How Do You Know If You Need Reading Glasses?
When was the last time you sat down to read only to find the pages blurrier than you remember? According to the National Poll on Healthy Aging, about 86% of seniors use glasses or contact lenses. But how do you know if you need reading glasses as your aging vision worsens?
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If you're curious about senior eyesight and diagnosing visual changes, we're here to help. Read on for a brief overview of eye health awareness and how glasses can help you achieve a vibrant life.
How Do You Know If You Need Reading Glasses?
What are the main signs that you're undergoing visual changes? These changes are often easy to see -- they're your eyes, after all. Here are some of the first signs that you need reading glasses.
Blurry Vision
One of the first things you'll notice is blurriness to your vision. That'll be the case at any distance, but you should expect it the most for close-range vision.
You'll likely notice this while reading, as this is one of the most common actions that brings something close to our eyes. Needing to see fine, small letters will blur your eyes even before your vision starts fading!
If you're having difficulty with your vision, consider seeking assistance. Our assisted living program has professional assistants who are happy to help you with your vision needs.
A single moment of blurry vision doesn't indicate a need for reading glasses. Instead, consider this a symptom if you deal with it repeatedly.
Difficulty Seeing Up Close
The most common time for your vision to blur is when you're looking at something up close. But why?
As we age, the flexibility of the lens in our eyes becomes worse and worse. The inability to flex makes it harder for our eyes to take in light and bend it properly.
As a result, our vision naturally blurs when our lens needs to shift to see something up close. That's also one of the main reasons that presbyopia is so common as we age; our bodies do it automatically!
Just like with blurred vision, this is something you're most likely to notice when reading. That's because you don't often see things so closely unless you're reading something.
Frequently Confusing Letters
Have you ever tried to tell tiny letters apart when your vision is blurring? It's nearly as impossible a task as anyone could ask. But as we deal with aging vision, this is a situation we encounter constantly.
It's common for seniors to confuse some letters when dealing with blurred vision. If you find yourself doing this frequently, it may be time for some reading glasses.
How Do Reading Glasses Work?
What do reading glasses do to make your vision better? Since the issue is that your lens isn't bending light correctly, you can likely guess that reading glasses help remedy this problem.
Reading glasses work by effectively bringing the focal point closer to the eye. They do this by magnifying the image, shifting how close it appears. If you've ever used a magnifying glass, it's the same principle!
Common Reading Glass Strengths
If you've visited a supermarket or eyeglasses store, you've likely seen some glasses with pre-made prescriptions.
Normally, when we get glasses, we go and speak to an eye doctor, specifically an optometrist, about our vision. They perform a few simple tests and get us a pair of glasses that are custom-made for our eyes.
But many people choose to instead buy a pair of readers. If you do, you've seen the numbers on the side. What do these mean?
Prescriptions are rated in a unit called a diopter. The higher the number, the stronger the prescription.
The diopter increases by order of 0.25. A pair of +1.50 readers is half the strength of +3.00 glasses, for example.
Readers normally max out at about +4.00. Past that, you should consider seeing a doctor and getting a personalized prescription.
Preserving Your Eyesight
As we age, our eyesight fades is almost unavoidable. You'll likely notice after a few years that your first eyeglasses no longer work as well.
How do you know if you need reading glasses once you have a prescription? If you find your vision is worsening again, you may need to focus on preserving your eyesight. Here are some ways to do so.
Reduce Strain
Your first step is to reduce eye strain. Strain can fatigue your eyes and worsen your vision, especially if you're already dealing with vision problems.
According to the Mayo Clinic, some common ways to strain your eyes are:
- Reading for long periods
- Experiencing high stress
- Straining to see in poorly lit areas
- Exposure to bright lights and glare
If you're having reading difficulty, make sure you're taking frequent breaks! Long drives, bright lights, and other such hazards can all cause severe eye strain.
Be Careful With Screens
Few things cause eye strain more than using your screens. Cell phone, laptop, personal computer, and television screens are all exceptionally straining for your eyes.
These won't do much damage over a short period. But if you're spending a large amount of your day staring at your screens, you should expect strained eyes, headaches, and worsened vision.
Use Glasses
Once you get glasses, make sure you wear them! Use an eyeglasses case to keep them safe, and try to keep them with you as often as possible. That way, you have them whenever you need them.
Understanding Aging Vision
How do you know if you need reading glasses? Once your vision starts to blur or eye strain becomes constant, it's likely that it's time to look into your aging vision. Speak to an optometrist about your visual changes and make sure to wear your glasses!
At Sage Valley Senior Living, we know that the future is bright in your golden years. Our community offers leisure centers like our movie theater, lounges, fitness center, and even a salon! Browse our floor plans to see where you can fit in today.