Many of us rely on our eyes every day for tasks like reading, driving, and socializing with loved ones. Our eyes are hardworking organs, and sometimes, they can become strained and uncomfortable. If this is your experience, you may wonder whether picking up a pair of reading glasses can help.
For people with age-related farsightedness, otherwise known as presbyopia, reading glasses can help make vision more comfortable. If you don’t have presbyopia, there are other ways you can protect your eyes from eye strain. You can also visit your optometrist for a comprehensive eye exam to rule out underlying conditions and get personalized advice on how to see more comfortably.
What Is Eye Strain?
Also known as asthenopia, eye strain is characterized by discomfort and fatigue from intense overuse of one’s eyes. It can be caused by doing tasks that require intense visual focus, such as reading, driving, detailed crafting, and prolonged screen time. Poor lighting can also contribute.
Eye strain can be uncomfortable and frustrating, but it’s usually not serious. Lifestyle changes and artificial tears can help relieve symptoms, but if these don’t help, your symptoms may be a sign of another eye condition. In which case, visit your optometrist for a comprehensive eye exam.
Symptoms of Eye Strain
If you have eye strain, you may experience:
- Dry eyes
- Burnin sensations
- Excessive tearing
- Light sensitivity
- Blurry vision
You may also find it difficult to keep your eyes open. Eye strain can affect other parts of your body too: headaches and pain in the neck, shoulder, and back are other common symptoms.
What Are Reading Glasses?
Reading glasses are tools for people with presbyopia. Also known as age-related farsightedness, presbyopia happens to everyone as they grow older. It’s a condition caused by the lens in your eye not working properly to focus light on the retina.
Along with holding reading materials farther away and using better lighting, reading glasses can help people with presbyopia see more comfortably. You can buy reading glasses at pharmacies without a prescription, but it’s a good idea to get your eyes checked by an optometrist first.
How Do Reading Glasses Work?
Eyeglasses bend (refract) light as it enters the lens and into your eye, correcting imperfections in the way your eye’s natural lens refracts light. The glasses refract light in a way that it focuses directly on your retina, creating a clear image. As an external tool, eyeglasses don’t change the way your eyes work; they just help you see better and they won’t make your natural vision worse.
What if I’m Also Nearsighted?
People who are also nearsighted (myopic) may benefit from multifocal lenses. These are designed to correct both near and distance vision. Different areas of the lens are built for different types of vision. For example, bifocals will have near vision correction at the bottom of the lens and distance vision correction at the top.
How to Get Reading Glasses
Interested in getting reading glasses? First, visit your optometrist. An optometrist can clarify the cause of your visual discomfort. If presbyopia is the cause, an optometrist can measure the correct lens power for your reading glasses.
Tell your optometrist about your lifestyle, such as whether you use screens often or if you do detailed handicraft work. These lifestyle factors may affect what lens power works for you.
Over-the-counter reading glasses may work for some people, but for others, a custom prescription is required. This may be the case if you require different lens powers in each eye, or if you have another refractive error like myopia or astigmatism.
More Eye Strain Prevention Tips
If presbyopia is not the cause of your eye strain, you still have options! Try the following:
Adopt the 20-20-20 Rule
The 20-20-20 rule is a simple habit that can prevent digital eye strain. Every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break from your task and look at something 20 feet away.
Adjust Your Screen
Place your screen at or slightly below eye level and about an arm’s length away from your face. You can also try increasing the font size on your devices for easier reading.
Try Artificial Tears
Screen use can make us blink less, leading to dry eyes. Artificial tears can help, and they’re typically available without a prescription. Choose a preservative-free product if you use artificial tears more than 4 times a day. But if you use them that often, it’s worth getting your eyes checked.
Adjust Your Lighting
Very bright or very dim settings can make our eyes work harder. If you’re reading, position yourself so that the light comes from behind you. If you’re watching TV, try dimming the lights.
Note the Air Quality
Dry places and air conditioning can cause eye discomfort. Try putting a humidifier in the room.
Experienced Eye Care in Huntington Beach
For a wide variety of frames and brands to choose from, shop your next pair of reading glasses at Coast Optometry.
Our clinic has been serving the Orange County area for over 5 decades. Whether it’s school, work, or road trips on the weekends, we want our patients to see clearly and comfortably. Whether you’re experiencing symptoms of eye strain or are due for your next routine eye exam, contact us to book an appointment today.
