Non-Rx Reading Glasses...should I use them?

Question

Last time I had an eye exam (about two years ago), the doc said my eyes were very good, save for a slight astigmatism and one eye was a bit near-sighted.

Anyway, I find that I sometimes when reading small text, I'll pull the book or mag closer to my eyes. This is more often at night, when my eyes are tired. I'm thinking of investing in some OTC reading glasses, but I'm unsure what strength I should get. The 1.0 does nothing to change or improve my vision, which is already good, but I'm afraid that going higher may damage my eyes.

I know very little about this kind of stuff, so any help you can give me would be great. What do the higher magnification numbers do? Will they damage my eyes if I use them while not needing corrective lenses from a D.O.? And so forth...

FYI, I'm 27. Thanks!

Answer 1

If you're pulling the book CLOSER, it means you've gotten more nearsighted (which seems odd because you're 27, and your vision should have stabilized. You have got to see the doctor, because you might have some sort of occular disease), so reading glasses won't help as they will only add to your shortsightness. you need the opposite of reading glasses, you need normal glasses.

The reason you see better at daytime is probably not because your eye isn't tired, but rather because your pupil is smaller, letting less light in (because there's more light to be found) and creating an effect similar to the squinting you see many nearsighted people do.

Answer 2

Go with the 1.25 and it should be o.k.

The best thig is to get prescription glasses... Good Luck....

Answer 3

The only way glasses will damage your vision is if they break and you get glass IN your eye. You may have gotten a little more myopic in the past couple of years, but if you can trust yourself to have your eyes checked when you need, there's no reason you shouldn't get the glasses.

Answer 4

I'd go ahead and try the reading glasses, get a book or card and put on the glasses, hold it at a normal reading distance and bring it in a bit and see if it helps you focus. I'd just go higher until it helps you see as clearly as you would like. And get an eye exam when you can :)

Answer 5

It sounds like you're probably gotten more nearsighted over the last two years and that is why you're bringing in the text closer.

REading glasses are "magnifiers" and are primarily used by presbyopes (individuals over 40 years old) and that's b/c the focal point moves AWAY. That's why you'll see someone moving the paper away and there's always a joke about the arms only being so long. You, on the other hand, are moving text CLOSER.

I would advise you NOT getting readers b/c you're not in taht category by any means. You should get an update on your Rx.