Why reading gets harder
The lens inside the eye slowly becomes less flexible with age, so it cannot focus on near things as easily. This is called presbyopia. You may hold your phone further away, need more light to read, or get tired eyes after reading.
Your options
- Reading glasses: simple and low cost, but you take them on and off.
- Bifocals: distance and reading in one lens, with a visible line.
- Progressive lenses: distance, computer and reading in one lens, no line. The most natural for all-day wear.
Checks you should not miss
- Eye pressure and optic nerve check for glaucoma, which has no early symptoms.
- Cataract check if vision is getting hazy or glare at night is increasing.
- A yearly dilated eye check of the retina if you have diabetes or high blood pressure.
Do
- Eye test every 1 to 2 years
- Yearly retina check with diabetes
- Good light for reading
- Ask about progressive lenses
Don't
- Use ready-made readers for long
- Ignore hazy or glare-filled vision
- Skip glaucoma checks
- Strain to read small print
See Fusion progressive lenses →
Questions
Can I use ready-made reading glasses from a shop?
For a short time, perhaps. But both eyes rarely have the same power, and readers do not correct distance or astigmatism. A proper eye test gives clearer, more comfortable vision.
Are progressive lenses hard to get used to?
Most people adapt in a few days to two weeks. Correct measurements and a good design make it much easier. See our progressive lenses page for the Fusion designs.
General information from the optometrists at LenzKare Optical & Eye Clinic, Arumbakkam, Chennai. It does not replace an eye examination. For sudden changes in vision, see an eye doctor the same day.