Optical Myth Busters
Let's talk about those popular glasses myths... We combined the most common misunderstandings when it comes to glasses. Are those popular myths fact or fiction? Read on to find out!
“If I start wearing prescription glasses, my eyes will get worse.”
We often hear this myth when we prescribe glasses to someone for the first time. Patients are worried that if they begin to wear glasses their eyes will become dependent on the glasses and will become even ‘worse’.
It is true that many patients find that after they begin wearing glasses they need them more and more, and there are two different reasons for this observation. First, since you know how good you can see with glasses, the world looks worse or ”blurry” without them. Second, typically a patient’s refractive error (or “prescription”) naturally gets worse with age making it seem as though it only began to worsen once the patient began wearing glasses.
The truth is glasses have no effect on refractive error. Glasses are made to correct a patient's vision and do not cause vision to get worse.
“It is more affordable to buy my glasses online.”
This is by far the most cringe-worthy misunderstanding we hear from our patients. Providing the very best quality specs are one of our top priorities, and shopping online for glasses is similar to giving yourself a haircut- not such a good idea.
If you’ve ever shopped online, you know the convenience of shopping without ever having to leave your home. You could browse through a catalog of frames and decide between multiple colors, materials, and styles that interest you. But, ordering glasses also entail making other decisions such as the best lens material, whether or not you need additional lens coatings (like an anti-reflective coating) or photochromic lenses. The most important part of ordering glasses is sending the lab correct measurements, such as your pupillary distance and segment height if you wear a bifocal or trifocal lens. If you’re uneasy about making these decisions for yourself, it is because this is the job of an optician. Opticians are trained to take into consideration all of the many factors that go into making glasses because much like people, no two pairs of glasses are the same!
When it comes to glasses, it’s better to leave it to the professionals to ensure you have exactly what you need to be able to see!
“Reading in the dark will ruin your eyes, kid!”
For years our mothers have told us not to read in the dark because it will ruin our eyes. Were our mothers right? Do people wear glasses because they read in the dark too much? Is there any truth to this warning?
The ability to see well and accurately detect details is called resolution. The resolution of our eyes depends on the amount of light- so the more light the better the ability of our eye to resolve fine details. So it is true that we do not see as well in the dark.
Low light conditions make it more difficult to read in the dark because our ability to see fine detail is diminished. Difficulty reading will cause eye fatigue or eyestrain but this is only a temporary discomfort. However, while it is more difficult to read in the dark, reading in the dark will not damage the eye in any way. Regardless, we should probably still listen to our mothers.
"Anti-reflective treatment makes my lenses peel and make me see WORSE!"
We've often had patients return with several year old lenses (or even newer if they are rough on their glasses!) with lenses that are scratched and distorted. For many of these patients, their frustration tempts them into wanting to replace their lenses without an anti-reflective treatment protection. But if you have ever had glasses made without an anti-reflective treatment, you know that you are compromising performance greatly by having glare in your eyes every time you are exposed to light- especially when working on a computer or driving at night.
This may be hard to admit, but anti-reflective treatments don't just peel by themselves. The best way to prevent your glasses from scratching and peeling is to take care of them properly. Yes, these coatings are softer and easier to scratch than plain plastic, but being consistent and vigilant in your care will keep your glasses performing for years. Here are some basic rules to follow to keep your anti-reflective lenses in tip-top shape:
1. Clean them with the proper materials and solutions: Tempted to clean your glasses on your shirt? DON’T! Your lenses are cleaned best with glasses solution and a microfiber cloth. If you use the wrong materials (such as your shirt, solution that contains alcohol, or rough napkins or paper towels) the treatment on your lenses will eventually scratch and peel. We provide our patients with complementary cleaning solution and cloths, so don’t hesitate to ask us for proper cleaning supplies! For patient's who purchase their eyeglasses from our office, we supply a bottle of cleaner and microfiber cloth for free!
2. Avoid extreme temperatures: Tempted to leave your glasses in the car? DON’T! Extreme heat or cold can easily break down the treatment in your glasses and cause them to peel or distort. It is important to note if you consistently work or participate in recreation in extreme temperatures to expect you may need to replace your lenses just as consistently. A chef’s working over steam and a skier hitting the slopes every weekend may need to replace their lenses more regularly as a result.
Anti-reflective treatment lenses should last about 2 years with proper care and moderate temperatures. Crizal is the brand of anti-reflective we provide to our patient’s, and it covers 2 free, easy replacements in those 2 years!
Have more questions about anti-reflectives? Give us a call (828.264.0042 ext 126) or check out www.crizalusa.com