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Lenses for Computer Use

Posted by Ilena Di Toro | Posted on May 5, 2020

This just in—prolonged computer use causes eye strain.

Okay, you already knew that fact. Yet, there are ways to deal with eye strain such as taking breaks, adjusting the lighting and the monitor settings. There are also lenses that can help. They include progressive addition lenses (PALs) and lenses that filter out blue light.

Progressive Addition Lenses
These lenses have been available since the early 1900s and they have been shown to help those needing a solution for intermediate vision (20 inches or 50 cm to 40 inches or 100 cm). There are lenses that have a wider power in the intermediate range and they have helped those who do a lot of work on the computer.

In fact, there was a German study that compared computer-specific PALs lenses with general purpose lenses in 190 computer workers who had presbyopia. Subjects tested both types of lenses for two weeks. At the end of two weeks, 84 percent preferred the computer-specific PALs lenses. In addition, eye strain was seven times more frequent with the general-purpose lenses. So, computer-specific PALs can be an option for those who work on computers.

Blue Light Glasses
These glasses won’t help find bargains at Kmart. They are glasses that filter out blue light, which is emitted from computers, smartphones and tablet computers. While computer eye strain is a real thing and blue light affects the sleep/wake cycle, research shows that the effect to the eyes has to do with how the screens are being used, not to the light that is being emitted. In fact, the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) does not recommend blue light glasses or any other kind of specialized eye wear for computer use.

Yet, some have seen a benefit to using blue glasses. One user of blue light glasses, Cindy Tolbert, can work more comfortably for longer periods of time with these glasses. “Usually my eyes poop out after 4 or 5 hours of computer work,” said Tolbert. “I can work longer with the (blue light) glasses.” Another user Michael Clarke, states, “I’m not an optometrist. I just know that my eyes don’t get as tired at the end of the day. My frequency of headaches has gone down. I’m able to focus on things easier on a screen.”

So, if patients are complaining about eye strain during computer use, share these tips with them from the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO):
• Sit about 25 inches from the computer screen and position the screen so you are looking slightly downward.
• Reduce screen glare by using a matte screen filter
• Take breaks using the “20-20-20” rule: every 20 minutes, shift your eyes to look at an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
• Adjust the lighting and the contrast on the screen computer to reduce eye strain.

Of course, you could use a variation of the vaudeville doctor joke punch line and say, “If the computer is making your eyes hurt, then don’t use a computer.” The trouble is millennials won’t get the joke.

Sources:

https://www.healio.com/optometry/contact-lenses-eye-wear/news/print/primary-care-optometry-news/%7Bc25d764a-19f2-453c-9a03-26b59910b35f%7D/choose-the-proper-progressive-addition-lens-to-apply-to-specific-visual-needs

https://www.reviewofoptometry.com/article/computerspecific-lenses-guard-against-hardships

https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/are-computer-glasses-worth-it

https://www.webmd.com/eye-health/news/20191216/do-blue-light-glasses-work

8 Responses to “Lenses for Computer Use”

  1. January 21, 2021 at 8:18 am, Zachary Tomlinson said:

    It’s great to learn that you can now purchase glass lenses that can reflect blue light from computers! My boss finds it hard to work in front of his computer lately, and he’s looking for ideas on how to fix this. I’ll suggest that he visit an optometrist who can look into this for him and provide eyecare products for it!

    • January 27, 2021 at 1:23 pm, Ilena Di Toro said:

      Thanks for your interest in our blog and for your comments in this entry and for the “Dry Eye Isn’t So Cut and Dry” entry. We appreciate it.

  2. July 12, 2021 at 2:30 am, sima eyewear said:

    thank you for sharing this Computer glasses information with us. Lenses for Computer Use is really very helpful.

    • July 12, 2021 at 12:33 pm, Ilena Di Toro said:

      Thanks for your interest in our blog. We appreciate it.

  3. September 07, 2021 at 5:50 am, Techy - By DrPhoneFix Plantation said:

    Hello, Thanks for sharing this blog. this is very helpfull for me . if you want any help regarding Computer Repair in Plantation then contact with Techy – By DrPhoneFix Plantation .

    • September 30, 2021 at 7:32 pm, Ilena Di Toro said:

      Thanks for your interest in our blog. We are very pleased that you found this entry helpful.

  4. January 25, 2023 at 6:44 pm, Steve Smith said:

    I found it interesting when you said that an intermediate-range solution is key to proper eye protection during your computer use. My aunt told me yesterday that she wanted her eyeglasses repaired because she accidentally dropped them. She asked if I had any idea what would be the best option for a great repair process. Thank you for this helpful article, and I’ll tell her that we can consult a trusted optical product repair service as they can provide information about the repair process.

    • January 25, 2023 at 7:14 pm, Ilena Di Toro said:

      Thank you for taking the time to comment. We are glad that you found the blog entry helpful.

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