20 Jan Eye Strain? Computer Glasses May Be Your Answer

If you wear glasses, readers, bi-focals, trifocals, progressives, contact lenses or any other type of glasses or corrective eye-wear or strain to see when using your computer screen (tablets and laptop screens count as well), then this post is for you!

I have been wearing glasses for just about as long as I can remember.  In fact, in second grade, I was so desperate to not wear glasses, that I memorized the eye chart in my school’s nurse’s office so I would “pass” the test with flying colors, or in this case with a score of 20/20.  And for a hot moment, it worked, until I slowly moved my seat closer and closer to the blackboard so I could see and continued to squint even when I finally wound up in the very front of the class.

As an ergonomist, who regularly touts the numerous benefits of computer glasses and blue light filters, you’d think that I myself would be using these myself.  But I’m stubborn and very late to the party, but alas, I have finally heeded to my own advice and let me tell you something. IT. HAS. BEEN. LIFE. CHANGING.

Computer Glasses?  What’s that?

Let’s back up.  Eye strain at the computer is one of the most common issues that we struggle with yet t is also one of the most accepted areas of discomfort related to our computer work.  Chronic eye strain can have devastating consequences to our productivity, not to mention our well-being. Eye strain can manifest in a number of ways including:

• Eye strain
• Headaches
• Dry Eyes
• Blurry Vision
• Red eyes (bloodshot eyes)
• Overall fatigue
• Difficulty concentrating

To complicate matters, if you do have trouble seeing, there’s a high chance you will lean forward in your chair, crane your neck forward or look up or down to see, all of which are posture destroyers.  

Any and all of the above warning signs can come from things like poor lighting (too bright, too dark), glare on your screen, poor contrast on your screen, font size, matt vs glass screen, dirty screens and not taking enough breaks for your eyes.  (Did you know at the computer most of us blink 50% less than when we aren’t looking at our screens?) – or, maybe it’s time to talk to your eye care provider about options to help.

Now, you may be saying, but I have glasses – and I still struggle.  And that’s because regular prescription glasses are not the same as computer glasses?

A lot of us wear glasses to correct vision problems. But regular eyeglasses are not the same as computer glasses. Computer reading glasses are glasses specifically designed to help reduce eyestrain at the computer in a few different ways.

Non-prescription computer reading glasses have an anti-reflective coating to reduce glare and special tinting to increase contrast for easier viewing.  Today’s computer glasses also have blue light filters to protect your eyes from the blue light being emitted from your screens.

Prescription computer reading glasses accommodate your particular vision needs and account for mid and near distance needs for when you look at your screen, your keyboard and any reading documents you have on your desktop.

A Godsend for Bi-Focal, Tri-focal and Progressive Lens Wearers

A few years back, I was prescribed progressive lenses which means I look out of the top portion of my glasses to see distances, the mid-portion of my glasses for mid-range distances and the bottom portion of my glasses for near distances.  What this translated into in my daily life was chaos at the computer as well as at the piano where I found myself tilting my neck back in order to see out of the bottom or mid part of my glasses.   I was constantly fiddling with my screen and laying my music down flat on the piano music stand and generally, not happy or comfortable.

You would think that I’d have spoken to my eye care provider sooner since I encourage people I provide ergonomic advice to, to look into computer glasses.

I finally bit the bullet and within the first 3 seconds of using them, I rejoiced!

Here is the upshot:

Everything is now clear!

No more fiddling with my screen angle and height.

I am headache free.

I have less spelling errors!

I have more stamina when I work with my computer, laptop and tablet.

I am less fatigued.

The list goes on and on.

So, if you are struggling, talk with your eye care provider to see if this is the right solution for you!

Until the next time!

Vivienne

PS:  If you do use computer glasses, let me know how they are working for you in the comments below!