A 47-year-old member asked:
and i'm wondering if i need reading glasses; how can you tell when you would need them?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

Dr. Matheson Harris answered
Ophthalmology 16 years experience
Easy test at home: Hold up some relatively small text at a comfortable distance. If it is blurry, but gets more clear as you move away, you likely need reading glasses. If you are just now experiencing this problem and are in your early to mid-forties, you almost certainly need reading glasses :).
5744 viewsAnswered >2 years ago
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Similar questions
A 32-year-old member asked:
Never read a lot before but now I do and I get headaches. Do I need reading glasses; would they help?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

Dr. Stephen Daquino answered
Sports Medicine 21 years experience
Maybe: Try a light prescription pair of reading glasses. You can find them over the counter in most drug stores. It may e enough to help. If not, see your eye doctor.
5748 viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 45-year-old member asked:
Why do I need reading glasses at 30 years old; that is too young, right?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

Dr. Richard Bensinger answered
Ophthalmology 52 years experience
True: At age 30 your eye should be able to compensate for near needs. Beware of optometrists selling eyeglasses for profit. If you can read allright and see small things at near that you need to, then forget the eyeglasses at this age.
5744 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 33-year-old member asked:
Can I use reading glasses with my contacts on, together?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

Dr. Clement Cheng answered
Ophthalmology 21 years experience
Yes: Usually contacts are used to correct your distance vision. Reading glasses then are needed for patients who (usually after 40yrs of age) have lost their near vision. Many patients use over the counter readers over the contacts for near vision.
5746 viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 37-year-old member asked:
Is it fine to use reading glasses regardless of how much you need them or not?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

Dr. Clement Cheng answered
Ophthalmology 21 years experience
Yes: Presbyopia is the loss of focusing in your eyes for near vision. It happens to everyone to some degree starting in your forties. Using readers simply helps to bring the focus back at a near point. You cannot "over-use" them and using them more will not make the eyes more weak. The loss of reading vision is progressive and will naturally get weaker into your 60-70's and then level off.
5746 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 50-year-old member asked:
Is there such thing as reading glasses contact lenses?
2 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in

Dr. Jon Fishburn answered
Ophthalmology 30 years experience
Bifocal ctls : Yes, there are bifocal contact lenses. An examination by an ophthalmologist or optometrist can assess your eyes to see if you're a good candidate for a fitting and trial. Good luck.
1666 viewsAnswered >2 years ago
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Last updated Jul 6, 2012
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