If you’ve ever seen a professional gamer in action, you probably noticed that they were wearing unique, tinted glasses. These are gaming glasses and are worn by gamers to protect their eyes and enhance their gaming experience. If your child is a video game lover, you might be wondering, “Can kids use gaming glasses, too?” The answer is a resounding “yes”—your children can benefit from wearing gaming glasses just like the professionals! In this article, we’re going to discuss the many benefits of gaming glasses for kids and how they can help protect your child’s eye health and vision. Here’s what you need to know.
First of all, what exactly are gaming glasses?
When children engage in lengthy video games sessions, they may experience blurred vision, headaches, eyestrain, and dry eye. Gaming glasses were developed to address these issues while simultaneously enhancing their visual experience.
Gaming glasses are becoming increasingly more popular, however, they’re most commonly made with adults in mind. At GUNNAR, we offer gaming glasses specifically designed for children and teens, enabling them to reap the same eye protection benefits as adults. GUNNAR Youth’s line of gaming glasses for kids and teens include elements of GUNNAR’s patented lens technology used in their adult glasses. These features include a more curved lens surface to help prevent dry eyes, 65% blue light protection, a coating to reduce glare from the screen and another one to prevent smudges on the lens. Leading the way in gaming glasses for young gamers, GUNNAR also recently unveiled FPS Mini, Razer Edition glasses, the first-ever pair of gaming glasses designed for children ages 8 to 12.
Are gaming glasses the same as computer glasses?
Gaming glasses are similar to computer glasses (also known as blue light blocking glasses), however, gaming glasses have special features that are tailored specifically to the gaming experience. For example, GUNNAR’s ESL Blade Lite gaming glasses for teens and young adults feature a lightweight wrap-around stainless steel frame with adjustable nose pads that not only help with a more comfortable fit over long periods of time but that further helps to address dry eye symptoms.
What are the benefits of gaming glasses for kids and teens?
How can your child or teen benefit from wearing gaming glasses while playing video games? Here are the top ways:
Gaming glasses protect children’s eyes from blue light
While the full effects of blue light on children’s (and adults’) eyes are still being studied, research shows that blue light negatively affects children’s sleep and may contribute to damaging retinal cells, potentially leading to macular degeneration. Children’s eyes are even more vulnerable than adults’ eyes to the effects of blue light. This is because children’s eyes are still developing and have little natural protection from blue light. Children also have larger pupils than adults, which allows them to take in more light.
While taking in some blue light is an important part of health, the risks stem from the length of time spent on screens and the distance to the screen. Gaming glasses are an easy (and stylish!) way to protect your children’s eyes from blue light. By wearing them while playing video games, your child will be protecting their eye health and reducing the negative effects of blue light on their sleep schedule.
It’s crucial to have your child start wearing gaming glasses now, as they’ll be exposed to blue light for their entire lifetime, be it from video games, computers, or smartphones. Starting early is key!
Gaming glasses reduce dry eyes, eyestrain, and eye fatigue
Have you ever noticed that your eyes feel dry, tired, or strained at the end of a long day on your computer? We’ve all been there! In fact, there’s a condition called Computer Vision Syndrome, which has become increasingly common as people spend more time staring at digital screens. According to the American Optometric Association, symptoms of this condition include eyestrain, headaches, dry eyes, blurred vision, and even neck and shoulder pain.
Your children and teens can experience these symptoms when spending long stretches of time playing video games. Thankfully, however, they don’t have to ditch their beloved gaming hobby. Wearing gaming glasses while playing can help reduce these uncomfortable symptoms by reducing glare, protecting the wearer’s eyes from blue light, and offering a small degree of magnifying power.
Gaming glasses improve the player’s visual experience
Not only do blue light blocking gaming glasses protect your children’s eyes, but they also can enhance their gaming experience. The combination of reduced eyestrain symptoms and reduced glare from screens allows for a more comfortable experience while playing, which in turn helps their eyes over an extended period of time. Trust us—your children will be thanking you for buying them a pair!
Finding the right pair of gaming glasses for your child or teen
In searching for glasses to protect your children’s eyes while playing video games, you may be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of options out there. Do you choose computer glasses or blue light glasses or gaming glasses? What’s the difference? While kids’ computer glasses are great for everyday computer and smart device use, it’s recommended that you purchase a pair of glasses that are specifically made for children and gaming.
GUNNAR has several new products that are designed with younger people and gaming in mind. The FPS Mini (Razer Edition) gaming glasses are designed for children eight to 12 years old, while the ESL Blade Lite and MOBA, Razer Edition gaming glasses are made for teens and young adults. They use GUNNAR’s patented amber lens technology which helps combat digital eyestrain, reduce dry eyes, and block 65 percent of blue light. They are both available with prescription lenses as well.
These children’s gaming glasses mirror some of our best-selling adult gaming glasses including FPS Razer Edition and ESL Blade. If you partake in video games with your children, be sure to pick up a pair for yourself, too!
The bottom line
As a parent, it’s natural to worry about your child’s well-being and health. If you’ve been concerned about their eye health while playing video games, but don’t want to take their hobby away from them, buy them a pair of gaming glasses. If you can protect their vision, why wouldn’t you? Not only do they look cool, but they’ll protect your child’s eyes and enhance their gaming experience. It’s a win-win!
Start protecting your children’s eyes now by purchasing a pair of GUNNAR blue light blocking glasses for your kids today!