Just like your joints and other body parts, your eyes are affected by aging. The natural internal lenses in your eyes lose some of their flexibility as you get older (about 40). When you were younger, they were able to focus from near to far vision more effortlessly.
Your ability to see up close declines as your eyes become less flexible. Presbyopia is a condition that may have you questioning whether you need reading glasses.
Here are a few signs that you do:
Books and other reading materials appear hazy when held up close. To read them, you must hold them farther away.
In low light, you have problems reading smaller type.
Your eyes hurt when you try to read, sew, or do other close work.
When you try to read, you experience headaches.
How to Choose a Strength
Look for the number on the tag that is on any inexpensive "readers" you opt to try at a drugstore. Diopters are units used to measure the power of a reading glass. Typically, 1.00 diopters is the lowest strength. The strength of the glasses increases by.25 (1.50, 1.75, 2.00). 4.00 diopter lenses are the strongest.
To determine which one works best, try a few. Try wearing your glasses while holding a book or magazine 14 to 16 inches away from your face to see whether the print is easier to see. One pair for very close reading and the other at medium distances, like as your computer screen, may require two different strengths.
Select the weakest (lowest number) pair of glasses that you can wear.
Remember that these eyewear may not fit you as well as prescription eyewear. They can't be adjusted if you need a different strength in each eye, and they can't correct astigmatism, a frequent issue that results in blurry vision.
Additionally, as you age, your vision may alter. In a year or two, you might need to purchase a pair of reading glasses with more strength.
When to See Your Doctor
Make an appointment with your eye doctor for an examination if your close vision is fuzzy. Based on your examination, they may advise a certain reading glass strength or provide a prescription. Additionally, it's usually a good idea to get any other eye problems examined.
Bifocals, trifocals, or progressive lenses might be a good option if you also need glasses for distant vision. You can see both up close and far away with bifocals. For close, intermediate, and far viewing, progressive lenses and trifocals can be adjusted.
See your eye doctor right away if:
Your vision has undergone any sudden or significant alterations.
Everything appears hazy.
You get eye pain.
Lights appear to have haloes or flashes surrounding them.
Your vision is blurry.
At age 40, the American Academy of Ophthalmology advises getting a baseline eye checkup. Presbyopia is one of the various vision issues that might begin at this time.
You should then take exams:
Between the ages of 55 and 64, every 1 to 3 years
Every one to two years beginning at 65
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