...continued from page 1 of Computer Glasses for Blurred Vision

Prism and Eyestrain

All computer glasses work by correcting your vision in the intermediate zone. In some cases, eyes that don't work together as a team (binocular dysfunction) can cause blurred vision and eyestrain at the computer. If you have a binocular dysfunction, your eye doctor may be able to add prism power to your eyeglasses prescription to help your eyes work together more comfortably.

Your eye doctor can determine whether your eyestrain is caused in part by a binocular dysfunction.

Shopping for Computer Glasses

Before you go shopping for computer glasses, you need to decide where to shop: is it better to buy a pair off the rack (such as at an office supply store) or to buy a pair from your eye doctor? That depends on what you're looking for. The advantage of buying off the rack is price; getting a pair from the eye doctor can be inexpensive, but rarely as inexpensive as off the rack.

A key reason off-the-rack computer glasses are so inexpensive is that they are single-vision lenses, meaning they correct your vision at computer distance only. But if you're like most people who need computer glasses, you also need correction in the near zone, and maybe far as well. If blurry vision at other distances than intermediate is okay with you, then you may do well with an off-the-rack pair.

The trick to purchasing a pair that works is to test them while reading materials that are 20 to 26 inches away from your eyes. In other words, don't get the same plus power that you would for regular reading.

If you decide to buy an off-the-rack pair, keep in mind that you should see your eye doctor on a regular basis, for vision tests and to catch any symptomless diseases you might have in their early stages.

Multifocal styles (occupational progressive lenses, trifocals or bifocals) are much more popular as computer glasses; their advantage is that you can see clearly in all zones at once. Because they are tailored to your eyes, they're available only from eye doctors. The key to getting a good pair is to specify that you need computer glasses, so that your doctor can tell the lab to make them with a large enough intermediate zone; remember, regular multifocals have a smaller intermediate zone that is less handy for computer work.

Computer vision syndrome causes eye fatigue, which can make you feel tired in general.

If you need only two prescriptions in your lenses (intermediate plus either near or far), you might want clip-ons. The advantage is that you don't need separate pairs of glasses for regular use and computer use. Your regular prescription goes in the eyeglasses, and the computer one in the clip.

Clip-ons are available from retailers or from your eye doctor.

Your Next Step

Once you purchase computer glasses, try them out with your home or office computer. You should be able to see clearly: no more blurred vision. If this is not the case, make an appointment with your eye doctor to see what the trouble could be.

Computer glasses may also clear up any computer-related headaches, or neck, shoulder or back pain. However, these problems can also result from a poor ergonomic set-up. These quick ergonomic tips can help you rearrange your work area to be at its most comfortable for you.

[Page updated June 2007]