Gunnar Optiks Rocket Amber Review

The Rockets you see here may not be sunglasses, but their amber lenses do protect your eyes—from the harsh lighting of computer displays and office lights. With help from Swiss material scientists, the Carl Zeiss R&D team, and the University of Arizona Optical Sciences Department (among other luminaries), Gunnar uses raw technology to squeeze the last iota of eyesight-preserving finesse from its “indoor glasses.” 

According to Gunnar, its amber lenses filter out the high end of the visual spectrum, reducing eyestrain under harsh fluorescent lights. The lenses also boast a small amount of focusing power, which “reduces the flexing of ciliary muscles, allowing your muscles to work less.” The frames themselves are designed to create, in effect, a micro-climate around your eyes—“trapping in humidity and blocking out evaporative air currents” all in the name of increased comfort.

The technology does work. The amber lens tint definitely fosters a more soothing visual spectrum when staring at an LCD all day, but it took a while before I got used to the color shift. Getting use to the focusing power of the lenses took even longer. Still, many proven therapies don’t “feel right” at first, and wearing indoor Gunnars is no different. Luckily, the Rocket frames are insanely lightweight and comfortable, and once you acclimate to the lenses, you’ll appreciate the reduction in eyestrain.