# Cheap reading glasses? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 30, 2014, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-reading-glasses/699983 "2014-09-30T17:25:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ticker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@ticker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ticker)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2014, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-reading-glasses/699983/1 "2014-09-30T17:25:27Z")
I am finally, at the age of 51, needing glasses. I only need them for reading and other close up stuff - I can see the screen of my computer on my lap just fine and my long distance vision is apparently excellent. It is getting boring having to hold books further and further away, however. ☹ I don’t know much about glasses. How good are those really cheap reading glasses sold on amazon? They seem really appealing as I am sure to lose them easily, or sit on them. I could afford to get several pairs. I know I would be compromising on style/frame quality, but would I notice much difference in optical quality? ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2014, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-reading-glasses/699983/2 "2014-09-30T17:31:39Z")
> [@ticker](#): > > I am finally, at the age of 51, needing glasses. I only need them for reading and other close up stuff - I can see the screen of my computer on my lap just fine and my long distance vision is apparently excellent. It is getting boring having to hold books further and further away, however. ☹ > > I don’t know much about glasses. How good are those really cheap reading glasses sold on amazon? They seem really appealing as I am sure to lose them easily, or sit on them. I could afford to get several pairs. I know I would be compromising on style/frame quality, but would I notice much difference in optical quality? After my cataract surgery, my “normal” vision is now 20/20, but I need reading glasses for up close stuff. I went to amazon and bought a dozen cheap glasses. They are now seeded all over the house. I am sure I lost several already, but at $2 a pop, who cares. Since I really use them for reading only, the “quality” is not that important. I can read with them, that’s good enough. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2014, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-reading-glasses/699983/3 "2014-09-30T17:33:50Z")
How cheap is cheap? I’ve got a few pairs of $7 glasses from the local supermarket that I’m completely happy with - comfortable, lenses are clear and sharp, I read for hours with them on. The $1 pair from the Dollar store though, are terrible - loose frames, sharp nosepads, and lenses are just awful. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2014, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-reading-glasses/699983/4 "2014-09-30T17:36:52Z")
drug store reading glasses can work just fine. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2014, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-reading-glasses/699983/5 "2014-09-30T18:01:07Z")
Walmart is your friend. Seriously…cheap is good! No need for fancy glasses. You want quantity, not quality. Keep a half dozen pairs laying around the house wherever you are likely to need them. Keep another pair in your shirt pocket. And leave one pair on the couch, for the cat to curl up and sleep on. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BeeGee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5a626/32.png) [@BeeGee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeeGee)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2014, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-reading-glasses/699983/6 "2014-09-30T18:02:12Z")
For reading glasses (including jewelry making, embroidery, etc.), I buy them from the dollar store. No problems. For work, I need to focus on a computer screen that’s approximately 22 inches from me and use a form with small serif print. I do monovision. My left contact lens is designed to focus where my work and computer screen sit. My right contact is for normal 20/20 vision. I have another contact for my left eye that I use for driving at night or football games or anything else that needs 20/20 vision in both eyes. I’ve always been nearsighted and I have astigmatism. It does NOT affect my depth perception at all. I thought this was a silly idea for the longest time, but I absolutely love it. I know lots of people who use this method for work. Talk to your optometrist. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2014, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-reading-glasses/699983/7 "2014-09-30T18:04:29Z")
Keep a pair in your car. I can’t tell you the number of times I walked into a store and went “Oh shit!” ---
**Author:** ![kiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7feea3/32.png) [@kiz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiz)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2014, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-reading-glasses/699983/8 "2014-09-30T18:04:38Z")
I get mine at the local closeout store. $2/pair. Some of the styles come with their own cases. One time I found a pack of 4 for $6 that had polka dot frames 🙂 I’ve yet to have an issue with them other than misplacing them. ---
**Author:** ![ticker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@ticker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ticker)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2014, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-reading-glasses/699983/9 "2014-09-30T18:17:01Z")
Thanks all. This is good news. I like cheap. ---
**Author:** ![DummyGladHands](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@DummyGladHands](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DummyGladHands)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2014, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-reading-glasses/699983/10 "2014-09-30T18:20:45Z")
Dollar store all the way, who cares if you lose/break/whatever them. > [@](#): > > Keep a pair in your car. I can’t tell you the number of times I walked into a store and went “Oh shit!” Yes, or you have to read something whilst sitting in the car. > [@](#): > > You want quantity, not quality. Oh hell yeah, every room of the house, my BF complains that they’re on every single flat surface of our home. And if you’re male, you’ll probably want to start wearing shirts with pockets only. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2014, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-reading-glasses/699983/11 "2014-09-30T18:22:01Z")
The $10 ones are just fine. If your vision decline is entirely due to age loss of focusing ability, you’ll never need anything but the next quarter-power every few years. (Note that you want slightly less powerful ones for things like cooking, tinkering and reading most computer screens - I prefer large-frame ones for this purpose.) If you have any astigmatism or it develops (rare), you’ll want at least one pair of prescription readers. I have one very expensive pair that corrects the tad of astigmatism for distance viewing (makes driving a little more comfortable) and has invisiline bifocals, also with astig correction, which makes reading the dash, nav, phone etc. easier. I also have a pair of prescription desktop glasses because I spend so much time in front of big, distant monitors - but a pair of large-lens readers does almost as well when I work remotely. But I have regular cheap readers everywhere else… including, yes, the car. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2014, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-reading-glasses/699983/12 "2014-09-30T18:57:16Z")
Yep… buy 'em cheap from anywhere. Yep… have 'em in every room of the house. Yep… keep a spare set at the office. Yep… stash some in the car(s). Yep… have a pair or two a quarter power lower for cooking and cleaning, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2014, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-reading-glasses/699983/13 "2014-09-30T20:32:43Z")
I don’t need reading glasses…yet…but my eye doctor told me at my last visit that I would most likely need a pair before I saw him again. He recommended going to the local drug store and trying on a few pairs of their basic $10 magnifying lenses and buying whichever one felt best, rather than coming back to him for a prescription. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2014, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-reading-glasses/699983/14 "2014-10-01T00:12:29Z")
I don’t need them for reading yet, only fine needlepoint and very small beadwork. I have a pair of $7 drugstore glasses in +1 that work fine. I imagine once you know what strength you need, you are good to go. I had LASIK a few years back, and when I do need reading glasses I may look into the bifocal option, if they can do it. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2014, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-reading-glasses/699983/15 "2014-10-01T00:15:45Z")
> [@DummyGladHands](#): > > And if you’re male, you’ll probably want to start wearing shirts with pockets only. Or if you really don’t care get a chain for around your neck! ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2014, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-reading-glasses/699983/16 "2014-10-01T00:20:04Z")
One thing to point out for the OP, readers come in different strengths, all the way from +1 to +6. Go to a drug store first and try the different strengths out first. I never thought +1.5 was a big enough deal to worry about correcting, but I’ve got progressive lenses now and boy, it’s nice to see far and to read at the same time! Anyway, that was a little off-topic. Unless your optometrist has already given you the reading strength you need, try some out before buying 10 pair of the wrong one. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2014, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-reading-glasses/699983/17 "2014-10-01T00:27:39Z")
> [@Suburban\_Plankton](#): > > I don’t need reading glasses…yet…but my eye doctor told me at my last visit that I would most likely need a pair before I saw him again. He recommended going to the local drug store and trying on a few pairs of their basic $10 magnifying lenses and buying whichever one felt best, rather than coming back to him for a prescription. Yes. A good eye doctor will counsel you to buy cheap reading glasses. \*If they are all you need. \* Other things can happen to your eyes as the years go buy. So, go cheap on the reading glasses. But don’t go cheap & skip eye exams. If you value your vision. ---
**Author:** ![bubba001](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f17d59/32.png) [@bubba001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bubba001)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2014, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-reading-glasses/699983/18 "2014-10-01T00:49:39Z")
I bought a set of 3 from wally world, came to $9. I have a bunch laying around the shop and house. ---
**Author:** ![MrsTime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@MrsTime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrsTime)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2014, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-reading-glasses/699983/19 "2014-10-01T05:16:37Z")
I buy magnifiers at the dollar store, can’t get cheaper than that. ---
**Author:** ![ticker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@ticker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ticker)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2014, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-reading-glasses/699983/20 "2014-10-01T08:11:46Z")
> [@SeaDragonTattoo](#): > > Unless your optometrist has already given you the reading strength you need, try some out before buying 10 pair of the wrong one. I have an optometrist appointment later this week. Because my dad has glaucoma and I live in the UK, my eye tests are free on the National Health Service. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-reading-glasses/699983.md?page=2)