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Writer's pictureCarina Lee

Can Wearing an Old Prescription Affect My Eyes?

Dr. Carina Lee, April 4, 2022



Have you worn the same pair of glasses for a number of years?


It might be challenging to exchange your old glasses for new ones, especially if you like the way your frames look and think your lenses are functioning properly.

Though wearing the same optical lenses for longer than a year might lead to a range of eye health and vision issues, you might want to reconsider before deciding that your existing glasses are "good enough".

Just like medication has an expiration date, so do your glasses.

Why is it crucial to maintain a current optical prescription?


When the frames of your glasses are bent, your vision may be distorted.

Over time, optical lenses typically get scratched, which might impair your vision.

It's possible that your vision has altered, necessitating a new optical prescription for improved comfort and clarity of vision.


In addition to these significant considerations, scheduling routine visits with your eye doctor will help you keep track of your eye health as well as guarantee that your optical prescription is current.


Your risk of acquiring major eye problems is significantly higher if you wear glasses to treat nearsightedness (myopia). To assist you protect your vision, a yearly eye exam can aid with the early detection of certain disorders that can impair your eyesight.


How to know when you need a new pair of glasses?


Here are four indications that you might want an updated optical prescription:


1. Blurry vision

Although blurry vision can be a sign of many other eye diseases, including dry eye or cataracts, it is frequently an indication that your prescription needs to be changed.

Schedule an eye exam whether your fuzzy vision is ongoing or only sometimes. To identify the root of your hazy vision, your eye doctor will examine your overall ocular health as well as any changes in your optical prescription.


2. Squinting

Blurred images can naturally be focused so that you can see them more clearly by squinting.

Squinting frequently, however, can lead to eye strain and headaches and is not a sustainable way to enhance visual clarity. You could want a stronger optical prescription if you frequently squint to read the text on your phone or the road signs up ahead.


3. Headaches

In order to rule out a change in your prescription, schedule an eye exam if you haven't seen your eye doctor in a while and your headaches normally start to bother you after a few hours of reading or using a computer.

One of the first indications that your eyes and brain are straining to make up for a change in your vision is frequently headaches.


4. Eye fatigue

Eye fatigue typically develops when your eyes have to work harder to focus on close-up objects. Eye tiredness is a symptom of digital eye strain, a disease brought on by extended computer usage, but it might also mean that your glasses aren't giving you the crisp, clear vision you used to. If you see any of these signs, make sure your optical prescription is current as the first step in safeguarding your eye health and eyesight.


There are several eye health and visual issues that can arise from wearing the same pair of glasses for longer than a year.


Your eye doctor can keep track of any changes in your vision and give you a current optical prescription with routine eye exams.

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