8 Eyeglass questions Answered by an Optometrist

An optometrist was kind enough to answer the following eight questions for me. The questions range from what are indications that an individual needs new eyeglasses to what kind of eyeglass lens is best for children, to how do you properly clean lenses; And how often seniors should get their eyes checked and what kind of lenses do computer users need.

1) Question- What are indicators that a person needs new prescription eyeglasses?

Optometrist Answer- Some of the common symptoms to look out for is blurry vision, can't see the road signs, difficulty at night time driving, not doing too well in school, grades dropping, can't focus, seeing double, child does not enjoy reading, closing one eye while reading, eye strain, headaches.

2) Question- What kind of lens is best for children under 16 yrs and why?

Answer- Polycarbonate is always recommended for all types of children's frames under the age of 16 because kids tend to be rough at play even when they are not taking part in an organized sport. It is a high impact material that provides safety and protection for the children.

Polycarbonate lenses are thinner and lighter than traditional plastic eyeglass lenses. They also offer 100 percent ultra-violet (UV) protection and are up to 10 times more impact-resistant than regular plastic lenses.

3) Question- How often should seniors get their eyes checked?

Answer- Seniors, in good health should get comprehensive eye exams at least once a year.

4) Question- What is the proper way to clean lenses? Will any type of cloth do? Or should you use a special kind?

Answer- Cloth with high thread count such as the ones available at your optometrist or optical store is what should be used to clean the eye glass lenses. One of the best ways to clean the lens is to use the soft hand soap or the dish detergent liquid and have the glasses under running water. Dry the lens using the cloth thereafter.

5) Question- People who work in front of the computer a lot should use what kind of lenses and why?

Answer- Computer screens are usually positioned at 20 to 26 inches from the user's eyes. This is considered the "intermediate" zone of vision — it is closer than driving ("distance") vision, but farther away than reading ("near") vision. Users working in front of the computer for long periods of time without appropriate computer glasses can encounter blurry vision, eye fatigue, headaches, unnatural posture that can cause neck and back pain.

The simplest computer glasses is a single vision prescription lens modified for the distance where the computer screen is set at. Also, getting Anti-Reflective coating on the lenses can reduce significant amounts of glare that reaches your eye resulting in minimizing eye strain. 

6) Question- Is there anything that can help glasses that end up being too tight, either behind the ears or on the bridge of the nose?

Answer- Please do not try to fix them at home using your own "tools". The best thing you can do is go to the nearest optical store or back to your optometrist office and have one of the optician adjust them for you.

7) Question- What important facts about lenses can you share with the public that they might not know about but should?

Answer- We don't realize that we have a huge selection of designs and options available for us based on our visual needs i.e. reading, computer, shooting, tennis, golf, skiing, water sports, etc.

8) Question- What can people do if their eyeglasses tend to slip down their nose?

Answer- Please do not try to fix them at home using your own "tools". The best thing you can do is go to the nearest optical store or back to your optometrist office and have one of the optician adjust them for you.