We all want to believe that age is just a number – that as long as we get carded by the wine store attendant, we’re still sipping from the fountain of youth, no matter how many candles are on the birthday cake.
In a culture obsessed with covering up every wrinkle, we’ll splurge on anything that promises to help us look younger, from anti-aging oils to at-home lasers and even plastic surgery. We may be able to fool others with our fixed-up faces, but some body parts don’t lie – and I’m not talking about Shakira’s swaggy hips.
Ladies, I’m talking about the lens of the eye. No matter how much we look and feel like we’re in our early 20s, the inevitable fact is that our eyes and vision change after age 40, with most older adults experiencing some difficulty reading up close – a condition called presbyopia, or age-related farsightedness.
Presbyopia develops over time, typically starting around age 40 to 45 and worsening through age 65. Signs and symptoms include the need to hold reading material farther away to make the letters clearer; blurry vision at a normal reading distance; and headaches or eye strain after close-up work. The condition can be diagnosed in a basic eye exam.
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Fortunately, gone are the days of shyly wearing our frames with the fear of being called “Four Eyes.” These days, eyeglasses have become fashionable, even downright sexy. I can’t tell you how many of my guy friends extra-ogled Zooey Deschanel in “New Girl” because of her super-cute frames (which, by the way, have been identified as Oliver Peoples Wacks in Cocobolo color).
But you don’t have to shell out $300 to sport some stylish frames, especially for seeing up close. Reading glasses are available over-the-counter at both local drugstores and online retailers, and the optical options are endless. In most cases, the magnifications range from +1 to +4 diopters (a measure of reading power), in increments of 0.75. But there’s actually much more to picking out the perfect pair than initially meets the eye.
If you’re marching towards middle age and the page looks a bit fuzzy, don’t fret – we’ll help you find frames that are both practical and fashionable. Here, we’ve combined input from eye care specialists, tips from the American Academy of Ophthalmology, and online customer reviews to bring you our list of the best reading glasses for women.
How To Choose A Pair Of Reading Glasses
Ready to rock some new readers? According to the experts, you should focus on the following features when picking out your next pair:
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Prescription power. Your optimal reading glass power will be largely dependent on prescription and age, says Barrett Eubanks, M.D., an ophthalmologist and surgeon from Southern California. “As the reading vision declines with age, higher powers of reading glasses will be necessary in order to see,” he explains. “While initially you may only need a +1 pair of reading glasses to see well, eventually with age a +1.50 or +2 may become necessary to see up close.” The best way to learn your prescription power is to complete a basic eye exam, but you can also try on different strengths in the drugstore until you can see most clearly.
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Style of the frame. The shape and size of your frame will depend on both your personal style and your vision needs. Full-frame reading glasses can be bulky and blur your distance vision, Dr. Eubanks says. “Instead, one may desire half-frame reading glasses. These are much smaller and thinner and can allow you to look over the top of the reading glasses when desiring to look in the distance,” he notes. Because these eyeglasses are smaller than full-frame glasses, they’ll also fit better in your purse!
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Lens design. If you only need vision correction to read up close, you can choose a pair of single-vision lenses. If you have trouble seeing both near and far, you may opt for bifocals that provide reading power and distance correction simultaneously. “If you have a compound prescription – nearsighted or farsighted and then also presbyopic and need reading glasses – I would recommend a progressive lens because it corrects for all distances,” says Yuna Rapoport, an ophthalmologist and surgeon based in Manhattan.
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Material of the frame. Reading glasses come in both plastic and metal frames. Plastic frames come in more style options, but metal frames are more durable, with titanium winning out as the most lightweight and flexible option. Whichever material you choose, make sure the reading glasses comfortably fit your face. “If you know you’ll put the glasses on the top of your head, I would recommend getting a plastic frame, because metal frames have nose pads that often pull hair,” advises Carissa Dunphy, an optician and editor-in-chief at Optician Now.
Our Picks: The Best Reading Glasses For Women
As my middle-school math teacher loved to exclaim: Hocus, pocus, come into focus! Feast your eyes on our best-of list of reading glasses for every need.
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BEST OVERALL: CCVOO 5 Pack Reading Glasses
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BEST OVERSIZED FRAMES: AMOMOMA Retro Oversized Reading Glasses
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BEST FOR SMALL FACES: OLOMEE Reading Glasses
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BEST LUXURY: Warby Parker Whalen
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BEST BUDGET: Equate Women’s Flora Readers
BEST OVERALL: CCVOO 5 Pack Reading Glasses
These versatile reading glasses are a clear winner overall! Not only do they come in a number of strengths and styles, but they’re a favorite for their impressive features: lightweight frame, blue-light blocker with UV protection, reflective transparent lenses, elastic spring hinges, and ionic conduction to reduce eye strain and promote blood circulation. For under $3 per pair in this multipack, you can’t beat the value!
BEST OVERSIZED FRAMES: AMOMOMA Retro Oversized Reading Glasses
Oversized frames are all the rage these days, and these reading glasses do not disappoint! Besides their rad retro style, they’re jam-packed with practical features, including a UV-protection, blue-light blocker, and comfortable Europe nose pad. Amazon reviewers rave about the compliments they get while sporting these cute and classy frames!
BEST FOR SMALL FACES: OLOMEE Reading Glasses
These small-frame readers are perfect for petite faces! They’re comfortably lightweight and come in four colors with a wide range of powers from +0.5 to +5. Plus, reviewers love that the metal frame is well-made and highly durable. Women who report they have small faces confirm that these readers fit fantastically and don’t slide!
BEST LUXURY: Warby Parker Whalen
These luxury reading glasses cost a pretty penny, but they’re worth the splurge if you have the budget. Not only are they super stylish, but they can accommodate any prescription type, and you can take a free vision test online to predict your power. The lenses are durable, scratch-resistant, and protective against blue light and UV rays. Plus, you can pick your perfect size with Warby Parker’s free at-home try-on, and the glasses ship free with a 30-day, hassle-free return policy!
BEST BUDGET: Equate Women’s Flora Readers
Looking for fashionable frames at a more practical price? These affordable readers are classically chic for the cost of a Starbucks latte (or less)! Customers rated these glasses a perfect 5 out of 5 stars, with reviewers commenting on the high quality and perfect fit. Choose from a variety of powers to go with the ravishing red.
Do you have some reading glasses in rotation? Which frames are your favorite? Let us know in the comments!
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