How to know if I need glasses?
Around 74% of people in the UK wear vision corrective eyewear or have undergone laser eye surgery to correct their vision. Sometimes, it can be difficult to tell whether you need to wear glasses or not, and one of the most common search terms is ‘how to know if I need glasses’. Below, we outline some potential signs that you can look for that suggest you would benefit from wearing glasses to maintain your vision.
How to know if I need glasses
Some of the main reasons why you might need to wear glasses are:
• Nearsightedness
• Farsightedness
• Presbyopia
• Cataracts
• Blurry vision
• Double vision
• Headaches
• Squinting
Nearsightedness
Nearsightedness, also referred to by the technical term myopia, is when you experience difficulty seeing objects at a distance. Nearsightedness is one of the most common signs of needing prescription glasses to correct your vision. If you have trouble viewing objects that are far away, for example, a vehicle ahead of you on the road, booking an eye test with an optician is important.
Farsightedness
Farsightedness is where you struggle to clearly view objects up close. Difficulty reading is one of the tell-tale signs of farsightedness. This is common in older individuals, but younger individuals can also have farsightedness, which can sometimes result in headaches from straining your eyes to see.
Presbyopia
Presbyopia is the gradual loss of your eyes’ ability to focus on nearby objects. This happens to most people over 40 years of age as everyone’s vision begins to decline as they get older. A common sign of presbyopia is when you hold items, such as your book or your phone, further away to see them more clearly.
Cataracts
Cataracts form across your lifetime. Signs of cataracts are blurred vision, glare increases and the need for additional light to see clearly. While you can live with it, surgery is usually necessary to treat cataracts.
Blurry vision
Blurry vision doesn’t always indicate that you need glasses unless it is persistent. It can also be a sign of a migraine as well as conditions such as diabetes.
Double vision
Double vision is another issue that many people experience. Double vision is when you look at a single object but visually see two of them. Double vision can be extremely difficult to live with if left untreated.
Headaches
If you experience frequent headaches that are persistent and long-lasting, this may be a sign that you need to wear glasses. Of course, not all headaches do signify this, but subconscious straining of your eyes and your vision can cause headaches. If you think your persistent headaches may be a sign of eye strain, you should see an optician.
Squinting
If you find yourself squinting a lot in order to see clearer, this is definitely a sign of problems with your vision. Glasses can help you to maintain your vision and in some cases, strengthen it to prevent you from needing to squint.
If you’re looking for reliable opticians to help improve your vision, choose Pritchard Cowburn Opticians. Based in Cardigan and Narbeth in Wales, you can easily book an eye test with one of our opticians by calling our clinic directly or by filling in a form on our website. If you have more queries like ‘how to know if I need glasses’, we can help.