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Will Using Over-The-Counter
Reading Glasses Harm Your Eyes?
Many people use the inexpensive over-the-counter (OTC) readers or
magnifiers that are readily available in drug stores and discount stores.
I often get asked whether they will harm a person’s eyes and/or make a
person’s vision worse. I will answer this question in this article, but
let me give you a little background first.
OTC readers may work fairly well for some people that have little or no
astigmatism (football-shaped eyes) and where both eyes need approximately
the same magnification or power. OTC readers have the same power in both
lenses and do not have any astigmatism correction. Because of this, they
don’t work well for people that have significant astigmatism or for those
that have an eye that sees worse than the other. For these people, using
OTC readers will cause the eyes to tire much more rapidly while reading
making it more difficult to read for longer periods of time.
OTC reading glasses are less expensive than prescription ones purchased at
an optical business and there are several reasons for this. First of all,
the quality of the frame is generally only fair to poor and this means it
won’t hold up nearly as well in day-to-day usage and will be more likely
fall out of adjustment or break. Also, the frame may not be the most
stylish either. The quality of the lenses isn’t as good as “optical
quality” lenses; they usually have distortions that cause a person to not
to see as well (as with optical-quality lenses). They almost never have
scratch protected lenses.
Prescription reading glasses, on the other hand, have a much better
quality frame that can be adjusted to fit your face and ears. This allows
them to be more comfortable and gives better vision. The frame is adjusted
to your face and will hold its adjustment better and be less likely to
break. The lenses are made especially for you; with center of the lenses
placed exactly where your eyes are located and with the option of scratch
protection. Optical quality lenses offer superb clarity with no
distortions or scratches.
So after learning all of this, will using them permanently harm your eyes
or make your vision worse over time? No. Using them may cause short-term
eyestrain, tired eyes and/or headaches (this is especially true if the
proper power was not purchased or whether the person has astigmatism
and/or has eyes that need different powers).
If you decide to buy a pair of OTC readers, how do you pick a power that
is right for you? Well, with a pair on, slowly bring reading material
closer to you and then farther way, to determine where the lenses focus
the best. Now if that distance of reading material is too close, chose a
pair of LOWER strength or number and try the test again. If the distance
where the print is the best is too far out from where you normally like
things when reading, then chose a pair with a HIGHER strength or number.
The lowest powers (strength) available are +1.00 or +1.25 and the highest
powers are generally +2.50 or +3.00.
Patients usually benefit from more than one pair; one for normal reading
and another for focusing a further distance away (for the computer and/or
deskwork, price tags in the store, etc.).
But before you go out and just buy a pair, it’s a very good idea to
have your eyes examined by a doctor first. He/she can guide you to the
correct strength and also tell you whether you are a good candidate for
OTC reading glasses or whether you would have a great benefit in obtaining
prescription reading glasses. And, as a bonus, you will be checked for eye
problems and diseases like glaucoma and cataracts.
~RQ
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