How Often Should I Replace My Prescription Glasses?

February 22, 2022

When you choose your first pair of prescription glasses, you may be under the illusion that you will be able to keep them forever. They certainly might seem to be working perfectly for you for some time, and if they are comfortable and you can see clearly, replacing them might not seem like a consideration. However, eyesight nearly always changes over time, and it is likely that yours is altering very slowly, enabling you to adapt to it and potentially not realize that you are no longer seeing things as clearly as you did before. Nevertheless, it’s important to be aware that it is likely that you will need new glasses at some point. Just how often this will be will depend on your personal vision. 

To help you understand more, here are 4 signs that you should replace your prescription glasses. 

You are getting headaches

Many people don’t associate headaches with their vision, but when you aren’t able to see as clearly, your eyes need to work harder to create a picture that you can understand. This places pressure on the muscles around the eyes, and this can lead to headaches and eye strain. If you start experiencing more headaches than usual, you should schedule an appointment with your eye doctor to see if your prescription has changed and you would benefit from new glasses.

You are squinting

It sounds crazy, but sometimes we find that if we partially close our eyes – squint – then we can see more clearly. The reason for this is that when we squint, a much smaller and more concentrated amount of light is let into the eyes, creating clearer vision. However, it’s not ideal to squint all the time so if you find that you need to do this to see properly, it’s time to contact your eye doctor.

You have double vision

While it’s not unusual to see double from time to time, such as when you first wake up and your eyes are adjusting to the morning light, you shouldn’t be seeing double all of the time. Double vision occurs when the eyes aren’t in alignment, or when they aren’t working in perfect synchronization. Fortunately, this can be corrected using a new prescription. 

Your glasses are damaged

Despite our best efforts to take good care of our glasses, it’s not uncommon for them to become scratched and damaged. Scratched lenses can affect the quality of your vision, making it harder to see clearly. Meanwhile, damaged frames may not sit comfortably or securely on your face. If your glasses are damaged, it’s time for a new pair!

The American Optometric Association recommends that all adults have a comprehensive eye exam at least every two years, or more frequently if your eye doctor states so. Making sure that you attend these appointments when scheduled will help ensure that your prescription remains current and that your eyes are healthy and free from disease. If your vision has changed at these appointments, or if you have developed an eye problem that would benefit from a change to your current prescription, your eye doctor will be able to recommend that you replace your glasses.

For more advice on prescription glasses and changing vision, visit Eye Associates of New York at our office in New York, New York. You can call (212) 650-4888 today to schedule an appointment.