Love My Work Place Glasses

I am going to admit something to you that I probably shouldn’t……are you ready?  Yesterday I drove home in my “work place” glasses.  Yikes! Many of you may be saying, ‘what are work place glasses’ and others of you that have them are probably saying, ‘I’ve done the same thing’. 

If you are approaching half a century in chronologic age, you have probably noticed in our digital world that your standard progressive works well at the computer but not perfectly.  That is because in a standard progressive lens the power gradually improves as you look down through the lens.  Yet where do we look at our computer in today’s world?  Typically, straight ahead (ideally 20 degrees below the horizon).  The other factor that we know is that to put every power needed in a progressive lens there must be some compromises.  One of the compromises is that the computer range power has the narrowest field of vision.  Since we now use wider and wider monitors, this means the standard progressive requires you to move your head more side to side.  Even though the designs have become much better, for instance in the Varilux-X which is maximized for computer use, there is still a draw-back in it’s inherent standard progressive design.

The solution?  A work place or computer lens.  This is a lens that is made for our digital world and particularly for those of us who have less focusing muscle ability than others (50 plus).  This lens, pure and simple, is outstanding!  During a day of seeing patients I wear my standard progressive lens.  Yet, when I return to my office during the day or at the end of the day or in the evening doing the necessary extra documentation, paperwork, review etc., I immediately put on my work place lens.  It just works well and better.  When I put it on, the field of view is enhanced so I don’t have to move my head to see the computer.  In fact, because it’s inherent design is for a five or ten-foot room (depending on which is more conducive to your work) I can see everything in my office, the paperwork on my desk, the computer screens, and turn around and have a comfortable visual meeting with another doctor or staff member in the office.  Pure and simple it is an outstanding functional lens for the way we use our eyes with digital devices today.

Is there a draw back? Well, everything comes with pros and cons.  The draw back is that it is a second pair of glasses that does not suffice for distance or driving.  It is not made for that.  I don’t wear it to go to the Titans games.  I don’t wear it to watch a basketball game.  I don’t wear it to watch TV at home since my TV is slightly farther than what my typical office distance would be.  And yet I must confess after having it on in the office, it’s visually so comfortable and I can be so much more efficient in my work and have less eye fatigue that I sometimes forget and leave it on when I start to drive home.  Shhhhhh!  Please don’t tell anyone.  That’s just between us.  It is one of the pitfalls of owning a work place lens.  If you own one, you know.  If you don’t, you really need to try it.