Will Glasses Make My Eyes Worse?

This is a question we get asked a lot, especially from people who are new to glasses or at the age where they’re starting to need reading glasses. To answer this we must first explain how our eyes focus. Our eyes have a lens through which all light passes. In order to focus on something far away or up close, muscles pull on the lens which changes it’s shape, allowing the light to pass through properly. These muscles are like any other muscle in the body. When over-used they will get fatigued. Also, as you age the lens gets more rigid and will not change shape even with the muscles trying to pull on it. Additionally, most people have other refractive errors in their lens which your muscles simply cannot adjust for.

This is where glasses come in. They allow your muscles to relax and let the glasses do the work. A person who needs a minor prescription can get by okay without glasses, however, with glasses their eyes can be more comfortable, reducing headaches and fatigue. When someone takes off their glasses they may feel like their eyes have suddenly gotten worse! In reality your eyes have simply relaxed to allow the glasses to do the work, and your brain has gotten used to seeing much clearer. Chances are you didn’t realize just how poor your sight was without glasses. Imagine carrying a heavy backpack all day long. It’s unneeded stress on your back and legs. Not wearing your glasses is causing unneeded stress on your eyes and not allowing you the sharpest possible vision.