Cameron 'fams' Carson sits down with, Matt 'ProToType" Martinez in order to discuss GUNNAR Optiks glasses and why Matt uses them as a top tier Halo player.

"You are only as good as the tools you use" - We have all heard this phrase, or one similar to it, in the past.  Here at FnaticRaidCall, we take it to heart.  You would never see a professional athlete using subpar quality equipment, and the same can be said about professional gamers.  You never want to go into a match with equipment you do not trust or cannot depend upon. 

One of the most valuable tools a gamer takes for granted is their eyesight.  Being able to see the slightest movement and smallest detail is what separates the good gamers from the best gamers.  Taking care of one's eyesight is therefore incredibly important for all gamers.  Spending hours upon hours in front of a monitor causes a lot of stress on a person's eyes.  GUNNAR Optiks, the leader in digital eye-wear, have developed a special amber-tinted lens to reduce eye-fatigue and increase the size and clarity of a screen so gamers can go for hours without succumbing to the harshness of playing in front of a bright screen for long periods of time.

We caught up with Matt 'ProToType" Martinez, professional HALO:REACH player for FnaticRaidCall who currently sports GUNNAR Optiks PPK Cobalt/Snow glasses.  Recently placing fourth at the Major League Gaming's National Championships and proving himself as one of the best FFA players in the world in the BIC Flex4 FFA Challenge, Matt knows what it takes to stay on top as a professional gamer.  We asked Matt a few questions about his glasses and why he includes them as an integral part of his equipment.

Matt before he started using his PPK Glasses

"Well my first impression was a little rough, I had to get use to them but after that it was amazing.  It felt like my monitor was so much cleaner and crisper."

So we wanted to know why Matt ended up settling on the PPK Cobalt/Snow glasses specifically over the dozens of other options available for gamers.

"I chose this type of GUNNARs for the sleek look and just because I'm a fan of blue.  The look I think is the most important, just because no one wants to look like a nerd while they wear glasses...especially for gaming, so the style I chose was based on how I looked and I think that they did the trick."

But it is far more than just the look of the glasses that has professional gamers hooked.  Because the GUNNAR glasses use a specially designed lens to reduce glare and enhance the screens image - as well as reduce eye-fatigue, we wanted to know if Matt noticed an improvement while wearing them.

"I do, I used to have to only game for a couple hours at a time but now I can just play or look at a screen non-stop."

The ability to game for longer periods of time and maintain a high level of concentration throughout endless practice games or matches is something important to any gamer trying to become professional.  Matt spends hours every day playing practice games with his team or pickup games with the community in order to stay on top as a professional player.

Matt lounging at MLG with his PPK Glasses

Do the glasses actually perform though?  Do they really reduce glare and enhance the screen?  Do the glasses actually improve your gameplay at the end of the day?

"Well living in California I don't have shades on my windows, but the GUNNARs make a little bit of a difference so it's not as bad.  As for the screen being enhanced, I actually do notice that, I think that actually helps because maybe you might see something that if you weren't wearing them you might not have seen. Yes they help my game play, I feel like I'm more aware for a longer time than I normally am."

In closing we asked why or why not Matt would recommend the glasses to other gamers.

"I would if people were to say they had trouble looking at a screen for a long time, just because I know it would help them out just like it helped me out, I recommend them not just to console gamers, but also pc gamers."

Matt, even though starting out as a skeptic, came to enjoy playing with the GUNNARs as they improved his ability to practice longer and more consistently than in the past.  We would like to encourage anyone who is thinking of buying the GUNNAR Optiks glasses to try them and see if they are suitable for you.