Six reasons you may need more than one pair of glasses

Glasses are used for a million different things: from golfing on a nice summer day to painting Warhammer figurines.

Although many people have only one pair of glasses, glasses are rarely “one size fits all.” Your visual needs can differ depending on the distance of the activity, whether it’s located outside or inside, and how much clarity is required to do the activity comfortably. And sometimes this requires special, task-based glasses.

So, what are some reasons to own multiple pairs of glasses?

1) You Spend Time in the Sun

UV exposure can be very damaging to your eyes. It can increase your risk of macular degeneration, and cataracts, and cause potentially harmful skin growths in and around your eye. Sunglasses are an essential tool to help protect your eyes from dangerous UV exposure. Sunglasses can also improve the clarity of outdoor activities, like golfing or fishing. There are a variety of different sunglasses options out there but it’s important to make sure they offer UV protection (not just a dark tint). Polarized lenses are also a popular choice because they better filter light reflected from roadways and bodies of water.

2) You Spend Time on Screens or Doing Up-Close Work

Spending too much time on your phone or looking at screens can cause increased eye strain, headaches, and blurry vision. Specialized reading glasses can help magnify print and reduce the strain on your near focusing system. Some people also opt for a blue blocker lens: a special yellow-tinted anti-reflective lens that helps reduce glare and can improve eye comfort. I have been wearing reading glasses since optometry school. The intense studying was causing me to have daily headaches, and reading glasses reduced my eye strain and improved my headaches.

3) Your Hobby or Job Requires High Levels of Visual Clarity

Some people require high-detailed vision for their jobs or hobbies. For example, an electrician may need specialized glasses that both maximize clarity when looking at small wires and provide protection from injury. Another example is needlepoint or embroidery, where very high quality vision is required to properly thread a needle.  Many people have regular glasses for everyday activities and work or hobby glasses that maximize vision for a specialized task.

4) You are Over the Age of 40

People over 40 years old develop a condition called presbyopia, where their near focus system starts to gradually decline with age. Presbyopic individuals will often need two different glasses prescriptions to maximize their vision: one for distance and one for reading. While some people prefer to put both prescriptions in one pair of glasses (a bifocal or progressive), some people prefer the clarity of having separate pairs of glasses for distance and reading. It is also common to have one pair of progressives/bifocals for everyday activities, and a separate pair of reading glasses for more specialized near work.

5) Stuff Happens

Your pet eats your glasses

You leave your glasses in the Uber

You lose your glasses in the lake

Many people who wear glasses cannot function without them. So, it is important to always have a relatively up-to-date, backup pair of glasses in case something happens to your main pair. That way you can continue to see what you need to see without the stress and inconvenience that comes with having to buy a new pair of glasses ASAP.

6) Glasses are Fun!

Glasses are something most people wear every single day. A lot of the time, people will opt to purchase a second pair simply because they want a different fashion option. Never be afraid to customize your glasses to your unique sense of style. You wear them every day, so why not have fun with them?

Visit us at our optometrists in Belleville, Brighton, Trenton or Picton to find glasses to accommodate all your vision needs.

You can read the original article written by Dr. Maria Coward here: https://justeyethings.ca/2023/06/06/6-reasons-you-may-need-more-than-1-pair-of-glasses/