If you didn’t experience any problems with eyesight before presbyopia, finding the correct reading glasses power may be tricky. Not only that, recognizing when it’s time to get new reading glasses can present a whole new obstacle, but not anymore.

Here are six signs you need a new pair of reading glasses:

↓ Click to enlarge infographic ↓

Annual eye exams can also help you keep your reading glasses power up-to-date and your eye health in check. Need help finding an eye care professional? Find an eye doctor near you.

While the clear remedy for alleviating tired eyes is a good night’s rest, things like giving your eyes a break from screens and using an updated vision prescription can also offer relief. For all of you struggling to keep your eyes open, here are some tips to give your peepers some pep and rejuvenate your tired eyes.

1. Minimize Your Allergy Symptoms

Anyone who suffers from allergies knows they can turn your eyes into an itchy, watery mess. The reaction is caused by histamine, which is released when triggered by your individual allergen sensitivity. Histamine signals the dilation of blood vessels and sparks unforgiving itchiness in your nose and eyes that allergy sufferers know all too well.

The increased blood flow and itchiness caused by allergies result in swelling, which can leave your eyes looking puffy and fatigued. If you believe allergies are causing your eyes to look and feel tired, try taking an over-the-counter or prescription antihistamine to reduce your eye allergy symptoms.

For those with severe symptoms, try avoiding potential triggers during allergy season, such as working in the yard and opening windows in your home.

2. Give Your Eyes A Break From Screens

While technological and digital advancements have offered many benefits, the prevalence of screen use has taken a toll on our eyes. Incorporating both short and long breaks into your screen time can help relieve the symptoms of digital eye strain, such as dry and tired eyes.

The 20-20-20 rule is great for mini-breaks. Every 20 minutes of screen time, look up and stare at something 20 feet away from you (preferably not another screen) for 20 seconds. This 20-second pause gives the tiny muscles in your eyes a well-deserved rest.

Longer intervals where you get up and step away from your screen should be incorporated as well. Use each break as an opportunity to close your eyes while you stretch your legs, neck, and back. This will give your eyes a little power nap before they get back to staring at the screen.

SEE RELATED: What are blue light reading glasses?

3. Alternate Warm And Cool Compresses

Who knew tired eyes and a sprained ankle could benefit from the same treatment? Alternating warm and cool compresses doesn’t just help the appearance of tired eyes, it’s relaxing and allows you to pamper yourself.

The heat from a warm compress relaxes strained and exhausted eye muscles, which makes tired eyes feel better. The chill of a cool compress increases blood flow to the eyes and reduces puffiness and swelling, which makes eyes appear more alert and awake.

While alternating warm and cool compresses is easy and effective for helping tired eyes, it’s only a temporary solution. You should try to pinpoint the underlying cause of your tired eyes and work toward a more permanent remedy.

4. Keep Your Eyes Hydrated

Dryness could be the culprit behind your drowsy-looking eyes. Dry eyes can happen on account of many things, including your diet, age, and the medications you take — all of which can make it difficult for your eyes to stay hydrated.

If you find that your eyes feel dry, the first thing you can try is to blink more, especially during screen time. Blinking is the eye’s natural way of keeping moist and clean, so blinking more frequently may help.

If blinking doesn’t do the trick, artificial tears can be a great source of relief and help your eyes look clearer and brighter. Not sure which eye drops will work best for you? Ask your eye doctor which brands they recommend and work from there.

Drinking plenty of water is a sure-fire way to hydrate your body and your eyes. Typically, when you’re dehydrated, the first place it’s shown is your eyes and your skin by reflecting a dull, exhausted appearance. Increasing your water intake not only improves your eyes, it improves your overall health.

5. Make Sure Your Prescription Is Up To Date

If it’s been a while since your last eye exam, there’s a good chance that an outdated prescription is making your eyes look and feel tired. For most people, vision changes over time — a three-year-old prescription may not work for your current corrective needs and, in turn, is straining your eyes.

It’s recommended that unless you have an underlying condition that requires more attention, you have a comprehensive eye exam every two years. An eye care professional will be able to evaluate your tired eyes and find a solution, either with an updated vision prescription or other recommendations.

If you haven’t needed glasses before, it’s possible your vision has changed — your eyes feel tired now because they need corrective lenses to see properly. The only way to find out is by scheduling a visit with an eye doctor.

TIME TO UPDATE YOUR VISION Rx? Schedule an appointment with an eye doctor near you.

At the government’s request, people are spending a lot more time indoors, which inevitably means our eyes will be glued to phones, computers, and TVs. Over time, this fixation can affect our mental and physical health, not to mention the well-being of our eyes.

Practicing some “eye hacks” to relieve stress can keep your eyes more comfortable while you’re cooped up at home. Here are a few of our favorites!

Don’t Overwork Your Eyes

It’s tough out there for eyeballs right now. An increase in screen time plus a decrease in natural light equals extra strain on eyes, no matter your age.

Digital Eye Strain, also referred to as Computer Vision Syndrome, is caused by excess time spent in front of a screen. Although symptoms are only temporary, they can be uncomfortable, inconvenient and even painful.

Taking steps to prevent Digital Eye Strain before it hits could significantly lessen the dry eyes, blurry vision and headaches that are commonly associated with the condition.

The 20-20-20 rule is a tactic that is widely used to avoid Digital Eye Strain symptoms. Its popularity stems from its simplicity:

Every 20 minutes, look up from your screen and focus on an item approximately 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds.

Focusing on an item in the distance allows the muscles in the eye to relax after being subjected to prolonged screen time.

Kids can experience eye strain too, so establishing the 20-20-20 rule for them during video game play or tablet use can help prepare them for a lifetime of screen use.

In addition to 20-second breaks, taking longer periods of time away from screens is great for resting your mind and your eyes. If you’ve been in front of a screen for a while, step away to read a book or work on a jigsaw puzzle. You’d be amazed at how much of a difference five or 10 minutes can make.

Try Out Different Glasses

Computer glasses, also called blue light glasses, have become a popular method for filtering blue light*.

The glasses target and filter high-energy visible (HEV) light, which is projected by nearly all digital screens. Blue-light-filtering lenses have a slightly yellow tint that counters blue light and curtails the discomfort and potential damage it can cause your eyes.

Not only that, but filtering blue light at nighttime can help regulate or improve your sleep cycles since the brain often interprets screen light as sunlight.

Many phones and computers have a setting that warms the display, further helping you achieve a good night’s rest. Learn more about the benefits of computer glasses.

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Consider Your Eyes When Grocery Shopping

For many, the idea of stores being wiped out of common groceries can feel strange, inconvenient, and even scary. Being able to purchase all the items on your grocery list has now become a challenge, as supermarkets across the world are experiencing temporary shortages in everyday items.

But this doesn’t mean a healthy diet should be put on the back burner. What you eat contributes heavily to your eye health and many other aspects of your overall physical health.

So don’t fret when you see carrots are out of stock; there are other eye-friendly grocery items that will get the job done.

Carrots rich in vitamin A are the poster children for eye-healthy foods, and for good reason. But if carrots aren’t available, butternut squash, red bell peppers, broccoli, sweet potatoes, and spinach are also chock-full of this vision-booster.

Zinc allows your body to absorb more vitamin A, making them the perfect pair. Zinc also kicks up your immune system’s efficiency, which comes in handy during a global pandemic. Look for meat, shellfish, beans, and nuts to increase your zinc intake.

It’s easy to turn to comfort food like potatoes and macaroni and cheese during times like these, and that’s OK. Just be sure to also incorporate some of these foods to give your eyes a little TLC:

• Antioxidant-rich foods: Artichokes, blueberries and dark chocolate with high cacao (or cocoa) content.
• Omega-3-rich foods: Focus on food with EPA and DHA, like salmon, mackerel, herring, and tuna. Vegetarians can benefit from flax seeds or flaxseed oil, but these lack the EPA and DHA of fish.
• Vitamin E-rich foods: Spinach, nuts (especially almonds and hazelnuts) and whole-grain cereal.

Our Eyes’ Relation to COVID-19

It’s been confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that the coronavirus can be transmitted through the eyes. This explains why so many images show health care professionals wearing protective goggles or face shields along with their facemasks.

Although eye transmission is not the most common culprit for spreading the disease (respiratory droplet inhalation and close person-to-person contact are the top methods), the importance of keeping your hands away from your face cannot be understated. This is especially important in regard to your eyes, nose, and mouth.

So if you typically wear glasses, you may unknowingly be arming yourself with an added shield of defense!

The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) explains that a pair of glasses may guard your eyes from respiratory droplets. While eyeglasses and sunglasses don’t offer the same level of protection as a pair of goggles, the large surface area of the lens can block the virus from reaching your eyes.

With this in mind, it’s crucial for eyeglasses to be cleaned often. Those who wear glasses will frequently handle their frames, which increases the risk of transferring germs on your hands to the glasses that rest on your face.

The AAO also suggests that those who normally wear contact lenses should switch to glasses for the time being. Contact-wearers typically touch their eyes more often because of the increased irritation of contacts.

There’s evidence that conjunctivitis, also known as pink eye, can be a less common sign of COVID-19. Symptoms associated with conjunctivitis are redness, itchiness, discharge, irritation, and crustiness of the eyes. A study of COVID-19 patients in China reported that nine out of 1,099 patients (0.8%) had pink eye as a symptom.

Stay Healthy, Vigilant, And Positive

Understandably, being stuck at home by yourself can feel frustrating. However, social distancing and self-isolation are the best and most effective methods to limit the spread of illness.

Use this time of solitude to check in with yourself, assess your well-being, and practice good habits, especially dealing with your health. Being mindful of your eyes in today’s screen-heavy culture can contribute to vision comfort now and in the future.

Start practicing healthy habits now — it’s possible they’ll stick around even after the days of isolation are over.

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Someone who is going to be wearing readers while handling heavy machinery will likely choose a different lens type than someone who works in an office setting. No matter how you use you readers, there is an option for you!

Lens Materials

While prescription glasses have several different lens material choices, there are two main options for non-prescription reading glasses:

Plastic Lenses

Plastic lenses, also referred to as acrylic lenses, are the most common lens material for over-the-counter reading glasses, and are known for high visual clarity. Plastic lenses are a much more affordable and lightweight alternative to glass lenses, which are used infrequently because of their weight and fragility.

Polycarbonate Lenses

Lightweight and impact-resistant, polycarbonate lenses are used in safety glasses with an ANSI Z87.1 certification, as well as some reading sunglass and rimless reader lenses.

Reading Glasses Lens Types and Uses

Bifocal readers have unmagnified lenses which also contain inserts with the magnification of your choice in the lower portion of the lenses. This type of lens works best for those who are constantly switching from looking down at reading and writing materials to up and off at a distance.

Fully magnified lenses have the magnification of your choice throughout the entire lens. This lens type is commonly worn by those who prefer to only wear their readers when they’re engaged in a task.

Blue light filtering reading glasses provide your eyes with the magnification you need to see the screen clearly, while filtering blue light and glare from your computer screen. Learn more about blue light glasses and their benefits.

Reading sunglasses, also known as SunReaders®️, are readers with tinted lenses to provide UVA/UVB protection for your eyes. Reading sunglasses are available with bifocal or fully magnified lenses and are perfect for any outdoor activity!

Polarized reading sunglasses have the added benefit of a polarized lens, which reduces the sun’s glare and gives you a crisper view. Polarized reading sunglasses are commonly used by those who will be on the water, but they are also a great option for anyone who will be outdoors where the sun’s rays will reflect off of a solid surface.

Reading magnifications above a +4.00 are considered a high reading power and are hard to find in non-prescription reading glasses. Readers.com™ is proud to carry readers up to a +7.00* to help you see more clearly.

Disclaimer: All references to “bifocals” herein refer to readers having unmagnified lenses containing a “bifocal style” single powered reading glass insert located in the lower portion of the lenses.

*Some states have restrictions on the sale of certain reading glasses power and lens types.

How Do I Know If I Need Reading Glasses?

Sometime after the age of 40, you may notice that your vision isn’t what it used to be, but you can still see relatively well. Then one day, the menus at restaurants are a bit blurry and you find yourself squinting. Your eyes feel strained at the end of the day, and you find yourself holding your phone out at an arm’s length to read your text messages. Does this sound like you?

These are some of the most common signs and symptoms that you may be developing presbyopia, the clinical term for what happens to your eyes as you age, creating the need for reading glasses.

Between the ages of 40 and 65, most people’s eyes go through a change that leads to presbyopia. The eye’s lens, which contracts and expands thanks to the help of a circular muscle, becomes less flexible and more rigid over time. This hardening of the lens prohibits the eye from contracting to focus on close-up objects, which is what causes fuzzy vision when trying to read.

Although this may sound frightening, everyone develops some degree of presbyopia during their life, and a simple visit to your eye doctor for an eye exam can confirm the diagnosis. Luckily, there are several easy fixes to correct your reading vision! The most common solution is wearing a pair of reading glasses, also referred to as “readers.” The Vision Council’s VisionWatch Report states that 26.2% of American adults aged 45-54 currently wear reading glasses — you’re not alone!

Finding Your Reading Glasses Power

If you’re going to be buying and wearing reading glasses for the first time, you’ll find the words “reading power,” “reading strength,” “reading magnification,” and “diopter” used interchangeably – they all mean the same thing. When it comes to reading powers, the lower the number, the less magnification there is in the lens. At Readers.com®, we carry powers +1.00 to +7.00, including quarter powers (+.25 increments) and half powers (+.50 increments) so you can get the reading power you need.

There are several ways to determine which reading power is right for you:

Current Eyeglass Prescription

At your annual eye exam, ask your eye doctor what reading power you need.

Power Finder

If you have a current reading glasses prescription with the “ADD” power listed, use our Power Finder Tool to determine the best reading power for you. You can also use this tool if:

• You have a pair of readers that used to work for you, but now things are a bit blurry and you believe you need a stronger power.
• Or to get an estimated reading power based on your age range.

Printable Diopter Chart

This printable chart can be used as a guideline to determine the best reading power for you. If you can see two lines equally clearly, choose the lower power. The chart goes up to a +3.25 power, so if your vision requires a stronger power, we recommend visiting an eye doctor to find your reading power.

Visit our What Reading Glasses Power Do I Need? guide to learn more.

How to Buy Reading Glasses

Beginning your search for a pair of reading glasses may seem daunting, but if you know the answers to the following questions, you’ll be able to find the perfect pair of readers in no time!

What Reading Glasses Lens Type Do I Need?

	Bifocal readers have unmagnified lenses which also contain inserts with the magnification of your choice in the lower portion of the lenses. This lens type is perfect for those who prefer to wear their readers all day, or who look from their reading to distance vision frequently.
	Fully magnified reading glasses have the magnification of your choice throughout the entire lens. This lens type works best for those who only want to wear readers when necessary.
	Computer readers are the best option for those who will be using a computer or other digital device for an extended period of time. Available in fully magnified, multifocal, or unmagnified lenses, special lens coatings, and tints help reduce eye strain.
	Headed outside? Our reading sunglasses are available with bifocal or fully magnified lenses, and will help you see clearly while protecting your eyes from the sun’s UVA/UVB rays.

What’s My Reading Glasses Style?

Knowing your personal style and the frame shape that looks best on you will help you choose the perfect pair of readers! From classic frame colors to playful patterns, very narrow to very wide widths, and any frame shape imaginable, reading glasses aren’t the one-size-fits-all glasses they used to be.

Here’s a printable ruler to help you find a style in a size that will fit you best!

Where can I buy reading glasses?

Many people will debate over the best place to buy reading glasses, and it honestly comes down to what you’re looking for in a pair of reading glasses. Over-the-counter (also called non-prescription) reading glasses are commonly found at drug stores, discount stores, and other retailers, but did you know that you can purchase reading glasses online? If you have all the info mentioned in this guide, you’re set to start shopping! Readers.com® is one of the largest online reading glasses retailers, with more than 500 unique styles! We understand it can be a little harder to buy reading glasses online, which is why we offer a simple 90-day return or exchange policy. 

About Dr. Holly Vaught, OD

Dr. Holly J. Vaught, is the eye doctor at Vaught Family Eye Care in Franklin, Indiana, where she provides comprehensive services for patients of all ages. In 2009, she graduated with honors from Indiana University School of Optometry. Her training includes the areas of diagnosis and treatment of common ocular diseases, primary care, contact lenses, and pre- and post-op care for refractive and cataract surgeries. Dr. Vaught is a member in good standing of the American Optometric Association, the Indiana Optometric Association, and Women of Vision.

Disclaimer: All references to “bifocals” herein refer to readers having unmagnified lenses containing a “bifocal style” single powered reading glass insert located in the lower portion of the lenses.

[Updated: January 2020]

Here is everything you need to know about what computer glasses are, the potential impact of blue light on your health, how to choose the right computer reader power, and much more:

Now that you know you should be using computer glasses, it’s time to start shopping for the perfect pair for your vision needs.

Shop Blue Light Glasses ›

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Between your computer, your tablet, and your smartphone, these days you’re probably spending more and more time staring at screens. You’ve seen those special computer glasses, but you can’t help but wonder: Do they really make any difference? Are computer glasses worth it?

According to the Vision Council, more than two-thirds of us suffer from Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS). The cause of computer vision syndrome is too much time in front of digital screens. The temporary symptoms include dry eyes, red eyes, blurred vision, eye twitches, fatigue, headaches, and even back and neck pain.

Taking frequent breaks can help alleviate CVS. But experts agree: A pair of blue light glasses is a wise investment that can help with CVS. Here’s why:

Computer Glasses Minimize Screen Glare

Light bouncing off the glass of your digital screen can create a glaring obstacle to proper vision. Digital screens also emit blue light, which is difficult for our eyes to filter. Because of this, our eyes can become susceptible to the temporary symptoms of CVS listed above. Computer glasses come with many different lens features, but the main purpose is to keep screen glare to a minimum. Our Readers.com® computer glasses have lightly tinted lenses and an anti-reflective coating to help reduce your eyes’ exposure to the digital screen’s glare.

Pick the Right Computer Glasses Lens Strength

Most prescription eyewear corrects for near vision, far vision, or both. Non-prescription reading glasses are designed for close-up work. However, most of us position our computer screens in an intermediate zone about two feet in front of us, which is further than most of us hold our reading material. Because of this, it is important to be sure you order the correct power in your computer reading glasses? We recommend purchasing computer reading glasses in a power that is half of your standard reading power. See the chart below for more information based on the distance of your computer or digital screen.

Help Avoid Bad Posture Habits

Many of us try to compensate for less than perfect mid-range vision by leaning forward in our chairs. We also crane our necks back so we can see the tops of our screens through the bottoms of our prescription or bifocal readers. These ocular gymnastics can be a literal pain in the neck. Sound familiar? If the answer is yes, a pair of computer glasses may definitely be worth a try.

For even more reading on computer glasses, check out our post on how computer glasses work. You can also learn how to make those tiny smartphone and tablet screens easier to read using our prevent eye fatigue tips.

Shop Computer Glasses ›

Disclaimer: All references to “bifocals” herein refer to readers having unmagnified lenses containing a “bifocal style” single powered reading glass insert located in the lower portion of the lenses.