My best monitor hack

[hammerbrostime]

If you code, get computer glasses. They give a slight magnification on the screen, allowing you to use a smaller font-size on the screen. Without the glasses, I can only do practical work with 3 docs simultaneously on my 34" screen. With the glasses, I can comfortably work on 4 docs on the screen width-wise simultaneously.

[quickthrower2]

Any optometrists want to chime in as to whether this a good idea to for many hours per day over a long time period (say 10 years)?

[WaltPurvis]

Computer glasses are critical for me. Without them I can hardly work on a computer for more than a few minutes before my eyes start to bother me.

When I first got prescription computer glasses, about five years ago, I tried to use one set of glasses for both reading and computer work, so they were calibrated to focus at about 21" (roughly halfway between book reading distance and my monitor distance). It was a major improvement for my computer work, but it was noticeably less than ideal for reading.

So last year I just got two pairs of glasses, one focused at 12" for reading books, the other focused at 30" — the more or less exact distance from my eyes to my monitors. This was a huge improvement for me. Text on the monitor was so sharp I could hardly believe it (still is, but now I'm used to it), and my enjoyment reading books was vastly improved too.

I highly recommend prescription computer glasses if you're getting up there in years.

[matt_the_bass]

Assuming this has no negative impact on your eyes, this is a clever idea. I’m not an eye doctor, so I can’t comment on that.

However the price difference between your current monitor and a larger one is likely less than a good pair of glasses. So maybe just get a better monitor?

[hammerbrostime → matt_the_bass]

At 34", my monitor is already pretty big. Also, my prescription glasses were pretty cheap @ $50 from eyebuydirect (including shipping).

I see an even bigger boost for the 2 hours I spend on the train during work days with my 15" laptop.

[laurentl]

While on the subjects of glasses and monitors, what are your thoughts on blue light filters in glasses?

[pw]

This is a really cool idea. Too bad I already wear glasses. I wonder if it's bad for your eyes.

[hammerbrostime → pw]

My computer glasses are prescription. Next time you get an eye exam you can just ask your doctor for a prescription for working at your computer. My vision up close was already pretty-darn good, but the prescription adds just a hint of clarity (I see the pixels now much more distinctly than I had before).