How to Determine When You Need Glasses

Our eyes require careful attention, which may include wearing glasses. Common eye problems include myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, and presbyopia. Many people experience eye issues but delay seeing an optometrist or ophthalmologist, sometimes not getting their eyes checked at all. If you notice your vision seems to be worsening, it's important to schedule an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible. In addition to decreased vision, there are other signs indicating the need for glasses.

Recognize if your near vision is blurry. Blurry images when focusing on nearby objects can be a sign of hyperopia (farsightedness). If you find it difficult to focus on objects close to your eyes, you may have hyperopia. However, there is no standard distance at which blurry near vision indicates hyperopia.

• The degree of hyperopia affects your ability to focus on objects up close, so the further away you can focus, the clearer the sign that you might have farsightedness.
• Having to sit farther from a computer or extend a book at arm's length is a common sign of this condition.

Identify Signs of Difficulty Reading. If you often engage in tasks that require close vision, such as drawing, sewing, writing, or working on a computer, but recently have found it harder to focus on these activities, it might be a sign of presbyopia, a form of farsightedness caused by the loss of elasticity in the eye muscles. Typically, farsightedness develops as we age.

• You can try a simple test by holding a book in front of you and reading normally. If you need to hold the book more than 25-30 cm away from your eyes, you might have farsightedness.
• If you notice that you are pushing the book further away to focus on the text, this could be a sign of presbyopia.
• Reading glasses often solve this problem.
• Presbyopia usually develops in people between the ages of 40 and 65.

Check if Distant Objects Appear Blurry. If you notice that objects at a distance appear blurry, but those up close are still clear, you may have myopia (nearsightedness). This condition often begins to develop during adolescence but can occur at any age. Similar to presbyopia, it can be hard to pinpoint the exact distance where myopia becomes noticeable. However, if you can read a newspaper but struggle to see the writing on a board from the back of the class, or if you find yourself sitting closer to the TV, it may indicate myopia.

• There is evidence suggesting that children who spend a lot of time on close-up activities like reading are more likely to develop myopia.
• However, environmental factors are less influential than genetic factors.

Pay Attention if You Have Trouble Focusing on Both Near and Distant Objects. Instead of struggling with either near or far objects, you might find it difficult to focus on things at both distances. If that’s the case, you may have astigmatism.

Recognize When Your Vision Becomes Blurry. If you experience episodes of blurry vision, consider this a serious condition. It could indicate a significant health issue, and you should schedule an appointment with an optometrist immediately.

• Blurry vision means a lack of sharpness, and you can’t make out fine details when you look at something.
• Determine if this happens only when looking at nearby objects, distant objects, or both.

Pay attention if you need to squint to see clearly. If you find yourself frequently squinting to focus on an object, this could be a sign of a vision problem. Try to observe whether you often squint involuntarily and consider visiting a doctor for a diagnosis.

Consider if you see a double image. Seeing double can be caused by a variety of factors, ranging from muscle issues to nerve problems. However, it may also be a vision defect that can be corrected with glasses. Regardless of the cause, seeing double should be treated as a serious concern, and you should promptly consult a doctor.

Note if you experience eye strain or headaches. If you suffer from eye pain or frequent headaches, this could indicate an eye problem. Eye strain and headaches after close-up tasks, such as reading, may signal presbyopia or farsightedness.

• This condition can only be accurately diagnosed by an ophthalmologist or an eye specialist, so it’s important to schedule an appointment for an eye exam.
• The ophthalmologist may prescribe glasses tailored to your eye condition.

Recognize if you struggle to see in the dark. Difficulty seeing at night could be a sign of an eye condition. Poor night vision can also be a symptom of cataracts. If you notice significant changes in your night vision, it’s important to visit an ophthalmologist for a thorough eye exam.

• You may notice that driving at night becomes challenging, or you can’t see objects in the dark that others can.
• Other signs include difficulty seeing stars at night or being disoriented in dark rooms, such as movie theaters.

Consider if you have trouble adjusting between bright and dark environments. The time it takes to adapt to changes in lighting typically increases with age. However, if you find it particularly difficult to adjust, it could be a sign of an eye issue that requires glasses or contact lenses for correction, or it could indicate a medical condition.

Notice if you see halos around light sources. If you observe bright circles appearing around a light source, such as a bulb, you may have an eye issue. Halos are a common symptom of cataracts, but they can also indicate one of the four common eye conditions. You should schedule an appointment with an ophthalmologist for a proper diagnosis.

Assess if your sensitivity to light has increased. If you notice a significant increase in your eye's sensitivity to light, it's important to consult with an ophthalmologist. This condition could point to a number of eye problems, and you should see a specialist for a comprehensive diagnosis. If the change is sudden and noticeable, don't hesitate to make an appointment.

• If bright light causes discomfort, or if you find yourself squinting or closing your eyes in strong light, you may have heightened sensitivity to light.

Use an eye chart for testing vision. If you notice any of the symptoms mentioned above, don’t delay in visiting an ophthalmologist for a proper eye exam. However, you can also perform basic vision tests at home using standard eye charts. These charts, which feature progressively smaller letters, are available online and can be printed for home use.

• Place the eye chart at eye level in a well-lit room.
• Stand 3 meters away from the chart and try reading the letters.
• Continue reading until you reach the lowest line you can read most of the letters on, then record the line number you can mostly read.
• Repeat the process, covering one eye at a time.
• Results may vary by age, but older children and adults typically read the 20/20 line.

Dùng các bài kiểm tra online. Cũng như các bảng đo thị lực được in ra giấy, có một số cách thử mà bạn có thể thực hiện trực tiếp trên mạng. Những cách thử này không hoàn toàn chính xác, nhưng cũng cho biết căn bản về tình trạng mắt của bạn. Bạn có thể tìm được các bài kiểm tra khác nhau cho các vấn đề khác nhau về mắt, trong đó có bài kiểm tra tình trạng mù màu và loạn thị.

• Các bài kiểm tra này yêu cầu bạn nhìn vào các hình ảnh và hình dạng khác nhau trên màn hình vi tính và làm theo hướng dẫn để kiểm tra mắt.
• Nhớ rằng các hướng dẫn này khá mơ hồ và không nên xem như cách thay thế cho phương pháp kiểm tra chính thức.

Đến bác sĩ nhãn khoa. Nếu mắt của bạn có các triệu chứng trên, bạn cần hẹn gặp bác sĩ nhãn khoa để kiểm tra mắt toàn diện. Bác sĩ hoặc chuyên viên đo mắt sẽ thực hiện một số xét nghiệm kiểm tra tận gốc của vấn đề và có thể kê toa kính mắt trong trường hợp bạn cần đeo kính. Quá trình kiểm tra mắt ban đầu có vẻ đáng sợ, nhưng đó là việc cần thiết để chăm sóc mắt.

• Bác sĩ nhãn khoa có thể dùng một số thiết bị trong quá trình kiểm tra mắt, chiếu ánh sáng mạnh vào mắt của bạn và cho bạn thử một số tròng kính khác nhau.
• Bạn sẽ phải đọc các chữ cái trên bảng đo thị lực qua các tròng kính khác nhau đặt trước mắt.
• Bác sĩ nhãn khoa và chuyên viên đo mắt đều có đủ năng lực thực hiện việc đánh giá mắt.

Biết những bước tiếp theo nếu bạn cần đeo kính. Sau khi được kiểm tra, bạn sẽ biết mình có cần đeo kính hay không. Nếu có, bạn sẽ được kê toa mua kính. Sau đó bạn có thể cầm toa này đến kỹ thuật viên kính mắt và chọn gọng kính theo ý thích. Kỹ thuật viên kính mắt là người được đào tạo để đáp ứng nhu cầu kính mắt của khách hàng.

• Khi đã chọn gọng kính, bạn sẽ phải đợi một đến hai tuần để gắn tròng kính trước khi có thể lấy kính về.

• Không nói dối rằng mình không đọc được các chữ cái nào đó, vì việc đeo kính khi không cần thiết thực ra có thể làm tổn hại mắt.
• Khi có mắt kính, bạn cần đảm bảo biết cần đeo kính khi nào và như thế nào. Tham khảo chuyên viên đo mắt để có thêm thông tin.
• In hoặc vẽ bảng đo thị lực, nhờ một người giúp bạn thực hiện việc đo mắt và đọc kết quả.
• Kiểm tra mắt hàng năm để đảm bảo thị lực tốt.

• When purchasing new glasses, make sure the lenses don’t reflect bright sunlight, as this can harm your eyes.
• Remember, you don’t need to wear your glasses all day! Sometimes, you only need them for reading, but an eye specialist will explain this to you.
• Another option is contact lenses – if you’re comfortable with touching your eyes!