At our Redland optical store, many of our patients who have recently started having vision problems, ask our opticians whether they need prescription glasses or if they can simply wear over-the-counter reading glasses. There certainly are some similarities between prescription glasses and reading glasses, but at Quality Optical of Columbia, we want our patients to know the differences when shopping for a new pair of eyeglasses.
Reading glasses are mainly made for presbyopia, an age-related eye disease that usually develops around 35 to 45 years of age. Caused by decreased elasticity in your eyes lens, presbyopia, makes it more difficult to focus on objects in a closer range. Reading glasses are available in generic strengths that can help correct problems related to close-range vision. Reading glasses are usually made with lower quality materials than prescription eyeglasses, and don't give you the accurate vision correction a pair of prescription glasses will. If your presbyopia or hyperopia is mild, reading glasses will be a more affordable and even practical choice. We tell our customers at our Redland optical store that if you aren’t normally in need of vision correction but need help focusing now and again, reading glasses are a perfect choice.
With prescription eyeglasses, our Redland optical store specialists use lenses specifically designed to correct your vision problems with a high level of accuracy. Prescription glasses can be used to treat practically any vision problem, ranging from presbyopia and myopia to hyperopia and astigmatism. Unlike reading glasses, prescription eyeglasses require our opticians to provide an accurate prescription, and will usually cost more than a pair of over-the-counter reading glasses. The difference in cost is due to the more detailed manufacturing procedure which customizes them to your specific needs, making them more durable for everyday use. A variety of options also come along with prescription eyeglasses from our eyeglass shop, including superior lens materials, stronger frames, a wide range of styles, and greater durability. Bottom line, if you find yourself wearing reading glasses every day, prescription strength eyeglasses are a better choice in the long run. They will last longer, look better, and provide more improved vision that is tailored to your needs.
By Quality Optical
July 20, 2015