These computer glasses reflect blue light and help prevent screen-induced headaches — and they're also available with prescription lenses
- Eyewear startup Felix Gray, known for their reflective computer glasses, recently started offering their styles with prescription lenses for $145 a pair.
- We had everyone on the Insider Reviews team who wears glasses daily test them out to see how well they work at blocking blue light and keeping our eyes from fatiguing.
- Turns out there's a reason everyone loves them so much.
A few years ago, Insider Reviews wrote about Felix Gray's reflective computer glasses that keep blue light from harming your eyes or causing screen-induced headaches. They promptly sold out as a result — but not without some frustration from readers.
At the time, Felix Gray's original pairs didn't have prescription lense options, and were just meant to be worn over contacts or on their own for folks with naturally great vision (lucky you!). But for those who wore prescription glasses full-time (like myself), the brand's classic computer glasses were sadly out of reach.
Thankfully for our sake, after receiving loads of customer feedback, the company has finally made prescription lenses available for their computer glasses. The company offers all seven of their unisex frames in Rx versions for a total of $145 including lenses.
Three of us on the Insider Reviews team wear prescription glasses every day, so we we've been really excited about this new launch. Felix Gray sent over some glasses in each of our prescriptions, and we've been wearing them at the office where each of us spend pretty much the entire day (about eight hours) staring at a computer screen.
Here's what we've thought about them so far:
Sally Kaplan, Insider Reviews senior editor:
I wear glasses every single day for distance vision. I can't stand the thought of touching my eyeballs, so contacts are a non-starter for me. I'm also a major proponent of computer glasses, particularly after experiencing a bout of screen-induced migraines at work. All of my glasses (most of which are from EyeBuyDirect or Zenni Optical, both super affordable) are currently equipped with blue-light reflective coating, but Felix Gray's were exceptionally easy on my eyes.
Because my glasses are for distance vision, I usually experience a little bit of strain when I'm looking at things up close, like my computer screen — but the Felix Gray pair somehow managed to eke out my others by making it a bit more comfortable to adjust my sight. They also did a better job at keeping my eyes from fatiguing early on in the day, and they kept my headaches at bay.
The one downside for me is that they only have a few styles to choose from, but the unisex frames they do offer are really sturdy and feel a lot more expensive than they really are. At $145 (lenses included), it's pretty hard to beat their price point unless you go for the super cheap frame options at some of our other favorite eyewear startups. However, if you take that route, you'll be paying a lot more than $140 for all the lens upgrades you'd need to make in order to equate to Felix Gray's.
Malarie Gokey, Insider Reviews Deputy Editor:
I've worn glasses since I was five years old, so I'm no stranger to prescription eyewear. It's always annoyed me how much it costs to correct my vision and keep my eyes happy. I work on a computer all day, so I always have to pay extra for that screen glare coating they recommend at the eye doctor's office. As a former tech journalist, I'm also well aware that blue light from all these screens is messing with my eyes and causing strain.
So imagine my joy when I found out that Felix Gray, a company that's known for creating great non-prescription glasses that filter out blue light was finally making prescription lenses for its frames. Needless to say, I was eager to try them out, especially since they only cost $145, which is an absolute bargain.
After a week of wearing them, I could definitely tell the difference versus my other prescription glasses. My eyes were less tired at the end of the day, and didn't get any headaches (which is something that's plagued me for years). The frames themselves are well-made and look good on my face, though they are larger than the frames I typically wear. The frame options are a bit limited, but the styles have universal unisex appeal, which is smart.
Amir Ismael, Insider Reviews reporter:
I've been wearing glasses since I was eight years old, and with the exception of when I'm in the shower, they're on my face from the moment I wake up in the morning until I go to bed at night. In the past, I usually opted for Transition lenses to act as sunglasses and block UV rays, but blue-light blocking lenses recently piqued my interest because I spend far more time staring at computer screens at work than I do outside in the sun.
Just a few weeks before getting the opportunity to try Felix Gray's computer glasses, I purchased a new pair of glasses with blue-light blocking lenses and they work great. I admittedly never felt comfortable enough to purchase glasses online, so I ended up spending about $350 in a traditional brick-and-mortar glasses store — and if I didn't have insurance, it would have been be a lot more.
After wearing my Felix Gray glasses, I can say that my apprehension about buying glasses online is now gone. The glasses arrived faster than my pair from LensCrafters, and they're a lot cheaper, too. At $145, you really can't go wrong. Most importantly, they work as they should. I can see just as clearly as with my more expensive pair, and my eyes are less fatigued at the end of the day.
Some people might not like the limited selection of frames Felix Gray offers, but that didn't bother me. I went with the Nash style in black and they fit my face perfectly. All their styles are unisex, so they're designed to appeal to everyone. The only downside for me was the lens thickness. I have pretty strong prescription, which tends to make the lenses thicker. Any time I've bought glasses in a store, I've been able to choose polycarbonate lenses, which are slimmer. That wasn't an option with Felix Gray, but given the big difference in price, it's by no means a deal breaker. If your prescription isn't exceptionally strong or you don't care about the lens thickness, this isn't something you should worry about.