Nine signs that you need new glasses

The signs that you may need new glasses are often quite obvious. A range of symptoms, from headaches to light sensitivity, may indicate that you need new glasses. Below are nine common signs of why you may need new glasses:

1. Your vision is blurred

One of the usual signs that you need new glasses is blurred vision. You may have trouble seeing far away, such as reading street signs while driving or deciphering subtitles on a movie screen (nearsightedness). Or you may have trouble seeing objects closer to you (farsightedness). Another cause of blurred vision is presbyopia. This is also called presbyopia because it occurs naturally as we age. Around age 40, you begin to have trouble reading up close, such as when you're trying to focus on a restaurant menu or read a text message on your phone.

2. You keep squeezing

Do you often squint your eyes to see better? If you have to squint your eyes to focus your vision, your glasses are probably not working properly. If you only squint your eyes when you are in bright environments, a good pair of sunglasses is obviously what you need.

3. You are sensitive to light

Light sensitivity, also known as photophobia, can be a sign of astigmatism (cylinder deviation). So if your eyes are super sensitive to light, both indoors and outdoors, a custom prescription can correct this problem. As we age, our eyes sometimes take longer to switch from dark to light environments and vice versa.

4. You have tired or sore eyes

You know the feeling: Your eyes get so heavy that it can be a struggle to keep them open. Sometimes your eyes also hurt or feel sore. Tired or sore eyes can be a sign of eye strain, which happens when your eyes work too hard. This can happen when you spend a lot of time behind a screen. A pair of prescription screen glasses provides sharp vision behind your computer, tablet or smartphone. No matter what strength you have, the special glass means your eyes don't have to strain as much and are less likely to get tired.

5. You get a headache

Headaches are another possible symptom of eyestrain, but they can also be a sign of long-term vision problems. The effort of your eyes to help you see can make your head pound. Sometimes you may even have a headache behind your eyes, which is doubly bad because your head and eyes can hurt at the same time.

6. You see double

Double vision, also called diplopia, indicates that the eyes are not aligned. This may be the result of squinting (strabismus). Treatment for double vision often involves new glasses. Sometimes glasses to correct double vision are fitted with special prism lenses.

7. You have poor night vision

Night vision usually gets worse as you get older. If you see a halo around lights, especially when driving at night, you may have astigmatism, a cylindrical abnormality. Your optien can fit you with new glasses that correct your astigmatism and have an anti-reflective coating.

8. You haven't had your eyes checked in over a year

Our expert opticians recommend having your eyes checked every one to two years. Why? Your vision can change significantly during that time. A comprehensive eye exam is also important to detect eye conditions and diseases and possibly other health problems.

9. Your glasses are scratched or hard to clean

If you can no longer get your glasses clean, there may be a series of small scratches on the lenses. Or the coating of the lenses may be damaged and clouding the glass. This is certainly often the case with prescription safety glasses. Glasses with scratches can make it difficult to see properly.

Time for a new pair of glasses?

A new pair of glasses can certainly help you see better. But new glasses also have other benefits, such as comfort, safety and just feeling good when you wear them. Do any of the above apply to you? If yes, then this is the sign to think about a new pair of glasses. The expert opticians at Hans Anders will be happy to help you make your choice.