In today’s world, we spend more time staring at LED screens than ever before. Let’s start with a sobering statistic: the average American spends 3.5 hours a day on their smartphone. That doesn’t include time spent at a PC, watching TV, or playing console video games. If you enjoy any of these hobbies, your screen time may be several hours longer. And that’s leaving aside any PC screen time required by your job.
If you’re experiencing eye strain, a set of blue light blocking glasses might be a good idea. Today, we reviewed the Oiamik Blue Light Blocking Glasses. They’re slick, stylish, and well-constructed. But how well do they actually work? We’re about to take a closer look.
The Dangers of Blue Light
Human beings are what we call “diurnal” animals. This means that we’ve evolved to stay awake during the day, and go to sleep at night. Surprising, right? But how do our bodies actually know when it’s day or night? Primarily, our brains keep track of the balance between blue and red light. Now imagine a sunset. As the sun goes down, the sky turns from blue to orange to brilliant red, before the sun finally disappears below the horizon. Similarly, when the sun comes up in the morning, the horizon first turns red, then transitions to blue.
By keeping track of these transitions, our brains are able to instinctively know when it’s time to go to bed. As blue light fades, they secrete melatonin and other sleep-inducing brain chemicals. But in today’s modern world, we’re constantly staring at LED screens, which produce a lot of blue light. This can disrupt our bodies’ natural cycles, leading to insomnia. This same effect can also cause depression and metabolic issues. It throws off our entire natural rhythm.
Worse yet, blue light is the leading cause of eye fatigue. Other frequencies are gentler on our eyes. However, blue light can penetrate through the back of the iris and strike the retina itself. This isn’t just a matter of sore eyes. In severe cases, it can lead to degenerative diseases like macular degeneration.
Blue Light Blocking
So, how can you fight this problem? The most obvious answer is “less screen time”, but that isn’t realistic. Are you actually going to give up gaming and social media? Is anybody? If you’re up to the challenge, good for you. That takes a lot of guts, determination, and self-denial. But for us ordinary folks, it’s just not going to happen. Instead, many gamers have started using blue light blocking glasses.
Some of these glasses use an amber tint, which is inexpensive, but distorts colors. Others utilize clear lenses. This costs a bit more, but you’ll get a more accurate color representation. Either way, you’re not just protecting your eyes from blue light. You’re also reducing glare. This is useful when you’re trying to game in challenging conditions. For example, if light is cutting through that gap in your curtains and obscuring the screen. There are screen-protecting covers that can also do this. However, they’ll only help you on one screen. If you frequently switch between different devices, that’s not going to be good enough.
UV Protection
Another important thing to look for is whether your gaming glasses offer UV protection. UV, which is short for ultraviolet, refers to light with wavelengths below 400nm. Light at this wavelength isn’t visible to the naked eye. However, many screens produce UV light as a byproduct of producing blue light. UV light can cause significant damage, both to your retinas and to the lenses of your eyes. A good pair of blue light blocking glasses will also protect you from UV rays.
Quality Design
Now that we’ve talked about general benefits and features, let’s get into the meat of our review. Oiamik glasses are engineered to fit a variety of face shapes and sizes. The frame is constructed from tough, rugged TR90 plastic. This material is strong and flexible, and can be bent easily to ensure a quality fit. The entire pair of glasses weighs only 1.76 ounces, so it rests easily on your face without any unnecessary pressure. The nose legs are also flexible, and can be adjusted easily to fit almost any nose. Oiamik offers a 100% money back guarantee, as well as a lifetime manufacturer’s warranty. If anything should happen to break, simply contact their customer service, and you’ll be well taken care of.
The lenses are also very well constructed. Many manufacturers use polycarbonate lenses, which are inexpensive, but aren’t very tough. But Oiamik uses tough, rock-solid resin that can take a serious beating. It’s coated on both sides for scratch, glare, and dust resistance. Accidentally tough the lens with your thumb, and you’ll be able to wipe the smudge away with ease. And you won’t have to worry about your lenses getting scuffed up just from a single drop.
The packaging, while a secondary concern, is also well designed. Oiamik glasses come in an attractive gift box, complete with a magnetic closure. Inside, you’ll also find a pair of microfiber cleaning cloths, along with a test pen and card. These allow you to check the glasses’ performance for yourself. There’s also a pair of fun tattoo stickers, which is totally unnecessary, but it made us smile.
If you want more selection, don’t feel like you’re stuck with Oiamik. We recently reviewed the best blue light blocking glasses. If the Oiamik glasses aren’t your style, there are plenty of options available.
True Color Visibility
The main attraction of the Oiamik Blue Light Blocking Glasses is their clear lenses. Many gaming glasses utilize an amber lens, and this makes sense. The color easily blocks out blue light, without the need for any advanced technology. This is why so many skiing goggles are amber: it cuts down on snow glare as cheaply as possible. However, amber lenses come with a significant disadvantage. They obscure color. The entire spectrum comes out with a yellow-brown tinge. This can get aggravating if you’re gaming, watching a movie, or doing anything else where good visuals are important.
Oiamik Blue Light Blocking Glasses have clear lenses, which won’t distort color. They’ll filter out damaging UV rays, as well as reducing some of the most intense blues. But for the most part, you’ll see images just the way they’re intended. Brilliant landscapes, action-packed battlefields, and other stunning visuals will all come alive. If you want to keep your eyes safe without sacrificing image quality, these glasses are a fantastic choice.
That said, amber lenses are lest costly. If you’re more concerned about enjoying the action than about image quality, you may want to consider a pair. In January, we reviewed the best PC gaming glasses on the market. They’re all excellent choices, and will keep your retinas safe.
Final Verdict
So, how do the Oiamik Blue Light Blocking Glasses stack up to the competition? If you’re looking for the most powerful protection possible, they may fall short of your expectations. That said, they offer far more protection than any other clear glasses we’ve seen. And for many people, it’s essential to see true, not distorted color. For stress reduction without loss of color accuracy, the Oiamik glasses are at the top of the class.
Meet Ry, “TechGuru,” a 36-year-old technology enthusiast with a deep passion for tech innovations. With extensive experience, he specializes in gaming hardware and software, and has expertise in gadgets, custom PCs, and audio.
Besides writing about tech and reviewing new products, he enjoys traveling, hiking, and photography. Committed to keeping up with the latest industry trends, he aims to guide readers in making informed tech decisions.