Do Glasses Make Your Eyes Weaker? Myth and Fact

No, glasses do not make your eyes weaker. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, wearing them full time does not weaken your eyes or make them physically dependent on glasses. If your sight seems to slip over the years, it is because eyes change on their own, as children grow and with presbyopia after 40.

Does wearing your glasses all the time weaken your eyes?

No. In its Ask an Ophthalmologist column, the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) answers that wearing glasses full time will not weaken your eyes or make your eyes physically more dependent on eyeglasses.

The AAO adds that people do become somewhat psychologically dependent: we feel better and function better when our vision is clear. That is a habit, not damage to the eyes.

Why does your vision seem worse when you take your glasses off?

Because the contrast is obvious. After a day of seeing clearly, the blur you had before glasses seems stronger the moment you take them off. Your eyes have not changed because of the glasses; it is the comparison with clear vision that makes the blur stand out.

If you feel your uncorrected vision is really getting worse from one year to the next, it is often because your prescription has changed. Only an eye exam can confirm it.

Why does your prescription change over time?

Because eyes change naturally. According to the AAO, nearsighted children usually become more nearsighted as they grow, especially in the teenage years, and their prescription usually stabilizes in their 20s. Between 20 and 40, there is usually little change.

After 40 comes presbyopia: according to the Canadian Association of Optometrists (CAO), it usually becomes noticeable between 40 and 45 and progresses until the late 40s or early 50s. These changes happen with or without glasses. Our article on myopia explains what happens inside the eye.

Do reading glasses make your eyes lazy?

No. The AAO addresses this worry directly: some people worry that reading glasses might make their sight worsen more quickly, but that is not the case, and delaying reading glasses is of no benefit.

Presbyopia comes from the eye's lens becoming more rigid with age; according to the AAO, there is no way to stop or reverse this normal aging process. Left uncorrected, it can cause headaches and eye strain. Our article on single vision, bifocal and progressive lenses covers the options for near vision.

Is it better to give a nearsighted child slightly weak glasses?

The research does not support it. In a trial published in Vision Research in 2002, 94 myopic children aged 9 to 14 were randomly assigned to two groups for two years: one with glasses deliberately set too weak, the other fully corrected. Myopia and eye elongation progressed faster in the undercorrected group.

In other words, weaker glasses do not "protect" a child's eyes. The correction is decided with the optometrist at the eye exam; our article on your child's first eye exam explains how it works.

Can myopia be slowed in children?

There are studied options. The AAO first points to time outdoors: studies show that more time outdoors in natural light reduces a child's risk of myopia. It also mentions low-dose atropine eye drops, prescribed by a doctor, and specialized contact lenses for children aged 6 to 12.

There are also eyeglass lenses designed for myopia control. To find out what suits your child, talk to your optometrist; our page on myopia control describes the clinic's approach.

Can eye exercises replace glasses?

No. According to the AAO, there is no scientific evidence that eye exercises, vitamins or pills can prevent or cure myopia.

Glasses and contact lenses remain, in the AAO's words, easy, common ways to correct myopia: they help focus light on the retina so you can see more clearly. Our article on eye vitamins sums up what the studies say about supplements.

Do screens or sitting close to the TV damage your eyes?

Not permanently. The AAO says that looking at a computer, phone or other screen for long periods will not permanently damage your eyes, and that the old sayings about sitting too close to the TV are not true either.

Screens can, however, tire your eyes: blurry vision, dry or sore eyes. According to the AAO, this strain is no different from long stretches of reading and is eased by taking breaks. For children, the AAO also stresses the value of time outdoors.

Should you wear your glasses all the time?

It depends on your prescription. The AAO explains that single vision lenses correct either distance vision, for example for myopia, or near vision, for example for presbyopia. The CAO notes that with presbyopia you may only need glasses for close work, but wearing them all the time can be more practical if you switch often between distances.

Follow your optometrist's advice. Wearing your glasses more often than needed does not harm your eyes, according to the AAO.

When should you get your eyes checked?

When your vision changes, and at regular intervals. According to the CAO, between 40 and 55 you usually need to update your glasses every two to three years, because presbyopia progresses. The AAO notes that with myopia you will need new prescriptions as your eyes change.

Headaches, eye strain or needing to hold a book farther away are signs to take seriously. Our article on seven signs you need new glasses lists them.

Where can you get your eyes checked in Montréal?

At PrimeVision, 9520 Boulevard de l'Acadie, Suite 222, in Montréal (Ahuntsic), optometrists and a licensed optician work under one roof. Children are seen from age 4, and the clinic fits lenses designed for myopia control in children, Essilor's Stellest and Hoya's MiyoSmart. The adult eye exam includes vision and prescription tests, a check of the health of both retinas and OCT imaging. RAMQ covers eye exams for children under 18 and adults 65+.

To book, visit our page on eye exams in Montréal.

Sources

• Will My Vision Worsen if I Wear My Glasses All the Time?, American Academy of Ophthalmology, December 9, 2010.
• Eyeglasses: How to Choose Glasses for Vision Correction, American Academy of Ophthalmology, June 14, 2023.
• Nearsightedness: What Is Myopia?, American Academy of Ophthalmology.
• What Is Presbyopia?, American Academy of Ophthalmology, May 21, 2026.
• Computers, Digital Devices, and Eye Strain, American Academy of Ophthalmology, June 27, 2024.
• Presbyopia, Canadian Association of Optometrists, updated April 4, 2024.
• Chung K, Mohidin N, O'Leary DJ. Undercorrection of myopia enhances rather than inhibits myopia progression, Vision Research, 2002;42(22):2555-2559.