Easing Eye Strain with the Right Lenses (2012)

Most people can wear contacts just fine with zero side effects. I've been wearing contacts for more than 20 years. I started with yearly lenses, then monthlies, then dailies, then multi-focal dailies. They've all been superb, and I've never had any issues with dryness. I use contacts from morning to night, only switching to glasses when going to bed.

People are different. I know several people who wear glasses and who say they tried contacts but that it was very uncomfortable due to drying. But I also know many more people who do wear contacts without issues. I know a person who uses "night and day" lenses that you sleep with. I tried this type myself, and every day I woke up with my eyes clogged with mucus. Again, people are different.

A good opthamologist will monitor your vision and look for corneal issues. As one gets older, the risk of corneal detachment increases, but again, it's highly individual.

wait, can you expand on that? i went to ucsd, is there some uc program where alumni get some kind of benefits from the medical programs? or is it just cal?

Maybe, but you can check the Internet about eye dryness. I think there is a lack of stats in this area. The problem is that people react differently. And for some people the damage from dryness is quasi-permanent. So unless there are very established measures/stats, I'd not take risks.

I don't think there's a reciprocation agreement. There is for library privileges. You can actually join as a UCSD alum. Life is about $750 (it was less when I joined) which has paid for itself for me. I believe there are alumni advantages at UCSF Dental as well.

The computer glasses are single vision lenses (not progressive or bi/trifocal) corrected for the distance to my laptop screen, about 20". This is not a "reading" prescription, which would be more like 16" and not suitable for computer use. I bring my ThinkPad to the optometrist to check the prescription while I'm there. They have test lenses they can combine to show you what the final prescription will look like.

At my home office I use an external 24" 4K monitor in portrait mode in addition to the ThinkPad's high-DPI display. The monitor is mounted on an Amazon Basics adjustable arm (made by Ergotron), so I can easily position it at the same 20" distance from my eyes. This is a great combination with documentation on the portrait monitor and code on the ThinkPad display.

The general use glasses are progressive lenses with magnetic clip-on sunglasses. I don't like the clip-on sunglasses that have actual clips, even though you can get them for any kind of glasses. The magnetics are much nicer, although there aren't too many choices available. Flexon still makes one set.

Since I always wear shirts with pockets, this is really handy. I can use the clip-ons when outside or driving, and then when I walk indoors I simply snap them off and put them in my pocket. They don't need to go in a case when I do this; the clip-ons go in my pocket with the front facing out so I hardly notice they are there, and a cotton shirt provides ample protection.

I like progressives much better than bi/trifocals, because there are not just two or three discrete focus distances, but an entire range from infinity down to much closer than the 20" computer glasses. They are fine for reading on a phone screen or a Kindle too, since you don't need such a large area in focus. They are also great for photography; you can have both the camera's display and the subject in focus at the same time.

There is really no need for a separate pair of "reading" glasses, since the computer lenses and progressives cover all the bases.

I do not recommend progressives (nor bi/trifocals) for computer use. They are a recipe for eye and neck strain as you tilt your head back and look down through the bottom part of the lens. When I see people do this I cringe. It's OK for a few minutes but not for any longer term use.

I do occasionally use the progressives when I'm looking over someone's shoulder at their screen. It's probably going to be a lot farther away than my 20" laptop distance, so I can't really use the computer glasses.

I don't recommend the trendy-looking lenses that have very little height. They don't work well for computer use, since they may not cover the entire screen at the time, and they are terrible as progressives since the compress the focus area so much. How you see is more important than how you look.

I definitely recommend getting your eyes checked even if you are much younger than me. You may think you are doing OK, just like I thought for years. But when I finally realized I wasn't seeing my computer screen as clearly as I should, and I visited a good optometrist with my laptop and tried their temporary lenses, I was amazed by the difference.

Most people's eyes change fairly rapidly during their 40's. You may need a new prescription every year or two. After that the changes slow down and you can probably use the same prescription a bit longer. But there still are changes over time, and it's a good idea to get regular eye exams to check for other problems.

This combination of prescription computer lenses and progressives with magnetic clip-ons continues to serve me well at the age of 65. With the computer prescription, I can see every pixel on a medium-DPI display, so it has spoiled me and I only like high-DPI displays now.