Best Reading Glasses: 19 Options for Life’s Fine Print (And More)

Reading, whether it be an “old fashioned” book or a Kindle, and prolonged screen time can cause eye strain and, sometimes, headaches. “As we get older,” says Jovi Boparai, MD, an ophthalmic surgeon and founder of CorneaCare, “we can also develop presbyopia, which occurs when the natural lens in the eye loses flexibility and is unable to focus light on the retina."

This loss of flexibility typically leads to difficulty with reading, he explains, and many people will notice that while they’ve never needed glasses for distance vision, they’re unable to see comfortably up close. According to Dr. Boparai (and the other experts I spoke to), this is a natural phenomenon and occurs in many people, starting around 40 to 45 years of age. This is where reading glasses come in.

Meenal Agarwal, OD, an award-winning optometrist, distinguished entrepreneur, and owner of Pickering Town Centre Optometric Clinic in Ontario (as well as two other practices), says generally, the “term ‘readers’ refers to glasses with magnification, not prescription lenses.” Readers are available at pharmacies, supermarkets, and convenience stores. You’ve probably noticed a display tree or two filled with glasses at your neighborhood grocery or drug store.

“They come with magnification strengths that begin at +0.50 and go up to +4.00, in increments of 0.25 or 0.50,” explains Dr. Agarwal. “On top of that, they’re available in a veritable cornucopia of styles, colors, and shapes with varying features.”

While a licensed optometrist will help determine which magnification strength you need, this guide serves as an excellent starting point for some of the best reading glasses based on quality, features, and styles suitable for various situations and needs.

Our top reading glasses picks

What to consider when buying reading glasses

Reading glasses are available in a variety of shapes, styles, and magnifications with lenses containing a range of features such as blue light filtering, anti-glare, and scratch resistance. Look for readers at any of the best places to buy eyeglasses and buy contacts such as LensCrafters, Warby Parker, Foster Grant, and others.

“Selecting the right frame, lens material, and lens coating for your lifestyle is essential,” says Dr. Agarwal. For instance, she explains, an active person would likely benefit from an impact-resistant lens and a lightweight plastic frame. If you work from home on a computer all day, consider blue light filtering lenses.

Fit and feel

Your glasses should be comfortable to wear and not pinch your temples or nose. It’s also helpful (though not absolutely necessary) that you like the way they look on your face. If you can, go someplace to try them on in person, or make sure you’re able to return ones you don’t like if you’re buying online.

Lens material

Lenses nowadays are commonly plastic, polycarbonate, or high index plastic. Plastic lenses are inexpensive and durable but not as light as polycarbonate or high index plastics. Polycarbonate is more impact resistant than plastic. High index plastics are used mostly for people with strong prescriptions.

“Always opt for premium quality lenses with a good anti-reflective coating to reduce glare and improve clarity on your devices,” recommends Dr. Agarwal.

Frame material and size

Plastic is a popular choice for reading glass frames as it is lightweight and durable. There are also some glasses that have flexible resin frames (meaning they have a bit of bendability). Or, there are classic metal or wire frame options.

Metal and wire frames typically come with nose pads. “Nose pads help stabilize the frame on your face,” explains Dr. Agarwal, “but if your nose bridge can keep the frame in place, a plastic frame without nose pads will be the lightest option.”

Also, remember that bigger frames are not always better, she says. Comfort, fit, style, and durability are all important factors to consider.

“Choose a frame that suits your face shape and personal style, says Catherine Heyman, OD, FAAO, founding dean of High Point University’s school of optometry in North Carolina, “The frame should not extend beyond the side of your face or beyond the lower one-third of your nose.”

Lens features

Consider what other features you want in your lenses. If you spend a lot of time looking at computer screens, you probably want a pair of reading glasses with blue light blocking and anti-glare. Other available options include UV protection and scratch resistance.

There are also readers that come with a tint, doubling as sunglasses, for those days at the beach when you’re camped out reading a book. Most of the best sunglasses for women and men also offer the possibility of adding a magnification reading lens.

Strength

“Reading glasses can be customized by your eye doctor to match your specific prescription and needs,” says Dr. Agarwal. Over-the-counter options are available in strengths ranging from +0.50 diopters (weakest) to +4.00 diopters (strongest). Which you require depends on factors such as your age, the degree of magnification needed, the severity of your presbyopia, and the presence of any eye diseases, Dr. Agarwal explains.

Her general guidelines are as follows: Lower strengths tend to be suitable for individuals in their 40s who are just beginning to experience difficulty with near vision. Those in their 50s and 60s typically use medium strengths, while individuals 60 plus who have reduced vision due to ocular diseases, often need higher strengths.

Dr. Boparai recommends consulting the below table for reading glasses strengths based on age with the caveat that “it’s important to try on a few different strengths to figure out which works best for you—or ask your eye doctor to check.” He adds, “If you’ve had cataract surgery that allows you to see clearly without glasses in the distance, then the strength you’ll need for up close vision is usually around +2.50.”

How we chose the best reading glasses

Expert advice and recommendations

I talked with experienced, licensed eye doctors and surgeons about what to look for and consider when purchasing reading glasses.

Online reviews

I also spent a huge amount of time reading online reviews and company profiles to ensure all the picks had received favorable reviews from the majority of consumers.

Personal experience

I’ve been wearing prescription glasses since I was thirteen, which was 40 years ago, so I have tons of first-hand experience with all sorts of frames and lenses. Eyeglasses have come a long way since the early ‘80s, as have contact lenses. Up until about seven years ago, I was just nearsighted (couldn’t see things far away), but now I wear progressives.

I combined this personal experience with online consumer reviews and expert knowledge to consider reading glasses that offered the best in style, fit, comfort, price, and features for the widest range of people.

Best place to buy reading glasses

The best place to buy reading glasses is wherever offers you the most convenience. Reading glasses can be found in drugstores and large box stores like Walmart. Or you can go to a dedicated eyewear store such as LensCrafters. Trying on glasses in person is usually a better option but if you’re unable to get to a store in person, there are many options for buying reading glasses online. When purchasing on the internet, look for sites and companies with free shipping and easy returns in case you’re not happy with the frames you selected.

How to clean reading glasses

The best way to clean reading glasses, or any glasses, begins with first washing and drying your hands. Next, rinse your glasses with warm water, says Dr. Heyman, and “apply a small amount of mild dish soap to each lens.” Gently rub with your fingers, then rinse thoroughly with warm water.

Dry with a microfiber or lint-free cloth (so you don’t get tiny, annoying pieces of lint all over your clean lenses). “Avoid using paper towels, tissues, or clothing as they can scratch the lenses,” advises Dr. Heyman.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

How do I know what strength reading glasses I need?

If possible, see an eye doctor to determine what strength of reading glasses you need. Some companies have online charts you can use as a guide, though they don’t replace the advice of a certified optometrist. As a general rule of thumb, use the lowest magnification that you can while still being able to see comfortably. Dr. Heyman suggests starting with a simple diopter chart available online or in stores where reading glasses are sold.

“These charts have text of various sizes, and you hold them at a comfortable reading distance; usually about 14-16 inches away,” she explains, “The smallest line of text you can read clearly indicates the strength you need.”

Reading glasses typically range from +1.00 to +4.00 diopters in increments of +0.25. “To ensure you obtain the correct reading glasses strength, it is essential to consult your eye care professional for a comprehensive eye exam,” says Dr. Agarwal. While over-the-counter readers are more affordable than prescription reading glasses, they function merely as magnifiers and may not be suitable for everyone, particularly for prolonged use, she explains.

“Prescription reading glasses are customized to your individual needs, addressing factors such as astigmatism and discrepancies between your eyes, and are precisely centered to your visual axis,” she says. All of these things help alleviate eye strain and relax your eye muscles.

If you occasionally utilize over-the-counter readers for brief tasks, such as grocery shopping, she suggests experimenting with different strengths to determine the most effective magnification for you. Remember, though, that over-the-counter readers cannot replace a professional eye exam in determining the most accurate strength for your specific needs.

If you’ve received a glasses prescription within the last few years, Thomas Stokkermans MSc, PhD, OD, FAAO, medical reviewer at All About Vision suggests looking at the number recorded in the CYL section of your prescription.

“If it is over 0.75, you have too much astigmatism to get over-the-counter readers and it is probably better to get prescription glasses,” he advises. However, if the CYL number is under 1.00 then you can add up the numbers in the ADD and the SPHERE sections to determine the strength you need.

How do I know if I need reading glasses?

Presbyopia or farsightedness is the loss of close-up vision and it’s a natural consequence of aging and non-correctable. Most everyone will experience it as they age.

Signs that you need reading glasses include: difficulty reading small print, needing to hold things farther away from your face to see clearly, needing brighter light to see things close up, and blurred vision when looking at objects up close, says Dr. Heyman.

You may also experience trouble reading when tired or under stress. Headaches and eyestrain from doing close work like sewing, model making, knitting, or reading also indicates that you may need reading glasses, says Dr. Heyman.

What is the lowest strength reading glasses?

The lowest strength of reading glasses that actually provides obvious magnification is +0.50. While you can buy glasses with a +0.25 magnification, according to the experts I spoke to, most people won’t notice much of a difference with them.

How do reading glasses work?

“The strength of reading glasses comes in diopters and is always in plus power,” says Dr. Stokkermans. “The higher the number, the closer the lens will focus.”

“In order to see clearly, the light that enters the eye has to be bent and focused on the retina in the back of the eye,” explains Dr. Boparai. “In individuals with refractive errors, due to the shape of their eye, the light isn’t focused on the retina, which prevents them from seeing clearly.”

Common refractive errors include myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and astigmatism. With myopia, a person sees clearly close up but has blurry vision in the distance. With hyperopia, the person can see in the distance, but has blurry vision up close. With astigmatism, the person has blurry vision at all distances.

Reading glasses work like magnifying glasses. They’re made with convex lenses that curve outward with thicker middles than edges. This shape magnifies incoming light which makes objects appear larger. The higher the number, the more magnification.

Do you need to see an eye doctor for reading glasses?

All of the experts I spoke to stressed the importance of an eye exam when considering reading glasses. “Buying a pair of reading glasses without having a comprehensive eye examination from an optometrist can have several disadvantages,” says Dr. Heyman. These include the following.

Undiagnosed eye conditions

Reading glasses only address presbyopia (age-related difficulty in seeing close objects). They do not diagnose or treat other eye conditions such as glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration, or diabetic retinopathy. These conditions can progress without symptoms and may lead to vision loss if not detected early, she cautions.

Incorrect prescription

Over-the-counter reading glasses come in generic strengths that may not match your specific prescription needs. Using incorrect lenses can cause eye strain, headaches, and blurred vision.

Unaddressed binocular vision problems

Comprehensive eye examinations evaluate binocular vision (how your eyes work together). Reading glasses do not account for issues like convergence insufficiency (difficulty turning your eyes in toward your nose) or strabismus (eye turns), which can cause discomfort and double vision, Dr. Heyman explains.

Inaccurate lens power

Reading glasses typically have the same power in both lenses, but most people have different prescriptions for each eye. This can lead to unbalanced vision and additional strain. If you already wear prescription glasses, you’re likely quite familiar with this. I know that my eyes differ.

Lack of customization

Prescription glasses can be tailored to your specific visual needs, including adjustments for astigmatism (different powers in different parts of the front of the eye), prism corrections for eye alignment, and various lens coatings for glare reduction and UV protection. Reading glasses lack these customizations.

Inadequate fit and comfort

Reading glasses are often one-size-fits-all and may not fit your face properly. “Poor fit can cause discomfort and improper lens positioning, reducing effectiveness,” says Dr. Heyman. When you see a professional, they measure the distance between your eyes and match the optical center of the lenses to the center of your eyes. This allows for better vision and comfort. If you’ve ever had the displeasure of wearing a pair of glasses where the optical center was off, you know how disorienting and painful (in the form of headaches) it can be.

Comprehensive eye health

“An eye exam includes a thorough check of your overall eye health, including the health of the retina, optic nerve, and other internal structures of the eye,” says Dr. Heyman. “This is crucial for detecting early signs of systemic conditions like hypertension and diabetes.”

While reading glasses can be a quick and convenient solution for minor near-vision problems, they do not replace the benefits of receiving comprehensive care provided by an eye examination from an optometrist.