Ars Technica recently decided to try out a set of Gunnar Optiks, glasses which are designed to improve your gaming performance. You may recall we found another use for them during PAX 2009. The Gunnar website espouses scads of advantageous features, including scientifically miraculous coatings, tints, shapes, and materials -- which are purported to do everything from reducing glare to "blocking out evaporative air currents."
Given such claims, we're sure many gamers might scoff or, at the very least, cock an incredulous eyebrow. Ars Technica harbored similar feelings, but it turns out the glasses actually do help. The site spoke to a optometrist, who noted that she offered many of the same features in the glasses she sells in her practice. More importantly, Ars Technica took the glasses for a spin and found that they did have a positive effect during prolonged gaming sessions.
Still, at prices hovering around (and above) $100, Ars suggests you price glasses with similar features with your eye doctor before taking the plunge.
Reader Comments (58)
Posted: Oct 9th 2009 11:48AM emperorzeroxx said
looks exactly like the ones that have been out on pc a while........ and woah guess what, they do the same exact thing.
Posted: Oct 9th 2009 11:47AM FluffnNonsense said
Do they come in readers? I wear contacts but my vision is so poor that I need readers to use my PC. I might actually consider it if they did...
Posted: Oct 9th 2009 11:50AM spin cycle said
If tinting the screen yellow helps you see what's happening, then devs can just tint the graphics on games yellow.
This is a scam.
This is a scam.
Posted: Oct 9th 2009 11:55AM schwal said
I just got a pair of prescription glasses about a month ago, and the anti-glare coating ran me $150. Most of the time I can't tell the difference, but when my eyes get tired from using a computer to read for more than an hour straight, the coating seems to help with that. I've never really felt any difference for games, but than again, I haven't been playing anything with a lot of text. or Dead Rising on an SDTV.
On a semi-unrelated note, Transitions are awesome.
On a semi-unrelated note, Transitions are awesome.
Posted: Oct 9th 2009 1:20PM greg19735 said
I think that these are great if you work in front of a computer all day. On the other hand if your getting eye strains from playing video games all day (not b/c of other medical condition) i would suggest you just take a break. And by take a break i don't mean watch TV or go on the internet :P
Posted: Oct 9th 2009 3:16PM bongoes said
Could this help with the headaches first person games give me? If so, hooray!
Posted: Oct 9th 2009 5:54PM ch3burashka said
I saw them at PAX and thought no fucking way, but now I'm much more curious, maybe curious enough to buy a pair...
Posted: Oct 12th 2009 3:55PM peabeeanjay said
Hey my very own Persona TV World Glasses!




