If you wear glasses, maybe you’ve heard someone say glasses make your eyes dependent on them, or you’re worried your vision is degrading quicker.
These widespread concerns often stem from misinformation because wearing eyeglasses does not worsen your vision. Glasses correct refractive errors in your eyes, making up for functions your eyes cannot perform. Your prescription depends on two primary factors: the length of your eyeball and the curvature of your cornea. When we wear glasses, we are re-directing the light to hit directly where it should on the back of the eye.
Regular, annual comprehensive eye exams can help you keep tabs on how your eyesight naturally changes over time and keep your eyeglasses prescription up-to-date.
Do Glasses Affect Your Vision Over Time?
The short answer is no—wearing glasses does not worsen your eyesight. Glasses are designed to correct your vision deficiencies, not influence the natural progression of your eyesight.
Your eyesight will change naturally as you age or due to certain health conditions, but this has nothing to do with your glasses. The misconception that glasses worsen vision can arise from the feeling of dependency many people experience.
When you first get glasses or a new prescription, it can take a few days to adjust, and you may temporarily experience symptoms like blurry vision, headaches, or dizziness. However, with properly fitted glasses, you may notice just how much clearer the world looks with them.
The change in clarity might make your unaided vision seem worse than before. But the truth is, your glasses highlight how much your vision was already strained rather than causing further deterioration.
How Glasses Work to Correct Vision
Glasses are medical devices that bend light to help it focus correctly on your retina. The process can correct common refractive errors such as:
- Myopia (nearsightedness): Difficulty seeing distant objects
- Hyperopia (farsightedness): Difficulty seeing close objects
- Astigmatism: Blurred or distorted vision at any distance due to an irregularly shaped cornea
- Presbyopia: Age-related difficulty in focusing on close objects
Your glasses help redirect light to compensate for irregularities in your vision so the information sent to your brain is sharp and clear. Glasses don’t physically alter your eyes or “train” them to become weaker. They’re simply tools that help restore optimal vision while you wear them.
The Truth About Glasses & Eye Dependency
One of the most persistent myths is that glasses make your eyes lazy or dependent. The reality? Glasses don’t interfere with your eye muscles or make them work less.
What people often mistake for “dependency” is simply the stark contrast between wearing correction lenses and not.
Once you’re used to the clarity glasses, your uncorrected vision may feel significantly blurrier in comparison. The sudden awareness of how poor your eyesight is can mistakenly lead people to blame their glasses for worsening it.
Can Over or Under Prescription Make Your Vision Worse?
In some cases- yes! There is well-documented research for children, that not wearing the true prescription, and under-correcting can actually make their vision deteriorate quicker. It is also known that wearing glasses with the wrong prescription over time might lead to more issues like eye strain or headaches. This is why it is important to have your prescription re-evaluated by your optometrist annually.
What Causes Vision Changes If It’s Not Glasses?
While glasses don’t cause changes, other factors can impact your eye health and vision, including:
- Natural aging causes changes to eye tissue, leading to conditions like presbyopia and cataracts later in life
- Genetics can influence your risk of developing eye conditions or needing glasses to correct refractive errors
- Lifestyle factors, like excessive screen time, lack of sleep, or improper lighting, can contribute to eye strain
- Health conditions like diabetes and hypertension can cause eye-related complications
- Neglecting regular eye exams may result in overlooking changes in your vision or health until they worsen
Managing Vision Changes
If you feel your vision is deteriorating—even if it’s unrelated to your glasses—it’s crucial to address the root cause promptly.
- Schedule comprehensive eye exams regularly to help catch early signs of glaucoma, cataracts, or other conditions that could impact your vision over time.
- Consult an eye doctor for sudden vision changes to rule out conditions like retinal detachment or corneal issues
- Consider lifestyle adjustments to minimize unhealthy habits like prolonged screen time or poor lighting that can cause strained eyes
- Wear proper protection such as blue-light-blocking glasses & 100% UV-blocking sunglasses
How to Maintain Healthy Vision While Wearing Glasses
Glasses are an essential tool for clearer vision, but taking care of your eyes requires extra attention. Here are some practical steps to help maintain sharp vision:
- Follow the20-20-20 rule
- Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds to help reduce eye strain & relax eye muscles
- Wear UV protection
- Protect your eyes from prolonged exposure to ultraviolet rays with UV-coated lenses or sunglasses
- Stay hydrated
- Prevent dehydration, dry eye, or irritation with artificial tears, & blink regularly to keep your eyes comfortable & well-lubricated
- Maintain a nutrient-rich diet
- Foods like leafy greens, carrots, nuts, & fatty fish contain vitamins A, C, E & omega-3 fatty acids to promote healthy eyes.
- Use proper lighting
- Spaces should be well-lit, whether you’re reading or working on a computer, to reduce unnecessary strain on your eyes
- Keep your glasses clean
- Use a microfiber cleaning cloth so your lenses remain scratch- & smudge-free
- Keep your prescription updated
- Schedule regular checkups to monitor minor vision changes over time
Take Care of Your Vision Confidently
The bottom line? Wearing glasses doesn’t make your eyes worse. Their sole purpose is to correct refractive errors and give you a clearer vision. Vision changes happen due to age, genetics, and lifestyle—not because of your glasses.
At Eyes on Westlake, we recommend addressing potential causes of eye strain, maintaining regular eye exams, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle to help you maintain healthy vision while comfortably wearing glasses.
Contact us today to schedule your next eye exam and take proactive steps to protect your long-term vision.
