Thanks to modern technology, people with visual problems can easily get a pair of eyeglasses prescribed to them. However, the question is can wearing glasses improve eyesight permanently?
While wearing glasses can definitely enhance your vision when they’re on, they don’t actually reshape your eyes or fix any underlying issues. They’re like a helpful tool you can use whenever you need them, but they can’t ‘train’ your eyes to see better without them.
Your glasses correct your vision as prescribed, so when you take them off, your sight will return to its natural state. That’s why it seems like your eyes are dependent on them – they’re just doing their job of correcting your vision.
So, while glasses are great for helping you see clearly when you’re wearing them, they won’t make your eyesight better in the long run.
If permanent vision correction is what you’re looking for, laser eye surgery, like LASIK, is one of the most common and effective ways to permanently correct vision problems. It’s always best to chat with your eye doctor to figure out the best option for you.
The Science Behind Eyeglasses
Before we dive into the long-lasting impact of eyeglasses on our eyesight, let’s first review the science behind glasses.
Eyeglasses are designed to adjust the way light enters the eyes, thereby correcting refractive errors. Common refractive errors include nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.
For nearsighted folks, light focuses before it hits the retina. If you’re farsighted, light focuses behind your retina. And with astigmatism, light focuses at more than one place either in front of or behind the retina.
Glasses do not affect the eyes’ shape or function but rather merely acting as a tool that brings clarity to our vision.
Improvement in Eyesight with Eyeglasses
Now to answer the key question, do eyeglasses improve eyesight permanently? The short answer is no. But wearing them may help slow down the loss of vision caused due to the refractive errors.
Eyeglasses can bring about a noticeable improvement in the quality of vision that can further boost your performance in daily activities such as reading, driving, and watching TV.
Is Laser Eye Surgery the Only Way to Permanently Fix Your Vision?
As we briefly covered, it’s not the only way, but laser eye surgery, like LASIK, is indeed one of the most common and effective ways to permanently correct vision problems. It’s particularly good at dealing with nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.
The cool part is that LASIK changes the shape of your cornea, which helps improve how light hits your retina. This, in turn, can correct your vision. The changes made during LASIK are permanent.
That said, it doesn’t necessarily mean your vision will remain sharp for the rest of your life. Factors like aging can still affect your vision down the line, which might mean you could need glasses in older age.
LASIK isn’t the only game in town. There’s also photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), another type of laser eye surgery that reshapes the surface of the cornea. It’s a great option for mild to moderate vision issues.
So, while laser eye surgeries like these can be a great solution, they’re not the only ways to address vision problems.
The Role of Age in Eyeglasses
Age plays a significant role in determining if eyeglasses can improve eyesight permanently. As our eyes age, they tend to lose their ability to focus on objects that are far away, leading to presbyopia.
While wearing eyeglasses may provide temporary relief from presbyopia, the effects are not long-lasting. However, in some cases, regular use of eyeglasses can help the eyes become more accommodating for objects in far and near-range.
When to Visit a Doctor
If you notice any sudden changes in your vision, such as blurriness, difficulty seeing at night, or a decrease in the field of vision, it is essential to see an eye doctor.
Remember, timely detection and treatment can prevent a minor visual problem from developing into a severe condition.
Eye Exercises
Along with wearing eyeglasses, performing eye exercises can also help improve eyesight. Exercise can help strengthen the muscles of our eyes and improve their flexibility.
Some of the eye exercises are focusing on an object far away, using a computer or phone at arm’s length, and taking a break from screens every 20 minutes.
Eyeglasses: An Effective Tool
Eyeglasses are an effective tool to correct refractive errors such as astigmatism, hyperopia, and myopia. While they do not improve eyesight permanently, wearing them can help mask vision problems and delay the loss of vision.
The best way to have optimal eye health is to visit an eye doctor regularly, wear prescribed eyeglasses, and practice eye exercises.
Remember that the timely detection and treatment of any eye problems can prevent them from developing into severe conditions.
Book an eye exam with our eye experts at San Clemente Optometry today–give your eyes the care they deserve, and don’t forget to wear your glasses!
