Differentiating Computer Glasses and Reading Glasses

Updated on November 29, 2019

Not every eyeglass is made the same. There are some very notable differences whenever it comes to comparing computer glasses and reading glasses (also known as readers) It can sometimes be a bit tricky to find out what you would need at a particular point in time. Here is a simple guide which can help you to understand completely your eyeglass options and also when computer glasses are necessary or when readers would be a smarter choice.

Computer Glasses: What is it?

Computer glasses are prescriptive glasses that are meant to be worn while operating or using a computer or digital screens. This kind of glasses will allow a person to focus their eyes onto a computer screen that is much farther away than that of the usual distance when holding a reading material. Different activities often entail specific types of glasses. For instance, whenever you play the piano, there are piano glasses that you can use or if you go shooting, there are also special shooting glasses. However, these types of glasses require a special custom fitting. Such task-specific specialized glasses were designed to meet the visual needs of a specific activity

Bifocals are not primarily designed exclusively for computer work. It will tend to cause the person to angle the head backward to fully focus on a computer while looking through the lower portion of the bifocal lens. Several people either lean in or lean back to find that perfect angle in their lenses so that they could see best. Such a restricted position can cause neck and shoulder pain and it can also lead to arm pain and lower back pain.

Several choices are available to choose for computer-specific glasses depending on a person’s vision and type of job, such as:

Monofocal Computer Glasses

Single-vision, or more commonly known as monofocal computer glasses, are used when working on a digital device. It will provide the proper optical adjustment between both the display and the computer user’s eyes working distance. This option allows users to view the whole screen with just a minimal movement of the head.

The only downside to this option would be that distant things as well as reading materials would look blurry.

Bifocal Computer Glasses

Bifocal computer glasses are used when the person has to use the device regularly, either when it is in a screen distance or it is in a reading distance. The upper section is intended to be used when in a screen distance and when it is in a reading distance or when focusing near the screen, the lower segment is designed to be used with such.

The drawback of this option is that objects are blurry when they are further away than that of the computer screen. Bifocal lenses also often distort an object’s image in the peripheral field of vision. Segmented lenses have a smaller screen view area – just like the bifocals. This denotes that there would be more up-and-down movements of the head when viewing all the areas of the screen.

Trifocal Computer Glasses

A trifocal glass is said to have a lens incorporating a section for far-sightedness, another section for near-sightedness, and a third one for that of a screen-distance vision, the range between the far and near sections.

The viewing areas could also be limited, much like with bifocal lenses.

Progressive Additional Lenses (PAL) Computer Glasses

This type of computer glasses provides a continuity of vision through the eradication of lines around the various focal power sections. However, there could be restricted areas of focus largely due to that of the line-free design.

Reading Glasses: What is it?

This kind of glasses is typically used by people who prefer to read books in its hard copy rather reading it on a digital screen. The lens is structured to have a magnification view which will allow users to read small texts. This may or may not have a capability for vision correction.

Computer Glasses vs Readers

It is not appropriate to use computer glasses when reading just as it is not recommended to use reading glasses when using a computer This is mainly because the computer screen is just a few inches away from your eyes when you are working on a computer, whereas reading a book or a reading material is commonly much nearer to your eyes. And also if you add to this the blue light emitted by a digital screen, you have two parameters that are really distinct and can thus result to straining of the eyes when using the glasses in cases which were not designed for its use.

Opting for blue blocking glasses would enable you to have much more relaxing computer experience and, on the other hand, when using reading glasses or reader, it can definitely reduce eyestrain when you are reading books or any reading materials. Blue light glasses can also aid when someone has light sensitivity because it is sometimes integrated with that of a tinted prescription lens.

Computer glasses could reduce the straining of the eyes and can reduce a screen’s glare.

When you use your computer, tablet, smart phone, or any of your electronic devices for a long time, you will notice that your eyes will become tired. This is because the glare from these kinds of digital screens will make it much more difficult for your eyes to identify or to see contrast. This light is called the blue light, and because of this, it can be quite difficult for your eyes to focus and adjust properly.

Blue light computer glasses have this specific anti-reflective coating or tint that blocks the blue light, reducing the strain on the eyes. Most variations have a special tint which reduces the glare while at the same amplifying the contrast. Such tinted lenses could potentially eliminate headaches and a migraine directly linked to using a digital screen.

Reading glasses or Readers can help when reading small prints.

Whenever you are reading printed books and find that you have difficulty focusing, then readers may just be what you need. Reading glasses are designed to magnify small prints so that the eyes will not be strained when reading the print.  .

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