Compare
Computer glasses vs reading glasses
Two focusing distances, with a lens that holds both.
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The short answer
Reading glasses focus at about 18 to 22 inches, where you hold a book or a phone. Computer glasses focus farther out, at a screen about 20 to 26 inches away, so they’re usually a weaker power. A multifocal lens can hold both: EV6™ puts your reading power at the bottom for the phone and eases it off toward the screen and the room, with clear focus from 18 inches to 6 feet.
Side by side
How they differ
| Reading glasses | Computer glasses | EV6 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Focuses at | About 18 to 22 in | About 20 to 26 in | 18 in to 6 ft |
| Power | Your reading power | Less than your reading power | Your reading power at the bottom, easing off going up |
| Best for | A book, a phone, paperwork | One screen | A phone, keyboard, monitor and the room around the desk |
| From L&F | $145 | Order readers in a lower power | $220 |
Two pairs or one
A lens for both
With single-distance glasses, the phone and the screen need two different powers, so it takes two pairs.
EV6 holds both distances in one lens. Look down and your reading power is there. Look ahead at the monitor and the lens has eased off to the power the screen needs.
Three ranges
Where each lens is sharp
EV6
18 inches to 6 feet
It covers your phone, keyboard, monitor and the person across the desk. It stops at six feet, so it has the widest corridor we make.
About EV6EV20
20 inches to 20 feet
It reaches from a book in your lap to the far side of the room, for moving around the house or the office.
About EV20EVinfinity
Near vision and all the way out
It has reading power at the bottom and clear distance through the top, for driving and time outdoors. Its corridor is narrower than EV6’s, closer to a standard progressive.
About EVinfinityEV6 Readers
Find your EV6 Reader
Customer reviews
What customers say
“Great glasses…yet again”
This is my fourth pair from Lens and Frame and their EV Readers are amazing. Highly recommend this company.
“Perfect!”
These are something that you really don’t know how much you need, until you’re wearing them. They’re a game changer for me!
“customer service”
maybe one of the best customer focus companies around. very responsive, very polite, and great communication. i'd give 6 stars if i could
“Best progressives EVER”
I’ve bought progressives from just about every company, but they were all so difficult to use. Lens & Frames are high quality and provide clear and perfect vision at every single level. I can see perfectly even while dri…
“LOVE”
These readers have changed my work life! I recently started a desk job and had to find something ASAP for my close up vision. I wanted something that was great quality and that I could use my HSA for and these are it! Th…
“One pair isn't enough...”
Quality frames and good vision. I'm about 90% happy with my vision when I used my new glasses for reading and computer. I say 90% because the 'reading power' I selected from from a pair of basic drug store readers and mi…
How it works
From your order to your desk
Pick a frame and a range
Each range comes in 35 frames from L&F, Ombraz, RAEN and STATE Optical.
Order your reading power
The power you’d use to read a book, from +1.00 to +2.75. Add your PD, which you can measure at home in about a minute.
We make them in about two weeks
We digitally surface, coat and edge the lenses in California. Shipping is free and takes about three days.
How they’re made
Made to your measurements in California
Digitally surfaced
The curves for your power are cut into a single lens blank by computer-guided equipment, accurate to a hundredth of a diopter.
A full stack of coatings
An anti-reflective layer stops the bounce-back glare. Oleophobic and hydrophobic layers keep fingerprints and water from sticking. A hard coat protects against scratches.
Edged for your frame
A multi-axis edger cuts each lens so the power sits exactly in front of your pupils in the frame you chose. We inspect the lens at every stage. If we find a blemish, we start over with a fresh blank.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Are computer glasses the same as reading glasses?
No. Reading glasses focus at about 20 inches. Computer glasses focus at screen distance, farther out. They’re usually a lower power.
Can I use computer glasses for reading?
Single-distance computer glasses are usually too weak for a book or phone held close. EV6 has your full reading power at the bottom of the lens for exactly that.
How strong are computer glasses compared with reading glasses?
About three quarters of your reading power for a monitor at 25 to 30 inches. The strength guide has a table.
Which reading power should I order?
Order the power you’d use to read a book or your phone up close. That full power sits at the bottom of the lens. The lens eases it down for your screen and the room. If you already wear drugstore readers, their number is your starting point. Which power to order walks through it.
What if they aren’t right for me?
You have 30 days from delivery to return them for a full refund, with a prepaid label. Within 60 days we’ll remake the lenses at no charge if the power or measurements need adjusting, or exchange them for a different frame style, color or lens option. Start any of these through the contact form.
EV6
Read the page and the screen through the same lens.
Made to your measurements · Free 3-day shipping · 1-year scratch warranty
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