Workplace glasses, varifocals, reading glasses and more.

How to find the perfect glasses for your needs

Round 2.2 million Germans work in the office or secretaries. Most of them work at a computer screen. And for several hours a day. Perhaps you do too?

The problem: Working at a computer can put a lot of strain on your eyes. You may know the symptoms. Your eyes burn, water - or simply don't want to see so well. Phenomena that are normal when focusing on a screen for a long time. But normal is not necessarily good.

Spectra of different light sources

It gets even worse if you not only work a lot on a PC. You also have short or long-sightedness. Then there are several horrors to combat. Dry eyes and blurred vision. Plus: the blue light from the screen.

Fortunately, there are glasses that can solve these problems: workplace glasses, varifocals, reading glasses and blue blocker glasses.

In this article, you can find out what the individual types of glasses can do and which glasses are best suited to your workplace.

Difference between work glasses & varifocals

Do you have poor near and distance vision? Then you're probably wearing varifocals. But did you know that there are also workplace glasses that are specially designed for your requirements in the office?

In contrast to varifocals, which are made for near and far vision, the distance range of workplace glasses is tailored to your individual working distance - usually shorter distances of between 50 and 70 centimetres. This is the distance you usually have to your keyboard and screen.

But how do workstation glasses work?

The lenses of the workplace glasses have an extra-large central viewing zone. This is essential for your work at the screen. The lower part of the lens is designed for a slightly shorter distance to the keyboard. The upper part, on the other hand, is for seeing into the distance.

This has a huge advantage for you: you can always see perfectly when switching between the screen, documents, keyboard and colleagues.

The 3 visual zones of screen glasses

What does that mean for you?

If you have problems with near and far vision, you need varifocals. If you also work on a PC a lot, you should also buy a pair of workstation glasses.

Good to know: PC glasses, workstation glasses, computer workstation glasses and screen glasses are the same thing.

Do I have to pay for my workplace glasses myself?

Computer glasses include prescription lenses. Since 2008, employers have had to cover the cost of these glasses. This applies if you need them to see clearly at work and the majority of your work involves working at a PC or monitor.

However, the costs may only be covered proportionately if you also wear the glasses privately. Or if you want special additional equipment.

This is all regulated in detail in the Ordinance on Occupational Health Care.

Ordinance on preventive occupational health care

The Ordinance on Occupational Health Care (ArbMedVV) is a legal basis in Germany designed to protect the health of employees in the workplace. The ordinance specifies which occupational health care measures must be taken in certain occupational situations.

The ArbMedVV stipulates that an assessment of the risk at the workplace must be carried out. Not only the current conditions, but also future developments must be taken into account. Occupational health care should have a preventative effect and identify potential health risks at an early stage.

So what is the ArbMedVV supposed to do?

It is intended to improve working conditions, minimize potential health hazards and maintain the health of employees in the long term. Employers are required to carefully implement the provisions of the ArbMedVV in order to ensure a safe and healthy workplace.

(1) The employer must offer employees preventive care in accordance with the Annex. Preventive care must be offered before the employee starts work and at regular intervals thereafter. The refusal of an offer does not release the employer from the obligation to continue to offer regular preventive care.

This preventive care offer, which is regulated in the Ordinance on Occupational Healthcare (ArbMedVV) § 5 preventive care offers, also includes appropriate examination of the eyes and eyesight.

If it turns out that the employee needs a special visual aid for working at a computer screen, this must be provided by the employer (Annex Part 4 ArbMedVV).

Another category of glasses: reading glasses

So far, you have learned what distinguishes varifocal glasses from workplace glasses. The biggest difference: the lenses of workplace glasses are divided into three visual zones. And have an extra large central viewing zone for the screen.

Reading glasses also have a large near vision zone. However, they are designed for a short distance of around 30 to 40 cm - i.e. not for a VDU workstation. Instead, they are designed for the distance your eyes usually have to a book when reading. These glasses are also well suited for all activities where you need a close-up view. For example, when knitting. Reading glasses, on the other hand, are not suitable for working at a computer screen.

Even varifocals are no substitute for reading glasses. The varifocal lens has two large vision zones for near and far vision. The area in the middle, which is perfect for screen distance, is too narrow. You have to hit it precisely with your eyes to be able to see clearly.

In addition, varifocals are not suitable for the rapid and numerous changes of view between monitor, keyboard and documents. Only computer glasses can do that.

Computer workstation glasses plus blue light filter

Blueblocker glasses with blue light filter

If you are short-sighted or both short-sighted and long-sighted, computer glasses are the first choice in the office. You know that now.

Why is that?

VDU glasses enable relaxed, sharp vision on the screen - without you having to adjust your posture. The glasses are tailored precisely to your workplace situation.

However, good screen glasses not only ensure that you can see clearly in every situation. Ideally, they can also help you to protect your eyes from the strong blue-violet radiation of the monitor are protected.

How does this work? With an integrated blue light filter.

Opticians often offer the integration of such a filter in their glasses. However, transparent glasses will not be enough to effectively protect your eyes from blue light. They filter a maximum of 30% of blue light. In our opinion, it is also not advisable to filter part or all of the spectrum at all times. More on this in our article "Can I wear my Blueblocker glasses all day long?"

What is certain: Too much blue light in the evening can damage your your sleep rhythm rhythm. Blue light filters that block 100% blue light can support restful sleep and optimal regeneration. They can also be useful when working on a PC in the evening.

The smart solution: blue light filter glasses

It can also be useful to filter the blue light from monitors at times during the day. However, you should take your glasses off during the day as soon as you have finished looking at the screen. In the evening, on the other hand, blue light can throw your internal clock out of sync. For you, this means that during the day you can either filter software or wear our Work+Play workplace/gaming glasses. In the evening, you can wear our Sleep Blueblocker glasses.

Blue light filter glasses filter the blue light

These glasses do not have prescription lenses. So their job is not to let you see clearly. What they do do do is block out the blue light from the screen.

It can therefore make sense to wear these glasses in the evening. For example, if you are working on your PC or watching TV just before going to bed.

Now you're sure to have an objection: wearing blue blocker glasses over your varifocals or work glasses is not very comfortable.

That's true! But there is a solution. Blueblocker lenses are also available as clip-ons. You can wear these over your existing glasses. Whether you're working at a computer screen or relaxing in the evening.