If you have vision challenges, your eyeglasses are arguably the most important thing you put on each day. Depending on your level of impairment, being without your glasses could prevent you from reading, limit your ability to discern faces or impact your ability to drive or even walk down the street safely. Nearly as bad as losing your eyeglasses is when your existing eyeglasses stop providing adequate vision improvement. If this happens to you, follow these three steps to see clearly again.
Step 1: Clean your eyeglasses
When your eyeglasses don’t work as well as they once did, it’s highly possible it’s just a case of dirty lenses. Few people clean their eyeglasses as often or as thoroughly as they should. Eyeglass lenses collect dust and debris from the air and bacteria and oil form your skin. Proper daily cleaning is recommended.
To clean your eyeglass lenses safely and effectively, start by washing and drying your hands. Then, rinse your glasses with warm water. Next, use your fingers to gently rub the lenses with a drop or two of dishwashing liquid. Rinse the lenses, and carefully dry them with a clean, lint-free towel.
Be sure to inspect your lenses for any remaining dirt or smudges, as well as scratches. Excessive scratches can also diminish the effectiveness of your eyeglasses.
Step 2: Get an eye exam
If, after a thorough cleaning, your eyeglasses still aren’t performing as expected, your next step should be calling your eye doctor to schedule a comprehensive exam. It’s possible that your eyes have changed since your last appointment, requiring a new lens prescription to normalize your vision.
It’s also possible that something completely new is happening with your eyes. While most patients initially get eyeglasses to address nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism, many diseases can impact visual acuity.
Glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and cataracts are just a few common eye conditions that can limit or negate the effectiveness of your eyeglasses. You are more likely to experience these diseases as you age. A comprehensive eye exam from an experienced ophthalmologist or optometrist can lead to diagnosis and treatment of these conditions, along with a new eyeglasses prescription.
Step 3: Schedule regular exams
The best way to identify, treat and limit potential problems is through regular, recurring eye exams. Be sure to schedule your next appointment before leaving your current one. With your glasses working well again and no obvious symptoms of new vision problems, it will be easy to forget to schedule your next exam in a timely manner. That could put you at unnecessary risk of letting an eye disease go unnoticed when early detection could have slowed its progress.
The American Optometric Association (AOA) recommends an eye exam every two years for adults ages 18 to 60, and annual exams for people ages 61 and older.
If your eyeglasses just don’t seem to work as well as they once did, now is the time to contact North Florida Cataract Specialists and Vision Care for a comprehensive eye exam. Call us today at 352-373-4300 to schedule an appointment at any one of our three convenient locations.