Compact reading glasses, sometimes referred to as slim reading glasses, are lighter, less noticeable, and sometimes more attractive, than the larger variety. Before purchasing compact reading glasses you should make sure that the readers will meet your needs.

First consider what you will be using the reading glasses for. Compact reading glasses are great for short tasks or those that must be performed while on the go. Reading menus and labels, shopping tags or bus schedules are perfect examples of these types of tasks. Because the lenses on compact reading glasses are smaller than those on larger styles they don't always make the best option for long term or more intense reading. Some people find it hard to focus through the small area for long periods of time.

Another great use for compact reading glasses is as a half eye. This means to wear the compact reading glasses down a bit on your nose. This will allow you to look down through the lenses to see your near vision tasks while maintaining the ability to look our over the top for your distance vision needs. If you do this keep in mind that moving the readers down your nose can actually increase the strength of the glasses so you might consider getting a slightly weaker power.

The final great thing about compact reading glasses is the storage cases they usually come with. Often such readers come with a hard case that is designed to store a specific style of reading glasses. This means no extra space in the case, hence no wasted space in your pocket or bag. The case is usually rigid providing a protective home for the readers when you are on the go and throwing them haphazardly in to your pocket or purse.

Compact or slim readers are the perfect solution for those people looking for reading glasses to solve the above challenges. Use them on the go, use them as half eye readers, or throw them in to your bag without a care, that's what they were designed for.