Find your reading strength
Four questions, about thirty seconds. Near vision changes with age in a pattern that's well documented, so we start there and then check it against how you actually read.
How old are you?
Which is the smallest line you can read comfortably?
Hold your screen at the distance you'd normally hold a book — roughly 40 cm, about a forearm's length. Don't squint or stretch your arm out. Use the glasses you'd normally wear for distance, if any.
These sizes follow N-notation, the near-vision scale UK optometrists use. Screen sizes vary, so treat this as a good guide rather than a measurement.
Do you wear readers at the moment?
What will you mainly use them for?
Your reading strength
+2.00
Here's how we got there
What to get
This isn't an eye test. It estimates the magnification most people your age need for close work, and off-the-shelf readers use the same strength in both lenses. Book a sight test with an optometrist if your eyes differ from each other, if your vision has changed suddenly, if close work brings on headaches or eye strain, or if you haven't had one in two years. A sight test checks eye health, not just focus.
