How Much Vision Correction is Reasonable to Expect?!

How Much Vision Correction is Reasonable to Expect?

I've always had excellent vision, but I've gotten older, and now I wear progressive lenses. Mostly for reading, but one of my eyes needs minor correction for distances. My prescription seems right for reading, computer work, etc., but I can't see well enough to do any close work--take out a splinter, etc. Should I expect my glasses to be good enough for me to do everything I used to be able to do? Or should I expect to have to use a magnifying glass or something to do close work?

Progressives, bifocals and reading glasses have the power at near set to a "normal" reading distance -- usually about 16" to 18". So when you try to look closer, say at 5" to 6" to take out a splinter they don't work well. If your glasses were set to work well at 5" to 6", they would not work well for normal reading and computer distances.

So, yes you will need to use a magnifying glass for taking out splinters. If you have a hobby or other activity that involves looking at closer distance a lot of the time (quilting, decoy carving etc), measure the distance from your eye to the task and ask your eye doctor to prescribe single vision reading glasses for that distance. You can then switch from your progressives to the special purpose glasses for the task.