Are you nearsighted? Usually nearsighted people read well without glasses (unless they are VERY nearsighted. They need glasses for distance viewing.
I have one son that reads with his nose practically touching the page, but doesn't put his glasses on unless he's going to stand up and walk around. And of course, he MUST have them for driving.

I am nearsighted and sometimes take off my progressive lenses to read. I am trying to decide whether it is better with them or without them. Seems about the same.

I'm one who wears true bifocal contacts, and it's fine to read when wearing them. I have bifocal glasses for those times when I'm not wearing my contacts, and I ALWAYS take them off to read, or when I'm using the computer, knitting, etc. I don't like to drive with the glasses, so essentially the only time I wear them is when I'm walking around or watching tv.

I have progressive lenses and take them off to work on the computer. I think when we need to take them off, or look over the top of them, depends on that exact distance from our eyes where its in focus without the lenses. I think people must think I'm strange, that when I'm standing there talking to them, I'l always looking over the top of the glasses........but that's because if I wanted to see them really clearly with my glasses on, I'd have to tilt my head back and look through the bottom of the glasses...which I don't want to do.
There might be a time when you need to put your glasses on to read. Or maybe it means that the close-up part of your lenses are too strong??

I have worn glasses since about the age of 5 and now I'm 55. It's only been the last 5 or so years that I've done this. I can't read the computer screen because the writing is too small without glasses. It's only reading anything besides the computer and especially small print. I too usually look over the top of my glasses when reading something quickly.

Why not try either the Bifocal or the Monovision contact lenses. They are designed for people who have presbyopia, which as you probably already know, is an age related condition where you lose the ability to focus on close objects. The options for presbyopia include progressive lenses glasses, or multifocal contact lenses.

Two types of these contact lenses are bifocal lens, which cover being both being nearsighted and far sided in one lens,and monovision contact lenses, which one contact lens has a distance correction and the other has a near correction. Your eyes eventually learn to choose the particular lens needed for a given situation.

My husband has been successfully wearing the monovision lenses for about 3 years now, without incident.

I have progressive lenses. I take them off to read and to work on the computer and when I am talking to someone who is standing quite close. I see much better without them.