How do you know if you need glasses for reading?

There’s so much to learn by reading alone! You can get a book on anything you can dream up these days. One might argue that we read more now than ever with our smartphones giving us the world in our pocket. Of course that is not the same as reading a book, but when it comes to your vision, either can start to become difficult to see making you question; How do you know if you need glasses for reading?

Needing reading glasses is often a slow progression that you may not have noticed right away. Often with age our eyes begin to loose their strength causing our vision to weaken. If you find yourself needing to move your book or phone further away from your face to be able to make out the words, chances are, you need reading glasses. When small print starts to become difficult to read, it’s time to come on in for an eye exam.

What are some other signs that you may need reading glasses?

• If you find yourself squinting a lot

• If you have a hard time seeing the small print in dim light

• If you find yourself needing to adjust the way you hold your phone or that book

• If you have any pain in your eyes at the end of the day

• If you find yourself having headaches after spending time doing small tasks

• If you have to turn lights on to be able to see things better

• If you find that your vision is blurry

Any of these reasons could be signs you may need reading glasses, but they are definitely signs you need to go ahead and schedule yourself an eye exam.

Needing reading glasses is a smaller worry compared to any larger ailments your eyes could be going through. Any time you notice any adjustments in your vision, you need to call right away to have your eyes looked at. As with many health issues, the sooner any problems are detected the better off your outcome can be. Catching something more major early on can be the difference between managing your symptoms and potentially loosing some or all of your vision.

Can you fix needing reading glasses?

You can improve your vision slightly by adjusting your diet if you are lacking the nutrients that vegetables and seafood can provide. Also, if you are someone who looks at screens all day long, it is a good idea to wear blue light blocking glasses to help combat the unnatural light. Blue light is known to reduce the bodies natural production of melatonin- the bodies natural production helps you fall asleep with ease. Excessive unnatural light from electronics can also put undue strain on your eyes and potentially give you headaches.

With the advancements in technology, laser eye vision correction can now also correct your reading vision in addition to correcting your distance vision. Often known as LASIK, these procedures can bring your vision back to 20/20 or better in some cases. Not everyone is a good candidate for these procedures, so it is important to have an experienced doctor work with you for this. It is also important to note, that although 20/20 is optimal, not everyone gets these amazing results. Some people only find the improvements to be moderate while some find issues with having dry eye lingering afterwards.

What age do you need reading glasses?

Of course this answer can vary from person to person. Often once people pass the age of 40, the potential for needing reading glasses starts to increase. Many people find that by 60 they have bought their first pair of reading glasses. If you have made it past the age of 60 with no need for reading glasses in sight, you must be doing something right! All kidding aside, still always be aware of any changes in your vision as slight as they may be. It is better to see things clearly with glasses and know your eyes are still healthy, than to ignore the problem and end up finding that it is something worse.