10 Signs You Need Glasses (And 3 That You Don't)

Eye Health

By: Spirit Dental

October 23, 2019

Updated December 2022

Does your poor eyesight have you asking, "Do I need glasses?" Or have you noticed that your vision isn’t as good as it used to be? Maybe you’re wondering how to know if you need glasses.

To help you answer these questions, we’ve put together a list of 10 signs you need glasses. But just remember that only an eye doctor can determine if corrective lenses are right for you. So, if you have any questions about your vision, make an appointment with a professional who can examine your eyes and give you the proper diagnosis.

10 signs you need glasses

If your eyesight is bad enough to need glasses, you probably have noticed some symptoms letting you know that it's time to see the eye doctor. Below, we have listed 10 of the most common signs you need glasses.

1. You’re seeing blurry

Not seeing 20/20? Glasses can help you get there. Blurry vision is one of the top signs of needing glasses. If you have trouble seeing objects closer to you (farsightedness) or farther away from you (nearsightedness), an eye doctor can give you the appropriate prescription.

2. You’re squinting a lot

Another telltale sign that you might need glasses is if you find yourself squinting a lot in an effort to focus. By squinting, you can limit the light that enters your eye and make a blurry image look a little clearer. Glasses would eliminate the need to squint altogether.

3. Your eyes are fatigued

Do you deal with eye fatigue or strain often, or do you experience pain in your eyes? Do your symptoms last for days, without going away, and you can’t figure out why? Then it’s time to see an eye doctor, as you might need glasses to help your eyes feel better.

4. You’re seeing halos around lights

If your eyes can’t focus when you look at a light, you might see a halo around it. You can test it by looking at a car's headlights at night or a light bulb in your home. A halo can be one of the symptoms of needing glasses.

5. You’ve been getting a lot of headaches

Have you been getting a lot of headaches lately? It may be related to your sight. Getting headaches from needing glasses is a common problem. The headaches might result from trying extra hard to focus your eyes, so getting glasses that bring everything into focus can help relieve the pain.

6. You’re seeing double

Seeing double shouldn’t be taken lightly. Your eye doctor can help you figure out what’s going on. Tell your doctor about the times of day during which you typically experience double vision and the activities that seem to cause it. Finding the right prescription glasses might be all that’s needed to get rid of this troublesome symptom.

7. You can no longer read with ease

If you’ve noticed that reading has become rather difficult, it may be one of the signs you need reading glasses. Take note of how you need to hold a piece of paper, a menu at a restaurant, or a book to be able to read them. Do you need to hold it closer to your face than before, or farther away? You may not need to wear glasses all the time. Your eye doctor might recommend a pair of reading glasses to fix this problem. If you're wondering how to know when you need reading glasses instead of full-time glasses, it's best to consult with your eye doctor.

8. Your eyes take a while to adjust from dark to light

When you move from an environment that is dark to one that is light, pay attention to how quickly your eyes adjust. Are they taking longer than they used to, or are you experiencing a lot of sensitivity to the light? See your eye doctor for answers, and to find out if glasses are necessary

9. You need more light to see, and you have trouble seeing at night

Needing more light at night might be a sign that you need prescription eyeglasses, or it might be related to another eye condition that a doctor would need to treat. It could be that, with age, your eyes are no longer able to adjust to the darkness as easily as they used to.

10. You rub your eyes a lot

Rubbing your eyes frequently might be related to eye strain or fatigue. As mentioned above, wearing glasses might be the appropriate solution.

3 signs you don’t need glasses

No matter what age you are, glasses are not for everyone. Below are some signs that you might not actually need glasses:

1. Your symptoms are caused by dry eye

Dry eye is a condition that may cause a host of symptoms, like irritated, scratchy, and stinging eyes, along with teary eyes. And it might even cause you to experience sensitivity to light and blurry vision. So while you might assume, at first, that you need glasses, your doctor might tell you that you really only need to tackle the dry eye problem to feel and see better.

2. Your symptoms are caused by cataracts

Cataracts is a condition that can develop with age. Basically, the lens of the eye becomes clouded, and that causes you to have worse vision than you did when you were younger. In this case, glasses won’t help, but a surgical procedure will.

3. Your vision hasn’t changed much with age

Finally if your vision hasn’t changed much despite your age and you aren’t experiencing any strange symptoms, you probably don’t need glasses. However, it’s still wise to see an eye doctor annually for a checkup to be sure everything is fine.

If you would like to help make sure your eyes stay healthy so you don't need glasses, there are some good foods for eye health that can help.

Want to save money on eye exams and glasses? Get the right insurance!

Whether you need glasses now, or you find yourself needing glasses in the future, getting to those eye doctor appointments is smart. If you have floaters in your vision or you're worried something serious is wrong with your eyes, take the time to make an appointment now.

Don't stress about the cost of eye exams and prescription glasses, though. Instead, consider investing in a Spirit Vision insurance plan to help cover the cost so you don’t have to sacrifice your ability to see clearly. Contact us today to find out more about how we can help.