How Do Reading Glasses Work?

Reading glasses are made to assist people who have problems seeing close objects clearly. This condition is also known as hyperopia, or far-sightedness. It prevents people from being able to read, without the assistance of magnifying lenses such as those found in reading glasses. The lenses of a set of reading glasses are made of either glass or plastic, and are formed to allow various degrees of magnification. The magnification allows a user to read and focus on items that are out of focus. There are two basic types of reading glasses, with several variations available for each type.

One main type of reading glasses is the full lens reading glasses. The entire lens has the same level of magnification, so these glasses magnify everything that is seen through them, across the entire lens. These reading glasses are more appropriate for someone who spends a great deal of time in situations where there is a need for the ability to focus clearly on close items, such as computer work, or assembly of small parts. This type of reading glasses is not appropriate for wear unless needed for detail-work, as they do not correct any other vision problems.

The other main type of reading glasses offers a small lens with magnification suited for reading. This small lens may stand alone, as a small narrow pair of glasses, or the small magnifying lens may be surrounded with a nonmagnifying lens. This option allows a reader to look down through the magnifying lens to focus on close details, but also look up and see everything else through clear glass. In addition, the surrounding lens may have another prescription, in order to correct additional vision problems. This type of lens is called a bifocal lens.

Reading glasses are made to fit common prescriptions, and can be found in most retail outlets. In addition, it is possible to obtain custom-fit reading glasses, to ensure that the glasses and the lenses offer the best possible magnification for the user's individual needs.