Reading glasses prescription (for computers)

[tim0409]

Hi

I had my eyes tested around 10 months ago and had my reading glasses prescription increased from when I first needed glasses two years prior. The optician mentioned that I would probably need to hold things closer and that has certainly been the case.

The glasses are great for reading my iPad, which I use a lot, and my kindle, but I find I have to position my desktop monitor close to me when working, and I struggle to use my laptop; the optimal distance for my current reading glasses is around 14" and the distance for my desktop and laptop is around 26". As my glasses prescription isn't complicated I buy them online, and wondered if there was a formula for calculating the difference between reading and computing glasses without the hassle of going back and getting re-tested? My current prescription is + .75 (R) -0.25 CYL 45 AXIS and .50 (L)

Has anybody experienced this, or is a trip back to the optician the best option?

Thanks

Tim

[Jenny Tailor]

tim0409 said:

Hi

I had my eyes tested around 10 months ago and had my reading glasses prescription increased from when I first needed glasses two years prior. The optician mentioned that I would probably need to hold things closer and that has certainly been the case.

The glasses are great for reading my iPad, which I use a lot, and my kindle, but I find I have to position my desktop monitor close to me when working, and I struggle to use my laptop; the optimal distance for my current reading glasses is around 14" and the distance for my desktop and laptop is around 26". As my glasses prescription isn't complicated I buy them online, and wondered if there was a formula for calculating the difference between reading and computing glasses without the hassle of going back and getting re-tested? My current prescription is + .75 (R) -0.25 CYL 45 AXIS and .50 (L)

Has anybody experienced this, or is a trip back to the optician the best option?

Thanks

Tim

I have

- dedicated reading glasses.

- varifocals specifically set for VDU and reading.
Wouldn't be without them - brilliant.

I also have a set of normal varifocals which have long range, mid range and reading.


I would go off to the opticians - and tell them you need a set for varifocals for VDU work and reading.
It's a game changer for me.

[tim0409]

Many thanks for the helpful reply; will speak to the optician tomorrow.

[Jenny Tailor]

I should add the optician asked how far away the VDU was from my head and she adjusted her instruments to match.

Well worth it

[loskie]

I get provided with glasses for screen use (DSU) free by work. I have a reading pair and a screen pear. They' re different, in what way I don't know. 52 now I had to start with reading glasses about 41. It does get worse that's for sure.

[Armitage.Shanks]

when I had my eyes tested at Asda I knew I needed reading glasses but figured they would be useless for a computer screen so the optician gave me the 'intermediate' prescription numbers (somewhere between near and far sight levels).

I ordered a set online from glasses direct and they are spot on for PC work.

For comparison my readers are R + 2.50 ; L +2.0
Intermediate are: R + 1.75 ; L +1.25

Looking at the above it appears knocking 0.75 off each reader lens gives the right focal length?
(The Readers I bought are also spot on)

[tim0409]

Armitage.Shanks said:

when I had my eyes tested at Asda I knew I needed reading glasses but figured they would be useless for a computer screen so the optician gave me the 'intermediate' prescription numbers (somewhere between near and far sight levels).

I ordered a set online from glasses direct and they are spot on for PC work.

For comparison my readers are R + 2.50 ; L +2.0
Intermediate are: R + 1.75 ; L +1.25

Looking at the above it appears knocking 0.75 off each reader lens gives the right focal length?
(The Readers I bought are also spot on)

I hope you don't mind me asking, but what was your for sphere/cylinder/axis on your reading and intermediate prescription?

I called the optician (Boots) today and they were less than helpful, and just wanted to sell me another pair of glasses...

Edited by tim0409 on Thursday 27th January 20:14

[Jenny Tailor]

Found my prescription for vdu and reading

1.25 vdu
2.00 reading

[tim0409]

Jenny Tailor said:

Found my prescription for vdu and reading

1.25 vdu
2.00 reading

Thanks for that, and it chimes with what i’ve read so far. Did they alter your sphere value?

I’ve found an online calculator and it gives me the following -

[Jenny Tailor]

Reading number plates at distance - they are a bit fuzzy for me... so some corrective stuff needed.

My prescription was as follows


Right : Sphere 0.25 Cyl 0.50 Axis 90
Left: Sphere 0.25 Cal 0.50 Axis 90

Additionally

For near +2.00
For VDU +1.25


So glasses no 1 for driving etc - had 3 zones - top 1/3rd distance, mid 3rd - midrange, lower 3rd near

Set of specs no 2 - Top half VDU, lower half Near


Hope this helps.



If I were you - I'd go to an optician - it's only £30 or so for the test - and they check the health of your eyes also.

Edited by Jenny Tailor on Friday 28th January 08:49

[Armitage.Shanks]

tim0409 said:

Armitage.Shanks said:

when I had my eyes tested at Asda I knew I needed reading glasses but figured they would be useless for a computer screen so the optician gave me the 'intermediate' prescription numbers (somewhere between near and far sight levels).

I ordered a set online from glasses direct and they are spot on for PC work.

For comparison my readers are R + 2.50 ; L +2.0
Intermediate are: R + 1.75 ; L +1.25

Looking at the above it appears knocking 0.75 off each reader lens gives the right focal length?
(The Readers I bought are also spot on)

I hope you don't mind me asking, but what was your for sphere/cylinder/axis on your reading and intermediate prescription?

I called the optician (Boots) today and they were less than helpful, and just wanted to sell me another pair of glasses...

Sphere : Cyl : Axis for Intermediate:
Right: +1.75 : -2.0 : 97
Left: +1.25 : -2.0 : 85

Cyl and Axis are the same across three different ranges - Reading, intermediate and far sight

[redhotsheep]

So dioptres have a nice easy focal length calculation: 1/focal length in metres.

So for 1m you need 1 dioptre, for 0.5m you need 2 dioptres etc (ignoring the eye as a focusing element itself). But we know what works for you at reading distance.

So your distances are 14inches (0.36m) and 26inches (0.66m). So difference in dioptre power is 2.77 (1/0.36) - 1.51 (1/0.66) = 1.26 dioptres.

Given you are good at 0.36m with +0.75 for the right eye, you would imagine you'd need 1.26 dioptres less for 0.66m. So 0.75 - 1.25 = -0.5 (you don't need to change cyl).
The other eye +0.5 - 1.25 = -0.75.

Edited by redhotsheep on Friday 28th January 15:42

[sociopath]

Varifocals for everyday life, £5 reading specs from B&M for PC work

[Armitage.Shanks]

sociopath said:

Varifocals for everyday life, £5 reading specs from B&M for PC work

If you've got an astigmatism (which most people have) then the budget glasses from B&M etc are ste. I've had them for less than a fiver. However with the deal I got on Glasses Direct I managed to get a pair of readers and an intermediate pair (for PC) for £15 that were MY prescription. Night and day compared to cheapo one size fits all specs.

From now on I'll happily pay the extra money as the clarity justifies the cost on its own.

[Jenny Tailor]

Armitage.Shanks said:

If you've got an astigmatism (which most people have) then the budget glasses from B&M etc are ste. I've had them for less than a fiver. However with the deal I got on Glasses Direct I managed to get a pair of readers and an intermediate pair (for PC) for £15 that were MY prescription. Night and day compared to cheapo one size fits all specs.

From now on I'll happily pay the extra money as the clarity justifies the cost on its own.

^
This

[sociopath]

If you have astigmatism I agree. But I don't, and no idea if the OP has.

If he has I agree, but if he hasn't why waste money?

[Armitage.Shanks]

sociopath said:

If he has I agree, but if he hasn't why waste money?

So if you have exactly the same prescription in both eyes and no astigmatism then shop bought 'readers' are fine? I'm no optician but I would bet there aren't many people with an identical prescription for both eyes AND no astigmatism at the age they may need reading glasses.

Perhaps if he has different focal lengths for each eye he can but 2 pairs of the cheap ones at different strnegths and use the lenses to makes one good pair for a tenner

I'm not usually one for blowing excess money but for the extra fiver I'll stick with the offer I got.

[Jenny Tailor]

Not sure how it works for everyone else.

I have all but the 1 pair of eyes.

It is really not an area of my health I wish to compromise on.

Eye tests are cheap. And I mean really cheap - and it comes with a full internal eye examination - which helps mitigate potential eye health issues.

You can get your glasses made anywhere,
What you need is an accurate prescription ( mine has changed over the years )
and a health check on your eyes.

[Cotty]

Jenny Tailor said:

I have

- dedicated reading glasses.

- varifocals specifically set for VDU and reading.
Wouldn't be without them - brilliant.

I have the same, perfect for the office when you have to write and read papers on the desk and then see the screen.

[tim0409]

Thanks again for all the helpful advice. I appreciate the advice to revisit the optician, but I really wanted to avoid it at the moment if possible as I have a medical mask exemption, and here in Scotland I try and avoid places where it would make me, or others, feel uncomfortable.

I spoke to one of the online suppliers of prescription glasses, and they calculated the intermediate add, which was 50% of the reading add; I ordered a cheap pair of frames with an introductory discount code to try them out and they are revelation! The text is perfectly sharp and I no longer have to sit right next to the monitor!