How to Know if you Need Corrective Lenses You may have noticed that your vision isn’t as good as it once was, but how do you know if you need to get glasses or contacts. While corrective lenses are a great benefit to those who cannot see well, they also can be a major lifestyle change. Look through this list of indicators that will let you know if it’s time to go visit your local eye doctor.
Nearsightedness If you have difficulty seeing objects that are far away, yet have no problems viewing items up close, then you might be suffering from nearsightedness. This is one of the most common symptoms of worsening eyes. If you have difficulty reading text on distant signs, poor night vision, or an inability to see the television clearly, then you probably have nearsightedness.
Farsightedness The exact opposite of the previous symptom that we discusses, farsightedness allows you to see distant objects easily, but makes it difficult to focus on them once they are up close. Since we spend a lot of our time reading and examining objects at close range, those with farsightedness usually suffer from frequent headaches, eyestrain, and excessive blinking. A test you can perform at home to determine if you are farsighted can be done by holding a book five inches away from your face. Not only should you be able to easily read the text on the page, but you should be able to maintain focus on the word for extended periods of time.
Astigmatism Those affected by astigmatism have a distorted eye shape, which can affect their ability to see both far away and up close. One of the most identifiable symptoms of astigmatism is seeing an uneven blur, with certain areas of vision being more distorted than others. Seeing double and having watery eyes is also an accurate indicator of this disorder.
Discomfort While there are many diagnosable vision disorders, one of the most reliable indicators of vision problems is your level of comfort. If using your eyes to read or examine things for extended periods of time causes you to suffer from eye pain, headaches, or any other discomfort, then it’s always a good idea to go see the eye doctor, just to make sure that you don’t need corrective lenses. While having a vision disorder is no fun, there are ways to help people with these conditions see normally. So if you think you may be suffering from any of these eye problems, go see your local optometrist for a check up. And remember, if getting
corrective lenses seems too expensive, keep in mind that there are options for vision insurance that can help you pay for glasses and contacts, so check those out too. Photo Credit: afullmer ,