How and why to choose reading glasses power
 

I've looked at several sites on the Internet, and pretty much all of them have you choose the lowest power that allows you to read a given text.

OK, but why. If +1.00 is good, why wouldn't +1.50 be better?

Is the theory that the glasses are a crutch and using the crutch allows your eyes to get lazy and therefore worse, needing stronger and stronger glasses sooner?

Or is there some other reason?

Yeah, I think I'm finally to that point. :p

Steve,

I use two sets.

1.0 for the computer, because the screen is farther away, 18-24"

1.5 for reading, because I have the book or tablet about 12" from my face.

And if I'm trying to read the fine print on the back of something, I put the 1.0's over the 1.5's!!!

I have several pair in every room of the house. They are dirt cheap so buy them in 3 packs.

James is correct, different strengths for different uses.

Really they are not much more than a magnifying glass which as you know you adjust the distance depending on the situation.

As far as making your eyes lazy resulting in more deterioration, that's a wive's tale.

It's called Presbyopia. It's your lens becoming stiffer and has nothing to do with the eyes muscles.

Happens to everyone eventually. Fact of life you just have to deal with.

Myself and my mother are the only ones in the family not needing glasses. In 2011, I started getting headaches. I also was not able to read the tiny tiny print on an iPhone, which had never been an issue (just move it closer). Research on the net showed that I probably had Presbyopia. I printed out the little page.

Print this out: https://www.aclens.com/global/lensimages/pdf/reading-strength.pdf

Use it at various distances for common tasks. You will see which strength for what application.

And Stomachmonkey is corret. Buy the big packs for cheap on Amazon and spread them around the house, car, office, etc. Buy extras, cause the cheap ones break...

At 43 I noticed some difficulties & went to an optometrist. When I asked why, he said because I was 43. I buy the 3 packs from Costco for $17/$18 and use three strengths. 1.25 for computer & similar, 2.00/2.75 for fairly small print, & as strong as I can get for miniscule print. Oddly enough, if I concentrate, I can focus but can't hold it for too long.

You can get them from an optometrist as well. I have a couple of not inexpensive, like $15.00 per, which have much better quality lenses but in reality since you are always taking them on and off you end up losing or misplacing them.

The cheapos are just fine.

Good resource.

You don't want to buy and use just one strength.

If they are too strong for the application you'll end up with a headache.

Interesting and cool. Thanks for the tip. The missus who has been wearing readers/glasses for a while wasn't aware of this.

Yeah, the missus sometimes gets killer deals at Marshalls, 3 packs for $10-12. I was aware of the magnifying glass bit, but hadn't thought about the focal distance issue which, of course, makes sense.
Ah, yeah, I'd bought into the old wive's tale.

Yeah, I first noticed a slight change when I was 40, and then only in the left eye. Now that I'm 46, both eyes are affected, but the left a bit more than the right.

Prior to this, I'd always had perfect vision. It's still good, but not as good for tiny stuff.

Yeah, I also find that I can get focused with a little time and concentration which makes it even more frustrating.

Thanks everyone for all of the info.

Slightly off topic but if you want "fancy" glasses where is the best place to get them.
Fancy means:
- progressive
- transition (auto darkening)
- select frame

Yeah, when we first got them for the missus years ago we tried the drug store route, but they were all $15-20 which seemed crazy for what I assume is still a really cheap pair, but we ended up finding the multipacks at Marshalls much cheaper. I'd read on the board about someone getting a nice pair by Porsche Design that they really like. The missus just recently got a nice prescription pair.

I've wondered about some of the ones that come with a case that either fold down to the size of one lens or lay completely flat so they are super thin so I can carry them. I'm usually fine, but every once in a while, something really small will surface or occasionally, my vision will seem a tiny bit worse than usual, so I'd like some for those occasions.

Costco has the chart thing to choose for reading. I find working on the car the hardest. You know. Upside down with a flash light and readers on the end of your nose.
And yes to Red-Beard! I put one on top of each other and wham! I can see!

I find +1.25 works best for me, but the more I use them the more dependent I become. I buy the 3 pack at Costco and also wear these that I got from a "product placement" company years back. Clic readers......

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1490382723.jpg

If your eyes need +1.00 correction, get +1.00.
Then +1.50 will not suit you, from what they told me, but it is interesting how some seem to use different powers for reading close or far.
Following your reasoning, +1.00 is good, +1.50 should be better, you should try +5.00....
Try, and see how that works for you....:)

My eye doctor said that if your sight gets worse because of age, which is normal, using glasses will not make your eyes worse or lazy and you will not need stronger glasses quicker.
She said by 40, a correction of +1.00 is normal and it will increase by 0.5 every five years or so.
I'm 40, I could use reading glasses (+1.00), but I can still manage fine without.
Thinking about getting some anyway, for when I'm tired or need to look at a screen for longer periods.

It never hurts getting your eyes looked at by a professional, besides age, there can be other things causing poor vision.
I had them checked and was glad to learn that my eyes are in good shape, eye pressure is ok, eye nerve is ok, retina, cornea all fine.

I do find it very difficult to find glasses that suit my face.
Finding sunglasses was a real pain, most just look weird on my face or don't fit.
I guess finding a decent pair of reading glasses will be the same...
They should make an app for that... :)

Two of the factors that affects the magnifying loupes I use are two concepts- depth of field, and focal length.

I'm a dentist, so we spend a lot of time and $$$ on glasses/magnifiers.etc.
The focal length for a dentist is approximately the distance from the dentist sitting in their chair, looking down to the patient's teeth as they lay in the chair. At that distance, everything should be in focus. For someone reading a book, it would be from the person's eye level sitting up, down to the book, on the table. You want a focal length where you are comfortable.

With that approximate length in mind, then the depth of field comes into play. With lower magnifications, there is a deeper depth of field, so let's say you took the book off the desk and sat it in your lap (further away), you could still read it in focus. With a deep depth of field, you could also pull the book closer to your face and it would still be in focus.

As you increase the magnification 3x, 5x, etc...that depth of field decreases, so you need to pay more attention to keeping the book right at the desk height (or whatever height you read at- focal length) to keep it in focus. You get the higher magnification, but your leeway decreases in the depth of field. Put the same book on your lap, or closer to your face- and it will go out of focus quicker.

Lately, I've had to go to reading glasses myself, and have noticed that although I like the higher magX glasses, the lower ones are better for wearing around the house. I can still look up with a 1x set and see whats on tv, or walk down a flight of stairs. With the higher mag levels, the room gets pretty blurry. Obviously, you aren;t supposed to wear them walking around the house/ descending stairs/etc... but I'm lazy

If you are going in for glasses at a supermarket or something- grab a magazine and sit down with the book in your lap (or on a table) and experiment with the two concepts. If the book readable at a comfortable focal length for your needs? - then move the book away from you and toward you to see you deep the depth of field is.

On a related note - I had been shopping for sunglasses with built in reader lenses for a while. Mai Jim has some but they were $240/pair or so and I wasn't willing to spend that. I'm pretty harsh on both readers and sunglasses from dropping them, etc.

I looked on Amazon for options there as well. I found a website - well, named readers.com and ordered two pair for me and 1 for the wife. We've been very pleased and for the price - around $15 to $20 each - can't complain.

For readers I get a "nice" pair with my yearly checkup covered by insurance - but always have some cheapies from Dollar General or where ever for a few bucks each.

Lot of good information here.

My optometrist told me what strength I needed at my last exam. I was a little surprised she did this. Thought it was something you figured out on your own.

They do tell you, mine did, but the reality is they tell you what you need for "reading". Holding something in your hands at the distance one normally would hold a book, newspaper, magazine.

The number they give you is for that limited distance and as you move farther / closer the focal point changes and so does the strength.

I saw a guy with a pair of those a while back. They are available on Amazon. It seemed like a good idea since my wife never knows where hers are, but I'm not sure that would help, and they would just take up more room when she set them down somewhere.

You can find virtually anything on Amazon. Readers.com has an extremely good selection and reasonable pricing.

I do not like the progressive lenses. You have to angle your head so that you can read what you want. If you are moving from one thing to another, your head is bobbing all over the place.

FYI, I use BIG lenses in the 1.0's. I use the small lenses for my 1.5's. This way I can look over the 1.5s for things at a distance. The 1.0s I can see reasonably at a distance, if needed.

I do hate them. Fingerprints. Having to put them on, take them off, all the time.

In the big packs, you get a variety of colors. The pink ones invariably end up in the bathrooms. SmileWavy

Oh and one other thing. They make sunglasses of every kind, with readers built into the bottom. I actually buy fairly expensive ones ($75) to have top of the line polarized glasses with the readers. This was extremely helpful when bicycling, so I could read the bike computer.

It does look funny, when I forget a pair of readers, to have to put my sunglasses on, inside.

I wear progressive bifocals, but do not like them at all for driving. For the past several years I have used cheapo 1.25-1.50 reader sunglasses for driving - they are perfect for me. If you shop them, make sure they are "full reader" sunglasses. 90% of reader sunglasses are just normal lenses with a small magnification strip at the bottom for reading.

Thanks everyone for all of the input. Lots of good info for this glasses newbie.

I have worn really light weight 100% rimless glasses for 20 some odd years.

I have a few cheap sets for doing car work / yard work etc..

I have two sets of dailies, same manufacturer, Takumi, one set up as progressive one regular.

They use rimless sun glasses that attach to the nose bridge with small magnets.

You can barely tell I'm wearing glasses.

They are not cheap but I've had one set 20+ years and the other 10 so you get bang for the buck.

Similar to this with toothpick thin side pieces.

http://cdn-i1.go-optic.com/w350%7Ch350%7Cf/AUSTJW40.jpg

I prefer the ones with the little strips, since my distance vision is perfect.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002JQ5OJ0/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1490389123.jpg

Here's a very brief optics lesson for you guys....

First let's assume (a) you're an "absolute Presbyope"....i.e. you have virtually no "accommodation", the ability to focus up close....if you're mid to late 50s+, you're pretty much an absolute Presbyope. (b) You're distance correction in both eyes is zero (you wear no RX for distance): OD: Plano / OS: Plano.

The RX of those readers is always in metric, being in Diopters, such that the focal length of +1.00DS (Diopter Sphere) is 1.0 Meter. To figure out the focal length just calculate the inverse....F=1/D. So a +1.00 should be used to focus at 1 meter; +1.50 @ 66.67 cm; +2.00 @ 50.00 cm; +2.50 @ 40.00 cm; +3.00 @ 33.33 cm, ...+5.00 @ 20 cm, etc.

Let's take it 1 step further...if you're a low Myope (mildly nearsighted) with a distance correction of say: OD -1.00 / OS -1.00 your focal length is already @ 1.00 meter so you would subtract +1.00 D from the RX to obtain the desired focal length. So with a +1.00 reader you would focus at 50 cm; a +2.00 would focus at 33.33 cm; a +2.50 would focus at 28.57 cm, etc.

It's the opposite if you're a low Hyperope (mildly farsighted). If you're distance correction is say: OD +1.00 / OS +1.00 you would need to add +1.00 to the reader to get the desired focal length. So in this case a +2.00 would focus in at 1.00 meter; a +3.25 at 44.44 cm, a +5.00 at 25 cm.

Any questions?.........:D

Is this knowledge that I can actually use?

Mrs WD can get by with readers (she calls them "cheaters"). I can use them if I'm in a pinch and don't have my glasses. My prescription costs $200 even at the discount places, and I need them if I really want to see up close.

Foster Grant Readers on Sale.
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Mens Reading Glasses | Foster Grant | Readers | Cheaters

Reading glasses in the typical drug store start at +1.00 (weak) and go up to about +3.25 (strong).

The advantage to weak is a depth of focus, that is things are in focus for 1-2 feet so they have a long working range.

The advantage to strong is more magnification, but the disadvantage is you have to hold things closer and can only move them a little or they go out of focus.

We generally recommend using the weakest lenses you need, because of the advantage of a large working range.

As we get older, most folks need stronger and stronger lenses, moving from +1.00 to +1.25 to +1.50,etc - usually up to about +2.50. Once we need +2.00 to see small print well, the focal point is too close for something further away like a computer. Most of us then use two pairs. +1.25 for the computer and +2.00 (+) for reading small print like a newspaper.

Charles

The issue is that the closer you hold something, the stronger the correction needed. I still need "some" correction at 18-24 inches (45-60cm). But the 1.5s cause too much correction. When I read a book, I hold them about 12 inches (30cm) away. 1.5 works perfectly.

Get down to 2" (5cm) and I need something as strong a 4.0

Not everyone knows you can also get cheaters for welding helmets. Particularly with TIG welding you really need to see the puddle and endure you're biting both edges of what you're welding.
I have some +2 cheater lenses that pop into the helmet... And sometimes I'll still wear a pair of 1.5 glasses under the helmet for delicate work.

I've got several pair depending on what use. They range from 1.25 for computer stuff, to my default which is 1.5. I have 2.5's I use in the shop for up close detail work and then the headset mounted loupe magnifiers that you'll see watchmakers using that are 8x - 20x. Just use what power gives the clearest vision for any given task.
I use bi-focal sunglasses for driving so I can see long distances with out - and then look down to read a map or iPod.
My favorite source is Lightweight Reading Glasses Online | Visualites Sun Readers & Accessories . They're lightweight and the temples are flexible. Their bifocal sunglasses are great too.

Similar to me except I use 1.25 as all-around close up and then the "big guns" 2.0 for knarly detail stuff. Big light with the 2.0 required. Hurts the eyes if you lift the head and look far away. I am 60. Maybe at 65 I will need a bump up.

At 45, I have read, good close vision for those lucky to have it starts to decline as mentioned.

Back in my 40's I used to say "you know you are getting old when you go to the store for some one point fives and they are reading glasses."

Now at 54 I'm in the 3.25-4.00 variety.

My eyes are different, so my best reading glasses are prescription. Not that expensive online.

I use throw-aways for work, break/lose a few pairs a year.

Worth seeing an ophthalmologist occasionally, I was upping the readers, and found out it was a cataract.

When I first started needing to use reading glasses, I went the monocular contact lens route and was very happy with that for quite a few years. I kept cheap reading glasses scattered around for those times I did't have the contacts in.

Eventually the DMV told me if I wanted to continue to drive legally... then on to bi-focals. Now I have large framed reading glasses for the computer and both bifocal glasses and sunglasses for everyday use... glasses supplied by Costco.

And then there are those times when working underneath a car or on something overhead and nothing works..

and if you ever use a dive mask, you can get stick on half-lens magnifiers so you can actually see close up stuff underwater !!!

Lee Valley sells the stick ons...good for safety glasses in the shop.

Thanks guys, I had no idea. https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=readers+stick+on&tag=mh0b-20&index=aps&hvadid=12051677059&hvqmt=b&hvbmt=bb&h vdev=c&ref=pd_sl_devdfv5oj_b

I've been skirting around bifocals for about 10 years at least. Somehow I have kept them at bay.

transition (auto darkening) is, IMO, a waste of time. Polarizing, OTOH, is not.
Reasons being, we all have iris' which react to total average light levels MUCH more quickly than do transition lenses, and that simply darkening the lens does little to attenuate the high dynamics (bright spots / glare) --whereas polarizing does.

To answer your original Q, I've had good results with Zenni Optical.

While running errands for other things today, I checked out the readers at a couple of places. I have tried some +1.50 that the missus had and they seemed surprisingly strong. I was able to try to +1.00 at a Walmart today and found that they are much better than the +1.50. I'm surprised at how big the difference is between +1.00, +1.25 and +1.50. The display was all Foster Grants. They were comfy and seemed much better made than the 3/$10 that the missus usually gets, so I bought two pair, plus I have 2 pair of +1.50 that the missus doesn't like. I think we'll end up getting some +1.25 for the missus too, but she didn't mention that until we had paid and left. She thinks having different glasses for different tasks (computer vs reading) is going to be helpful.

It's nice that the depth of field of the +1.00 is very deep. I was able to read the fine print in an HTML email on my phone as well as being able to still read the text on the items 10'-12' away without either causing discomfort. The +1.50s work but are uncomfortable or maybe disorienting for items that are across a room.

Thanks for the tidbit about being able to "stack" them for greater effect. It'll be useful if she asks me to thread a needle or for other very fine work.

Thanks for all of the help.