Is it time for you to consider reading glasses?

Have your arms become too short to hold reading material at your preferred distance? Do you struggle with fine print, or experience eye strain when reading for long periods of time? Although you may groan at the thought, if this sounds at all familiar, you may benefit from a pair of reading glasses. 

Reading or near vision glasses are often required due to a condition called Presbyopia, which is a normal age related change that occurs in our eyes. It affects the the ability of the eye to focus on near objects. Normally, our eyes are able to change focus (like the lens in a camera) to focus on objects at different distances from our eye. As the eye matures, the lens in the eye becomes less supple, which means it cannot change focus as well and viewing near objects becomes more difficult. 

Although it comes to us all, it is often the very thought of having to wear reading glasses that has us avoiding the Opticians, and stretching our arms for that extra inch. No-one likes to think of themselves as getting old, but typically, when we think of reading glasses, we think of ageing, inconvenience, and extra expense. The inevitable eye test is therefore put off for as long as possible and we try our best to make do. It doesn't have to be like this. 

Off the shelf glasses or "Ready readers" as they are known, are available to purchase without prescription and are often the starting point for many in terms of reading specs. However, if you haven't been for a sight test, there is a risk of us using an inappropriate prescription, and causing further eyestrain. In addition to this, a recent article published in Optometry Today reports that "Almost half of High Street ready readers do not reach the optical standard required of them by European and British guidelines." For many of us this just isn't good enough, as our eyes are a precious commodity.

Having a pair of glasses manufactured to the specific strength you require is necessary for optimum vision and it can make a massive difference to your daily tasks. Whether it's being able to read your newspaper without getting a headache or helping you do your job more effectively, ensuring you have the right glasses is very important.

Reading glasses don't need to be expensive either. At Tesco Opticians, complete glasses start at just £15, with FREE eye tests available to everyone – So rather than risk your optical health with a pair of ready readers, why not visit your nearest Tesco Opticians. What have you got to lose?

Call us now on 0845 6013479 to arrange an appointment with one of our Optometrists.