Are reading glasses you can buy in drugstores harmful to your vision?

Starting around age 40, most people experience presbyopia, the reduced ability of the lens to focus, due to the loss of its flexibility. The main symptoms are needing to hold reading material farther away to be able to read it and needing progressively stronger reading glasses at regular intervals. People often purchase generic or "drugstore" reading glasses at the onset of presbyopia. These economical, ready-to-wear reading glasses can't damage the eyes physically. And, they aren't harmful or damaging to your vision.

However, because drugstore reading glasses are "one size fits all" and have identical strength in both eyes, they can cause eyestrain and headaches in some cases. You may need a stronger prescription, for instance. Or, your vision may not be the same in both eyes. So, It's important that you visit an eye care professional if drugstore reading glasses give you frequent headaches and eyestrain, or if your vision gets worse.

Your worsening vision may be nothing more than the natural aging process at work. But, it might also signal a serious problem that can be treated if caught in time. Glaucoma, for example, has no symptoms at first but can steal your vision if it's not controlled with medication.