My monitor is the screen that gets the most amount of usage in the house, so I do my best to reduce eye strain while using it. I’ve been using Flex for well over a decade, and the software does an admirable job changing the colors based on time of day, switching over to warm hues in the evening.
While I’m gaming (which is vanishingly rare these days), I use Gunnar’s blue light-blocking glasses. I became aware of the brand a decade and a half ago when I tried its glasses during college, where all-night Counter Strike marathons were the norm. While I don’t pull all-nighters any longer, Gunnar’s glasses make a noticeable difference even now.
(Image credit: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)
The brand started rolling out collaborations recently, and I got my hands on the Fallout-based Vault 33 glasses, and they look fabulous. The glasses are encased in a Vault-Tech Industries case, and it looks like something you’ll find in an abandoned bunker in Fallout 76.
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Coming to the glasses, they have a retro-futuristic design with a stainless steel frame, and the gunmetal frame with the olive-accented sides look great. You get the Vault-Tec logo on the sides as well, and the glasses are comfortable to wear. At just 20g, they’re light enough that I don’t notice them while gaming, and the 52mm lens width is ideal for my use case. The Vault 33 glasses made their debut last year for $99, but they’re now available for $73 on Amazon.
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(Image credit: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)(Image credit: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)(Image credit: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)(Image credit: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)(Image credit: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)(Image credit: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)
If you’re not a fan of the design, Gunnar makes its lenses available in a variety of styles and frames, with prices starting as low as $37. I used other Gunnar products in the past, but the Vault 33 ones are the one I like the most because of the design.
Now, the glasses’ raison d’etre is the Gunnar lens; the Amber lens blocks 65% of blue light at 450nm, and there’s a noticeable difference when using these glasses, particularly during marathon gaming sessions. The glasses have a warm tint, and while that affects color rendition, it isn’t to a point where it starts becoming an issue.
(Image credit: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)
All Gunnar glasses come with a +0.2 diopter that delivers “clearer vision,” so that’s something to be aware of if you’re interested in these glasses. I don’t need prescription lenses (thankfully), and while I was wary of using glasses that came with a slight power, it hasn’t proven to be an issue. Just to be on the safe side, I consulted an optometrist before using these glasses, and I’d suggest doing the same.
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(Image credit: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)(Image credit: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)(Image credit: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)(Image credit: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)(Image credit: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)
These glasses also come with Gunnar’s G-Shield Plus anti-reflective coating, which prevents smudges as well. On the whole, the glasses are stylish, they hold up well in daily use as well as gaming, and the Fallout aesthetic is great in its own right.
If you have eye fatigue or are having issues while using a monitor or any other screen for a prolonged duration, Gunnar’s glasses could make a difference.
