If your kids love to play video games but you're worried about their eyes, then it's time to take action, because your worries are not unfounded. In fact, optometrists warn against too much screen time for children in part because of their developing retinas, which are more sensitive to UV light, blue light, and screen glare.

In this article :

• The Challenge
• How to choose good gaming glasses for kids
• Gaming glasses for kids: our selection

Most kids play video games, it’s a defining trait of our generation. Rather than push them away from enjoying a stimulating hobby, we can help them do it in a healthier and more sustainable way.

There is a way for them to have their digital cake and eat it too. With gaming glasses, your kids can immerse themselves into their favorite magic gaming universe without compromising the health of their eyes!

Quick overview of the best gaming glasses for kids :  

	Name	Features	Protection harmful spectrum [380-450] nm	Lifetime Warranty
	Horus X Gaming Hope	Best overall	86%	Yes
	Cyxus	Best variety of colors	Not communicated	No
	Felix Gray	Best high end frame	30% at 455 nm, not communicated on wide harmful spectrum	No
	Gunnar Cruz	Best for prescription	65% at 450 nm not communicated on wide harmful spectrum	No

Do Your Children Play Hours on End?

Gaming is a great way to develop decision-making, fine motor skills, hand eye coordination and much more. But it also can lead to short and long-term eye-health complications. 

For kids, the issue is enhanced due to differences in the anatomy of their eyes.

Kids let more light in their eyes, which can cause a variety of symptoms from simple strain to more serious long term effect. This is why gaming glasses are particularly useful for every kid who spends time on their gaming devices.

Why Would Gaming Glasses Make A Difference?

Gaming glasses are specially designed to shield the eyes from the harmful effects of staring at a screen for too long. They have specific lenses designed to protect the eyes, helping with a few different things:

• reduce eye strain (and associated pains : dry eyes, red eyes...)
• fatigue
• headaches

Protection now can also prevent long-term problems down the road, it’s never too early to start taking care of their eyes.

Blue Light Protection

Ever have trouble putting your kids to bed? Did you know that screens play a major role in their wakefulness? 

A major side effect of blue light on the body is that it suppresses melatonin.

Melatonin is the hormone that regulates the body’s natural sleep cycle.

Blue light that comes from screens is one of the most disruptive forms of artificial light to their natural sleep cycle.

The best way to protect them from the harmful effects of blue light is to use a blue light filter, which is one of the main features of gaming glasses.

They allow your kids to enjoy their favorite shows and games without disrupting their sleep.

Kids need sleep more than adults do, but blue light can really disrupt their ability to fall asleep at night.

It’s our job to protect them the best we can. It goes without saying that the first thing is to properly regulate their gaming time.

But getting gaming glasses is the second-best thing you can do to let them enjoy their last Minecraft session of the day without impacting their much-needed sleep. 

Reducing Eyestrain and Eye Fatigue

Gaming is about reaction time. While that’s fun, it’s also straining for the eyes to constantly be on alert for enemies, traps, and other dangers. Luckily, gaming classes can really reduce the amount of eye fatigue your child experiences. 

During long hours of gaming, eye muscles work three times as hard to stay focused. Bright flashing lights, as well as glare from fast-paced action games, affect the eyes more than you’d expect. 

At the end of the gaming session, eye muscles can be tired, whether that's accompanied by stinging or not. 

Many kids don’t even attribute their eye strain to their screen time, and shrug it off, leading to potentially more serious consequences. 

Gaming glasses protect your children’s eyes without preventing them from losing their game.

In fact, many find that their gaming skills increase, as they can see the screen with better clarity. 

What Should You Look For In Gaming Glasses For Kids?

Not every gaming glasses you see is the right fit you your kid. Here are the most important factors you should consider in order to decide which to choose. As a rule of thumb, the darker the lens, the better the protection, but there is more to it!

Range of Blue Light Filtration

Protection from harmful blue light is one of the main purposes of gaming glasses. You need to look at the filtration of light between 380 and 450 nanometers. You want a pair of glasses that filters 100% of the 380-400 nm range and as much as possible of the 380-450 nm harmful blue light spectrum. 

Amber Tint

You may have noticed these glasses with an orang-y tint. These offer the best protection by diminishing the harshest parts of the color spectrum and minimizing screen glare.

They can filter out up to 90% of harmful blue light, making them the best option if your kid spends hours gaming especially in the evening.

Yellow Tint

This is a good middle-ground for those looking for a balance between blue light protection and a balanced color spectrum. It is clearer than the amber tints and blocks up to 70% of harmful blue light.

Crystalline (Clear) Lenses

Crystalline lenses offer less protection, as they’re clearer than both the yellow and amber tint but they still offer solid basic protection. They’re designed for creative visual artists, graphic designers, video/film editors, and other people who require a balanced color spectrum. They have more limited frequency blocking properties, which is 50% of harmful high-intensity blue light.

Anti-reflective Coating

An AR coating is applied on the surface of the lenses to reduce excessive glare and minimize unwanted reflections. When buying glasses, this is a must.

Material

The best material is one that is so light they will forget they are wearing glasses!

A heavy pair of glasses could apply pressure on the bridge of their nose and could become irritating after some time.

Because of that, we highly recommend polycarbonate, a material that’s both extremely light, durable and affordable! 

Fit, Ergonomics, and Size

Gaming glasses should be a perfect fit. It’s super important to find glasses designed specifically to be used with a gaming headset. That means with thin enough branches that they can fit right under the headset without hurting.

The size of the glasses also matters for an improved level of comfort. If they’re too small, they could press against their temples, and if they’re too big, they might slip off their nose. Tight glasses will strain not only the temples but also the nose, leaving marks when they take them off.

Design

Honestly, this one is probably the most difficult factor to weigh in. But the solution is quite simple. Let your child decide.

Not only will that get them excited, but it’ll increase the likelihood that they’ll wear their cool new shades every single game.

Price

When shopping, your budget is, of course, a major consideration. You should expect to pay anywhere from 30 to 70 dollars for a good pair of kids' gaming glasses. 

Anything under that price may actually do more harm than good, anything above seems like theft. 

CE and ANSI Certifications

Companies that sell gaming glasses should have their products certified under local and/or international regulations.

For example, CE certification means that a product has been tested and meets European health, safety, and environmental protection standards. ANSI certification means that a product has been tested and meets American National Standards Institute standards for safety and performance.

These do make a difference, as certified products are more likely to be made with better materials and held to higher quality standards.

Most serious companies will hire an independent lab to test their glasses, don’t hesitate to ask more information about their process!

Warranty

Your kid(s) may not always throw a tantrum and jump on their glasses after they lost to their favorite game but they may not always be delicate.

Are the glasses you are going to pick protected by some kind of warranty?

Few companies offer a warranty for your kids glasses but some do. Heard of Horus X awesome warranty?

Which Gaming Glasses To Go For!

If you are looking to get gaming glasses for your little champions, we have made the process easy for you. Below is a list of some of the best gaming glasses for kids!

The Best Choice - HORUS X Gaming Glasses 

According to my totally biased opinion, Horus X is the most reputable name in the world of gaming blue light glasses in the universe.

These glasses have the maximum level of protection against blue light and UV rays. The lenses of Horus X gaming glasses are designed to block out 86% of harmful blue light and UV rays. 

Horus X gaming glasses are also designed to be comfortable to wear for long periods of time with a headset. 

The glasses also have a simple ergonomic nose bridge and temples to provide additional comfort. 

These frames are kid-friendly and are made from polycarbonate frames and lenses, making them lightweight and comfortable to wear for extended periods of time without causing eye fatigue.

The lenses are also treated with an anti-glare and anti-reflective coating to reduce eye strain.

Horus X is one of the few companies that give a fully accurate description of the level of blue light filtration, meaning you get the high-quality protection your kid needs to fight the boss while still remaining safe.

Overall, Horus X is a spectacular choice for kids of any age. The simple unisex design is suitable for both boys and girls. Oh and did I mention the lifetime warranty ?

Runners-Up

Cyxus Blue-Light-Blocking Glasses for Kids

These are good clear blue-light-blocking glasses for your little gamer. The protection is minimal so don't expect the world but they could work for kids refusing darker tinted glasses. The glasses have a black front frame and come in a variety of colors depending on their taste. You could decide to go with pink, blue, green, or red branches. 

Felix Gray Roebling Kids Optical Glasses

Felix Gray was one of the pioneers of computer glasses, earning them the title of the Warby Parker of blue light blockers. Their kids’ line comes available in both large (ages 9 - 13) and small (ages 4-8) sizes. They are round glasses, handcrafted with Italian acetate, available in tortoise, green, and black colors.

Gunnar Prescription Blue Light Glasses

If you need a pair of prescription glasses, Gunnar is your go-to option (Horus X will also be an option starting 2023). You will just need to upload the child’s prescription, select your preferences, and request a delivery.

Gunnar glasses feature a simple, modern, and sleek design in orange and black, or a variety of other frame styles. Their lenses are amber-tinted with blue light blocking capability, and anti-reflective and UV light protection. They are also available in a variety of magnification options, from 0-4X. Ba careful with magnification as it can cause some serious headaches if not chosen properly.

Final Words

The best thing we can do is to help kids balance their activities and protect them while they do what they love.

First make sure they get enough outdoor play time, then, when playing video game inside, find the right tools to help them play safely. If everything was that simple.

Let us know if you found what you were looking for and if you have any questions, do reach out on social media or via email or direct comment under this article. We got you covered!