It’s 2:30 and your head is starting to hurt. Maybe you just need a little more caffeine or a break from the screen, but these headaches seem to keep popping up lately. If you find that your headaches get worse the longer you sit at your desk, this may actually be a sign that you need glasses. Aside from daily afternoon dizziness, what are some vision-related signs that it’s time to wear glasses (or update your current lens prescription)?
First things first: You need to get your annual eye exam, says Dr. Emilie K. Seitz, OD, FAAO, an optometrist at Clear Eyes + Aesthetics in Cincinnati, Ohio. “Even if you think you can see clearly, we should check the health of your eyes and evaluate them in detail,” she says. Of course, if you notice any of these tell-tale signs between regular checkups, you should probably go ahead and make an appointment.
1. You find it difficult to drive at night.
If you are driving home in the dark, is there a starburst or halo around oncoming headlights and streetlights? If you find yourself squinting or having difficulty seeing details around you, it may be a sign that you need glasses. Difficulty driving in the dark may be an early sign of diminished distance vision.
2. You hold things farther away so you can see them clearly.
When you go out to eat, do you find yourself holding a restaurant menu, holding it at arm’s length and reading it? Or the gadget you carry around with you, pulling your phone away from you in order to read the statuses of your over-shared Facebook friends? Dr. Seitz says this could be a sign that your nearsightedness is getting worse. This can happen at any time in life, but it is a common vision change as we age.
“People in their 40s develop presbyopia – essentially, the lens in the eye (a focusing mechanism) starts to lose flexibility. You can pull things further apart to see more clearly, or you can move the lens on your device Text amplification. This often starts with tiny prints, like on pill bottles or mail, or when you’re trying to remove debris or something like that,” she explains.
3. You often have headaches in the afternoon.
If your job requires a lot of computer time, be aware that any fatigue or stress throughout the day is a sign that you may need glasses.
“We all do a lot of computer work,” Dr. Seitz said. “Having headaches over time or on long missions, especially in the front, signals to me: ‘Do we need a pair of glasses to relax our eyes at this distance?'”
4. You find yourself squinting, straining, or needing to rest your eyes.
Whether you have an office job or not, if you find that you can’t always see clearly, you may need glasses. Dr. Seitz says that between now and before your appointment, you can try the 20-20-20 rule to help soothe tired eyes. Every 20 minutes you spend looking at a screen, stop and look at an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Refocusing can help your eyes relax for a moment before refocusing on the task at hand.
Often, people tend to blame blue light from screens for eye strain, but Dr. Seitz warns against blaming it all. There’s evidence that blue light can disrupt your sleep, but there’s not much evidence that it causes eye strain or fatigue. “Most of our studies don’t really support that blue light glasses alone reduce sensitivity. Most of the time, you just need a lower prescription for computer work. Blue Light able Affects circadian rhythm, so if you’re looking at screens late at night, consider using a dimmer or using night mode to help. Or we can add blue light protection to prescription lenses [for that purpose]”.
How to tell if you need a new prescription
Dr. Seitz says your eyeglass or contact lens prescription should stay roughly the same from your 20s to your early 40s. There may be “some small adjustments and changes, but if you feel any changes, contact your doctor.” If your vision suddenly starts to fluctuate — like sometimes things are clear, suddenly blurry, and then clear again — this It may actually be dry eye syndrome rather than a change in vision. That’s why it’s important to check with your eye doctor; they can tell you for sure what’s going on.
Regardless, there’s a reason why eye doctors prefer you get your glasses from their office (and no, it’s not just because they want your money).
“The way lenses are manufactured can affect the eyes, which is why we advise patients not to buy glasses online,” Dr. Seitz said. “They may have used materials that don’t sit well with the eyes. If you feel like you’re changing, please come in and talk to us.
