4readers.com - Reading Glass Diopters

The level of magnification in the lenses of reading glasses is called diopter strength. A very weak magnification would be found in reading glasses with a diopter strength of +.75 or +1.00. Off-the-shelf reading glasses sold in drug stores or elsewhere on the Internet are often offered in diopter strengths that start with 1.50, and with only a few options for stronger lenses. We offer from 1.00 to 4.00 in many models.

Presbyopia sometimes effects your left eye and your right eye differently. Therefore, you may need, for example, a +1.50 in your right eye and a +1.75 in your left eye. This is normal, although many people can overcome their Presbyopia perfectly by using glasses that have the same diopter strength in each eye. Nevertheless, if you fall in the category of people who need differing lens strengths for each eye, you could be doing yourself a grave dis-service if you bought inexpensive pair of one-size-fits-all drug store reading glasses that had the same diopter strength in both lenses. Those are also the kind of stock reading glasses sold on most of the other Internet sites. We suggest you see your eyecare professional if you do not need over the counter reading glasses.

Presbyopia is progressive, and therefore, the strength of magnification in your reading glasses will probably have to be increased every year or two. Moreover, depending on what else is going on with your body, you may find that your need for stronger and weaker lens strengths can fluctuate slightly during any given period. In fact, you may need a stronger lens strength to eliminate the blur when you read your newspaper in the morning than what you would need to read the same newspaper in mid-day. That is why some experienced users of reading glasses have more than one pair, each with slightly different diopter strengths. According to these experienced users, whether you would find greater comfort with more than one pair is something best determined through trial and error.

Reading glasses are available without a prescription, and are intended as an aid if you have blurred vision at close distances. It is your right to self prescribe your own glasses, and if you do so, you will not be violating any law or regulation. In fact millions of people just like you have determined for themselves what strength glasses they needed, and then bought them without ever consulting a doctor or other licensed professional. The easiest way to find out the diopter strength you need is to visit a drug store, department store or other retail outlet that sells cheap reading glasses, and try on a few different strengths.

If you have no idea where to start, consider using this average age formula: If you are under 40 years old, you probably should start with a +1.25 strength. Between ages 40 and 45, you probably need +1.75. At ages 45 to 50, you probably need +2.00. After age 50, you probably need +2.25.

While this is based on averages, and you should try to find the precise lens that helps you, the nice thing about buying our glasses if you make a mistake, you can quickly and at no risk to you, rectify it by exchanging them at no extra charge.

In addition to the methods mentioned, you can always visit an optometrist or ophthalmologist to have your eyes refracted.