Gunnar Optiks manufacturers glasses that are specifically made for computer users. Both the frames and lenses are supposedly designed to cut down on eye strain and fatigue by limiting glare and preventing moisture from escaping the eyes. They started out manufacturing only non prescription glasses but added prescription lenses recently. My eyes hurt a lot at the end of the day and I suffer from headaches and dizziness from staring at a screen too much, so I figured I’d give them a try.
Phenom frames (yes, the lenses have a yellow tint) –the only model that doesn’t make you look like an alien
I’ll write a review about them after I get them (there are already many favorable reviews of the non-Rx versions all over the net), but I just wanted to alert anyone interested in purchasing these about a little issue I ran into.
Be careful where you buy your Rx Gunnars
As I mentioned, Gunnar started out manufacturing only non-prescription version of the glasses. However, they now offer Rx versions through a number of resellers throughout the country but with a very large caveat (that is not mentioned anywhere on their site or the site of their resellers).
I called up Manhattan Grand Optical which is the only optical store in NYC that carries these (Gunnar’s website lists others but it’s apparently outdated) thinking I would purchase the glasses from them. I quickly realized that while they were very nice, they weren’t really familiar with the Gunnar line. For instance, when I asked them to give me a price quote they wanted to know what lens material I wanted and if I was interested in anti-glare coating. Gunnar actually only offers a single lens option – it has a proprietary coating and a yellow tint (actually, some of their frames offer a clearer lens color for designers).
I ended up calling Gunnar Optiks and speaking to Danielle in the Rx Department (if you want her #, email me – it’s not easy to find!). It turns out that while Manhattan Grand Optical (and other optical stores) carry Gunnars, they don’t necessarily use the same lab as Gunnar does (Perfect Optics). That means that you don’t get the special lenses that are the whole reason you’re purchasing Gunnars to begin with. It also means that Gunnar will not offer their typical warranty and your warranty coverage will come through the optical store instead.
I ended up buying the glasses straight from Gunnar (Danielle was able to arrange that for me) and they sent the order to the lab yesterday. It turns out that I paid about $100 less than Manhattan Grand Optical quoted me, too.