By Cheryl M. Luis
Getting the right pair of eyeglasses is very important not just for your eyes, but also boosts your confidence and allows you to express your style. Choosing the right frame that can fit your face, a comfortable, and functional is also best!
Some may complain that getting eyeglasses is an unnecessary expense especially if you felt that your current glasses don’t need to be replaced. As long as you can still see through with it, they’re probably still in good condition, right?
But according to Dr. Dave Bracamonte, Optometrist and owner of Bracamonte Optical Clinic in Santa Barbara Iloilo, updating to new glasses every one to three years is needed. However, there might be various factors suggesting it is time to change your old prescription for new ones.
“Prescription glasses have no expiration but updating to a new prescription glasses is also good especially if you feel an eye strain while using it. Various factors may suggest that changing your old to the new one can give you more comfort,” Bracamonte said.
Side effects of old prescriptions
Wearing old prescriptions with the belief they are still functional for eyesight is a common misconception. Wearing glasses that are no longer your correct prescription can harm your eyesight. Whether it’s a slight difference in your visual acuity or you’re experiencing double vision.
You should consider the possibility that you might need new glasses when you don’t have the same visual clarity as before. Maybe things seem a little blurry, or you’re finding that you have to squint to see what’s in front of you—this shouldn’t happen if you have the correct prescription.
A telltale sign that it’s time to get new glasses is when you feel more relaxed or relieved after you take them off. That’s when you know that you need new glasses. You should switch to new glasses to avoid experiencing eye strain, discomfort, and even headaches.
What Optometrists recommend
According to Bracamonte, adults from 19 t0 40 years old tend to maintain a steady vision, whether they require a prescription or not, but it does not necessarily mean they aren’t due for new glasses. As you age, so does your vision.
That’s why it is recommended that adults should have an eye exam done at least once a year or once every two years. During your eye exam, your optometrist will determine if there has been any subtle change to your vision and whether or not you need to switch to new glasses. Any changes to our vision might mean that you need to get new glasses with a stronger prescription.
Signs of wear and tear
At your eye exam, the optometrist will check your glasses for signs of wear and tear – which is another reason to get new glasses. The current glasses you have may have experienced wear or tear that naturally distorts them. When your glasses have been distorted, it reduces their clarity and function. In this case, it is important to update to new glasses to have clarity in your lenses.
Scratches on your glasses are permanent damage that cannot be fixed, and could also impact the function of your spectacles. These small marks on your lenses make it difficult to see with your glasses requiring us to get new glasses.
Technological improvements
Technology is advancing and with it the development of lenses for prescription glasses. It may not be a necessity to switch our glasses for new glasses, but we could get a new pair for the convenience of our vision.
New technology makes it possible for you to obtain new glasses that are custom-made to your specifications. Depending on your preference and occupation, your vision may benefit from specific lenses that can meet every need your vision requires.
Comfort and fashion
You should take into consideration the fashionable senses for getting new glasses. Glasses aren’t just a functional pair of correctional lenses to help us see – they are accessories as well.
Your prescription glasses are as important as the rest of our outfits and reasons for dressing in a specific way. You can have glasses you wear regularly for daily uses, but you can also get new glasses for special occasions, like evenings out or wedding events.
Your current glasses may fulfill your needs in providing you with correctional lenses and daily uses, however, your glasses may not meet the fashion trends coming out. You can switch to new glasses if you want to keep up with fashion trends or if you want to update your lenses for more suitable occasions you may have that your current glasses may not fulfill.
Cheryl M. Luis is the wife of George N. True II. Like her husband, she advocates health and lifestyle writing and vows to continue “Health Frontiers” as her husband’s legacy.
