In today’s fast-paced digital world, screens are everywhere—from smartphones and tablets to laptops and desktops. Due to this constant screen exposure, many people experience digital eye strain, headaches, and blurred vision. These issues can be caused by a range of factors, including the distance and angle between your eyes and the screen.
Enter computer glasses. Computer glasses are meant to reduce digital eye strain by making it easier to focus on computer screens and reducing glare and blue light. If you wear prescription glasses, then you may benefit from computer glasses designed with your prescription in mind. However, it’s also possible to get computer glasses without a prescription.
What is Digital Eye Strain?
Digital eye strain is an issue that arises from prolonged use of digital devices and screens. Digital eye strain is common in adults and children who use screens for work and school. Digital eye strain can be caused by the lights and glare emitted from computer screens, or by not having enough distance between the screen and your eyes.
Symptoms of digital eye strain include:
- Neck pain and headaches
- Dry eyes
- Blurry vision
- Fatigue
- Itching or burning eyes
- Difficulty concentrating
This condition is not just a minor inconvenience. Over time, digital eye strain could lead to decreased productivity. In addition, the poor posture that comes with digital eye strain can lead to prolonged neck and back pain.
What are Computer Glasses?
Computer glasses are designed to reduce the digital eye strain caused by prolonged screen use. Unlike regular eyeglasses, these glasses have special coatings and lens designs to make screen viewing easier. Computer glasses often feature anti-reflective coatings to reduce glare while using digital devices.
Computer glasses are crafted to provide a more comfortable viewing experience. They can be prescription or non-prescription to suit different individual needs. Understanding what kind of computer glasses you need is crucial to finding the solution to your digital eye strain.
Prescription Computer Glasses
Prescription computer glasses come in two forms. Some computer glasses have lenses that fit your current prescription but with additional, specialized lens treatments.
Anti-glare coatings reduce the amount of glare that reaches your eyes from your screen, while blue light coatings reduce the amount of blue light that reaches your eyes. These coatings are intended to reduce eye strain.
People who sit further away from their computer screens than other reading materials like books or magazines may need computer glasses with specialized lenses. Such lenses that make it easier to focus on screens compared to regular prescription glasses.
Prescription computer glasses can be custom fit to your face, which makes them especially comfortable. If this interests you, consult your optometrist for more information.
Nonprescription Computer Glasses
Those who want some eye protection, but who don’t wear prescription glasses also have non-prescription options available. A simple pair of blue light glasses can be bought online or at a pharmacy. These glasses have non-prescription lenses with blue light or anti-glare coatings.
Note that glasses bought online may not be as effective or durable.
Types of Prescription Lenses for Computer Glasses
If you decide that you want to buy specialized lenses for your computer glasses, there are a few options at your disposal. Single-vision lenses are tailored for screen use, and provide a single prescription strength for near or intermediate distances. These are ideal for those who use screens at a specific distance.
Progressive lenses are another option, offering a seamless transition between different prescription strengths. Progressive lenses give vision correction for both near and far distances, and are therefore useful in a wider range of situations.
Alternative Solutions for Digital Eye Strain
While computer glasses are popular, alternative solutions are available for digital eye strain. The 20-20-20 rule, for instance, is a simple yet effective strategy. Set a timer to remind yourself to take a 20-second break every 20 minutes and focus on an object 20 feet away.
Adjusting screen brightness and contrast settings can also reduce eye strain. Position your screen to minimize glare from windows or overhead lighting. Ensuring that screens are set at a comfortable viewing distance and height can also be helpful.
Do I Need Prescription Computer Glasses?
Whether computer glasses require a prescription depends on your individual needs. If you have an existing prescription for vision correction, you may benefit from custom computer glasses tailored to your needs.
Having prescription computer glasses also allows you a level of flexibility. You can opt for glasses with bifocal or progressive lenses, so you only need one pair of glasses for computer work and daily life.
However, if you don’t wear prescription glasses, specialized computer glasses may be unnecessary. If you are interested in computer glasses and don’t have an existing prescription, it may be a good idea to consult your optometrist about your options.
Find the Right Solution For You
Avoiding screens is incredibly difficult in today’s age, but you can take steps to keep your eyes healthy and avoid digital eye strain. One great way to keep up with your eye health is by having regular eye exams.
At Brighton Eyecare, we offer eye exams for adults and children and digital eye strain treatment options. Contact us for more information or to book an appointment today!
