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Does anyone know if these glasses, or any other glasses, can be tried in-person and used on desktop? I'm legally blind, but have just enough vision to use a scr

Does anyone know if these glasses, or any other glasses, can be tried in-person and used on desktop? I'm legally blind, but have just enough vision to use a screen without a screen reader. The problem is I have to be about 6 inches from a 27 inch screen. I'm tall, and I'm almost bent in half to do it. It's been hell on my back and neck. I've only really made it work because I've modified so many things to get around it (i.e. customising Windows, Firefox, and so on). The part that makes it so tough is monitor arms come in standard sizes and are nowhere near long enough or extend far enough for me to sit comfortably. My dad modified my desk for me years ago to mount a monitor arm on wooden blocks, but it means I can't move the monitor much. Being able to wear glasses and ditch the monitor entirely would be a game changer for me. I know next to nothing about AR though, being as I assumed, perhaps wrongly, it isn't something that would work for me. Edit: Thank you for the replies. It means a lot. I've got some options to explore here now thanks to you.

conroydave 1y ago
if you are based in the USA, most stores have 30 day return policies. perhaps order them, try at home, and return if you they arent a fit for your situation
- johnh-hn 1y ago
  I'm in the UK, but the same idea applies, you're right. I'm just hoping there is a way to do it in-person as I might need to try quite a few types to get something that works.
  - wafflemaker 1y ago
    My wife uses Klarna to order multiple items, pay with Klarna (delayed payment) and then only pay for what is not sent back. Usually you have few weeks? to try the items, even though it's usually clothes stores that allow Klarna payment. Since you're in Europe, Klarna might work there.
colingauvin 1y ago
You can use them just as a monitor/without AR - some require a special USB-C to DP cable if you don't have native USB-C video out (or Thunderbolt), but they are a bit blurry compared to normal screens for me. I'm not sure how well they'd work for you. The other problem is they aren't quite up against your eyes the way VR headsets are. They project a screen that appears to be quite far away. I imagine you could lower the resolution though, and it might look closer.
- johnh-hn 1y ago
  Thanks for this. I definitely would lower the resolution if I could as I do the same thing with my screen. The only complication with that might be that in addition I also use: https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/windows_10_dpi_fix.html https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/windows_10_dpi_fix....
- toyg 1y ago
  Newer models, like the One and One Pro, allow you to set the distance. I think the minimum is 1.5m.
deleted 1y ago
[deleted]
brigade 1y ago
Glasses like these put the screen at a focal distance further than a monitor, closer to TV distance. Optics wise it’s basically the same as VR, if a VR headset is easier to try. If your corrected vision needs stuff 6” away, don’t expect AR or VR to be a solution with current optics
- johnh-hn 1y ago
  This is what I've been worried about. I have lens implants so I already have a fixed focus as well. The combination of the two would likely be a problem.
  - daniel_reetz 1y ago
    In a VR headset the virtual screen distance is set by the distance of the microdisplay from the lens in the headset. It's not crazy to think you could move the microdisplay position and get a virtual display at 6". There might be other optical consequences (aberrations, change in viewable area) but in principle it can work.
    - johnh-hn 1y ago
      I'd be open to trying something like this. It might be the kind of simple solution that would work for me.
    - Philpax 1y ago
      The microdisplays are usually fixed in place (and sometimes the display and optics are a single package), so it would likely be a bespoke solution.
    - ycui1986 1y ago
      a few AR glasses come with adjustable knobs for nearsighted people. So, not all of them are fixed distance.
  - swsieber 1y ago
    Some ar glasses support adjustable focus, and others support custom prescription lenses.
noen 1y ago
Basically all XR devices put the focal plane at between 0.5 and 1m away. It’s a very very complicated reason why, but this is unlikely to change for a very long time.
- gpm 1y ago
  Huh? I've always seen numbers larger than that Xreal claims > To mitigate this, the industry usually maintains the VID at over 1 meter; for instance, Apple's Vision Pro employs a distance of 1.1m, Meta Quest 3 sits at 1.25m, and Hololens boasts 2m. https://us.shop.xreal.com/blogs/buying-guide/prescription-lens-inserts-vs-diopter-adjustment-which-is-better https://us.shop.xreal.com/blogs/buying-guide/prescription-le... Though strangely they don't give a number their for their own devices. The article claims the focal plane on the xreal glasses is 10 feet (roughly 3m).
- Squeeze2664 1y ago
  Can you point to something to learn more about this?
- mkl 1y ago
  The article says his one is 10 feet (3m).
- numpad0 1y ago
  Why? I mean, can't you dial it in and out if you weren't folding the path and really needed that feature?
mh- 1y ago
Not an answer to your question, but re: monitor arms.. mine can be pulled out far enough it would touch my face. It mounts into a grommet drilled into my desk. I assume there's other reasons this isn't workable for you, but if it's for lack of finding a suitable arm, let me know and I'll find a link for you. My other recommendation would be to consider a standing desk. Even if you prefer to use it sitting, you can tweak the desktop height to your liking and help mitigate the posture issue.
- johnh-hn 1y ago
  That's kind of you to offer, and I'd appreciate that if you wouldn't mind. I have seen some that are a bit longer, but the height is too low for them to be of use.
  - mh- 1y ago
    Happy to (hopefully) help. I have the Fully Jarvis monitor arm[0]. But it looks like you can find substantially more options here[1] from Uplift, some of which might have better range. Back to the Jarvis, though: see how the photos of it show the arm in a typical "bent knee" shape? You can totally use it with both halves of the arm pointed in the same direction. I just did a quick measurement on mine and each of the arms is about 25 cm long, and they're fixed at a ~45° angle. So if you center its mount on your desk, you should be able to bring the monitor around[2] 35 cm closer to your face and still retain a lot of height adjustment (~34 to ~50, as measured from your desktop to the center of the display). If you go this route (and your desk doesn't have an existing grommet hole you can use), they sell a drill bit to bore one in the right diameter. [0]: https://store.hermanmiller.com/office-furniture-desk-accessories-organization/jarvis-single-monitor-arm/2548325-1.html https://store.hermanmiller.com/office-furniture-desk-accesso... [1]: https://www.upliftdesk.com/desk-accessories/monitor-arms/ https://www.upliftdesk.com/desk-accessories/monitor-arms/ [2]: cos(45°)*50cm
    - Groxx 1y ago
      If you don't mind having a "personalized" desk, arms that are meant to / able to go through the grommet often just have two (large) bolts. You could pretty easily drill through the middle of a desk and mount it at any distance. I have the dual version of this, which they don't seem to sell any more: https://www.upliftdesk.com/crestview-single-monitor-arm-by-uplift-desk/?13222=9649 https://www.upliftdesk.com/crestview-single-monitor-arm-by-u... but if you look at the "all components" image, you can see the steel plates and bolts that I use to attach mine - the bolts aren't part of the bent black thing, they work with that or either of the shiny steel plates. Those both fit within a grommet hole (the large circular holes in desks) with bit of free movement to adjust it, and the bottom of the "stand" is completely flat so it could very easily go anywhere - you put the plate under the desk, stick the bolts through it + through the desk hole, and they go into threaded holes on the underside of the stand. Some monitor arms are only meant to clamp onto the edge of a desk, and you won't be able to do this - I'd probably avoid those in this case tbh. (I've probably failed to adequately describe it - I can take pictures or draw something out if you'd like. It's not complicated, it's just... there are not many similar things that I can point to as a comparison that most people have at hand)
rcarmo 1y ago
I have very high myopia (over -10) and share your concerns. I really wish these things were designed to cater to people for whom alternate display tech would actually simplify our lives. So far I haven't seen anything that can deal with more than -8, and getting a custom prescription is usually prohibitively expensive. I can wear contacts to offset things somewhat, but they just cause added eyestrain.
- johnh-hn 1y ago
  I know what you mean. I can't help but wonder what it would take to make a pair of these. The hardware requirements for low-vision users would be lower, as we wouldn't need things like ultra high definition displays.
  - Philpax 1y ago
    It's not too difficult to actually assemble - you just need some displays, a display driver, and the optics - but getting optics fabricated to meet your requirements might be challenging.
    - rcarmo 1y ago
      It is too difficult to assemble precisely for that reason.
      - Philpax 1y ago
        The assembly is easy: the part sourcing less so ;-)
- swsieber 1y ago
  I think custom prescriptions for the xreal air 1 are around $80: https://vroptician.com/prescription-lens-inserts/nreal-air https://vroptician.com/prescription-lens-inserts/nreal-air Which I could see that being a deal breaker, but maybe it's lower than you thought
actinium226 1y ago
a) You can always get them, try them, and return them in the given period if you don't like them. That's what I did with these same glasses and I didn't get any crap about it b) There are monitor arms that extend quite far, and are easy to install. I use this one: https://a.co/d/fV5llce https://a.co/d/fV5llce. Granted I don't keep it 6" away from my face and my desk is a bit too big for that, but I could get it really close if I wanted and my desk was smaller.
ThrowawayP 1y ago
> " ...I have to be about 6 inches from a 27 inch screen. I'm tall, and I'm almost bent in half to do it ... The part that makes it so tough is monitor arms come in standard sizes and are nowhere near long enough or extend far enough for me to sit comfortably ... " Google for "long reach" monitor arms; some models have a reach of 30 to 40+ inches. They're not exactly cheap since they come from ergonomics vendors but they allow you to bring a large monitor as close to your face as you like and, depending on the model, clamp to a table like a standard monitor arm. I've had various models of them for a couple of decades now.
captnObvious 1y ago
Ive mounted monitor arms to the front of the desk, rather than the back, and extended them out toward me for a somewhat similar situation. Bluetooth keyboard goes in my lap, thumb ball mouse goes on my arm rest. I can extend the monitor about 2.5 feet toward my face in this way. Hope it helps
lelandbatey 1y ago
Something you can consider are "dentist office screen mounts". They're what they seem like, arms like you'd see at a dentist office/hospital that swings around an entire room, to hold a light or screen. See this example Amazon listing for one that mounts to a wall with a 5foot swing area: https://www.amazon.com/DW630-1218-Long-Articulated-Adjustable-Direction/dp/B00801CN9W https://www.amazon.com/DW630-1218-Long-Articulated-Adjustabl...
lhamil64 1y ago
It sounds like we have a similar situation. I've been wondering if these kinds of glasses would work for me but it just seems like such a hassle to order a pair to try just to end up returning them if they don't work. I wish they were sold in a store that I could just walk into and try them for a minute. FWIW, I use a monitor arm that's mounted on the front left side of my desk (my dad also modified my desk so this would work) so I can pull it as close as I need. It does mean I can't push it back to a normal monitor distance but I'm the only one using my PC so that's not a problem. Oddly enough, I recently got cataract surgery so now I have a lens that makes me focus further away, but now text is too small to read at that distance so I have to use readers to focus closer and use the arm.. seems a little silly but it mostly works out.
- godelski 1y ago
  > I wish they were sold in a store that I could just walk into and try them for a minute. I've constantly wondered why this doesn't really exist. Not even just with AR or VR but with lots of products. I thought that early on in the transition to more online purchasing that it was well understood that people were still visiting stores so that they can inspect items before purchase. There always seemed to be a weird perverse incentive where for a given store their online prices would be cheaper than those in store. Combined with wider selection of sizes and styles, it felt weird not to buy online, especially if you were not in a major city. Employees would even tell you this! Themselves being unable to just handle the "online" sale for you (baffling...). Malls offered a lot more business value than just facilitating direct purchases. They do a lot to build brands, loyalty, and advertise to customers. Being a lanky kinda guy I could never find clothes in my sizes in store but it was still quite helpful to see the difference between certain materials and would often lead to buying a more expensive version than another. Without the stores, it just seems to make a market of lemons[0], and I think that's kinda apt given general consumer frustration. You can't rely on reviews and you can't rely on images or even product descriptions... How the fuck am I supposed to know what I'm buying? My hypothesis is that some bean counters saw that sales were plummeting in stores and concluded that they should then close them. Having the inability to recognize that the purpose of the store had changed, despite them likely using the stores in the new fashion themselves. Hard to make effective decisions if the only viewpoint you have is that of a spreadsheet... [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Market_for_Lemons https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Market_for_Lemons
looofooo0 1y ago
There are fairly long arms which any vesa mount monitor can be attached to. This is no option for you?
- crooked-v 1y ago
  The specific company I would point to is Ergotron. In the worst case you can just daisy-chain extra arm extensions as long as it's within the total weight limit, and I'm 100% confident after using the same monitor arms for years that the result would be reasonably stable.
  - egeozcan 1y ago
    There used to be also some Amazon Basics branded ones that are also produced by Ergotron (or the same factory that produces Ergotron - not sure). They were 100% compatible, and looked/functioned the same for quarter of the price.
bgnn 1y ago
Great replies here already. Just piggybacking on the monitor arms: I have mounted mine to the wall. If this is an option for you, you can mount them at a good height on the wall and extend it to bring the screen closer.
numpad0 1y ago
What if you built a wheeled carriage to go over your desk? Something made of precisely cut 2x4 lumber or 2040 frames, assembled like a whiteboard frame but have just a single beam where the board would be. Then the pole of monitor arm can be bolted onto the beam to hang upside down. Once assembled, the whole thing can be rolled in and up to the front edge of the desk, right up to your face. If someone else needs to use your computer, the carriage can probably be moved back towards the wall. The reason why display arms extend only so far is because a long cantilevered weight love to wreck the base. The desk top is going to break if it's too far out. So stretching the arm is probably no go.
- Onavo 1y ago
  Or you can get this thing called an "office chair". The overpaid tech bros here prefer names like Aeron, Embody, and Mirra. Some execs swear by their Eames too.
  - numpad0 1y ago
    GP needs to have display right up his face. Chairs don't solve that problem.
rho4 1y ago
I have a colleague at work who also has to get within 6" of the screen. 2 years ago I switched to a 55" 8k TV as my primary monitor. While everyone was giving me the usual crap about it, this guy, when I showed him what it would look like with 400% Zoom, he went and bought one for himself at home. He thanks me every few weeks, but still didn't dare to set one up in the office. (ps I have mine standing on a normal height-adjustable table, so you wouldn't have to hunch at all)
- westpfelia 1y ago
  Dude thanks for at least helping! And while he might not be comfortable enough to use it at work at least you were able to help set him up in his personal life. I had a colleague with a rare form of macular degeneration and this stuff is a game changer for him.
  - johnh-hn 1y ago
    Precisely. The ideas here may not seem like much to some, but I am genuinely in awe of how much people are trying to help me solve this. I've had people contact me via the email in my profile offering help too. And I meant what I said in my original comment: fixing this would significantly improve my quality-of-life. That makes it difficult to convey how grateful I am for the suggestions.
- johnh-hn 1y ago
  This is an interesting suggestion. Like with most suggestions here, I have no idea if it would work or not, so I'm making a list of things to try. One thing that would concern me a bit with this though is how I'd use my neck. To give an example, when sitting in front of my screen now, if I want to see the browser tabs at the top of my screen, then I have to tilt my head backwards to see them. But if I need to see the taskbar, I have to tilt my head down. It doesn't sound like much, but doing that all day rather than just moving your eyes instead adds to overall fatigue. With your suggestion, I can't picture if that would still be required or not. Thanks for sharing the idea. I'll look into it.
  - 1y ago
sesm 1y ago
Regarding monitor arms, what if you put a regular monitor straight in your face and use a split keyboard (like Ergodox) on the sides?
elif 1y ago
A PC is actually the best way to use xreal imo. The android experience is clunky... But I'm old and use mouse and keyboard for everything
imhoguy 1y ago
I also wonder how AR glasses work with myopia. Could they potentialy worsen it? Need to dig out some research.
theodric 1y ago
I have a pair of these Xreal (formerly Nreal) glasses, and I find text too unclear from the plastic optics, too full of halo/fringe (think: cheap VR headset, like trying to work on a Quest 2), and the OLED's pixel arrangement too odd for any serious work use. It's just about good enough for light gaming and movie consumption, but even gaming is a strain for me. They also make me sleepy! They do accept some prescription lenses inserted in front of the viewports, and include a blank you can have cut, but I haven't used them. I have good close-up vision with some mild, untreated astigmatism.
aio2 1y ago
Pardon my ignorance, but why not you just wear glasses?
zwolbers 1y ago
Just to chime in with another alternative - if you're open to using Linux, you might want to look into Viewport Panning with X11 [0]. It allows you to setup a larger virtual desktop that you can then pan around. Instead of moving your head around, you could instead just shift the viewport. Might be more convenient than a larger screen and/or monitor arms assuming you also setup zoom/display scaling. By default, you pan by moving the mouse to an edge, but iirc you can setup key bindings and/or gestures. [0] https://wiki.ubuntu.com/X/Config/Resolution#Panning_viewport https://wiki.ubuntu.com/X/Config/Resolution#Panning_viewport
apexalpha 1y ago
I dont know if I missed someone else saying it but have you tried the Apple Vision? The screens are a few inches from your eyes.
LMMojo 1y ago
I have a co-worker who is similar, needs to be about 3-4 inches from the screen. He had his monitor die, a 15" LCD, and the guys in IT 'did him a favor" and upgraded him to a 27" screen. He lasted all of an hour. Told IT it'll never work and they were confused until the saw and understood his use case. I thought about these glasses, too, when I tore and detached my retina. With the surgery they drained me eye and my focal distance was initially maybe 1cm, and as my eye refilled the focal distance grew. At the time I wondered if sometime like Google Glass would work for me. I feel like there could be a lot of applications for these if they'll work with such short focal lengths.

conroydave 1y ago

if you are based in the USA, most stores have 30 day return policies. perhaps order them, try at home, and return if you they arent a fit for your situation

johnh-hn 1y ago
I'm in the UK, but the same idea applies, you're right. I'm just hoping there is a way to do it in-person as I might need to try quite a few types to get something that works.
- wafflemaker 1y ago
  My wife uses Klarna to order multiple items, pay with Klarna (delayed payment) and then only pay for what is not sent back. Usually you have few weeks? to try the items, even though it's usually clothes stores that allow Klarna payment. Since you're in Europe, Klarna might work there.

colingauvin 1y ago

You can use them just as a monitor/without AR - some require a special USB-C to DP cable if you don't have native USB-C video out (or Thunderbolt), but they are a bit blurry compared to normal screens for me. I'm not sure how well they'd work for you. The other problem is they aren't quite up against your eyes the way VR headsets are. They project a screen that appears to be quite far away. I imagine you could lower the resolution though, and it might look closer.

johnh-hn 1y ago
Thanks for this. I definitely would lower the resolution if I could as I do the same thing with my screen. The only complication with that might be that in addition I also use: https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/windows_10_dpi_fix.html https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/windows_10_dpi_fix....
toyg 1y ago
Newer models, like the One and One Pro, allow you to set the distance. I think the minimum is 1.5m.

deleted 1y ago

[deleted]

brigade 1y ago

Glasses like these put the screen at a focal distance further than a monitor, closer to TV distance. Optics wise it’s basically the same as VR, if a VR headset is easier to try. If your corrected vision needs stuff 6” away, don’t expect AR or VR to be a solution with current optics

johnh-hn 1y ago
This is what I've been worried about. I have lens implants so I already have a fixed focus as well. The combination of the two would likely be a problem.
- daniel_reetz 1y ago
  In a VR headset the virtual screen distance is set by the distance of the microdisplay from the lens in the headset. It's not crazy to think you could move the microdisplay position and get a virtual display at 6". There might be other optical consequences (aberrations, change in viewable area) but in principle it can work.
  - johnh-hn 1y ago
    I'd be open to trying something like this. It might be the kind of simple solution that would work for me.
  - Philpax 1y ago
    The microdisplays are usually fixed in place (and sometimes the display and optics are a single package), so it would likely be a bespoke solution.
  - ycui1986 1y ago
    a few AR glasses come with adjustable knobs for nearsighted people. So, not all of them are fixed distance.
- swsieber 1y ago
  Some ar glasses support adjustable focus, and others support custom prescription lenses.

noen 1y ago

Basically all XR devices put the focal plane at between 0.5 and 1m away. It’s a very very complicated reason why, but this is unlikely to change for a very long time.

gpm 1y ago
Huh? I've always seen numbers larger than that Xreal claims > To mitigate this, the industry usually maintains the VID at over 1 meter; for instance, Apple's Vision Pro employs a distance of 1.1m, Meta Quest 3 sits at 1.25m, and Hololens boasts 2m. https://us.shop.xreal.com/blogs/buying-guide/prescription-lens-inserts-vs-diopter-adjustment-which-is-better https://us.shop.xreal.com/blogs/buying-guide/prescription-le... Though strangely they don't give a number their for their own devices. The article claims the focal plane on the xreal glasses is 10 feet (roughly 3m).
Squeeze2664 1y ago
Can you point to something to learn more about this?
mkl 1y ago
The article says his one is 10 feet (3m).
numpad0 1y ago
Why? I mean, can't you dial it in and out if you weren't folding the path and really needed that feature?

mh- 1y ago

Not an answer to your question, but re: monitor arms.. mine can be pulled out far enough it would touch my face. It mounts into a grommet drilled into my desk. I assume there's other reasons this isn't workable for you, but if it's for lack of finding a suitable arm, let me know and I'll find a link for you. My other recommendation would be to consider a standing desk. Even if you prefer to use it sitting, you can tweak the desktop height to your liking and help mitigate the posture issue.

johnh-hn 1y ago
That's kind of you to offer, and I'd appreciate that if you wouldn't mind. I have seen some that are a bit longer, but the height is too low for them to be of use.
- mh- 1y ago
  Happy to (hopefully) help. I have the Fully Jarvis monitor arm[0]. But it looks like you can find substantially more options here[1] from Uplift, some of which might have better range. Back to the Jarvis, though: see how the photos of it show the arm in a typical "bent knee" shape? You can totally use it with both halves of the arm pointed in the same direction. I just did a quick measurement on mine and each of the arms is about 25 cm long, and they're fixed at a ~45° angle. So if you center its mount on your desk, you should be able to bring the monitor around[2] 35 cm closer to your face and still retain a lot of height adjustment (~34 to ~50, as measured from your desktop to the center of the display). If you go this route (and your desk doesn't have an existing grommet hole you can use), they sell a drill bit to bore one in the right diameter. [0]: https://store.hermanmiller.com/office-furniture-desk-accessories-organization/jarvis-single-monitor-arm/2548325-1.html https://store.hermanmiller.com/office-furniture-desk-accesso... [1]: https://www.upliftdesk.com/desk-accessories/monitor-arms/ https://www.upliftdesk.com/desk-accessories/monitor-arms/ [2]: cos(45°)*50cm
  - Groxx 1y ago
    If you don't mind having a "personalized" desk, arms that are meant to / able to go through the grommet often just have two (large) bolts. You could pretty easily drill through the middle of a desk and mount it at any distance. I have the dual version of this, which they don't seem to sell any more: https://www.upliftdesk.com/crestview-single-monitor-arm-by-uplift-desk/?13222=9649 https://www.upliftdesk.com/crestview-single-monitor-arm-by-u... but if you look at the "all components" image, you can see the steel plates and bolts that I use to attach mine - the bolts aren't part of the bent black thing, they work with that or either of the shiny steel plates. Those both fit within a grommet hole (the large circular holes in desks) with bit of free movement to adjust it, and the bottom of the "stand" is completely flat so it could very easily go anywhere - you put the plate under the desk, stick the bolts through it + through the desk hole, and they go into threaded holes on the underside of the stand. Some monitor arms are only meant to clamp onto the edge of a desk, and you won't be able to do this - I'd probably avoid those in this case tbh. (I've probably failed to adequately describe it - I can take pictures or draw something out if you'd like. It's not complicated, it's just... there are not many similar things that I can point to as a comparison that most people have at hand)

rcarmo 1y ago

I have very high myopia (over -10) and share your concerns. I really wish these things were designed to cater to people for whom alternate display tech would actually simplify our lives. So far I haven't seen anything that can deal with more than -8, and getting a custom prescription is usually prohibitively expensive. I can wear contacts to offset things somewhat, but they just cause added eyestrain.

johnh-hn 1y ago
I know what you mean. I can't help but wonder what it would take to make a pair of these. The hardware requirements for low-vision users would be lower, as we wouldn't need things like ultra high definition displays.
- Philpax 1y ago
  It's not too difficult to actually assemble - you just need some displays, a display driver, and the optics - but getting optics fabricated to meet your requirements might be challenging.
  - rcarmo 1y ago
    It is too difficult to assemble precisely for that reason.
    - Philpax 1y ago
      The assembly is easy: the part sourcing less so ;-)
swsieber 1y ago
I think custom prescriptions for the xreal air 1 are around $80: https://vroptician.com/prescription-lens-inserts/nreal-air https://vroptician.com/prescription-lens-inserts/nreal-air Which I could see that being a deal breaker, but maybe it's lower than you thought

actinium226 1y ago

a) You can always get them, try them, and return them in the given period if you don't like them. That's what I did with these same glasses and I didn't get any crap about it b) There are monitor arms that extend quite far, and are easy to install. I use this one: https://a.co/d/fV5llce https://a.co/d/fV5llce. Granted I don't keep it 6" away from my face and my desk is a bit too big for that, but I could get it really close if I wanted and my desk was smaller.

ThrowawayP 1y ago

> " ...I have to be about 6 inches from a 27 inch screen. I'm tall, and I'm almost bent in half to do it ... The part that makes it so tough is monitor arms come in standard sizes and are nowhere near long enough or extend far enough for me to sit comfortably ... " Google for "long reach" monitor arms; some models have a reach of 30 to 40+ inches. They're not exactly cheap since they come from ergonomics vendors but they allow you to bring a large monitor as close to your face as you like and, depending on the model, clamp to a table like a standard monitor arm. I've had various models of them for a couple of decades now.

captnObvious 1y ago

Ive mounted monitor arms to the front of the desk, rather than the back, and extended them out toward me for a somewhat similar situation. Bluetooth keyboard goes in my lap, thumb ball mouse goes on my arm rest. I can extend the monitor about 2.5 feet toward my face in this way. Hope it helps

lelandbatey 1y ago

Something you can consider are "dentist office screen mounts". They're what they seem like, arms like you'd see at a dentist office/hospital that swings around an entire room, to hold a light or screen. See this example Amazon listing for one that mounts to a wall with a 5foot swing area: https://www.amazon.com/DW630-1218-Long-Articulated-Adjustable-Direction/dp/B00801CN9W https://www.amazon.com/DW630-1218-Long-Articulated-Adjustabl...

lhamil64 1y ago

It sounds like we have a similar situation. I've been wondering if these kinds of glasses would work for me but it just seems like such a hassle to order a pair to try just to end up returning them if they don't work. I wish they were sold in a store that I could just walk into and try them for a minute. FWIW, I use a monitor arm that's mounted on the front left side of my desk (my dad also modified my desk so this would work) so I can pull it as close as I need. It does mean I can't push it back to a normal monitor distance but I'm the only one using my PC so that's not a problem. Oddly enough, I recently got cataract surgery so now I have a lens that makes me focus further away, but now text is too small to read at that distance so I have to use readers to focus closer and use the arm.. seems a little silly but it mostly works out.

godelski 1y ago
> I wish they were sold in a store that I could just walk into and try them for a minute. I've constantly wondered why this doesn't really exist. Not even just with AR or VR but with lots of products. I thought that early on in the transition to more online purchasing that it was well understood that people were still visiting stores so that they can inspect items before purchase. There always seemed to be a weird perverse incentive where for a given store their online prices would be cheaper than those in store. Combined with wider selection of sizes and styles, it felt weird not to buy online, especially if you were not in a major city. Employees would even tell you this! Themselves being unable to just handle the "online" sale for you (baffling...). Malls offered a lot more business value than just facilitating direct purchases. They do a lot to build brands, loyalty, and advertise to customers. Being a lanky kinda guy I could never find clothes in my sizes in store but it was still quite helpful to see the difference between certain materials and would often lead to buying a more expensive version than another. Without the stores, it just seems to make a market of lemons[0], and I think that's kinda apt given general consumer frustration. You can't rely on reviews and you can't rely on images or even product descriptions... How the fuck am I supposed to know what I'm buying? My hypothesis is that some bean counters saw that sales were plummeting in stores and concluded that they should then close them. Having the inability to recognize that the purpose of the store had changed, despite them likely using the stores in the new fashion themselves. Hard to make effective decisions if the only viewpoint you have is that of a spreadsheet... [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Market_for_Lemons https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Market_for_Lemons

looofooo0 1y ago

There are fairly long arms which any vesa mount monitor can be attached to. This is no option for you?

crooked-v 1y ago
The specific company I would point to is Ergotron. In the worst case you can just daisy-chain extra arm extensions as long as it's within the total weight limit, and I'm 100% confident after using the same monitor arms for years that the result would be reasonably stable.
- egeozcan 1y ago
  There used to be also some Amazon Basics branded ones that are also produced by Ergotron (or the same factory that produces Ergotron - not sure). They were 100% compatible, and looked/functioned the same for quarter of the price.

bgnn 1y ago

Great replies here already. Just piggybacking on the monitor arms: I have mounted mine to the wall. If this is an option for you, you can mount them at a good height on the wall and extend it to bring the screen closer.

numpad0 1y ago

What if you built a wheeled carriage to go over your desk? Something made of precisely cut 2x4 lumber or 2040 frames, assembled like a whiteboard frame but have just a single beam where the board would be. Then the pole of monitor arm can be bolted onto the beam to hang upside down. Once assembled, the whole thing can be rolled in and up to the front edge of the desk, right up to your face. If someone else needs to use your computer, the carriage can probably be moved back towards the wall. The reason why display arms extend only so far is because a long cantilevered weight love to wreck the base. The desk top is going to break if it's too far out. So stretching the arm is probably no go.

Onavo 1y ago
Or you can get this thing called an "office chair". The overpaid tech bros here prefer names like Aeron, Embody, and Mirra. Some execs swear by their Eames too.
- numpad0 1y ago
  GP needs to have display right up his face. Chairs don't solve that problem.

rho4 1y ago

I have a colleague at work who also has to get within 6" of the screen. 2 years ago I switched to a 55" 8k TV as my primary monitor. While everyone was giving me the usual crap about it, this guy, when I showed him what it would look like with 400% Zoom, he went and bought one for himself at home. He thanks me every few weeks, but still didn't dare to set one up in the office. (ps I have mine standing on a normal height-adjustable table, so you wouldn't have to hunch at all)

westpfelia 1y ago
Dude thanks for at least helping! And while he might not be comfortable enough to use it at work at least you were able to help set him up in his personal life. I had a colleague with a rare form of macular degeneration and this stuff is a game changer for him.
- johnh-hn 1y ago
  Precisely. The ideas here may not seem like much to some, but I am genuinely in awe of how much people are trying to help me solve this. I've had people contact me via the email in my profile offering help too. And I meant what I said in my original comment: fixing this would significantly improve my quality-of-life. That makes it difficult to convey how grateful I am for the suggestions.
johnh-hn 1y ago
This is an interesting suggestion. Like with most suggestions here, I have no idea if it would work or not, so I'm making a list of things to try. One thing that would concern me a bit with this though is how I'd use my neck. To give an example, when sitting in front of my screen now, if I want to see the browser tabs at the top of my screen, then I have to tilt my head backwards to see them. But if I need to see the taskbar, I have to tilt my head down. It doesn't sound like much, but doing that all day rather than just moving your eyes instead adds to overall fatigue. With your suggestion, I can't picture if that would still be required or not. Thanks for sharing the idea. I'll look into it.
- 1y ago

sesm 1y ago

Regarding monitor arms, what if you put a regular monitor straight in your face and use a split keyboard (like Ergodox) on the sides?

elif 1y ago

A PC is actually the best way to use xreal imo. The android experience is clunky... But I'm old and use mouse and keyboard for everything

imhoguy 1y ago

I also wonder how AR glasses work with myopia. Could they potentialy worsen it? Need to dig out some research.

theodric 1y ago

I have a pair of these Xreal (formerly Nreal) glasses, and I find text too unclear from the plastic optics, too full of halo/fringe (think: cheap VR headset, like trying to work on a Quest 2), and the OLED's pixel arrangement too odd for any serious work use. It's just about good enough for light gaming and movie consumption, but even gaming is a strain for me. They also make me sleepy! They do accept some prescription lenses inserted in front of the viewports, and include a blank you can have cut, but I haven't used them. I have good close-up vision with some mild, untreated astigmatism.

aio2 1y ago

Pardon my ignorance, but why not you just wear glasses?

zwolbers 1y ago

Just to chime in with another alternative - if you're open to using Linux, you might want to look into Viewport Panning with X11 [0]. It allows you to setup a larger virtual desktop that you can then pan around. Instead of moving your head around, you could instead just shift the viewport. Might be more convenient than a larger screen and/or monitor arms assuming you also setup zoom/display scaling. By default, you pan by moving the mouse to an edge, but iirc you can setup key bindings and/or gestures. [0] https://wiki.ubuntu.com/X/Config/Resolution#Panning_viewport https://wiki.ubuntu.com/X/Config/Resolution#Panning_viewport

apexalpha 1y ago

I dont know if I missed someone else saying it but have you tried the Apple Vision? The screens are a few inches from your eyes.

LMMojo 1y ago

I have a co-worker who is similar, needs to be about 3-4 inches from the screen. He had his monitor die, a 15" LCD, and the guys in IT 'did him a favor" and upgraded him to a 27" screen. He lasted all of an hour. Told IT it'll never work and they were confused until the saw and understood his use case. I thought about these glasses, too, when I tore and detached my retina. With the surgery they drained me eye and my focal distance was initially maybe 1cm, and as my eye refilled the focal distance grew. At the time I wondered if sometime like Google Glass would work for me. I feel like there could be a lot of applications for these if they'll work with such short focal lengths.