When to Switch to Prescription Glasses

Signs Reading Glasses Aren't Working Anymore, and How to Choose Prescription Glasses Online

We’ve all been there. When your arms aren’t long enough, it’s hard to set aside the time to go to an eye doctor and see what’s wrong. So, you go to your favorite drug or store, pick up some and call it a day. But what happens when those trusty cheaters start cheating on you?

Signs You Need Prescription Glasses: When Over-the-Counter Readers Fall Short

You’ve tried using over-the-counter readers, and after some time it’s no longer working. Blurry vision interferes with your daily life. Here are the top signs reading glasses aren’t working anymore and how to know if you need prescription glasses.

1. Persistent Blurry Vision at Distances Beyond Reading

   Have you ever read the morning news only to look up and feel dizzy and disoriented since everything is blurry, like someone just fogged up the whole room? Over-the-counter reading glasses are designed ONLY to magnify up close reading. If you are nearsighted, farsighted, or have astigmatism, over-the-counter reading glasses won’t help you with any refractive error. Also, you can’t see far away with them. So, if you’re squinting and having difficulty seeing street signs while driving, or having night driving vision problems, it’s not just “getting older”—it’s time to get an eye exam.

2. Eye Strain Despite the “Right” Diopter Strength

   So, you’ve gone through the entire carousel of over-the-counter reading glasses from +1.00 to +3.00 but you’re still having problems with eye strain, headache, and feeling tired when you read something. That’s a red flag. It could mean that there are uncorrected vision issues that drug store readers can’t resolve. It’s time to set aside time and get an eye exam to see if you need custom prescription lenses, as well as to rule out any underlying eye diseases for peace of mind.

3. Frequent Headaches Interfering with Your Day?

   Do you often get headaches when you sit down to read? Can reading glasses cause headaches? Absolutely, if reading glasses aren’t addressing your uncorrected prescription. It means that you’re straining your eyes’ focusing muscles, which eventually causes a headache.

4. Difficulty with Tasks Like Driving or Watching TV

   Imagine this: You’re watching your favorite web series, but the subtitles are blurry and hard to read. That’s a dead giveaway that you need prescription glasses. Over-the-counter readers magnify what’s on the menu (i.e., close-up reading tasks), but they won’t help you see the street signs at night or subtitles on your television. So, stay safe out there and get an eye exam to get the right prescription to see distance as well as up close.

If any of these ring a bell, don’t wait and suffer or get into a car accident. These four warning signs are key indicators for when to get prescription glasses instead of readers.

When to Consult an Eye Doctor for a Comprehensive Eye Exam

So, you’ve identified that there are vision issues that need to be addressed - now what? I recommend setting an appointment to get a comprehensive eye exam, especially if vision issues happen suddenly or if they persist for more than a week. Why? Because vision issues could signal more than just need a prescription for glasses. They might point to medical eye diseases like glaucoma, cataracts, and macular degeneration. A full eye exam includes thoroughly checking for anything that might endanger your vision, not just getting the right eyeglass prescription.

Pro tip: If you’re over forty years old, get an eye exam every 1-2 years. Statistically, that’s when age-related eye diseases are more likely to occur irrespective of genetic considerations. Early detection of medical eye issues is key to keeping you seeing clearly for years to come.

The Benefits of Custom Lenses and Virtual Try-On for the Best Personalized Experience

Transitioning to prescription lenses doesn’t have to be a drag—it can be a fun experience! Eyeglass prescriptions can be like custom suits for your eyes: They correct all your vision issues all at once, such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, and presbyopia. Prescription eyeglasses can have it all in one set of lenses! They can give you reduced eye strain, enhance clarity, and sharpen vision at distance, near, and intermediate distances like looking at computers, tablets, and phones.

Here’s the fun part: After you’ve received your correct eyeglasses prescription written out, you can shop for eyeglasses online. With today’s technology, you can use virtual try-on tools that enable you to “wear” eyeglass frames from the convenience of home. You can find the perfect eyeglasses that flatter your appearance and make everything clear and sharp at distance, near, and everywhere in between.

Tips on Transitioning Smoothly from Readers to Prescription Glasses

Ready for the next steps? Transitioning from cheaters to prescription glasses can be easy with these steps:

1. Get That Eye Exam: Start with a comprehensive eye exam to get your correct and customized prescription.
2. Choose Your Frames: Pick lenses for your unique needs. If you need everything like distance, reading, and intermediate distances, choose progressive lenses – no more lines like bifocals!
3. Ease in Slowly: Wear your new prescription glasses gradually for short periods at first, especially if you’ve never had multifocal lenses before. It takes time for your vision to adjust. Pro tip: Keep readers as backups just in case it takes longer to adjust to your new glasses and you need something short-term to get work done without issues.
4. Leverage Online Tools: Try virtual try-on to get the perfect frame that flatters your face, then order from trusted eyeglass websites.
5. Follow up: If anything feels off after 1-2 weeks, see your optometrist to recheck the prescription and troubleshoot any prescription issues. If there are frame issues, contact customer service where you purchased the eyeglasses from. For most companies, they will help with any issues pertaining to the eyeglasses themselves.

Pretty easy! Before you know it, you’ll have a perfect pair of eyeglasses that you’ll fall in love with.

FAQ: Answering Your Most Important Questions on Reading Glasses vs Prescription Glasses

How Do I Know If I Need Prescription Glasses?

Look for signs and symptoms like blurry vision at distance and intermediate distances (like your computer or tablet), eye strain, headaches, and trouble with office work as well as daily tasks.

Can Reading Glasses Cause Headaches?

Definitely! If you have an uncorrected eyeglass prescription, readers won’t cut it and will cause eye strain and headaches. Transitioning to prescription glasses will usually take care of any vision issues, and getting an eye exam to detect any medical eye issues won’t hurt either.

When Do I Get Prescription Glasses Instead of Readers?

When you’ve tried the gambit of powers from +1.00 to +3.00 and nothing is solving your reading or vision issues, or if your daily tasks require you to do more than just up close work—especially if you need to drive, work on a computer, or do other tasks involving intermediate or distance vision, but you’re finding things look blurry or unclear.

What’s the Difference Between Reading Glasses vs Prescription Glasses?

Readers are generic, one-size-fits all for near vision and desktop ranges only, while prescription glasses are custom made for your unique visual needs whether for distance, reading, or intermediate distances. Your eyeglass prescription is custom made, so you can expect to see all distances in a sharp and comfortable way.

Is Buying Prescription Glasses Online a Good Option?

Yes! But with a few caveats. You must obtain the correct eyeglass prescription from your optometrist written out. And purchase your glasses from a trusted eyeglass website that has great reviews and has a reputation for excellent customer service, a money back guarantee, and quality frames and lenses.

Putting It All Together

There you have it—your road map with tips on how to seamlessly transition from generic reading glasses to prescription eyeglasses so you can tackle your day-to-day activities, tasks, and hobbies with clear vision and happier outcomes.

 

Looking for Reading Glasses?

Shop Reading Glasses