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The Best Reading Glasses of 2023 – CNET [CNET]
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Find the best places to buy reading glasses online, whether you want a classic pair or a unique designer frame.
Kim Wong-Shing Senior Associate Editor / Wellness
Kim Wong-Shing loves demystifying the world of wellness to make it accessible to any reader. She’s also passionate about exploring the intersections of health, history and culture. Prior to joining CNET, she contributed stories to Glamour, MindBodyGreen, Greatist and other publications.
Expertise Nutrition, personal care, mental health, LGBTQ+ health Credentials
- Reads health studies in her sleep.
Farsightedness is one of the most common vision issues associated with aging. It can make it harder to see things up close — which is why most people eventually turn to reading glasses. Unlike prescription eyeglasses, reading glasses are available over the counter at many pharmacies for low cost. But you can also buy them online and have them delivered to your door with ease, and online vendors have more options for style and lens power (the number that tells you how strong the glasses are).
A variety of companies offer online reading glasses, some of which specialize in them. We combed through almost a dozen sites to look at factors like variety, shipping policies and customer reviews and found the best reading glasses your money can buy.
What are the best overall reading glasses?
GlassesUSA is our pick for the best overall reading glasses you can buy online, thanks to its well-rounded inventory, fair policies and great customer reviews. GlassesUSA was also one of CNET’s picks for the best online glasses and best prescription sunglasses.
The best reading glasses of 2023
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GlassesUSA offers any of its 300-plus frames as a pair of reading glasses, rather than prescription glasses. You can get lens powers from +0.25 to +4 on every pair, which is one of the widest ranges out of all the brands we looked at — even people with very weak or very strong farsightedness can get their readers here. There are many different styles to choose from, from traditional to bold. Frequent sales bring the prices down to as low as about $34 for a pair. GlassesUSA also has other policies and perks that make it a convenient vendor to buy from. These include virtual try-ons, free shipping, free returns or exchanges and a year-long warranty.
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Warby Parker is a popular and well-known brand in the online glasses world, and for good reason. Its site makes it easy to shop for the exact styles you’re interested in based on size, shape, color and more. You can try on frames virtually or even at home. All of Warby Parker’s glasses are available as reading glasses with powers from +0.25 to +2.75. These frames are great quality for the price, which starts at $95 for a pair.
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You can’t go wrong with a budget pair of glasses from Zenni, which sells more than 1700 frames starting at just $12. Reading glasses at Zenni come in powers from +0.25 to +2.75. The site offers a virtual try-on experience and because the frames are so affordable, it’s easy to get a couple of pairs for different occasions or to stash in different locations. If you do change your mind, make a return within two weeks for a refund or within 30 days for store credit.
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There’s something to be said for buying a pair of reading glasses from a brand that’s dedicated to that specific product. Readers.com offers little perks like an online “PowerFinder” to help you determine the best strength for your eyes, and it sells frames in +1 to +4 powers to accommodate a wide range of vision needs. For some frames, up to +7 is available. The site’s frames come in a range of prices and styles (over 500). You can filter your search by shape, style and more.
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Peepers, a brand you might recognize from talk shows or Oprah’s Favorite Things, is ideal for people who want a bolder or more creative look at a very reasonable price. The brand keeps things simple: The selection isn’t huge, but is well-curated and each pair of glasses is the exact same price: $29 (before sales). Virtual try-on is available and shipping is free over $42. Powers range from +1 to +2.25.
Factors to consider when choosing reading glasses
- Strength: Reading glasses typically range from +0.25 to +2.50 diopters (the unit that glasses prescriptions use). It’s important to see an eye doctor to find the power that works for your eyes. You may need a stronger pair as you get older, or you’ll want bifocal or progressives if you need both distance and nearsighted vision correction.
- Style: Expressing your style is one of the main perks of wearing glasses. Find the ideal shape, width, material and color. Don’t be afraid to change things up.
- Price: Reading glasses can be quite affordable since they don’t need to be custom-made like prescription glasses do. However, designer reading glasses will cost more, with prices $150 and up. If you tend to lose your glasses or want to have multiple pairs on hand around the house, it might be better to stick with lower-priced ones.
- Upgrades: Consider whether you need any lens treatments like blue light filters, polarization or antiglare coatings.
- Shipping and returns: If you opt for an online pair, you probably don’t get to try them in person, making it all the more important to use a company with timely shipping and an easy way to make returns or exchanges.
How we chose the best reading glasses
- Selection: We looked at not only the number of different frames to choose from, but also the range of colors, shapes, materials and so on. Basically, how likely is it that a range of people would be able to find a pair they liked from this store?
- Shipping policies: We considered whether free shipping is available, how long that shipping takes, and how much it costs to upgrade to faster shipping. We also looked at warranties and return policies.
- Customer satisfaction and reviews: We took other CNET editors’ experiences into account, as well as customer reviews online.
- Price range: We looked at the average price of a pair of frames, and the lowest and highest price available, to find the best reading glasses for different readers’ budgets.
FAQs
How do I know what strength reading glasses to get?
The easiest and surest way is to see an eye doctor, especially if you think you need a stronger pair. Another alternative is to try on glasses of different strengths; pick the lowest power that you can see well with. An online diopter chart can also help you find the closest power that may help you read.
Are cheap reading glasses OK?
Yes, cheap reading glasses are perfectly acceptable and there’s no reason to shell out more than $25 for a pair unless you want to. Just know that cheaper frames may not last as long or hold up to as much wear and tear as higher-quality ones.
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.
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