Reading glasses & magnifying mirrors

the_devil_made_me_do_it

Not sure if anyone is in the same boat as me, but I recently had refractive eye surgery and now need to wear reading glasses.

I'm wondering if anyone can advise where to buy reading glasses and what strength magnifying mirror should I get?

I get that everyone has different requirements when it comes to mirrors, but I don't even know where I can try some mirrors out.

As for reading glasses, I bought a pair from the Poundshop and to be honest they aren't really that good. They were just to tide me over. I don't really want to waste money going to an optician if I don't have to.

Dill

the_devil_made_me_do_it wrote: »

Not sure if anyone is in the same boat as me, but I recently had refractive eye surgery and now need to wear reading glasses.

I'm wondering if anyone can advise where to buy reading glasses and what strength magnifying mirror should I get?

I get that everyone has different requirements when it comes to mirrors, but I don't even know where I can try some mirrors out.

As for reading glasses, I bought a pair from the Poundshop and to be honest they aren't really that good. They were just to tide me over. I don't really want to waste money going to an optician if I don't have to.

I think some opticians do ready glasses that you can try on in the shop. Not as good as getting your eyes tested properly, but got to be better than a Poundshop pair, I would think.

Personally I always go to the optician and get a pair of glasses suited to my eyes. You can get help with costs if like me you're on a low income.

suki1964

Magnifying mirrors, I have two. The one on the dressing table is x8 and I've a smaller one for close work which is x12

sheramber

My husband got a good reading pair in Boots Chemist.

The assistant was able to help get the right ones, so maybe try there.

They should also have magnifying mirrors in their beauty section.

lisyloo

You should be able to get a free eye test somewhere and reading glasses about £25 from an optician.
I would get the eye test first and if your prescription is simple then get some readers from the supermarket-/pound land, however if it's more complicated e.g. You have astigmatism, then I'd get a £25 pair from specsavers/asda/TescosYescos.
You might not have a great choice of frames at the cheapest price.

jetplane

I bought my reading glasses at Costco £10 for three pair, the frames are not very flattering though I only use them for very small print. I also knew the +figure from my prescription. Have you got an up to date prescription? The optician can tell you what strength reading glasses you need.

If it's a hand size mirror your looking for, I recommend a tweezerman tweezermate x10 magnifying mirror, the lighted one is £16 in John Lewis, less if you don't want it lit up, it also has suction pads on the back. I chose this over the boots own make as it seemed that bit clearer, though boots was cheaper and x12.

the_devil_made_me_do_it

Thanks for all the replies.

I have been advised to wait about 6 weeks before getting a sight test. I do have some old glasses frames which I could use. Then I'd only need the lenses put in. It was only last year that I bought some new glasses. Before surgery I had a very high myopic prescription. The ones from poundland are +1.25 and they are fine. I just bought them to just allow me to read for the time being.

I'll check out the strength of mirrors suggested. I really only want to be able to apply makeup and shape my eyebrows.

jetplane

Oh by the way there's no hiding place for any flaws in these mirrors :rotfl:

suki1964

jetplane wrote: »

Oh by the way there's no hiding place for any flaws in these mirrors :rotfl:

That's the truth!!!:eek:

I need the x12 to be able to do my eyebrows, and if I thought that what I can see in it was what others saw, I'd never leave the house without a paper bag on my head :rotfl::rotfl:

the_devil_made_me_do_it

Well my experience with magnifying mirrors goes on. I went on the hunt and the highest magnification I found was a x10. Crickey that strength would give me a headache.

Couldn't find a lower strength apart from the usual x2 and x3 mirrors. Looks like I'm going to have to take a chance and buy maybe an x8.