Computer Glasses

What are Computer Glasses?

What are computer glasses? Computer screen glasses are prescription glasses made specifically to help your eyes focus while working on a computer. Glasses for computer screen use are different from both eyeglasses and reading glasses in several ways, including

The Zone of Vision: When working on a computer, you're typically positioned 20 to 26 inches away from it – which is considered the intermediate zone of vision. This distance is closer than driving (distant) vision, but farther away than reading (near) vision.
Magnification: Computer glasses can be up to 60% more powerful than reading glasses. Magnification can be adjusted according to how far you sit from your computer screen.
Vision Correction: The optical center of each lens is measured to sit precisely in front of the pupils so the glasses can correct any astigmatism you may have.
Improved Posture: Computer glasses minimize the need to tilt your head to view the computer screen, improving your posture and providing the largest viewing angle possible without straining your neck.

For these reasons, computer glasses should be customized for your individual needs. Using non-prescription eyeglasses won't offer the protection or comfort needed for working on a computer. Schedule an eye exam before purchasing computer glasses. Our eye care experts can help find and prescribe the best fit for your eyes.

Different Types of Computer Glasses

Depending on your vision and how you work on a computer screen, there are several types of computer glasses to choose from, such as

Progressive Lenses: This is a multifocal solution that corrects near, intermediate and distance vision, providing you with the largest field of vision.
Single Vision Lenses: These are single-vision glasses designed to provide the appropriate optical correction for your intermediate zone of vision or the distance between you and the computer screen. This will allow you to view the entire computer screen with minimum head tilting. You can also view multiple screens by simply moving your eyes rather than having to tilt your head or turn your body.
Bifocal Lenses: Our doctors can write a prescription so that the upper segment of your bifocal glasses are set up for computer screen distance and the lower is designed for near vision or reading fine print.

Aside from the type of computer glasses you want to use, you can also add features for added comfort and vision support, including:

Antireflective Coating: Also referred to as antiglare coating, it eliminates reflections of light from your lenses for reduced eye strain and to prevent glare from overhead lighting.
Photochromic Lenses: Ideal for both indoor and outdoor use, these lenses can help protect your eyes from computer strain, blue light emitted from digital screens and harmful UV rays by automatically darkening in the sunlight.

Benefits of Computer Glasses

Computer glasses used to be recommended for people over 35 years of age to help focus their vision on the screen. Now that digital technology is used more frequently, the general population could benefit from using computer glasses, at any age. Advantages of wearing glasses for computer use include:

Reduces Computer Vision Syndrome: Computer glasses can help protect your eyes from strain and fatigue caused by computer vision syndrome.
Good Posture: Glasses for computer use provide the clear vision you need to view your screen, minimizing the need to hunch or tilt your head to focus.
Minimizes Glare: When paired with antireflective coating, computer glasses can minimize glare caused by the computer screen.
Protection from Blue Light: Computer glasses with a blue light filter can protect your eyes from harmful blue light radiation transmitted from digital screens.

Computer Glasses vs. Blue Light Glasses

Prescription computer glasses are often confused with blue light glasses. While most over-the-counter glasses filter out blue light, they don't provide the same benefits as prescription computer glasses. Blue light is emitted from digital screens, including your smartphone, computer, TV and tablet. Blue light can disrupt your sleep and may cause permanent damage to your vision as some studies have suggested. Computer glasses with a blue light filter provide the best protection as they can help block blue light emitted from screens and offer comfort from digital eye strain.

Computer Vision Syndrome

Blurred vision, redness and eye fatigue are all symptoms of computer vision syndrome. When you stare at a screen for a prolonged amount of time, your eyes have to work hard to adapt to the wavelengths being emitted. Computer vision syndrome isn't one specific problem but a range of symptoms, including:

Eye discomfort
Headaches
Itchy eyes
Dry or watering eyes
Burning sensations
Changes in color perception
Blurred vision
Difficulty focusing

Research has shown that between 50% to 90% of people who work on computer screens will experience symptoms of computer vision syndrome. Working adults are not the only ones susceptible to these symptoms. Children who spend long hours using computers for school or playing video games may also experience these side effects. Wearing glasses to protect your eyes from the computer screen can help reduce some of these unwanted symptoms.

Computer Glasses: An Overview

Computer glasses differ from traditional eyeglasses or reading glasses in a few ways to optimize your eyesight when viewing your computer screen. Though they are sometimes known as computer reading glasses, it's best to use ‘computer glasses' or ‘computer eyeglasses' to distinguish them from conventional reading glasses.

Computer glasses are designed with the primary purpose of reducing Digital Eye Strain (DES). Keep reading to learn about its symptoms. These glasses feature coatings that help reduce DES- for example, anti-glare coating, slight magnification, and decentered pupillary distance. Anti-glare or anti-reflective coating is required to reduce reflections coming from computer screens and overhead fluorescent lighting on the front of the lens surface. In general, computer glasses have about 60% of the magnifying power of reading glasses. However, the optimal magnification varies from person to person. It depends on how far you prefer to sit from your computer screen or other digital devices.

Computer glasses should also accurately correct any astigmatism you might have, and precise measurements should be taken to ensure the optical center of each lens is directly in front of your pupils when you are using your preferred working distance.

For these reasons, computer glasses should be customized to your individual needs. Using weaker, non-prescription reading glasses for computer work won't provide the accurate vision correction you need for sustained clarity and comfort.

Computer glasses put the optimum lens power for viewing your computer screen right where you need it for a clear field of vision without the need for excessive focusing effort or unhealthy postures.

Computer glasses only block about 50% of blue light because blue light in natural quantities is healthy and required by the body for certain functions such as regulating the circadian rhythm. It's only the excessive blue light from digital devices that need to be blocked out as even the slightest exposure to the same activates the retinal cells in our eyes and halts the secretion of melatonin, the hormone responsible for promoting a good night's sleep.

To summarize: computer glasses have special lenses that focus the light differently. However, they're commonly mixed up with blue light blocking glasses. You can read up on the blue light blocking glasses facts below:

What Are Prescription Computer Glasses?

If you spend a lot of time in front of your computer – either for gaming, for work or for pleasure, then you need to wear prescription computer glasses. The human body is not designed to sit in front of a computer to stare at a screen for a long period of time. It is imperative that you pay heed to your eye health and the best way to do so is by protecting it from the dangers of blue light that are emanating from your computer screen. Your eyes will be permanently focused on the computer screen and will experience stress unless you protect them properly.

Computer Galsses FAQs

How do computer glasses work?

The lenses of glasses designed for wear while using computers or other digital devices often block a percentage of blue light emitted by screens. Prescription computer eyewear lenses may feature a unique magnifying power, usually around 60% of the strength of reading glasses, to improve the intermediate zone of vision.

Can I get prescription lenses in digital glasses?

Glasses intended for a computer or device use are available with prescription lenses. Choose from single vision, progressive or no-line progressive lenses. The lenses in digital glasses come in a full range of tints to block more or less of the blue light emitted from the backlit screens of computers and devices.

What are blue light blocking lenses?

Lenses in computer eyewear can block anywhere from 10% up to 90% of blue light. The recommended range of blue light blocking is 30% to 60%. Clear and tinted lenses can have blue light-blocking coatings. Some photochromic lenses also block blue light and change color when exposed to these wavelengths.

Are progressive glasses available for computer use?

Progressive prescription computer eyewear is available, and it is possible to customize the areas of focus in bifocal, trifocal or progressive lenses. Wearing the wrong progressive eyewear for computer work may impact posture and productivity. Most people who wear prescription computer glasses prefer intermediate-range lenses with approximately 60% reading magnification.

Which computer glasses do I need?

Select computerl glasses for work or school that block blue light and provide a custom level of intermediate-range vision correction or magnification for using computers and devices. You can fine tune the amount of blue light protection and tint in lenses based on light levels in any screen use environment.