What are Lazy Eye Glasses

Do you love reading or watching TV in bed but find yourself constantly adjusting your posture? In most cases, this can be due to neck and back pain you experience from having to tilt your head.

There's a potential solution that's already taken TikTok by storm: lazy glasses.
These innovative dimensions let you watch TV or read in bed without even lifting your head from the pillow. Let's explore how they work, their pros and cons, and whether they're worth the investment.

man wearing lazy glasses lying on sofa watching tv
Lazy glasses use a mirror or prism to reflect words or images on a screen or page back to your eyes when you lie down.

What are lazy glasses?

Lazy glasses are designed to allow you to lie flat and still see the screen or page without moving your neck up.

periscope lazy glasses
The mirrors used in periscope-style lazy glasses are usually quite wide, so they're best for viewing larger screens.

There are two main types of lazy glasses. The most common type is the periscope-style lazy eye, which uses two angled mirrors to reflect images or text on a screen or page back to your eyes. These are better for people who need wider reflection angles or need to view larger screens or pages.

Prism lazy glasses
Compared with periscope glasses, prism lazy glasses are smaller and lighter. Source: Amazon

Meanwhile, prismatic lazy eyeglasses use a single prism to reflect images or words back to your eyes. The prisms are positioned at specific angles so that light from the screen or page is refracted into your eyes even when the glasses are not facing you directly.

Prism-style glasses are generally more compact and lighter than periscope-style glasses. They're a welcome option for those who want a more streamlined and portable solution for hands-free viewing in bed.

How Lazy Glasses Work

As you probably know by now, lazy eye glasses use mirrors or prisms to function. Prisms are made from triangular pieces of glass or plastic that bend light by splitting it into different colors and refracting it at an angle.

Illustration of how lazy glasses work
Tilted mirrors or prisms reflect images or words, making them appear to be standing upright in front of you, even if they are not directly in front of you.

They are angled to ensure that an image or text appears upright in front of you, even if it is reflected from a surface that is not directly in front of you.

Typically, this means you can lie flat and still see the screen or page without looking up. In addition to keeping your neck comfortable, wearing prism glasses while reading or watching TV can reduce eye strain. Plus, it's a lifesaver for those with mobility issues who might have difficulty sitting up to watch TV or read.

Blue light glasses don't protect your eyes like lazy glasses
While lazy glasses are convenient for watching TV, they don't protect your eyes from blue light damage. Source: Baylor College of Medicine

However, too much screen time can cause eye strain. The same goes for lazy glasses; prolonged use can lead to eye strain, neck and face tension, and fatigue.

This is where blue light glasses come in handy for many people. By reducing the amount of blue light entering your eyes, these glasses can help protect your eyes from digital eye strain.