LCD glasses might replace bifocals

Given the amount of time we spend in front of various screens over the course of the day (and night), it's not surprising that we're a little worried about our vision. But we're also vain enough that the idea of wearing ultra-thick coke-bottle glasses, or even dual-core bifocals, has us a little worried. So, we're ready to volunteer to test the LCD glasses being developed by researchers at the University of Arizona. The specs use electrodes that can alter the configuration of the LCDs, automatically refocusing based on what the wearer is looking at. There are, however, a couple of downsides. Other researchers scoff that the lenses would end up being too heavy and thick (and the prototype pictured here does look kind of goofy). The other downside: if the batteries give out, you're left with plain glass. We wouldn't want to be caught in that position while we're, say, in the middle of passing a tractor-trailer on a rain-slicked highway in the middle of the night. Maybe we'll stick with the coke-bottle lenses for a while, and wait for the white-suits to get the bugs out of this one first.

[Felix @ Apr 4th 2006 4:26PM]

id get these if the lcds are 1080i and can hook up to my ps3 with bluetooth

[Andy @ Apr 4th 2006 4:36PM]

You mispelled bifocals.

[Jabbar @ Apr 4th 2006 4:46PM]

haha bifoacls. thats a funny word.

[Stress @ Apr 4th 2006 6:15PM]

Not if they look like that.

[Erik @ Apr 4th 2006 6:17PM]

can they shoot lasers?

[tim @ Apr 4th 2006 6:49PM]

Looking at a computer screen will not damage your vision.

[beef_thing @ Apr 4th 2006 7:20PM]

The bifocals are cheaper, the bifocals are ligheter, and the bifocals won't malfunction as it is not electric...why on earth would anyone use these...

[Rusty @ Apr 4th 2006 7:53PM]

As someone in their 40's (46) who's been wearing bifocal glasses for the last 2 years, it would be nice at some point to have this as an option. Most of the time I need far away lenses, but as a repair technician, when I'm working on something, I need the "up close" lens. I'm always lifting my head up or down to get the close up part of the lens where I need it. To push a button and have the entire lens set as a close up lens would be really nice!
LOL, but I'll wait until they have it perfected a couple of years...I don't want a lcd lens and battery pack hanging off my glasses. I look geeky enough with a bluetooth headset ;)

[Nash @ Apr 4th 2006 9:29PM]

Incredible, people are crazy.

[sam @ Apr 4th 2006 11:02PM]

It has actually been scientifically proven that TV and computer screens do not do extra harm to your vision in any way.

A way they could solve the problem of the battery dying and being left with only plain glass could be solved if they didn't use plain glass on the front of them. Seems kinda obvious, donchathink?

And it *would* be kinda cool to be able to play video games on these glasses. :P

[Doug @ Apr 5th 2006 2:32AM]

Rusy's dead right. I'm a bit older, and I've moved on to trifocals - one lens for distance, one for reading, one for soldering PCB's. My head nods like a demented parrot. Roll on the time when these gadgets are usable!

[Rose @ Apr 5th 2006 3:03AM]

This Pseudo-Hugescreen Video Headset can ease eyestrain for PC use and is great for watching portable DVD player or MP4 -
http://www.chinavasion.com/product_info.php/pName/video-headset-30-inches-2m-away-full-colour-av-interface/

[Khaytsus @ Apr 5th 2006 8:56AM]

#8,

You're exactly right. Anyone reading Harry Potter would get a massive headache. Nobody could argue that!

[Great Googly Moogly @ Apr 5th 2006 1:22PM]

#12, Yeah, if you're stupid enough to run at a crappy refresh rate. 85 Hz minimum here (100-120 Hz is nicer though, and beyond that point I can't tell anymore), and I sit in front of CRTs about 14-15 hours a day some weeks (gotta love work : ), and they're completely comfortable for me.

LCDs on the other hand, are way way way way too bright. Sure, you can lower the brightness to 0 to make them a bit more tolerable, but then you won't have even close to semi-accurate colours.

Here's one (who has had glasses since he was 4 years old btw) who prefers the ergonomics of CRTs over annoyingly sharp and painfully bright LCDs.

[Great Googly Moogly @ Apr 5th 2006 1:24PM]

And SmearType makes my eyes water.

[Optom @ Apr 7th 2006 7:07AM]

#9

you'll strain your eyes reading a ebook on a monitor and it will likely give you headaches BUT it will not damage your vision. It's just uncomfortable.