Eye strain is the bane of the dedicated computer end user. If you are shackled to a desk 8+ hours a day, toiling away behind the warm glow of your computer screen–chances are–your eyes have literally seen the horror. High-tech eyewear manufacturer – Gunnar belabors the obvious when they state, “Constant viewing of digital screens can create visual stress, eye fatigue, dry eyes, irritation, and even headaches, leading to an obvious conclusion – staring at a computer for long hours can take a toll on your eyes.” No sh!+! We knew that. But did you know Gunnar has an entire product line of solutions? You might if you’ve been paying close attention. If you can, you should consider adding this pair of glasses to your list of the best gaming accessories.
Enter Gunnar! Their Eyewear targets a great variety of intense computer workers from coders to engineers, video editors, business professionals to bloggers and gamers, like myself. For that latter gaming group, the Gunnar technomancers have conjured the Scope design of Advanced Gaming Eyewear. These specs have been carefully designed to soothe the ocular strain and eye fatigue that plagues the peepers of gamers the world over. Like any new tech, these wearable eye masseuses don’t come cheap. Are they worth your hard earned cash? And what if you already wear prescriptions glasses; where do you fit into this? Read on inquiring gadget-minds. Enlightenment awaits down yonder. Looking for a cockpit set with integrated high-precision wheel and pedals for PC and PS3, open our Thrustmaster Ferrari wireless GT cockpit 430 scuderia edition review.
The Scope Advanced Eyewear ships in a modest package. You get the pair of glasses, optical cleaning cloth and a microfiber cleaning/caring bag. The lens and frame are of a notably advanced and stylish construction. The frame is very flexible yet surprisingly durable. I actually bent the frame just slightly so it would contour around my face and nose more securely. You can also adjust the nosepads to better fit your face structure. Rounding out the loose customization is the ability to swap out the socket sets, where the glasses rest over your ears behind your temples. You can purchase different colors and styles from the Gunnar website for an added personalized flare. Do you want to game using a mechanical gaming keyboard with adjustable actuation switches? Click our Steelseries apex pro review for more details.
It all makes for a lightweight construction, which gets completely forgotten when worn. This is a good thing. Barely 45mins had passed, but I had already forgotten I was wearing a pair specs? That’s a significant reduction in the aforementioned acclimation time it took for Christen to feel comfortable wearing a pair of Gunnar Edge glasses reviewed a few years back. They fit great are super light and very comfortable. The easily flexible socket sets also play nice with headset audio systems and headphones. There is no need to fret; virtually any pair of headphones will fit and not obstruct the fit or feel of the Scope eyewear.
That is one way the Scope’s appeal to the gaming masses. Another is by delivering on the marketing hyperbole. Does this new visual tech reduce glare? It does! The FRACTYL lens geometry provides tighter focus by focusing light before it reaches the eye. Your eyes will also benefit from the extreme curvature of the lens and frame. It allows the lens to cover more of visual periphery to reduce air flow which can lead to dry irritated eyes. The same effect occurs on just about any pair of Oakley’s. But air-induced dryness and irritation are more commonplace in the great outdoors, than it is in my stagnant office room. Still, the contoured design is striking and definitely stylish.
A sense of “cool” is definitely the initial mystique surrounding the Scope. But raw performance by way of visual sharpness and enhanced clarity is the main attraction here. That signature amber tint counteracts a digital monitor’s innate cooler blue tones. This reduces high energy visible light. The result is a warmer viewing experience with less eye strain. Ha! Reading that–it sounds like marketing speak, I know. But the proof is in the ocular pudding. Any virtual soldier playing Battlefield 3, will elated by the reduced blue tint of indoor environment, while wearing the Scope eyewear. These things do what they purport. Yet that clarity comes at a price. With this level of sharpness and focus, any spec or smudge on the lens is absolutely unbearable. So keep your microfiber cleaning cloth clean and at the ready. You’re gonna need it!
Again, the comfort is such that I forgot all about them. That says a lot from someone who does not wear glasses, save for shades on very sunny days. But if you do wear prescription glasses, Gunnar has you covered. Their eyewear is prescription-compatible. You can apply your Rx prescription to you Gunnar spec du jour, by visiting a Carl Zeiss vision Rx provider or by inquiring with your trusted optometrist about how to apply your Rx to your desired Gunnar specs. Since I don’t wear Rx glasses, only your optometrist can speak about the boons and/or banes of such an endeavor.
For general computer use and gaming, the boons outweigh the banes considerably.
Editor Rating:
[Rating: 4/5]
Great
The Bottom Line: The SteelSeries Scope by Gunnar is a solid product. It does exactly what it says–basically functioning as a masseuse for your eyes.
Pros
- Provides enhanced sharpness
- Super comfortable and lightweight
- Relaxes eyes and reduces strain over long hours
- Prescription-compatible
Cons
- Specs and smudges unbearable
- Not cheap
You can buy the SteelSeries Scope Advanced Gaming Eyewear by Gunnar at Amazon for $81.99.
