Today, more Americans are experiencing vision problems. A 2022 consumer report from The Vision Council reveals that 204.1 million US adults use a form of vision correction, like eyeglasses. One of the most common issues they seek to solve is presbyopia. Also known as presbyopia, it causes individuals to clearly see objects in the distance but have difficulty reading words up close. It’s, therefore, no surprise that over 1 in 4 Americans wear reading glasses.

If you think you need reading glasses, you may want to know the signs that will tell you when to start wearing them and how to get your own pair. Here’s what you should know:

5 signs you should start wearing reading glasses

You hold reading materials too far from your eyes.

Look for signs of fuzzy vision that you automatically try to correct by putting something farther from your eyes. That’s the main way to tell if you have presbyopia. This eye condition is common among adults aged 40-60, as the eyes’ lenses tend to lose elasticity due to aging. Since presbyopia often develops gradually, you may not catch it at first—so be aware of it when you start preferring reading things at a distance before considering reading glasses.

You squint when reading.

You may squint instinctively if you can’t see clearly because it helps alter the shape of your eye and allows it to focus correctly. However, extended periods of squinting are uncomfortable and may lead to eye strain and headaches. If you find yourself squinting too often and are feeling eye fatigue, it may be time to get reading glasses.

You get headaches when reading.

Though people usually get headaches for various reasons, one sign that your headache could mean more is when you experience a throbbing head and sharp pain around your eyes. This is the telltale sign of a migraine. If you find yourself overfocusing while reading, you may be straining your eyes enough to cause excessive muscle contractions that can trigger this head pain, so look into reading glasses if this is the case.

You need very bright lights to read.

Requiring excess lights when reading is a clear sign that you need reading glasses. After all, the main problem with presbyopia is that light can’t land properly on your retina. By using more light sources to read, you increase the amount of light that potentially enters your eyes and lands on your retina to see better. Get your hands on a pair of reading glasses if you find yourself doing this.

You see halos when you read.

Seeing halos in your field of vision is a sign of blurred focus. Like presbyopia, this usually happens because of aging. The eyes’ ability to focus light on the retina becomes scattered as time passes, leading you to see circular patterns. If you see these patterns when you read, consider getting reading glasses to solve this issue.

How to buy reading glasses

A simple visit to your optometrist, local eyewear retailer, or eyewear website is an easy way to get reading glasses. They will help you determine the strength you need for your reading glasses, as it varies from person to person. The highest strength is usually +3.00, and the lowest is +1.00.

If there are ready-made reading glasses that suit your magnification strength needs, you can purchase them instantly. However, if you need different strengths for each lens, it may take a few days to have your glasses made and shipped out.

Can you get personalized reading glasses?

Although reading glasses are meant for close-up reading, you can customize your glasses to include any pre-existing prescriptions you may have. This way, you can use them as regular and reading glasses. For example, you can get glasses with bifocal or progressive no-line lenses, which are designed to help you see at two different distances or focal lengths.

You can also choose fashionable frames for your reading glasses. Designer brands like Ray-Ban, Versace, and Tory Burch have various options you can try, from fashionable cat eyes to iconic Wayfarer frames. This is great for people who don’t like wearing this type of glasses, as a study by Alcon revealed that 1 in 4 people would avoid reading glasses if they make them look older. By choosing a pair that looks good and does its job, you may be better motivated to wear them more often and prevent presbyopia from worsening your vision.

Wearing reading glasses is a must for more comfortable reading sessions. If you’ve observed these signs, go to the nearest eyewear retailer to get a pair.