Taking proper care of your eye health is essential. Recent data revealed that the global eyewear market is expected to grow by $76 billion between 2022 and 2027. The rising prevalence of vision-related disorders worldwide drives this increasing demand for eyewear. Other factors impacting the market growth include lifestyle changes and prolonged use of digital devices.
Gamers, specifically, are all too familiar with the prolonged use of digital devices. As such, investing in proper eyewear can help provide eye protection and maintain good vision over long periods. Aside from preventing discomfort, pain, and other symptoms, wearing the right eyewear may even improve gaming performance. Nowadays, gaming glasses have become a popular option for gamers seeking eyewear. Below, we'll discuss the different types of gaming glasses available and how they can help gamers.
Blue Light Gaming Glasses
One of the key features of gaming glasses today is the blue light filtering lenses. These block or reduce potentially harmful blue light emitted from digital screens. While blue light can also come from the sun and other lighting sources, gamers who spend long hours grinding various titles may be more vulnerable to its effects. These include causing fatigue and digital eye strain, making it challenging for you to focus and game for longer periods.
Of course, aside from gaming-specific blue light glasses, you can also get regular blue light glasses—with or without a prescription. New innovations like the BlueReflectTM or KODAK UVBlue Lens help filter out blue light to improve visual comfort and reduce glare or unwanted light reflections. If you already own a pair of eyeglasses, you can also inquire with your retailer to see if your lens can be upgraded into blue light filtering lenses.
Anti-Reflective Gaming Glasses
Some gaming glasses today also have anti-reflective properties. Computer screens and mobile devices emit glare and can disrupt your ability to focus, react in time, and perceive proper color contrast. For gamers who like competitive titles, these factors can heavily impact the gaming experience and your gaming performance. Shooter games, for example, could be more challenging to play well if you can't clearly see what's on your screen.
Aside from anti-reflective gaming glasses, you should also look into your lighting settings when gaming. Studies on home lighting have shown that light can affect human circadian rhythms, which impacts sleep and other behaviors such as immune responses and appetite. As such, if you're gaming for long periods while facing screen glare in a dim or dark room, this may impact your eye and overall health in the long term.
Wraparound Gaming Glasses
Lastly, another type of gaming glasses that has become increasingly popular is wraparound glasses. These look and function like sports glasses and goggles as they feature wider lens shapes, providing a wider point of view. For gamers, wearing wraparound glasses can provide a clear vision of large or multiple-screen setups. As ultrawide monitors are also becoming popular, the use of wraparound gaming glasses may also prove helpful in providing clear and fuller vision.
Because they are structured almost like goggles for sports, wraparound gaming glasses also help reduce exposure to ambient air current, preventing your eyes from drying out. This is especially crucial for gamers, as long gaming hours tend to cause reduced blinking. The wraparound frames also serve a helpful function by not interfering with headphones, eliminating any pain or discomfort from the added pressure.
Other Eye Care Tips for Gamers
Finally, it's important to note that gaming glasses are only part of the eye care puzzle. If you're spending long hours trying to beat your favorite game, it's important to take breaks and give your eyes some much-needed rest. During said breaks, you can also indulge in healthy snacks or some physical activity to keep yourself focused and healthy.
For mobile gamers who game on smartphones or iPads, it can help to invest in an anti-glare screen protector. This not only slows down digital eye strain by reducing glare, but they are also a good investment for protecting your device's screen against pesky scratches.
