Chroma Nightshades Classic
by Chroma
Red evening lens that Chroma says cuts 98.5% of light from 425 to 570 nm but deliberately lets some violet through. No independent test or prescription.
Specs
| Lens tint | Red, with violet pass |
|---|---|
| Published blocking | 98.5% 425 to 570 nm (maker) |
| Melanopic cut (independent lab) | Not tested |
| Over glasses | No |
| Prescription | None listed |
| Violet pass | 400 to 420 nm, up to about 18% (maker chart) |
| Red transmission | About 55 to 60% above 620 nm (maker chart) |
| Lens size | 68 × 45 mm lens, 145 mm frame width (maker) |
| Frames | Six styles, same lens, $110 each |
| Returns | 100 days; 15% fee for style returns |
Specs from the manufacturer and the sources listed below. Last verified Oct 21, 2026.
Good
- Chroma's claimed block runs to 570 nm, further into green than the 540 to 550 nm stated for Ra Optics and Bon Charge lenses
- Publishes a transmission chart and a stated wavelength range, unlike TrueDark
- Large 68 × 45 mm lenses and six frame styles at the same $110 price
- 100-day return window
Not so good
- No independent measurement found, and Chroma's chart names no test lab
- The violet window at 400 to 420 nm is outside the 98.5% figure, so the total melanopic cut is lower than the headline suggests
- No prescription or fit-over version listed
- Style returns cost a 15% restocking fee plus shipping, and returned glasses must be scratch-free
Nightshades are Chroma’s evening glasses, sold in six frame styles that share one lens. Chroma says the lens filters 98.5% of light from 425 to 570 nm, the range it calls melanopic. Its chart shows almost nothing passing from about 450 to 550 nm, and roughly 55 to 60% passing above 620 nm. That reaches further into green than Sleep Swannies, which pass 23% at 540 nm in their lab report.
The unusual part is a deliberate violet window. The chart shows up to about 18% transmission near 400 to 420 nm. Chroma says this keeps some colour perception, so the world looks less uniformly red. The trade-off is that the 98.5% figure leaves out that band, so the lens’s cut across the full melanopic range will be somewhat lower. By how much has not been measured.
No independent lab data exists for this lens. It is not named in the text of the 2025 analysis of 26 glasses, and Chroma’s chart names no test lab. Its sleep claims rest on a survey of 25 customers.
There is no prescription version and no fit-over. If you wear glasses, the Swannies Fitover or a Bon Charge clip-on is the practical choice.
At $110 it costs less than Ra Optics or TrueDark and publishes more data than TrueDark. It ranks below lenses with independent tests. If you just want lab-verified filtering, the $16 Uvex Skyper cut about 96% of melanopic light in testing.
Do not wear Chroma’s Golden Glo glasses for sleep. Chroma sells them as a daytime lens that passes cyan light near 480 nm.
Sources
Alternatives
- Best overallSwanwick Sleep Swannies Classic$130
- Best budgetUvex Skyper SCT-Orange (S1933X)$16
- Best fit-overSwanwick Sleep Swannies Fitover$160
- EMR-TEK NYX Blue Light Blocking Glasses$100