What prescription do I need for reading glasses?​

Our free reading prescription checks help you narrow down the right diopter strength for your reading glasses in just a few steps. Choose the method that works best for you and complete the check in just a few minutes. The result serves as a non-binding guide and makes it easier for you to choose the right prescription for your new reading glasses.

Select a method

RECOMMENDED

1

Quick Reading Level Assessment in 2 Minutes

Calibrate the eye test using a 1-euro coin. This will ensure that the display on your screen is scaled correctly. You can then estimate the prescription for your reading glasses.

Start the Vision Test
2

Calculate Reading Strength Based on Reading Distance

Select the distance at which you see most clearly without glasses, and enter your desired reading distance to estimate your reading glasses prescription.

Enter the reading distance
3

Assessing Reading Level by Age

Use your age as a starting point to quickly and easily estimate your reading glasses prescription. However, this method provides only a rough estimate.
Organize by age

RECOMMENDED

1

Quick Reading Level Assessment in 2 Minutes

Calibrate the vision test using a card the size of a credit card, such as a loyalty card or your driver’s license. This will ensure that the display on your screen is scaled correctly. You can then estimate the prescription strength of your reading glasses.
Start the Vision Test
2

Calculate Reading Strength Based on Reading Distance

Select the distance at which you see most clearly without glasses, and enter your desired reading distance to estimate your reading glasses prescription.

Enter the reading distance
3

Assessing Reading Level by Age

Use your age as a starting point to quickly and easily estimate your reading glasses prescription. However, this method provides only a rough estimate.

Organize by age

Important Note:
Our vision tests provide only a rough estimate for simple reading glasses. They are not a substitute for a vision examination by an optician or ophthalmologist—especially in cases of eye conditions, astigmatism, or significant differences in prescription between the eyes.

 

Quickly Test Your Reading Glasses Prescription

This quick test will give you an initial idea of which reading strength might be right for you. To ensure the most reliable result possible, please first calibrate the screen using a credit card-sized card, such as a loyalty card, health insurance card, or driver’s license. The card serves solely as a size reference.

Important: Please take the test without your reading glasses. Maintain a distance of about 40 cm between your eyes and the screen.

1. Calibrate the screen with a map

Place a credit card-sized card directly on the card slot at the bottom. Move the slider so that the map displayed on the screen is exactly as wide as your actual map.

Place a real card here
Card: 85.6 mm wide

2. Conduct a strengths assessment

Stand about 40 cm away from the screen.
Read the lines from top to bottom and choose the first line that you can read clearly and comfortably.
The diopter value displayed is a possible guideline for the strength of your reading glasses.

Read now:

Small print is easier to read with the right reading glasses.
If it's easy to read +1.0 dpt
A good pair of reading glasses helps you read comfortably in your everyday life.
If it's easy to read +1.5 dpt
With the right prescription, you'll be able to read books, labels, and news more clearly.
If it's easy to read +2.0 dpt
The right reading glasses will help you see small details more clearly again.
If it's easy to read +2.5 dpt
With the right reading glasses, reading becomes more enjoyable and less tiring.
If it's easy to read +3.0 dpt
A well-chosen pair of reading glasses makes small print clear again.
If it's easy to read +3.5 dpt
How to read the results:
Start with the top line. The first line that you can read clearly and comfortably at a distance of about 40 cm, , gives you a possible guideline for the strength of your reading glasses. The lower down this line appears, the stronger the recommended reading glasses.
Can't decide between two weights?
If in doubt, choose the lower prescription—especially if you plan to use your reading glasses while looking at a screen. For very small print or close reading distances, the higher prescription may be more comfortable.
This test is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for a professional eye exam by an optician or ophthalmologist. If your eyes have different prescriptions or if you experience headaches, dizziness, or persistent blurred vision, we recommend a professional eye exam.

Test Your Reading Glasses Prescription on Your Smartphone

Use a 1-euro coin to properly scale the reading test on your smartphone. The coin is provided solely as a size reference. You can then estimate your potential reading glasses prescription directly on the screen.

Important: Please take the test without your reading glasses. Keep a distance of about 40 cm between your eyes and the smartphone.

1. Calibrate the screen using a 1-euro coin

Place a real 1-euro coin directly on the circle below. Move the slider so that the circle on the screen is exactly the same size as your coin. If the circle doesn't get big enough, please rotate your smartphone to landscape mode.

Place a 1-euro coin here
1-euro coin: 23.25 mm

2. Conduct a strengths assessment

Hold the smartphone about 40 cm away from your eyes.
Read the lines from top to bottom and choose the first line that you can read clearly and comfortably.
The diopter value displayed is a possible guideline for the prescription of your reading glasses.

Read now:

Small print is easier to read with the right reading glasses.
If it's easy to read +1.0 dpt
A good pair of reading glasses helps you read comfortably in your everyday life.
If it's easy to read +1.5 dpt
With the right prescription, you'll be able to read books and the news more clearly.
If it's easy to read +2.0 dpt
The right reading glasses will help you see small details more clearly.
If it's easy to read +2.5 dpt
With the right reading glasses, reading becomes more enjoyable again.
If it's easy to read +3.0 dpt
A well-chosen pair of reading glasses makes small print clear again.
If it's easy to read +3.5 dpt
How to read the results:
Start with the top line. The first line that you can read clearly and comfortably at a distance of about 40 cm, , gives you a possible guideline for the strength of your reading glasses. The lower down this line appears, the stronger the recommended reading glasses.
Can't decide between two weights?
If in doubt, choose the lower prescription. For very small print or short reading distances, the higher prescription may be more comfortable.
This test is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for a professional eye exam by an optician or ophthalmologist. If your eyes have different prescriptions or if you experience headaches, dizziness, or persistent blurred vision, we recommend a professional eye exam.
 

Calculating Reading Glasses Prescription Based on Reading Distance

Use this method to calculate an approximate prescription for your reading glasses based on your current viewing distance and your desired reading distance. Simply select the distance at which you currently see most clearly and the distance at which you would like to read in the future.

Calculate Diopters for Reading Glasses

Especially when you're buying your first pair of reading glasses, the question arises: What prescription do I need? With our diopter calculator for reading glasses, you can easily calculate the reading prescription you need on your own.

cm

Enter your personal near vision distance here—that is, the shortest distance at which you can see everything clearly without glasses. However, if this distance is greater than 2 meters, it’s best to have an optician or ophthalmologist determine the correction you need.

As a general rule, while this calculator provides a rough estimate, a reliable assessment of your vision can only be performed by qualified ophthalmologists and opticians.

 

Dioptrienrechner für Lesebrillen

Mit unserem Rechner finden Sie schnell heraus, welche Lesebrillen-Stärke ungefähr zu Ihrem Sehbereich passt – für klassisches Lesen oder für entspanntes Arbeiten am Bildschirm.

Lesebrillen-Stärke aus aktueller Sehdistanz berechnen

Wählen Sie aus, in welcher Entfernung Sie aktuell am schärfsten sehen. Danach bestimmen Sie die gewünschte Lesedistanz – standardmäßig 40 cm, also eine typische Entfernung zum Lesen von Büchern, Zeitschriften oder dem Smartphone.

Bildschirm-Stärke aus Ihrer Lesebrille berechnen

Sie kennen bereits Ihre Lesebrille für einen nahen Abstand? Dann berechnen Sie hier die ungefähre Stärke für einen größeren Arbeitsabstand – zum Beispiel für Monitor, Laptop oder Kasse.
Wichtiger Hinweis:
Dieser Rechner liefert einen ungefähren Richtwert und ersetzt keine individuelle Sehstärkenbestimmung. In der Praxis spielen zusätzliche Faktoren wie vorhandene Fernkorrektion, Restakkommodation, Zylinder/Astigmatismus und persönliches Sehgefühl mit hinein.
 

Estimating Reading Glasses Prescription Strength by Age

Your age can give you a rough idea of what reading glasses prescription might be right for you.
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Age Possible Reading Glasses Prescription Classification
40–45 years approx. +1.0 dpt The onset is often quite typical: When small letters become increasingly difficult to read, +1.0 dpt can be a helpful first indicator.
46–50 years approx. +1.0 to +1.5 dpt Reading often becomes significantly more difficult during this stage of life. For smartphones, packaging, or menus, the typical prescription ranges from +1.0 to +1.5 dpt.
51–55 years approx. +1.5 to +2.0 dpt If text in books, package inserts, or price tags is no longer comfortable to read, the appropriate prescription is often between +1.5 and +2.0 dpt.
56–60 years approx. +2.0 to +2.5 dpt At this age, people usually need a little more help with reading. A prescription of about +2.0 to +2.5 dpt is often a good guideline for this age group.
Ages 61 and up approx. +2.5 to +3.5 dpt If small print is only legible at a greater distance or under particularly good lighting, reading glasses in the range of +2.5 to +3.5 dpt may be an option.

Note: The information in this table is intended only as a general guide. The actual appropriate reading glasses prescription depends not only on age but also on your preferred reading distance, your current vision, and any differences between your eyes. If you experience headaches, dizziness, persistent blurred vision, or significantly different eye prescriptions, we recommend consulting an optician or ophthalmologist.

What does "diopters" mean?

The diopter value, or dpt for short, indicates the strength of a lens. It describes how much the lens must refract incoming light so that you can see clearly again at the desired distance.

Reading glasses have what are known as positive diopter values, such as +1.0, +1.5, or +2.0 dpt. These values help with near vision, such as when reading books, labels, menus, or text on a smartphone. The higher the diopter value, the more the reading glasses assist with reading.

Ready-made reading glasses are usually available in 0.5-diopter increments. At Lesebrille.de, you can find reading glasses in the popular strengths ranging from +1.0 to +3.5 dpt.

Frequently Asked Questions About Reading Glasses & Diopters

What prescription is best for your first pair of reading glasses?

Many customers start with reading glasses between +1.0 and +1.5 dpt. If reading small print is becoming increasingly difficult, +1.0 dpt is often a good starting point.

Is it possible to estimate the correct prescription for reading glasses online?

Yes, an online test or a calculator can give you an initial assessment. However, this cannot replace an accurate determination of visual acuity.

At what age do people typically start needing reading glasses?

Presbyopia often becomes noticeable around the ages of 40 to 45. Small print appears blurrier, reading becomes tiring more quickly, or people automatically hold texts farther away.

What can happen if the strength isn't right?

If reading glasses are too strong or too weak, reading can become uncomfortable. Typical symptoms may include eye strain, headaches, or blurred vision.

Can the left and right eyes have different diopter values?

Ready-made reading glasses usually have the same prescription in both lenses. If your eyes have significantly different prescriptions, we recommend scheduling a personal consultation with an optician.

Your reading glasses from Klammeraffe-Lesebrillen.de

Do you already know your prescription? Then browse our wide selection of Klammeraffe reading glasses— —ranging from timeless to modern, for both women and men.

  • Free shipping on orders of €29 or more
  • Ships today if you order and pay before 3:00 p.m.
  • Wide selection in many shapes and colors
  • Easy Returns
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