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Healthy Aging

When the Print Is Too Small

By Sheryl Kraft

Created: 04/05/2011
Last Updated: 08/13/2012

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"Do you want your reading glasses?" 

"Nah, it's OK." 












And although I do wear lenses when I am not wearing my glasses, I still need (reading) glasses, since my lenses only correct my far vision. But there are ways to avoid the need for glasses with s with monovision lenses. One eye (your dominant eye, or the one you usually use when you're aiming a camera to take a photo) wears a lens for distance, while the nondominant eye wears one for close-up vision. Personally, I tried this and it made me feel as if I was on a rocking ship, but I know lots of people who love the way it works.




5 common eye myths dispelled 





3. Myth: Eating carrots is good for the eyes.


4. Myth: It's best not to wear glasses all the time. Taking a break from glasses or lenses allows your eyes to rest.




Other suggested reading: All About Computer Vision Syndrome: .


Yikes I wonder what's in my future then. I already have a crazy prescription that includes an astigmatism I'm sure I'll need a whole handbag full of reading glasses, tri-focals and the like. Any research on whether those who've had lasik fare better?

That's a good question, Kristen. Will have to look into it. I do know that even though you have lasik, there is a possibility you will still need reading glasses later on.

I have a pair of drugstore reading glasses which I use to read the print on bottle and sometimes for small print in manuscripts. I wear s for nearsightedness also. I cannot imagine wearing one lens for one thing and the other for something else. It would make me crazy! Thanks for the tips!

My husband used to buy non-prescription glasses, but I have finally gotten him to agree to what I call "REAL" glasses, that do not hurt your eyes. Because I cannot believe that type of glasses are good for you. Now my problem is remembering to clean my glasses. I have bifocals and had something special put in the lenses to deal with the computer screen issue.

It all becomes so complicated, doesn't it? I'm constantly cleaning my glasses because I get so distracted by any little smudge. I found these little individual packets of eyeglass wipes that come in very handy.

Before LASIK, I would have been considered legally blind without my s (fortunately, it was correctable so I wasn't). Now, a few years post-LASIK, my vision is getting a little blurrier again, as they warned me might happen. Right after I got LASIK, Tina Fey and her glasses became popular, so I almost wished I could pull off that look without being a poser and wearing fake glasses. Soon they may not be fake, but unlike when I was in junior high, I won't to be too self-conscious to wear glasses.

That's ironic, isn't it? Glasses are definitely NOT what they used to be in junior high school, that's for sure. Now they are a FASHION STATEMENT.

I'm in denial about this! I think I've started squinting to read the fine print...

So many people are in denial. But why? It's much more comfortable, in my opinion, to put the glasses on and actually be able to stop squinting. I'm trying to get this across to my hubby...but so far, no luck...

Having worn prescriptive lenses since I was in first grade, I know there's no hope for me - even LASIK doesn't seem worth it since I'll still need reading glasses eventually.

I know this subject well. My eyesight was perfect (and I was so proud of it) until I needed reading glasses in my early 40's. On a recent visit to the eye doctor, I complained about blurry vision when looking up from reading the screen on my smart phone. As the doctor explained to me, with age, our eye muscles begin to wear out. I took his advice and upped (way upped) the strength of my over-the-counter readers, which has helped. He also advocates taking short breaks when using the computer for long periods of time. My chiropractor encourages the same computer breaks but for different reasons. The lesson? Get up from that computer, stretch, move, close your eyes until your entire body is rested.

Yes, the computer can play havoc with our eyes AND our posture. Thanks for the reminder to get up every so often - it's sometimes hard to remember when we get so caught up!

I've worn glasses since age 6. My close-up vision was always my ace in the hole. Far away? Blurry ... really blurry ... like end up in a special school on Little House on the Prairie blurry ...

But, close up, especially w/o my glasses or s, I could see really well.

Alas, that's starting to change. I notice it most when I do my nails. I can feel my eyes not adjusting to that distance well.

But, so far (knock on wood), I can still read OK.

Yup, that sounds like the aging thing, Roxanne...

And you forgot to mention...you can look cool in glasses..and oh, so smart..Lets look on the bright side of aging!

Actually, that IS true. I find it fun to buy all sorts of colorful and different reading glasses. Makes it a little more palatable to wear...

This is hitting home for me. I started having some pretty massive problems seeing my computer screen or books this week. Yikes! I'm calling the eye doctor this morning. Can't work when I can't see!

So sorry to hear this. I hope you were able to get to see your eye doctor and get to the bottom of your problems!

I love my multifocal lenses...they are the most wonderful, amazing thing and mean I virtually do not need reading glasses (because with the multi-fo lenses they are already in my eye!). Once in a while, if something is very very very teensy or the light is very poor, I will don reading glasses (lowest power) - and a Lupe is nice, too (haha!).

That is something I am convinced now that I must look into for myself. Thanks for writing about this, Merr.

I had LASIK for nearsightedness 10 years ago and IT WAS A MIRACLE! That said, I now need 1.0 reading glasses in some instances (dim light mostly), but that's okay.

The trade-off sounds like it is well worth it!

I remember when eye exercises were all the rage. Interesting how things die out when they don't actually help people. I'm finding that I can't see much in dim light these days. Aging depresses me sometimes.

I'm on the opposite side of the fence from No Pot. Bi or tri-focals would make me crazy--I tried them and felt trapped in a little box--having to tilt my head to get "free". So I have the distance glasses for TV, movies, driving; reading glasses tethered around my neck for most everything else; computer (mid-range) glasses on my computer desk to work with.

One optometrist warned against wearing readers a lot because they are not well made and can distort your vision and tire you eyes. (Maybe the made in China syndrome?)And you still need eye check ups every year or two,because the eyes continue to change and because other diseases can cause vision problems, like diabetes for instance.

I've always had glasses since I was a wee one, but it's been really interesting how my eyes changed after 40. Now I take my glasses off to read, which still seems weird to me. Thanks for this post - I do love my carrots and fresh veggies.


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