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Are glasses good (or bad) for your eyes? Is it possible to restore your vision if you stop wearing them? And does vision change as you age? These are questions we hear all the time, and we’ve got all the answers right here.
You might have heard rumors that glasses will harm your vision and make your eyes depend on them. We brought in the experts to provide the final say, once and for all.
Read on to learn more about how glasses affect your eyesight.
- Will glasses make your eyes worse?
- How does vision change as you age?
- Will your vision improve if you stop wearing glasses?
- Does wearing the wrong prescription damage your eyes?
- What are the benefits of wearing glasses?
- Do you need to wear glasses all the time?
Will glasses make your eyes worse?
Thankfully, our eyes do not work like that. “Wearing glasses will not make your eyesight worse. Vision issues are due to refractive errors,” says optometrist Justin Asgarpour.
Vision errors commonly happen as a result of changes in the shape of your eyeballs or aging. These changes affect light to focus properly on your retina, which makes it hard to see clearly.
Dr. Asgarpour reiterates that “glasses cannot make eyes worse because refractive issues are due to the physiology of eye shape, and glasses are designed to help focus light on retina.”
There are four very different reasons why people wear glasses:
- Nearsightedness or myopia, where objects in the distance are blurry
- Farsightedness or hyperopia, where objects in the near and intermediate distances are blurry
- Astigmatism, where objects in the near and far distances are blurry
- Presbyopia, where objects up close are blurry for middle-aged adults
How does vision change as you age?
Presbyopia is often age-related and can start in your early 40s. This declining vision is unavoidable as we age because the lenses in our eyes gradually stiffen, making it harder to focus on objects up close.
If you reach a point where you have to squint or hold a book or menu at arm’s length to focus on the text, progressive glasses, bifocal glasses or reading glasses can help you regain clear vision.
Will your vision improve if you stop wearing glasses?
Wearing glasses too often will not modify the structure of your eye, so they cannot change your required prescription. You may gradually find yourself more and more dependent on your prescriptive eyewear, but it’s because you’re getting used to seeing things clearly.
Knowing what your surroundings are supposed to look like makes it difficult to go back—even if you were convinced that your vision was fine before.
Your eyes and vision change over time, so you will need to update your prescriptions occasionally. Getting your eyes checked regularly is the best way to help you maintain good vision.
Does wearing the wrong prescription damage your eyes?
A wrong or old prescription will not impair vision for adults, although it may cause eye strain and headaches.
However, this is problematic for children at an earlier age. Without the right prescription, it can impair vision for kids and increase their risk of developing myopia.
Therefore, kids are recommended to get a comprehensive eye exam annually to help preserve their vision and eye health.
What are the benefits of wearing glasses?
There are lots of benefits to wearing glasses:
- Protect your vision through 100% UV protection lenses (during daytime outside) and BlueReflect™ lenses (during extended screen time)
- Better visual clarity, where you can comfortably and safely perform certain activities throughout the day, like reading or driving
- Reduce the effects of eye strain, where your eyes can focus effortlessly without having to overwork in attempt to see clearly without glasses
- Prevent eye wrinkles when your eyes are less likely to squint to see better
- Help children’s vision development, especially kids with amblyopia (lazy eye) to improve their condition and avoid permanent visual impairment
Do you need to wear glasses all the time?
You can decide with your eye doctor whether you should wear glasses frequently. The correct prescription will only help you see better and will not damage your eyes.
Is your prescription up to date? Find great deals on glasses and sunglasses online now (and get free shipping on orders $80+).
When was the last time you had your eyes checked? Book an eye exam at a Clearly store near you or visit us in store today!
Does your child need glasses? Check out our Free Glasses for Kids program and have fun picking the perfect frame for your little one.
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