You’re squinting at your phone screen again, wondering if your glasses prescription might be out of date. Maybe you’ve been putting off that eye exam for months, or maybe you just found an old prescription lying around somewhere.
Most glasses prescriptions in Canada are valid for 1-2 years, though your eye doctor ultimately determines the expiration date based on your vision needs and eye health.
At Mint Eyecare, our team provides comprehensive eye exams to ensure your prescription stays current and your vision remains clear. Regular adult eye exams help maintain optimal eye health throughout your life.
Your Glasses Prescription Expiration Timeline
Your glasses prescription comes with a built-in expiration date that typically ranges from one to two years. This timeline isn’t random—your eye doctor determines this date based on how stable your vision is and your overall eye health.
Provincial regulations across Canada generally allow prescriptions to remain valid for up to two years. However, your eye doctor might set a shorter expiration period if you have changing vision, certain eye conditions, or other health factors that require closer monitoring.
Your prescription’s expiration date appears on your prescription slip, usually near the bottom or in a designated area marked “Valid Until” or “Expires.” Your eye doctor uses their professional judgment to determine whether you’ll need a check-up in one year or can safely wait two years.
Why Your Prescription Has an Expiration Date
Expiration dates on prescriptions exist for two main reasons: because your vision naturally changes over time, and because regular eye exams help catch serious eye problems before they can damage your sight.
Your Vision Changes Over Time
Your eyes don’t stay the same throughout your life. Even if you feel like your vision is stable, small changes happen gradually. You might not notice day-to-day.
In children and young adults, for instance, nearsightedness (myopia) tends to progress over time. Farsightedness might develop as you age, and astigmatism can shift slightly over time. Once you hit your 40s, presbyopia typically begins—that’s when you have to start holding your phone farther away to read text messages clearly.
Early Detection of Eye Health Issues
Many serious eye conditions develop silently, without causing noticeable symptoms in their early stages. Glaucoma, for example, can damage your optic nerve gradually while your central vision remains clear.
Regular eye exams catch these problems when they’re still treatable. Your eye doctor examines the health of your retina, checks your eye pressure, and looks for signs of conditions like diabetic retinopathy or macular degeneration during routine visits.
Signs You Need a New Prescription Before It Expires
Your eyes can tell you when your current glasses aren’t doing their job anymore. Pay attention to these warning signs that indicate you need an updated prescription:
- Blurry vision even with your glasses on
- Frequent headaches or eye strain
- Difficulty focusing on close or distant objects
- Eye fatigue after reading or computer work
- Double vision or halos around lights
These symptoms can develop gradually, so you might adapt to them without realizing that your vision has changed. If you notice any of these issues, however, you should schedule an eye exam with your optometrist.
What Happens When You Wear an Expired Prescription
Using an outdated prescription affects both your comfort and your ability to see clearly in daily situations.
Comfort & Safety Concerns
Wearing glasses with the wrong prescription power forces your eyes to work harder than they should. In fact, it can cause eye strain, headaches, and fatigue, especially during activities that require focused vision like driving or reading.
Your visual clarity suffers too. If your prescription is off, road signs might look fuzzy while you’re driving, or you might struggle to read text on your computer screen clearly. This reduced clarity can create safety risks and make work tasks more difficult.
Getting New Glasses With an Expired Prescription
Expired prescriptions can’t be legally filled, even if the expiration date is recent.
When your prescription expires, you need to schedule an eye exam to get a new one. You can’t simply renew or extend your existing prescription—your eye doctor needs to recheck your vision and eye health.
Age-Based Prescription Guidelines
How often you need new prescriptions depends largely on your age and how quickly your vision changes.
Children & Teens (Ages 6-19)
Young people usually need annual eye exams, because their vision changes more rapidly during growth periods. Myopia progression is particularly common in children and teens, requiring frequent prescription updates to maintain clear vision.
Adults (Ages 20-64)
Most adults can go two years between eye exams if their vision remains stable and they don’t have underlying eye conditions. However, if you have diabetes, a family history of glaucoma, or other risk factors, your eye doctor might recommend more frequent visits.
Seniors (65 & Over)
Older adults benefit from yearly eye exams. The risk of conditions like cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration increases with age, making regular monitoring important for keeping good vision.
Our experienced team at Mint Eyecare offers comprehensive eye exams in a comfortable, welcoming environment that feels more like home than a medical office. You can even relax by the fireplace in our optical gallery while you browse our wide selection of eyeglasses.
Contact us at Mint Eyecare today to schedule your comprehensive eye exam and keep your vision sharp with an up-to-date prescription.
