Does anyone have under corrected glasses for computer work?

[CyberStrider]

I've worn glasses since age 6, always had excellent close up vision but age catches up to us all and I now find I struggle with reading through my glasses (-4.5 prescription) although I'm fine without. I don't think varifocals are the answer as I don't need any correction but is it possible to get glasses that correct enough for me to see the screen, but also allow reading? Is this something opticians would do?

I think opticians call them office glasses

I'm at my desk wearing a pair of occupational glasses right now.

They are varifocals, which allow me to see my computer screen and read paperwork on my desk, but they don't give me perfect distance vision.

For normal wear I have another pair of glasses, also varifocal, that let me see distance and read but aren't great with the computer screen.

So yes, it's possible - talk to your optician.

I have a pair that are perfect for screen work. For reading I have to make the text larger (kindle). For distance it’s a bit out of focus but ok.

It’s not ideal but I didn’t get on with varifocals at all, and can’t keep swapping different pairs of glasses over all the time. It’s a very old prescription that I’m using - I’ve abandoned all the glasses of the last few years with correct prescriptions for reading and distance, as I can’t make it work for how I live (read a lot whilst glancing at TV, look down to read paperwork while doing screen work etc).

I think I only have a fairly small + prescription as well as a very strong - prescription but it's hard to know because without glasses or contacts I can't see much beyond the end of my nose, however as I reached my 50s that full strength contact lenses for distance meant I could no long read or use a computer as clearly.

So for the past few years I have had under-corrected (by about 1D) contact lenses so I can read and use a computer in them, they are still legal and fine for driving but I have some top up minus prescription glasses for night driving when I need the extra. I'd rather wear glasses in the car sometimes than have to wear reading glasses on and off all day over full strength contacts.

I have varifocal glasses for when I can't wear my lenses but prefer contacts. I held off for several years because of the cost though.

Varifocals aren't for everyone but I have a pair of glasses just for my computer, I take my laptop to the opticians with me and they just test using that instead of the distance. I think I'm going to get them as bifocals so I have a reading bit too, but my reading prescription is quite different.

I’m the same as @DramaAlpaca , a pair of occupational glasses that are varifocals with my reading prescription and a distance prescription set for the distance of my computer screen. Too underpowered for proper distance vision like when I’m driving - I’ve got a separate pair of glasses with my full distance prescription. (Plus many many other glasses of various prescriptions for different situations but that’s another story)

I have recently got a pair of glasses for intermediate work as my optician called working at a computer.

Theyre single vision but a lesser prescription then my distance prescription and they’re great, only issue is I’ve not got used to swapping glasses yet and keep realising I have the wrong pair on when I’m not at my desk.

I have a pair with a focal length perfect for my laptop screen. I don’t use them for anything else, I have normal reading glasses everywhere in the house. But the laptop ones are so useful

Tell your opticians you work at a screen
Mine are great.
three way varifocals

Good to know this is a thing, I'm actually fine reading with my contacts which I suspect don't correct quite as much as my glasses but are still legal for driving. I can actually still read in my glasses, it's just easier without.

My optician calls them intermediates. Still end up pushing them up to actually read, though.

Get your eyes tested again and they should give you the details as though they would be used for varifocals.

I don't need any correction for reading though, so would prefer to avoid the expense of varifocals.

I've got full strength contacts and then wear a cheap off the shelf pair of reading glasses when needed

You don't have to buy them, they just have to give you your prescription and then you either order online for the intermediate distance or ask them for a pair.

I'm not sure I follow what this means then?

Get your eyes tested again and they should give you the details as though they would be used for varifocals.

A prescription can show

1. What you need for distance
2. What you need for computer distance
3. What you need for close up (which can be nothing).

This is used for making varifocals or for single vision lenses for any of those categories.

I therefore have

Distance glasses - using measurement 1
Computer glasses - using measurement 2
Varifocals - using measurements 1, 2 and 3
Sunglasses - using measurement 1

I bought the varifocals at the optician because I wanted them.

I bought the single vision glasses online, using the measurement 2 from my prescription that the optician has to give me by Law.

I take off my single vision glasses if I want to look at something up close. I don't have to with my varifocals.

If anything happens to my varifocals or I fancy a style change/it's sunny, I wear single vision glasses/sunglasses.

Same here - they're great for screen work