Your vision will change throughout your lifetime. Everyone?s does! And many people turn to reading glasses as a stop-gap measure if they?ve never had glasses, or have glasses but are having a harder time reading books, newspapers and other nearby small print.
If you?re wondering about reading glasses and whether they?re right for you as you age, we have some insights right here to help you learn more about these ?cheaters? as some refer to them. Let?s dive in, but remember if you think you need an eye exam or have an eye problem, make an appointment with PineCone Vision Center today!
1. Reading Glasses Aren?t A Cure-All
Reading glasses can?t fix every vision problem you might have. It?s always best to get an eye exam to determine what type of vision help you might need, and whether you might be able to solely use reading glasses to improve your quality of life.
Reading glasses are made primarily for presbyopia which is an age-related eye disease. Presbyopia is caused by a decreased elasticity in the eye’s lens, making it more difficult to focus on objects in a close range. Because it takes longer to focus, difficulty in reading fine print is often one of the first symptoms people notice when they begin to develop presbyopia.
2. You May Need Them Earlier Than You Think
The fact is that many people now need reading glasses between 35-45 in order to effectively see text up close. This might not have been the answer you expect, as you may have thought 50-60 might have been the age to see this development.
Unfortunately, vision changes do start to accelerate again around the age of 40, so it?s best to get in for an eye exam regularly.
3. There Are Different Strengths
Reading glasses come in generic strengths which can be picked out by a consumer via a trial and error process. While reading glasses can help correct problems related to close-range vision, they?re not made to correct long-range vision problems.
If you have presbyopia and wear reading glasses, they may reduce your ability to see long-range. That?s why bi-focal reading glasses were invented.
4. They May Not Be Enough For You
Typically, reading glasses are made with lower quality materials than prescription eyeglasses and they won’t give the wearer the accurate vision correction a pair of prescription glasses can give.
Also, prescription glasses can help with a variety of eye-related conditions as each lens is custom-made to help improve vision issues specific to the wearer.