Ready for Reading Glasses?

When you find you are having to hold your book or magazine away from you, you can’t read the small print on food packaging or your computer screen is looking a bit hazy, you are probably at the stage of needing reading glasses. There are plenty of options at varying price points but which glasses are right for you?

Form

If you just need glasses just for reading they come in two basic forms: full frames, in which the entire lens is made in the reading prescription and half-eyes, a style that sit lower down on the nose that you can look down into when reading but away from when you need to focus on things further away. Full reading glasses are a better option if you spend a lot of time reading material close-up. If you look up from your book the rest of the world looks out of focus. With half-eye reading glasses you can look down through the lenses for reading when you need to, and then over them to see in the distance. These are more suitable for readers who need to look away from their material frequently or become irritated by having to remove their glasses when they need to see anything else! If you really only need close-up correction occasionally then there are some convenient accessories available. Consider a small magnifier which you can wear like a pendant around your neck or tiny folding readers that fit into mini cases to pop into your handbag or pocket.

Distance Vision

If you have issues with distance vision as well as with reading then bifocals or progressive lenses may be the answer. These lenses are graded with the lower portion suitable for close-up tasks and the upper portion for distance viewing.

Ready to Wear or Custom Made?

You can buy ready to wear glasses (ready readers) almost anywhere including at pharmacists, supermarkets and opticians. They are offered in a variety of strengths and many shops have a quick test chart on display to enable you to select the right ones for you. The main advantage here is cost. Ready to wear glasses are cheap and allow you the opportunity to obtain several pairs. There is nothing more annoying than not being able to put your hands on your glasses! You can also experiment with style and make a fashion statement. Ready readersare on offer in lots of colours and shapes and you can co-ordinate with your outfits. It may however be difficult to assess which is exactly the right prescription for you without an eye test. Wearing the wrong strength of glasses can strain your eyes and cause headaches and nausea. Ready to wear glasses may also not fit very well and unless your glasses are fitted to you they may constantly fall off or slide down your nose. An optician will fit your chosen frames to your face so they are comfortable but do not move about.

Many people require a different prescription for each eye a problem you cannot accommodate with ready to wear glasses. You do not need to sacrifice the fun or the fashion element of your eye wear with custom made glasses as a wide range of frames are available at all good opticians and If you are after bifocals or progressive lenses then custom made glasses are your only option. Tinted lenses with UV protection for reading in sunshine are available in both custom made glasses or ready readers.

The Importance of Eye Tests

Even if you decide to use ready to wear glasses it is a good idea to invest in regular eye tests. By doing this you can ensure you are always wearing the right lenses as your eyesight changes with age. You can also check if any changes are due to something more serious like Glaucoma. As with most medical conditions, early diagnosis and treatment is of the utmost importance.

Serious but Fun

When you need reading glasses, it is most important that you have the correct lenses and so regular eye tests are imperative but you can still have fun with your choice of glasses. Even if you have some pairs custom made, if you require the same prescription for each eye you can supplement your collection with affordable and funky ready to wear glasses.

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