As a writer, an editor and a lifelong screen addict, my eyes have always worked overtime. Add post-menopause into the mix – and the fact that I practically live on my laptop – and the outcome was inevitable: constant redness, grittiness, tears that never quite moisturised, and contact lenses that suddenly felt like sandpaper. I’ve said it before in London Mums: my eyes simply haven’t been the same since menopause. But recently, things took a turn I wasn’t expecting.

A diagnosis I didn’t see coming

A few months ago, at a health conference of all places, I found myself speaking to optician and Dry Eye Disease specialist, Rosemin Mussa. I casually mentioned my perpetual “writer’s eye fatigue”, the mascara I’d given up because my eyes were always red anyway, and the fact that my contact lenses now lasted a heroic 45 minutes on a good day.

She looked at me with that knowing expression medical professionals have and said, “This is classic Dry Eye Disease. Declining oestrogen disrupts the tear film. The tears evaporate faster, and the redness becomes chronic.”

And just like that, everything clicked.
The menopause, the long hours writing, the contact lenses… my poor eyes never stood a chance.

First line of defence: Drops and moist heat

Being the sceptical journalist that I am, I didn’t expect miracles when I first tried the M-Club 0.3% sodium hyaluronate drops and their Dry Eye Mask (a heated, moist compress that feels like a spa treatment for the eyeballs). But within three days – and I am not exaggerating – the vicious redness calmed, the scratchiness eased, and I suddenly realised I was blinking like a normal human again.

The improvement was so obvious that even my teenage son commented, “Mum, you look less tired.” If that’s not scientific enough, I don’t know what is.

But what I didn’t expect was that the biggest change was yet to come.

Enter: Gunnar – The Internet’s most popular blue light glasses brand (and my new best friend)

I’ve spent years hearing gamers rave about GUNNAR Optiks, but I always assumed they were for teenagers glued to Fortnite, not editors in their fifties glued to Word documents.

I was wrong.

A revelation at the optician

Because my eyes still felt strained after long hours of writing, I went back for a full examination. Shockingly, my eyesight had improved – my old prescription was far too strong. Post-menopause is full of surprises, but I did not expect that one. I needed new lenses urgently, but I also needed something that wouldn’t aggravate my newly diagnosed Dry Eye Disease.

That’s when I finally turned to Gunnar.

And honestly? I wish I’d done it years sooner.

The pair that won my heart: Overwatch D.Va Tokki Edition (Prescription, Clear Pro Tint)

I chose the Overwatch D.Va Tokki frames, in the Spark Crystal finish, fitted with my new prescription and Clear Pro lenses (GBLF 35).

Why this pair?

• Cat-eye shape (naturally flattering and a bit glamorous)
• Lightweight acetate
• Flexible spring hinges
• 100% UV protection
• GUNNAR’s patented blue-light-blocking technology
• Subtle tint (not the heavy amber gamer tint)
• Anti-smudge, anti-glare and noticeably calming on the eyes

As someone who wears glasses all day – indoors and outdoors – I needed something that didn’t scream “gaming glasses”. These are chic enough to wear to meetings, events, on the Tube, in cafés… and yes, they also have a tiny Overwatch bunny on the temples which secretly delights me every time I put them on.

What They’ve Done to My Dry Eyes

Within hours of my first proper writing session wearing them, I noticed:

• dramatically reduced glare
• almost no squinting
• fewer headaches
• less blinking fatigue
• a feeling of my eyes “staying hydrated” longer
• a noticeable decrease in that horrid burning sensation by evening

The biggest surprise? I now wear far fewer dry-eye drops during the day.

The blue-light filtering doesn’t just reduce strain – it keeps my eyes from drying out during marathon laptop sessions. And for anyone dealing with menopausal dryness, this is the closest thing to magic I’ve tried.

A second style for everyday wear: The Campbell (Onyx, Clear Pro Tint)

As part of our London Mums testing, we also tried the Campbellmodel – a more minimalist, round frame that blends stainless steel with matte acetate.

It’s stylish, lightweight and looks great on both men and women.
It’s also available with or without prescription.

Our testers (across ages 20 to 60) reported:

• less eye fatigue after long Zoom calls
• fewer headaches
• better comfort in air-conditioned offices
• improved sleep after evening use
• reduced dryness, especially for menopausal testers

We’ve tried many blue-light glasses over the years, but Gunnar’s lenses genuinely stand apart. The reduction in visual “noise”, the anti-glare coatings and the slight focusing power (+0.2 diopter) genuinely make the screen feel softer and easier to look at.

Why Gunnar works: The science bit

GUNNAR has spent 20 years researching digital eye strain.
Their glasses target all the biggest culprits:

1. Dry Eye

Screen use reduces blink rate by up to 60%.
Less blinking = dryness, redness and irritation.

2. Muscular Eye Fatigue

Focusing at close range for hours exhausts the ciliary muscles.

3. High-Energy Blue Light

Excessive exposure disrupts sleep rhythms and increases strain.

4. Glare and Visual Noise

Reflections and harsh contrast make your eyes “work harder”.

Gunnar’s tech addresses all four.

And for someone like me – menopausal, constantly writing, on screens for 10+ hours a day – this has been transformative.

The unexpected bonus: Sunglasses? Yes.

My Clear Pro lenses have a slight protective tint that softens outdoor light too, which means I sometimes wear them out as everyday glasses. They handle winter glare beautifully and make cloudy days feel somehow calmer on the eyes.

The verdict: A genuine game-changer for menopausal eyes

I am not easily impressed by wellness gadgets or gimmicks.
But these glasses? They have genuinely improved:

• my comfort
• my productivity
• my sleep
• my ability to work long hours
• and even my mood (because I’m no longer rubbing my eyes all day)

Combined with the dry-eye drops and heated mask, the change has been dramatic enough that I’ve stopped avoiding mirrors – and stopped apologising to people about my “tired eyes”.

For anyone in post-menopause, anyone writing long hours, anyone on screens all day, or anyone noticing contact lenses suddenly becoming intolerable: Gunnar glasses are absolutely worth it.

They are not just for gamers.
They are for anyone who wants their eyes to feel human again.