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If you're old enough to need progressive lenses, do yourself a real favor and get a second pair of glasses: a single vision set adjusted for normal monitor/lapt

If you're old enough to need progressive lenses, do yourself a real favor and get a second pair of glasses: a single vision set adjusted for normal monitor/laptop distance. With that 55" monitor, how far away are you going to put it? Across the room? With single vision glasses you can choose how far away to put the monitor. I had mine adjusted to 20", the distance to my laptop screen in normal use. I'm currently using a MacBook Pro Retina 15" running Windows 10, and my second monitor is a 24" 4K monitor, a ViewSonic VX2475SMHL-4K mounted on an Amazon Basics (Ergotron) arm, spending most of its time in portrait mode. With the adjustable arm I can put this monitor at the same viewing distance as the laptop screen, or rotate it to landscape mode for a movie. Portrait mode works out great for everyday programming - I can have documentation on the portrait screen and code on the MacBook screen. And if I want to go someplace, I can just pack up the MacBook and still have a perfectly crisp view of the entire screen. Can't do that with progressives. I can't recommend the single vision lenses highly enough - it's one of the best things I ever did for myself. (But don't just ask for "reading glasses" - those will be closer to a 16" focusing distance, much too close for computer use. Bring your laptop to the optometrist and you can try out different lens corrections right there.)

billforsternz 10y ago
I agree. I am 56 and have used single vision glasses since I was 16. But recently I noticed my distance vision was poor and my optometrist recommended progressives. They're great for almost everything. But not computing! I just use my old glasses. I am lucky I suppose that they just happen to be in the sweet spot. I have a third pair just for reading, and they don't really suit programming either.
phkahler 10y ago
At work my setup is in a corner desk. I have a laptop right in front of me and a 24" monitor propped up about a foot behind it, so I setup the displays as being one above the other. I can see both completely. glance down for the laptop and look forward for the big display. My glasses are a progressive lens with distance straight ahead and an intermediate "computer" distance part way down, and reading at the bottom. With some head tilt I am able to use both monitors through the middle section (the far part is still workable for the far monitor though a little head tilt improves is). For my phone or reading I look down and for driving I just do as normal. For a single large desk monitor of that height, I may need a different pair of glasses. I wouldn't want to tilt my head back far enough to see the top of it clearly. Perhaps just a non-variable lens optimized for the display distance. I could keep them on that desk when not in use. Yeah, for all those younger HN readers that whole "lens hardening unable to change focus" thing usually happens some time in your 40s. It's one of the first "old people" things to happen and you're not really old when it hits. Our line of work makes it especially challenging to find a good solution, but they are out there. Custom lenses that work for you are worth every cent.

billforsternz 10y ago

I agree. I am 56 and have used single vision glasses since I was 16. But recently I noticed my distance vision was poor and my optometrist recommended progressives. They're great for almost everything. But not computing! I just use my old glasses. I am lucky I suppose that they just happen to be in the sweet spot. I have a third pair just for reading, and they don't really suit programming either.

phkahler 10y ago

At work my setup is in a corner desk. I have a laptop right in front of me and a 24" monitor propped up about a foot behind it, so I setup the displays as being one above the other. I can see both completely. glance down for the laptop and look forward for the big display. My glasses are a progressive lens with distance straight ahead and an intermediate "computer" distance part way down, and reading at the bottom. With some head tilt I am able to use both monitors through the middle section (the far part is still workable for the far monitor though a little head tilt improves is). For my phone or reading I look down and for driving I just do as normal. For a single large desk monitor of that height, I may need a different pair of glasses. I wouldn't want to tilt my head back far enough to see the top of it clearly. Perhaps just a non-variable lens optimized for the display distance. I could keep them on that desk when not in use. Yeah, for all those younger HN readers that whole "lens hardening unable to change focus" thing usually happens some time in your 40s. It's one of the first "old people" things to happen and you're not really old when it hits. Our line of work makes it especially challenging to find a good solution, but they are out there. Custom lenses that work for you are worth every cent.