Where do the stories of glasses weakening eyes come from?

Commonly, most people require their first spectacles in their mid forties for close-up focussing (presbyopia).

This common misconception typically comes from people purchasing off the shelf readymade glasses which are basically magnifiers. The magnification effect often leads to adaptation which then has the person wanting ‘more’, ie a higher magnification.

The other concern is people wearing their spectacles incorrectly, ie if prescribed a reading or computer prescription and then you ‘forget’ and walk around with the spectacles on,it is likely that your eyes may become accustomed to this style of focusing, and require you to be prescribed a stronger lens power prematurely.