What are occupational glasses?

Feeling tired by the end of the work day?
Spend a lot of time in front of a computer screen?
Been a few years since your 21st birthday party?

By the end of the day, many of us young folk over 40 can have difficulty seeing the words clearly on the computer screen, even with reading glasses. Eyes can become irritated, feel heavy and we can suffer blurred vision.

Why? Basically, the optical correction for presbyopia (from the Greek meaning “trying to see as old men do”) or short arm syndrome is not designed for reading at near to intermediate distances: computer screens. What that means it that our reading glasses are not designed for computer work.

But eye strain can cause fatigue and sometimes headaches in all prescription glass wearers, not just the less young.

More and more of us routinely spend increasing numbers of hours in front of computers, tablets and smartphones. For your eyes to work comfortably, eyeballs and screens should be between 1m and 1.5 metres apart, and your glasses should be designed to suit.

Variable optics are the best solution for clear vision at varying focal ranges.

Work glasses that work

occupational lensesOccupational glasses are particularly helpful for people who use screens and devices or extended periods of time. An occupational lens lets you see side to side, up and down, within working distances of up to about 2.5 m.

Hoya’s occupational lenses

Wearing incorrect lenses can result in neck and eye strain as we lean and stretch to see computer screens. Reading glasses can see people leaning in close to the computer screen or, if they’re wearing bifocal lenses, raising their heads to see through the lower section. For maximum comfort, we should be able to sit up straight in a chair and have the computer screen below our line of sight at a comfortable viewing angle.

In Hoya’s occupational lenses, the middle of the lens is devoted to intermediate vision. You won’t have to tilt your head to find the best optical zone in the lens; it is designed to match what you need to see.

Work lenses with depth of view

Ordinary reading glasses do not offer sufficient width or depth of vision. Hoya’s occupational lenses have a much wider field of view than regular progressive lenses. With graduated lenses for work at short and intermediate distances, they can help your eyes adapt to the demands of screen work.

The lower section of the lens is graduated for near vision (40 cm) and for distance the upper section is graduated for intermediate distances (1-1.5 m).

Occupational glasses have progressed

Progressive glasses have side margins between the different viewing areas. These side areas create zones where you cannot see clearly. However, in Hoya’s occupational lenses the graduations are minimal. For many, one of the limitations of wearing progressive lenses is that you have to learn to use them, to learn to change horizontal head and eye movements – you need to use your eyes to look downward, not your head. The new designs and materials in the occupational lenses we stock mean the transition areas are reduced and adapting to wearing occupational glasses is quicker and easier.

Why choose occupational lenses?

Occupational lenses are specifically designed to provide excellent vision for “work distances”. Perfect for people with tired eyes who spend a lot of time in front of computers they provide:

  • Excellent depth and width perception at near and intermediate distances
  • Wider field of view when you’re using digital devices
  • A more ergonomic posture at your desk

Comfortable vision and good working ergonomics are too important to leave to chance. Through individualised advice and expert evaluation, one of our skilled optometrists will find the right occupational lenses to meet your work needs.

We’ll have you looking smart in no time.

To learn more about  occupational glasses and how they can help you see your way through the busy work day, talk to our optometrists. You can email our Auckland Optometrists or phone the Newmarket Optometrist on 09 522 1283 or call our Henderson Optometrist on 09 836 1731.