What Strength Glasses Are Right for You? (For Reading & More) | NVISION Eye Centers (2024)

FAQs

How do I know what strength reading glasses I need? ›

The higher the number on your prescription, the more powerful your glasses are. Reading glasses always have a + symbol before their power, and they have a wide range in strength. (Ours go from +0.25 to +2.75 diopters.)

45 to 49 years old: Typically, this age group will need +1.00 to +1.50 diopters. 50 to 54 years old: As presbyopia continues, this age range will need between +1.50 and +2.00 diopters. 55 to 59 years old: For this age group, +2.00 to +2.25 diopter reading glasses are typically recommended.

1.00 reading glasses

This is one of the most commonly-bought reading glasses strengths. It's the prescription to pick if you only have slight problems reading small letters.

Progressive lenses have three prescriptions in one pair of glasses. That allows you to do close-up work (like reading a book), middle-distance work (like checking out a website on a computer), or distance viewing (like driving) without needing to change your glasses. They're sometimes called multifocal lenses.

Option #1: Use a Printable Diopter Reading Test Card

With the printed sheet 14″ away, attempt to read the top line without reading glasses. Continue down the chart until you find a line you can read clearly without your glasses on – this is the diopter (power/magnification) you need.

Prescription glasses will perform better and are tailored to your vision needs. It may not hurt to have a pair of OTC readers available to put on as a backup, but in the end, it's best to get prescription.

If your prescription reads -1.00, that means your eyeglasses need 1 diopter of strength to correct nearsightedness. If your prescription reads +2.50, your eyeglasses need 2.5 diopters of strength to correct farsightedness. The higher the number, the more correction your vision needs.

Bifocal lenses are used for people who are both nearsighted and farsighted. It is common for people who are over the age of 40 to begin to notice a change in their vision and require the need for bifocals. As we age, our eyes begin to have trouble focusing on objects at different distances away.

If you don't already need to wear regular eyeglasses, they may even be fine for longer. But cheap readers only magnify the print to help you read it. They are not specific to your individual eye's needs. They probably won't harm your eyesight, but you may experience headaches and eye strain if you use them too much.

Is there a difference in quality of reading glasses? ›

“Prescription reading glasses may give you slightly better vision due to higher lens quality and the ability to correct any astigmatism you may have,” he explains. “However, over-the-counter reading glasses are perfectly fine if you are comfortable with the image quality.”

Compared to a -1.25 eyewear prescription, for instance, a -1.75 eyewear prescription is going to be more powerful. A +1.75 add will help you see more clearly when you are looking at close text or images.

Are Reading Glasses for Nearsightedness or Farsightedness? Reading glasses most often help with presbyopia, which is different from nearsightedness (myopia) and farsightedness (hyperopia).

As compared to bifocal lenses, progressives provide a wider zone of clear vision to make activities like computer use and reading easier for the wearer. Early progressive lens designs had a soft blur during movement.

In fact, some people use reading glasses as computer glasses. The primary difference comes down to how far away the object is from your eyes. The other difference is that computer glasses often come with a tint or a special coating that helps filter irritating light that comes from computer screens.

-3.00 diopters or less is mild. -3.00 to -6.00 diopters is moderate. -6.00 to -9.00 diopters is severe. -9.00 diopters or more is extreme.

20/20 vision is normal vision acuity (the clarity or sharpness of vision) measured at a distance of 20 feet. If you have 20/20 vision, you can see clearly at 20 feet what should normally be seen at a distance.

Both your eyes and brain need time adjusting to prescription glasses. Some people adjust to this change in a matter of days while others may take weeks to adapt. When it's new glasses causing blurry vision or a new prescription number in old lenses, you have to give yourself time to adjust.

The main difference between the two is that readers are a magnifier over your uncorrected vision. In other words they just enlarge the print. They don't sharpen your vision. Many people need some sort of visual correction in order to see clearly.

What is the difference between reading glasses and distance glasses? ›

Distance glasses provide an entirely different function than reading glasses. Distance glasses are used for myopia to correct distance vision which is anything beyond arm's length. Reading glasses are used for hyperopia and presbyopia to correct close vision with 35cm from your face.

Most 40-year-olds can start with low-strength reading glasses (+1.25 or +1.5), increasing to higher-strength readers every few years. By their 60s, most people will need reading glasses with a strength of +2.5 or higher to read comfortably and clearly.

Typically, objects close to your eyes seem clear, and those that are far away appear blurry. If your prescription reads -2.00, that means you are two diopters nearsighted. If your prescription said +3.50, you are three and a half diopters farsighted.

Sph (Sphere)

If you have a minus number, like -2.75, it means you're short-sighted and find it more difficult to focus on distant objects. A plus number indicates long-sightedness, so objects up close appear more blurred or close vision is more tiring on the eyes.

As you get older, your eyes will naturally start to change. This can happen in a variety of ways, but one of the most common changes is caused by a condition known as “presbyopia”. This is generally what causes people to need reading glasses after the age of 40.

You can absolutely wear bifocals while driving.

Bifocals are glasses that have a corrective prescription for seeing things at a distance at the top of the lens, and a corrective prescription for reading things up close at the bottom.

Wear your bifocals all the time, at least for a while. To adjust quickly to wearing bifocal glasses or contacts, you'll need to wear them all the time. This includes first thing in the morning, and you can wear bifocal sunglasses if you're outdoors.

Mild: -0.50 to -3. Moderate: -3.25 to -5.00. High: -5.25 to -10. Extreme: greater than-10.

Working on your computer or laptop for long hours

Wearing eye protection glasses while you are working is ideal to protect your eyes from blue light exposure and to prevent the associated symptoms.

Around age 60, these changes in near vision should stop, and prescription changes should occur less frequently. Presbyopia can't be prevented or cured, but most people should be able to regain clear, comfortable near vision for all of their lifestyle needs.

How strong are over-the-counter reading glasses? ›

Most over-the-counter reading glasses start at +1.00 as the lowest reading strength and increase in +0.25 increments. If you currently wear reading glasses and find you have to hold what you're reading further away than normal to read it clearly, you'll need a stronger reading strength.

Standard reading glasses are only designed to view objects at close range, which is why bifocals are commonly used to shift between short range and distance vision. Reading glasses are not designed to correct vision problems, and unlike prescription glasses, are not designed for full-time use.

Cheap reading glasses can cause eyestrain — or worse.

But it's easy to choose the wrong power, and the optical quality of cheap reading glasses typically is not as good as a customized pair of glasses for computer use and reading.

Plastic lenses, also referred to as acrylic lenses, are the most common lens material for over-the-counter reading glasses, and are known for high visual clarity. Plastic lenses are a much more affordable and lightweight alternative to glass lenses, which are used infrequently because of their weight and fragility.

What's the Difference Between Cheap and Expensive Reading Glasses? The primary difference is in the quality of the materials. More expensive reading glasses will be made with better, higher quality materials. The lenses may be scratch resistant and fit the frame better.

Bottom line: if you use 1.75 now, either 1.5 or 2 will work. 1.5 is less power and your clear focus range will be farther away. Whereas with 2 the range will be a little closer. I bet you won't even notice the difference.

Progressive bifocal lenses provide you with optimum vision and a seamless progression of lens strength. How do I know if I have a bifocal prescription? If you notice that there are numbers in the ADD column of your prescription, you have a bifocal prescription.

Farsighted people have better distance vision, while nearsighted people have the opposite (stronger near vision).

The minimum fitting height for progressive lenses is 28-30mm. This will allow proper room in each part of the lens so that you can see your best, whether you're driving or using your computer.

Which is better lined or no-line bifocals? ›

The lined bifocal is usually easier to adapt to, and gives a larger field of view up close than the progressive. In addition, there is a bit of distortion in the lower-periphery of no-line bifocals that is not experienced with the lined bifocal.

Bifocals will only provide you with clear vision at two distances. Multifocals can cater for most of the distances that you need to see.

45 to 49 years old: Typically, this age group will need +1.00 to +1.50 diopters. 50 to 54 years old: As presbyopia continues, this age range will need between +1.50 and +2.00 diopters. 55 to 59 years old: For this age group, +2.00 to +2.25 diopter reading glasses are typically recommended.

Progressive lenses have three prescriptions in one pair of glasses. That allows you to do close-up work (like reading a book), middle-distance work (like checking out a website on a computer), or distance viewing (like driving) without needing to change your glasses. They're sometimes called multifocal lenses.

How to Read Your Glasses Prescription - YouTube

1.00 stands for one diopter. However, the correction can be measured in one-quarter diopters. For example, 1.25 is one and one-quarter diopters. Typically, the further away from zero, the stronger the prescription. For example, 3.50 means that more correction is needed in comparison to a 2.25.

To get the right number, you need to do a little math. To find the right reading glasses, add the sphere number to the ADD number. In the above example, for the right eye, this would be -2.00 and +1.75, which equals -0.25. For the left eye, add +1.00 and +1.75 to get +2.75.

A -1.75 eyewear prescription essentially signifies that you need some additional power to see some objects that are further away. Specifically, we are talking about things like watching television or objects or people at a distance when you are driving.

A plus sign would mean they are farsighted. This second number, -0.75, indicates the person has an astigmatism, which is a distortion in the shape of the cornea that causes blurred vision.

-3.00 diopters or less is mild. -3.00 to -6.00 diopters is moderate. -6.00 to -9.00 diopters is severe. -9.00 diopters or more is extreme.

What do the numbers on my glasses mean? ›

The numbers beneath the frames reflect the SIZE MEASUREMENTS in millimeters (mm). THE FIRST NUMBER (ex.54) = the width of the lenses. THE SECOND NUMBER (ex.15) = the distance between the lenses. THE THIRD NUMBER (ex.140) = the length of the temple arm including the portion going behind the ear.

So +1.00 and -1.00 are quite modest; your eyesight isn't too bad, as you only need 1 diopter of correction. On the other hand, +4.50 and -4.50 represent a greater lack of clarity; you'll need a stronger prescription, at 4.5 diopters of correction.

What Level of Astigmatism Requires Glasses? You'll likely need glasses if your astigmatism has a strength of 1.0 or more. But even if your astigmatism needs less than 1.0 diopters of correction, it doesn't mean you won't need glasses.

If your prescription reads -1.00, that means your eyeglasses need 1 diopter of strength to correct nearsightedness. If your prescription reads +2.50, your eyeglasses need 2.5 diopters of strength to correct farsightedness. The higher the number, the more correction your vision needs.

Sph (Sphere)

If you have a minus number, like -2.75, it means you're short-sighted and find it more difficult to focus on distant objects. A plus number indicates long-sightedness, so objects up close appear more blurred or close vision is more tiring on the eyes.

People can use apps, such as GlassesUSA's app, to find out their eyeglass prescription. Alternatively, for a small fee, some websites offer an online eye exam. This may be more suitable for people who do not have a current prescription.

If your number is between +0.25 and +2.00, you have mild farsightedness. If your number is between +2.25 and +5.00, you have moderate farsightedness. If your number is greater than +5.00, you have high farsightedness.

Bottom line: if you use 1.75 now, either 1.5 or 2 will work. 1.5 is less power and your clear focus range will be farther away. Whereas with 2 the range will be a little closer. I bet you won't even notice the difference.

This leads to a subjective deterioration of your vision. This doesn't cause damage, but it certainly strains your eyes. And it means that your eyes have to work harder. The possible consequences are numerous and include everything from headaches and neck pain, all the way to dizziness or double images.