What Strength Reading Glasses Do I Need?
Use the strength-by-age chart below for a starting point, then run the 30-second calculator to see where you are on the presbyopia timeline. Educational only; your eye-care professional sets your prescription.
Presbyopia typically begins between ages 38-45.
Check any that apply right now.
These can accelerate presbyopia onset.
Your Presbyopia Timeline
Estimated onset of reading glasses need:
~43
years old
Practice the Reading Skills Glasses Cannot Give You
Clinical research shows Gabor patch training can improve performance on practiced tasks. It does not predict whether or when you will need reading glasses.
Download Visionary — Free TrialReading Glasses Strength by Age
Ready-made readers come in steps of +0.25 from about +0.75 to +3.00. These are typical starting points at normal reading distance (about 40 cm). Pick the weakest pair that makes text comfortable, and use a weaker pair for a computer monitor.
| Age | Phone, book, menu (40 cm) | Monitor (60–70 cm) |
|---|---|---|
| 40–44 | +0.75 to +1.25 | Often none, or +0.50 |
| 45–49 | +1.25 to +1.75 | +0.75 to +1.00 |
| 50–54 | +1.75 to +2.25 | +1.00 to +1.50 |
| 55–59 | +2.00 to +2.50 | +1.25 to +1.75 |
| 60 and over | +2.25 to +2.75 | +1.50 to +2.00 |
If you have a prescription
The ADD value on it is your reading power. Readers at that strength work over contact lenses or if your distance prescription is near zero. Otherwise you need prescription readers. See how to read your prescription.
Stronger is not better
Too much plus power forces you to hold things closer and tires your eyes. If two strengths both work, take the weaker one.
Two eyes, two powers?
Ready-made readers have the same power in both lenses. If your eyes differ, or you have astigmatism, custom readers will be noticeably more comfortable.
Understanding Presbyopia Onset
The Inevitable Timeline
Presbyopia is the most common age-related eye condition, affecting virtually everyone. Your eye's crystalline lens gradually loses flexibility from birth, but the effects become noticeable in your early-to-mid 40s.
- Age 38-42: Earliest symptoms — needing more light, holding items farther away
- Age 43-48: Most people first get reading glasses
- Age 50-55: Moderate presbyopia — regular reading glasses use
- Age 60+: Advanced presbyopia — stronger prescriptions needed
What You Can Do About It
While you can't prevent the lens from hardening, perceptual learning research suggests adults can improve on visual tasks they practice, such as detecting faint contrast and recognizing crowded letters. That is practice of visual processing, not a change to the lens.
A small 2012 study reported improvements on trained near-vision tasks after an intensive three-month protocol. It was not randomized, included only three no-practice controls, and did not test Get Visionary.