Spending a lot of time on a computer is an occupational hazard for many people, and it can adversely affect your eyes. Staring at a computer screen causes your eyes to experience a wide range of symptoms related to eye strain, and it is important to take measures to alleviate that strain. Taking regular breaks from the computer or gaming system, adjusting the lighting in the room, and eliminating glare can help. However, when you absolutely, positively have to buckle down and work, there is an alternative that can offer relief for your tired and aching eyes: Gunnar glasses.
California-based Gunnar Optiks manufactures glasses that are designed to reduce the effects of eye strain. The symptoms of eye strain may vary, but often include:
- Headaches
- Dry eyes
- Blurred vision
- Overall eye fatigue
Health care practitioners know the effects of prolonged computer screen use as computer vision syndrome (CVS). Studies have shown that somewhere between 50-90 percent of those whose jobs involve looking at a computer screen daily experience at least some of the symptoms related to CVS.
Computer vision syndrome is a repetitive stress injury, much like the more well-known carpal tunnel syndrome. Such injuries occur from carrying out the same motion repeatedly, to the point that the movement causes injury. In the case of CVS, the injury is to the eyes and the consequences can have lasting and costly effects.
Gunnar Glasses provide a way to prevent eye strain and damage. The technology used to create each pair of Gunnar Glasses is specifically intended to mitigate the most common symptoms of eye fatigue. Rather than simply masking the effects of strain on your eyes, Gunnar Glasses are specifically designed to reduce stress and allow you to work for longer periods without dry eyes, blurred vision, or other painful consequences—even after a full day of staring at an LCD or LED monitor.
The science behind Gunnar glasses works to address each aspect of eye strain and give you relief when you need it most.
Features include:
- Proprietary shaping to shield your eyes from the air currents (either from windows, heating vents or fans) that contribute to drying, while keeping humidity close to the eye.
- Focusing power. Gunnar glasses allow you to see clearly without having to work overtime to do so. The glasses focus light before it reaches the eye, eliminating the need to squint or strain your eye muscles.
- Custom lens material. A custom blend of polymer is used, resulting in a lens that is free of haze and distortion. The lenses are durable and impact resistant, but also maintain clarity and color control.
- A protective coating is used on the lenses of Gunnar Glasses to serve as an anti-reflective shield against eye-straining glare. Along with the curvature of the lenses themselves, the anti-glare coating relieves your eyes of the strain inflicted by periphery glare. Unlike some prescription eyewear, the anti-reflection coating is applied to both sides of the lenses.
Spending the better portion of your day working in front of your computer screen may not be something you can do anything about, but you can do something about the damage it causes your eyes. Defeat eye strain and maintain a sharp focus on your important work by using Gunnar glasses.