Ready Readers and Eyestrain

By Douglas J. Corby, Optician and Owner of Annapolis Opticians

Over-the-counter reading glasses are a huge business today. They are readily available from many retail outlets and online. These readers are usually very cheap, and can be useful for brief close work. But they do have their limitations for the following reasons

The distance between the eyes varies from person to person. The optical centers of your lenses need to be spaced for you, otherwise your eyes will have to turn in or out to compensate.

It is usual for each of your eyes to need a different power to focus at the same distance. Ready readers always have the same power.

Most eyes also have at least a small amount of astigmatism, which needs to be corrected for clear, comfortable vision. Ready readers do not correct astigmatism.

The optical quality of the lenses in ready readers is usually poor.

The frames of ready readers are also usually of very low quality, and cannot be fitted or adjusted correctly. This means that they may be uncomfortable to wear, slip off, hurt, and be dangerous if used when operating machinery.

If you routinely read a lot, or do prolonged close work, when a clear focus and wearing comfort is important, you will need to have a professional eye examination, be refracted for an exact reading prescription, and have a pair of good quality custom made readers.