If you have 20/20 vision or better—congratulations. You are in the minority, as most Americans wear eyeglasses, contact lenses, or both to improve their vision. Still, many are hesitant to wear glasses or contacts out of fear of worsening their vision or making them more dependent on corrective eyewear. On the other hand, many believe not wearing glasses will worsen their eyesight.

Would Avoiding Eyeglasses Worsen Your Eyesight?

If you have a refractive error, not wearing glasses will not damage your eyes. However, you are likely to experience some negative symptoms. Some of these include the following:

• Dizziness.

• Double vision.

• Nausea.

• Weakening eye muscles.

• Difficulty focusing.

• Increased risk of tripping and falling.

You will likely experience eyestrain as your eyes work harder to focus on objects. Crucially, studies show that children who need corrective eyewear but do not wear them tend to fall behind in their reading.

For Adults

If you are an adult who needs corrective eyewear due to blurred vision, not using it does not worsen your eyes. However, it will make your eyes work harder. Glasses and contacts take some of the load off your eyes, reducing the unpleasant effects listed above. Most importantly, they correct your eyesight.

For Kids

For children with poor vision, not wearing eyeglasses can result in their young eyes not developing correctly. Getting clear images to the retina helps the eye develop properly. Blurry vision can cause abnormal development of a child’s eyes, resulting in eyestrain and headaches. Eventually, it can cause severe eye conditions that lead to learning disabilities.

For kids and adults who use corrective eyewear to help fix issues like lazy eyes or crossed eyes, not wearing eyeglasses can cause these conditions to worsen. Aside from the reason for wearing eyeglasses and age, whether you are farsighted or nearsighted will also determine the symptoms you experience from not wearing eyeglasses or contacts.

How Wearing Glasses Can Help Your Vision

The first benefit of wearing corrective eyewear is clear vision. Additionally, some kids and adults wear glasses to help fix issues like crossed eyes, lazy eyes, and other eye conditions. For such people, wearing glasses or contacts is necessary to ensure your condition continues to improve.

Why Are You Not Wearing Your Eyeglasses?

If you need corrective eyewear, do not try to tough it out by avoiding glasses or contacts. The unpleasant side effects of not wearing your glasses can negatively impact your daily routine. If you do not wear glasses because you hate how they look on you, visit your optometrist in Williamston to find a pair that gives you confidence and suits your personality.

Conclusion

An annual comprehensive eye exam is the best way to ensure the health of your eyes and vision. Eye examinations can help determine whether you or your child has any underlying conditions that require treatment as soon as possible to prevent vision loss and blindness.

For more vision care tips, call Clarity Vision in Williamston at (252) 792-2250 schedule an appointment today.