When Your Trusty Old Eyeglasses Aren't So Trusty Anymore
Posted on: 15 April 2016
It's not unusual for people to wear their same pair of eyeglasses for as long as possible; they may want to avoid the expense of new frames and lenses, or may not think they need new glasses no matter the age of their old prescription. If you've been wearing the same eyeglasses for some time and aren't sure if it's time to see the optometrist, note a few signs that it's time to consider going in for an evaluation for new prescription glasses.
1. Your head hurts
When you need to squint all day, the muscles around the eyes stay contracted and tense. In turn, your head may begin to hurt. This can be a headache around the forehead or sides of the head, or around the eyes themselves. While headaches can of course be caused by a variety of reasons, it's good to have your eyes checked, as your old eyeglasses may not be strong enough to keep you from squinting.
2. Your eyes hurt when you cry
If your eyes sting and burn when you cry or when they water for any reason, this is usually a sign of dry eyes. As with headaches, dry eyes can be caused by a number of factors, but having to squint all day is one. The harder your eyes work, the more they need lubrication, and your tear ducts may not be keeping up with the demands. If your glasses are old and not working as they should, this can mean your eyes are getting dry and then they sting when you cry.
3. Everything is an angel
When your eyesight isn't functioning at optimal levels, it's easy to see a glare around light sources. This produces what is called the halo effect, where you see halos around street lights, lamps, and the like. If someone is standing in front of a light, you may even see a halo around them! This doesn't mean you're seeing angels, but it can mean that your old glasses are not allowing you to focus properly.
4. Lettering has suddenly gotten very small
If lettering on food packaging, street lights, and the like seems as if it's suddenly gotten very small, this is usually the fault of your eyesight and not the persons who created those labels and signs! Your eyes may not be focusing as they should even when wearing your glasses, so lettering looks blurry and becomes more difficult to read. You may notice that you need to move grocery items to a certain distance in front of you before you can read the label, or struggle to read labels on medicines. If so, it's time to get a checkup for new prescription glasses.
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