How to Choose Computer Glasses?
With a myriad of choices in eyewear to pick from, it is very important to first understand your vision needs before deciding on acquiring one. Are you having difficulty in focusing to switching back and forth between the computer screen and smaller digital devices like mobile phones or reading paper? Do you want to protect against harmful Blue Light and UV rays? Or it is to make a fashion statement?
Your need determines the choice of your eyewear. What’s more interesting is that you can even combine your multiple needs into one eyewear. You can have power glasses and also protect them against UV rays with the same glasses using photochromic lenses. You can have your transition glasses on a designer frame and get the benefits of protection and style.
In this article, we analyze the features of computer glasses and how to select one that suffices all your needs.
- · What are Your Vision Needs?
- · What are Computer Glasses?
- · Types of Computer Glasses
- · How to Select the Perfect Computer Glasses?
What are Your Vision Needs?
To see clearly, the light rays must pass through the cornea and lens, which refracts (bends) it to reach the retina. The retina then converts light into signals and the brain processes it into images.
Analyzing the cause of your sight distortion or impairment is the first step towards understanding your vision needs.
Nearsightedness or short-sightedness (Myopia) is a refractive error when the eye cannot focus light properly. The shape of your cornea or lens prevents light from bending correctly, resulting in a blurry image. You may have trouble seeing distant objects, such as street signs or a school's blackboard.
Farsightedness or long-sightedness (Hyperopia) is an eye condition when near objects appear blurry but distant objects are clearly visible. Due to inadequate coverage by the lens, incoming light gets focused behind the retina wall rather than directly on it, which results in the fuzzy effect.
Although you may correct your vision with power glasses, there are more challenges with other factors that could further damage your sight. Blue Light and UV rays are the main perpetrators that can deteriorate your vision health if neglected and not prevented.
Besides these challenges, you may also need your spectacles in multiple environments. You could be in a closed room, like an auditorium, and then walk out for a drive on a bright sunny day within a short time interval. Ordinary eyewear may not help you quickly adjust to such varying conditions. If such rapid activities, in and out, are frequent, then your eyes are the ones taking all the beating the hard way.
Depending on your work environment, digital lifestyle, and eye condition, you can decide on your perfect pair of computer glasses. Primarily, the distance from your face to the viewing object matters the most. There are a ton of choices for you to select the right computer glasses to suffice your needs.
What are Computer Glasses?
If you are a regular computer user, the standard distance from your face to the PC should be 24 inches or 60 cm, and for smaller digital devices, it is 12 inches. Staring at it closer than this could adversely affect your eye health. If the text and images appear too small, you may enlarge the screen view by zooming to a comfortable percentage or opt for a bigger size monitor.
Remember, even after maintaining an ideal viewing distance, you are still prone to harmful Blue Light attacks. So, staring at the screen closely and for a longer duration is like asking for some serious trouble.
Short-term exposure to such harmful radiation would give eyestrain, headaches, and fatigue, but long-term exposure would lead to serious eye disorders.
A computer glass comfortably improves your vision with clarity and prevents harmful effects of the blue light emitting from digital devices hitting your eyes. Depending on your needs, you can customize your eyewear and enjoy the beautiful world around you. You can get computer glasses in a variety of materials, styles, and features to suit your needs and budget.
If you thought computer glasses are strictly by prescription, then you are wrong. You may pick one even if you do not have any vision problems. You can pick a pair of plain E-Specs to prevent eyestrain from the Blue Light at your workplace.
Types of Computer Glasses
Computer glasses need to do two basic functions – improve clarity with power as well as protect against Blue Light and UV rays.
Here are some of the popular varieties of computer glasses:
Melanin Lens Computer Glasses
Except for some wavelengths of blue light that help our sleep cycle, most blue lights are harmful. We can find a natural pigment called melanin all over our human body. Melanin pigment that contains the same blue light-reflecting coating is embedded into the lens material. This coating protects your eyes by filtering UV and High Energy Visible (HEV) light, better known as "Violet-Blue light".
Clear Blue Lens Computer Glasses
If you dislike the amber tint on your lenses, then the Clear Blue lens computer glasses are for you. It uses special lens technology to filter out UV and Blue Light rays. You can use it as a single or progressive lens. Clear Blue lenses can block over 65% UV and 50% of HEV blue lights, but you can customize as per your needs.
Bi-Focal Computer Glasses
Sitting continuously in front of the computer and adjusting your eye distance frequently to perform various tasks can lead to cervical and back pain. The lens is bifurcated into two focal segments. The top portion of the lens is for viewing objects at a distance and the lower one is for reading near to intermediate distance purposes. This can be amber-tinted for blocking Blue Light.
Progressive Lens Computer Glasses
This is an enhanced version of the bi-focal lens. It has 3 focal points and does not have a line in the middle as its predecessor. The top portion is for viewing long-distance objects, the middle portion is for computer viewing, and the lowest layer is for reading closer objects like your cellphone or newspaper. Adding a Blue Blocker coat against Blue Light and UV will make it a perfect fit for visual clarity and protection.
Plain Lens Computer Glasses
You can use this as non-prescription computer glasses just to avoid eyestrain. With no power but a protective layer, you can use it as a style statement to suit your outfit or for that smart professional look in the office.
How to Select the Perfect Computer Glasses?
Computer glasses are primarily meant for protection against UV and Blue Light from digital devices. It can be prescription glasses or plain. As each person’s need varies, selecting the perfect computer glass can be overwhelming.
The obvious question that arises is if all features are good, then why not add them to one eyewear? Yes, it can be, but it will not be cost-effective and would be unnecessary for many.
To protect 100% against these harmful radiations will make it dark glasses, which will not be convenient for reading and can cause eyestrain. So, a 60-95% UV protection and 25-50% against HEV would be ideal. Of course, that also depends on how much time you spend inside and outside.
Melanin lenses provide 100% UV rays and over 50% Blue Light protection. The tint acts as an anti-reflection. You may see your face on the lens. Although harmless, it can be annoying for some.
There are special lenses that have Blue Guard technology that filters out 99% UV rays and 32% Blue Light, including those wavelengths that disrupt your circadian rhythm. So, you can enjoy your late-night movie or those heavy-graphic games and yet have a peaceful sleep.
Determining your eye strength and the volume of digital viewing is critical in selecting computer glasses. These glasses can provide a soothing experience while you perform your duties or enjoy a flick, but due diligence in your eye care is always wise.