Did you know you could need low power reading glasses even if you can see fine? If you have eye strain issues or irritation caused by spending too many hours working at the computer, you could need reading glasses or other computer glasses even if your vision is 20/20.
The best way to know whether or not you can benefit from low power reading glasses is to visit an optometrist. A visit to an eye doctor can tell you exactly what strength lenses you need and can ensure that you don’t have any eye health issues that could be aggravating your eyes.
Eye problems caused by using the computer are lumped into a vaguely defined condition called computer vision syndrome — or CVS.
Here are five signs you have CVS and could benefit from low power reading glasses.
1. Scaly eyelids. Cracked, painful and scaling eyelids are usually caused by bacteria that spread around your eyes when you rub them. If you’re experiencing eye strain symptoms, you’re more likely to rub your eyes, and that means you’re more likely to spread the harmful bacteria.
2. Blurriness. If the text and graphics on your computer screen aren’t as clear as they once were, it could be a sign that your vision has weakened slightly. This doesn’t mean that your sight is failing or that you’re getting old. It just means your eyes need some help now.
3. Pain. Eyes are controlled by muscles, and those muscles can get strained from overuse just like the others in your body. Eye pain is often intense and extremely unpleasant, but low power reading glasses can allow the muscles in your eyes to relax a bit so you’ll feel less pain when you’re concentrating.
4. Grittiness. That feeling that there’s something in your eye or that your eyes are scratchy or irritated is a sign of dry eye syndrome. While dry eyes are treated with artificial tears or lubricating eye drops instead of low power reading glasses, eye strain and dry eyes go together. Both are symptoms of CVS, and many people require both drops and glasses to solve their computer eye strain symptoms.
5. Inability to concentrate. Head pain, fogginess and an inability to concentrate are all symptoms of computer-related eye problems too. When your eyes hurt, the pain and irritation causes frustration that dulls mental sharpness, decreases stamina and makes you feel like you don’t want to work.
There’s good news, however. Even if you have all of the symptoms above — as many people do — low power reading glasses can solve them for you. You may not be able to find the glasses you need at a drugstore or discount chain because the ones available there are too powerful for you, but you can order inexpensive custom-made readers online.
You can even look around for some funky and high-tech computer glasses. They often contain low-level magnification as well as tinting and could be just what you need to solve your eye problems.
You don’t have to live with computer vision syndrome and other eye problems. Low power reading glasses can help you get back to whatever you need to be doing on the computer.