There are two major inflection points in vision. At age 40, tasks at one foot or closer become blurry, so phones and books begin to blur. At age 50, tasks at three feet or closer become blurry,  so computers start to blur. The solution is adding computer glasses to your growing collection.  It’s like when the long lost cousin gets added to a sitcom half way through the show. Nobody is  excited for the addition, but at least they’re easy on the eyes. 

This is an oversimplification, because not everyone does the same tasks at the same distance  with the same prescription. Luckily this is complicated, otherwise I would be out of a job! In the  previous article on progressives we talked about designing custom lenses for specific tasks, and  the same is true for computer vision. Most patients will have a rotation of three pairs of glasses:
1. Regular progressives 
2. Sunglass progressives 
3. Computer glasses 

The natural next question is “I thought progressives had every prescription built in, why do I need a separate pair for the computer?” The challenge with progressives is that desktop  computers sit at the same height as windshields, so they are competing for the same zone as  10 feet or more. The intuitive solution is to move the monitor down or tilt the head up to see  through the bottom of the lens, but this is no pun intended, a pain in the neck.  

One of the first signs that it’s time for computer glasses is neck pain while wearing progressives.  A pair of computer glasses is designed with a focal point at the computer screen. This improves  clarity, ergonomics, and general comfort for those who are on a computer screen all day.  Some patients aren’t sitting at a computer all day. Many get up from their computer, have  meetings with a TV or projector, take notes on paper, or check their phone. An Occupational  Progressive is ideal for this use case. 70% of the lens is dedicated to computers and near work,  and 30% is dedicated to the distance through the very top of the lens. It’s nearly the opposite of  regular progressives, and because of the more gradual transition between distance and near, the distortion effect is more gentle. 

Computer glasses are the ideal solution for many jobs in the Bay Area, and these glasses are  many people’s most used pair. Our optometrists can make custom glasses that seamlessly fit  into your work environment. Book an appointment now to have a consultation.