GUNNAR Optiks Great for Digital Screen-Weary Eyes

Recently, I discovered met former Oakley executive Joe Croft at the Jono Holiday Gift Fair and learned about a company he co-founded with entrepreneur Jennifer Michaelson. Their company, GUNNAR Optiks, is a San Diego-based start-up inspired by Jennifer's concern for her husband and her son "Gunnar." Both the men in her life spent way too much time in front of a computer screen, causing her husband to suffer from computer-related

GUNNARS are unique anything you've seen before, but these exciting, fashionable glasses with yellow lenses help protect your eyes when you're staring at a digital screen. GUNNAR glasses are specifically engineered to improve eye focus, provide better contrast, tune artificial light and filter out glare to reduce eye fatigue and improve productivity. They look totally hot, but they could seriously make your life easier and more pleasant if you work are someone who stares at a computer screen most of the time.

I tried a pair of GUNNARS in "Onyx" ($119.00--see photo above). The super-light frames and lenses make them really comfortable for long wear. I wear glasses, and these do come in prescription lenses, but I didn't get the pricing for my multi-focal lenses. Mine are a non-prescription pair. Undaunted, I put them over my regular glasses, and found that although that wasn't as comfortable as wearing just one set of lenses, the proof that these work were right in front of my eyes (pun intended). My eyes felt immediately better while staring at the computer screen. I didn't realize just how hard the screen was on my eyes until I removed the GUNNAR glasses from my face...these lenses really are like a spa vacation for your eyes. The difference is so acute, I preferred wearing them balanced over my them own glasses to not wearing them at all. It's that good. I am wearing them as I am typing this! The reduction of glare is astounding! I'm not going to go into the technical aspects of the lenses but you can read about them on the company web site if you wish. If you want prescription lenses, you can get them thruogh your local eye doctor (cost: between $200-$300 based on the lenses and frames you choose). Here is a link to a list of current prescription providers: http://www.gunnaroptiks.com/shop_retail.html

Most of the non-prescription glasses are $99.00-$119.00 which is within the realm of reason for high performance eyewear. If you want to get some unique GUNNARS for yourself of for a great holiday gift that will be appreciated 365 days a year, it won't be difficult. The company has it's own online store, and you can get them on Amazon.com, through eyecare professionals around the U.S. and soon through select Circuit City outlets in Southern California. The company has also been named an official member of the Vision Source Plan (VSP) network, the nation's largest provider of eye care coverage with 55 million members nationwide, as well as finalizing a deal with the Primary Eyecare Network (PEN) buying group, which includes 1,800 doctors in the optical community across five states and is one of the most well respected buying groups in the West.