Gaming Glasses - Do You Need Them?

This got us thinking...

During the pandemic, there was a 29% increase in time spent playing video games. Could you blame this increase? With time off work and school, and the 'novelty' of being 'locked up' at home, for many, gaming was their retreat to communication. As technology continues to advance, the possibility of conversating and playing alongside friends is extremely accessible and easy. Even for those below the age of 12! The world, collectively, is playing games more now than ever before. Be it on a PC, games console or even smartphone, the number of game players is always rising.

The gaming industry continues to show growth in titles being released and the number of consumers buying them. This sector is already bigger in takings than Hollywood! The only other sector in the entertainment industry that competes with gaming is TV. To give you some mind-boggling numbers, in 2020, $160 BILLION was estimated to have been taken in revenue worldwide and by the end
of 2023 a growth taking in the review of $220 BILLION is expected.

The Need For Gaming Glasses

With nearly 3 billion gamers, this figure continues to grow worldwide each year. Long periods spent engrossed in a screen, exposes the gamer's eyesight to an extensive amount of blue light - the same light that radiates from the sun. As you can imagine, overexposure to this can be extremely detrimental to the viewer's eyesight.

With another year of massive titles expected to hit the shelves, we thought that it may be useful to give you an insight into the importance of looking after your eyes whilst gaming.

Other than the Sun, the biggest blue light emissions are from mobile, tablets and computer units e.g monitors and gaming consoles on TV screens.

To find out a little more about blue light check out our breakdown here.

If you are into playing the latest titles then you might need to consider
protecting your eyes from strain, blurry vision and all-around fatigue.It may not cross your mind when you reach the final round before victory, but your eyes go through a lot of punishment when playing.

Put Down That Controller For a Few Moments and Check Out Our Advice For Over Exposure to Blue Light...

Magnification – If you are straining to read that ‘lost world scroll’ or squinting to see any text on the game then you might need to consider a magnification lens. 

Anti-Reflective Coating – This helps reduce reflections and glare from the screen. By doing this, the Anti-reflective coating will increase the game's colour contrast. This will improves focus and reaction times. Now nothing can stop you on that level!

Blue Light Protection – As we have said previously, this is probably the main thing to think about to protect your eyes. With the lens having a tinted coating it can reduce or help block the blue light emitting from your TV or monitors. This can also improve your sleep at night and reduce any fatigued eyes!

At the end of the day, you may not need a prescription, but we would always recommend getting your eyes tested by an optometrist. This way you can explain the amount of time you spend gaming to weigh out whether or not glasses would be of benefit to you. 

Did You Know...

There is a syndrome called - Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) or Digital Eye Strain (DES)

CVS is a group of vision-related disorders resulting from the prolonged use of digital screens. The most common symptoms can be:

• Dry eyes
• Blurred vision
• Headaches
• Double vision
• Red eyes
• Loss of focus

Can You Add Blue Light Coating To New Frames To Make Them Gaming Glasses?

Can You Add Blue Light Coating To New Frames?

• Of course, you can. Here are PRETAVOIR you can add to any prescription for an extra £30. The total cost will vary on your new frames, lens brand and delivery costs. Don’t forget we offer a re-lens service to your existing frames so take advantage of updating the lenses and adding blue light control to them as well.

Can You Buy Frames already with the Blue Light Control on them?

• Definitely. We carry a huge array of styles, designs and brands that have the Blue Control already on the lens. From Tom Ford, Hugo Boss, Ray Ban and Izipizi, plus many more.  

You may believe that eye strain and fatigue would only occur during a gaming marathon. However, even if you are only playing for an hour or two every other day, then it is still worth protecting your eyes.

You must remember as well that these blue light glasses are not just for gaming. They are also great for when you are using all of your other digital devices whether it be at work or home.

We always suggest asking an optician for the best advice on this. If you are looking for an optician in Scotland, we would recommend i2i Optometrists who have three branches across Glasgow area.

We hope you have thought a little more about this. At PRETAVOIR it is always in our best interest to give you the most beneficial advice and services to protect and prolong your eye health.