Confused about using +0.50 readers for computer strain if I have near perfect vision? Is this a bad idea?
Hi everyone,
I spend long hours (12+ hours) looking at a monitor at my desk every day for coding and my eyes are feeling pretty strained constantly.... I'm looking for a solution to stop the fatigue and potentially help me prevent any future vision loss due to the nature of my daily work.
Here is the thing: I don’t wear glasses and I don’t have any vision loss. My distance vision is fine. I am strictly looking for something to act as a preventative measure to reduce muscle strain while staring at a screen at arm's length all day.
I've been looking into getting a cheap over-the-counter pair of +0.50 magnification glasses (computer readers or screen readers) because the slight zoom is supposed to act as a physical "helper" so my internal eye muscles don't have to flex so hard to focus on the monitor.
However, everything I read online completely contradicts itself:
- Standard online blogs say if you have 20/20 vision, you should only wear "plano" (0.00 power) blue light glasses, and that magnifying glasses are only for people with vision loss.
- But then other optical guides say a mild +0.50 power is mathematically perfect for intermediate computer distances (24 inches) to offload muscle strain.
I'm genuinely worried about a couple of things:
- Is using a +0.50 lens when I don't "need" a prescription going to permanently alter my vision or make my eyes dependent on glasses?
- Is it actually recommended for normal people with zero vision loss just for preventative eye protection and comfort?
- If you do this, does it actually help with the physical muscle strain, or am I misunderstanding how these low-power lenses work?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!