For the second time this year Ready Readers have been making headlines – sadly for their shortcomings rather than their advantages. The Daily Mail has run a second check on the standards and accuracy of these useful little specs. Ready Readers are handy to keep as a spare pair in your work bag, in the drawer by the phone for jotting things down, or in an extra strength for particular jobs or hobbies. For most patients they will not suffice as reading glasses for long periods of close work, but they are useful for little jobs around the home or office.
Ready readers are made with the same power in both eyes, and with the optical centres of the lenses set at an average distance to suit the average head. If you’re lucky enough to have symmetrical vision and an average head they therefore work as well as the bespoke reading glasses that we would make up for you – but sadly how many of us conform to this perfect ideal! But even in our imperfect state, they still do the job – if they’re correctly made that is.
Unfortunately the Daily Mail investigation revealed that many ready readers are poorly made, and not up to standard in the accuracy of the stated power. This could cause headaches and eye strain. Many were incorrect, or simply of poor quality materials that give rise to distorted vision. The optical centres of glasses should be placed in front of the pupil of the wearer, which is why we ask you to give us this measurement when you order specs. If you can’t supply it we look at your age and chosen spec size and decide on a suitable average measurement. If this doesn’t work we refund you for the glasses. Many Ready Readers were found to have poorly placed Optical Centres, in positions too large for most women and too small for most men.
Saving the cost of reading glasses is a false economy if the specs are so badly made that you cannot wear them. Internet specs suppliers such as ourselves will make you an inexpensive pair of glasses to your correct power and your given measurements. A couple of pairs will make sure you’re ready to read whenever you need too!