Reading Glasses Strength Guide: Find Your Lens Power
Lens power, also called magnification strength, tells you how much help the lenses give your eyes to see things up close. It’s measured in dioptres (D) and, for reading glasses, comes in positive numbers such as +0.50, +1.00 or +2.00.
The higher the number, the stronger the magnification.
As we get older, our eyes naturally become less able to focus on things up close. Reading glasses can make small print and close-up tasks clearer and more comfortable.
+0.50
VERY MILD MAGNIFICATION
May suit:
People who only need a slight boost for close-up tasks or find stronger readers unnecessary.
Useful for:
Menus, labels, phones and short periods of close reading.
Good to know:
+0.50 provides gentle magnification and can be a useful option if you're just beginning to notice that small print isn't quite as easy to read as it used to be.
+1.00
MILD MAGNIFICATION
May suit:
People who need a little more help with small print and everyday close-up tasks.
Useful for:
Books, menus, labels, smartphones and other everyday reading.
Good to know:
+1.00 offers noticeable but relatively gentle magnification. If text still isn't comfortably clear at your normal reading distance, you may need a different strength.
+1.50
MODERATE MAGNIFICATION
May suit:
People who find lower-powered readers aren't providing enough help for comfortable close-up reading.
Useful for:
Books, recipes, labels, documents and regular reading.
Good to know:
+1.50 provides moderate magnification for everyday close-up tasks. Choose a strength that makes text comfortably clear at the distance you naturally like to read.
+2.00
STRONGER MAGNIFICATION
May suit:
People who need more magnification than lower-powered readers provide.
Useful for:
Reading books, documents, recipes, labels and other close-up tasks.
Good to know:
+2.00 provides stronger magnification for near vision. Stronger isn't necessarily better — comfort and your normal reading distance matter when choosing your power.
+2.50
EXTRA-STRONG MAGNIFICATION
May suit:
People who need significant magnification for small print and close-up tasks.
Useful for:
Books, labels, recipes, detailed reading and other near work.
Good to know:
+2.50 provides substantial magnification. Make sure you're assessing the strength at the distance you normally hold whatever you're reading.
+3.00
OUR STRONGEST MAGNIFICATION
May suit:
People who require a higher level of magnification for close-up reading.
Useful for:
Small print, labels, detailed close-up tasks and reading.
Good to know:
+3.00 is the strongest reading power currently available from Ministry of Sight. It provides significant magnification, so make sure it feels comfortable at your usual reading distance.
IF YOU'RE JUST STARTING OUT
If you're new to reading glasses, start by finding the lowest strength that makes text comfortably clear at your normal reading distance.
Stronger isn't necessarily better. The right power should make close-up tasks easier without feeling unnecessarily strong.
A FEW TIPS
Compare powers at the distance you normally read.
Stronger isn't always better. Choose the lowest power that makes reading comfortably clear.
You may prefer different strengths for different viewing distances or tasks.
Start with the lowest comfortable strength. Stronger isn't necessarily better. Choose the lowest reading strength that makes text comfortably clear at your normal reading distance. If you're between two strengths, start with the lower one.
If you're unsure what vision correction you need, your two eyes require different strengths, or you have concerns about your vision, see an optometrist.