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About:
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How they help with up-close vision
What are reading glasses?
Reading glasses, available in over-the-counter or prescription versions, improve the ability to read something up close, such as a book or a computer screen.
Alabama optometrist Dr. Samuel Pierce, past president of the American Optometric Association, says over-the-counter reading glasses — which can be purchased at drugstores, department stores and other general retailers without a prescription — are designed for short-term wear, and are best suited for people who have the same lens power, or strength, in each eye and don’t have astigmatism, a common condition that causes blurred vision.
The Vision Council, a trade group, says the lens power of over-the-counter reading glasses typically ranges from +1 to +4.
Over-the-counter reading glasses are an acceptable option for people who have good distance vision (farsightedness), says Dr. Ming Wang of Wang Vision 3D Cataract & LASIK Center in Nashville.
However, if you suffer from computer eyestrain or double vision, then it’s wise to explore prescription reading glasses, Wang says.
Prescription reading glasses are meant to be worn for extended periods, Pierce says, and are ideal for people with astigmatism, myopia, serious eye disorders or unequal prescription strength in each eye.
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