MICHAEL / Eyewear Answers & Calculators
Can I use my regular distance prescription for 24-inch computer monitors, or do I need office lenses?
Direct answer:If your prescription has no ADD value (typically under age 38), your regular Single Vision distance Rx works comfortably at 20 to 26 inch monitors (from US$26.90 Clear or US$36.90 Blue-Light complete); if your prescription lists an ADD power (+0.75 to +3.50 D), choose Office Mid-Range or Near-Range Progressives (from US$76.90 Clear or US$91.90 Blue-Light complete, US$0 tier fee) so you do not tilt your chin up all day.
Why 24-Inch Monitors Fall Between Distance and Reading Prescriptions
Standard distance glasses focus light at optical infinity (20 feet and beyond), whereas full reading powers (ADD +1.50 to +2.50 D) focus closely at 14 to 16 inches for books and phones. Desktop monitors sit 20 to 26 inches from your eyes. Once presbyopia begins around age 40, wearing pure distance glasses blurs small spreadsheet text, while wearing 16-inch readers forces you to hunch 8 inches closer to the screen:
| Your Prescription Profile | Best Desk Lens Setup | Sharp Focal Zone | 1.56 Clear Complete | 1.56 Blue-Light Complete |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Distance Rx only (no ADD) | Single Vision (enter Distance Rx) | Arm’s length out to room distance | US$26.90 ($10 lenses) | US$36.90 ($20 lenses) |
| 20/20 distance, mild desk strain | Magnification Readers (+0.50 to +1.25) | Fixed near/desk focal plane | US$21.90 ($5 lenses) | US$36.90 ($20 lenses) |
| Distance Rx + ADD (dual monitors) | Office Progressive (Mid-Range / Near) | Wide 20 to 26 in screen + 15 in keyboard | US$76.90 ($60 lenses) | US$91.90 ($75 lenses) |
| Distance Rx + ADD (meetings + driving) | All-Day Progressive (Std / Upg / Adv) | Road distance + narrow screen + reading | US$76.90 ($60 lenses) | US$91.90 ($75 lenses) |
What Actually Stops Afternoon Desk Eye Fatigue
- Correct intermediate focal power comes before tint: Clinical guidance from the American Optometric Association and American Academy of Ophthalmology notes that squinting through a wrong working-distance prescription and blinking less often cause most afternoon headaches. Never self-invent an intermediate SPH by guessing half of your ADD if you have astigmatism; select Office Progressive using your exact doctor-written Distance Rx + ADD (US$0 corridor tier fee, CYL supported down to
-6.00 D), or ask your optometrist for a written 24-inch computer Rx. - Anti-reflective coating vs. Blue-Light filtering: Every MICHAEL Clear lens pair already includes green anti-reflective coating at US$0 extra to cut overhead office fluorescent reflections. Upgrading to Blue-Light Filtering (+US$10 on Single Vision, +US$15 on Progressive) softens harsh cool-white LED monitor glare with minimal colour shift.
- Never drive in Office Progressives: Office Mid-Range and Near-Range corridors trade away 20-foot highway distance power to give you a wide, edge-to-edge monitor view at eye level without tilting your neck backward.
Follow-Up Questions Buyers Ask
Can I subtract half my ADD power myself to order cheaper Single Vision computer glasses?
Ask your optometrist to confirm your exact 24-inch intermediate sphere before ordering Single Vision computer glasses, or simply enter your full unmodified Distance Rx + ADD into MICHAEL’s Office Progressive tier (US$60 Clear / US$75 Blue-Light in 1.56), which calculates both monitor and keyboard zones automatically.
Which PD do I enter for computer or Office Progressive glasses?
For Office Progressive lenses, enter your Dual Monocular Distance PD (for example, 31.5 mm OD / 32.0 mm OS) so our lab insets the intermediate and near corridors accurately. Only enter Near PD (the smaller number on a 64/61 slip) when ordering dedicated single-vision Reading glasses.
Do Blue-Light lenses look yellow on video calls?
MICHAEL Optical’s clear-base Blue-Light Filtering resin uses a subtle violet-blue surface interference filter rather than an amber dye, keeping skin tones natural on webcam calls while attenuating high-energy 400 to 455 nm screen glare.
Clinical & Regulatory References
- Computer Vision Syndrome (Digital Eye Strain): Viewing Distances & Ergonomics ↗ (American Optometric Association (AOA)) Defines the 20 to 28 inch intermediate computer viewing zone and explains why standard distance or reading glasses often leave a focal gap at desk monitors.
- Computers, Digital Devices and Eye Strain: Blink Rate, Glare & Lens Guidance ↗ (American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO)) Reviews clinical causes of digital eye fatigue (accommodation demand, dry eye from reduced blinking, and screen glare) versus blue-wavelength claims.