June 6th is National Eyewear Day here in the United States, which means it’s a good reminder to make sure that your eyes are in the best shape that they can be. No one wants to end up in the gamer version of “Time Enough At Last” where when we finally have time to tackle our backlogs, we can’t see the screen well enough to do anything.
Granted, that’s pretty much the worst case scenario for our eyes, but eye strain, headaches, and disrupted sleep patterns from too much blue light are distinct problems that almost everyone has to contend with now. It’s a problem that’s effecting ever younger people too, considering the proliferation of apps and tablets designed specifically for the still-in-diapers set.
Three different GUNNAR Optiks computer lenses. A pair of Torpedo glasses are at the top, while the bottom two pairs of Intercept frames show off the difference between the Amber Max and Amber tints.
What can we do to help decrease the chances of a premature Game Over screen lurking in our future? Web MD has a good list of starting points, which we’ve reproduced here.
- Eat Well and Exercise. Healthy bodies tend to have healthy eyes. The leading cause of blindness in adults is Type 2 Diabetes. Know what the biggest cause of Type 2 Diabetes is? Being obese. Nutrients such as Omega-3 fatty acids, lutein, zinc, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E may also help ward off issues like macular degeneration and cataracts.
- Quit Smoking. In additional to all the other bad things that smoking (and vaping) does to your health, it also increases your odds of developing cataracts, damaging your optic nerve, and suffering from macular degeneration. Combine that with being overweight and it’s a double-whammy that everyone should want to avoid.
Remember that your kids need their eyes protected. Gunnar Optiks is making that easier with the Cruz frames, specifically designed for the teens, tweens, and other folks who have slightly smaller than average head sizes.
- Wear Sunglasses. Too much UV exposure boosts your chances of cataracts and macular degeneration. Make sure to choose a pair that overs UVA and UVB protection.
- Wear Safety Eyewear. Things flying into your eyes from job, hobby, or sports activity are bad. Choose the right kind of protection.
- Look Away From the Computer Screen. Here’s the big one for us gamers. Prolonged screen time leads to eyestrain, blurry vision, trouble focusing at distances, dry eyes, headaches, and neck, back and shoulder pain. Remember to take breaks. Also, it’s well worth investing in a pair of blue light blocking computer glasses, like the various Gunnar Optiks that we’ve reviewed on this site.
- See an Eye Doctor Regularly. Just like an annual checkup, an annual eye exam should be part of any adult’s year.
This girl is not going to let her brothers get the best of her. She sports her own pair of Gunnar Cruz frames in Onyx and Teal.
Remember, take care of your eyes. They’re the only ones you’ve got.
No compensation was received for this post. Gunnar Optiks has previously provided review samples of their products to us at no cost.
