By author Stephen B. Craig
If you’re a graphic designer, you probably clock in a lot of screen time. After all, your work is already vision-heavy. Depending on the number of clients you’re juggling, you’re likely also working overtime to meet deadlines. Beyond that, the flexibility of a graphic design career means many designers work remotely as freelancers. Unfortunately, that’s something that can exacerbate how long you spend looking at screens.
According to The Hill, people who work from home use digital devices for two hours longer than their on-site counterparts. That means they log a total of 13 hours of screen time a day. Over two-thirds of remote employees thus report experiencing new vision issues, partly because they feel like they can’t take breaks.
That’s because prolonged hours of screen use tires and strains the eyes. The resulting discomfort, dryness, and even pain can negatively impact your productivity, reduce how clearly you can view and revise your designs, and ultimately affect your ability to submit quality output to clients in a timely manner.
The good news is that you can prevent eye strain by simply wearing protective and corrective eyewear. However, not all glasses are created equal. Some might be uncomfortable to wear for long periods, while others may impact color perception to the detriment of your designs. That said, you’ll want to look at these key factors when choosing the best glasses for graphic design work.
Frames
To ensure your glasses don’t cause discomfort as you work long hours to meet deadlines, look for a pair with comfortable frames. Two factors to consider here are material and fit. Ideally, you’ll want glasses frames made of nylon & propionate. The pairs available on Glasses.com show that this mix of plastics makes bestselling models like the Oakley Holbrook and Dolce & Gabbana DG5101 more lightweight, meaning they’ll be comfortable to wear for longer. You’ll also want your glasses to fit snugly—frames that are too tight can squeeze your temples and cause headaches, while those that are too loose can fall off with just a little bit of sweat or movement. That’s something you can easily assess in person, so try wearing your chosen pair for a few minutes before buying them to determine if they’re the right fit for you.
Lenses
The HD displays required to view your designs in crisp color and detail can exacerbate eye strain. Such screens are an artificial source of high-energy blue light, which is naturally emitted by the sun. Though it can boost alertness and productivity—perfect for work—excess amounts of blue light can expose the eyes to too much glare, and that brightness can strain your eyes even further. Though you may think that choosing eyeglass lenses with blue light filters may be the best way to prevent strain, they may not be ideal for graphic designers. That’s because they come with a yellow tint that can significantly alter color perception. Instead, consider getting glasses with simpler anti-reflective lenses. Verywell Health notes that the likes of the Crizal Prevencia and Hoya Super HiVision only have a faint blue or green tinge that isn’t opaque enough to change the colors you see on screen. Despite that, they’re just as effective at blocking glare, making them more suitable for graphic design work.
Prescriptions
Do you already wear glasses for vision correction? Check that the glasses you’re buying use your latest prescription. Wearing outdated glasses can distort your eyesight, making your eyes work harder and thus more vulnerable to strain—so get an eye exam before selecting glasses. Graphic designers with higher prescriptions also have to be more cautious. Glasses distort eyesight the stronger a prescription gets, and the thicker lenses they need can be too bulky to be comfortable. In these cases, consider getting your prescription glasses on demand from providers like ThinOptics. The manufacturer customizes eyewear based on a user’s unique lifestyle needs, meaning you can easily get a pair with thin, lightweight, distortion-free, and even anti-reflective lenses that accurately accommodate stronger prescriptions. That way, you can get the comfortable, clear, and relaxed eyesight needed for graphic design even if you have existing vision needs.