7 sneaky signs you need reading glasses

The muscles in your eyes work hardest when you focus on close-up or detailed work, like when you’re reading or working at the computer. If your near vision is poor, those muscles work even harder to help you see clearly. Because that isn’t a natural position for the eyes, they can get tired, which makes you feel sleepy. If reading glasses alone don’t help, try blinking more often or pushing your computer further away from you. This will help to relax your eyes.

And if that doesn’t do the trick, try these other simple ways to revive tired eyes.

Your normal reading lamp doesn’t seem bright enough, so you turn on another lamp, and then maybe even an overhead light. If you never seem to have enough light, regardless of the room or type of lighting, it could be one of the signs you need glasses. This becomes more prevalent as you age, but don’t worry – it’s a normal condition. Studies show that the average 60-year-old needs at least three times the amount of light as a 20-year-old.

The way you hold a book can be one of the most telling signs you need glasses. If you are near-sighted – which is when you can see close up but not far away – you’ll bring a book 30cm or less towards your face. If you’re far-sighted – which is when you can’t see up close – you might need to hold the book at arm’s length. Remember this rule: if an object held 35cm from your face is blurry, you may need some sort of corrective lens.

Now discover 13 eye care tips your optometrist wishes you knew.

Eyestrain from working with few breaks can also make you more susceptible to headaches or make recurring headaches worse. If the headache is right behind your eyes, the cause could be hyperopia (far-sightedness) or astigmatism (when objects look blurry at certain angles due to the cornea’s shape). Both problems are signs you need glasses – and getting a pair can correct these issues. Be sure to take frequent breaks when doing work that can strain your eyes. Doctors around the world recommend the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, look at something at least 20 feet (5m) away for 20 seconds.

If you think carrots are the only veggie you need for healthy eyes, you could be missing out on the benefits of leafy greens, such as kale. These foods contain lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxidants that help keep your eyes’ lenses clear, reducing the risk of cataracts and your odds of needing glasses of any sort. One cup of kale can have as much as 26.5 mg of lutein and zeaxanthin, depending on how it is prepared. One serving of carrots has less than one milligram of both.

Here are another 36 everyday habits that could save your eyesight.

When your eyes can’t properly focus light into your retina, the light can become blurred or scattered. As a result, you may see bright circles appear around lights of various shapes and sizes, from light bulbs or car headlights. This could be one of the signs you need glasses. However, halos are also a common symptom of cataracts, especially along with cloudy vision. If you see halos, talk to your doctor.

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Source: RD.com

Once you hit your 40s, you’re almost guaranteed to experience one or more of the previous symptoms, thanks to presbyopia. Presbyopia is a condition where the eyes gradually lose their ability to focus on near objects (though it’s not the same as farsightedness). Symptoms typically begin to appear in your early to mid-40s and can continue to worsen until your 60s. Luckily, this natural ageing process has a simple solution – reading glasses.

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Source: RD.com