Patti S. is a member of VSP's Ophthalmic Services team.
It’s difficult to wander down the aisles of almost any store without encountering racks of “high-fashion” frames bearing the answer to your presbyopic woes. Those drug-store readers beckon to many an unwary baby-boomer with promises of visual youth regained behind suave, yet sprightly, frames bejeweled with little glittery things all over. They may alleviate the frustration of small print and short arms, but do you really know what you’re not getting when you opt for this quickie fix to a problem that you’ll have to contend with for many years?
You don’t need a doctor’s prescription because you can just experiment until you find a pair that suits your elegant tastes and helps you see better. This might be OK when you’ve forgotten your prescription glasses at home and need something to get by with on vacation. If you’re foregoing regular eye exams, though, you’re cheating yourself out of something that has the potential to identify diseases such as diabetes, glaucoma, brain tumors, and high cholesterol, to name a few. Read more »
