Reading is an indispensable part of life. Be it reading the print media or the digital, every day you spend a major portion in reading. The context, medium, place, speed, etc., almost everything keeps varying every moment apart from one constant that is your eyes, putting maximum pressure on them. Problems like difficulty in focusing, tired eyes, and difficulty in reading indicates the need for reading glasses or prescription glasses. 

Several conditions may be responsible for the difficulty in reading. The most commonly quoted is presbyopia which is the difficulty to focus on a given thing. Presbyopia is a condition when the crystalline lens becomes flexible or the muscle supporting it becomes weak. 

You need to take an eye exam before you start wearing glasses to be sure of the power of lenses your eyes need. Also, if you already wear eyeglasses, then can go for getting your eyes tested again. You can wear progressive lenses for both near and far vision. 

Before you buy your reading glasses, there are a few things you need to keep in mind to pick up the best and most suited glasses. 

Tips for picking right reading glasses

1. Custom & ready-made glasses
   Reading glasses are available in two variants- custom made glasses and ready-made glasses. The ready-made glasses are the ones readily available off the shelf with a wide range of designs. However, with ready-made glasses, you need to check if they fulfil all your eye requirements and prescriptions. Generally, ready-made glasses are good to go for a single issue, but if you are looking for a combination glass or have specific detailing in mind, then you must go for custom-made glasses.
   Custom-made glasses are the ones you get made or order that takes care of all your prescription requirements. There may be issues like astigmatism, presbyopia, myopia, and custom-made glasses are the best option. You can opt for both multifocal and progressive lenses if need be in a custom-made eyeglass. 
2. Right lens design (progressive, bi-focal, etc.)
   The lens design is of the utmost importance when it comes to selecting reading glasses that are most effective. Depending upon your prescription, issues, and power, you can get your eyeglasses made. The different types of lenses available are:

• Single vision lenses are the ones used to correct distance vision.
• Bi-focal lenses are the ones that have visibly different portions for distance correction and reading. The reading correction is generally at the bottom. 
• Tri-focal lenses are the ones with three different sections for distance vision, reading or near vision and intermediate vision. 
• Progressive lenses are the most advanced lenses that help in managing both near and distance vision within a single lens without any visible marking or separation.

3. Durability
   Durability is another major concern and an important aspect. Since you would be spending a considerable amount of money on buying or getting designed your eyeglasses, it is important to know how long they would last.
   Eyeglasses are made of two components- frame and lens. Both of them are available in two variants.

• For lenses: Glass and plastic

• The plastic frames are lightweight, unbreakable, and highly flexible.
• The glass frames are heavier, breakable but come with greater clarity. 

• For Frame: Metal and plastic

• The plastic frames are more stylish, flexible, come in a wide range of colours, and are cheaper.
• The metal frames are exceptionally durable, can absorb shocks, are a little heavy. Metals frames can be made of alloys, other metals, and titanium. Titanium frames are the lightest of all in weight, most flexible, and look stylish. 
• While choosing frames, you need to be sure about their fitting and look as well. It is not just the eyes that need to be considered but also the nasal bridge and the ears for comfort. 

4. Protective coatings (anti-scratch, anti-reflective, etc.)
   Protective coatings are the treatments that are put on the lenses. These coatings can be for different purposes to make them scratch-proof, anti-glare, etc. You can also get your lenses to be photochromatic. This will eliminate the need for carrying two different eyewear- prescription glasses and sunglasses. These coatings can protect against glare, scratches, UV rays, and blue light as well. 

FAQs

How do I choose the right reading glasses strength?
To choose the right reading glasses, you must visit an optician for expert consultation. Or you can make use of the optician’s reading power determining chart that has some words or lines written in different sizes. Try reading that without any glasses on and the line that feels most comfortable will depict your strength or power. 

What is the lowest power of reading glasses?
The lowest power of reading glasses is plus 1 diopter. The power goes up in increments of 0.25. The maximum power goes up to 3.5. if you need a power higher than 3.5, you must consult a doctor. 

Can you wear reading glasses all day?
Yes, reading glasses can be worn all day long. In fact, it is prescribed by the doctors to wear your reading glasses most of the time. The only thing to consider is that you must feel comfortable in wearing your eyeglasses day long.