If you have prescription glasses, you’ll likely have been told the main reason you need to wear them. It’s often you’ll be advised to wear glasses while driving or on the computer to start off with. But will wearing your glasses all day – instead of just at these times – weaken your eyesight, and make you more dependent on them?
Prescription and over the counter glasses
As a general rule of thumb, wearing your glasses long-term won’t weaken your eyes. But there is a big difference between over-the-counter glasses and prescription versions. Over-the-counter glasses are great for those that just need a little magnification when reading or want to protect their eyes when using the computer. Computer reading glasses do more than just make the image clearer; they reduce the amount of blue light emitted into the eyes, which is a common cause of eye strain and discomfort.
In a similar sense, reading glasses are the perfect option for anyone who enjoys a hobby that requires finer details or needs a little help reading as they get older. But these types of glasses can’t correct eyesight issues like their prescription counterparts.
Reading glasses
As previously mentioned, reading glasses do not fix eyesight problems. They simply magnify anything that’s in front of the lens. With this in mind, it could be potentially dangerous to wear reading glasses full time. You could easily become disorientated and suffer from chronic headaches, eye fatigue and strain. If you feel like you’re benefitting from wearing reading glasses all the time, it might be worth consulting your optician about prescription alternatives.
Why does my eyesight feel worse?
Studies show that many glasses wearers believe that their dependency on their glasses has increased, while others believe their eyesight gets weaker the more they wear them.
Luckily, this is a common myth. There is no evidence to suggest that wearing your prescription glasses will weaken your overall eye health. Opticians aren’t here as a money-grabbing scheme, and your glasses will only be prescribed if you really need them.
If you feel like your dependency has increased, it could be down to an issue with the glasses themselves. Over time, the efficacy of the glass lens decreases, which can make you feel like it’s your eyes at fault. This is why it’s recommended that you check it with your optician regularly so that they can examine whether your eyes are deteriorating or if you simply need your glasses upgraded. Sometimes, it might be a case of a slight change in your prescription that will help to refine the image.
What if I don’t wear my glasses all the time?
If you have prescription glasses that are required for most activities, not wearing them will not strengthen your eyes and can, in fact, quickly lead to all types of eye health problems like fatigue, myopia, and strain. So, wearing your prescription glasses all day will not weaken your eyesight. But not wearing them when you need to will. It’s also advised that you should only use reading glasses or computer glasses as and when you need them, and consult your optician if you feel you need a prescription for long-term use.