New research suggests that cheap reading glasses might be readily available, but in the long term they can cost you your eyesight.

By the age of 50, most adults have problems reading a book or newspaper without spectacles, so the arrival of the cheap glasses in supermarkets, high street stores and market stalls less than ten years ago has been seen as a saviour for many.

To avoid paying 100's of pounds for a pair of reading glasses from an optician that might easily be lost or broken, many buy several cheap versions to stash around the house so that they can always find a pair.

A researcher at consumer champion 'Which?' checked 14 pairs from seven high street chains and found that those carrying a higher prescription – plus 3.5 to plus 4 – considered to cause the most concern.

"Off-the-peg glasses could cause eye strain, blurred vision, headaches or double vision," The Daily Mail quoted the researcher as saying.

"For people with higher prescriptions, they're not suitable for walking or other mobile activities. They could even 'cause a nasty accident," he added.

The biggest problem is non-alignment, which means that the sight in one eye might be clear while the other is blurred.

"This could cause eye problems or a head tilt," the researcher said.

Opticians say eye examinations are essential before buying glasses. As well as ensuring the correct prescription is used, they can detect serious health issues, such as cataracts and brain tumours.

When it came to glasses frames, here at SeeInStyle.com we thought we’d seen it all. That was until we spotted these “Deluxe Prism Glasses” from www.bordersindependentliving.co.uk. Genius.

Apparently these babies are designed to fit over your regular glasses whilst allowing you to “read a book, watch TV”, or our personal favourite, “simply watch the world go by" whilst lying flat on your back. Classic.

We really have no idea what makes this particular model “Deluxe”. Perhaps it’s the adjustable ear piece, which according to the website, “can be adjusted with a heat gun”. That will be the heat gun that everyone keeps under the bed then, right? Or perhaps it’s the “vinyl case?” Presumably when they wrote "vinyl" they actually meant "solid gold" then. I digress.

Besides facilitating the bone idle, apparently these fashionable glasses are quite useful for people who have to endure MRI scans, have limited neck movement or simply “for those people who must wear a halo......” Honestly, you can’t make it up.

A new low for laziness. It's so absurd, I want to buy a pair. At £39.60 there's gotta be a cheaper place to buy them, but I'm simply too lazy to check.

Our advice, don’t get up, just get someone to buy them for you.

On sale from classiceyeglasses (via ebay) we found some eyeglasses for all you mythological Greek one-eyed beasts with vision problems. Bidding starts at $22.95. Hmmm, I see a problem.

So who would possibly want to buy such a thing?? Well, these glasses are for applying makeup. This 60's trend never really caught on so don't hurt yourself too much for forgetting (or not being born yet). The lens is on a hinge, and you can flip it side to side. This way you can apply makeup to one eye more accurately than with no glasses at all.

Haha, classiceyeglasses. Let's be friends.

The RGB Glasses from designer Luís Porém are hollow and made to be filled with the ink colour of your choice. Want black glasses? Add black ink! Want pink glasses? Add pink ink! Want tortoiseshell glasses? Add brown, orange, and black ink! Want to frighten everyone you pass? Add the blood of your fallen enemies and smile while you gnaw on a raw arm.

Alternatively, check out the unique colour ranges on seeinstyle.com for that daring look with a difference!