Most people don't wake up and decide to get glasses. They notice something's off first: holding your phone further away, a headache that won't go away, squinting at the TV, a child sitting closer and closer to the screen.
Below, we've gone through the most common signs people bring to us at Eye Squared.
It is generally recommended by Optometry Australia:
Checking your eye health is really important. We screen for eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and cataracts.
Kids are often the hardest to catch, because they don't know their vision is different from anyone else's. To them, blurry is normal. Signs to watch for:
If your child is diagnosed as short-sighted (myopic), the important next question isn't just "what glasses do they need", it's "is it getting worse each year?"
We work with Hoya, Zeiss, and Essilor for this. Each lab uses a different technology to send that 'slow down' signal to the eye:
1. Hoya MiyoSmart / MiyoSmart iQ — D.I.M.S. technology: honeycomb-shaped segments across the lens send the slow-down signal. MiyoSmart iQ moves these segments closer to the centre, for faster-progressing cases.
2. Zeiss MyoCare — C.A.R.E. technology: a ring of near-invisible microstructures around the lens sends the slow-down signal.
3. Essilor Stellest / Stellest 2.0 — H.A.L.T. technology: hundreds of tiny lenslets across the lens create a "cloud" of unfocused light that sends the slow-down signal. Stellest 2.0 roughly doubles the strength of that signal.
Myopia control lenses send a signal to help slow the eye's growth, not just correct the blur, but slow the progression itself. Regular lenses don't do this; myopia control lenses are specifically designed to.
If you're on a phone, laptop, or screen most of the day, and you notice blurry near vision, headaches, or eyes that feel heavy by dinner time. This is often digital eye strain, not a sign your glasses (or eyes) are "broken."
Screens force your eyes to refocus constantly at close range, all day, which is a lot of work most people's eyes weren't built for.
The fix isn't necessarily a stronger prescription. Often a lens designed for this is required.
For general screen strain (anti-fatigue lenses)
A single vision lens with a small added "boost" at the bottom, easing the focusing effort on close-up work throughout the day.
For all-day desk work (occupational lenses)
A progressive-style lens built specifically for people who move between a monitor, keyboard, papers, and the room around them all day — a step beyond what an anti-fatigue lens is designed for.
Good signs this is you: taking your glasses off to rub your eyes multiple times a day, headaches around your eyes, forehead, or temples, or eyes that feel noticeably worse by Friday than Monday.
This one usually shows up in your 40s, and it catches people off guard because their distance vision hasn't changed.
It's specifically the up-close focus that's slipping (a normal, age-related change called presbyopia, not a sign anything's wrong).
Common signs: holding your phone further away to read it, needing better lighting to read than you used to, or noticing menus in dim restaurants are suddenly a struggle.
If you need a prescription for reading and another for distance, the alternative to carrying (and constantly swapping) two pairs is a multifocal lens.
One lens that blends both prescriptions with a smooth transition between them, and no visible line so that all distance are clear.
We work with both Hoya and Zeiss for our multifocal lenses, and we'll recommend whichever suits your prescription and lifestyle best. Both are well-established, precision lens makers. The right fit comes down to your individual eyes.
Glare from oncoming headlights, streaks on wet roads, and general difficulty judging distance at dusk are common.
A few normal, age-related changes can make night driving trickier over time:
Lens coatings can help too. Both our lens partners make coatings designed to reduce glare and improve clarity at night: Zeiss DriveSafe and Hoya EnRoute Pro. We can talk you through both at your appointment and help you decide what's right for you.
If night driving has started to feel harder, it's worth booking an eye test. We can check what's causing it and talk you through your options.
Thick lenses are usually a sign of a stronger prescription combined with an older or lower-grade lens design. Not something you're stuck with.
Both labs we work with, Zeiss and Hoya, make freeform lenses for single vision, progressives, and multifocals. Freeform lenses are shaped more precisely than older lens designs, which generally means a flatter, thinner, lighter result, even at higher prescriptions.
Each brand has a few different freeform designs depending on your prescription and lifestyle, so thinner and lighter is almost always achievable. It's a matter of finding the right one for you. We'll talk you through the options that suit your prescription at your appointment.
If you're constantly swapping from clear optical glasses inside to sunglasses the second you step outside, photochromic lenses are the ones for you.
They're clear indoors and darken automatically in sunlight, adjusting to how bright it actually is outside rather than being one fixed tint.
This is genuinely one of our most popular upgrades, and it's not just the convenience, the colour range has come a long way. Beyond the classic grey, you can now get photochromic lenses in burgundy, brown, green, blue, and other tints. It can suit your style the same way a good pair of sunglasses would.
Good for: anyone who spends real time both indoors and out, or who's sick of losing/forgetting a separate pair of sunglasses.
This comes down to the coating, not the lens shape. Both Zeiss and Hoya coatings we stock follow the same basic pattern, in plain terms:
- Entry-level (Eye Squared lenses): solid everyday scratch resistance and anti-glare
- Premium: what we default to for both labs, since we've deliberately skipped the mid-range coatings that don't clean or wear as well over time.
Hoya lenses come with Hi-Vision Meiryo Diamond, Hoya's most scratch-resistant, easiest-to-clean coating.
Zeiss lenses come with either DuraVision Platinum, for the clearest daylight look with minimal reflections, or DuraVision Gold, for the strongest scratch resistance and the clearest vision specifically in low light.
All of these repel water, oil, and fingerprints, so lenses stay easier to keep clean day to day. We'll help you pick the coating that fits your prescription, lifestyle, and budget. No in-between guesswork required.
No referral is needed. You can book directly with us anytime.
Yes. Most standard eye tests are bulk billed to Medicare if you have a valid Medicare card.
That’s fine. We’ll still provide a full eye exam and can help you choose eyewear that fits your budget.
Yes — we accept all Australian health funds and can claim instantly on the spot through HICAPS.
Absolutely. Most of our sunglass frames can be fitted with prescription lenses.
Yes. We offer fittings, trial lenses, and training on safe contact lens use, plus ongoing aftercare.
Standard lenses can often be ready within a week. Some specialised lenses may take longer — we’ll let you know at the time of ordering.
Yes, we can tighten, adjust, and replace parts for most frames.
