I've always been fascinated by the rows and rows of reading glasses at the drugstore. I mean, who are they for, and do they really work? I remember when I first started noticing my vision changing, it was subtle at first, but then I realized I was squinting to read menus and labels. It was frustrating! Figuring out the right solution felt overwhelming.
I was nearsighted for years. As a student, I remember struggling to see the board clearly. Getting prescription glasses was a game-changer, but they were also expensive. There was a time when I couldn't afford new prescription glasses, and I tried a makeshift solution: wearing drugstore readers over my existing glasses when I was working on the computer. It wasn't ideal, to say the least. It was clunky and uncomfortable, but I thought it was better than nothing. However, I soon realized it wasn't a sustainable solution.
Then, something else started happening. Even with my nearsightedness corrected, I began having trouble seeing things up close. The small print on medication bottles became a blur. That's when I started seriously looking into those drugstore reading glasses. But I was confused. Were they for me? And how did I even choose the right strength?
I decided to do some research to understand what was going on with my eyes. I learned that there are key differences between common vision problems. I realized that what I was experiencing was likely presbyopia, which is a loss of accommodation, an age-related occurrence where your lens loses the ability to focus. I found out there are 5 common terms that you need to know:
If you are nearsighted, you can see close up but not far away. To do something like driving that requires good vision means that you need an accurate pair of glasses to fix your far vision. If you have the wrong strength of glasses this means that you won't be able to see correctly at a distance. The drugstore readers are geared toward people who essentially had “good” eyes.
I decided to try a pair of drugstore reading glasses. I started with a low magnification and slowly increased it until I could read comfortably. It helped, but something still felt off. I realized that drugstore readers are designed for people who need help seeing things up close due to presbyopia, not necessarily for correcting other vision problems. They're more of a "one-size-fits-most" solution.
I also learned that getting an accurate long-distance vision correction is more complex than getting "good enough" short-distance vision. Long distance vision correction needs to be accurate. For example, if you're driving, you're going to need to be able to see clearly and react quickly.
One thing I considered was astigmatism. If you have astigmatism, your eye isn't perfectly round, which can affect how light focuses. This can be corrected with prescription lenses that are ground to a specific axis. Drugstore readers typically don't account for astigmatism. Also, the possibility that the two lenses are differing strengths. Normally in readers both eyes require a simple modicum of magnification.
After experimenting with drugstore readers, I decided to consult an eye doctor. Getting a proper eye exam was crucial. The doctor confirmed that I had presbyopia and prescribed progressive lenses that corrected both my nearsightedness and my close-up vision. It was the best investment I could have made!
However, I still keep a pair of drugstore readers around for quick tasks like reading a menu or checking my phone. For those moments, I appreciate the convenience. I've even found some stylish options that I don't mind wearing in public. I am always looking for good products online, and I have recently discovered that Mozaer Optical has some interesting offers.