Specialty Eyewear: Glasses
for All Seasons, for All Reasons

By Christie Walker

Specialty eyewear — eyeglasses designed specifically for certain tasks — can help you optimize your vision for nearly any scenario you can think of. While "one size fits all" might be true in some situations, it's rare that one pair of eyeglasses is suitable in all circumstances. Examples of specialty eyewear include computer glasses, driving glasses and protective eyewear.

According to a survey by The Vision Council, the most important reasons for purchasing specialty eyewear include:

• For a specific activity such as computer use, work, hobbies, sports or driving
• To see better in general
• For the safety features that create an increased enjoyment of sports by protecting eyes from harm
• For cosmetic reasons or because the wearer wants a different look

Can you benefit from specialty eyewear? The descriptions below should help you decide.

Computer Glasses

The more time you spend at a computer, the more you risk developing eye strain and other symptoms of computer vision syndrome. That's because during computer use, your eyes must remain focused at a very specific range for long periods of time.

Computer glasses are designed specifically for intermediate and close-up distances, the zones most associated with computer use. Computer-specific eyewear gives you the best correction for these distances and helps you avoid eyestrain.

Specialty Eyewear for Work and Hobbies

Some people discover that their regular glasses are suitable for everything they do except for certain tasks associated with their jobs and hobbies.

For example, if you wear bifocals, you may find that — unless what you're reading is in your lap — you must tip your head back all day long to use the reading portions in the bottom of the lenses.

You can avoid neck discomfort by purchasing special work glasses that have the reading segments placed higher up in the lenses. Special-design bifocals and trifocals for work-related tasks are often called occupational lenses. Read more about occupational bifocals and trifocals.

If your hobbies include close-up work such as beading, needlepoint, crafting or anything requiring intense focusing at very close distances, a separate pair of reading glasses may be helpful.

If both your eyes need the same correction, then you can purchase several pairs of inexpensive reading glasses, also called "readers," almost anywhere: drugstores, bookstores and even craft stores.

But if each of your eyes has a different correction need, which is very common, then you'll want to order a custom pair of readers from your eye care practitioner to accurately address the visual needs of each eye.

Of course, safety glasses are a must to protect your eyes from flying debris when you are working with power tools as well as hand tools such as hammers and saws.

Sports Eyewear

By changing the tint of a lens, you can improve visual acuity on the tennis court, the golf course or the slopes. Sport-specific eyewear can enhance performance by improving visual clarity while protecting the eyes from injury. Within this category, you'll find both eyeglasses and sunglasses with lenses made from impact-resistant polycarbonate.

Read more about sport eyeglasses, sport contact lenses and protective sports eyewear.

These Outfitter 24 safety glasses are large enough to fit over prescription eyeglasses and contain anti-fog lenses that change from yellow to dark gray, depending on lighting conditions.

Driving Glasses

Driving glasses come in two different categories: sunglasses designed specifically for driving and prescription eyeglasses. Sunglasses for driving feature polarized lenses that reduce glare and make it easier to see in bright sunlight.

Drivers who have been in accidents often claim that they couldn't see the other car or a pedestrian because of glare reflecting off the road or the sun shining in their eyes. Studies have even shown that glare can be a causative factor in automobile accidents.

Polarized lenses reduce glare and make it easier to see in any situation where there is glare. Sunglasses tinted specifically for driving increase contrast and make it easier to see.

Prescription eyewear for driving includes your distance prescription and should have an anti-reflective coating. This special coating reduces glare from light reflecting off the front and back surfaces of your lenses and allows more light to enter your eyes for better vision when driving at night.

Safety Eyewear

Many people buy specialty eyewear for increased eye safety. This eyewear can be in the form of safety glasses, sports goggles or shooting glasses.

Safety eyewear is made of ultra-durable materials and provides more coverage than regular glasses, especially when the frame has a wraparound design or includes top and side shields. Many safety frames also include spring hinges for added durability.

Specialty Eyewear for Fun and Fashion

Maybe you want more than one pair of eyeglasses simply so you can match your eyewear to different outfits or moods. To help you find the frames that will look best on you, read our articles on matching eyeglasses to your personality and lifestyle and choosing frames that complement your face shape and coloring.

[Page updated December 2008]