When a person spends most of his working time or leisure at a computer, eventually, the question arises of the need to check his eyesight. Sometimes it turns out that years of gaming practice played him no right. Are you aware of the sensations of dryness and pain in the eyes of the field of long contemplation of the monitor? As an alternative to visual gymnastics, expensive drugs, laser surgery, and commonplace eyepieces, Gunnar developed and offered several lines of fashionable glasses for computers. And so today, in this post, we will do a complete Gunnar glasses review.
Gunnar Glasses Review: Assortment
So, let me introduce the leading representatives of our catalog and subjects of review:
- Intercept
- Vayper
- Call of duty
- RPG
- MLG Legend Phantom
- SteelSeries Desmo
- Epoch, House, and some other models.
What distinguishes glasses for a computer among themselves? Specifically, the styling and material of which the frame is made, the shape and width of the lens. In fact, Gunnar covered the entire spectrum of frames on the market, from thin metal satellites of the intelligentsia to fashionable horn retro frames and futuristic a la Neo. Instead, it is worth asking – what unites them? Innovative Gunnar technologies, which we will talk about in more detail.
The problem and how to solve it
Analyze your day: constant contact with displays – from a smartphone and tablet to a working computer, and upon returning home – training in your favorite games and communication on social networks. Your eyes are always stressed and stressed. First, it is difficult for them to focus on a changing focal length, and as a result, their attention becomes more distracted.
Then, glare arising from the monitor distract peripheral vision. Not to mention the intensity of the backlight of the screen, the ultraviolet and other short-spectrum waves emanating from it directly affect the shell of the eye, causing dryness, pain, redness and loss of vision in the long term.
The research of Gunnar
For years, Gunnar developers have been looking for optimization paths to solve these problems. The main advantages of glasses to cope with a phenomenon such as computer vision syndrome:
- Relieve visual strain. Filter lenses do not remove dryness – they simply prevent its appearance.
- Lenses of a unique curved design protect the eye area from the flow of dry air, keeping the skin around the eyes young and toned.
- They help you find the right focal length instantly, performing difficult work for your eyes.
- Glasses warn against exposure to irritants – bright light, ultraviolet waves.
- A special anti-reflective coating helps to cope with the sharpness of focus. Detail increased to the limit.
- They sit optimally on the face: you can choose your own style of frames for each face shape, or you can buy a couple at once to wear some official ones for work, and others, more liberal ones, for gaming meetings with friends.
It achieves all this mainly for the unique design of the lenses and the patented color filter, which is amber in almost all models except, for example, Gunnar Epoch Crystalline and some others with transparent glasses.
As you know, where there is no eye strain, and it protects the eyes, there is no place for headaches, migraines, stress and fatigue. Your working life resource is not just extended, and it does not depend on the organs of vision.
Who are Gunnar glasses for?
Everyone who spends over 3-4 hours a day working with computer devices. In fact, all of us, and in particular – managers, office workers, designers and programmers, accountants and reviewers. Among potential users who want to buy glasses for a computer, there are students and schoolchildren.
Contrary to established stereotypes, Gunnar glasses are not something outdated and spoil the appearance. According to the wearers, it is the design that occupies one of the decisive positions in deciding on a purchase – stylish multi-colored frames with yellow lenses look relevant and simply unrealistic cool.
No professional gamer will deny himself the need and pleasure to buy glasses for Gunnar gamers. Chatting, going through games, writing scripts, and reading forums should not take away the most precious weapon – vision.
The patented developments of the company applicable in the production come to the rescue – diAMIX, i-Fi Pro Lens, Fractyl, iOnik and others.
Gunnar Glasses Review: Design, Construction
I can’t say that I am well versed in the subject; frankly, I don’t like glasses. There are sunscreens in the car, but I rarely use it. Basically, when the visor ceases to save. But one of my relatives in the past was engaged in trade in such items (and not unsuccessfully), I helped, so I grabbed the top. Plus, there are many people around who use glasses, so you can always ask for advice.
Gunnar Optiks has several lines of glasses designed for computer use, for players, 3D glasses, and sunglasses. The first time I ran into the company, after reading the news about the version of Gunnar Optiks for the game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 on Engadget, I wrote about this in my blog.
Then came interest and a great desire to get to know the accessory better. That was the first reason. The second reason is more prosaic. In principle, I never experienced discomfort when working with screens of different diagonals, even after several hours of playing or working with documents.
The situation changed when I bought the LED Cinema Display, a wonderful thing from Apple, everyone is happy with me, but when you type the text for an hour, your eyes just need rest. I have already used various tricks – to reduce the brightness, try to type text, looking away from the monitor focus less on the image.
Does it help?
Not really. Well, rested for about ten minutes – you can print again. But now I understand what it is like when your eyes get tired – you just want to close it, and not from tiredness, and not to see anything at all. I began to look for a panacea and once again remembered about Gunnar Optiks. As it always happens, some good people offered to test models from different lines, and now I am telling you what I see (literally).
I’ll start with the Attache Phenom model, a device for use with a computer. I liked the packaging very much: they hide the case made of velvety plastic in a cardboard box, there is a cover made of right fabric in the kit, and it can also act as a rag to eliminate prints and moisture.
The glasses themselves made the most positive impression on me – however, not only on me. Literally weightless. They make it of rough metal, the arms are straight, on the tips there are rubber pads, the bolt heads are visible. An exciting feature: when you fold the arms, there are clicks, something reminiscent of the Nokia 8800.
Apparently, the glasses are inserted into the frame, and you can completely unwind it if you wish and replace your lenses with your own. The official website says that they can install Carl Zeiss lenses. My friend even wanted to buy Phenom and make glasses for himself, beloved, he really liked it.
Actually, I also liked it, because it looks very simple, there is nothing superfluous, the light, metal cools the skin, assembly, and design deserves the highest rating.
It is curious that the arms slightly deviate to the side. At first, it even scares, but the mechanism is well done, well done.
In work – Gunnar glasses review
Well, now about the main thing – about use. First, the glasses turn yellow, you notice it right away, the bright white light becomes soft. For me, this is acceptable, but one comrade really did not like it. I understand why it’s done so that the light does not hurt my eyes. Secondly, the image seems to be slightly enlarged, while the eyes do not strain; there is no discomfort.
Thirdly, no matter how strange it may be, but sharpness appears, you notice it as soon as you look at the display. Finally, after an hour of work with a twenty-seven-inch display, the eyes are less tired. You could say, not tired at all. I do not believe in various miraculous potions, spells, and gadgets for charging water with positive vibrations, but this thing really works. The site has a video explaining what’s what you can watch it.
I note that when you tell someone about glasses for a computer, you usually hear laughter in response, people remember glasses with holes (there was such nonsense), they do not believe that this works. I will not convince anyone. I understood and decided everything for myself.
For example, in addition to using it with LED Cinema Display, I conducted another test – before going to bed, I used an iPad (mainly a browser and a reader) in a room where the lights were off. Without glasses, the eyes are watery. They get tired quickly, as in the video above – they almost smoke. With glasses, everything is different.
Naturally, if this thing were assembled on the knee from improvised materials, I would not even pay attention, but here, from the point of view of design, everything is great.
Gunnar glasses review: Amber color filter
Gunnar frame manufacturers themselves literally dubbed their development Amber, which means amber. They use this filter color in 90% of the Gunnar and SteelSeries glasses. The solution itself is already impressive, but not useless. Judge for yourself how useful its functions will be for you:
Contrary to popular belief about yellow lenses, glasses do not cause excessive color and distortion of the color scheme. The colors on the screen appear sharper. However, some waves of the cold spectrum are filtered. So, for information, blue waves are perceived by our eyes extremely negatively.
For those whose professional activities are inextricably linked with working with color – web designers and graphic designers, photographers, Gunnar offer a series of glasses with a neutral filter – the chromatic coating of the lens eliminates any color distortion, otherwise amber lenses have great advantages.
About Anti-Glare i-Fi Pro Lens form Gunnar glasses review
Unlike many ordinary optical glasses, for correcting vision, products of this brand have a mandatory coating that protects from glare. Even in winter, on a sunny day, the rays of the sun that fall on the monitor or in the field of view create not so many difficulties in contemplating the picture as they damage the retina.
Also, bright daylight or artificial lighting gives an extra strain on the eyes, contrasting with the backlight. We also recommend this tension to be removed by visual gymnastics – circular movements of the eyeballs, up-down, and right-left movements with squinted eyes.
You can get rid of the “flare” of a picture once and for all by wearing Gunnar glasses. Especially appreciated is the development of i-Fi Pro Lens when working with glossy surfaces, such as MacBook Air or tablets.
Gunnar glasses review: Curved shape – eye protection
Frames are famous because they reliably protect the ocular region, acting as a kind of air intake. Designers test the fit of the lenses, experiment with their height and shape, adjust the bend to achieve optimal fit to the face without pressure and loss of aesthetic qualities.
This leads to the fact that the flows of hot and dry air do not penetrate the mucous membrane, do not cause redness and sharpness, allowing you to focus your eyes on the screen and not to look away at the most crucial moment.
About frame design from gunnar glasses review
Among the most popular materials used in the manufacture of glasses for Gunnar and SteelSeries computers, polycarbonate and plastic are used, and in the joints are durable spring-hinged mechanisms that are hidden from view. This solution extends the life of the arches, preventing loosening.
The colors of frames can be very diverse, from turquoise Neptun to the popular “chrome-plated” Gunmetal and classic black Onyx, which are suitable for everyone. It has become fashionable to wear glasses under a perfect suit or shirt with a pullover in the office, and with a sweatshirt, they will never look superfluous.
Facial fit is an important factor in which you will wear these glasses at all. Special nose stops of the frames are adjustable in three directions and allow for soft fixation that does not leave redness even with prolonged wear. The arches of optimal length, on average, 122-127 mm, hold well on the ears, are flexible, but very reliable in shape. These glasses are not scary to take with you to the tournament if you take care of the soft case.
Points for the game in Gunnar glasses review
Right, this applies to Phenom, do not forget that I still have a model called SteelSeries DESMO for players. Strange, these glasses cost as much as Phenom, but the packaging is different, I did not like it. Reminds a box for some computer accessory.
There is a bag made of fabric, but the design, it seems to me, is painfully youthful. Although here I can not help but note the lightness of the frame, the glasses fit perfectly, you stop noticing them in just a few seconds. However, appearance is a subjective matter, someone will like DESMO more than Phenom.
I tried playing Battlefield 3, let me remind you, this is happening on the PS3, connected to a TV with a large diagonal. My eyes do not tire of this lesson, so I can’t say that glasses made things easier. Instead, it was distracting I would safely refuse to use it.
Another thing is if you play with a small display, or even on a laptop. Then the glasses will help to eliminate the discomfort. I’m sure of that – I remember now how I “chopped” in Battlefield 2 on Sony VAIO SZ and how my eyes hurt later.
Glasses for the computer: learning how to protect your eyes and look like superheroes
From this Gunnar glasses review article, we already know that today, it is difficult to find a person whose work does not involve interaction with a computer. And even if the computer need not work hours, then it’s definitely in your free time.
Have you ever noticed how diffused your vision is after several hours at the monitor? Wondered where in the middle of the day a headache comes from. If you already feel how the computer affects your eyes, or just want to play it safe, then you definitely need special glasses. How to choose them – we’ll figure it out together from the rest of the part of the Gunnar glasses review.
Gunnar glasses review: Why do I need to protect my eyes?
Computer monitors, like the screens of tablets, telephones, and televisions, emit an artificial blue color, or rather the rays of the blue-violet spectrum. It is these rays that harm our eyes on all fronts: for a start, they reduce the sharpness of our vision, we feel pain in our eyes, they become dry, watery. With prolonged exposure, the retina is damaged, and this promises much more serious problems than simple discomfort (for example, retinal dystrophy).
They design a special protective coating on the lenses of computer glasses to block these harmful rays. The coating may be different. Tinted lenses have a yellowish color, reminiscent of sepia – this is an excellent option for working in the office with fluorescent lamps. These are usually somewhat cheaper than the version with a coating containing the so-called blue blockers – elements that prevent blue rays from reaching the eyes.
Besides radiation protection, lenses help reduce the brightness of the monitor that hits our eyes. They significantly reduce thanks. Computer glasses can be with or without diopters – it all depends on your vision and needs. Also, computer lenses usually protect against glare.
I use glasses with tinted lenses without diopters. They dull the brightness, but not critical – it is possible to work with images. I thought about buying such glasses when I left the office with 12-hour shifts with completely defocused and blurred eyes. Life before goggles and after are two radically different things.
Here is our intermediate conclusion: glasses for working at a computer help to avoid eye strain and discomfort, such as dryness and pain; protective lenses block harmful radiation; also, lenses save from glare and flicker of the monitor. All this allows us to work more efficiently and with much greater comfort, and most importantly – to preserve vision.
How to choose glasses for the computer?
To begin with, it’s worth figuring out for we take glasses for what purposes, what kind of work do you usually do on a computer. For reading texts, those lenses that enhance contrast are best suited for working with images, those that reproduce colors more and for gamers, those that primarily eliminate glare.
Lenses are not everything. It is worth taking the choice of frames seriously. Here the secret is simple and old as the world: give preference to high-quality and durable materials, although the temptation to save is great.
A good frame is, among other things, lightweight and comfortable arms. Lenses can be arbitrarily good, but if you are uncomfortable wearing these glasses in general, you will have to redo everything all over again, which means paying twice.
Glasses for gamers
With examples, we start with the Gunnar brand. This manufacturer has its own patented i-AMP technology – this is a set of specialized chips that are used to create lenses. Firstly, Gunnar lenses have a slightly rounded shape, which should limit the airflow and protect the microclimate around the eyes. This shape may slightly resemble swimming goggles.
Secondly, i-AMP involves the use of such material for lenses, which guarantees the absence of visual distortion. Finally, we mention the coating and color shade of the glasses: two-layer coating – bottom anti-reflective layer, hard protective top. Unusual color shades, like that same sepia, just say that such lenses can increase contrast and block harmful rays of the blue spectrum.
Gunnar Trooper
A classic example of such glasses from Gunnar is the Trooper model. Besides all of the above, these glasses also adapt to the owner; they have a flexible frame and a silicone nosepiece that can be adjusted to suit you. The temples are powerful, made of steel. It all weighs together, only about 30 g. Glasses cost $ 100. We can choose the frame in two colors – black and white.
Gunnar Heroes
I wonder if there are as many dedicated Blizzard fans here like me? I was stunned when I found out that Gunnar has a special Blizzard Strike glasses model tailored for Heroes of the Storm fans. It applies host branding to additional nozzles that are worn on the arms.
What could be better than a game in which all your favorite characters from the Blizzard universe fight? Probably only cool glasses in which you can play HOTS without harming the eyes. They cost about $ 115.
Adherents of a more strict style, I think, will like the Intercept 24K model. The lenses of these glasses are made using the same exclusive technology, but here they are not attracted to attention, but the frame.
It combines two colors – black and amber brown, which flow into each other. The shape of these glasses is a classic, and it looks more formal than the previous options. On top of that, eye-catching details and hand-finished finishes. Cost – $ 100.
Universal glasses
Since we are talking about the classic style, then glasses from another brand fit well here – the Swedish Arozzi. The one that produces a massive amount of other goods needed by gamers: these are special computer chairs, tables, microphones and other things.
The model of glasses Visione VX200 is suitable for games, and just for working on a computer. As expected, these glasses eliminate distracting glare, block harmful radiation, and increase contrast.
As a result, the eye strain decreases, they do not dry and do not get tired, and the user can work longer or enjoy their favorite games (only please control yourself and do not stay too long, this is my personal request!). Such glasses cost about $ 60, and this is one of the newest and most popular models of Arozzi.
Another attractive option, close to the classics, is the Visione VX-500 model with a thinner frame, but wider arms. And if you want something unusual, look at the Visione VX-600, they have a very unique lens shape – geometric, with rounded corners. Both pairs of glasses are worth $ 85 each.
But what about the gunnar glasses?
The Gunnar assortment also has unusual designs (yes, even more, distinctive than we saw before). Gunnar SteelSeries Desmo will appeal to those who usually choose glasses with large lenses. There are no rims here as such – the connecting part and the arms, that’s all. All protective and functional properties, of course, remain in place. You can buy these for 7.5 thousand.
In the category of universal glasses, I would add the collaboration of Gunnar and Razer or Gunnar FPS. With this model, we again return to the classic shape of the frames, and yet here we are waiting for something unusual – namely, the color scheme.
If you are not very familiar with Razer, then I’ll say a few words: Razer is world famous thanks to the top-end gaming equipment that it produces – these are mice, keyboards, microphones, rugs and other accessories necessary for gamers.
The iconic color of the Razer brand is a combination of black and bright green. So in the Gunnar FPS glasses, we see a black frame with green arms that dilute the somewhat formal look of the model. I believe that this option is suitable not only for gamers.
Gunnar FPS lenses are made so that the user can see more clearly not only images but also texts. This works both with a computer monitor and with a smartphone screen. Cost – $ 125.
Trite, I like the thing itself, minimalistic design, beautiful assembly, materials. As for the use of game points, he said, it all depends on what you are playing on. All in all, getting to know Gunnar Optiks was unexpectedly successful. Well, to you, if the monitor defeats the eyes, I also safely recommend a try.
Conclusion of Gunnar glasses review
In the USA, the glasses considered cost about a hundred dollars (both models), the assortment has things both cheaper and more expensive. In my opinion, a thing is worth a closer look if you feel sorry for your eyes and your eyesight. I bought the Phenom I was in the review, I use it with the display, and interestingly, it seemed that I would use it today, and tomorrow I would forget it – but in fact, I did not forget.
Should I buy glasses for a computer? I think the answer is obvious – of course, yes! Safety glasses are eye comfort today and eye health tomorrow (and the day after tomorrow, and for life). Special lenses block harmful radiation, help reduce eye strain, avoid dryness and redness. In addition to this, computer glasses increase the quality of work and games – texts and images become more contrasting, and no extraneous glare can interfere with you.
One question remains: where and for how much to buy Gunnar glasses? The price category is determined in the range from 100 to 180 cu, depending on the materials, design, relevance of the model. There are always promotional offers in the Cyberlife catalog that will make the acquisition a successful and undoubtedly useful contribution to your gaming arsenal.
We hope that the above examples of glasses will help you make a choice and find the ones that are right for you in all respects. If you want to get to know the assortment closer, you can always do this in the catalog of our store.
