In this world of constant streaming and marathon gaming sessions, gamers’ eyes are taking more of a battering than they ever have. Even if you don’t normally need glasses, you might not be aware of the potential damage staring at your monitor could be doing. Simply put, that lengthy Overwatch or League of Legends session could be doing both temporary and permanent damage to your retinas.
The culprit here is blue light. Computer monitors, TVs and other displays produce mainly blue light, which is a contributing factor to eye strain and could, with overexposure, potentially lead to permanent retina damage later in life. That’s not something you want to be dealing with. Luckily, you don’t have to. Gaming glasses can be an excellent way to reduce blue light-related eye strain, and there are a couple of other benefits which might surprise you.
In essence, gaming glasses act as a blue light filter, so your eyes have an easier time processing the light emitted by your display. If you just need to get one more game of DoTA 2 in tonight, then gaming glasses are the way to go; they’ll take the pressure off your eyes, allowing you to game for longer without health drawbacks. This can also prevent eye strain-related side effects like headaches, nausea and insomnia.
Okay, so you’ve read up on the health benefits and now you want a pair of gaming glasses. Which ones should you go for, though? Not to worry – we’ve got you covered there, too. We’ve gathered together the best budget, mid-range and premium gaming glasses in one handy place, as well as a pair for those who already need to wear glasses (we know that pain all too well). Let’s take a look at the best gaming glasses on the market right now.
Best Budget Gaming Glasses – DUCO Blue Light Blocking Gaming Glasses [amazon_link asins=’B06ZZ7N976′ template=’PriceLink’ store=’gamerbolt-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’fd4aecc0-a5f0-11e8-9e8c-173bd8eaa4f5′]
If your eyes are crying out for some gaming glasses, but you’re on a strict budget, these gaming glasses from DUCO are a great way to go. The low price point belies a pretty solid pair of glasses; the frame is lightweight but sturdy (only 20 grams), the lenses are surprisingly high-quality and the functionality is there. These glasses are also designed to balance perfectly on a wide variety of face shapes and sizes, so they’re perfect for lengthy sessions as well as quick blasts.
DUCO’s glasses aren’t going to set the world on fire, but for the price, they’re pretty much perfect. If you can’t quite stretch to some of the more luxury glasses, then DUCO’s Blue Light Blocking Gaming Glasses (it’s not the catchiest name, we know) will more than suffice. You also get a carrying bag and a glasses cloth for cleaning them, which ain’t too shabby.
Best Mid-Range Gaming Glasses – Gunnar Scope Computer and Gaming Glasses [amazon_link asins=’B004FN1ADY’ template=’PriceLink’ store=’gamerbolt-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’28af0459-a5f1-11e8-a428-43d901ab48f8′]
These mid-range beauties boast Gunnar’s proprietary i-AMP lens technology, which is designed by a team of expert engineers to protect your eyes and allow you to game for longer. There’s also some design work in here by PC peripheral manufacturer SteelSeries, which should tell you something about the Gunnar Scope glasses’ pedigree (hint: SteelSeries are awesome).
It’s not just great lens technology in the Gunnar Scope glasses, though. These glasses are seriously oriented towards comfort. They come with adjustable silicone nose pads, which allow you to position them just right on your face. Can’t quite get the right angle? Simply adjust the nose pad until the fit feels natural. The frames are steel, which makes them super-resilient, and the hinges are fastener-free, so you’ll barely even notice you’re wearing them.
The coolest thing about Gunnar’s Scope glasses, though, is their interchangeable sockets. With these, you can swap the hinges of the glasses out for other designs, creating a modular pair of gaming glasses that look as cool as they feel. We’d recommend Gunnar Scope glasses to anyone who can afford them; the design is minimalist and stylish, the frames are ultra-comfortable and the price point is just right.
Best Premium Gaming Glasses – Gunnar Micron Gaming Glasses [amazon_link asins=’B01EYDOGWG’ template=’PriceLink’ store=’gamerbolt-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’40a1b234-a5f1-11e8-b6c8-7b110074539c’]
We’re not trying to recommend Gunnar over other brands, honest – they just do what they do so well. The Gunnar Micron gaming glasses are designed to balance comfort and function, and they do so peerlessly. The Micron glasses’ frames are hardened steel injected into a nylon polymer frame, which feels lightweight while remaining incredibly hardy and resistant to damage.
The lenses in the Gunnar Micron gaming glasses are wide format, which makes them perfect for hi-res displays and ultra-widescreen monitors. The multi-barrel hinges on the Micron glasses create rotational stability, which means you won’t find yourself needing to adjust them or make sure they’re in the right place too often. Pair all this with Gunnar’s proprietary lens technology and an anti-reflective coating and you’re looking at serious eye protection for years to come. The price is a bit steeper, but it’s worth it for the incredible quality you’re getting here.
Best Gaming Glasses For Glasses Wearers – Duco Optiks Ergonomic Gaming Glasses [amazon_link asins=’B00Z9353PK’ template=’PriceLink’ store=’gamerbolt-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’d65cafdf-a5f1-11e8-bd6e-230866b01161′]
These glasses have a cool Olympic-swimmer vibe to them, but that’s not the best thing about them; they can be worn over existing glasses. Finally, every prescription glasses owner’s prayers have been answered. The Duco Optiks glasses have the same amber-tinted lenses and anti-blue light technology most gaming glasses boast, but their sturdy frames and generous construction mean they can be worn over pretty much any pair of prescription glasses. There’s no reason you should have to miss out on eye protection just because you already wear glasses!
We hope this list (by no means exhaustive) has served as a satisfactory introduction to the incredibly useful and underrated world of gaming glasses. If we’ve missed anything, be sure to let us know!
