Did you know that upwards of 180 million Americans are visually impaired?
One of the most well-known signs of visual impairment is finding it difficult to read. Whether it’s a street sign, magazine, or fine print, having trouble deciphering what something says may mean that you’re having eye troubles.
Here are 10 other signs you need glasses.
Whether you notice just one or all 10, any of these signs may mean it’s time to schedule an appointment with your eye doctor.
1. Squinting
When you squint, you reduce the amount of light that enters your eyes, which decreases the size of whatever you’re focusing on and makes it less blurry. If you find yourself squinting a lot, it could be a sign of visual impairment like nearsightedness or farsightedness.
2. Eye Strain
If you have frequent eye strain which occurs as a result of doing regular, everyday activities such as reading, you may want to make an appointment to see your eye doctor. Temporary eye strain has many different causes. Sicknesses like colds or the flu, allergies, or improper sleep can all cause temporary eye strain.
But if you notice your eyes are bothering you on the reg, that’s a red flag that there might be a bigger issue at hand.
3. Headaches
If you know you’re drinking enough water and getting adequate sleep, you can rule out two other major causes of headaches. Are your eyes still feeling tired or sore even though you’ve gotten a good nights’ sleep? If so, you may be straining your eyes which can contribute to headaches.
You may also suffer from headaches if your prescription is too strong.
4. Blurry Vision
Minor cases of blurry vision may stem from inadequate sleep or dry or strained eyes.
The most common causes of consistent blurry vision, however, are nearsightedness or farsightedness. If you have blurry vision regularly, it’s important to schedule an appointment with your eye doctor.
If your vision goes blurry suddenly, call your doctor right away. That’s a sign that there may be an even bigger issue at hand.
5. You Need Bright Light
Are you having trouble seeing even when it’s light outside and find yourself turning on an increasing number of lights?
If you’re often adjusting the lighting in your home or place of work in order to see better, this may be a sign of farsightedness. It may even be time to get some reading glasses.
6. You Have Difficulty Seeing at Night
Do you have trouble seeing at night? Do you only drive during the day because your vision at night is so poor, you’re afraid an accident may occur?
If yes is your answer, you could be experiencing symptoms of cataracts. When left untreated, cataracts will continue to reduce your vision – and, if left untreated for an extended period of time – cataracts can cause total blindness.
If you think you might be experiencing symptoms of cataracts, it’s wise to get an examination as soon as you can so you can start with treatment early.
7. You Can’t See Your TV Unless You’re up Close to It
As a kid, your parents may have yelled at you for sitting too close to the TV because they feared that it could affect your vision. Or, maybe you’ve yelled at your own children because they sit too close to the TV for your comfort.
If you find yourself getting closer and closer to the TV because you’re struggling to see what’s going on on screen, that may be a sign of nearsightedness that hasn’t been diagnosed.
8. You Rub Your Eyes…A Lot
Do you find yourself rubbing your eyes a lot, even when you know you got a night of good, restful sleep? If your eyes are bothering you on a consistent basis, it may be a sign of eye strain or eye fatigue.
You may be able to reduce the strain or fatigue of your eyes by wearing glasses. Schedule an appointment with your eye doctor today and have them give you an eye exam.
You may find that a new pair of specs does the trick just fine.
9. You Have Trouble Working at the Computer
No…it’s not just that the font on the screen is too small.
If you notice that you are having trouble working at the computer for long periods of time, you just might be experiencing symptoms of farsightedness. Before you rush to your doctor’s office, try this: Every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away from you for a total of 20 seconds.
Are you still having issues seeing what’s on the screen in front of you? Then it may be time to schedule an eye exam.
10. Eye Pressure
Do you have an uncomfortable pressure behind your eyes? If you do, you may be suffering from glaucoma. And believe it or not, glaucoma is more treatable now than ever before.
And just because there’s pressure behind your eyes, that doesn’t mean that it’s a guarantee that you have glaucoma. To be safe, though, get your eyes checked out anyway.
Notice Any of These Signs You Need Glasses?
We covered quite a few different signs you need glasses in this post, but these 10 items are only a few of the possible signs that you may need glasses.
If you’ve noticed any of the above signs, it’s a good idea to see an eye doctor and have them check things out. Don’t wait. Schedule your appointment at the first sign of visual impairment so you can correct issues before they get worse.
Do you have questions about scheduling an appointment, your prescription, or any issues you may be experiencing?
If you do, contact us today, and we’ll work with you to ensure that we answer your questions and address any issues as best we can.
