How Can I Tell If My Eye Prescription Has Increased?

Your eye prescription may change over time. Sometimes this change is not noticed immediately; instead, it begins to show itself through small signs in daily life. Difficulty seeing clearly at a distance or up close, squinting, having trouble reading signs, experiencing headaches, or feeling tired quickly while looking at screens may suggest that your eye prescription may have changed.

However, these symptoms do not always mean that your prescription has increased. Myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, age-related near vision problems, dry eye, or digital eye strain may also cause similar complaints. Therefore, the most accurate evaluation is made through a comprehensive eye examination.

Can I See Distant Objects as Clearly as Before?

One of the first questions you can ask yourself is: Can I see distant objects as clearly as before?

If signs, license plates, classroom boards, television subtitles, or distant text that you used to read comfortably now appear blurry, your eye prescription may have changed. If you need to make more effort to see distant writing clearly, this may indicate the need for an eye examination.

Am I Squinting to See More Clearly?

You may be squinting without realizing it in order to see distant objects or small text more clearly. Squinting may temporarily make the image appear slightly clearer; however, it does not eliminate the underlying vision problem.

If you notice that you often squint while watching television, driving, looking at signs, or trying to read text on a screen, it may be necessary to evaluate whether your glasses prescription has changed.

Do I Have Difficulty Reading Signs, Subtitles, or Text?

Changes in eye prescription are often noticed in daily life while reading text. In particular, difficulty reading signs in the evening, seeing television subtitles as blurred or mixed together, or losing clarity when looking at distant writing may suggest that your current glasses prescription is no longer sufficient.

These complaints may become more noticeable in low light. Therefore, if you say, “I manage during the day, but I cannot see clearly in the evening”, this may be an important sign that you should have an eye examination.

Do I Get Headaches While Reading or Working?

If you experience headaches while reading, studying, using a computer, or focusing on near tasks for a long time, your eye prescription may need to be evaluated. Headaches around the forehead, around the eyes, or those that increase later in the day may be related to visual effort.

This may not only be due to an increase in eye prescription. Astigmatism, near vision problems, dry eye, or screen-related eye strain may also cause similar complaints.

Do My Eyes Get Tired Quickly When Looking at a Screen?

• Do your eyes get tired quickly when you look at a computer, tablet, or phone screen for a long time?
• Do you have difficulty focusing, do letters become blurry after a while, or do you feel heaviness in your eyes?

These complaints may be related to a change in your eye prescription, dry eye, or digital eye strain. If you experience blurred vision, burning, stinging, or difficulty focusing after screen use, an eye examination may be helpful.

Do My Current Glasses Still Provide Clear Vision?

If you wear glasses, you can ask yourself this question: Can I still see as clearly as before with my current glasses?

• If there is blurriness at distances where you used to see comfortably,
• if you feel the need to take your glasses off and put them back on,
• if your vision is not clear enough despite wearing glasses, your prescription may have changed.

However, this may sometimes also be related to scratched lenses, incorrect use, dry eye, or other eye problems.

Do These Symptoms Definitely Mean That My Eye Prescription Has Increased?

No. These symptoms may suggest that your eye prescription may have changed, but they do not definitely mean that your prescription has increased. Similar complaints may also occur due to different eye problems.

For this reason, it is not correct to change your glasses prescription on your own or have new glasses made based on an old prescription. Glasses or contact lens prescriptions should be determined after an eye examination.

When Should I Have an Eye Examination?

If you cannot see distant or near objects as clearly as before, if you frequently squint, if you have difficulty reading signs or subtitles, if you experience headaches, or if your eyes get tired quickly in front of a screen, it is recommended that you have an eye examination.

In children, symptoms such as not being able to see the board, sitting too close to the television, getting tired quickly while studying, squinting, or having headaches should not be ignored. In adults, difficulty with night vision, trouble reading signs while driving, or feeling that current glasses are no longer sufficient should be evaluated.

How Is a Glasses or Contact Lens Prescription Determined?

A glasses or contact lens prescription is determined through measurements performed during an eye examination and the doctor’s evaluation. Although automatic measurement devices provide an initial idea, the final prescription is planned by evaluating the person’s visual acuity together with examination findings.

When necessary, a dilated eye examination may be performed. This method may be preferred especially in children and in some patients to evaluate the true eye prescription more accurately.

If you notice symptoms such as not being able to see clearly in daily life, squinting, headaches, or getting tired quickly in front of a screen, this may indicate that your eye prescription may have changed. For the most accurate evaluation, an eye examination should be performed, and glasses or contact lens prescription should be determined according to the examination results.

Source

• National Eye Institute (NEI) – Refractive Errors
• MedlinePlus – Refractive Errors
• Mayo Clinic – Nearsightedness: Symptoms and Causes
• American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) – Myopia