5 Signs You Need a New Prescription

Your eyesight is one of your most valuable assets, and caring for your vision includes updating your prescription when necessary. Ignoring warning signs could lead to significant eye strain and cause uncomfortable damage. In this guide, you can find common signs that you need new contact lenses and eyeglasses, the importance of eye exams and where you can schedule your next visit.

Recognizing the Need for a New Prescription

Often, the signs that it's time for a new prescription are pretty clear. Eye-related pain and sensitivity or blurry vision can be obvious indicators that you may need an update, but other signs might be more challenging to notice. The only way to know for certain if you need a new prescription is by visiting your eye doctor, but several common symptoms can tell you that it's time for an eye visit. Below, you can find some warning signs and learn more about natural eye change.

Warning Signs of Outdated Prescriptions

Wearing an outdated prescription can hurt your eyes and impact your vision in the long term. Watch for these warning signs:

• Blurry vision: Sudden or occasional blurry vision can be a significant warning sign. Whether you're experiencing blurring in one eye or both, this symptom often indicates a severe vision change. However, blurry vision can result from other eye conditions, so it's essential to determine the cause as soon as possible.
• Eye strain or squinting: If you're constantly squinting or otherwise struggling to perform daily activities, you might have an outdated prescription. Squinting is a natural response when we want to improve focus and clarity, but your glasses or contacts should provide enough assistance that you don't need to squint constantly. If you struggle to read books or use the computer, consider making an eye appointment.
• Outdated or broken glasses: Although you may not be overly concerned about your glasses' style, this can indicate an outdated prescription. Fashion and technology often work together, with new styles and techniques emerging to be more efficient. Alternatively, an old pair with scratches on the lens or broken components may indicate that you haven't visited the eye doctor in a while, a sure sign to make an appointment.

Vision and Eye Health Changes

Unfortunately, a natural part of the aging process is losing sight. Many older adults have trouble seeing things up close and need more time to adjust to changing light levels. You can often solve these problems by wearing glasses or contacts and improving your environment, such as adding more light. However, older adults also have a higher risk of experiencing some eye conditions and diseases that could cause lasting damage. While normal eye changes typically will not harm vision, it's important to monitor and catch these conditions as early as possible.

The Impact of Ignoring Eye Health

Ignoring your vision and eye health can lead to sudden damage that could result in permanent blindness in some cases. You could also develop additional eye-related conditions by neglecting your eye health, which can impact other parts of your body, such as causing frequent headaches.

Eye health affects everyone differently and is essential at every stage of life. Beyond your physical health, poor eye health can impact your mental health and have economic effects. For children, ignoring eye health can lead to poor academic success. For adults, poor eye health can increase rates of depression and decrease productivity.

Symptoms You Should Not Ignore

Vision-related problems can cause severe damage if you don't address them quickly. Although you should always monitor your health and make regular appointments, we understand it can be easy to forget sometimes. However, there are several symptoms you should not ignore with your vision, including:

1. Blurry vision: Any sign of blurry vision is a warning sign to visit the doctor. If you notice vision issues that your contacts or glasses used to correct, you likely have an outdated prescription. An updated prescription can correct blurry vision, and your eye doctor can address any other existing or new conditions affecting your vision.
2. Headaches related to vision: Headaches and vision have a strong connection. If your eyes work too hard to focus on your phone, computer, books or other objects, you will likely experience an eye-related headache. Finding the right prescription can alleviate this discomfort and correct your eye alignment.
3. Eye fatigue and discomfort: Achy or tired eyes can be very uncomfortable, making it challenging to focus on other things. Often, this discomfort or fatigue results from your eyes working too hard. If you experience frequent eye discomfort or fatigue, you may need a new prescription or additional support, such as anti-fatigue lenses.
4. Seeing double: Double vision often indicates that your eyes are not aligning with each other. You may have crossed eyes or a more significant issue. Treating double vision often includes a prescription, sometimes with a unique lens, to reduce eye strain.
5. Light sensitivity: Sensitivity to light, indoors or outdoors, can indicate astigmatism. Neglecting to treat this condition could result in vision loss or a lazy eye, creating a lasting impact on your life. Older adults may also experience more light sensitivity as they age. In either case, a new prescription and light-responsive lenses can dramatically affect the eyes and your comfort.

The Role of Regular Eye Exams and Diagnostics

Going to the eye doctor is a routine aspect of caring for your health. Eye exams can detail a lot about your general health, making it important to visit even if you aren't experiencing vision issues. Eye doctors can evaluate the blood vessels in your eyes, providing information about high cholesterol, lupus, diabetes, glaucoma, hidden heart issues and other conditions. Only your doctor will be able to detail whether you need a new prescription or if you have another concern to address. Depending on your age and conditions, you may only need to go to the eye doctor every few years, but you should establish this schedule with your doctor.

If you need an eye exam and aren't sure where to schedule one, you can trust us to point you in the right direction. Eyemart Express simplifies the eye care experience. Our eye exams are a non-invasive way to detect and diagnose diseases and conditions that can impact your physical and eye health. We offer eye exams to people of all ages, and our commitment to care empowers us to provide exceptional experiences.

Eyemart Express is prepared to amp up your eye health. We have eyewear for children and adults. You can also find blue light lenses, a vast selection of color options and fashion tints to give you the perfect look. Browse by style or brand to find the frames that make you feel your best.