How is your eyesight?

[Coach]

I'm 57 and just moved from bifocals to progressives. They're working out well.

Coach

 

[W2R]

I'm 57 and just moved from bifocals to progressives. They're working out well.

Coach

That's great!

Progressives were a big disappointment for me. I suspect my neck muscles just aren't coordinated enough for me to get the right correction for a given distance, so nothing was in focus.

I can see why progressives are probably terrific for someone who has better luck with them.

 

[aaronc879]

I've had glasses since I was 10, but should've had them sooner just didn't know it. Luckily my sight hasn't gotten much worse since age 10, now 28. Can't get much worse without being legally blind. With glasses off and at arms length, I can't read the posts on this page on a 15" flat screen. I would be unable to function without my glasses which is why I keep an extra pair at home and in my car.

 

[rs0460a]

I've had glasses since I was 10, but should've had them sooner just didn't know it. Luckily my sight hasn't gotten much worse since age 10, now 28. Can't get much worse without being legally blind. With glasses off and at arms length, I can't read the posts on this page on a 15" flat screen. I would be unable to function without my glasses which is why I keep an extra pair at home and in my car.

Sorry, but reading this post just "shouts out" for me to respond ...

Didn't your mother warn you about the practice that you were "performing since age 10" that could make you blind? ... (don't matter what sex U R !!!)

- Ron

 

[ziggy29]

A lot of people warned me that my eyes would start going when I turned 40, and sure enough, it started. I still have good distance vision but I have to use +1.50 reading glasses much of the time.

I had 20/15 vision for a long time.

 

[Marquette]

At my first eye exam (I was 7ish), the doc told me to read the smallest line I could see. I read 'printed in Japan'. There was some discussion afterwards that my eyesight was pretty darn good.

I spent my formative years in the library (bookworm probably doesn't start to cover it)... scientific research be damned, I think those books ruined me. I put off glasses for about 5 years but finally got some last year just before turning 30. I'm slowly growing more nearsighted but figure it might speed up at some point.

 

[StJohnsWood]

I'm 44 and have been near sighted for years. I wear contacts but the last 3 years the far sightedness is coming into play. My eye doctor says I am not quite to the bifocal time. Unfortunately I haven't seen the food on my plate in years. Its a big blur! I could be eating anything!

 

[StillYoung]

I've worn glasses on occasion since my early 20s. I only really need them for longer distances, driving etc, but it's always best to have them checked regularly and make sure your prescription (or lack thereof) is up to date. Working for RNIB (the Royal National Institute of Blind People), I've come across some pretty worrying figures. Your eyesight might be fine, but that doesn't necessarily mean your eyes are healthy; people can lose up to 40% of their vision to conditions like glaucoma before they notice a difference. Eye tests can help pick up these conditions, and ultimately save your sight, so it's always best to keep regular appointments with your optician, just in case.

 

[freebird5825]

i went thru life with 20/15 vision in a family where almost everyone wore glasses. milkman syndrome? LOL
at age 37, i developed a minor astigmatism, i.e. result was lots of headaches. I finally got smart and got graded index lenses for computer screen distance and reading only.
my eyes have been changing a lot more since age 48, but can still read the computer screen easily. reading glasses are now a must for pill bottles - unreadable without glasses or magnifier.
oh, and annual eye checkups determined i may be a future glaucoma candidate. it is being closely monitored.

 

[CyclingInvestor]

Just hit 50. Nearsighted. Glasses since age 10, vision is stabilized at about 20/200. I can read tiny fonts close-up, but need the glasses for everything else.

 

[haha]

I wear reading glasses, and usually wear glasses to drive. But I can pass the test without them. I think I am 20/25 and 20/50.

I did have an odd thing- on a regular optometrist check she said although my pressures were normal, she thought that I had glaucoma because my optic nerves were "cupped". I went to see a glaucoma specialist who did a million tests and follows me annually but says I do not have glaucoma, just an unusual and likely hereditary cupped appearance to my optic nerve.

Anyway, I feel like I get a very good exam each year, and I like that.

Ha

 

[freebird5825]

I did have an odd thing- on a regular optometrist check she said although my pressures were normal, she thought that I had glaucoma because my optic nerves were "cupped". I went to see a glaucoma specialist who did a million tests and follows me annually but says I do not have glaucoma, just an ususual and likely hereditary cupped appearance to my optic nerve.
Anyway, I feel like I get a very good exam each year, and I like that.
Ha

ditto ditto on the cupped optic nerve thing. i also had pressure at the top end of normal. the good news is we both go for annual full medical eye exams and the unusual cupping was seen and checked out.
my pressure continues just under the upper end of the normal range, but not in the red zone. no glaucoma here, yet. i have my next checkup in mid October. no worries mate!

 

[haha]

ditto ditto on the cupped optic nerve thing. i also had pressure at the top end of normal. the good news is we both go for annual full medical eye exams and the unusual cupping was seen and checked out.
my pressure continues just under the upper end of the normal range, but not in the red zone. no glaucoma here, yet. i have my next checkup in mid October. no worries mate!

Right! May our good luck continue.

Ha

 

[freebird5825]

Right! May our good luck continue.

Ha

i forgot to mention i w*rked with lasers a lot during my c*reer. i always wore laser goggles. but i remind my eye doc of that exposure so that he pays extra special attention to me eyeballs.
IF i continue testing with slightly higher pressure, i am slated to start an Rx to lower it BEFORE it causes nerve damage. this month will be the decision point. i feel really good about the EARLY DETECTION of the pressure change. i have no optic nerve damage. whew!!!!
the reason i am continuing on about all this diagnostic screening for the eyes is so other folks here will maybe make an eye checkup exam first thing tomorrow?

 

[Jeremy]

I still have a ways before 50, but I've always had pretty good vision and just took it for granted. That is until a few months ago and my left eye suddenly went from not even needing contacts to having double vision and the inability to read a computer screen. Was diagnosed with keratoconus in the left, and showing signs of it in the right.

RGP lenses are helping for now, but since it's a progressive disease, the doc said we're probably looking at cornea transplants in a few years given how rapid the onset was.

So, don't take your vision for granted, and take care of those eyes!

 

[TromboneAl]

I'm never happy with my eyesight, especially when doing a lot of reading. I realized lately that part of the problem is little scratches in my polycarbonate lenses. I'm going to get some new ones.

Note also that I'm blind in one eye from a childhood accident, and find that presbyopia is a much bigger bother than being blind in one eye.

 

[StillYoung]

Really sorry to hear about the keratoconus, Jeremy. I hope everything works out ok.

I think I'm overdue for a check up, so I should definitely go along soon. I think I'll ask about glaucoma tests and stuff as well while I'm there.

 

[Rambler]

Had cataracts removed at 43, ReStor lens implants mean I rarely have a need for glasses for distance or for reading (as long as there is plenty of light...otherwise I need readers). The problem is the mid-range. Due to the design of the ReStor lens, mid-range is usually problematic. (mid-range means arms length to 6-8 feet...the car's GPS is unreadable, as are price-tags in supermarkets unless I am within 14 inchs of them). So, I keep a pair of cheap readers in the car for the GPS, have a pair of prescription geezer glasses for working on detailed items or in dark places, and I have a pair of Silhouettes to help me see the teleprompter for when I give speeches...otherwise I'm fine. Have the ol' eyeballs thoroughly checked 1x per year.

R

 

[kyounge1956]

Like several others on the thread I have had rotten eyesight (nearsighted and astigmatic) from the git-go and got my first pair of glasses when I was in the 2nd grade. I have three siblings with equally bad vision and my mom sometimes says she & my dad put our optometrist's kids through college as well as their own.

I don't wear bifocals. Up until 3 years ago I used to tell people that I had taken a sacred vow not to get them until age 50, because if you have bifocals you have to admit to being middle-aged and I didn't want to do that yet because I plan to live to 100 (or more). I have to confess that I have been cheating for several years by having two pair of glasses with different prescriptions, one for close and the other for distance. The close-up glasses are just right for computer viewing although I can see the screen OK without glasses, and the distance glasses are for driving, movies and the like. For really fine viewing like reading or needlework I don't wear glasses.

 

[StillYoung]

Kyounge, you may dislike the idea of bifocals on a stigmatizing basis (excuse the pun ) but you may find the added convenience of not having to swap between pairs of glasses outweighs such downsides.

To anyone over 60 who wasn't aware already, you can get totally free eye tests on the NHS! Bargain. Even better if you're Scottish it doesn't matter what age you are, it's free to all people (insert stereotype joke here). You can also get tested for glaucoma at the same time, which should be a priority if any close relatives have it. I know my grandfather developed it in his 70s so it's something I'll be getting checked up at my next exam. Amusingly it's called "the sneaky thief of sight" on account of how it creeps up on you without you noticing, but I'm sure it's less amusing if it actually comes to affect you.

If you need any more info I work for the RNIB so I'm sure I could answer/find the solution to most questions!

 

[kyounge1956]

I'm never happy with my eyesight, especially when doing a lot of reading. I realized lately that part of the problem is little scratches in my polycarbonate lenses.

When I order glasses I am usually asked if I want to get plastic lenses due to the weight. I much prefer glass lenses because they don't scratch as easily. I only hope they continue to be available.

 

[kyounge1956]

Kyounge, you may dislike the idea of bifocals on a stigmatizing basis (excuse the pun ) but you may find the added convenience of not having to swap between pairs of glasses outweighs such downsides.

So far switching is not a bother. I wear one pair all day at work and mostly go without at home. The only time I have a problem is when I need to drive somewhere and don't recall where I left my distance glasses, because without my glasses my vision is so poor it's hard to find them!

You can also get tested for glaucoma at the same time, which should be a priority if any close relatives have it. I know my grandfather developed it in his 70s so it's something I'll be getting checked up at my next exam. Amusingly it's called "the sneaky thief of sight" on account of how it creeps up on you without you noticing, but I'm sure it's less amusing if it actually comes to affect you.

I've been monitored for years due to bigtime family history of glaucoma. I hate visual field tests, but better that than go blind.

 

[ziggy29]

A lot of people warned me that my eyes would start going when I turned 40, and sure enough, it started. I still have good distance vision but I have to use +1.50 reading glasses much of the time.

Just had my annual eye exam. No real change.

 

[TromboneAl]

Just had my exam. Optometrist said that I was getting tired reading probably because I'm holding the book too close. One has a tendency to hold it closer when not seeing well, and that's just making the eyes tired. We'll see.

I'd also prefer glass, but because I'm blind in one eye, I need the extra protection of polycarbonate lenses.

 

[kyounge1956]

(snip) I'd also prefer glass, but because I'm blind in one eye, I need the extra protection of polycarbonate lenses.

I used to work in a job that required eye protection at times. Rather than wear clunky safety glasses with non-prescription lenses over my regular glasses, I used to order my prescription lenses in tempered glass. That provided the required protection and I could still see what I was doing. If you like glass lenses better but need protection, maybe that would do the trick for you too.