Felix Gray Blue-Light Glasses review

As tech continues to take over our world, there’s no escaping screen time, no matter how hard you try. Whether your day consists of reading emails for work, designing social media campaigns, charting someone's vitals, or living in the virtual environment of your favorite video game, blue light is unavoidable.

According to some experts, that’s where Felix Gray’s Faraday Blue-Light Blocking Computer Glasses come in. They’ve been all the rage over the past few years for apparently eliminating the sleep-depriving, stress-inducing light emitted from digital screens. But glasses like these can be quite an investment — especially if you’re not sure how often you’ll use them.

In 2019, we conducted our own study on the claims surrounding blue-light glasses, including the Felix Gray brand, and the results surprised us. In short, we discovered that, while some blue light is indeed blocked by wearing special shades, their true impact may be slightly less than one realizes.

Many folks on the internet will tell you that blue-light glasses have improved their mental and physical health due to improved sleep. We decided test these claims once more with the black Faraday Frames that retail for about $95 on Amazon.

How do Felix Gray blue-light glasses work?

When you open the Felix Gray webpage, it’s reminiscent of other trendy glasses brands like Warby Parker. You can tell they’re serious about their product — one that claims to be up to 15x more effective at blocking blue light from screens.

The various lens options allow buyers choose between clear lenses or amber lenses. Amber is alleged to increase melatonin production for people who want to indulge in screen time before bed and still get a good night’s sleep.

Felix Gray also offers frame and lens options for kids, so if you’re a parent with concerns about screen time for children, look no further. Buyers who need prescription lenses can find options for prescription blue-light frames, too.

Some of the more basic pairs of Felix Gray glasses start at $95, while trendier pairs, and those with prescription lenses, start at $195. Here’s what I found during my time with the Faraday variant.

What I like about Felix Gray blue-light glasses

A flexible fit

I wore the Felix Gray frames for a full workday to see if they would impact my productivity or wellness. As a routine glasses-wearer, I’m used to frames slipping down my nose or causing tension behind my ears. These were different, though.

My Felix Gray frames were incredibly comfortable throughout the day and didn’t require much adjustment. At times I forgot they were on, simply because I wasn’t dealing with an afternoon headache from the pressure behind my ears. I know firsthand that it can be tricky to find a pair of glasses that stay on my face with ease. These exceeded my expectations in terms of comfort, and also seem to have buoyant hinges, leading me to believe they’d be a good fit for nearly any face.

Doesn’t change your screen

With other kinds of blue-light glasses, I’ve found my phone or computer screen appears warped. Felix Gray’s lenses don’t provide any sort of screen-altering confusion. Instead, they slightly dim the screen’s light. This means they’ll keep you productive, instead of leaving you squinting to decode any digital messages that may have just come through.

Endless style options

In my opinion, Felix Gray’s best asset is its frame shop. Shopping for blue-light glasses feels like shopping for an actual pair of frames that will be added to your daily wardrobe. There’s no lack of style or trend when it comes to picking a pair. If you’re willing to invest big bucks on your next pair of blue-light glasses, you’ll be able to proudly pull them off as a fashion choice, rather than a precautionary work device.

What I don’t like about Felix Gray blue-light glasses

The fishbowl effect

While this isn’t unique to Felix Gray, I have a hard time getting over the distortion that comes with using blue-light glasses in the real world. They’re great for looking directly at a screen, but the second you look away, your surroundings might become a derealized mess. For someone with anxiety, this can be challenging. It feels like wearing a pair of glasses with an incorrect prescription. Sure, you can take the glasses off to navigate normal life, but having to re-adjust between the lenses and your natural eyes every time you look away from the screen is taxing (and sometimes cancels out the lack of headache from the actual frame design).

The price

The only reason you should be paying nearly $200 for a pair of blue-light glasses is if you know they work for you. In this regard, Felix Gray would greatly benefit from a lengthier trial program beyond the standard 30-day return window featured on its official store. If mattress brands can offer 90 nights with a money-back guarantee, I can’t imagine why a glasses brand can’t.

If you’re dead set on buying, and living in, a pair of blue-light glasses, the high price makes sense. But for first-time blue-light buyers, there are certainly cheaper options available that allow you to get a decent feel for the screen-saving lenses. For reference, this highly rated option from Livho retails for around $15 for a two-pair pack.

Should you buy Felix Gray blue-light glasses?

Yes, as long as you’re certain blue-light glasses help you.

If you’re a first-time buyer who’s unsure about how blue-light glasses might fit in your routine, I’d advise you to test things out with a cheaper pair first. That’s because there’s a distinct possibility you’ll hate the feel and distortion that plagues most lenses in this category. Plus, given that these Felix Gray Faraday frames didn’t offer a measurable improvement to my mental state despite their premium design, it’s likely one’s mileage may vary in terms of raw effectiveness.

If you’re an avid blue-light avoider, there are countless reasons why Felix Gray frames might be worth your money. You’ll get a pair with a luxurious sense of style and one you know is made with good intentions from a company that seems to care about its product.

Buy the Felix Gray Faraday blue-light glasses for $95

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Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.