Finding the right glasses to strengthen your reading vision can be a challenging decision. You need to consider a wide range of factors and features, including coatings, lenses, frames, and more. If you are worried about how to choose reading glasses that are ideal for your needs, you have come to the right place.
We understand that this can be an overwhelming experience, and one of the most disturbing signs of aging and how it can weaken your vision. When the words or screen begins to blur and you find it difficult to maintain your reading pace, it’s time to start looking for the right reading glasses.
Now, while you can always find the right glasses to support your vision, it is still important to consult an eye specialist. An eye doctor will help you rule out the possibility of any serious eye ailments with a few simple tests.
Here’s everything you need to know about choosing reading glasses:
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How to Choose Reading Glasses: An Ultimate Guide
It is important to begin your journey looking for the best reading glasses by consulting an eye specialist and undergoing the necessary tests. Getting a prescription is vital in order to find the ideal reading glasses that will correct your vision and prove to be useful.
You can always pick out a random, readymade design to offer vision support, but it will not prove to be an efficient solution unless it is tailored to your eye vision. You might be suffering from a vision-distorting condition, a temporary allergy, or you may even need two different prescriptions for each eye. So, be sure to book an appointment and get a prescription before you go shopping for reading glasses.
Once you have your prescription, you will need to consider the factors listed below to find the perfect pair of reading glasses.
How to Choose Between Custom or Ready-Made
The first and foremost decision is to decide whether you want to choose custom-made glasses, or you would rather invest in ready-made designs. You can pick out ready-made reading glasses at your nearest pharmacy or drug store. They come in a wide range of sizes with a one-size-fits-all design, however, they are not very progressive or multi-focal. But if you are looking for an affordable investment, ready-made reading glasses are a good choice.
Custom-made reading glasses, on the other hand, are ideally recommended for a purchase that will last longer and be more personalized to your preferences. If your doctor has given different prescriptions for each eye, or you suffer from astigmatism, you will need a custom-made design.
Custom-made reading glasses are designed with lenses advised in your prescription, and they take account of all the trivial details. For instance, they are designed in accordance with the accurate distance between your pupils. This is crucial to ensure your vision is accurately corrected because the pupils need to be perfectly aligned to the optical center of the lenses.
Choosing the Lenses
The right lens design has a detrimental impact on correcting the vision. Now, reading glasses come with a wide variety of lens designs and categories. The right choice depends entirely on the kind of vision correction your particular condition requires.
For instance, a single vision lens is chosen for correcting distance vision. However, they can be designed to remove any focus, be it near or far vision. Bi-focal lenses come with vision correction for reading on the bottom half of the lens, while the top half offers correction for the distance. Tri-focal lenses come in three sections, these include, near vision, distance vision, and intermediate vision.
Progressive lenses offer greater versatility and smooth transitions between near and far vision correction without any vision lines dividing the lens. They are more efficient in vision correction for intermediate distances.
When choosing the right lens for your vision correction, it is important to consult an eye specialist or ophthalmologist to help you out with the ideal lens design.
Lens Shape & Sizing
The shape and size of your lens must be chosen in accordance with your prescription. You see, the lens is available in a wide range of shapes and sizes. If you have a weaker prescription, a smaller and narrower lens is more suited for your vision correction.
However, if you have a stronger prescription with a multifocal lens design, you need a larger shape that allows sufficient space for the entire prescription. It is important to keep in mind that lenses that are too small tend to cause vision distortions or the prism effect.
Choosing the Frames
Picking out the right frame requires you to take into consideration your preferences for style and comfort. You also want to pick out a material that is more durable and less vulnerable to wear and tear or breakage. For instance, metal frames are much more durable and long-lasting while plastic tends to be more comfortable.
Most importantly, you need a frame that perfectly fits your face, ears, and nasal bridge without causing any discomfort. It is highly advisable to try on different frames and closely examine your comfort level with different frames.
Plastic frames come in a wide variety of color choices, styles, and designs. They also tend to be more comfortable and lighter, and less likely to leave behind obnoxious marks on your nasal bridge. Plastic frames also tend to be more affordable, but they tend to break or become crooked more easily.
Metal, alloy, and titanium frames, on the other hand, are more resistant to wear and tear and offer greater durability. If you want a light and flexible metal frame, titanium is an ideal choice of material as it is incredibly light.
The Right Material for Lenses
Choosing the right lenses does not end in shapes and sizes, as you still need to pick out the best material to suit your lifestyle and habits. Trivex and polycarbonate lenses are incredibly popular for being impact-resistant and light.
If you are an outdoorsy person or you are lifting heavy items on a regular basis, it is important to make your lenses have a superior resistance towards breakage. Polycarbonate is a safe choice that is lightweight and more durable. Trivex lenses tend to be even lighter in weight, and impact resistant. Many experts believe that Trivex lenses are a better choice as they are less distorting than polycarbonate lenses.
For those who have a stronger prescription, you should consider high-index plastic lenses as they tend to be more lightweight than others and have a thinner coating.
Protective Coatings
Many people tend to avoid the additional cost of protective coatings, but this is a crucial investment to make sure your purchase lasts longer. Anti-scratch coatings are absolutely necessary to boost the durability of your reading glasses and eliminate the possibility of vision distortion. It becomes all the more essential if you have invested in plastic lenses, be it Trivex or polycarbonate, as both tend to scratch very easily.
Anti-reflective coatings are equally important to eliminate reflections and the awful glare of the sun from distracting your vision. High-index lenses tend to face severe glare issues, and anti-reflective coatings are highly recommended for those who are very nearsighted.
Photochromic lenses offer superior protection to the eyes against the harmful UV rays of the sun. If you are light-sensitive or want to use your glasses outdoors, photochromic lenses are incredibly useful as they darken automatically when exposed to sunlight.
Coatings will increase the cost of your reading glasses, but they will be worth it as they will improve the durability of your pair. However, you can make it easier to fit in all your needs within your budget by consulting your optician on the right selections for a customized pair of reading glasses.
Take a Test Run
Taking a test run with your newly-made reading glasses is incredibly important. After all, you don’t want to identify vision distortions once you’re back in your reading chair. So, be sure to carry some reading material with you, and try to read it from a comfortable distance. Many opticians tend to have eye charts on display that allow you to test new glasses.
If you find yourself stretching your hand too far to be able to read easily, the lenses need to be increased in power. It is important to test different lens powers and features until you can find the most comfortable distance to enjoy your reading material.
Bottom Line
Finding the right pair of reading glasses can be overwhelming but it’s not that challenging. It is a purchase that requires you to take into consideration the needs of your eyes, and your style preferences. Be sure to consult a doctor and get the required tests done to rule out your vision problems and challenges.
You may even want to begin your journey with a larger pair of specs, or perhaps you prefer the style of a sleeker frame with larger lenses. It is important to keep your prescription in mind and choose a style that offers comfort alongside vision correction.