Are cheap drugstore reading glasses bad for your eyes?

Eye Health & Vision Problems
1

I’ve noticed a lot of folks in our age group worrying about whether picking up a pair of “cheaters” at the local pharmacy is doing more harm than good. There is a persistent myth that using these non-prescription glasses will somehow “weaken” your eyes or accelerate vision loss. I wanted to clear the air on this because I recently spoke with my optometrist about it during my annual check-up.

The good news is that drugstore readers are not inherently dangerous. They are basically just magnifying lenses that help your eyes focus on close-up text, which becomes harder for all of us as we get older (thanks, presbyopia!). They don’t change the physical structure of your eye, nor do they make your eyes “lazy.” However, there are a few things to keep in mind before you buy a ten-pack.

First, OTC readers don’t account for astigmatism, and the power is the same in both lenses, which isn’t true for everyone. Second, if the optical centers of the lenses don’t line up perfectly with your pupils, you might experience eye strain or nasty headaches. Most importantly, relying solely on these means you might skip the comprehensive eye exams that catch serious issues like glaucoma or retinal thinning.

I’m curious to hear about your habits! Do you keep a pair of “cheaters” in every room of the house, or do you swear by your custom-made prescription bifocals? Have any of you experienced those “reader headaches” from a pair that wasn’t quite right? What strength did you start with versus what you use now?

14 Likes
2

I have them in every room! I probably own 15 pairs at this point. I lose them too often to buy expensive ones.

3

I tried the cheap ones but I have a slight astigmatism, so they always made me feel a bit dizzy after twenty minutes of reading. I finally had to get a real prescription.

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4

This is so true. My doctor told me the same thing. The real danger isn’t the glasses themselves, it’s people using them as an excuse to avoid the eye doctor for five years. My brother-in-law did that and they caught his glaucoma way later than they should have because he thought his blurry vision was just ‘getting older’ and needed more magnification.

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5

I started at +1.25 about ten years ago and now I’m up to +2.50. It’s a bit depressing watching the numbers go up, but at least I can see my phone! I find the ones with the spring hinges last much longer.

6

Does anyone know if the blue light coating on the cheap ones actually does anything for screen use?

7

I finally bit the bullet and got progressive lenses last year. It was a tough adjustment for the first week, but not having to constantly look for my readers is a total game changer. I still keep a cheap pair in the glove box for emergencies though.