The Best Gaming Glasses

Do you know what the biggest challenge for many gamers is these days? No, it’s not a horde of aliens or the final boss in “Final Fantasy VII.” It’s eyestrain, and it can be a serious problem — especially on marathon gaming sessions.

If you suffer from exceptionally tired eyes or even migraines due to extended screen time, blue light might be the culprit. Luckily, there are now gaming glasses specifically designed to block a good percentage of those light frequencies and mitigate eyestrain. And while they’re usually marketed to gamers, they can be helpful for anyone who spends a lot of time in front of their devices.

First, a bit of science to explain what “blue light” is and why it can have an adverse effect. Light appearance is usually measured in degrees Kelvin, and can range from 1,000 K to around 10,000 K. “Warm” light is on the lower end of that spectrum, while “cool” light tends to be over 5,000. While a blank computer or TV screen might look white, most devices emit cool light of about 6,500 K or greater, putting it on the same wavelength as the color blue. This blue light is received by the retinas and can damage them with too much exposure.

Gaming glasses have a special lens coating that can block some percentage of that blue light and keep it from reaching your retinas. That percentage can vary between about 35% to 90%, so you may want to choose based on the sensitivity of your eyes. The strongest lenses may have an amber coloring, while ones with more modest protection may not have any coloring at all and be indistinguishable from regular glasses.

For a bit extra, you may be able to get photochromic lenses that change their tint in response to the level of light. These can be handy if you’re playing or using your computer in outdoor conditions. Some gaming glasses may also offer UV protection, which helps block harmful light frequencies from the sun. If your eyes are sensitive to light in general, you might even consider getting these for use inside and outside the house. Anti-glare coating can be another helpful perk, especially if your television or screen faces a window where the sun shines in.

You may have seen BluBlockers advertised for years now, but that particular brand — while effective at what it does — isn’t the best for gamers. They are sunglasses, with lenses that are made to block the much higher levels of blue light that we get from the sun. If you try to use them indoors, you’ll block so much blue light that it will make it hard to see the screen.

In addition to contributing to eyestrain, blue light can affect your sleep. Blue light does have benefits: Exposure to blue light during daylight hours helps us maintain a healthy circadian rhythm. Too much exposure at night via screens can throw that off, though.