5 Signs You Need New Glasses

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Your glasses may be comfortable, stylish, and part of your whole identity. But changes in your vision are hard to detect, and just because you can see through your glasses does not mean they provide an optimum viewing experience for long-term eye health. So whether you notice symptoms or not, you may need new glasses asap. Here are 5 common indications that you need to get new glasses.

See the Signs

#1 – You Have Frequent Headaches

Unconscious eye strain is one of the leading causes of headaches, whether you are compensating for distance naturally or fighting against an outdated prescription. Your prescription could be obsolete, or you could have an undiagnosed vision problem. Furthermore, general discomfort near the eyes and face can cause headaches. Perhaps your frames are the culprit. If the temples (arms) of your frames are too tight on the sides or around the ears, you could start to experience more frequent headaches. Headaches could be a natural suggestion to get new glasses quickly.

#2 – Your Glasses are Damaged

You may not be able to see tiny scratches on your lenses because they are so close, but they nevertheless degrade the viewing experience. Furthermore, lenses themselves can naturally distort over time. Cleaning your classes with hot water can damage the lenses, dissolving coatings that help your vision. Some coatings wear off over time anyway, leaving behind a film and making it almost impossible to clean your lenses thoroughly. Finally, you may have damaged the frames. If any part of the temple becomes bent or the moving parts lose their full range of motion, the fit will be wrong. Any of these examples could signal when to buy new glasses.

#3 – You Squint A lot

Squinting lets in less light, sometimes increasing visual clarity. It is a natural reaction to excessive sunlight, and you should not need to squint to focus under normal circumstances. However, squinting can signify many eye conditions, most notably digital eye strain. Protracted use of electronic devices strains your intermediate vision, and scientists have documented the harmful effects of blue light. Getting new glasses could relieve a lot of strain, and a blue light filter could help you sleep better at night, too.

#4 – Technology has Passed You By

You could be missing out on crucial technological advances if you sport old specs. Many coatings and materials are available that help to preserve eye health and reduce eye strain symptoms. Whether it's UV protection, glare reduction, or a blue light filter, modern lenses can keep all sorts of things away from your eyes. Moreover, progressive or occupation-specific lenses can provide a viewing experience that matches your professional and personal lifestyle. Therefore, technology has ways of improving your glasses beyond a simple prescription change.

#5 – It’s Been More than a Year Since Your Last Eye Exam

As you age, your vision ages – it’s natural. Time conquers all, and additional unconscious strain from an outdated pair of glasses can do more harm than good. Your eye doctor can perform several tests that will detect undiagnosed problems in your eyes. They can measure the sharpness of your vision and your ability to see colors. Moreover, they can look at the muscles of your eyes and discover what parts are experiencing undue strain. Any change in these test results from one exam to another could warrant a new pair of glasses. To ensure you don't fall behind, schedule an eye exam at least once a year!

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