Computer Glasses 2

[Latexman]

Calling experienced engineers (aged 40-60 or so).

I'm getting frustrated with my regular bifocal glasses when on the computer, which is about all day. It's too close for the distance sight and too far away for the bifocal. One of my three opthamologists (one for glaucoma, one for macular pucker, one for eye exams), suggested "computer glasses". I've googled and think I understand them. Does anyone have experience with them? Any testimonials? Any critique? I'd appreciate any input you may have.

Good luck,
Latexman

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[MikeHalloran]

No direct experience here, but several friends have tried them, liked them, and didn't go back.

I wear photochromic progressive lenses, not real strong, but thick enough that plastic lenses make a big difference. I tend to arrange my computer area so that the general room illumination is, well, dark, and I have a ~30W incandescent flood for reference material. If I'm required to have overhead lights on, I wear a ball cap.



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[JohnRBaker]

I've been wearing so-called progressive lens, which provide you with something like three focal ranges, for about 10 years now and they've always work pretty good for me (and I'm on the computer 8 hours or more per day).

That being said, the only people I know who have purchased so-called 'computer glasses' are those people who ONLY wear glasses to read, or in this case, when using a computer.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[zdas04]

So someone who only wears glasses to see shouldn't bother looking into this further?

David Simpson, PE
MuleShoe Engineering

"Belief" is the acceptance of an hypotheses in the absence of data.
"Prejudice" is having an opinion not supported by the preponderance of the data.
"Knowledge" is only found through the accumulation and analysis of data.
The plural of anecdote is not "data"

 

[MikeHalloran]

No.

Trifocal or progressive lenses and the fancy coatings and tints may make them pricey and nonideal for tasks other than computing, but they can make a difference.

... which reminds me, it's time to talk to my own optometrist.



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[tygerdawg]

My EyeDoc recommended the same thing. Not bifocals/progressives which are made for a 6"-12" distance and far-away distance. But a pair with prescription specific to your computer-viewing distance, 18" - 25" or whatever is your sitting at the desk staring at the monitor all day distance. Seemed like a valid suggestion, but I don't park myself in front of the monitor all day, so I would be changing all day long.

<sigh> Sadly, I've gotten into the habit of increasing the monitor screen text size to 125% or more. And liking it. I'm still waiting for the implantable jack so I can mind-meld with the CPU.

TygerDawg
Blue Technik LLC
Virtuoso Robotics Engineering

http://www.bluetechnik.com

 

[DRWeig]

I don't know what they call my progressive lenses, but they're super-duper. They're kind of like no-line trifocals. Bottom part is my 3X for reading, middle part is just right for computer monitor (about 24" to 30" for me), and top part is distance.

My astigmatism is horrid. I'm about 20/120. I'm very particular about my lenses, and I think I frustrate the optometrist with all the fine tuning I make them do when figuring out my prescription with the "better here, or better here" routine.

When I'm done, though, I see a perfectly tiny dot when I look at a star or planet. I can read the 20/10 line on the eye chart.

Just for fun, here's a sketch of what Venus looks like to me with and without glasses on. Same thing with the little LEDs on electronic products around the house. The relative sizes shown are as accurate as I could do by hand.

Best to you,

Goober Dave

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[pennpiper]

Years ago I switched to "Trifocals" to solve my vision problem on the computer. It has worked just fine for me.
I also find I can see my cars dashboard instruments better thru the Tri lense.

prognosis: Lead or Lag

 

[ctopher]

I use glasses specifically for reading and computer work. Years of computer work has caused my eyes to not focus well on anything closer than a monitor. This started about 5 years ago.
I don't need them otherwise...yet.
My doctor gave me prescription glasses that are specifically for this work. Although I need to go in maybe every 2 years to get them adjusted because my eyes tend to adapt and getting worse as I age. (I'll be 50 this Dec).

Chris
SolidWorks 11
ctopher's home
SolidWorks Legion

 

[lookintomyeyes]

I'm nearsighted, and found that wearing my regular glasses at the computer was causing migraines, and extreme difficulties in reading stop signs when driving home after work! My eyes got too used to focussing on the computer screen, and wouldnt relax back fast enough for distance vision.

My computer glasses are -1.0 from my regular glasses, and WOW, what a difference. Worth every penny. No more headaches, no eyestrain, no vision problems at all. LOVE THEM!

 

[lookintomyeyes]

Oh, and I'll add that because they are only -1.0 from my regular prescription, I can navigate around the office fine for coffee, to the printer and back, for short meetings, etc. Faces are a little fuzzy, but most of the time it works alright.

Like another poster said, mine are optimized to read my computer screen clearly, and everything past it is fuzzy.

 

[Latexman]

I had progressive lens in 2010-2011. I was always searching for the sweet spot and I was having some neck stress and pain. So, in 2012, I tried a regular bifocal. No more neck problems, it's pretty digital - either up close or distance, but I find myself adjusting closer or further from the screen depending which lens I'm looking through.

Early this week I'll visit folks at the office who wear glasses and hear what they use and who they go to.

Good luck,
Latexman

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[racookpe1978]

I use trifocals ALL THE TIME for everything: closer range for laying on the sofa reading a book - [1] MEASURE your actual average reading distance for a book you are comfortable reading, give that distance to your optomistrist, have the glasses shop make them close range set to that distance. DO NOT GUESS the distance, do NOT let somebody "tell you"!!!!!! what distance "you should be reading at" - they will be wrong.

Get accurate on this distance: a close focus lens will have a focus distance of less than 3 inches. Too coose, you are straining. Too far ( 3 inches further) you are straining to read.

2) Put your arm out, and get the second half of the trifocal to read the car odometer, grocery store shelf or computer screen when you are working for short times.
3) Long distance is long distance.

I get mine built in Z87 safety lens and frames so the company pays for one pair I use on the job sites, and the second is built the same way so I don't have to switch for work.

COMPUTER GLASSES are different. I use a different single focus reading/computer glasses (slightly smaller than the trifocals) focused on the actaul distances involved. The reading glasses (For me!!!) are focused only 5 - 7 inches away. Further than that - they are useless. The computer glasses are focused 9 to 12 inches away.

My welding glasses are bifocals (not tri's) but have the bifocal part on both the top and the bottom so I can work overhead without craning my neck back. Most guys won't need the welding glasses, but I'm adding it anyway.

 

[TheTick]

In 1997, I started using PRIO lenses, and I loved them. I used to get blinding headaches using CAD. PRIO lenses eliminated them entirely. Also superb reading glasses.

My original PRIOs were single-prescription. A few years later, they made my new lenses "progressive" without telling me and it was horrible.

Then, I ditched those lenses and found a doctor who understood what I wanted and got it for me.

Basically, I use a single-prescription lens based on the PRIO-style eye exam. This yields a prescription for lenses that have a focal length that puts the computer screen in focus when eyes are at resting position. Key to life, it is.

 

[JohnRBaker]

My astigmatism is horrid. I'm about 20/120.

My astigmatism is also about as bad as it can get (in one eye at least), but the rest is just plain myopia, 20/300 in one eye, 20/200 in the other (the doctor and I play this game where I guess which wall the eye chart is on). Thank god for high-refraction polycarbonate lens (I have to put my glasses on before I get out of bed otherwise I'd miss the floor).

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[poli60]

I have the same experience of lookintomyeyes.
It was suggested to me by my optometrist when I changed the lens for miopia: "Take your old lens (-1) for everything but the car driving".
In the past, only one pair of glasses covered everything... but now I'm in the 50s
Good luck!

 

[berkshire]

Latexman,
What you are talking about is a moving target as you go through life. At first you have enough accomodation to look at the screen then look away and back again. Around age 40 things do not do so well, thats when things start to stiffen up. My own example, until age 21 did not need glasses, then had difficulty reading road signs, diagnosis near sighted. Wore single vision glasses, that I took off to do close work. Then computors came along and I took the glasses off to see the screen. At age 60 now the near vision was deteriorating, and I needed to hold the newspaper at arms length even with the glasses off. Bifocals were prescribed, now the fun started, glasses on, far vision, not enough correction, near vision, too much correction, and getting headaches. Solution single vision lense at 30" focal length, great for the computor screen, pain in the neck for anything else look away and everything goes fuzzy. Next solution trifocals, better,but you had to remember which lense you were looking through. Final solution for a while, progressive lenses, then came age 70, threw away the distance correction, got the glasses required restriction removed from my pilots and drivers licences. Don't need the glasses to read the computor, and absolutely cannot focus on anything without glasses if it is closer than 15 inches.
Join the club.

 

[Jboggs]

Well I've been wearing glasses for about 20 years and I didn't see anyone with my solution. My eyes have progressed to the point where I have three distinct ranges, but I don't like trifocals, and I hate progressive lenses. So I have two pairs of non-progressive bifocals. I spend most of my work day in front of a computer screen that is 32 in. from my eyes. The glasses I wear for that are set for that range (upper) and reading (lower). The other bifocals work for distance and reading. The system works fine for me.

 

[JedClampett]

A while back, an optometrist prescribed Monovision contacts for me. They determine your dominant eye, use that for long distance and use your weaker eye for close in work. I was lucky enough to be able to adjust to that. Recently, about two years ago, I had PRK surgery that permanently corrected my eyes that way. No issues with the computer, either.
It wasn't cheap, $3400, plus a bunch of prescription eye drops, but I've got to say life without contacts and glasses is worth it. If you're able to wear contacts, try the monovision and see if that helps, before you invest in any surgery.

 

[TomDOT]

I have to say, getting LASIK in 1998 was a great improvement for my vision.