Computer glasses?

Have just had my second cataract removed (first was a month ago.) Seem
to be working just fine, but I'm just ine the first week. I'm now
waiting about 3 months to get a new prescription. In the meantime the
doc says to get some "drug store" glasses for reading. I've had some
for a while and they work fine. Now I need something with a proper
focal length for computer use.
Searching the internet, I'm not sure that what I find will do the job.
Does anyone have a source for cheap glasses for that purpose?
BTW - I'm seriously considering trifocals later. I've been using them
successfully for many years,

 

Dear Jim,

I am not certain what you are looking for.

You can find simple spherical plus
lenses on the rack. Just put them
on and read at a comfortable
distance. They are low cost -- about
$10, so you can try several for
comfort.

If that does not work, a convenient
source of $19 is on this link.
Bifocals are more expensive of course.

http://Zennioptical.com

Good luch with you catarack operation.

Best,

Otis

 

First, there have to a few assumptions: that you have little or no
correctable astigmatism and that both eyes require the same distance
correction (or if your doctor got the IOL power right on, no distance
correction.)

That being the case, the next factor is the distance from your eyes to
the computer monitor. For a 22-26"/55-66cm working distance, a + 1.50
or +1.75 lens should be about right. A little closer, a little higher
power, further, a bit less.

If the criteria in the first paragraph are not met, then you are better
off having your refractive status/prescription checked and ordering the
correct spectacles. Measure your working distance and have the doctor
customize your lenses for you.

Pre-made inexpensive readers can be purchased at drug and discount
stores, from local optical stores and some eye doctors. They assume that
your eyes require the identical powers for correction and that your eyes
are spaced equally at around 62mm. Errors around all those criteria may
make a less than adequate cheap fix.

--LB, O.D.

 

Sorry, guess I'm not being clear.
-Reading glasses don't work well for computer work. You need a
different focal length, or you have to get closer!
-I'm looking for a temporary solution until I can get a permanent
prescription.

 

Computer glasses are just weaker "reading" glasses (the weaker you go,
the farther out the clear point of focus). If +2.00 readers work well at
17", then +1.00 or +1.25 readers should work well at 24". Having said
that, if you want a more accurate Rx, have an o.d. refract you and make
up a custom pair that will be right on. If you had small incision,
stitchless procedures, they may not even need changing in 2 or 3 mos.
If you had any stitches, then you probably will have to have them
changed in a few weeks/mos. I had the former 4 mos ago and my Rx has
been pretty rock solid unchanged since day 2 post-op.

w.stacy, o.d.

 

Interesting. Thanks.

 

Dear Jim,

Please disregard Otis's postings. He is not in the medical profession nor
in the position to give medical advice.

Thanks!

Allen

 

What I did, since I knew I was going back to work 3 days after both
surgeries, is I took a recent pair of bifocals I had, popped both lenses
out and had plano with a 2.25 add put into them, same style, same seg
ht. Then I swapped the old right lens for the new right and took these
with me to the 1st surgery (as it was my left eye to be done first).
Got up off the table and wore those just fine (could have used some
slab-off, but I prism adapt pretty quickly) until the following week,
when I popped the other new (right) lens into the frame just before
surgery, jumped off the gurney with the new ones, and wore them until I
could tell I wasn't going to change much more, about 3 more days, and
made myself a pair of progressives that still work today, 4 mos later.
Never missed a day of work. Piece of cake. Nobody should put off this
procedure. First sign of trouble, have it done, and if you're a
moderate to high hyperope and presbyopic, don't even bother to wait for
trouble...

w.stacy, o.d.

 

I cannot overemphasize my satisfaction with the 99¢ store or a swap meet
where I bought several in different strenghts at about a dollar each. I am
using such a pair at my computer now.

Bill

 

It is true that it may be difficult to get the correct focal length if you
do not have occular implants. What I do is to just wear reading glasses over
my street glasses. You can call me six-eyes. If you require differing
strengths for the two eyes, just buy two pair of a type using the same
frame. Cheap enough. Right now I am using a pair marked +1.50. I leave the
tag on.

At the swap meet, I attend, I can also get higher power glasses often used
by older machinists.I have a pair with a number of plastic flippers of
various power. Those cost more and are probably not necessary.

six-eyes Bill

 

Repeating Rifle wrote:

What I do is to just wear reading glasses over

Different strokes. Fortunately for my business, most of my patients
wouldn't be caught dead using such contraptions (I guess northern
Californians can be a bit uppity). Or maybe we're just not quite so
resourceful. I especially like the bit about leaving the tag on. You
know you could probably talk an o.d. or optician out of an old 6 or 10
piece frame display that you could set up right there in your shop so
your entire collection could be at your fingertips.

w.stacy, o.d.

 

I get a kick out of those people who go out and spend hundreds and
hundreds of dollars on a new lens for their camera, that they might use
a few time a year, and then head over to the thrift shop for
reading/computer glasses that they use for hours every single day.

--Larry

 

It's a good thing most swap meets don't have contact lens hawkers...

 

Yeah, but you should see how beautifully my pictures come out.

I can't, but you should ;-)

 

What about people that spend $200 on a pair of sneakers, but don't think an
optometrist visit is worth half that?

Scott

 

I have used bifocals designed for viewing a computer monitor. They were just
fine. I recently had cataract surgery and I was not going to spend $200
before my eyes settled. My 99¢ solution is adequate for me. As my cataract
surgery stablized. I just made a minor change from +1.75 to +1.50 at a cost
of 99¢ plus sales tax.

Earlier, I also had trouble getting optometrists or ophthalmologists to
modify my prescription to what I wanted. They knew better. Usually, single
vision was suggested. I finally went to an ophthalmologist who did not sell
glasses. He gave me a prescription just like what I wanted. He only
suggested that the optician recenter the glasses for the distance to the
screen. Those glasses worked out very well indeed. Unfortunately for me,
that ophthalmologist started doing refractive surgery exclusively.

six-eye Bill

 

I understand optics. I have never spent extra on a camera lens if you
exclude an afocal telephoto adapter.

six-eye Bill

 

I spend at least 8 hours a day at the computer or reading. When I got my
contacts I started buying 99-cent readers. While some of the frames have
needed a whole lot of personalization with a file, the lenses have always been
first rate. I've also acquired a number of more expensive ($9-$20) readers at
yard sales and the only difference is nicer frames.

 

When I needed a longer lens for my SLR I did a lot of shopping, looking for
the best price. Same when I bought my cameras. Same with everything else. I
can think of some good reasons to replace my 4-year-old Nikon CP-800, but "it
ain't broke yet" trumps them all.

 

Companies spend millions developing new products to enhance the quality
of life for people who can afford it. People usually purchase the best
they can afford if they can differentiate the quality. Problem is,
they cannot differentiate quality in this industry because of the
tendency of retailers to sell lower quality at higher mark-ups. To me,
nothing short of clear, comfortable vision is satisfactory. I admit
that I am addicted to it, just like I am to high fidelity music and
good food. It enhances my life. There is a tremendous service
component to getting it done right.

DrG