any favors.
Though research has shown that digital screen time doesn't necessarily damage our eyes, spending endless hours staring at screens is sure to cause some discomfort. Headaches, dry eyes, and blurry vision from the use of digital devices are the usual symptoms of what is called Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS).
While we wouldn’t expect an ophthalmologist to approve, glasses that protect from the blue light of screens have been known to help some deal with the symptoms of CVS. If you’re looking to invest in a pair, below are some recommendations worth checking out.
1. GUNNAR Razer/Onyx
Buy on AmazonGUNNAR is one of the first companies to expand their expertise into creating glasses especially for gamers dealing with long hours of staring into a screen. GUNNAR's collaboration with another trusted gaming company, Razer, resulted in a stylish pair of glasses that comes with the Razer's signature neon green accent.
The glasses come with adjustable nose pads, anti-reflective and scratch-resistant coating, and up to 65% Blue Light protection (according to their own Blue Light Protection Factor.) There are many other choices under GUNNAR’s line of products, but these are designed for a panoramic view, and alongside headsets.
2. Gamma Ray Blue Light Blocking Glasses
Buy on AmazonOne of the more affordable choices on this list. Its amber-tinted lenses are what blocks blue light, and it also comes with anti-glare properties. Their frames come in red or black and are made from nylon which is designed to be lightweight and flexible.
It has a few choices of magnification which are only necessary depending on your usage. Their 90 Day Money Back Guarantee will give you plenty of leeway to try out the product to see whether or not it's for you. If you do decide to keep them, their lifetime breakage guarantee will take care of any problems you might have with the product over time.
3. ANRRI Blue Light Blocking Glasses
Buy on AmazonStill in the cheaper range, ANNRI's blue light blocking glasses come in a few stylish designs. Aside from the usual black frame, they also have it in crystal, leopard, and pink.
Made with polycarbonate lenses, these glasses do not offer any magnification. However, as affordable as they are, they claim to cut up to 90 percent of blue light from screens.
They might not be the best for comfort and elegance, they're a bargain for how much blue light protection they offer.
4. GAMEKING Ultra Clip-on
Buy on AmazonThose who already own glasses may be more comfortable with a non-committal, clip-on arrangement for their blue-light protection. GAMEKING's clip-on glasses are designed to be put directly on top of your prescription glasses.
It blocks up to 85% of blue light and its 5-in-1 coating also blocks out UV rays and reduces glare while maintaining true color and improving contrast.
It comes in two types. Classic is heavier at 12 grams but offers the flip-up feature, while Ultra comes at a lighter 8 grams without the flip-up feature. The silicone covers protect your prescription lenses from the risk of scratching and sliding.
Some users have found that once they got used to the tint of the glasses, they were less likely to use the flip-up feature, making the Ultra the more obvious choice.
5. HyperX Gaming Eyewear
Buy on AmazonMuch like their other products, HyperX’s gaming glasses have also been designed especially for gamers. The lightweight style makes it easy to be used alongside their selection of over-ear headphones.
It comes in a few different styles and colors and is made with acetate frames which are supposedly more durable.
What sets these apart from the other blue-light blocking glasses is their clear lenses. They don't have much of the orange tint that is common in other products which will be helpful for those who still want to experience the full range of colors in their games.
Home Remedies
If you don’t wanna shell out on a pair just yet, there are some ways to reduce your exposure to blue light and lessen eye-strain right now.
More recent mobile phones usually already have a Night Protection feature that gives your screen a more orange tint. Turning this on at night might help turn you away from your screen. On that note, avoiding the use of phones right before bed might also help improve your sleep.
The Night Light is also available on desktop, particularly on Windows 10. But, for more personalized adjustments to your screen’s light, there’s also a desktop app called f.lux which not only allows you to adjust the color settings, it also uses your location and your wake-up time to adjust what kind of light your screen will be when you use. The idea is that your screen light should match what kind of light you’re in: reasonably bright during the day and extra warm before bedtime.
You can also avoid eye-strain by doing the 20-20-20 trick which is to look at an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes. This will give your eyes a hard image to look at, compared to the flickering pixels of your screen, allowing it to relax for a few minutes every day.
Our eyes play a large part in our enjoyment of games. As much as we love spending hours on our desktops and consoles, investing in good pair of glasses or taking a few moments to relax may help a lot in the long run.