Deciding Whether to Wear Glasses: Understanding Myopia, Astigmatism, and Glasses Usage

Glasses are a tool to enable you to function better. With myopia and astigmatism, you may find yourself asking whether you need to wear glasses all the time. Here, we explore the importance of glasses and the philosophy behind their usage.

Understanding Myopia and Astigmatism

Myopia, or shortsightedness, is a condition in which the eyeballs grow too optically long. It appears to be a largely genetic hereditary condition that develops with growth and stabilises around age 17-21. According to ophthalmologist Ben Wilkinson FRCSC, myopia is becoming more common in recent years, possibly due to people growing taller and faster than ever before.

On the other hand, astigmatism is caused by the eye growing slightly oval. This distorts the shape of the eye, leading to vision problems. Non-surgical options like soft and hard contact lenses, as well as toric lenses, can correct astigmatism, but surgical correction options like LASIK are also available once growth has ceased.

The perfect optically eye is perfectly round and would have a prescription of 0.00. Anything which distorts the shape of the eye, such as a genetic predisposition, a lump in the lid, or a tumour in the orbit, can cause astigmatism.

Do You Need to Wear Glasses All the Time?

Of course, you do not need to wear glasses all the time. You can decide based on your needs and situations. When you go without glasses, you can still see perfectly fine, so there is no need to wear them if they do not help you.

However, you may notice a slight difference for night driving or some other activity. When you find that glasses help, wear them. Most of the time, they will make no difference, so you can choose not to wear them. Your eyes and your glasses are your responsibility, so you should decide when to wear them. Wearing or not wearing glasses will not make your eyes any better or worse.

When Should You Consider Wearing Glasses Consistently?

If you frequently need glasses, it is wise to wear them constantly. It makes it harder to lose, and it is more difficult to sit on or scratch them. Consistent wear allows your eyes to behave normally, keeping them focused in the far distance, and enabling you to use muscular accommodation to keep near objects in focus when needed. Taking your glasses off is similar to putting reading glasses on if your prescription is moderate.

Do you need to wear glasses all the time? The choice is yours. If you can drive without glasses, you do not have to wear them. In the case of myopia, wearing glasses all the time can help your eyes behave normally, but it will not make your myopia better or worse. As for astigmatism, glasses can correct the vision issue, but the choice of when to wear them should be based on your personal comfort and needs.