How to Shop for Reading Glasses

People over 40 often develop a visual problem known as presbyopia. This condition causes blurry vision and makes it difficult for the person to read small print or see nearby objects clearly. Presbyopia is brought about by the eye lens’ inability to focus accurately when looking at objects that are too close. This makes reading a book, a newspaper, or the computer a challenging task. If you are encountering vision-related problems when reading, please do not panic. There are a variety of good reading glasses on the market that can be purchased either over-the-counter (OTC) or from your optometrist. You can get single vision or bifocal lenses, OTC reading glasses, in different styles and colors. Here’s how to go about purchasing a pair of readers:

1. If you are experiencing problems with your sight and find it difficult to read, then arrange to see your optometrist immediately. One way you can check to see if your sight is deteriorating is when you find that you have to increasingly hold back the newspaper or book further from your face in order to make out the print clearly. Your optometrist will examine you to determine how serious the problem is and recommend the correct readers for you.

2. If you are purchasing your readers at the drugstore, try on a number of pairs to see which one works out best for you. The power of reading glasses is measured in Diopters. Readers have powers ranging from +1 to +3.5 Diopters. Look at the eye chart at the drugstore and see if you can read it clearly with the glasses on. If you are comfortable reading the chart, then the readers are probably right for you.

3. If you spend lots of time with your computer, consider purchasing computer reading glasses. Computer reading glasses are relatively new so you might not readily find a pair at your regular drugstore. Ask your optometrist to recommend one or several drugstores where you can find them.

4. Determine if you are more comfortable with bifocal lenses over regular lenses. This type of lenses have the lower part designed to magnify while the upper part does not. This means that you can see through the top part or the frame without straining.

5. Choose a stylized frame for fashion flare. There are plenty of frame styles and colors that you can choose from whether you are buying your readers at the drugstore, over the internet, or from your optician.

If you are purchasing reading glasses for the first time, it’s easy to make blunders that will cost you precious money or, in the worst case scenario, damage your eyes. Below are a few tips on how to successfully buy the right readers for you.

Be wary of so-called ‘‘great deals.’’ For instance, if you see an ad that claims to offer 5 pairs of readers for a measly $5, that should immediately raise the warning signal and make you suspicious of the quality of the glasses. Buying low quality readers can deteriorate your already failing eyesight.
If you are buying reading glasses with a prescription from your optometrist, follow the recommendations to the letter. If the optometrist recommends that you ought to buy lenses with a focal power of +1 Diopters, avoid the temptation to purchase lenses with +3 Diopters thinking the more power the better. The optometrist recommends the correct power of the lenses by examining your eyes and determining how close you can focus on an object clearly without straining. Buying a different lens power other than what is recommended is not advisable.
OTC lenses can be purchased as either full-lens or half-lens. Avid readers are better served by full-lens glasses.
Ensure that the readers have a neck chain attached. The neck chain allows you to remove the glasses and suspend them around the neck, thereby minimizing the chances of losing them.

Val-uVision is a locally owned and operated eye care company in Jacksonville, Florida. We stock top brand names such as Gucci, Giorgio Armani, Dolce and Gabanna, as well as lower cost budget brands. If you are suffering from presbyopia and need a pair of readers, just call and we will examine you and prescribe the right products for your vision.