Should I bother wearing reading glasses when I can see fine without them?

[bluedelphiniums]

I have just been to the optician to have my annual eye check. I'm 56. I wear glasses for driving & watching TV as I am a little short sighted, but I haven't started wearing glasses for reading/computer work which I know is unusual for my age. The optician told me that my eyesight is beginning to worsen and my eyes will degenerate quicker if I don't wear reading glasses in addition to my distance ones, even though I said I don't feel I need them yet. She suggested vari-focals which, trying them out, felt a little weird. AIBU to suggest opticians try and sell you glasses even if they're not strictly necessary? I just don't feel I need to be wearing glasses the whole time which is basically what she's advocating.

well, about 3 years ago I went expecting to be told that my distance vision had got worse (wore glasses occasionally) but reading was fine (no glasses).
Instead I got that my distance had hardly changed, but needed reading glasses.
I did get some, but felt a bit silly. I could read anything without them. So I did wear them at work and a few other places, but not generally.
6 months ago my reading suddenly deteriorated and now I need them for reading most of the time.

They are just trying to sell you glasses. If you're a bit short sighted you won't need readers as early as most people and your sight won't degenerate more quickly if you don't wear them. If you can see fine for reading and aren't getting headaches or eyestrain then you don't need reading glasses. Myopes around -3.00 can go their whole lives without needing readers. Varifocals would be useful if you don't want to be taking glasses on and off, but otherwise not necessary.
What is your prescription btw, do you know?

I’m 61 and have worn distance glasses for 30 years. I can still read dots without reading glasses and my optician has never suggested that I should get them.

What would your prescription be for the reading glasses?

My optician made me wait as long as possible before I had reading glasses. It’s very confusing

@SavetheNHS my prescription says +2 under Near.

Was it with specsavers by any chance ?

I’d definitely wear the glasses for +2. Not bifocals but a separate pair of reading glasses.

@Ewoklady it was! Why?

+2 means that they suggest for reading that your prescription is 2 more than your distance prescription. What does it say under "dist" or"distance"?

My optician taught me the trick of pushing my glasses down my nose a bit if it made reading easier, so I could leave it a bit longer before getting varifocals. At some point your nose isn't long enough for that to work any more though!

Eg if your distance prescription is -0.50 then they are suggesting +1.50 reading lens at your age.

If your distance lenses are -2.00 then your reading lenses should be 0.00 (i.e. you don't need any).

Ultimately though, if you don't need them, don't buy them. Specsavers staff have daily sales targets too so that can be a factor.

I recently got reading glasses and only as I can't read small print on labels etc but was fine for work.

But I did get them and have been amazed at how much clearer my screen is, reading paperwork etc.

However a colleague did suggest it is a small prescription - why not buy off the shelf cheap ones first. However my eyes are a different strength

@SavetheNHS It doesn’t say anything under Dist. I have an astigmatism apparently. It says under SPH 0.75 Right and 0.25 Left, then under CYL .75 R and .50 L. Then Axis 111.0 R and 38.0 L. It’s all a complete mystery to me!

If I’m wearing my glasses I can’t read my phone so I have varifocals. I can read most things without reading glasses.

Well they'll definitely make near vision clearer (and your eyes less tired) with that prescription, but it won't make your close vision deteriorate faster if you don't get them.

Optometrist.

The issue is your eyes are straining to read - which means your muscles are over worked and your eyes will get tired.

Like you I am shortsighted and mid 50s. I can still read with out them but for example typing this out on my phone I have to stop and concentrate/double check it's right. Poor light makes it worse like restaurants with darker lighting and small print menus (just why!!)
If I wear my reading glasses for a long period then it does seem to make my eye sight worse.

So I have them but try and avoid using them unless I'm struggling. I know the day will come but I do think wearing them speeds that up.

Interesting. So it does sound as if they were trying to flog me glasses. So far the only time my eyes get tired are when I’m reading in bed at night so not really a problem.

This is my thinking.

I'd rather spend £25 on a pair of glasses to put on when I'm spending any length of time on a computer screen, that be straining my eyes because of pride.

I can still read small print if I need to and don't have my glasses on, but I can feel a considerable difference after a few hours working on my laptop between wearing and not wearing my glasses.

In your position, it doesn't sound like you need varifocals, but it does seem odd to not want to take the advice of the professionals you have just paid to assess you and offer you their advice