The best brand of blue light glasses

To find the best brand of blue light glasses, you need to know a few things in advance and have a set criterion of requirements they must match. Like Tinder of the glasses world.

When choosing your glasses you should consider the company’s compliance with standards, its design choices, filtration levels and much more.

This article will compare the top performing brands of blue light glasses and provide a complete guide on how to pick your pair.

The best brand of blue light blocking glasses: comparison table

Ranking	Strong points	Weak points
1 - Horus X	· Superior filtration technology · Lifetime warranty · Fair prices	· No prescription yet (end 2023)
2 - Gunnar Optiks	· Prescription glasses available · Lots of different styles · Higher than average filtration	· High price · Filtration not specified · 1 year warranty
3-Barner	· Environmentally friendly · 3 year warranty · Accessible prices	· Weaker and unspecified filtration

 

Other popular makes of blue light glasses: Izipizi, Klim, Steichen, Cyxus, GMG performance, Blueberry, Lusee.

*important note: Only ONE of all these brands actually explains the filtration technology in their blue light blocking glasses to you. This is something that has to change, as it’s the only way to know if your glasses are effective. We’ve created a detailed guide on how to choose below.

Essential criteria for picking the best brand of blue light glasses

To choose the ultimate pair of blue light blocking glasses to protect against both natural (from the sun) and artificial blue light (from your digital device), there are 10 important things to consider.

1.     Customer reviews

The most important element when choosing an unfamiliar brand: what do their customers say? Are they satisfied? Or have they gone Karen and posted a dozen poor reviews? And if they have, how have the brand responded to their critique?

There are several third-party review platforms that can give you a first general idea, such as TrustPilot or verified reviews, for example.  Here are how 3 of the best performing brands are doing on TrustPilot:

• Horus X: 4.4 out of 180 reviews
• Gunnar: 4.4 out of 4177 reviews
• Barner: 4.2 out of 179 reviews

From there, if you need more detail and want to stalk the glasses more than your ex, then you can check out other online sales platforms like Amazon for more information. Typically, there’ll be plenty of reviews there to give you a good idea of the brand and their products.

If it’s a well-known brand there’s also a chance a YouTuber or blogger has reviewed a pair of its blue light blocking glasses, in the hopes of snaffling a free pair.

Finally, a reputable brand will also share reviews on its own website and you can see how it handles its customers. Just like Horus X reviews.

2.     Filtration technologies

It would be extremely weird to discuss blue light filter glasses without looking at how blue light is filtered.  

Yet in 99% of cases, the brand fails to give any indication of the specific amount of blue light filtered by its glasses. That’s a red flag bigger than in the NFL.

You wouldn’t buy sunglasses without the guarantee it protects you against UV rays; so why would you buy blue light glasses, specifically for minimizing blue light exposure, without knowing the filtration percentages?

In some cases, these brands might not even fully understand themselves how blue light glasses work!

A good anti-blue light lens:

• Filters 100% of UVs (UV400)
• Eliminates 100% of ultra-harmful blue light between 380 and 400 nanometers
• Blocks between 50-90% of harmful blue light across the extended spectrum from 380-450 nanometers (depending on use and sensitivity)
• Drastically reduces glare

To help you choose, here’s a small comparison of the filtration rates of the biggest brands on the market, at the frequencies which matter most. These tests were carried out in 2022 by an independent laboratory (so you know they’re legit):

If you need glasses to… you know… actually see, then your best option today in terms of filtration is Horus X’s clip-on shields.

Steichen and Gunnar also offer alternatives, but at a much higher price. 

3.     The quality of the materials used in the blue light glasses

A pair of good blue light blocking glasses need to be sturdy. That means no low-end plastic that can break at the slightest fall, or scratch more easily than a Walking Dead zombie.

The materials used in the optics must meet certain essential criteria to ensure flexibility, comfort and durability.

Some good examples of materials that ensure your blue light glasses are high-end and top quality:

• Plastic (CR-39): the standard material for spectacle lenses. Plastic lenses have good optical quality and can correct refractive errors. It also tend to be thicker than other plastics. (used by Barner)
• Polycarbonate (frame and lens): used in ballistics for its resistance and legendary lightness. It’s also recyclable, so a win for you and the planet. Used by Horus X, we consider it a must-have.
• Acetate (frame): an elegant material with a + premium connotation. It can be either a natural or artificial fiber, consisting of cotton, or wood or synthetic fibers. Interesting but tends to drive up the bill, and we’re not all Elon Musk levels of rich!
• Bioplastic (frame): a somewhat misleading term. While some materials may come from plants, others come from petrochemical reactions of biodegradable materials. Either way a great alternative if done right (and arguably the future of the industry).

4.     Certifications

It might seem strange, but there’s not yet a specific standard for blue light filtration in glasses. The market is still relatively new and under construction, and while certain essential standards should be followed in order to create these glasses, not every one respects them. But legally in Europe, all glasses should follow the EN ISO 12312 -1 2013 requirements, and in North America, the ANSI Z80.3. They’re not specifically for addressing potentially harmful blue light, but will give solid minimum standards for any pair of glasses.

These standards guarantee, among other things:

• ⚒️ The quality of the materials
• ☇ Transmittance (in short, the amount of light that passes)
• 🛡️ The power of refraction
• 👷 Solidity
• 🔥 Flammability

Filtration technology tests and impact tests must be carried out. Companies that don’t share this information should be approached with caution, as we believe it should be a readily available part of its marketing. If it’s not, chances are the company aren’t following these standards of blue light filtering.

You can also check to see if any specific tests for blue light filtration have been run. It should say somewhere on the packaging, product and/or its instructions. You’ll be surprised how many products slip through the cracks and aren’t fully compliant. Not Horus X though, we’re great (obviously).

5.     Guarantees

The best brands for blue light glasses offer additional warranties on top of the basic manufacturer’s one. Beware of companies that don’t!

Today using quality materials we are able to produce glasses so durable that with proper care they can last a lifetime (unless you live as long as Galadriel, then you may need a second pair).

At Horus X we offer a lifetime warranty. That’s how confident we are. Comparatively, Barner offers a 3-year warranty and the biggest company in the industry, Gunnar, only offer 1 year as of 2022.

6.     The blue light glasses style and design

Whether you’re wearing blue light filter glasses, sunglasses or vision lenses, you still want to look good, so its important the glasses are aesthetically pleasing. Feeling confident in yourself and your style is essential to positive mental health and perspective.

A lot of styles on the blue light blocking lens market could be considered outdated, or Austin Powers-esque (no, baby!). Of course, it’s all down to taste and personal preferences, but a unique design that speaks to you is important to consider when making your selection.

Beyond appearance, its also important the design of the glasses is comfortable for you. They need to fit well on your face so they can be worn for hours, whether that’s to indulge in screen time or for blue light protection in the sun. The best companies will consider the ergonomics of the blue light glasses and test extensively over different face shapes and sizes.

7.     The price

When you work in the optical market, you quickly realize one thing.   

Certain brands and opticians practice absolutely abominable margins. It is simply shameful; and we don’t mind saying it.

It’s also why we embarked on our own blue light glasses adventure. Horus X is the first brand to offer such a high level of quality, with lifetime guarantees, friendly (and funny) customer service, and at an unbeatable price.

If you’re not convinced then feel free to look elsewhere, but the price of good blue light glasses should always be between 30 and 70 dollars.

Anything below? There’s something fishy going on…

Above? Unless the frames are made from solid gold, or adamantium, the brand is probably taking advantage of you a little, so be wary! (It's different for eyeglasses where the bill inevitably increases because it's made-to-measure).

8.     Environmental impact

Producing anything unfortunately has environmental effects. You need materials, transport, machinery etc. all pumping out nasty stuff into our atmosphere.

That’s why its important to see what companies are doing to minimize their impact, and be as sustainable as possible.

We only have one planet with finite resources, and since the beginning of the industrial revolution we’ve been hitting it hard. And we don’t know about you, but we like polar bears.

See what sustainability measures your favorite companies have put in place. There are a few things they can do:

♺ Materials: Are they recycled? Organically sourced (well done Barner!)? Or at least recyclable and produced according to strict standards?

🚚 Modes of transport: Trains and boats are the most ecologically friendly here!

💰 Financial support: Does the brand contribute to associations that work for our planet? The 1% for the Planet movement is a great example.

Barner, with its B Corp certification, is a very good example of what companies can do.

Horus X puts a lot of effort into the design with the contribution of 1% of their sales to associations for the protection of the planet.

Gunnar… are notably lacking in this area.

9.     Delivery

Is delivery free? Are there several choices for delivery? Standard, express, relay etc. We believe in fast and free delivery – you’ve already paid for your product.

10.  Post-sale services and the team behind the brand

See how the brand responds after the money is in their pocket. A good reputable brand will continue to engage with customers, answer any questions they may have and help deal with any issues. After-sales is an important element that should be considered when choosing a company to buy your blue light blocking glasses from. 

Beyond that, who is behind the brand? Are they a large corporation with plenty of moving parts, like Gunnar? Or a small team of 10, like Horus X? A small team can offer personalized follow-up and are always there to support customers, larger companies usually have a set of rules it can’t deviate from, regardless of circumstance.

The best brand of blue light glasses: Top 3

1.     Horus X

Of course, we’re biased. There’s no use pretending we’re not. But we’ve been fighting for over 5 years to be the best brand of blue light glasses. How we feel is irrelevant though, its up to you as customers to let us know. That’s why we give you the most objective criteria we can for assessing what makes a good pair of blue light glasses.

2.     Gunnar Optiks

Gunnar is the most well known player in blue light blocking and computer glasses. Until a few years ago the tech used was really innovative, but there’s been a definite slowdown in this area as other companies have caught up. Plus, only a 1 year warranty? Come on guys, you can do better than that…

3.     Barner

Our friends from Barcelona at Barner are doing a good job. Varied styles, a benevolent brand, and respectful of the environment (probably the most advanced on this market with their B Corp certification). It’s got great potential but, in terms of filtration, it's still a little too low for our taste.

The others:  Izipizi, Klim, Steichen, Cyxus, GMG performance, Blueberry, Lusee

The best anti-light glasses from these brands

Best blue light glasses for gamers:

• Gaming Revolution - Horus X
• Gaming Intercept glasses - Gunnar Optiks

Best 3 blue light blocking glasses for remote workers:

• La Ushuaia - Horus X
• Berkley-Gunnar Optiks
• Sodermalm - Barner Brands

Best 3 blue light glasses for children:

• The Osaka - Horus X
• Le Marais - Barner Brands
• The Rush - Gunnar Optiks

The best brand of blue light glasses Final thoughts

As we can see, not all brands of blue light glasses are created equally. It’s important to consider the importance of mitigating the short-term effects of blue light, such as migraines, digital eye strain and fatigue, loss of sleep; and the long, such as AMD.

This guide gives you varied and objective criteria to use when purchasing your next pair glasses to protect against blue light rays. If you have any further questions, always feel free to contact us by dropping a comment below or reaching out on social media!