Answer True or False to the following questions to test your Eye-Q.
- Sometimes the reason your back hurts is because your glasses are not correct for the task you are performing.
- I don’t need glasses normally, so I don’t need glasses at work.
- Eliminating reflections on your computer monitor will help reduce eye strain.
- There are other types of specialized glasses that can be created for individual workplace needs.
- An anti-reflective coating should only be put on your computer lenses.
AT THE OFFICE
Do you come home from work with a kink in your neck, stiff shoulders, a headache or a pain in your lower back from sitting in front of a computer monitor all day? You might think you need a new chair but it could be you need new glasses. Many of the symptoms listed above are the result of twisting and turning your body into unique positions in an attempt to physically adjust the distance and angle between your eyes and the computer
monitor. This can result in a sore neck, shoulders or back.
Here are some of the signs that you might need a specialty pair of glasses just for work:
- Blurred vision
- Eye Strain
- Headaches
- Neck and shoulder pain
- Lower back pain
Your all around glasses may not be right for extended computer work. Computer monitors are typically 20 to 26 inches from your eyes. This is considered an intermediate distance—closer than what you use to drive a car but farther away than what you use to read. Special lens designs for computer work give you a large intermediate area for viewing the computer and your immediate work are like the top of your desk.
LENS DESIGNS
Your eye care professional can help you select the best lens design for your visual needs and working situation. For people who don’t normally wear glasses but need help keeping the computer screen in focus, a pair of single vision glasses will help your eyes focus on your computer screen. This will provide the largest field of vision in the intermediate viewing area, reducing the risk of eyestrain and unnatural posture.
If you are already wearing glasses for distance, close-up work or both, a pair of multifocal lenses will help you see at all the distances you need, especially in the intermediate area where your computer sits. Lenses designed for computer use have little to no distance correction and are not recommended for driving or other distance tasks.
Not interested in another pair of frames just for your computer lenses? It may be possible that your eye care practitioner can order a pair of clip-ons—similar to sun clip-ons—that can be attached to your regular glasses for when you are working at the computer.
EYESTRAIN
Often eyestrain is caused by bright office lightening. If you can control your office environment, make sure the overhead lights aren’t too bright or window light isn’t shining directly on your monitor causing glare. Close drapes, shades or blinds to help reduce light coming from outside and use fewer light bulbs or lower intensity bulbs inside. Make sure your chair is adjusted to the proper height so you are not tilting your head up or down to Some tasks such as cooking require not only your close up vision to be crystal clear (reading the recipes) but also your intermediate vision to be sharp as well (for measuring out ingredients). This is another situation where a special pair of glasses can provide you with the best visual solution for a particular task or hobby. view the computer screen. To reduce glare coming from brightly painted walls or other finished surfaces you can install an anti-glare screen on your monitor or a computer hood. There is another way you can reduce glare and that’s on your eyewear. Make sure your regular glasses and/or your computer glasses have an anti-reflective (AR) coating. An AR coating eliminates reflections on the surface of your lenses allowing more light to enter your eye, making it easier to see.
MORE THAN COMPUTER NEEDS
Don’t work on a computer? There are other specialty workplace frames and lenses your eye care professional can create to meet the unique needs of your particular work environment. One of the more popular choices is for “interview frames”. An interview frame is perfect for office meetings or for salesperson activities. Another example, is if you need to see close up when you are looking up all the time, the reading area of your lenses can be placed at the top of your lenses instead of at the bottom. Safety frames and lenses are also available to protect your eyes in the most hazardous work environments. With today’s new technology in frame and lens designs, your work glasses can be both fashionable and functional.
