Convert Progressive Prescription to Computer Glasses Calculator

Progressive Prescription to Computer Glasses Calculator

This calculator helps you estimate a single-vision prescription for computer glasses based on your current progressive lens prescription. It is intended for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for a professional eye exam.

Enter Your Current Progressive Prescription

You can find these values on the prescription provided by your optometrist. Enter '0' if a value is not present (e.g., for Cylinder).

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Eye	Sphere (SPH)	Cylinder (CYL)	Axis
Right (OD)
Left (OS)

This value is usually the same for both eyes.

Estimated Computer Glasses Prescription

Disclaimer: This is an estimate. For a precise prescription tailored to your specific working distance and needs, consult your eye care professional.

Understanding the Need for Computer Glasses

Progressive lenses are a marvel of optical engineering, providing clear vision at distance, intermediate, and near ranges all in one lens. However, for individuals who spend many hours a day in front of a computer, they can have drawbacks. The intermediate-vision corridor in a progressive lens is often narrow, forcing you to tilt your head back to find the "sweet spot." This can lead to neck pain, shoulder strain, and digital eye strain.

What Are Computer Glasses?

Computer glasses, also known as "intermediate" or "office" glasses, are single-vision lenses specifically optimized for the distance between your eyes and your computer screen (typically 20-26 inches). Unlike progressives, the entire lens is dedicated to this one focal length, providing a much wider, more comfortable field of view. This eliminates the need to find a small corridor of clear vision, allowing for a more natural posture and significantly reducing eye and neck strain.

How the Calculation Works

To create a computer prescription, we need to adjust your distance prescription to focus at an intermediate range. This is done using the "ADD" power from your progressive prescription, which represents the extra power needed to focus up close (reading distance).

Since a computer screen is further away than a book, we don't need the full ADD power. A common and effective rule of thumb is to use about 50% of the ADD power. This calculator applies that principle:

New Computer Sphere = Your Distance Sphere + (Your ADD Power × 0.50)

The Cylinder (CYL) and Axis values, which correct for astigmatism, remain unchanged as astigmatism correction is consistent across all distances.

Example Calculation

Let's say your progressive prescription is:

• Right Eye (OD): Sphere -2.00, Cylinder -0.75, Axis 100
• Left Eye (OS): Sphere -2.25, Cylinder -0.50, Axis 80
• ADD Power: +2.00

The calculation for the new computer sphere power would be:

• Right Eye (OD): -2.00 + (+2.00 × 0.50) = -2.00 + 1.00 = -1.00
• Left Eye (OS): -2.25 + (+2.00 × 0.50) = -2.25 + 1.00 = -1.25

Your estimated computer prescription would be:

• Right Eye (OD): Sphere -1.00, Cylinder -0.75, Axis 100
• Left Eye (OS): Sphere -1.25, Cylinder -0.50, Axis 80

This new prescription provides a clear, wide field of view at your computer screen, promoting better ergonomics and visual comfort.

Eye	Sphere (SPH)	Cylinder (CYL)	Axis
Right (OD)	' + formatPower(newSphOD) + '	' + (cylOD !== 0 ? formatCyl(cylOD) : '0.00') + '	' + (cylOD !== 0 ? axisOD : 'N/A') + '
Left (OS)	' + formatPower(newSphOS) + '	' + (cylOS !== 0 ? formatCyl(cylOS) : '0.00') + '	' + (cylOS !== 0 ? axisOS : 'N/A') + '