It’s recommended that you update your glasses every two years. If you notice a change in your vision, you may need to update your glasses earlier, such as after a year or so.
Why Vision Changes Create A Need For An Eye Exam
If you experience changes in your ability to read, work on a computer, or see distances, you may have a refractive error that needs a prescription for glasses. You may also develop headaches, itchy eyes, flashes of light, or simply cannot remember when you last had an eye exam. It may be time to head to the optometrist for a full workup.
You may find that your vision is changing, and you need over-the-counter reading glasses. You may find that you have an underlying condition that needs monitoring and a new prescription. Your optometrist may recommend specific sunglasses to protect your vision during bright daytime hours because your eyes are developing sun damage.
There are many reasons to get glasses, but this decision should be based on an eye doctor’s recommendation. If you notice changes in your vision, purchasing over-the-counter glasses should not be the first step. Even if you find a pair that improves your visual acuity, it is important to know if there are underlying reasons your eyes are changing.
What Kinds of Glasses Are Used for What Activities?
- Standard Eyeglasses: One of the oldest methods used to correct vision, glasses are a set of plastic or glass lenses held by frames at a certain distance from the eye. The lenses in the glasses are different shapes and thicknesses to correct refractive errors like nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. Glasses can also be used to improve visual acuity for people with cataracts or glaucoma. Businessman working at office desk, he is staring at the laptop screen close up and holding his glasses, workplace vision problems
- Single vision glasses are all-purpose lenses, although one lens is sometimes shaped differently because the prescription in that eye is different than the other eye. In contrast, multifocal lenses — bifocals and trifocals being the most famous — correct for both near and far vision problems.
- Progressive lenses function like bifocals or trifocals, but the prescription change is not abrupt. Instead, it is smooth from the middle or top of the lens to the bottom, where the prescription treats farsightedness.
- Reading glasses: These glasses specifically correct presbyopia, a form of farsightedness that begins around age 40 and progresses through middle and older adulthood. For people who already need glasses, presbyopia may mean they need bifocals. For those without any visual acuity problems, they find they need glasses for up-close tasks like reading. See an optometrist for a prescription, but you may be able to purchase reading glasses over the counter. However, if your visual changes have surpassed +3.00, then you will need prescription reading glasses.
- UV sunglasses: Spending hours in the sun without eye protection can damage your eyesight over time. Even wearing sunglasses that do not filter out ultraviolet (UV) radiation can lead to damaged eyes. If you have questions about which sunglasses offer 100 percent UV protection, ask your optometrist for recommendations. It is important to note that these glasses only protect against the sun as a source of UV radiation. Arc welding, tanning beds, or snowfields require different UV filtering eye protection.
- Transition lenses: If you often wear glasses, you may not want to carry prescription sunglasses with you everywhere or clip on sunglasses over your normal glasses. Many people instead opt for transition lenses, which darken in bright light. These lenses typically protect against UV radiation, but they may darken when you are indoors in bright light, which is less convenient.
How Often Should I Go to My Optometrist?
If your vision changes and you cannot see clearly, you should get glasses or new glasses. Your eye doctor will diagnose the condition causing these changes, which are most often refractive errors like nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism, and write a prescription so you can improve your visual acuity.
How often should you see the doctor? There are specific recommendations for how often you should get your eyes checked even if nothing has changed, and these are based on age. If you experience a sudden, dramatic change in vision, you should also see your optometrist immediately. Along with changes to your prescription, an optometrist can write referrals to specialists in the event that a different condition caused the visual changes.
At different ages, you will get your eyes checked at different frequencies for vision changes.
- A baby’s first eye exam should be at 6 months old, and these exams should occur every 6 months until 2 years old.
- Between 3 and 5 years old, the child should get an eye exam at least once.
- Between 6 and 18 years old, the child should have an eye exam annually, including one right before starting 1st
- Young adults from 18 to 39 years old should get an eye exam at least every other year, although it may be important to undergo an annual eye exam for changing eyesight.
- Middle-aged adults, 40 to 64 years old, should get an eye exam at least every other year.
- Older adults, starting at 65 years old, should get an eye exam every year.
Of course, you can also get new glasses if you want different frames, your old frames are out of style, or your frames break. As long as your prescription is current, you can get as many pairs of glasses as you want when you want them.
Remember to update your glasses every two years. If you notice a change in your vision, you may need to update your glasses earlier. Call (830) 379-3937 to schedule an appointment with one of our expert optometrists. Source: nvisioncenters.com