How do you know what strength reading glasses to get?
Reading glasses can be easy to misplace. It’s tempting to use any pair you find that might help you out at all. However it is important to make sure you are using the correct prescription to make sure you do not hurt your eyes or give yourself a headache. Finding the correct prescription can be easy when you know what you are looking for.
When your eye doctor gives you your prescription, it can look like a different language but it doesn’t have to. For reading glasses, your prescription will be denoted by a + sign followed by a number that goes in increments of .25, so you may see +1.00 or even +1.75. What ever that number after the + is, is your strength needed in your glasses.
When you go to the store, the glasses will be marked with exactly what strength they are. Match up the numbers and you are good to go. Generally speaking, there will not be much options out in the stores that are under the +1.00 however we can help you order something lower.
It is important to note, that the higher the prescription number is, the closer your vision will correct to. That means you may find a slightly higher prescription to give you better vision with something closer up like a book or menu. If you notice you are having a hard time reading things, then that is your sign to schedule an eye exam.
Why do I need a yearly eye exam?
Getting your eyes looked at yearly is absolutely your best bet. You may not end up with a prescription change each year- actually you probably wont. However the key to treating any diseases is a quick identification of it. Your probability for a favorable outcome is much higher when you catch it early. Straining your eyes will cause you more harm than good- it can even give you excess wrinkles and no one wants that!
Of course if you can find your paperwork from where you ordered your glasses from last, that will have your prescription on it as well. You should be able to call the last doctor you visited to be able to retain this information, but it is best to get that checkup and make sure you are still where you need to be.
Are the reading glasses from general stores ok to use?
It is absolutely fine to use reading glasses from any store so long as it is your correct prescription. Many people end up with a few pair since they do not need to wear them 24/7. It is handy to have a pair in the car, at the office, by the bed, and so on.
Additionally you can find some reading glasses with blue light blockers in them as well. We do recommend the use of blue light blockers whenever you can as they do help with the strain on your eyes from computers, phones, and TVs. Blue light decreases your body’s natural production of melatonin and could be the cause of your falling asleep easy problems.
If I need normal glasses to see far away, should I get reading glasses separately?
This choice is totally up to you. Some people do not mind switching between their glasses if their reading prescription is not that strong. Others will find this very annoying to remember two pairs or not have the readers at times. If it has come to that time where you need both, it is probably best to just bite the bullet and get a new pair of glasses that are bifocal so you can have it all in one.
On the other hand, if you were contacts a lot then you may want to have some readers hanging around in addition. You can get contact lenses with both in one but some people do not like the way those fit. They can also be more costly that way. But ultimately it is personal preference.
Is there a good way to remember my reading glasses prescription?
The easiest way to keep track of your prescription is to have it saved in your phone some way. Using the notes section to type in what you are at is a great way to have it handy at all times. You can also take a photo of the prescription paper itself to save in your camera roll. If you have a physical calendar at home, that can be a great place to write it down once you get back from your appointment.
All in all, when you need reading glasses, it is best to make sure you have the correct prescription for your eyes and then to actually use the glasses whenever you are looking at things up close. If you are ready for your annual eye exam, we would be happy to get you checked out here at Perich Eye Centers conveniently located throughout Central Florida. Scroll down to find which of our six locations is nearest to you or contact us here.
