Do you find yourself getting a headache after reading for an extended period of time? Are you squinting to read the computer screen? If you are over the age of 45, chances are you are it may come to grips with the appearance of presbyopia. And that means it is time to consider reading glasses.
An easy choice for someone looking for a quick fix to their newly acquired visual difficulties is to stop into their local drugstore and pick out a pair of reading glasses for just a couple dollars. Affordable and hassle-free, this may seem like a great idea, but let’s look at the positives and negatives.
Positives
Affordable. These readers can generally be purchased for less than $20, if not even under $10. This make over-the-counter reading glasses a great option for people on a budget, especially if you do not have health insurance that will help cover such a purchase.
Accessible. Quick! Think of where your closest drugstore is. It is that easy to get a pair of reading glasses, and quick. No need to take a number or wait for the lap to finish your order.
Options. These aren’t your granny’s readers. With a huge number of baby boomers at the age where they are beginning to find a necessity for reading glasses, there is a definitely a market for stylish and affordable OTC frames. The options are greater now than they were ten years ago, meaning you might even end up with a pair of good-looking eyeglasses.
Negatives
Both lenses are the same power. For some folks, one eye will need more correction than the other. If that applies to your eyes, over-the-counter options will not be any good for your needs.
Self-diagnosis = bad idea! Many people think that over-the-counter reading glasses gives them an opportunity to skip the eye doctor appointment and self-diagnose. Don’t do this! Choosing the wrong power of lenses can potentially end with additional strain to the eye or in severe cases, damage to the vision. Better safe than sorry, and if you plan on skipping the designer frames anyway, you really ought to consider making the investment in a doctor’s appointment.
You get what you pay for. If you spend $8.99 on a pair of readers from the local drugstore, don’t expect them to last you the next twenty years. It is a great option for those who are prone to misplacing, losing or sitting on their readers, but for someone looking for longevity, consider making an investment in your readers. There are a number of websites that offer quality reading glasses for reasonable prices.
– Kate Taylor, Read In Style
Need to pick out a pair of quality reading glasses? Check out https://www.marvelglasses.com/ for some quality and fashionable choices.