Guess who has 20 20 vision? This girl. I've never needed glasses. However, I suffer from tired eyes a lot. I felt it the worst in December 2020. I was playing games in front of a very old small television for hours on end (hello new consoles!). I was squinting all the time and getting closer to the screen every time I played. The moment I moved from the television to my PC to game or work my eyes would water and sting. They were struggling.
I was given a set of glasses a few years ago that have blue light filtering lenses and are meant to help my lazy eye stop being lazy. But the frames hurt my head when I have to wear a headset so they sit in the cupboard. Which is why I was intrigued by the new Oakley Prizm Gaming Lenses that recently launched (and are available in South Africa). They have a host of different frame options to choose from and most have that iconic Oakley style to them. I went for the Pitchman frame as I thought they had the most lady face friendly shape. I was selecting frames online which is always hit and miss - though you'd likely be able to choose in store and try on.
Let me explain Prizm Gaming
I jumped the gun a bit chatting about frames. Let me break down Oakley's Prizm Gaming Lenses. This is the brand's first optical solution developed specifically for gaming. When you're staring at a monitor for hours on end blue-light filtering is a big help but these new lenses are actually specifically engineered for your gaming. The lenses have that blue-light filtering but also offer up a design to enhance colour contrast. A lot of the time when you have that blue-light filtering you get a weird yellow tint but the lens has been designed to reduce that. So you still get a vibrant gaming experience.
Here are the features:
– Blue Light Filtering (40% between 380 and 500mm)
– Enhanced Colour Contrast
– Sharp Vision
– Headset Compatible Frame
Obviously if you need glasses, the idea is that you can get your prescription with these lenses and rad frames. So you will have all the benefits AND a sick pair of Oakleys. Win win really?
How did I find the Oakley Prizm Gaming Pitchman
Out of the case, the glasses were super light. I gambled on frames and am really happy with my selection. I've used a few of these "gaming glasses" before and I usually find the styles available very masculine and too big for my head. The Pitchmans fitted perfectly. The typical more rectangular wrap around options are available as well if that is your vibe. I've also experienced the yellow tint that I mentioned with blue-light filtering. I still experienced the yellow tint in day to day use but when gaming I didn't feel too much of a difference with colours in game, though it was there.
My biggest PRO of the Oakley Prizm Gaming lenses and frames though was DEFINITELY the frames themselves. They're so incredibly light and the frames are specifically headset compatible. What this means is that they have very light malleable "arms". I have always hated glasses with headsets. It hurts me and, as someone who doesn't need to wear glasses, I don't see the point because they're so uncomfortable with my gaming headsets. this isn't the case with the Prizm Gaming range. I can easily wear the frames and a gaming headset for an entire work day and in the evenings gaming at my PC without an issue. I don't feel them. They're super light, super comfy and don't press into my head. I tested them with the Logitech G G733 headset and with the Logitech G Pro X headset (which is a far more comfy tighter fit) and I didn't have an issue with either.
Final thoughts
As I mentioned at the start of this post - I don't wear or need glasses, but I have a lot of friends who do and the option to get these Oakley options with their prescription will be a huge plus for them. The comfort with the headset is a game changer. For me personally, they're super comfy for gaming and they definitely do stop my eyes from getting tired. So I'm a fan. They're available at select Oakley stores and optical retailers around South Africa - so worth checking out! Cost wise, depending on the frames you go with, your prescription and the like - you're probably looking at between R2000 and R3000 (not including prescription) from what I can find from retailers online.
Disclosure: I was sent a pair of Oakley Prizm Gaming lenses to try and keep.
*Sam "Tech Girl" Wright is an esports shoutcaster and content creator in South Africa, you can see more of her content here.