8 Vision & Reading Glasses Myths

Are these common vision and reading glasses statements fact or fiction? Test your glasses genius and read on for a full explanation of each below:

1. Your vision will get worse over time by wearing reading glasses: FALSE
Glasses are simply an aid to improve vision, and they will not cause your eyesight to grow worse. As we get older, it becomes harder and harder to see up-close. If you begin to need stronger reading powers as the years go on, don’t fret. The glasses themselves have not made your eyes worse!

2. If you wear glasses, not wearing them will cause your vision to deteriorate faster: FALSE
If you wear reading glasses, the side effects of not wearing them could include blurriness and distortion. Trying to focus without glasses will not make your vision deteriorate faster, though it could lead to squinting and eyestrain. The primary effects of not wearing your glasses is temporary and, at most can cause discomfort.

3. Over-the-counter readers can hurt your eyes: FALSE
First thing first–using over-the-counter (OTC) reading glasses from a pharmacy or online retailer (versus readers from your optometrist), will not hurt your eyes. OTC reading glasses contain magnifying lenses in different powers that work just as well.

Before buying reading glasses from a pharmacy or online retailer, you’ll want to know the reading power you need. Wearing non-prescription reading glasses that are either too weak or too strong for your eyes could be bothersome, but it will not cause long-term damage to your vision. For more pros and cons of buying glasses in-store, online, or at the eye doctor, click here.

4. Wearing reading glasses makes your eyes stronger: FALSE
Wearing reading glasses makes your vision clearer, but it does not have an impact on your prescription. Don’t be confused if you hear reading glasses magnifications referred to as “strengths”–this does not mean it’ll make your eyes stronger over time. Bottom line: You won’t cure bad vision by wearing glasses every day.

5. Sitting too close to the TV is bad for your eyes: FALSE
This rumor hasn’t been true since before the ’60s when television sets emitted mild levels of radiation. Nowadays, TVs have proper shielding so radiation is no longer an issue. Sitting in front of the TV for too long could cause you to experience discomfort, like eyestrain, irritation, or watery or dry eyes. If you find yourself in front of digital devices for extended periods of time, consider a pair of computer glasses (read more about their benefits here).

6. Eating carrots is one way to improve eyesight: FALSE
Eating carrots won’t help someone with already poor eyesight regain clear vision. But, carrots are jam-packed with nutrients known to help protect your eyes, such as vitamin A. Vitamin A is known to play a roll in reducing the impact of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.

7. If you see fine, you do not need regular eye exams: FALSE
If you’ve been cruising through life with 20/20 vision, that’s great! However, many eye and vision problems do not have symptoms, so it’s important to get your eyes checked regularly by an optometrist to make sure they stay healthy as you age.

When you visit the eye doctor, your optometrist is scanning for much more than just vision problems. Through many comprehensive eye exams, health conditions such as tumors and diabetes can be detected before physical symptoms are present.

8. Reading in dim light will worsen your eyesight: FALSE
You won’t go blind from reading in the dark, but it will make it harder to see what you’re reading. In low light, your eyes are doing two things: relaxing to collect as much light as possible and contracting to focus on what you’re reading. Your eyes can become strained and tired, resulting in sore, dry, or watery eyes, as well as headaches. While reading in the dark might be bothersome, these symptoms are temporary and will not cause long-term damage to your eyesight.

Donating your eyeglasses is easier than you may think. Many organizations have convenient recycling centers, dropboxes, and other ways to donate. All you have to do is get your used glasses to the right place.

While some organizations can only accept brand-new glasses, many accept donations of used adult eyeglasses, prescription and non-prescription readers, and frames.

The organizations that accept used eyeglasses will inspect them to make sure they are not damaged or broken. They will also determine the exact prescription and find a match for each pair — which could be someone as close as your next-door neighbor, or someone as far as a country thousands of miles away.

Vision and medical professionals often travel to different countries to provide free eye care for those in need. When they go on these “medical missions,” your donations contribute to their services.

How can you help? Consider giving your glasses to one of these inspiring organizations:

New Eyes

This charitable organization has been helping improve vision around the world since 1932. Through New Eyes, people in the United States are able to get new glasses. The organization also collects and distributes gently used eyewear for those who are in need overseas.

New Eyes accepts the following used eyewear that is in good to excellent condition: reading glasses, prescription glasses, safety glasses, sunglasses, and children’s glasses.

The Lions Club International

Lions Clubs International is behind one of the largest eyeglass donation efforts around the world. Donations benefit community centers, school and church programs, as well as developing countries. The organization has a large network of collection boxes and recycling centers, and volunteers work hard to distribute used eyeglasses to people who need them around the world.

OneSight

OneSight has helped more than nine million people in 46 different countries by hand-delivering glasses to clinics for those in need. This independent nonprofit only donates new glasses — but you can donate your used glasses, too, and they will send them to other nonprofits such as Lions Club International.

Eyes of Hope

VSP Global, a vision insurer, helps more than two million people around the world receive eye care and eyeglasses at no cost through Eyes of Hope.

Eyes of Hope accepts new and gently used eyewear. You can learn more about the donation process on their website.

The organizations listed above have donation boxes spread out across many retailers, community centers, libraries, vision centers and more. There are many ways to donate your used eyeglasses, such as:

Drop off your glasses during a grocery shopping trip

You can find a Lions Club donation box at various retailers, including Walmart vision centers and Sam’s Club stores, and conveniently donate during your weekly grocery shopping trip. There may also be a recycling center near you if you choose to venture out.

Mail in your readers

Want to donate your readers through the mail? You can send them to Lions Clubs International here:

Lions Club International Headquarters

Attention: Receiving Department

300 W. 22nd Street

Oak Brook, IL 60523, USA

New Eyes also accepts mail-in eyewear donations, and VSP Vision Care allows its members to print out shipping labels online, in order to donate glasses for free.

Donate your glasses through Goodwill

Does Goodwill accept used prescription eyeglasses as donations? Some locations do!

As a service for local nonprofits, select Goodwill stores accept eyewear donations and pass them on to the right places. To find out if your local Goodwill accepts eyeglasses, contact a nearby donation center.

Leave your used glasses with LensCrafters, Pearle Vision or Sears Optical

OneSight is partnered with these vision care centers, as well as Target Optical and ILORI. When any of these companies receive a donation of eyeglasses, OneSight then delivers them to organizations that accept and distribute used glasses across the world.

All you have to do is drop off your gently used prescription eyeglasses to one of these eye care office locations, and OneSight will take care of the rest!

Find an eyeglasses donation box

Not a regular Target or Sears shopper, or not sure where a LensCrafters or Pearle Vision is? OneSight can help you find a donation box near you. Your local Lions Club can also direct you to the closest donation dropbox if you contact the organization.

A Note on Donating Your Eyewear

Some eyeglasses may not be accepted, in cases of damage, wear, and tear. Always be sure to follow the donation guidelines of whichever organization you choose to donate to before dropping off or mailing in your old glasses.

A good rule of thumb, according to New Eyes, is to not donate any glasses that you would not hand down to a relative or friend.

Did you recently donate a pair of readers to a good cause? Share your story with us on our Facebook page, or send us an email at pr@readers.com! We’d love to hear all about your gift of vision to someone in need.