A guide to choosing the right reading glasses
If you are struggling to read because the words on the page are fuzzy, or you are finding that you are getting eye strain and headaches when you read or work closely on something like sewing or knitting, it’s possible that reading glasses could help.
Do you need reading glasses?
When we reach 40, the soft lens inside our eye becomes more rigid, which can cause our close vision to begin to deteriorate. There’s nothing to worry about if this happens - it’s a common issue that can easily be resolved by wearing reading glasses.
Some signs that you might need reading glasses are:
- When you read up-close the characters on the page look blurry. Holding the book further away makes the book easier to read.
- It’s even more difficult to read smaller print if the light is dim, for example, if you are trying to read a menu in a restaurant with soft lighting.
- Reading gives you a headache.
- You find that your eyes begin to hurt if you are reading or doing other work that involves looking closely at something, for example, sewing.
If any of this sounds like you then it’s definitely worth giving reading glasses a try. If your issues aren’t resolved by reading glasses, or you are struggling with seeing things that are further away, for example, signs for street names, then it’s a good idea to contact an optician.
Reading glasses strength
Reading glasses strength is measured in units called diopters, which span between 1.0 and 4.0 and increase in increments of 0.25. The higher the number, the stronger the magnification of the glasses. To choose the right magnification power for you, you can use either a diopter chart or any book or magazine. Hold the chart or book 14 inches from your face and without putting on any glasses, note how easy or difficult it is to read the print.
Repeat this process with reading glasses at 1.0 diopter and see if there is an improvement. Keep repeating this process until you find the strength of glasses that means you can read the text clearly. Alternatively, you can visit your optician to find out which strength would be the most appropriate for you.
Buying reading glasses
If you’re going to be wearing reading glasses reasonably often, it makes sense to buy a pair that you like the look of! If you want to find the best reading glasses for you, it’s a good idea to shop around to find ones that you really like.
You could even buy a few different pairs of reading glasses so that you have ones to suit every occasion. For example, the glasses that you would wear for work might be quite different to the glasses that you would wear casually. It’s good to have glasses to suit your mood and style. The range of reading glasses that is available in shops is often quite limited, and sometimes overpriced. More and more people are going online to buy their glasses, which means less hassle - you just place your order and your glasses appear at your door!
