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If you’ve been blessed with 20/20 vision for most of your life, it can be difficult to come to the realization that you might need glasses. It is a simple fact of life that vision changes over time, and it is particularly common for those over the age of 40 to begin experiencing symptoms of presbyopia, a normal age-related loss of near focusing ability. However, even younger people can develop the need for corrective eyewear. In fact, according to the American Optometric Association, 1 in 4 children has a vision problem that, if left untreated, can affect their ability to learn and succeed in school. If you or a loved one are experiencing one or more of the symptoms listed below, it’s a good idea to make an appointment with an optometrist or ophthalmologist to have your vision and eyes examined. And remember, even if you are completely symptom-free, it is recommended that you have a comprehensive eye exam at least every other year as part of your preventative healthcare routine. ACE’s eye doctors are here to provide eye exams and glasses in Bakersfield to the children, adults, and seniors of Kern County.
Everybody occasionally squints, especially in a bright environment. Frequent squinting, however, especially during visual activities such as reading or watching TV, can be a sign of poor vision. It is often associated with hyperopia (farsightedness) or myopia (nearsightedness). In children, frequent squinting may also indicate the presence of amblyopia (lazy eye).
Occasional, minor blurry vision resulting from being tired, having dry eyes or suffering from eye strain is fairly common, and may not require corrective eyewear. However, persistent blurry vision is a common sign of farsightedness and nearsightedness and should be checked out by an eye doctor. If you experience sudden severe blurriness or darkness in one eye, you should seek emergency medical attention immediately, as this may indicate a retinal detachment or even a stroke.
You may experience vision-related headaches because an uncorrected vision problem causes you to frequently strain your eyes to see better. Headaches can also sometimes be caused by an outdated eyeglass prescription.
Experiencing infrequent, temporary eye fatigue or strain due to lack of sleep, illness or allergies is usually nothing to worry about. On the other hand, if your eyes are often fatigued or strained during normal activities like reading or watching TV, it could be a sign of vision problems, an eye infection, or even undiagnosed health condition (e.g. diabetes).
A common symptom of presbyopia is needing more light to see clearly. In fact, most older adults require three to four times more light than they did previously to perform many everyday activities. If you find yourself needing to turn on more lamps to accomplish visual tasks, then it might be time for a pair of eyeglasses.
Similarly to needing more light to accomplish visual tasks, a decreased ability to see clearly in dimly lit conditions means your eyes’ ability to adjust to darkness may have diminished. While a simple pair of eyeglasses may be all you need, this can also be a sign of cataracts, retinitis pigmentosa (if you’re 30 or younger), diabetes, zinc or vitamin A deficiencies, or a side effect of LASIK surgery.
Seeing halos around light sources, such as lamps and headlights, occurs when your eyes’ ability to focus has diminished and light entering the eyes becomes scattered. If this symptom is due to uncorrected presbyopia, nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism, eyeglasses may be able to help correct it. However, halos are also a common symptom of developing cataracts, which may require surgery to correct.
Commonly observed in children with undiagnosed nearsightedness, sitting close to the television may indicate an attempt to compensate for not being able to see the screen clearly from farther away.
Needing to frequently rub your eyes could be caused by seasonal allergies or an eye condition, such as conjunctivitis (pink eye) or dry eye. Depending on the condition, your eye doctor may be able to treat your eyes and alleviate your symptoms with prescription medication or eye drops. Frequent eye rubbing can also be a sign of chronically fatigued or strained eyes, which may require corrective eyewear.
Strabismus, a condition causing misalignment of eyes, other eye muscle issues, and astigmatism are all common causes of frequently losing your place while reading. Particularly in children, this may also be a sign of amblyopia (lazy eye). All of these vision problems may require eyewear to be corrected.
If you end up needing glasses, just remember that you’re not alone. In the United States, an estimated 188.7 million people wear prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses and an additional 30.9 million wear over-the-counter readers, typically for presbyopia. Interestingly, up to 19 million Americans wear eyeglasses simply as a fashion statement, without a prescription. Fashionable eyewear is available in many different styles, materials, colors, and price points. ACE’s Optical Department is proud to offer a large selection featuring something for everyone, from simple colorful kids’ frames to stylish name-brand eyewear by Tiffany&Co, Ray-Ban, Burberry, Coach, Michael Kors, Versace and more.
