Eye Exams
Eye Exams for Glasses
A glasses prescription is determined through refraction, refined against how you actually use your eyes. Working distances, screen habits and specific tasks all change what the ideal prescription looks like.
Two people with identical measured refraction can need meaningfully different glasses, because a prescription is a starting point rather than an answer. What turns it into the right pair is knowing what the glasses are for.
Someone spending nine hours at a sixty five centimetre screen needs something different from someone driving all day. A musician reading sheet music at ninety centimetres needs something different again. None of that emerges from the letters on a chart, and all of it comes out of the conversation.
This is the single most useful thing a patient can do to get better glasses: describe the tasks. Not just do you use a computer, but at what distance, for how long, with how many screens and at what heights.
What to expect
- Bring your current glasses
- They are read on a lensometer, which shows exactly what you have been used to and how far the new prescription departs from it.
- Describe your actual tasks
- Distances, hours and specific activities. The more precise, the better the result.
- Mention what does not work now
- Blurred at a specific distance, tired by afternoon, a bad edge to the lens. All of it is diagnostic.
Questions and answers
How long is a glasses prescription valid?
Typically one to two years. Prescriptions change and, more importantly, an out of date prescription means an out of date eye health assessment.
Why is my new prescription hard to adjust to?
Larger changes, first progressives and astigmatism changes all take days to a couple of weeks. If it has not settled after two weeks, come back rather than putting up with it.
Can I take my prescription elsewhere?
Yes. Your prescription is yours and it is provided to you. What is not transferable is the frame adjustment, the free repairs and adjustments, and the warranty that come with buying here.
Do I need separate reading glasses?
It depends on your prescription and how you work. Progressives handle most needs, and a dedicated computer or reading pair is often more comfortable for sustained close work.
Talk to someone about eye exams for glasses
Appointments are scheduled two per hour, so there is time to answer questions properly. Call (480) 706-3937 or request a time online.