How to Check Reading Glasses Strength

We often need reading glasses as we age. This is due to a condition called presbyopia, where the power of the eye to focus on very close objects becomes weakened. In people older than 40, the lens of the eye gets gradually less flexible, making it harder to see text clearly, especially in poorly lit places. Reading glasses can compensate for the condition. A simple reading test with print of differing sizes can be used to check the strength of the reading glasses an individual requires.

Things You'll Need

• Printed eye-test chart

Show More

Instructions

• 1

  Hold the printed chart at the distance you would normally hold a book or newspaper. Examples of printable eye charts can be found in the Resources section of this article or can be supplied by a retailer of reading glasses.

• 2

  Read each line of the chart, starting with the one in the largest print. Do this without wearing any reading glasses you currently possess.

• 3

  Stop reading when you reach a line on the chart where the letters appear blurred or indistinct and where you have trouble making out the words.

• 4

  Check the magnification level noted against the line on the chart that you have reached. This is expressed as a decimal such as: +1.25, +2.50 or +3.25. This shows the strength of reading glasses that you require.