4 Ways To See Your Screen Better

Our eyes are remarkable instruments, but they don’t always work as well as we’d like them to – particularly once we approach middle age and struggle to see clearly at close working distances.

Optometrist Dr. Jeffrey Anshel says those who use computers extensively and are experiencing close vision problems might benefit from computer-specific lenses, which come in several varieties.

1. A single-vision lens for computer use allows a person to view a computer screen correctly, but the wearer will experience blurry vision if he or she attempts to view objects at other distances.

2. A task-specific bifocal lens is another option. The top portion allows the person to clearly view a computer monitor while the lower portion is designed for closer work such as paper reading. Anshel says such glasses are effective, but are, pardon the pun, unsightly, because of the visible line between the upper and lower lens sections.

3. There’s also a trifocal task-specific lens which adds a third section (the top portion) for distance viewing. The downside includes the fact that these glasses are bulky and there’s a significant jump of the image when one looks from one section to the other.

4. The most recent advancement in task-specific lenses is the progressive lens. According to Anshel, a general-purpose progressive lens rarely works for those who spend a lot of time on computers, because the intermediate (computer viewing) distance section is too narrow. However, there are other progressive lens designs that have wide viewing zones and allow wearers to clearly view their entire workspace.

“Although we are spending more time viewing computers and using our eyes to their maximum ability, it is still possible to be comfortable and productive,” said Anshel.