Please help me see at work!

[Helpmechooseausername]

I am short sighted and wear contact lenses. I'm also old and wear reading glasses to read or use my phone.

At work I sometimes have to do a job that involves reading from a piece of paper and then looking back up at a computer screen and I'm really struggling with it! If I put my glasses on to read the paper I then have to take them off (or peer over them like a granny!) to see my screen properly, which is annoying as it takes a couple of seconds for my eyes to adjust each time.

Is there a solution to this? Please help a blind old lady 😂

Book an optician appointment

Yes see an optician and ask about varifocals

Varifocals!

I have some glasses with ‘occupational lenses’ for exactly this. Sort of beginner varifocals.

i had glasses that were for computer distance and a bit nearer which seemed to work - think a little lesss strong than your reading glasses

the alternative is varifocals but they are not great with large screens - fine if it’s a laptop

Varifocals.

I only have sight in one eye but now need reading glasses for the first time in my life. Continuously having to take them on and off again at work, annoying but that’s how it is. Because of the difference in my eyes it also gives me vertigo, hoping they cure blindness in my lifetime.

Varifocals. I couldn't teach without them.

Yes, varifocals, or seeing as you're using contact lenses anyway, varifocal contact lenses. DP has these and he says they're like witchcraft. He gets his from Boots, but that's because we have a big Boots with evening appointments and free parking near us, no idea about how pricing or service compares with any other available suppliers.

Go to the optician. There are lots of options but I basically have a short sighted contact in one eye and a long sighted contact in the other. Game changer. No glasses & same price as my usual short sighted contacts. They take some getting used to but worth persisting & seeing if they work.

I feel your pain. I hate varifocals and can’t get on with the occupational glasses my optician suggested. Due to laser eye surgery many years ago, I now have one short sighted eye while the other is long sighted. I try and get by with just my reading glasses at work and have a separate pair of distance ones for driving and watching tv. It’s a bloody nuisance.

Try varifocals, but...they worked for me for several years and then I found that I was having to stick my nose 2 inches in front of my laptop to read anything at all. Now, oh joy, I have varifocals AND occupational glasses and have to keep switching back and forth, which is v annoying but it's great to be able to see the screen again.

Yep definitely varifocals, I have a similar issue. They were a bit strange at first but fine now

Thanks for the replies! Should have mentioned that I wear varifocal glasses when I'm not wearing contacts, but I wear contacts all day every day so only wear my varifocal glasses in the evenings, not when I'm at work.
I've tried varifocal contacts but didn't like the compromise in my distance sight so I ditched them as driving was an issue.
I'm contemplating using a magnifying glass but fear what's left of my street cred will run away laughing!!

Varifocal glasses or varifocal contacts

Ignore me, should have RTWT.

Why can’t you wear varifocals at work? That would seem like the obvious answer.

I have this issue OP. I just push my reading glasses onto my head (like when you are wearing sunglasses and go inside) when I don’t need to read something. It works fine for me they are always on hand when I need them and I don’t lose them putting them down somewhere.

Lens replacement surgery if you have the money. I couldn’t get on with varifocals and hated swapping between 3 pairs of glasses.

Because I drive to work. The varifocal contacts were no good for driving and I really can't be bothered to change contacts when I get to work and before I leave!

I took 4 (4!) pairs of glasses with me on holiday last year! Varifocals, reading glasses, sunglasses and prescription sunglasses!! And contact lenses! FFS!

Oh I wish! That would be one of the things I'd do if I ever came into a significant amount of money!

You need a pair of demi lune reading glasses. They may sit slightly lower on your nose than regular glasses. When you look down you look through the glasses, but when you look up or straight ahead you look over the glasses. Google them.

They’re the cheapest option, and may be perfect for you.

I have a pair of occupational varifocals, which are supposed to be for close work and computer work. They are perfect. And I can see well enough with them that I don’t need to take them off when I walk around, either. But they are a more expensive solution.

I had the same issue. Its probably not the answer you want, but I have just learned to accept wearing varifocal glasses to work, I have daily disposable contacts for when I want to wear them on non work days and cheap reading glasses to wear with them. I started spending a lot more on my glasses, so they are properly size adjusted for my face, not just off the shelf frames. They are also a striking colour so they make a statement, glasses make my eyes appear so much smaller, statement frames help to balance that out.

Ask your contact lens optician about monovision…. You can wear one CL for distance, and one for reading.
Very much depends on your prescription, and what your corrected vision is like, but can work well for some people for sure!

I had perfect vision up to 4 years ago, started wearing readers and then got varifocals 2 years ago because faffing with glasses on and off isn't worth it, they fell off, I lost them and didn't like looking at people all fuzzy when I kept them on!
Only thing is I'm not comfortable driving in them, distance is no problem as well as anything around the car, people, signs ect, it's just reading words on the sat nav can be tricky!

Can you get them to create varifocal occupationals to work with your contacts? No idea if that's possible!