Prescription Glasses vs. Reading Glasses: What’s the Difference?

Every part of the body is important, but if some features can be considered more important than others, the eyes would be part of them. Unfortunately, just like every part of the body, it gets to a time when the eyes start losing its ability to see well as a result of old age or other factors.

For some people, it starts when they hit 45 years old. This condition is known as presbyopia, and it happens when the eyes’ lens starts losing flexibility, leading to an inability to focus the gaze on an object that is close.

For others, they start losing their vision at a younger age or when they get a lot older. It can be unpleasant when you start having to bring the paper closer to your face before the wordings become visible. When any of these happens, you know you should get glasses for reading.

The issue is that there are different types of glasses; the one you may need as a result of old age would be different from the one that corrects eye defects that result from other factors. Before you go ahead to demand prescription glasses or buy one over-the-counter, bear in mind that there are things that you should consider first.

Additionally, for those who already own prescription glasses, opting to reglaze your glasses can be a cost-effective way to update your lenses without the need to purchase a new frame, especially if your prescription has changed or the lenses are damaged.

The kind of lens you need would depend on how severe your situation is. It is a bad idea to use the glasses you collect from friends since your conditions may not be similar, and you may only worsen your situation. For this reason, it is essential that you read on to discover the difference between prescription glasses and reading glasses.

What are they?

Reading glasses are built to help those with problems of vision. These glasses help you see better but may not correct the defect. They are less expensive and can be easily bought over the counter. Even though they are common, they are available in different strengths, and most times, you still need a doctor to help you determine the strength you need. Thankfully, you can easily find an eye doctor in Ogden who can assess your vision needs and determine the appropriate strength for your reading glasses. This area is known for its advanced eye care services, making it a popular destination for those in need.

Prescription glasses, as the name suggests, are glasses that you get from a doctor's prescription. The lenses of prescription glasses are explicitly customized to correspond with the eye defect that you have accurately. They are specifically tailored for you after tests are carried out to confirm the severity of your defects. Therefore, they work better and help correct deficiencies.

What do they do?

Reading glasses can be bought by anybody suffering from presbyopia and do not need prescriptions. The materials used for making them are lesser in quality and less expensive. Therefore, the use tends to be more generic. This is also aided by the fact that selecting a pair of reading glasses only requires measuring the distance between the eyes and comparing it with a simple chart.

Since reading glasses are used for presbyopia cases that involve problems with objects that are near, it may help you solve it while cause problems with far-range items. That is why bifocal lenses that have lenses for both near and far-range objects are preferable.

For people suffering from different vision problems such as myopia, presbyopia, astigmatism, etc. prescription glasses are what they need to help them see clearly and correct their defects. High-quality materials are utilized for this, and that makes them perform better for eye problems. They also come with a thin layer of covering known as anti-reflective coating (ARC) to protect them and make them more durable. The ARC makes it difficult for dirt, oil, or water to stick to the glasses. It also reduces the intensity of light that is reflecting off the glasses' lenses.

For added protection against blurred vision, sleep disturbance, eye tiredness, or dryness of the eyes that result from continuous exposure to blue light from computer and phone screens, prescription glasses come with blue light security. This is only available with prescription glasses, and it shields our eyes from unnatural rays emitted from these gadgets. Selecting prescription glasses require a more complicated set of determinations that can only be ascertained by an eye specialist. As a result, getting one will require spending more.

Conclusion

Prescription and reading glasses are extremely impressive in helping people see well when they have an eye defect. However, what works for one may not work for another person. That is why you must have to see a doctor to help you decide which one you need.

Although reading glasses are more common and less effective, they are for those who simply require help with their vision only once in a while. Probably for reading the papers or for filling out the cash book.

On the other hand, prescription glasses work better for vision correction in case you have a more severe case of eye defect. They are required for use on a long-term basis and may be worn throughout the day.