How Often Should You Get New Glasses?

Last updated on December 19th, 2023 at 07:49 pm

If you’re a regular glasses wearer, you may have wondered “how often should you get new glasses?” You should never ignore your eye health, of course. However, it can be quite expensive to buy a new pair of eyeglasses, especially if you’re replacing them frequently. Even so, visiting your optometrist once every year or two for an eye exam is something every glasses-wearer needs to do to make sure their prescription hasn’t changed and there are no other concerns. 

There are some signs that can help you tell when it’s time for new eyeglasses. Often, it’s just your prescription that’s changed, and you’ll only need an eyeglass lens replacement. In case of damaged eyeglasses, a completely new pair will be needed. Luckily, many well-known brands such as Overnight Glasses, Warby Parker, and Zenni Optical offer a wide variety of high-quality and beautifully designed frames for everyone, so shopping for new frames isn’t much different than shopping for a pair of new shoes.

When is the right time to make a switch to a new pair of eyeglasses?

We’ve put together some guidelines that can help you to determine when it’s time for new glasses.

Broken or damaged eyeglasses

No matter how hard you try to take care of them, your eyeglasses may end up being run over, sat on, stepped on, or broken accidentally by you or your little one.

If only the lens has been scratched or damaged, you can often get by with replacing only the lenses. This should save you some money versus buying a completely new pair of glasses.

Altered prescription

Visiting your optometrist for your annual eye exam means a good chance of a changed prescription. Other than your regular visit to your eye doctor, there are a few ways you can tell if it may be time for a new prescription, like straining to see faraway objects or the television, feeling intense sensitivity to light, or getting frequent headaches.

These symptoms can be enough for you to schedule a visit with your optometrist to see if a new prescription is needed. Speaking of a new prescription, you can always consider getting a lens replacement, rather than a completely new pair of eyeglasses. This is a great option when your prescription has changed, as long as you like your existing frames, and they’re in good condition.

Age-related vision changes

As children grow older, vision changes are common. Make sure your kids get regular vision screenings with an optometrist. As children head towards adulthood, the changes in vision may begin to slow down. 

When adults reach about 40 years of age, reading glasses often become necessary. This is due to age-related long-sightedness, a normal part of aging. Eventually, your prescription for regular eyeglasses might change too. 

Computer eyeglasses

Your eyeglasses can benefit from new technology! Advances are made all the time to make it easier to experience more comfortable vision with less eye strain. If you spend a lot of time working on your laptop, your eyes may feel the strain. To fix that, you can wear eyeglasses that are made specifically for computer use. Even if your prescription hasn’t changed, you can have your lenses coated with a blue light filter for safer screen time.

How often should you visit an eye doctor?

Less than perfect vision is one sign it’s time for a new prescription. An optometrist can get to the root of the problem, whether it’s farsightedness, nearsightedness, or maybe an astigmatism.

So, to answer the question “how frequently should you visit your eye doctor?” 

 Depending on your age group, the answer will vary:

• An infant should have their first visit when he/she turns six months old. An infants vision should be rechecked every six months until a baby is two years old.
• Adults should visit their eye doctor for a check-up every year.
• Older adults (around 50-70+) should schedule visits to the optometrist more often as their eyesight may change more frequently with age.

Taking care of your eyeglasses 

Taking care of your eyeglasses is important so that your they’ll hold up until you get your next pair.  

• Always clean your glasses lens using a soft cotton cloth.
• Never use paper products on your glasses to clean them.
• Use a pea-sized amount of dishwashing detergent or soap to clean your glasses, and clean with a soft cotton cloth.
• Always store them with the lens side facing upwards.
• Use both of your hands to hold your glasses as you take them off.
• Do not leave your glasses in a hot car.
• Always keep your eyeglasses in a hard plastic case.

There are several reasons you might need to get a new pair of eyeglasses–from accidentally breaking them to a changed prescription, or changes in technology. Taking good care of your glasses and making sure you pay attention to your eye health should be a priority for all glasses-wearers.

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