Soundmanpt 29 Aug 2010, 10:34
Xplore
Yes! I would say your distant vision is starting to get clearer with your glasses. Sounds like as you say "distant vision is only a bit blurry now" that it is better than when you first started wearing your glasses? You have only been wearing them about 80% of the time for the past week, but your eyes seem to not like it when you take them off. It may take a little longer because your not wearing them full time, but it appears the blur will soon go away for good and you will see perfect at all distances with your glasses.
What has been the reaction from friends, family and boyfriend or girlfriend (not sure if your male or female) to seeing you wearing glasses so much? Were you nervous that first day?
John S 29 Aug 2010, 09:09
Xplore,
I sure sounds like it, only time will tell. The doctor may have made an educated guess on what your rx will end up being. It could take a month or two before you know. Your symptoms point toward you needing some plus rx for distance. Since this is your first rx, the doctor may be trying a single vision rx to see if it will solve your problem. Give it some time. Your eyes have had 30 years to get used to the focusing error. It can take them a while for them to get out of the habit. The times you do not wear them, your eyes will quickly pick up the old routine again. That is what your are trying prevent.
If your distance does not clear up by then, I would go back for a follow up.
Xplore 29 Aug 2010, 06:25
Ok, so I have been trying to go 'full time' for about a week, guess I am wearing my glasses about 80% of the time. My prescription is quite low about +1.25 in each eye. And this is where we are. My distance vision is still a bit blurry, but when I take my glasses off I feel like my eyes almost instantly get tired and my vision at all distances feels a bit blurry. Any Ideas?
Is this a sign that the blurry distance vision is on it's way out?
ehpc 22 Aug 2010, 10:27
Hey! Hey! 'Lynda Carter' frames:) COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL :)
Melyssa 22 Aug 2010, 09:27
Pete,
Those 19-year-old frames were what you always referred to as my "Lynda Carter" frames. I did ask my optician to add that style to the list she already has of my desired frames.
Soundmanpt,
I never thought of it as losing a friend. A loss of a pair of drop-temples would then be like losing a distant relative. :) At least I managed to replace the glasses quickly enough, even with other colors.
BillyE 22 Aug 2010, 02:58
A couple of interesting posts about new glasses for college. I put off wearing glasses for a long time, partly it was the thought of not being able to cope at university not being able to see properly that made me start wearing them. Maybe one day I'll write my account of my gradual acceptance of the need for correction.
ehpc 21 Aug 2010, 19:12
Did I see a pic of those Melyssa? :) Pete
Soundmanpt 21 Aug 2010, 18:17
Melyssa
Loosing that pair that was 19 years old must have been like loosing a friend? Well at least you did the right thing to try and get over your lose. Treat yourself to a couple of new ones. Sorry for your lose.
Melyssa 21 Aug 2010, 09:27
Well, this has certainly been a unique month as far as glasses go. Two of my black ones broke 5 days apart, as I was just finishing using them. One of those was 19 years old, the square black frames that were a favorite of ehpc. To replace them, I took an old red/orange/fade pair of drop-temples which I though had a crack in them (they did not, fortunately) and had the lenses updated. I also bought an Oleg Cassini clear, top-temple, very large frame (61/14/145), which so far has received positive reviews, as it were.
troy 17 Aug 2010, 11:36
i would have round glasses with thick lenses like these!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6IrxVqZ86A
shaun 17 Aug 2010, 11:16
Soundmanpt,
I got my first prescription last year (aged 25) very similiar to Anya with R+1.75 and L+1.25. With the glasses on, I could see all distances perfect from the first day on. Is it really unusual not seeing distances blurry? I am currently thinking about getting contacts, but I don't know if this is unnecessary with such a low prescription. I can see fine without glasses and currently only wear them while working at the computer for longer times..So are there people with my prescription who wear their glasses full time?
Soundmanpt 16 Aug 2010, 07:35
Anya
Have you received your new glasses yet? I think you will find that both pairs have something to offer. You will find, provided you got fairly dark lens tint in your sunglasses, that they work better for driving during the day. The photochromatic will not change enough to make them very dark for driving. However they are nice when your out at sporting events and going in and out of buildings. Changing from regular rx glasses to rx sunglasses can be a hassle for some. I will say for function I recommend to my friends that they get both regular glasses and rx sunglasses for best results. If your light sensitive then this is even more reason for 2 pairs.
You never mentioned it, but did you have much trouble getting used to wearing your glasses for driving and other things that required distance vision when you first got your glasses? Most everyone with plus lenses hates the blur they get until their eyes adjust to their glasses.
Has your friend decided to take your advice and go full time as well? I'm sure it is hard for her to accept because she can still see quite well without her glasses. But she has aloud her eyes to get used to her astigmatism correction in her rx sunglasses and now she gets headaches without correction at all times. Your suggestion of full time wear is a good one now.
Mayu 16 Aug 2010, 04:28
Dan,
You are right about lecture halls. They are very large so that they can allow 300+ audiences in one large lecture hall. During the first week of my freshman year, I notice I can't see well from the back row of hall. I saw an eye doctor because of that.
I got my first prescription. R: -0.50 L: -0.50
With glasses I can read from about twice the distance than without glasses.
Anya 10 Aug 2010, 10:02
Xplore
Yes I do wear my glasses all the time. It was a gradual thing. I just found myself wearing them for longer periods. I didn't intend wearing them all the time when I got them as I didn't think I needed to. It was wearing them for driving that made me notice that they made my sight clearer at all distances and that's when I really started wearing them for long periods. I'd put them on in the morning as I left the house so I had them on ready for driving. Then I'd keep them on when I got to work as I needed them during the day. Kept them on to drive home and then take them off in the house. Sometimes I would get distracted before I took them off and end up wearing them much later in the evening. Eventually I got to the stage of putting them on as soon as I got up and keeping them on until I went to bed. I knew my eyes felt more relaxed with glasses on and as I was wearing them all the time during the week I just carried on doing the same at weekends.
I could go without glasses for most things - I can see without them. Reading would soon give me a headache without them. My sight for other distances wouldn't be quite so clear as I've become accustomed to - This would be uncomfortable but I could cope. But why should I have to cope? I can see better at all distances with glasses so I feel I might as well wear them all the time.
I hope this has helped, Xplore.
Cactus Jack 10 Aug 2010, 07:44
Stel,
"Normal" and "dependence" depend on your age, which you did not mention. You also did not mention any presence or absence of cylinder correction. Both affect my answer.
You have a little myopia. -0.50 for distance means that without correction, anything beyond 2 meters or about 7 feet starts to get fuzzy.
You also have the beginnings of presbyopia. Because of the slight myopia, the absolute power of the reading segment of the glasses will be +1.00. If you wear them for reading at a typical 40 cm (16 inches), your eyes will have to provide +1.50 to achieve the required +2.50 so your ciliary muscles will get some exercise.
By wearing a +1.00 CL in one eye, you will have monovision, but that will do nothing about the -0.50 in the other eye. When there is a difference between the sharpness of the images from the two eyes, the brain will select the sharpest images and use that one as the basis for what you "see". For distance the -0.50 eye will be sharpest (particularly if corrected). For reading, you brain will select the image from the eye with the +1.00 CL. Once you get used to monovision, you will not even be aware that the selection process is taking place. However, monovision may affect your depth perception.
From personal experience, I can say the monovision works pretty well, but if I want to see really well, I wear glasses with both eyes fully corrected. In your situation, the CL would probably be a nuisance, but if vanity is the driving force, go for it. You can always get glasses later.
C.
Stel 10 Aug 2010, 06:47
I just came back from an eye exam, and was given a prescription for readers, which I was expecting, and also for distance, which I wasn't expecting. This is my first prescription. The reading glasses are +1.75 and I am wondering if that is "normal" for a first prescription. The distance is -.50, and I was told I don't really "need" them, but they will help, mostly for night driving. He suggested two pairs of glasses if I don't want to wear full time so that is what I got. When I picked them up, I saw the Dr and asked about contact lenses. He said I could try to wear only one that could be +1.00 for reading, and nothing in my other eye...just use the distance glasses when I need them.
I have read on many posts that once you start wearing reading glasses your muscles relax causing dependence on the glasses. If I wear the one lens, will only that eye's muscles relax. Over time will only my left eye become totally dependent on glasses while the right remains "stronger"? Thanks
Astra 09 Aug 2010, 21:39
Mirka,
It's good that you are comfortable with your new glasses.
About dizzy,
I would say as your rx goes up, it's more likely you would find your vision without your glasses dizzy.
You should not worry about how good you see without your glasses. It's your visual acuity with your glasses that really matters. This is because you are not really expected to see very well without your glasses. And if you go without glasses, then you may find it dizzy, or you may induce strabismus.
If you try reading the text from 7"-8" without glasses (as you have stated before), you will notice you have to turn your eyeball inwards to read. That's too much convergence for your eyeball. Over some time, you may likely to develop strabismus. There's a significant risk of end up with wearing base-out prism lenses of 10 diopters or more.
Therefore it can be harmful to read from a distance beyond 15".
If you find the text is blurry without from about 25". Then it's better to read with glasses on.
If, however, you find the text is too small (not blurry) after wearing your glasses. Then you should try enlarge the font size in your text.
Mirka 09 Aug 2010, 11:23
Hi all,
Thank you all for advice. You all was right. I am after first weekend with my new glasses!!! They work for me very well. I can again to see very sharp an clear. I was at optician shop with my mom because she had to pay for my new glasses, and want to help me if I can't to see with they very well. I was very excited before optician put they on me, and after some adjustment, he told me to have a look out window. In one moment all thing got so clear and sharp!!! I can see again all people, all car on the street. I went out of optician shop in my new glasses on. But after some time I got a little dizziness and a little headache. Then I back to my old pair for back home. As told Soundmanpt I realize so my old glasses was to weak for me since some time. Because I was very exciting after back home I stay for some time with my old pair, but after dinner when I want to watch some TV I put they again. TV screen got so clear and sharp. Before I go asleep I always read some book, but this night I have some trouble with it and I back for it to my old glasses. I realize so I can to read worse with they, when I took they off I have feelings so all things got much more blurry. I have digital clock near my bed and before I was wearing my new prescription I could to see digit without glasses but now it got a bit blurry. Next day I put on my new glasses when I woke up, and after some time I don't realise so they are a new. I got so quick used to they. After few hours with they I take off they for while, and I was a little shocked, all things got much more blurry than before, I try my old pair for while and they was to weak now. I was very scary what to say my friends because I got new frames (black plastic with wide temples) and my lenses got a bit thicker. My best friend told so I looking very pretty with they and want to try they on her. I give they for while for her and she told so they have to be strong because she couldn't to see with they. We both going to the mall for some shopping and I was enjoy again my clear vision. At the night reading was much more easy with new glasses, but without they I can to see on my digital clock just only red blurry light. At Sunday morning after I woke up I always go to the bathroom without my glasses, this time my room got blurry and I had back to nightstand near my bed for my glasses. It was first time when I took shower with my glasses on. After it I spend all the day with they and they working very well for me I think. Today was first day with they at school and I got some nice comments, my teacher comment so I looking very pretty with they, but ask how much my prescription increase. And I have a good news for me, my mom told so at Wednesday this week we will be going for eye test for Driving Licence for me. I heard that I will to have glasses written in my Driving Licence, and I have to have pics with my glasses, it is a true?
Cactus Jack 09 Aug 2010, 05:10
Kayode,
Most optical stores stock single vision lenses of popular strengths in 0.25 increments. That is how they offer "one hour service" on SOME prescriptions. All they have to do is select the correct lens, cut it to fit the chosen frames and adjust the glasses on your face.
For most people prescribing in 0.25 increments is OK because the eye can usually accommodate having slightly too much minus without even being aware of it. I know of at least one opthalmologist who occasionally prescribes glasses in 0.0125 increments, but that means the lenses have to be custom ground even for very simple Rx, adding to the time. These days, most everyone wants instant results and will accept lower accuracy for sudden service, particularly if they can easily compensate for the inaccuracy.
These days, with plastic lenses and computerized lens generating equipment, even custom lenses can be made pretty quickly. However, it still takes time to ship the completed glasses to the optical store from a distant lab.
C.
Kayode 08 Aug 2010, 21:45
Re: Cactus Jack
-0.25 increase is typically the smallest increase available in optical stores.
I have no refractive error. But my wife does have refractive error.
She gave birth in May 2010. After that, She got an eye test in Jul 2010. Having -0.75 increase each eye from her previous Rx she got in Feb 2008. Her age now is 22.
Her now Rx is L -4.25 and R -4.75
My wife says she usually got about -0.75 or 1.00 increase each eye test.
Dan 08 Aug 2010, 21:37
Cactus, lecture halls are still deadly today if you are in the back. it definitely makes people realize if they need glasses or not. i never wore my weak prescription in high school but the moment i got to college had to wear them much more. the great thing though is that a lot of gwg are born during college due to the size of these rooms haha
Cactus Jack 08 Aug 2010, 18:59
college bound,
You do not absolutely have to get new glasses with a small increase, but I agree with soundmanpt. I think you will be glad you got some new glasses with as little as -0.25 increase in either sphere or cylinder. If you do not, I suspect you will need another exam and new glasses before the college year is over.
You did not mention your major, but I think you are going to be surprised at the visual workload ahead. Lecture halls are typically very large and the boards and screens are pretty far away. If you need as little as a -0.25 increase in sphere, it means that anything beyond 4 meters (13 feet) will be starting to get fuzzy. If you have any change in cylinder or axis, it will mess with your vision at all distances.
It has been a long time, but I recall that it was deadly in some classes if you could not see the board clearly or if you dropped your pen or pencil.
Good luck and keep us posted.
C.
college bound 08 Aug 2010, 17:05
Thanks for the reply. Maybe I will look into buying them online. I will definitely get my perscription. Is it completely necessary for me to get new glasses if the change is ever so slight? Will an -.25 change make enough of a difference to spend the money on the new glasses?
xplore 08 Aug 2010, 08:28
anya,
Do you wear full time? My prescription is almost identical to yours. How long did it take you to adjust to glasses? Did you Have blur with distance vision initially?
Anya 08 Aug 2010, 05:17
As some of you may remember my 1st prescription earlier this year was L+1.25, -0.50 and R+1.00, -0.25.
I recently got my eyes tested again (used a voucher for a free eye test) before buying prescription sunglasses or photochromatic glasses. I was given a slightly stronger prescription L+1.50, -0.50 and R+1.25, -0.25. As my prescription has increased by 0.25 in about 6 months I decided to get a pair of cheap prescription sunglasses and a pair of cheap photochromatic glasses via the internet. I can then see how I get on with them and decide what type of lenses to get if/when my prescription increases again.
I didn't really think I needed an increase but as I was going to get sunglasses anyway and the eye test was free it didn't matter. I think my new sunglasses should arrive this week.
Soundmanpt 07 Aug 2010, 07:37
college bound
You are being very smart, you will be using your eyes more than ever and straining would not help. getting your vision to 20/20 with correction is a good start. What is your age and gender? I would guess about 18 or 19? From when you got your first glasses in the 7th grade until a year and a half ago you didn't get too much in increases really. Sorry to disappoint you, but I would think you will need at least a little increase. It is very doubtful that you will have no change. One thing that may help save a LOT of money for you is to get your glasses on-line. If your getting your eyes examined this week be sure to get a copy of your rx for both (glasses and contacts) also have them measure your PD (pupil distance) you will need this number to order glasses. You can get glasses for around $13.00 - $25.00 including AR coating (anti-reflective).Check out "glassesunlimited.com" or "zennioptical.com" You can get contacts on-line as well if you choose. "discountcontactlenses.com" or "clearlycontacts.com" If you need help let us know.
college bound 07 Aug 2010, 07:09
I've been wearing glasses and contacts since about the 7th grade. Originally I was -1.00 with a -1.00 cyl in each eye. My last test probably a year and a half ago I was -1.75 and -1.50 with a 0.75 cyl in each eye- this is when I would say I finally felt like I needed my contacts and/or glasses all the time. I have an appt. this week at the eye doc because I leave for my freshman year of college in about 2 weeks. What type of increase should I expect? We don't have a lot of money, so I'm hoping my perscription hasn't changed so I don't have to get new glasses and contacts.
Soundmanpt 07 Aug 2010, 05:36
Flaine
There has been many that find it difficult wearing glasses for the first time in public. Your most recent posts indicate that you are getting more comfortable wearing your glasses more now, however your sister is much more reluctant to wear hers. No I had no one person in mind by asking those questions.
Julian 06 Aug 2010, 23:41
Mirka: you told us back in November that your optometrist said she was prescribing less than your full correction. So really this is quite a small increase (-1 in each eye if you add the sphere and cylinder together) and perfectly normal at your age.
Flaine 06 Aug 2010, 20:24
Soundmanpt,
hmm...was ur last 2 paragraphs referin to me?:)
Soundmanpt 06 Aug 2010, 08:11
Mirka
Your need for that much of an increase is not unusual. Back when you got your first glasses you had put off doing anything about your vision getting worse and worse until you finally had no choice. When you got your eyes examined your eyes were badly strained and some of the things you could see on the chart was because of accommodation. After you got your glasses and started wearing them full time your eyes relaxed. That is why after only a few days of wearing them when you removed them things were much more blurry than before you got glasses. Now you were seeing what your uncorrected vision really was like. You will for notice the difference the minute you put on your new glasses. Things will once again get really sharp and clear. Because you already wear your glasses full time you will not be nervous about wearing them like your first glasses. The biggest difference will be after wearing them a little while now when you take them off things will be much more blurry. You will soon realize that your current pair will be completely useless to you now. It is likely due to your age you will continue to get increase over the next years, but I think the increases will be smaller. This one was more getting your glasses caught up to your eyes. By now you probably don't even think about having them on anymore.
Since it has been about 9 months since you became a full time glasses wearer, how has it changed your life? Does wearing glasses change anything that you used to do before you got them? You stated that a concern was that you were considered attractive before you got glasses, do the boys still find you as attractive now?
I ask these questions because so many young ladies have a real problem wearing glasses for the first time in public. Your answers may help them realize that it is not that bad and can be fun.
Do let us know when you get the new glasses how they work.
Flaine 06 Aug 2010, 05:54
Hi Mirka,
its been slight less than a year since ur last eye test and by ur previous rx, it look like your eyes had needed an extra -1 and -1.25... Well at 17 this yr? U should not worry coz i think the eye for a usual person only stops changing @ 25...so u should expect more changes in the coming yrs...im 16 and im -2.75 and -2.25 so im slightly higher than you in 1 eye but i got glasses 6 yrs ago at 10. Mirka, do you wear full time? One thing that will help and control ur myopia is the thing that you should only wear t when necessary and definitely not for close work. Sry people here but yeah, i onow you all hope that Mirka is wearing full time but its just a tip from ky personal experience:)
So is the new glasses much better? And if u like clr vision and wear full time, i respect ur desicion for crystal vision rather tha. Preserving ur eyesight:)
Mirka 06 Aug 2010, 04:46
Hi all,
I am here again. I got my first glasses at November last year. Lat week I had me new eye exam and of course I got new prescription (my old was to weak for distance I think). Today I have to go for pick up my new glasses. I am very curious how I will be feel with they. My eye doc told for me, so I got a quite big increase, I don't know so much about them, but I got now -2.00x-1.00x10 and -2.50x0.50x170. It is a big increase? What do you think, give me some advice, please.
Julian 06 Aug 2010, 03:10
Xplore: correct, both times. And unless the lenses were changed to help you read the card, it isn't a reading prescription. And get this straight: your eyes are your own, and it's nobody else's business if you decide to wear your glasses full time. With even the small amount of astigmatism you've got, there will be a benefit at all distances.
Xplore 06 Aug 2010, 00:33
Julian
Thanks - so my vision should sharpen up in a couple of weeks if I go full time, correct?
I was asked to read from a card after the mirror, I think the lenses where still in place when I read from the card?
So if I understand correctly, if it had just been from the card then it is unlikely the blur would go, correct?
Julian 05 Aug 2010, 17:58
Xplore: the business of the mirror is quite simple. The normal distance for testing is 20 feet/6 metres. The mirror makes this possible in a smaller room. So that means your eyes will adjust quite happily to full time wear. Enjoy!
Xplore 05 Aug 2010, 13:14
Julian,
You are right, about the mirror, what does that mean then? Is there a difference?
Julian 05 Aug 2010, 11:22
Just one more comment/query. Xplore: when you had your eye test, I'm guessing your prescription was based on an eye chart on the far side of the room, or maybe reflected in a mirror from behind you. Am I right? If I am, then your glasses are NOT readers, but should improve your vision at all distances. Reading glasses are based only on reading a card at a distance of 12 to 18 inches.
Soundmanpt 05 Aug 2010, 09:54
Xplorer
And no you should NOT feel like a fraud by wearing your glasses as much as you choose. They will for sure help your vision.
Soundmanpt 05 Aug 2010, 09:50
Xplorer
Not really much to add, Cactus Jack has stated everything very clearly and in detail. I went back through your posts and see that your 32, you mentioned computers, but did not indicate if your job involves working at a computer all day. If so I would think it should be rather easy to get used to full time wear. Your rx is mild, but you do have some cyl. (astigmatism)correction which effects all distances.This is enough that you could start to get headaches if you do much close work without them. The fact that your reading rx is mild should be very easy adjusting to for distance. My guess, and this is only a guess, is that if you would start wearing your glasses from first thing each day until bedtime your distance vision would get perfectly clear in about 2 weeks or so. Each day it would get a bit clearer quicker. As for the vanity thing that is up to you. You did not state if your female or male. This seems to be a bigger problem for the ladies most often. As Cactus Jack said most likely you will need an increase in the next 6 - 12 months. You do have the option of bifocals or progressives if you choose, but I think now would be too soon for that.
Cactus Jack 05 Aug 2010, 08:11
Xplore,
Perhaps some of our other members can contribute 2nd o 3rd opinions. Soundmanpt, what do you think?
On the question of how long. It depends on how much, if any, latent hyperopia you have. If you only have the beginnings of presbyopia with no latent hyperopia, your distance vision will never clear up with the glasses and you should not wear them for distance. However, the symptoms you stated point to latent hyperopia, but the only way to tell for sure is to try to let your ciliary muscles and crystaline lenses relax by wearing the glasses. If you can't see any improvement in two to three weeks, just wear them for reading. If you don't like taking them off for distance, get some progressives or bifocals. That is why Ben Franklin invented them a little over 200 years ago.
I know I have not been telling you what you want to hear, but please understand that any suggestions made here by anyone are just that, suggestions. You are always free to do what you want without any consequences.
C.
Xplore 05 Aug 2010, 07:53
Does any one else have any experience of adapting to wearing reading glasses full time?
How long before the distance vision was clear?
I know from reading some of the posts here my prescription is pretty weak so does that make me a bit of a fraud wearing them full time when I don't need too?
Cactus jack 04 Aug 2010, 16:22
Xplore,
Gradual improvement in your distance vision with the glasses. Depends on what you do at the gym. Treadmill, yes. Recumbent Bike, yes. Swimming, no. Wrestling, no. Handball, yes with supplemental protection. Weight training, maybe.
Just use good judgement. You don't want them knocked off. The lenses are probably plastic and very hard to scratch or break. The frames are somewhat fragile.
C.
Xplore 04 Aug 2010, 12:03
Thanks for the advice, will try and go full time for a couple of weeks and let you know how it goes.
What should I expect in terms of my eyes adapting to the glasses?
What about the gym? Any thoughts? Any one with any experiences of wearing glasses while at the gym?
Cactus jack 04 Aug 2010, 10:43
Full time means that you put them on when you get up in the morning and take them off when you go to bed. But, you have to be practical about it.
I would suggest as close to full time as you can for about 2 or 3 weeks to really get used to them. After that it is pretty much up to you. The main clue is comfortable and effortless vision.
Remember, no one really knows how well you see with or without your glasses. Unlike people who are nearsighted (myopic) glasses are optional for you and you wear them for your benefit, not for the benefit of others.
C.
Xplore 04 Aug 2010, 09:32
Thanks, So as I understand, if I wear them more the blur will get less and less as my muscles relax and get used to the glasses. Does that mean I need to start wearing full time? What does full time mean?
In a strange sort of way I have gotten used to wearing the glasses in the house but feel insecure when I wear them outside, I think that everyone is looking at me. Strange I know?
Any advice would be welcome?
Cactus Jack 04 Aug 2010, 09:20
Xplore,
If you want to read about another reluctant low hyperope's experiences with wearing glasses. You might go back to a long series of very well written, very humorous posts by one of our members, Macrae, on the Hyperopia and Presbyopia Progression thread. There were a few posts before this on the New Glasses thread, but the epic journey begins with the post "Macrae 21 Sep 2007, 20:50" and continues for over a year.
I think you will find it a funny and informative adventure. Remember, You are not the first and you are most certainly not the last to go through the adventure.
C.
Julian 04 Aug 2010, 09:13
Xplore: let me put in my two pennyworth. I first got glasses when I was 18, with a prescription quite like yours, and for the first ten years or so I wore them pretty much as you wear yours, putting them on for close work and probably not taking them off till I went outside - so I wore them most of the time in lecture rooms, labs &c. I pretty soon found I could see long distance perfectly well with them. After about ten years I was living in a different part of the country (UK) and went to a different ECP, who was quite obsessive about full time wear and shouted at me for keeping them in my pocket. As I liked wearing glasses I went full time, but I could still see pretty well when I did take them off, and well into my 40s I could read bareyed, though it wasn't too comfortable. I went into bifocals at 40 and progressives at 50, and am NOW pretty dependent. My advice is that you may as well wear your glasses most of the time, so that you and other people are used to them. For a good few years, if you're like me, it will be no problem to go bareyed when you feel like it, so you have the best of both worlds.
Xplore 04 Aug 2010, 08:39
Thanks for that explanation, most of it makes sence...
So would I be better off getting used to wearing the glasses full time?
What prompted the question was when I last went to the gym I found it difficult to keep the TV screen on the tread mill in focus, the bigger one on the wall was OK though?
Thanks Again
Cactus jack 04 Aug 2010, 08:15
Xplore,
I suspect you have a little bit of latent (hidden) hyperopia (farsightedness) which means that you should be able to see distant things pretty clearly without glasses. You also have a small amount of astigmatism as indicated by the 2nd and 3rd numbers in your Rx. Even a small amount of astigmatism messes up you vision at all distances. I also suspect you are experiencing the beginnings of presbyopia. There is absolutely nothing unusual about any of this. Millions of people deal with similar situations all over the world every day.
Will the blurry distance vision with your glasses improve if you wear them a lot? Maybe. It depends on how much latent hyperopia you actually have.
I suspect that you have little or no knowledge about how the eye actually works. The eye is really an amazing biological camera. It has two important lenses; the cornea and the crystaline lens which focus images on the retina. The retina is the image sensor in the eye. The cornea is a fixed focus lens and the crystaline lens is the "auto-focus" lens operated by the ciliary muscles. Hyperopia and myopia are caused by a mismatch between the combined optical power of the cornea and the RELAXED power of the crystaline lens and the length of the eyeball. If the eyeball is too short it causes hyperopia. If the eyeball is too long, it causes myopia (nearsightedness). Usually the distances involved are very small. 1 mm of error causes the need for about 1.6 diopters of correction. People with hyperopia need plus lenses and people with myopia need minus lenses for correction.
Curiously, hyperopes can use their auto-focus mechanism to correct mild hyperopia, which is why people who have mild hyperopia think they have perfect vision. However, they have a surprise waiting for them. It is called presbyopia and almost everyone ultimately has it. Latent hyperopes just notice it a little sooner than most.
Presbyopia (old eyes) actually starts in childhood. When we are born, the crystaline lenses have the consistency of gelatin dessert (Jell-O) and their tiny crystaline lenses can effortlessly focus on even very close things. However, as we age, the crystaline lenses become stiffer and harder for the ciliary muscles to change their power. Ultimately, the lenses become so stiff that the crystaline lenses can no longer adjust their power. This typically become noticeable to non-hyperopes around 40, but hyperopes have, without realizing it, been using some of their focusing power to overcome their mild hyperopia and thy notice problems a bit earlier than 40. HIgh 20s to early 30s is pretty common. The initial solution is reading glasses, but they will ultimately need bi-focals or progressive glasses.
Will wearing your glasses full time make your vision worse? Not really, but you will think so. Your glasses relieve your ciliary muscles of some, but not all, of their work load and hopefully they and your crystaline lenses will relax and your distance vision will improve substantially. Then, you can just leave them on. The more you wear them the faster your ciliary muscles will relax and your Rx will stabilize. It could take several weeks or a month for full relaxation.
However, you really need to get over the vanity part or you are going to be very frustrated. You need to understand that you are stuck and you need to make the best of it. Don't be surprised if your Rx changes some as everything relaxes.
Hopefully, you selected some frames you like that enhance your appearance. The important thing is to get the initial shock of public wear, over with. Almost everyone goes through this. For a few days, you close friends and relatives will comment, but after that, no one will really notice. Other people don't pay any real attention to the lenses in your glasses, they see the frames and only notice when you start wearing or change them. If the frames bother you, consider rimless frames, with your next Rx. With your Rx, rimless glasses would almost be invisible to others.
I hope this helped. To get an idea of the experiences of others, check out the hyperopia and presbyopia threads.
May I ask your gender and where you live and your occupation?
C.