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“Arm’s length” is the advice you’ll find everywhere. It’s a fine starting point, but it’s also annoyingly vague — your arm and mine are probably different lengths, and a 24-inch monitor and a 34-inch ultrawide have very different optimal viewing distances.

As an optometrist, I can tell you the correct distance isn’t a single number. It depends on your screen size, your vision, and how you work. Let me give you the actual guidelines.

The Quick Answer

For most people with most monitors: 50-75cm (20-30 inches) from your eyes to the screen surface. This is supported by the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS), the American Optometric Association, and basically every ergonomic guideline worth citing.

But within that range, the right distance for you depends on your screen size:

The rule of thumb: larger screens need more distance. If you can’t see the entire screen without moving your head, you’re either too close or the screen is too big for your desk depth.

Why Distance Matters (The Optometry Perspective)

Your eyes have a focusing system called accommodation. When you look at something close, the ciliary muscles inside your eyes contract to change the shape of the lens, bending light so the near object appears sharp. This takes effort.

The closer the object, the harder your eyes work. At 30cm (12 inches) — typical phone distance — your eyes are working significantly harder than at 60cm (24 inches). Over hours of sustained focus, this difference adds up.

Here’s what happens at different distances:

• < 40cm (< 16"): High accommodative demand. Eye fatigue builds quickly. This is why phone use feels more tiring than desktop use.
• 50-75cm (20-30"): Moderate accommodative demand. Comfortable for sustained work. This is the sweet spot.
• > 80cm (> 32"): Low accommodative demand but text may be too small, causing you to lean forward (defeating the purpose) or squint.

For people over 40 with early presbyopia, distance matters even more. Presbyopia reduces your ability to focus at near distances, so pushing the monitor further away (within reason) and increasing font size can dramatically reduce strain.

How to Measure Your Current Setup

Don’t guess. Actually measure.

1. Sit in your normal working position
2. Reach your arm straight out toward the screen
3. If your fingertips touch the screen, you’re at roughly 60-65cm — a good starting point for a 27" monitor
4. Use a tape measure for precision

If you find yourself leaning forward during the day, your monitor is too far. If your eyes feel strained after an hour, it might be too close. Both are common problems with easy fixes.

Monitor Height Matters Just as Much

Distance gets all the attention, but height is equally important for eye health. The optimal position:

• Top of the screen at or slightly below eye level (about 5-10cm below)
• Center of the screen about 15-20° below your natural eye line

This downward gaze angle is critical because:

1. It reduces exposed eye surface. When you look down, your upper eyelid covers more of your eye, reducing tear evaporation. Less evaporation = less dry eye.
2. It relaxes your neck. Looking straight ahead or up at a screen forces your head into extension, straining neck muscles.
3. It reduces overhead lighting glare. A downward gaze naturally angles your eyes away from ceiling lights.

If your monitor is too low (common with laptops), you’ll hunch. Too high (common with monitors on stands or shelves), you’ll crane your neck and dry your eyes out faster.

How to Fix Your Setup

If Your Monitor Is Too Close or Too Far

The easiest solution is a monitor arm. A good monitor arm like the Ergotron LX (~$160 CAD) lets you push the screen back, pull it forward, raise it, lower it, or tilt it — infinitely adjustable. It also frees up desk space since the monitor floats above the surface.

For budget setups, a simple monitor riser (~$30-50 CAD) can fix the height issue, though it won’t help with distance.

If You’re Using a Laptop

Laptops are ergonomic nightmares because the screen and keyboard are attached. You can’t have both at the right height and distance simultaneously.

The fix: use a laptop stand ($40-60 CAD) to raise the screen to eye level, and connect an external keyboard ($150 CAD) so your hands can be at desk level. This separates the screen from the input device, which is the only way to get both right.

If Your Text Is Too Small at the Right Distance

Don’t move closer. Instead:

• Increase system font size (Windows: Settings → Display → Scale; macOS: System Settings → Displays → Scaled)
• Increase browser zoom to 110-125%
• Consider a higher-resolution monitor. A 27" 4K monitor displays sharper text than a 27" 1080p monitor at the same distance, reducing the urge to lean in.

If you find yourself constantly increasing font sizes or squinting, get your eyes checked. You may need glasses specifically for computer distance (about 60-70cm), which is different from reading glasses (about 40cm).

Special Situations

Dual Monitor Setup

With two monitors, angle them inward about 15-20° so you’re looking at each one relatively straight-on when you turn your head. Keep both at equal distance from your seated position. Put your primary monitor directly in front of you, not off to one side — asymmetric setups cause neck strain over time.

Ultrawide Monitors

Curved ultrawides (34"+) are actually better for your eyes than flat ultrawides because the curve keeps the edges of the screen at a more consistent distance from your eyes. With a flat ultrawide, the edges are further away than the centre, creating inconsistent focus demand.

If you use an ultrawide, aim for 65-85cm distance and position it so the centre is directly in front of you. You will need to turn your head slightly for the edges, which is fine — it’s actually better than staring at a fixed point for hours.

Progressive Lens Wearers

This is a common pain point. Progressive lenses have the computer-distance power in a narrow strip in the middle of the lens. At standard monitor distance, you often need to tilt your head back to look through that zone, which strains your neck.

Solutions:

• Lower your monitor significantly — 10-15cm lower than standard guidelines
• Consider occupational progressive lenses (like Essilor Eyezen or Zeiss Office) designed for wider intermediate zones
• Consider a dedicated pair of computer glasses with your intermediate prescription only

I wrote a detailed guide on desk setups for progressive lens wearers if this applies to you.

People Over 40 (Presbyopia)

As presbyopia develops, your comfortable near-focus range shrinks. A monitor at 50cm that was fine at 35 may cause strain at 45. The solution is usually:

1. Push the monitor back to 65-75cm
2. Increase font/scaling
3. Get an updated prescription — you may need computer-specific glasses even if your distance vision is fine

Monitor distance is one key factor, but there’s more to it — see our comprehensive guide to reducing digital eye strain when working from home for the full picture.

The Bottom Line

The “right” monitor distance isn’t a single magic number — it’s the distance where you can see your entire screen clearly, read text comfortably without squinting, and maintain good posture without leaning forward.

For most people with a 27" monitor, that’s about 60-70cm (24-28 inches). But the best test is simple: sit at your desk, close your eyes, open them, and notice where tension appears. If your eyes, neck, or shoulders feel strained after 30 minutes, something needs adjusting.

A monitor arm, proper font scaling, and an up-to-date eye prescription solve 90% of monitor distance problems. And they cost less than the massage therapy appointments you’ll need if you ignore them.