How to Know If You Need Reading Glasses

Blurry vision at close distances is common for people over 40, but the need for reading glasses is often ignored or neglected because people are unsure whether they truly need them or not. Unfortunately, some of those people are the ones who need reading glasses the most to enjoy any form of close-up reading or viewing in general. You can determine if you need reading glasses in just a few minutes and clear up some of the confusion.

Things You'll Need

• Book
• Needle
• Thread
• Computer
• TV

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Instructions

• 1

  Hold a book in front of you as if you were reading it and see if you can clearly see the words on the page. If so, you don't need reading glasses.

• 2

  Move the book slowly back, away from you if the words are not clear. If the words become clearer and easier for you to read as you move it back, you probably need reading glasses.

• 3

  Grasp a needle and hold it up so you are looking through the eye and try to pass a piece of thread through it. If you are unable to focus on the eye, you may need reading glasses.

• 4

  Sit in front of your computer and check where the monitor is most comfortable for you to use it. Needing to push the monitor very far back from you means your vision is not able to focus on the close-up material.

• 5

  Turn on a TV and find a program that displays words on the screen. If you cannot read the words without squinting, you probably need reading glasses.