General Eye Conditions and Tests
Why do I need reading glasses after forty?
The lens inside the eye stiffens with age, so it can no longer change shape to focus on near objects. This is presbyopia, and it becomes noticeable in most people during their forties. Print is held further away, small text is hard in dim light, and near work becomes tiring. Reading glasses, bifocals, varifocals or contact lens options correct it.
What you notice
- Holding a phone or newspaper further away to read it
- Needing brighter light for small print
- Blurring when looking up from close work, or difficulty switching between distances
- Tired eyes and brow ache after reading or sewing
- Near vision noticeably worse when tired or at the end of the day
The options
- Reading glasses, the simplest solution for people who see well in the distance
- Bifocals, with a distinct reading segment
- Varifocals, giving distance, intermediate and near vision without a visible line, which need a short period of adaptation
- Separate glasses for screen distance, which many people find more comfortable for office work
- Contact lens approaches including multifocal lenses, discussed at an optical assessment
Getting the prescription right
Reading strength depends on your usual working distance and tasks, so tell the clinician what you need to see, whether that is a sewing needle, sheet music, a laptop or the dashboard of a car. Ready made reading glasses from a shop use the same power in both eyes and no astigmatism correction, so they suit some people and cause strain in others.
Why an examination still matters
Presbyopia is normal, but the forties are also when glaucoma and diabetic eye changes begin to appear without symptoms. A full examination with eye pressure measurement and a dilated look at the retina is worthwhile at the same time as getting reading glasses.
Frequently asked questions
- Will using reading glasses make my eyes lazy?
- No. Presbyopia progresses with age whether or not you wear glasses, and straining without them simply makes reading tiring.
- My near vision suddenly improved. Is that good news?
- Not necessarily. Being able to read without glasses again can be caused by a developing cataract changing the focus of the eye, so it is worth having checked.
Concerned about these symptoms?
Arrange an eye examination with our consultant ophthalmologist in Garki, Abuja.
Related answers
- What is a refractive error?
- Why is my vision blurred?
- What happens at a comprehensive eye examination?
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