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Ask HN: Do your eyes bug you even though your prescription is "correct"?

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Re: Ask HN: Do your eyes bug you even though your prescription is "correct"?

#151
post #71

The solution for me to eliminate headaches when working at computer screens was getting an extra set of intermediate distance glasses specifically for computer work. The "computer screen distance" of 3 ft is in between book-reading distance of 1 feet and driving distance 20'+ feet. I also avoid progressive lenses or high-index lenses for computer work. I commented about how arrived at this solution previously: https:…

I use different corrections for laptop at about 18-28" and reading in an armchair at 15-23" -ish. It's really not a big difference in distance!! - and still very noticeable.

It's not for avoiding outright headaches (I don't get vision headaches) but it's clearly more comfortable. It's quite possible that what's pleasant is in part the change of pace - but it is also better adapted for sharpness.

Re: Ask HN: Do your eyes bug you even though your prescription is "correct"?

#152
I'll give you my summary, yes.

1. My perscription was out of date by two years and I let it go too long. My eyes struggled to compensate. Got it fixed.

2. For a while I had two different computer setups at different lengths, that contributed to it, they were different by almost two feet. Made changes to make them about the same distance.

3. My night computer I used in a dark room with no backlight. Added a single directed light facing the wall behind the monitor which gives it a soft but focused glow around the computer.

4. I'm PWM sensitive (see associated subreddit). I reduced brightness drastically on my phone and it helped alot with eye exhaustion since my brand is a well known bad source of PWM eye exhaustion and headaches.

After all these changes and a healing time of about a month, I'm back to being able to see individual pixels in text on my screens. My eyes feel like they have de-aged about 10-15 years and eye exhaustion almost never happens now, maybe once in a month and a half, after a few bad nights.

Other stuff that helped, improving sleep and restfulness and getting out and doing exercise more often. Also not using glasses when not needed.

Hope this helps!

Re: Ask HN: Do your eyes bug you even though your prescription is "correct"?

#153

Since it hasn't been mentioned yet, I must add this: when we work and focus, especially when using digital screens, we tend to blink a lot less frequently. If tear composition is not good or there are other exacerbating factors (e.g. an AC with high flow), the break-up of the tear film can easily lead to eyestrain and even blurry vision. In such situations, preservative-free artificial tear drops 3-5x a day can lead…

Yawning helps with tear production.

Re: Ask HN: Do your eyes bug you even though your prescription is "correct"?

#154
post #71

The solution for me to eliminate headaches when working at computer screens was getting an extra set of intermediate distance glasses specifically for computer work. The "computer screen distance" of 3 ft is in between book-reading distance of 1 feet and driving distance 20'+ feet. I also avoid progressive lenses or high-index lenses for computer work. I commented about how arrived at this solution previously: https:…

I use a 60" TV and get farther from it. Stopped needing glasses.

I don't wear glasses (yet) but came to this thread to ask what effect this would have. (I do a good chunk of my computing on a 65" display at 2m.)

Re: Ask HN: Do your eyes bug you even though your prescription is "correct"?

#155
post #71

The solution for me to eliminate headaches when working at computer screens was getting an extra set of intermediate distance glasses specifically for computer work. The "computer screen distance" of 3 ft is in between book-reading distance of 1 feet and driving distance 20'+ feet. I also avoid progressive lenses or high-index lenses for computer work. I commented about how arrived at this solution previously: https:…

Same here: my reading glasses are great for reading, but when I work with computers, my screen is halfway between wrist and knuckles on an extended arm. That's too far for reading glasses. So I got a set of intermediates and things are great. I use them for working with a screen or a laptop, while I use the reading glasses for reading, soldering and other work where the objects I'm looking at are within 40cm of my eyes.

Re: Ask HN: Do your eyes bug you even though your prescription is "correct"?

#156
post #71

The solution for me to eliminate headaches when working at computer screens was getting an extra set of intermediate distance glasses specifically for computer work. The "computer screen distance" of 3 ft is in between book-reading distance of 1 feet and driving distance 20'+ feet. I also avoid progressive lenses or high-index lenses for computer work. I commented about how arrived at this solution previously: https:…

> book-reading distance of 1 feet

12 inches?

that's way too close

Re: Ask HN: Do your eyes bug you even though your prescription is "correct"?

#157

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not OP, but would like to try it. How much weaker? And should I weaken the cylinder strength as well?

Don't trust random strangers on the internet! You should ask a qualified or licensed optometrist or optician or whatever it's called wherever you live. AIUI: - you don't adjust CYL - The amount you add is roughly 0.75, plus an extra 0.05 for each year above 40yo. For example, at age 50: Add = 0.75 + 0.05 × (50 − 40) = 0.75 + 0.5 = 1.25 So let's say that this person's regular glasses are -3.25 in each eye. Their compu…

My optometrist set the adjustable lenses to what he thought was in the right ballpark and then had me read the chart at my requested distance for the computers lenses. A few adjustments, and done. They're perfect! Bonus: text is a bit bigger now, and I can read smaller fonts than I could before getting computer glasses.

The downside of this is that I now find it very difficult to read computer screens and my phone while wearing my distance lenses. The practice of holding things further away to be able to read them always was, I suppose, inevitable.

Re: Ask HN: Do your eyes bug you even though your prescription is "correct"?

#158
I had what you described. This correlated significantly with reduced sleep / increased stress at work / increased blood pressure. Eye strain and headache would come within a couple of hours.

Some time ago I prioritised sleep, inner calm, strict 9-5 work etc. Both blood pressure got better and eyestrain / headaches went away soon after.

Re: Ask HN: Do your eyes bug you even though your prescription is "correct"?

#159
post #156
post #71

The solution for me to eliminate headaches when working at computer screens was getting an extra set of intermediate distance glasses specifically for computer work. The "computer screen distance" of 3 ft is in between book-reading distance of 1 feet and driving distance 20'+ feet. I also avoid progressive lenses or high-index lenses for computer work. I commented about how arrived at this solution previously: https:…

> book-reading distance of 1 feet 12 inches? that's way too close

Can’t find the message you’re replying to but I think you’re imagining the person sitting up.

Imagine them lying down or propped up on their elbows with the book on the floor. Then that distance seems about right.

Re: Ask HN: Do your eyes bug you even though your prescription is "correct"?

#160

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I use a 60" TV and get farther from it. Stopped needing glasses.

I don't wear glasses (yet) but came to this thread to ask what effect this would have. (I do a good chunk of my computing on a 65" display at 2m.)

I also regularly look farther away out the window and back inside. That kept me going back and forth on needing glasses for years, but when I set up the monitor, no more need for glasses. (I'm 65)
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