words Alexa Wang
Vision loss may have a devastating effect on our daily routines. If you notice your vision getting blurry, having your eyes checked for an eyeglass prescription is essential. After several years, your eyeglasses may get damaged or accumulate scratches, affecting your eyesight.
In addition to reducing your ability to see clearly, having an eyeglasses prescription that no longer optimizes your vision may also hasten the degradation of your eyesight. As a result, knowing what to look for when determining whether or not you need an update is critical. Here’s why you must get the right prescription for your eyes.
Why You Need To Get The Right Prescription
There are times when a new prescription is necessary for those who wear glasses. Every year, a small percentage of patients need a new prescription due to increased or decreased eye grade. You’ll be able to see properly again with a new and correct eye grade recommendation. It’s also crucial to get the right eyeglass from a reputable optical store like Chinatown Optical to get a precise prescription.
It is also necessary to get the right prescription so you won’t get the unbearable side effects of wearing the wrong prescription. These side effects or symptoms can get worse if not treated immediately. So, it’s crucial to go to an optometrist as soon as you get a headache and eye fatigue from wearing eyeglasses.
When you know the signs to look out for, you’ll be able to tell when you need a new prescription from an optometrist. Optometrists do eye exams to see whether a new prescription is needed for eyewear. Still, there are several warning signs and symptoms you may look for on your own.
– Blurred Vision
Foggy or blurry vision is one of the most evident indicators that your eyeglasses aren’t doing their job properly. It’s critical to have an eye test as soon as possible if objects begin to blur to avoid headaches and other problems, such as difficulties when driving.
– Mild To Severe Headache
One of the earliest warning signs of a change in eye grade is a headache. Your eyes can become strained when you wear the wrong prescription for a long period of time. Your eye muscles will eventually get worn out from the endless effort to help your eyes see clearer, causing headaches. As a result, headaches will become a regular reminder that your vision prescription isn’t properly identified.
– Eye Fatigue
When prescriptions are no longer up to date, the eyes have to work harder than usual. People squint to see things clearly, which strains their eyes. Similar to the feeling of being tired, eye fatigue can lead to difficulty concentrating, affecting your daily routine. A trip to the optometrist can help relieve these symptoms. There’s a good chance you’ll need the right prescription. As a result, the eyes are less stressed, and weariness is alleviated.
– Scratched Eye Glasses
Scratch and UV-resistant coatings are common additions to eyewear. The additional layer gradually disintegrates. Because of this, cleaning the glasses gets difficult. Replacement of glasses that are difficult to clean is essential since your eyesight could be compromised. Wearing damaged eyeglasses for an extended period can impair one’s eyesight. Driving might become risky if your glasses are cloudy.
– Eyes Sensitivity To Light
A new prescription for eyeglasses may be necessary if you find yourself squinting, shielding your eyes, or even closing your eyes when exposed to bright light. These light sensitivity symptoms should be discussed with your optometrist so your daily activities would not be hindered.
Understand Your Prescription
When writing eyeglass prescriptions, your eye doctor may suggest lenses with photochromic, anti-reflective, or progressive coatings. These additional features can help protect your eyes better. It’s also important to make sure you’re wearing the right glasses for the job at hand. Do take note that contact lenses and eyeglass prescriptions are different from each other, so, it’s essential to get the correct prescription for each eyewear.
To keep your eyes healthy, you must understand your eyeglass prescription and adhere to the recommended use. Aside from keeping up with suggested usage, it’s also important to know the various terms and abbreviations in your eye prescription to ensure optimal eye health.
It’s simpler than you think to understand your eyeglasses’ prescription. You may wonder at first what ‘OD’ and ‘OS’ imply when you look at your prescription. They stand for the Latin phrases – oculus dexter (meaning ‘right eye’) and oculus sinister (meaning ‘left eye’). You may also see a column labelled ‘OU,’ which stands for ‘oculus uterque,’ which translates to ‘both eyes.’ In place of the more common OD and OS, some eye specialists use the abbreviations RE (right eye) and LE (left eye) instead.
Takeaway
Since the eyes are constantly changing, it’s unlikely that your eye prescription will stay the same for more than two years. If your eyeglasses are more than a year old, you should update your eye prescription.
A yearly check-up is a must to ensure that your prescription is still working properly. Getting a new prescription and proper eye care help prevent further damage to the eye, enabling you to enjoy a clear vision.
