You have probably seen at least one advertisement for gaming glasses at one point recently. But as a gamer who doesn’t have any vision problems, you might be wondering whether you need to get yourself a pair or not.
Back in the old days, eyeglasses are meant only for people who have trouble reading or seeing correctly. Back then, you need a prescription from an eye doctor to get glasses. But, in today’s technologically advanced world, where people, in general, spend hours staring at computers and phone screens, the need for protective eyewear has emerged.
So, what are gaming glasses, anyway? What are they designed to do? Do they work, or are they just another fashion trend? Why do gamers who don’t have a prescription need to get a pair? In this article, we will answer all these and more. And, if you are looking for a great pair of gaming glasses, then you are in luck! At the bottom of this page is our list of the best gaming glasses, giving you some excellent options to choose from.
Most Professional
HyperX Gaming Eyewear
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Most Durable
Duco Optiks Gaming Glasses Over Prescription Glasses
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Most Comfortable
Gunnar PPK
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Duco Optiks Gaming Glasses Over Prescription Glasses
Most Durable
“Apart from being protective and lightweight, they are incredibly durable.”
Specs:
- Dimensions: 7.6 x 3.7 x 2.7 inches
- Weight: 4 ounces
- Lens color: Amber
- Material: TR90
If you’re a gamer who wears a standard pair of eyeglasses, it could be such a struggle to buy gaming glasses. You have to get a prescription, get in touch with the manufacturer, or locate a licensed optical retailer who offers gaming glasses. These specialized glasses don’t come cheap, either.
But, thanks to the Duco Optiks Ergonomic Advanced Computer Gaming Wear Over Prescription Glasses (which we will now refer to as Duco Optiks), you won’t need to do any of those steps. These glasses fit on top of your eyeglasses, so your eyes are protected from digital eye strain without breaking the bank. Also, if you’re worried about them feeling uncomfortable, they don’t. They are so lightweight you won’t even notice there is a second pair of glasses on top of your prescription ones.
Apart from being protective and lightweight, they are incredibly durable, as well. They are so flexible you can bend them up to 90 degrees and won’t break nor form any stress marks. Plus, they even come with a protective case, a bag, and a cleaning cloth.
Best of all, they are only $29!
Key Features:
- Lifetime breakage warranty
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Flexible frame, bendable up to 90 degrees
- Floats in water
- Comes with a free case, bag, and cloth
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HyperX Gaming Eyewear
Most Professional
“The glasses offer a more formal look, so if you want your gaming glasses to have a professional look, this is the pair for you.”
Specs:
- Dimensions: 7.2 x 3.4 x 2.6 inches
- Weight: 11.5 ounces
- Frame Color: Red
- Lens Material: MR-8
HyperX may only offer one pair of gaming glasses, but it’s okay because it is perfect.
The glasses offer a more formal look, so if you want your gaming glasses to have a professional look, this is the pair for you.
Just like other HyperX products, the gaming glasses come in tones of black and red. They are simple, yes, but they do offer a delicate balance to the crazy and bright colors we see today.
The HyperX does a great job in keeping your eyes safe from blue light while allowing you to see colors accurately. Unlike other gaming glasses that tend to give a yellow (sometimes even orange) hue to your view, the HyperX stays true to its word of keeping color distortion at a minimum.
The secret lies in the lenses. In just a matter of days of wearing it, you’ll already notice the difference: fewer headaches and eye strain.
These lenses are made of a material known as MR-8. Not only do they get the primary job done, but they are also oil, water, and dust-resistant.
In their advertisement on Youtube, HyperX showed how their glasses could block an actual blue laser beam. And while we really could not test this specific feature for ourselves, it does speak a lot about its ability to filter blue light.
Considering all these impressive features, they aren’t bad for $100.
Key Features:
- Durable
- Minimal color distortion
- Simple but fashionable
- Comfortable
- Has a reasonably priced prescription option
- Can block an actual blue laser
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GUNNAR Optiks Phantom Full Rim Gaming Glasses
Best Style
“The frames even look somewhat like some of the Oakley sunglasses you see out there. “
Specs:
- Dimensions: 7 x 2 x 3 inches; 2.4 ounces
- Weight: 25 grams
- Frame color: Gloss onyx
- Lens color: Amber
- Material: Stainless steel
- Eye size: 2.24 inches
- Bridge size: 0.63 inches
- Temple size: 5.20 inches
Gunnar is today’s leading manufacturer of gaming glasses. They are the best pair so far for us is the Gunnar Optiks Phantom Full Rim Gaming Glasses. And because its name is such a mouthful, let’s call them the Gunnar Optiks going forward, shall we?
At first glance, you’ll already see that the Gunnar Optiks has a stylish look. The frames even look somewhat like some of the Oakley sunglasses you see out there. But apart from their good looks, these glasses offer so much more.
The Gunnar Optiks is lightweight, thus comfortable to wear. They only weigh 25 grams, so your face and eyes won’t be irritated as you wear them. They even have silicone nose pads that are completely adjustable, offering you maximum comfort.
The Gunnar Optiks has a subtle amber tint, which helps protect your eyes from both blue light and glare. The lenses mimic natural light, such that you don’t experience eye strain when staring at your computer for hours on end. And, unlike the typical pair of gaming glasses, these specs have a UV coating that could shield your eyes from minimal sunlight.
Apart from being stylish and protective, they are durable, as well. The frame is made of high-tensile steel and heavy-duty hinges.
To top it all off, the Gunnar Optiks offers a year’s worth of warranty. For less than 73 bucks, you get this excellent pair of gaming glasses, and we say it’s worth every penny.
Key Features:
- Flexible
- Durable
- Adjustable nose pad
- Curved temples allow the glasses to stay in place
- Interchangeable sockets for customization
- Wide lenses for a wide viewing field
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Pixel Buteo
Best for Influencers
“Great on either a trendy social media influencer or a conservative office executive.”
Specs:
- Dimensions: 52-16-145 mm
- Weight: 4.8 ounces
- Frame material: high-quality acetate
- Frame color: black or blue
- Lens material: MR-8
While many brands offer prescription gaming glasses, our favorite is hands down, the Pixel Buteo. Considering that it has a clear frame, it still manages to filter our 50% of blue light. And it is very stylish as well.
While plastic may look rather cheap and flimsy, the Pixel Buteo does an excellent job of making you look hip and trendy. Most gaming glasses today sadly come with strange designs. Not the Pixel Buteo, though! These glasses come in several stylish frames you can choose from. This new brand understands style well – it managed to design a pair of gaming glasses that look great on either a trendy social media influencer or a conservative office executive.
Aside from being fashionable, the Pixel Buteo is also effective at blocking blue light without sacrificing your color vision. The majority of gaming glasses nowadays may block blue light, but they sure make everything else look yellowish.
They are also super lightweight, making them comfortable to wear. Because of its minimalistic design, you can wear them anywhere you want!
The only downside we see with the Pixel Buteo is since it can only block 50% of blue light, it’s not as effective as other glasses (such as Gunnar Optiks) under the sun. But, overall, we say that they’re definitely worth the price. You can get yours on Amazon for $75.
Key Features:
- The clear lens offers minimal color distortion
- UV protection, scratch-resistant, anti-glare
- Simple but fashionable
- Comfortable, durable, lightweight
- Comes with a pouch
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Gunnar PPK
Most Comfortable
“The PPK feels so good to wear, especially on the side of the head.”
Specs:
- Frame color: Onyx, mercury
- Lens color: Amber
- Material: Stainless steel
- Frame width: 130mm
- Temple size: 130mm
- Nose: 20mm
We were truly impressed by Gunnar gaming glasses that we decided to feature another one of their products! The Gunnar PPK comes with a metal frame that’s truly one of the most durable ones out there. This is perfect for you if you tend to drop and bump your stuff all the time.
If the name sounds familiar, that is because it is inspired by James Bond’s gun in Goldeneye. Aside from the durable metal frame, the PPK also has 100% UV radiation and 65% blue light filters. What that means is you can enjoy gaming for hours without damaging your eyes.
Another thing we love about the PPK is that it can trap moisture in your eyes. So even if you play for several hours a day, you don’t need to worry about dry eyes.
Apart from durability and function, it also comes in style. It comes in three different colors, so you can pick the best one that suits your style.
In terms of ergonomics, the PPK feels so good to wear, especially on the side of the head. It has a balanced weight, making it comfortable to use.
The only downside is that perhaps not everyone is a fan of metal frames. Truth be told, they’re not as trendy as gaming glasses with a plastic frame. But, if what you’re after is a durable pair of glasses to keep your eyes protected, then this is the one for you.
Key Features:
- 100% UV protection, 65% blue light filter
- Adjustable silicone nose pads
- Interchangeable sockets
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Why do I need them?
The lives of today’s generation revolve around the internet. Social lives are strongly tied to social media platforms, and entertainment on TV shows, movies, and video gaming. Nowadays, you will hardly encounter a person who does not use at least one type of monitor in a day. And while using monitors for long hours has plenty of adverse side effects, it’s not like we can stop using them altogether.
Fortunately, science has come up with a simple solution to combat the perils that a monitor brings to our eyes. Gaming glasses have the following primary functions:
- They lessen blue light strain glare and strain. Computer, TV, tablet, and phone screens produce blue light. Prolonged exposure to blue light can cause eye strain and, even worse, vision impairment. Gaming glasses protect your eyes from the harmful effects of blue light, just like sunglasses do for UV rays.
- Their yellow tint provides a lighter hue, which will allow you to see colors more vibrantly and clearly.
- They allow you to enjoy your favorite fast-paced game for prolonged hours without hurting your eyes.
So if you are the type who plays video games non-stop, you need to consider getting yourself a good pair of gaming glasses.
Okay, but how do they work?
Thanks to a cutting-edge technology called blue light filtering, the best gaming glasses do an excellent job of protecting your eyes. It blocks blue light coming from a computer screen from entering your eyes.
Gaming glasses also have an anti-reflecting (AR) coating whose job is to get rid of glare. This helps you see better and sharper images on your screen. If you play without glasses, you are exposing your eyes to strain-causing feedback, which could result in blurry vision.
Apart from eye strain and vision impairment, prolonged exposure to blue light may also result in migraines, headaches, and even sleep-cycle disruptions. Even worse, if you keep exposing your eyes to blue light long-term, you risk damaging your eyes for good.
Considering how essential your eyes are to gaming and existing in general, it just makes sense to give them every bit of protection they need.
Also, while these lenses are excellent for gamers, they are great for anybody who watches too much TV. I’m talking to you, binge-watchers! Don’t worry, because these glasses are stylish. You won’t look geeky at all wearing them wherever you go.
Blue Light, Explained
So, what is the deal with blue light anyway, and why have we only heard about it recently?
Blue light is an element of the visible light spectrum of the wavelength range of 415 and 495 nanometers. It is then further divided into two sections – blue-violet and blue-turquoise light.
Among the two, blue-violet light is more harmful. Whenever it hits our eyes, we release opsins, which are proteins that cling to photons to let even more light particles enter the eye. Blue-violet is notorious as it does more harm to our eyes more so than any other color in the light spectrum. There is blue-violet light present in both natural sunlight and artificial lights – such as the ones that come from televisions, tablets, phones, and, of course, computers.
When we expose our eyes to too much of this light, they become at high risk of physical eye damage and even cell death. Too much exposure compels your eyes to work extra hard to see stuff on your screen, particularly words and smaller objects.
Unlike in the real world, the images you see on a screen do not have the same sharp contrast, making it harder for our human eyes to pick them up. So even though you might not notice it, your eyes exert double the effort to see images on your screen. This is why your eyes become too strained when you play for long periods. You might also feel itchiness after a long session. And, if you’re unlucky, you may even feel headaches and experience blurry vision.
If you don’t think it can’t get any worse, here are more consequences prolonged exposure to blue light can bring:
- Eye exhaustion, especially if exposed to visible blue light.
- Disruption in melatonin production that leads to an interruption in your sleep patterns. This, in turn, could cause depression and higher risks of disease.
- Cataracts, macular degeneration, retinal damage.
- Difficulty in focusing on images.
CVS or Computer Vision Syndrome is the term used for all the side-effects listed above. So, if you’re now finding it difficult to spot that enemy from 200 meters away in your game, you’re more likely suffering from this condition.
According to the Vision Council, 59% of American adults experience a form of eye strain from digital devices. These strains include dryness and redness of eyes, blurred vision, back and neck pain, headaches and migraines, and fatigue.
Furthermore, reports show that we spend about 90% of our lives indoors, and a lot of that time is spent in front of an electronic gadget. As such, it is now more than ever essential to cancel out the harsh effects of blue light. And this is where gaming glasses come in.
While there are several ways to lessen eye strain, such as pausing for breaks in between gaming or using your gadgets, gaming glasses are still your best defense against it.
Factors to Consider
When looking for the best gaming glasses, don’t forget to check the following components:
Blue light filter. This is the primary component in any gaming glasses, so you want to get gaming specs with a filter level that’s just enough. The best gaming glasses know which kind of light to block, so you’ll have the best gaming experience one can ever have.
Lens tint. Gaming glasses typically come in greyish hues, since their primary purpose is to filter out blue light. But, you can choose from other shades as well, depending on your needs. To help you decide, we have listed down the different lens tints available today and their corresponding advantages in another section.
Frame. Generally, gaming glasses are more affordable than a pair of high-quality sunglasses. One of the reasons is that they use plastic materials such as acetate and polycarbonate, to make the frame. But just because they are less expensive does not mean they are more prone to breakage. They are very flexible.
Gaming glasses do not usually come with a sizing chart. But don’t worry, because they are made to fit human heads of all shapes and sizes. There is a wide variety of designs to choose from, too, so you are sure to find one that will fit your style the most.
Comfort. Apart from function, comfort is also just as essential. You need to find a pair of gaming glasses that are comfortable to wear. So before buying, check for its overall shape, frame flexibility, nose guards, and ear guards.
Warranty. If you are prone to dropping and breaking stuff, you might want to invest in gaming glasses with a warranty. Some companies offer warranties lasting for a month, while others for a year. Naturally, the better the warranty, the higher the price of the glasses will be. As such, you have to determine how often you’ll be wearing these glasses and how long you plan to wear them.
If you do not feel like you need to protect your gaming glasses, you can opt for a less expensive pair instead.
Cost.
The price of gaming glasses ranges from below $100 to hundreds of dollars, depending on their quality and features, such as rim styles, colors, protections, lenses, and warranties, among others.
To help you determine the kind of gaming glasses you need, identify your top three non-negotiables first. In doing so, you’ll be able to find a product that has everything you need quickly.
Are Gaming Glasses Effective?
As a new piece of technology, it is perfectly understandable to doubt the effectiveness of gaming glasses. So to answer your question – yes. Gaming glasses are effective, but only the best ones are. If you are compelled to get a pair of gaming glasses, you need to know what makes up a good one. Here are the qualities that set the best gaming glasses a cut above the rest.
- They truly protect your eyes from blue light. So, even if you have been sitting in front of the computer at work for eight hours, you can still play your favorite game when you get home without straining your eyes.
- They slightly magnify your vision. The best gaming glasses have a small bump in them, which makes your view a little bit bigger. With these lenses, you get to see a better resolution. This will not only boost your vision but reduce eye strain.
- They have an AR coating that keeps dust and fingerprints from appearing on your spectacles. They also reduce glare, reflections, and halos.
But, keep in mind that not all gaming glasses have the same kind of AR coating. Usually, older versions contain a cheap layer that is prone to smudges and dirt. They also tend to peel and crack easily. Do not be fooled by their low price tag – these glasses might even cause eye strain and other vision problems. Thankfully, newer models have better quality AR coating that is easy to clean.
- They increase contrast. The tints in the glasses help your eyes focus on the screen quickly. They filter out harsh light spectrums, allowing your eye muscles to relax. The most common hue is yellow, but there is a myriad of options to choose from. We’ll go into that later.
- They are a little pricey. The most cutting-edge AR coating alone could cost around $70-140. The prices also vary on the type of lenses and frames you are getting. Prescription gaming glasses are understandably more expensive than non-prescription ones.
Lens Tints
As we have mentioned earlier, the majority of gaming glasses come in yellow tints. But, there are also other hues to choose from:
Amber. This hue is best at enhancing contrast and your visual performance, all the while tuning out the harsh elements of the color spectrum and reducing glare. It filters about 65% of intense blue light that your screen emits.
Liquet. These tints offer the right balance between protection from blue light and contrast enhancement. They prevent 35% of blue light from entering your eyes.
Crystalline. This lens is perfect for video editors, visual artists, and graphic designers because it offers a balanced color spectrum. It blocks 10% of blue light from your eyes.
The Best Brands
When looking for the best gaming glasses, it is also crucial to pick the right brand. While it is tempting to get a super cheap pair of glasses, these tend to offer little to no protection at all, and may even harm your eyes in the long run. For us, these three companies are the best when it comes to providing quality gaming glasses.
Gunnar
Gunnar offers a wide array of high-quality sunglasses, prescription glasses, and gaming glasses. There are so many styles to choose from as well – from simple to sophisticated to outrageous frames. The brand also offers four different lens tints that have varying levels of blue light protection.
HyperX
HyperX is a well-known brand for gaming headsets and other gadgets. But, they also do have a pair of gaming glasses, which is just so impressive. The glasses may only come in one color, but its quality is unparalleled.
Pixel Eyewear
Pixel Eyewear may be new to the game, but they have managed to release several premium and modern glasses both for computer users and gamers alike. Their glasses are incredibly stylish, so you can wear them wherever you want. And more importantly, their gaming glasses can protect your eyes from eye strain quite well.
Who should get gaming glasses?
Whether or not one should get a pair of gaming glasses is entirely subjective. It is dependent on how your eyes feel when gaming.
As they say, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. If your eyes don’t suffer from strain or a visual impairment, then there is no need to get a pair of gaming glasses. Unless you want to wear them to look smart, these glasses won’t do anything for you. Some ophthalmologists even argue that it could also hinder you from playing properly.
So, if you are already playing in a good environment, wearing gaming glasses won’t be necessary. Because of their frame edges, gaming glasses could prevent you from maximizing the range of your vision. The fact that they are prone to smudges also restricts your vision. So if you don’t have to wear it, don’t!
But, if you experience strain when gaming, then they are totally worth it. Just because you may be used to feeling tiredness in your eyes after a busy workday, doesn’t mean that you should accept it. It may be common, but it is not normal.
Why Some People Think Gaming Glasses are a Hoax
When gaming glasses initially hit the market, their marketing was a tad too gimmicky. They hyped up the products way too much, promising a plethora of benefits that it seemed a little too unbelievable.
For instance, Gunnar claimed that their gaming glasses allow moisture in your eyes, but it turns out, there’s no evidence to back that up. There was even actual research that disproved the claim. According to a clinical study by the Pacific University of Oregon, there is no significant difference between the tear volume and blinking rates produced by those who used gaming glasses and those who did not.
So, if you suffer from dry eyes, you might want to get a humidifier instead. Electronic gadgets tend to dry the air, so it helps to take breaks from time to time to relax your eye muscles. You could also lubricate your eyes using drops. Lastly, don’t forget to blink – and do it often!
But, over the years, they learned how to tone down their marketing. But even then, some people are still suspicious about the product’s genuineness.
However, several optometrists vouch for the effectiveness of gaming glasses, particularly the ones with AR coatings and tints.
Are there such things as prescription gaming glasses?
Yes, there are! If you think about it, what is the point of having a pair of gaming glasses and combating digital eye strain, when you also have standard eye strain to worry about? It’s like your only dealing with half of the problem. Good thing, there are prescription gaming glasses that can handle both issues. The only drawback is that, obviously, you can’t merely order these online. You can only get them upon securing a prescription from your doctor or a licensed optical retailer.
So, before you go off buying over-the-counter gaming glasses, we highly suggest that you see your optometrist first. It is essential to have an annual comprehensive exam even if you do not feel like you need eyeglasses.
And even if you just saw your optometrist a few months ago, if you are seriously considering getting gaming glasses, you still need to pay him a visit. They will help you decide what kind of gaming glasses to get depending on how you’re feeling and what you’re looking for in a pair.
Here are some of the things you can expect when you visit your optometrist:
- They will assess your eyes and vision and determine whether or not you have any problems.
- If you are currently wearing glasses or contacts, they might upgrade your prescription. Even the slightest inaccuracies in your prescription could affect computer vision.
- They will prescribe a customized pair of computer or gaming glasses as they see fit.
Also, you have to tell your optometrist how your gaming rig is setup. Computer ergonomics is a huge factor in digital eye strain, and therefore also plays a part in the effectiveness of gaming glasses. For instance, your posture and distance from the computer may affect your eyes. Talk to your doctor about it so they could give you the best gaming glasses unique to your situation.
Keep in mind that while over-the-counter gaming glasses are excellent, they will not be as effective as prescription ones. Prescription gaming glasses are customized to your needs, so they’re more guaranteed to address your eye and vision problems accurately. So, if you need vision correction, you have to seek advice from a health professional.
If you get your gaming glasses from your optometrist, you also have higher chances of having the essential elements you need to improve your gaming experience. Plus, your doctor will even give you advice on how else you can lessen eye strain.
FAQs
Are gaming glasses only for gamers?
“Gaming glasses” is a sub-category of specialized glasses, and yes, it is specifically designed for gamers. The generic term for this product, however, is computer glasses, and these specs may be used by anybody. For instance, if you work in an office and have to be in front of the computer for eight hours a day, computer glasses are an excellent choice to protect your eyes from strain. Some brands even make promises of improved productivity because their glasses could filter our fluorescent lighting.
The term “gaming glasses” is not just another term for computer glasses. Those are two very different products for different users. Gaming glasses, for instance, are built for you to see the broader screens and angles of your video games. Also, gaming glasses are typically designed to go hand in hand with headphones, while computer glasses are not. But, while you can’t use computer glasses when gaming, you can double gaming classes as computer glasses.
Are gaming glasses strictly for computers and TV screens?
Gone are the days where gaming is confined to monitors and TV screens. Today, gaming is everywhere; they are available on your phone, tablet, and even your smartwatch. Fortunately, gaming glasses are not just for computers and TV screens and work only as well with other gadgets. So even if you spend most of your gaming hours on your tablet, you can still count on your gaming glasses to protect your eyes from blue light.
Can I wear them as sunglasses?
There is no problem if you want to take your glasses outside your home or office, but not all gaming glasses are built to protect your eyes from the harmful rays of the sun. The UV radiation is your primary enemy when you go outside, and gaming glasses do not have UV protection.
The Best Gaming Glasses
So, if you love gaming and joining competitions, but are burdened by eye strain, the best gaming glasses are the perfect way to help lead you to success. Not all of them may come cheap, but they are a worthy investment, especially if you are serious about gaming. Don’t worry, on this list; we have made sure that you are getting the best gaming glasses without breaking the bank! We guarantee that all the gaming glasses on our roster will do the job they are intended to do.
Our Final Thoughts
Now that you have learned all about gaming glasses, their benefits, and how much they cost, it is completely up to you whether you want to get a pair or not. For us, though, they are truly a worthwhile investment. With the wide range of benefits, they offer our eyes – it is difficult to deny their significance to us hardcore gamers. Vision is one of the most important aspects when gaming, so it’s natural for you to want to give it all the protection the world could offer. And, not only will these glasses offer protection, but they also provide a better gaming experience.
Strained and tired eyes are not only detrimental to your health, but they also cause impeded vision, which leads to poor performance. Wouldn’t it be great if you have the upper hand during competitive games? If you want to give yourself a competitive edge in a game, the best gaming glasses are the key.
