I wear progressive bifocals as well. I get around this by having two large monitors. After a while you get used to leaning your head at just the right angle...

I got a pair of standard bifocals with the top half selected for the distance to the monitor and the bottom selected for stuff on my desk such as the keyboard (still can't type...)

i use progressives, both computer monitors are about 3 feet distant as is the broadcast monitor.

small text blurs, i scale up text in browser windows. thought about getting glasses specifically ranged for 2-3 feet, but haven't done it yet..

keeping all the monitors the same distance helped in my case.

I wear progressives for most things, but the amount of time at the computer was making me get headaches and eye fatigue until i got a pair just for the computer.My monitors are about 4-1/2' from where i sit which is a dead zone even in the sweet spot of most progressives...having the distance set by my optometrist made it possible to get a pair of fixed lenses made that i can wear for extended periods of time without eyestrain. The only down side is when i have to read something on a piece of paper in front of me, i have to switch glasses.

I've been wearing progressives for almost 20 years and found that a big monitor (28") at eye level was the biggest improvement for me.

Mike

I occasionally use the Foster grant 1.5x ($10.00) available at Walgreens. Only from about 5 ft. away and less though.
JJK

For me, progressive computer glasses have been the way to go. Much larger sweet spot for seeing the monitor clearly.

Tried progressives years ago, didn't like the off-axis effects.

At my age (and perhaps partly because of all the computer work I've done in my life), I need trifocals in order to be able to cover the whole focus gamut. These lenses are antireflection coated and also have the transitions process so they double as sunglasses outside. My vision is 20/40 without, 20/15 with.

But the first thing I do when I sit down in front of my 24" computer screen is to remove my regular glasses and put on a pair of cheap fixed-focus glasses that live by my computer. Computer work is much easier this way.

Thanks for all the answers - glad to hear I am not the only hwo likes a fixed focus when editing.

what exactly are "progressive computer glasses?"

I have progressives for everything except sitting at the computer. I have a pair of fixed-focus glasses specifically for that task. When I went to have my eyes checked, I got my progressive prescription but I also had the optometrist figure out the exact prescription for seeing my two 26" monitors at 42 inches. They're perfect and I don't have to tilt my head up and down finding the optimal focus spot like I would with the progressives.

I've had progressives for a few years, but because the "close-up" part is towards the bottom of the lens it would mean tilting my head back all day, so I simply take 'em off. Maybe one day I'll need a computer specific pair, but for now ....

I used to have a pair of optometrist ordered computer glasses. There really was no difference between that and an off the shelf pair of reading glasses that were about a value less than what I would use for reading a book.

I am so used to tilting my head back to look at the computer screen though that it really doesn't bother me anymore.

Yep. Two sets of glasses. Progressives just drive me crazy. (Didn't help that they were tri-focals....)

Reading glasses are fine if both of your eyes need the same amount of correction, however, this is rarely the case.

I'm trying Freemax / Maxima lenses . Rather expensive and they do take a while to get used to. They do seem to deliver more light to the eye and do prevent some of the problems of the usual progressive lenses. These are real anamorphic lenses.

Only problem with the current pair at the computer is I had them speced for shooting, so straight ahead they're optimised for infinity and looking down for around 300mm for getting up close a monitor. For that they work a treat. I probably should get a different pair for sitting at the computer however I have a number of PCs and monitors and the monitors are different sizes and distances. In reality this one pair works well enough with a bit of head tilting at the PC and is a dream when I'm shooting. Darn well want to be at around $900, cough, cough.

Bob.

I use a pair of +1.25 glasses that cost me $5 in Pantip Plaza here in Bangkok. I thought I should get a "proper" pair so when I was in the UK I had a proper eye test and got a pair with slightly different prescription lenses. Together with the test, they cost 30x as much as the Bangkok glasses. After a few days I wasn't really happy with them and switched back to the cheap Bangkok glasses and am still using them! Maybe I'll "grow into", or rather, "degenerate into" the "proper" ones.

>Reading glasses are fine if both of your eyes need the same amount of correction, however, this is rarely the case.

You could always buy two pairs of the same model reading glasses, one strength apart, the swap lenses to make a more custom pair.

"You could always buy two pairs of the same model reading glasses, one strength apart, the swap lenses to make a more custom pair."

Good idea, except I've noticed that most reading glasses manufacturers don't make one model frame with a variety of different strength lenses, each strength lens is mounted in a slightly different frame to seemingly prevent doing what you suggested.