"Can I wear my reading glasses at the computer?" is one of the most common questions we hear. The short answer is: it depends on how far away the thing you are looking at is. Here is how reading glasses and computer glasses differ, and which one fits your day.
It is about distance
| You look at | Roughly how far | Distance type |
|---|
| Book, phone, handwriting | 30 to 40cm | Near |
| Laptop or desktop screen | 50 to 70cm | Intermediate |
| TV, road, classroom board | Several metres | Distance |
Reading glasses are ground for the first row. A screen sits in the second. That gap is why a pair that is perfect for a book can feel "off" at a laptop.
Reading glasses
Made for near work. Good for books, newspapers, menus, forms and a phone held at a normal distance. If your prescription has an ADD value, this is what it is for. See the best reading glasses buying guide.
Computer glasses
Frames fitted with a lens for screen work. They typically filter part of the blue-violet light from screens and reduce reflections off the lens surface. That describes the lens, not a treatment. They can be zero power if you do not need correction, or made to your prescription if you do. Browse computer glasses, or read who needs them and how to buy.
Which one for your day?
- Mostly phone, paper and cooking labels: reading glasses.
- Office work, six or more hours at a screen: computer glasses.
- Students: a mix. Books and notes are near work, and a laptop is screen work. If you have a prescription, ask your optometrist which working distances to cover.
- Both, and tired of swapping: ask about progressive lenses, which cover several distances in one pair.
Tell the optician your screen distance
If you order glasses for screen work, tell us how far your screen sits from your eyes and what you do all day. That detail matters more than the label on the frame. Our guide to computer glasses vs blue cut lenses explains what blue cut lenses can and cannot do.
When glasses are not the answer
If your eyes hurt, burn or give you headaches, glasses may not be the cause or the fix. Get them tested, and take regular breaks from the screen. See 5 warning signs you need an eye test.
This article is general information, not medical advice. For persistent symptoms or any sudden change in your vision, see an eye-care professional.
Not sure which lens suits you?
Tell us what you do most of the day and send your prescription. We will explain the options and what each one costs before you pay.
Ask Deepak Optical for lens advice.
Call nowAsk for lens adviceGet directions
