New Glasses

Archived Content - Wurm's ES BBS 1997-2011

Truely 28 Dec 2011, 06:22

Yes I do have esophoria, I probably should have posted it as prism base out and prism base down.

I occasionally where contact lenses but cant for very long as the muscles complain and I see double.

GL 22 Dec 2011, 07:29

I read it. Thanks, Guido.

Guido 22 Dec 2011, 07:11

GL, see this page.

http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/esophoria

GL 22 Dec 2011, 06:46

Interesting script, Truely.

I understand sphere, axis and cylinder. However, I don't understand base.

Does anyone want to take the time to explain this?

Much obliged.

Truely 22 Dec 2011, 06:25

I got new glassess following my annual check up today. New prescription RE -3.75 -0.5 ? 3.5 base out,

LE -3.75 -0.75 ? 3.5 base out 1 base down.

Got 1.74 index lenses and the front of the lenses is completely flat.

Happy with them but during the test the optitian said I need 8 base out each eye to line up the eyes.

Merry Christmas

cactus Jack 13 Dec 2011, 08:44

New glasses,

What you are experiencing is normal and it is nothing to worry about even though it seems strange. You will get used to wearing the glasses in a few days. It is important that you wear them as much as possible. I will try to explain what is happening.

Vision occurs in the brain, the eyes are only biological cameras. In your case, your eyes have been supplying blurry distant images and your brain has been working extra hard for many years to provide reasonably good distance visions. Now, with your glasses, your eyes are providing sharp images and your brain does not have to do as much work, but it is still trying to do the work which causes the effects you are experiencing.

Your brain learns very quickly that it does not have to do the extra work when it has the glasses to help with the job. That is what makes you think the glasses have made your vision worse, when they really have not.

You have several problems deal with. One, you are short-sighted, nearsighted, or myopic (all different names for the same thing) - you have "built in reading glasses" that help you focus close, but hurt your distance vision. Two, you have astigmatism that affects your vision at all distances. Three, you have the beginnings of presbyopia which makes it hard to focus close for reading. All three can be corrected by your glasses, but it will take a few days for your brain to get used to the help your glasses provide.

You will probably have many more questions in the next few days. I urge you to read as many of the posts as you can to help you learn about your vision and how it works. We have answered the questions you have and will have many times before. Just remember that millions of other people have had similar experiences and very soon, you will be wondering how you managed without vision correction for all these years, just as we are wondering how you managed. Also remember, it will get better every day, the more you wear them and that you are NOT harming your eyes or making them worse by wearing your glasses

May I ask where you live and your occupation? That will help us advise you and answer your questions.

C.

New glasses 13 Dec 2011, 07:26

Yesterday afternoon I pick up my new first glasses. I try teh after I go out from opticians, and they give me sharp vision but I feel strange, I had some dizzines, and I feel like my legs will be to short (sorry for my English). When I was home I try reading with my glasses for close work, it was strange too, tell me please it is normal? John S, you are right I notice big difference wearing glasses for distance and reading.

Today in the morning I put on my distance vision glasses ona ad had they for few hours, and I got some headache, when I pull they off I think my vision is worse now. Tell me about your experiences, please.

New glasses 12 Dec 2011, 02:49

Today I was in optical shop, and ordered two pair new glasses for distance and for close work, I will pick up they afternoon. I'm very curious how they will be work for me. Thank you all for advice.

John S 11 Dec 2011, 02:10

If I am reading the RXs correctly, the doctor has prescribed a +2.75 add. That would explain why you have trouble reading. I think you see a big difference wearing glasses for distance and reading.

Aubrac 10 Dec 2011, 12:03

New Glasses

I am not certain from how you have stated your prescription as to whether you have been given a distance prescription with an 'add' for reading in which case the 'plus' for reading cancels out the correction you have for distance, in other words this means you do not need this part of the prescription called 'sphere' for reading. But have you been given two quite separate prescriptions for distance and reading?

However you also have a 'cylinder' correction i.e. -1.00 180

which means you will have a blurred image for both distance and possibly some problems and strain with reading.

Before you get any glasses you clarify this point and as Sounmanpt said maybe get get some cheaper glasses online as your reading prescription may well change after a few months.

Specs4ever 10 Dec 2011, 09:23

If you were to get glasses with only your distacne prescription you would alwways have to remove your glasses to read. So, I would suggest that you just get bifocal glasses and get used to them. It will be a lot easier for you in the long run if you wear your glasses all the time. There is no scientific evidence that wearing glasses will make your eyes worse. However, as Cactus Jack and soundmanpt have so often told people here, once you get used to the crisp clear vision with glasses you will hate to go without them. You will seem to feel that your eyes are worse, but they won't be.

New glasses 10 Dec 2011, 05:19

Soundmanpt thank you, I know, I till now not renew my Driving Licence. I have to have glasses at first before I go eye exam for it. Tell me please, when I start with glasses I need they fulltime? My eyes got worse when I start wearing they?. What about glasses for close vision need I they wearing too? BTW. I have trouble with reading.

Soundmanpt 09 Dec 2011, 09:45

New glasses

The main thing is that you MUST wear your distance glasses whenever you drive from now on to be safe for yourself as well as others.

Soundmanpt 09 Dec 2011, 09:42

New glasses

Your distance prescription is not bad maybe but I am sure you will quickly see the difference once you put your glasses on for the first time and look out into the distance. There are many that would wear that prescription full time, but that is up to you. I think you may be doing a lot of on and off by trying to not wear them full time. Your plus prescription is very mild, but if you do much close work they will certainly help as well. I think you can certainly pickup a newspaper or book and be able to read it for a short time but after a short time glasses would be welcome. Because you have 2 things going on I think in the near future you should look into bifocals / progressives as an option. For now it might be wise to use 2 pairs until your eyes settle down. It is likely that your plus glasses may need to be stronger in a short time. It would be much easier than all the time switching glasses.

New glasses 09 Dec 2011, 09:24

Hi all,

I find this site from google, and I hope some people can give for me some advice. I'm 42 years old, and no glasses, but last week I had eye exam for Driving Licence, and doctor told so I can't drive without correction. Two days ago I had eye exam, and I finished with script for glasses. I got script for close and distance vision. I got RE -1.25 -1.0 180 and LE -1.75 -0.5 180 for distance, and RE +1.5 -1.0 180, LE =1.0 -0.5 180. Till now I don't order they, I need advice are they strong for first prescription? Have I wearing they fulltime?, and why I got plus lenses for close vision?

Like lenses 23 Nov 2011, 02:07

About two months ago my doctor gave me an increase from -7.50 to -8.50 for each eye.

Distance vision was incredible as it always is with new glasses,although I do only have 20/30 with glasses due to the minification.

Shortly after getting the new glasses,I noticed that near vision was slightly blurry,and that after doing a moderate amount of near work,that things in the distance were blurred.

I went back for a recheck,thinking that this meant bifocals, but the doctor found that for the first time after many pairs of glasses,that I now have a -.75 astigmatism in each eye.

He tried many different lenses,and finally said that instead of giving me the cylinder correction,he would bump the sphere up to -9.00 in each eye.He felt that with my already strong minus glasses,that the introduction of a weak cylinder would be hard for me to get used to,and the benefit of a low cylinder would not help that much. He said that increasing the sphere by -.50 would give me about the same effect as a -,75 cyl.He said that he felt that doing close work with the -1.00 increase caused a small change in the muscle balance resulting is the astigmatism.He said that if the astigmatism gets to -1.00 that then he will introduce a cylinder correction.

So far so good,and the upside is that now my lenses are flat front,without me having to have them made special order.

Franco 14 Nov 2011, 15:49

Hi, wondering what sort of prescription is tolerable for playing sports. Mine is -2 left, -1.50. I play squash without glasses but golf is more difficult because I find it difficult to see the next hole. What would the minimum prescription be for people who don't need to wear glasses?

Cactus Jack 14 Nov 2011, 10:11

OIO,

I agree with Julian. I would suggest some one day disposable contacts with an Rx of RE -4.00, LE -4.00. No care and no solutions would be required. Just wash your hands and put them in before engaging in sports. When you are ready to go back to your glasses, wash your hands and remove them.

The -4.00 in the RE is a compromise. Typically, sphere only contact Rx, where the glasses Rx have a cylinder component, is to add 1/2 the cylinder to the sphere. With -0.75 cylinder, 1/2 would be -0.375 however contacts in that range are available only in 0.25 increments. Either -4.00 or -4.25 would be acceptable, but using -4.00 in each eye would simplify things.

C.

Julian 14 Nov 2011, 09:37

OIO: so what's to stop you being a full time glasses wearer and changing into contacts for sports? I used to know a guy who wore a smart pair of glasses but kept contacts for rugby matches. I'm guessing that with your Rx your bareyed vision isn't good enough for sports.

OlO 13 Nov 2011, 13:24

Hey all,

Soundmanpt told u right I don't have any problems with close work. But maybe u are glad to read that with each week I am having my glasses the urge to finally become a fulltimer grows larger. It's just so easy to slip on those glasses and see clear with the added HD overcorrection in comparison to CLs. The only problem I have with this step is that I'm kinda sporty and are doing sports aroung 4-5 times a week, in most cases just after leaving university. And no matter how cool moderate minus glasses are, they suck for sports.

But on the other side all comments I got were completely positive and supportive. I also find it kinda interesting, how many people around me do wear glasses, although nearly nobody of them seems to have a prescription higher than -2. This means everytime someone wants to try on my glasses just yells out how strong they are, which I actually feel better about than I would do if I was asked why I even bother wearing such a low prescription. There is no way I would swap my being blind as a mole (yep, many of you will deny that with my 'low' RX;) ) with a puny -0.5 prescription.

Soundmanpt 11 Nov 2011, 10:47

Tommy27

That is totally up to you, but I don't think you would find that it would take much if any more time to adjust to progressives than lined bifocals. I know if a couple young ladies with a distance rx a bit less than yours and like you they are in college and they were prescribed an add to help with the heavy work load. They had no trouble with adjusting in a day or 2. The most trouble they had was on steps and curbs at first. Just for what it's worth.

Tommy27 11 Nov 2011, 10:35

I have mistaken OlO with NewB... Sorry to both :-). My father is 60 yo (bit stronger rx than me, add for last 10 yrs) and has some very bad experience with varifocals (lot of money spend, no good result), that's why I didn't even give them much thought. Due to my work commitments I can't really spend month(s) getting adjusted to varifocals. I am afraid it will be line or two separate pairs and constant changing :-(.

Cactus Jack 11 Nov 2011, 10:33

Tommy27,

Forgive me for intruding, but there are two possibilities.

1. it is possible that you are beginning to develop some symptoms of early presbyopia.

2. Often, low myopes find that they can read or use the computer without their glasses or with an earlier lower Rx pair. This helps, but the ciliary muscles don't get the normal amount of exercise and they become partially de-conditioned. This is particularly true of low myopes who do not wear their glasses.

True presbyopia usually begins to cause problems around 40, but it can actually happen at any age. I had to start wearing bifocals at 21 in University because of the reading workload. All our new tools with tiny screens plus computers seem to be encouraging early development of presbyopia like symptoms. Early need for plus glasses is becoming very common and early need for bifocals is essentially the same thing just solved in a different way. If you decide to get bifocals, you may get a comment or two, but you may soon find that you are not the only young person with bifocals or progressives. In fact, you may discover that you are not the first.

The choice between lined bifocals and progressives is yours, but I urge you to make the choice for practical reasons and not vanity.

C.

Soundmanpt 11 Nov 2011, 10:16

Tommy27

You didn't say how long you have had your current glasses, but if they are real new and you had much of an increase it can take a little time for your eyes to adjust to them for reading. You have been chatting with Emily and if she is suggesting you may need bifocals I would say you should make an appointment with your eye care professional and discuss it with him / her. It is not that rare now for younger people now getting/needing bifocals. But you said you don't see many with the bifocal line, that is likely because many young people will choose to get progressives which has no line and no one would know your wearing bifocals. You may be surprised to find some of your friends already wearing bifocals.

Also I believe you misunderstood what "010" was saying about her glasses. She said she was increasing her rx by -.50 more than she was prescribed for her new glasses making them just slightly stronger than she really needs. this just makes distance a little bit sharper and should make her vision around 20/15 with glasses. She was not getting an add from what I could tell.

Tommy27 11 Nov 2011, 09:48

OlO

I am in quite similar situation to yours with virtually the same prescription. I recently started to have problems reading and using computer with my regular glasses (-4D), so I am worried that the presbyopia hit me early (just 27 years old) and it is time for visit to optometrist and getting some add. How are you coping with your bifocals? What was reaction of your friends/family? At lenschat Emily and others encouraged me about getting bifocals, but honestly, I haven't seen anyone myopic so young with line across lenses yet...

Cactus Jack 19 Oct 2011, 18:36

OIO,

Those concentric circles are caused by internal reflections in minus lenses. What others see and you see in a mirror is actually the edge of the lens. Lick your finger and touch the edge of the lens and notice that the ring appearance changes where your finger touches. The lick assures good contact with the edge. Normally, you cannot see the edge of the lens looking from the back.

C.

OlO 19 Oct 2011, 16:16

Mr Jules:

No I can't see those concentric circles while wearing my glasses. Such a pity ;)

Soundmanpt:

Nope you were guessing wrong, it's RE -3.75 -0.75 LE -4.00 in my glasses now, so these are actually more like -2.00 stronger than -1.00. I really like the feeling of the new ones and I really don't care if this would mean that my eyes got a lot worse in a short time, because I can tolerate contacts the whole day through and in my family there is noone higher than like -6. So I guess I won't progress that far anyway and for my preferences -4 to -5 is perfect.

Thank you for the advice. They got plenty of cool and cheap glasses!

Soundmanpt 19 Oct 2011, 12:48

OlO

I assume the glasses you just got are R -3.25 -.75 / L -3.50 and that includes the extra -.50 you added? So really your rx didn't go up all that much only R -1.25 / L -1.00 over a 2 year period for someone 21 is not that bad considering your likely doing plenty of close work at school as well. Not a bad idea to add the extra -.50 in as it will really only mean now your vision with your glasses is around 20/15 or even 20/10. Makes it a little like HD TV.

Sounds like a good choice of glasses as that style is quite popular these days. You said you got them on-line which is the best way to go, but if you ever decide to get another pair and you can live without the Ray-Ban name on the temples take a look at zennioptical.com. Check out #828415 which is 140 mm wide or if you prefer a bit narrower look at #820415 which is 137 mm, this size is better suited for females. They are exact in every detail except having the name on the side, but they are a bargain at $15.00 including the AR (anti-reflective) coating.

Mr Jules 19 Oct 2011, 12:45

OlO,

I wear 'plus' glasses. I do see some minor 'bending' with the lenses. But think you brain adjusts to that after a short while. But with minus glasses, you also those lens concave rings, too.

When you are wearing 'minus' lens glasses, are you aware of the concave lens rings ?

Just wondered how wearing 'plus' lenses compares to wearing 'minus' lenses.

OlO 19 Oct 2011, 08:20

I received my new glasses today after being literally dependent on contact lenses for over a year. My old glasses are RE -1.50 -0.75 LE -2.00 -0.25, but i got more myopic in the last 2 years (my lenses are RE -3.25 -0.75 LE -3.50).

They are brownish Ray-Ban new wayfarers, that are really cool here in Europe atm. I ordered them online with an additional -0.50 in each eye, which I can easily handle at my age of 21 will most probably get in the next years anyway.

I must say I got really excited, when I came home from University, put out my contacts just to put on my old pair for a last time while opening the package. The first impression I got from the new ones was like "Oh my god!" at how much clearer everything is even at computer screen distance and then that sharp view out of my window I've only known with contacts in for such a long time.

I really like what I see in the mirror, now that u actually see the stronger cut-in (before it was literally not existing) and some decent rings. Of course the frame itself suits me really well. What I like most in wearing them is the feeling of my brain needing time to get accustomized to the new stronger glasses (everything bending much stronger and increased chromatic aberration at the edges). Even after wearing them just for a couple of hours, when I tried on my old pair (which now is -2.00 too weak for my glasses RX) they felt near to useless at every distance farther away than my computer screen. I never realized this before, because I only wore my glasses in the evening, sitting in front of my computer and not even trying to look at anything around me.

The cool thing is, everyone knows I'm wearing contacts all the time and I'm kinda blind without them - so I don't have any outing fears, although I never wore my old glasses in public, because they sucked (semi-rimless with simple plastic lenses, that were really too thick looking for this prescription. I really hated showing off the lens thickness, which is completely hidden in my new bold frame).

I think it will last until next week in worst case until my new glasses are shown in public screaming out "Yes, that guy needs me!", but until then i will wear them at home to get accustomed to them (don't want to look like an idiot bumping into distorted staircase images :D).

Soundmanpt 21 Sep 2011, 12:39

James

It has been more than a month since your last update on your girlfriend. At that time she told you had decided to wear her glasses full time as she felt more comfortable with them and she enjoyed how clear and sharp everything was with them on. You were overjoyed with her decision even though she was already wearing her glasses most of the time anyway. But now she would be wearing them from the time she gets out of bed until the end of the day. Has she indeed been wearing them as she said she planned to? Has she had anymore conversations with you since she has been full time? I'm sure you still give her many complements how how good she looks.

Melyssa 17 Sep 2011, 10:03

Well, the black-frame jinx struck again, on the day of the earthquake last month, which was just a coincidence. The black, Taylor-Swift-style glasses I bought early this year broke on the left inside part below the bridge, so I wore different black frames at work that day.

On Thursday 9/15, because I wanted to see the Phillies clinch a playoff spot Wednesday, I picked up my newest pair, which I chose Monday. It's a Kenmark Gallery Venice frame, in dark blue, the same style as one of my few remaining black frames.

So it's "Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue" -- old T.S. frame, new Kenmark frame, borrowed same style frame, new blue frame.

Soundmanpt 19 Aug 2011, 16:43

James

If you recall I have said all along that she likely would find that full time wear was going to become much more comfortable for her. She really is being very smart by not resiting as many tend to do. A big part of her deciding to go full time is due to the headaches etc she was getting when she tried to go without them for very long. It's also good that she seems to not really mind wearing and being seen in glasses and now even tends to enjoy wearing them. Her distance rx is very weak and she should have no problem seeing pretty well when she does take them off for swimming or whatever. I'm sure you are quite happy with her decision as well. This is what you were hoping for when she first got glasses a couple of months ago. it is clear you care for her a lot so her wearing glasses full time now is just an added bonus. The good news is her vision shouldn't change much for her. The astigmatism should stay about the same, but she will likely need an increase for distance, but even that never get too be too much.

NewB 19 Aug 2011, 14:19

after 2 days with my new Bifocals - i can summarize it into 2 words - GOOD & THICK.

as i told after increase in my prescription i needed Bifocals to help my eyes in reading. (i'm 19 YO, and stident in the university).

the Bbifocals does do the job, it's become much easier to read, and the visual acuity also improved and i can see the board from the end of the class, which i couldnt do with my -3.25 glasses.

but, because of the low index and the increase in my prescription, the lenses become so thick - so i didnt had the courage to put them in front of my friends yet... when my mom saw the glasses she thought the glasses are around -8 and not -4 with -1.5 cyl. in the next few days i will upload image of my new bifocals and my -3.25 glasses - because i want you to see the difference...

i think, after all, i'm starting to lovemy thick lenses, they are unique and beautiful - images will come soon...

thank you!

James 19 Aug 2011, 11:59

Earlier this week my girlfriend and I were chatting and got on to the subject of her glasses. Again I had to hold back my enthusiasm! She said "My eyes feel so much better with my glasses on and I like how everything is so sharp and clear." "I've decided to wear these all day every day" (pointing to her Transition glasses that she was wearing) "I'll use my other ones as spare." I greed that it made sense if she felt more comfortable to wear them all the time. Of courese I did remind her that she had chosen really good frames that suited her and that she looks gorgeous with or without glasses!

It wasn't a great surpise that she decided to wear her glasses full time as she had been wearing them most of the time recently anyway.

Every day now she puts her glasses on when she gets up and they stay on until she goes to bed. She doesn't wear them when she goes swimming in case they fall off in the deep end of the pool. As she can still see without glasses it's not a problem - she won't be bumping in to other swimmers because she can't see them!

Soundmanpt 13 Aug 2011, 14:16

So-Cal

Glad to hear that it looks as if everything is getting straightened out and you should be seeing perfect now. Also that change in your rx seems more like a 2 year difference would be. I love your choice of glasses as well, I always have liked the semi-rimless style and retro on top of it is even better. Now just keep them away from your dog.

I hope I was of some help anyway.

SoCal 13 Aug 2011, 13:28

Thanks Soundmapt. I went back for a re-check and my contact rx was brought down to -3.25/-3.25 and my glasses (which the previous weekend dr. wrote down wrong) was changed to -3.25/-3.50. Also, when I went back, the dr. said i was having an allergic reaction to the acuvue oasys and so i went back to my old brand, biofinity. Now, both me and my eyes are happy. I found some glasses at a boutique near home called L.A. Eyeworks and now I am just waiting to pick them up. Thanks for all your help!

These are the frames I chose in the color pink dust w/butter

http://www.laeyeworks.com/catalogFrames/frame.php?m=DOUGLAS&c=PLASTIC

Soundmanpt 13 Aug 2011, 11:31

So-Cal

You are going today for a re-check. Was there any improvement during this past week? I'm still not sure why your doctor feels like your wrong because you expect perfect vision? Your new or your old prescriptions are not anything unusual at all. Millions of people wear correction with those same numbers and i'm sure they see perfect. Very odd that he didn't feel you needed an increase between -2.00 and -4.00. It seems clear to me that for probably the past year or more you likely should have been wearing something like -3.00. At 31 I doubt that you had any sudden spurt to create a rapid change. There are many different brands of contacts out there these days and some are made for people with dry eyes. Maybe he/she will have you try some of those also there are some prescription drops now for dry eyes as well, better than the over the counter type. I'm sure certain because of all the close work you do and everyone tends to fixate when there busy and don't blink near enough and of course that causes the eyes to be dry. I would suggest that you should try wearing your glasses at work for a while and use your contacts after work if your going out etc., but you said your dog had them for dinner. Was that your new glasses with your new rx? That way your eyes shouldn't get dry as bad and you would be able to tell if now can see perfect or not as well. You will need to get a new pair very soon because with dry eyes it is not good to be wearing contacts consantly.

Remember you can get some very nice glasses on-line including designer styles very inexpensively from various locations. Zenni is very good but they don't sell designer glasses. You can see many examples of Zenni glasses by viewing Crystal Veil's photo shoots. His models always wear several pairs.

Melyssa 13 Aug 2011, 10:55

Early last year I bought a black pair of drop-temples from bleudame.com, which sold out not long after my purchase. They have it again, with a different name: http://www.bleudame.com/product_info.php?cPath=115_58&products_id=18725

SoCal 08 Aug 2011, 13:12

Soundmanpt:

Thanks for your prompt response. The -2.00 rx was two years old. The eye doc i was going to never really seemed to think that I needed an increase in two years even though i stated that I wasn't seen as well as I thought. He just called me a perfectionist and told me my vision wouldn't ever be perfect. Anyway, after much thought, i think that the new contact lenses I have are not, either, hydrating enough for my eyes or I am having some sort of allergic reaction. I went from Biofinity to Acuevue Oaysys but now I am ready to go back. I now remember why I didn't like the Acuevue the first time I tried them. Also, my vision greatly improves when I yawn (creating tears), using artificial tears or blinking like crazy. I don't have any headaches or distorted vision, other than CL blur, so I don't think it's the wrong rx, but just a case of crazy dry eyes. I scheduled a follow up exam for this coming Saturday. I hope I can last that long because I'm going crazy and my dog ate glasses.

Anyway, I'm 31 and do insane amounts of near work . . . I know, i should have stabilized, but if i was under corrected for the past two year this is where i should have been before.

James 08 Aug 2011, 12:19

Soundmanpt

I have told her how good she looks in her new glasses. She also looks great in her other glasses and prescription sunglasses. Of course she also looks gorgeous without glasses!

She hasn't tried that trick you mentioned about leaving them in the freezer. She would think I was a bit wierd if I suggested it and I don't think she'd let me. Anyway, they've hardly been off her face since she got them. I'm getting more used to seeing her with glasses than without. If I do see her without them I know it won't be long before the glasses go back on.

She doesn't mind that the lenses don't go dark in the car. She still loves her prescription sunglasses and still wears them. She has worn her new glasses at night a few times now and has had no problems.

I'm going to have to bring up the subject of the amount of time she's been wearing glasses recently. I don't want to sound obsessive about glasses or put her off wearing them but I feel I need to find out if she is just wearing her new glasses a lot because they are new or if she's decided to wear glasses full time now.

NewB 08 Aug 2011, 09:08

thank you catcus jack,

i sent you an email..

i hope it will be ok, and send you images of my new glasses as soon as i get them...

Cactus Jack 08 Aug 2011, 08:54

NewB,

Eyescene does not have the ability to handle pictures, If you will send your email address to cactusjack1928@hotmail.com, I will send you a picture of some glasses with approximately 6 mm edge thickness.

You seem to be somewhat obsessed with lens thickness and I think you are going to be asking that question often. Here is a link to a lens thickness calculator so you can do it your self.

http://www.opticampus.com/tools/thickness.php

They don't mention CR-39 by name or Index of Refraction (IR), but I suspect it is Hard Resin because the lens materials are listed in ascending order of IR. Notice that they asked for the center thickness. Some countries (the US for instance) requires a test of strength of the lens and that means the center thickness of the lens must be strong enough to pass the test. In minus Rx, the center of the lens is thinner than at the edges. Often, to make the lens strong enough, the center thickness must be 2 to 3 mm. That adds directly to the theoretical edge thickness or the lens.

Frankly, if you are obsessed with lens thickness you have to realize that optical physics and your Rx are the governing factors and you can not control either one. Your only real choice is lens material and that is governed by your wallet. However, you have significant control over frame selection.

If you are worried about what others will think of your glasses (vanity anyone?), don't be. Frame selection plays a very large role in "noticeability" of edge thickness. All people notice are changes in your appearance and that only lasts for a day or two. After that, if you keep your same frame style, you can have very large changes in your Rx and lens thickness and no one will pay any attention or even notice.

C.

NewB 08 Aug 2011, 07:06

hi catcus Jack,

thank you for the answer, i understand much more now..

but there is one thing i need to find out - and it's the thickness of the lens, it's important to me - i really dont want some heavy and big lenses, i unserstand that after the optometrist will find my real prescription i'll have to be these glasses for a while.

so, i called my optometrist and he told me thatmy glasses will be ready in the next few days, and i askes him some questions about the thickness and this what he told me:

1) because this is my first we need to use low index lens CR39, and that lens are the worst lens when we want thin lens, but he told after we'll find the real prescription you can upgarde the lens to be more thinner.

2) because it's bifocals, the specs must be big and wide, so it makes the edge thicker.

3)the lasr thing is my prescription is not small, and that ofcourse affect on the thickness.

when i asked me if he can calculate the thickness (as you do) he tols that he can, but he'll call later.

after 4 hours he called me and told the with his calculation that count the pd (what's that?), the measurement of the glasses, and the material of the lens---- the lens thickness will be around 6mm in the edge, hw told mt that quite thick but this is situation until i get my next pair...

what i'm asking you - i want to see an image with eyeglasses with 6mm lens, i want to see how thick it is! i done want surprises...

when i get my glasses i wll upload image of it, but until then, i need an image please, it's not have to be bifocals, even normal lens (in 6mm) will do the job..

thankyou!

Soundmanpt 08 Aug 2011, 00:16

SoCal

Your correct in that is a rather big jump. But I don't think you ever stated your age in here and that can make a difference as to needing a big increase. Also how old was the -2.00 rx? If you indeed need that much correction you should not have much if any trouble adjusting to the stronger lenses in both your glasses and contacts. The thing that is interesting is why your doctor didn't think you should be able to see perfect with correction. I am sure if you have been feeling for a long time that you were under corrected, you were. I can't explain how a doctor couldn't tell that when you were examined. I assume you went to a different doctor that found you needed the increase?

SoCal 07 Aug 2011, 22:40

So, I got a new CL rx as well as a new rx for my glasses today. The change was pretty significant, but I just want to know how long it will take to adjust to the new rx so that it feels comfortable, like a second skin. I wore my new contacts today for about 7 hours and I didn't have any problem, no headache or dizziness. Could it just be that I need to adjust to the clarity? I guess I am just concerned because for the past two years, it seems like I was under corrected, especially at night. I had always told my doc before that I wasn't seeing properly but he just told me that it wasn't ever going to be perfect. Anyway, any advice would help.

Thanks!

Old RX:

CL's and specs: -2.00

New RX:

CL's: -3.50

Glasses:-4.00/-4.25

Cactus Jack 07 Aug 2011, 18:14

NewB,

1) It is not unusual to need low add bifocals in university even at 19. The very heavy reading and close work causes many students to need some reading help to reduce the focusing work load. The choice of lined bifocals is a good one because it will give you a broad reading segment with good focus over the entire segment.

2) An index of 1.50 usually indicates that the glasses will be made using CR-39 as the lens material. Optically, an excellent choice, but they will be a bit thicker and a lot cheaper than higher index lenses. The edge thickness depends on the width of the lens in addition to the Rx and the Index of refraction. I would estimate around 4 mm at the edge based on the limited information you provided.

3) An optical prism is a lens with a triangular cross section, often used to split white light into the color spectrum. The point is the Apex and the surface opposite the Apex is the Base of the prism. Prism can also be used to bend rays of light. Prism is used in glasses to bend light rays to help with convergence problems and difficulty keeping images fused. If your eyes tend to cross, it is possible that you may need Base Out prism. It is possible that the bifocals will help some with your eye's tendency to cross by making easier for you to focus to read. There is an interconnection in your brain between the focus control system and the eye position control system that causes your eyes to try to converge when you focus close. Your interconnection may be unusually strong and your eyes may try to converge too much. This is not good or bad, it just is. If you do need Base Out prism, it will made the outer edges thicker by about 1 mm per prism diopter and the inner edge thinner by about 1/2 to 3/4 mm per diopter. The difference is because of the edge proximity to the Optical Center of the lens. The outer edge is farther away from the OC.

I would suggest the first step is getting some glasses that correct the problem without worrying much about lens thickness. CR-39 has excellent optical properties and is relatively inexpensive. Once you have the Rx right, then you can worry about reducing the lens thickness, if you still want to, but be prepared for greater expense and perhaps a reduction in optical quality. If you become concerned about the bifocals, think twice about getting progressives with your reading load. You would be better off getting a 2nd pair of glasses without the reading add. We can help you do that very inexpensively, on line.

4) The best way to get used to bifocals is just wear them. I was about your age and in university when I got +1.00 bifocals. It took about 10 minutes of reading without developing a headache to make me decide that the line, my age, or what others might think, was not important. My visual comfort was what really mattered.

I would be surprised if there were not many others in your university who wear bifocals. If you think about it, people who wear reading glasses are also wearing bifocals, their reading glasses are just not as handy as yours by having them already built into your regular glasses.

C.

NewB 07 Aug 2011, 16:28

hi all of you,

2 words about me: i'm 19, lives in greece, student in the university, unemployee right now...

I was in exam 2 days ago and order my first Bifocals (with line, not progressive) glasses-

i had a prescription arounf -3.25 with -0.5 (almost 2 years with out going to check my eyes), so i go to eye exam to see how much my prescription got up- and this is the result:

-3.75 -1.25 180

-3.75 -1.00 15

now for the odd part, i am 19, studying in university and i have to be a lot in library and lots of reading,but after i got these glasses (-3.75) it become very hard to read, so i went to another eye exam and told the optometrist i have trouble with reading, blurry in short distance, cross eye, it become much harder to foucos in reading books, the optometrist told me that if the bifocals won't solve the problems, we'll have to add prisms to help my eyes...

- and finally got this:

-4.00 -1.5 180 +1.00

-4.00 -1.25 15 +1.00

and now for the questions:

1)in age of 19 i need Bifocals, are thing like that hapenning?

2) because this is Bifocals the index of the lenses (as i told) 1.50, it's mean that my lens will be thick? how much thick? do you have any images of glasses that can show me thickness like this prescription and this index?

3) ehat the hell are prisms? are they bad? they wiil affect the thickness? (i really dont want thick glasses!)

4)this pair is going to be my first Bifocal, do you have any suggestions how get use to it fast?

any more useful information will be good!

thank you

Soundmanpt 05 Aug 2011, 12:27

James

Like CJ said it looks like since she got her new glasses and really really likes them she is most likely to wear them even more than she was before. Something that works nicely is maybe tell some of your friends to tell her how nice her new glasses look and how good she looks wearing them. Glad she likes them by the way. And it seems she doesn't even mind the fact that they don't get dark enough to use for driving in the daytime. IOh and was I correct that she has no problem wearing them at night for driving or whatever?

Cactus Jack 05 Aug 2011, 12:03

Oops! The last post was from me.

C.

 05 Aug 2011, 12:01

Other James,

It would not hurt to casually mention that she looks amazing with her new glasses, but don't make too big a deal of it. She must be pretty pleased with them or she would not be wearing them most of the time.

If there was some tangible proof you could offer regarding her attractiveness, that would not hurt either.

C.

James 05 Aug 2011, 11:22

This is the other James here - my girlfriend doesn't have plus lenses in her glasses. Hers are quite mild minus lenses with astigmatism prescription in them as well.

Her new photochromatic glasses came the other day and she loves them. She kept on going in and out of the house so she could see them changing. The neighbours would have thought she was going mad if they'd seen her!

She hasn't said anything about wearing glasses all the time but she's hardly taken them off since she's got them She's worn them all day every day including at her work. She swapped them for her prescription sunglasses a couple of times in the car when it has been very bright outside and the photochromatic lenses weren't dark enough for comfortable driving (as we expected). She swapped straight back as soon as she got out of the car.

They are really quite clever! They are almost completely clear when they are out of the daylight - just a very faint tint that is unnoticeable unless you look very carefully. Of course she looks amazing in them. They are a good fit and suit her extremely well. I think I might just prefer these glasses to the glasses with the regular lenses in.

Hopefully she will continue to wear her newer glasses all the time.

Rayray 02 Aug 2011, 16:06

Specsaver charged me 5GBP/$8US for my last eye test - I have been a loyal customer of theirs for years though. This was a very thorough dilated exam - about 45 minutes in total.

Cactus Jack 02 Aug 2011, 10:10

James,

No, unless they have some uncorrected additional hyperopia. People who are farsighted may be able to correct some for not having enough plus in their glasses, depending on their age, but they cannot correct for too much plus. The eye has no mechanism to do that. If their glasses are too strong, it will be like they are somewhat nearsighted.

C.

James 02 Aug 2011, 08:09

My girl friend wears plus lens she love's having big eyes.Is it true that people with farsighted eyes can easily adapt to stronger prescriptions

Milly 02 Aug 2011, 03:30

Clare,

I agree with you. Had an eye test with SpecSavers years ago when my eyes were about +2.50 and came out with a huge prescription, I picked out glasses, two pairs, one pair with slim lenses and when I went back to collect them the next day I nearly got sick when I saw the strength of the lenses, even the girl who put the glasses on me, wondered had I thought of thinned lenses, which I told her were on order for me. When I asked they were +4.50 and +5.00 !!!! I wore the slim glasses for about 3 days and dumped them (farsighted eyes can easily adapt so didn't want to increasee natural prescription by wearing them) and went to an independent optician where they prescribed me my proper prescription.

Soundmanpt 01 Aug 2011, 15:37

Once you have been treated the way you were at that other place it is understandable that you want to go to a top notch place for your next exam. The suggestions given by others i'm sure are all likely very good and probably less money, but at this point you just want to be sure to get a complete and accurate exam.

A good lesson to be learned from what happened to you is simply don't go to anyplace that offers a free eye exam, because your likely going to get what you paid for. It's not a scam but very close to it.

alison 01 Aug 2011, 15:12

I am happy to pay the £30.00 if the eye exam is more thorough and i get a prescriptio that i feel is appropriate for my eyes. i have booked in for 13th august, so fingers crossed!!

Clare 01 Aug 2011, 14:18

Its a while since I last went but I think Specsavers is in the region of £20-£25 for a vision exam.

lentifan 31 Jul 2011, 17:07

Alison

£30 sounds a little on the high side. In my experience, most optiicians charge around £17 - £20 and will always give you your Rx and do a thorough job. Maybe independents charge more than the chains.

alison 31 Jul 2011, 13:55

i think i will go to an independent opticians, i called one up and asked how much and they said it is £30.00 and asked how long does an eye exam take and they said about 30 minutes or so so that to me suggests that they usually take their time with the patient, how long are eye tests meant to be? i am recalling my not so pleasant experience with direkt optic and think that i was probably in there for a little more than 10 minutes but not quite 15 minutes!im reading things on here and dont think the optician even tested for astigmatis . i think if my new eye test yields a substantially different prescription and they actually treat me properly and speak to me about the results, i will show it to the original place and demand an explanation for the discrpency and also say that their custoemr service from the opticain but also from the front line staff needs to be reviewed.

Andrew 31 Jul 2011, 13:35

It is worth noting that most, if not all, of the major optical chains in the UK have some sort of promotion on at the moment, so a "free" eye test is probably just another one of those. I'm due an eye test in about a month's time, and will be requesting a different optician to the one I had last year, not because he was necessarily wrong, but because he did not take the time to explain to me what he had found. I suspect this was because I was the first patient of the day, and he needed to make sure he was not behind with his appointments. There's no guarantee this will work, but I certainly feel I see better with my right eye than I do with my left.

Clare 31 Jul 2011, 11:00

Alison - nearly 8 years ago I had a similar experience with Boots opticians. I went in with a prescription of -2 and came out with something that was -3.50 for one eye and -2 for the other. I felt as though I was rushed too and, though I showed my surprise at the result because it was a big increase, was pretty much told that it was what the reading said. They gave me a pair of trial contacts and sent me away. It was pretty soon obvious that the -3.50 was too strong, I rang them and they said come back in 2 weeks which I did, and it was Christmas time so there were lots of holidays. Fortunately I saw someone else for the next exam and came away with -2.25 in both eyes.

This just shows that there are variations even in the same practice,and that its worth registering your dissatisfaction, so you should definately contest the result if you feel it isn't accurate. I know its hard, I don't like doing things like that either! Good luck.

Cactus Jack 31 Jul 2011, 11:00

Alison,

If you have a Wal-Mart equivalent in your area (Tesco, I think in the UK), check to see if they have a Vision Center. MY experience here in the US is that they have reasonable prices and pretty good examiners. The exam is not free and you don't have to buy glasses from them if you don't want to.

Here in the US, they offer a 1 year guarantee with free replacement even if you break them. To do that, they have to want satisfied customers who rarely have anything to complain about and will recommend them to their friends.

Here in Texas, the Optometrist, if in the same store, must have a separate entrance, usually outside, and be independent of the area where they sell and fit glasses.

Opthalmologists, Optometrists, and Opticians are human and some are better at their trade than others. I have found an unusually good Optometrist at a nearby Wal-Mart, but because my Rx is a little special, the first time he examined my eyes, he said my Rx was complicated enough that I should not bother with the vision center for my glasses because it was beyond their expertise.

If you want to, while you are there, look over their frame selection and find out the total cost. Then if want, you can provide us with your complete Rx, we can help you order on line.

C.

Melyssa 31 Jul 2011, 10:21

If you have a health plan (no guarantee in this country), or if there is (or may be) something wrong with your eyes, by all means go to an eye doctor (ophthalmologist or optometrist). Opticians are for getting glasses. The place I deal with for glasses has a setup for eye exams, but they know I will not use that service of theirs.

Whether you have presbyopia, hyperopia, myopia, your opia, his or her opia, or triskaidekaphobia, go to a professional. I have an eye exam every year due to the possibility of cataracts not far down the road, plus floaters, plus the first time I went to my current eye doctors, they found a slight abnormality with my retina, which turned out to be nothing harmful, fortunately. And the exams are so much more thorough, as including the wait for eye drops, I am there pretty close to an hour, with so many different tests being done.

Soundmanpt 31 Jul 2011, 09:30

I am not a fan at all of the places that offer a free eye exam. As we have all heard many times, nothing is really free. If your someone that has perfect vision and you have always wanted glasses this is probably the place you want to go. If your wearing glasses of course you will need an increase etc. Remember the whole idea of doing free eye exams is to sell more glasses. Theses free exams always mean that you are not given a copy of your rx and because it is free they are within their rights. So you have no choice but to purchase glasses from them. Now it don't stop there. The glasses that are advertised for a very cheap price. Well they do have them however it is only a small selection to choose from. So you find something that is better than the others. But now with all the up grades the price has gone to 3 or 4 times the sale price.

varifocals 31 Jul 2011, 09:02

It is not always as easy as it sounds.

I had a eye check a little while ago & the optician stank of chicken vindaloo.

It was awful.

What could I do about it at my local Specsavers, get the poor girl in trouble.

After the eye test I found the results were lower than before, so I ordered a pair on the internet with a slight increase in my rx.

Next time I will have an early morning appointment.

Soundmanpt 31 Jul 2011, 08:38

alison

It was likely not an over sight that you didn't get a copy of your rx. Generally those free eye exam promotions they don't give it to you unless you purchase your glasses there and even then some won't still give you a copy. Thankfully where I am at here in the states I only know of one shop that says that the eye exam is free when you order glasses there and they refuse to give out your rx even to another optical store.If you want it then they tell you that you must pay to get a copy. The free promotion explains why they may have been very busy but but a 15 minute exam is not a very complete exam. Their your eyes and you want what is best for your eyes to give clear and sharp vision not a quickie eye exam. Since you were not out any money and only a little time then it would be best to find a different location to get an eye exam done at. I think you will find that your exam will be more like 30 minutes long this time. You can certainly call around to see about prices before you choose one, but I would stay away from any that offer a free exam. If you go where you pay for the exam they will not have a problem in providing a copy of your rx to you. a good and complete exam should get you the proper results for the glasses that your eyes require at this time. What you have read or heard about in here with getting glasses a little stronger than required is like the difference of going from regular TV to high definition TV. By increasing the SPH by -.50 more in each eye your vision will be very clear and sharp.The only way you will be able to do this is by going on-line to get your glasses. The optical stores will only make glasses per your written rx. since your a student with limited funds I recommend going on-line anyway weather you get your glasses made to the given rx or if you choose to have them a little stronger it will save you a lot of money. But first of all you need to book an appointment elsewhere that will give you the time of day and day a real exam. No going back where you went would be like beating a dead horse, nothing would happen.

Puffin 31 Jul 2011, 07:52

Alison, to me that sounds wise.

alison 31 Jul 2011, 07:41

soundmanpt, I am in the UK and they are meant to give you a copy of your prscription. the very stern and not very friendly optician left me in the hands of a customer service lady, she was answering the phones, dealing with impatient people waiting for their appointments and i asked her if she could talk me through any offers, she just huffed and said well you get this and that, i said its ok il come back when its not too busy, but never got my prescription card as it was still attached to the clip board

yes these are my first glasses, i have read on here that people with myopia like to have more - ive lenses than they need and maybe that was teh case with me, but i am new to eye testing and with the speed he was doing things at and kept saying do you really prefer that? as if i was lying to him, it made for a very uncomfortable 15 minutes

I think i really will cut my losses and get an eyetst elsewhere

for any of you UK readers, it was a direct optik store , they were offering free eyetests and thats the reason i went in as i am a studnet and wanted to keep costs down

Soundmanpt 30 Jul 2011, 15:17

alison

If you feel you rushed through and were unhappy with how you were treated I would first call and talk to the manager of the store, if it is a chain store you can even threaten to go to the main office. The managers at chain stores never want that. If it is an independent store with only one doctor, I would complain and let them know your getting a second opinion and be sure to tell him/her why. Let him/her know that if you get a much different report you are going to want your money back.

Doctors always seem to want to go less with someone getting their first glasses.I'm assuming this is your first glasses? For distance I don't know why they would under prescribe you? I know often times they will go less for astigmatism correction because if it is very much because it is much harder to adjust to that type of correction all at once.

Let us know how it all turns out for you.

Another option, but this should be last on the list, is as long as you are sure what the lenses were that you were able to see the best with you can always go on-line and order your glasses in whatever rx you want. Have a look at zenni as well as others out there.

alison  30 Jul 2011, 14:40

ok, so just had an eye test and got told by the optician that i have pseudomyopia, he was basically trying to make out that i was faking the problem, he was very brisk with me in hs attitude and in the way he worked, he kept changing lenses over so quickly i didnt get chance to really decide. i find that things in teh distance are blurred and it has taken me the courage to go and get a test, he said he did his objective bit and that showed him i was -1.00 and -1.50 and when it came to the subjective bit i was saying i preferred the -2.00 -2.50, things were very crisp and clear but he removed those lesnes and siad im prescribing ytou the 1.00 and -1.50, he said i need to relax myt eyes and im young and this will soon stop as ig et older. i am tempted to go for antoehr test elsewhere and see waht tehy say, as i was made to feel very stupid and like it was something i had done , he was talking to me giving his verdict while i was sitting in the chair with the stupid looking glasses on still and i took them off and he proceeded to tell me to put them back on and then after he finshed talking, he took them off my face! what do people think of tis, am i over reacting, is it worth another test and what is this psyeudomyopia he is talking about? thanks

Melyssa 28 Jul 2011, 10:08

Soundmanpt,

Thank you for the compliment on my new frames and the explanation about the black line.

My optician does not wear glasses -- actually about half of the people at the place do, part-time. She knows all about drop-temples as she has been in her profession over a quarter of a century. She likes them very much -- and cat's-eyes too. Even she wishes that large, colorful frames would come back in style(s).

Soundmanpt 28 Jul 2011, 08:05

Melyssa

My guess is the thin black line you are seeing is probably a reenforcing wire to help the frame keep it's shape. They sound very nice. So do you think your optician will soon be wearing drop temples like you? Is she the same one that you have been going to with other frames to have your rx added? Not surprising that she likes them, almost every optician I have known seem to like the unusual and if she is on the young side she may never have seen any drop temples before.

Melyssa 28 Jul 2011, 06:48

Early this year I purchased a number of frames from bleudame.com, and last week I went to my usual place to get clear, prescription lenses in the 4th and final pair, very large drop-temples. Seeing myself clearly, and not with the plano sunglass lenses that came with the frame (that is no longer in bleudame's inventory), I noticed that the frame is not totally clear in color, but has some gray, and when looking at the glasses at an angle, I see a thin black line running through it, as it were. Also, the lenses measure up to 2.75 inches at their longest/widest points, so yes, these are quite huge -- and pretty, as I have been told, both by my husband and by the optician herself. She even asked me where I got the frame.

Soundmanpt 26 Jul 2011, 10:54

James

There is a trick that you are going to laugh at but it seems to work. When her glasses arrive she should first put them in the freezer for a day or two as that has an effect on the chemical that makes them change. It should help in making them change faster from dark to clear and clear to dark. Not sure how you relate this to her? As Daffy and I indicated I am afraid she may be disappointed with her new glasses for driving during the day as they won't get near as dark as real sunglasses. Your girlfriend could be be a bit light sensitive and if she is i'm sure she likes her sunglasses to be dark. She will most likely still find she will need to wear her rx sunglasses for driving during the day. I think her new ones will be fine for driving at night, but they will have a slight tint to them which she may enjoy more than her current clear pair.

daffy 26 Jul 2011, 08:14

James - Just a note regarding transition lenses that you might need to know...They will not go dark during the day inside the car. It's heaps frustrating. The reason? Car windows have UV coating and will block the UV (Ultra Violet) rays getting inside. Transition lenses require UV to go dark....oh and another note...they go even darker during overcast days...go figure.

I hope I didn't put a damper on your expectations, but I didn't want you to wonder why or be suprised.

Soundmanpt 25 Jul 2011, 21:32

Dan

If he confirmed the fact that she actually did have a slight need for distance correction I would say she could probably benefit from progressives However when you were talking with her did you mention the word bifocal to her? Being 19 I think she may not like the sound of that at all. If you find that she wouldn't have any problem with getting progressives she could surely go back to her doctor and ask for them. Did she get her rx in writing when she went? It may well indicate a small rx for distance on there already. It is true that progressives or bifocals do cost more money and that may have been part of the reason he didn't push her that way. But your thinking is correct. She may even find that if she wears her glasses very much her eyes will start to see distance with them and maybe the astigmatism correction will help her distance then.

Dan 25 Jul 2011, 20:35

I had posted this a while ago and wondered if anyone had thoughts...sort of an interesting situation.

I was talking to a friend today who just got prescribed glasses for the first time (she's 19). We got talking about some of the details of the eye exam and it had me a bit confused so I wondered if anyone here could shed some light...

She has mentioned to me many times that her eyes get really tired at night, especially while using the computer and she has slight trouble seeing far away. She ended up picking up some over the counter computer glasses (+1.00) a month or so ago which she used for close up and they helped her reduce the eye strain/fatigue although she couldn't see far away with them.

So she basically knew she was going to get some sort of correction when she had her appointment today. After being examined, the eye doctor confirmed that she has slight trouble seeing far away but not significant as well as astigmatism (I don't know the prescription). The eye doctor recommended plus lenses with astigmatism correction to relieve the headaches/fatigue while doing close work. The doctor also mentioned that these glasses wouldn't make distance any clearer.

My friend is really happy that she can no longer get tired after reading for 20 minutes but I was wondering that given the situation described above, could my friend have benefited from bifocals? Or maybe the distance correction prescription would be too small?

James 25 Jul 2011, 13:22

Almost full time wearing since Wimbledon! Not quite, though. Just a lot more than when she first got them. She did actually wear them all day Saturday - probably because she worked a late shift on Friday night and was busy, so she still felt a bit tired Saturday morning. She always wears her glasses if she's tired and just doesn't bother taking them off when she's woken up a bit more in the morning. On Sunday she wore her prescription sunglasses but pushed them up on top of her head every time she went inside. She sort of moaned that it felt like the sunglasses were going to slip off when she put them on top of her head and that she wouldn't need to do that if her new glasses were here (she can get a bit impatient at times!). I do hope the glasses come soon!

Soundmanpt 25 Jul 2011, 13:02

James

Well that's good if her current glasses are around 122 mm then her new ones should fit her fine. Remember even being a bit off either way is okay as well. It seems your girlfriend really enjoys wearing sunglasses, so I don't think she will find it to be a problem to wear her new glasses after dark for driving. photochromatic lenses never get completely clear but a slight tint should not bother her. Most of the time the biggest complaint I hear is that they don't get clear quick enough during the day when you go from outside to inside. But again if she is very used to wearing sunglasses she likely went into stores with her sunglasses on before she got prescription glasses.

I would think her new glasses are due to arrive any day now? It generally takes between 2 and 3 weeks from when you place the order.

From what you have described it seems as though she has pretty much been wearing her glasses full time now since the tennis tournament? She is nearing the point where she doesn't feel comfortable without them. I'm sure you were a great help in making her feel comfortable about wearing glasses, and that means a lot.

James 25 Jul 2011, 12:41

I measured my girlfriends glasses when she was outside wearing her prescription sunglasses. It's difficult getting an accurate measurement but they seem close to the 122mm that her new ones will be.

The new frames are a similar style to her current ones. The new ones are half rimmed rather than full rimmed and the arms are a little more slender.

We've been doing a little bit of reading up on photochromatic lenses and it seems that it is recommended that you don't wear them for night driving as they don't always go completly clear. Looks like she'll need to take her current glasses with her when she drives at night. A little bit of a pain but the convenience of not having to switch from sunglasses to regular glasses and back when "out and about" not in the car outweighs the very slight inconvenience of switching to regular clear lensed glasses for night driving.

The new glasses haven't come yet.

Soundmanpt 21 Jul 2011, 18:43

James the best way for her or you figure the proper fit/size she should take her current pair and measure across the front, outside left to outside right with a mm ruler. And see if that is close to 122 mm.

As for as I know this is the best way to know about the fit.

Rayray 21 Jul 2011, 17:10

James I think it is likely that your gf doesn't want to think she is dependent on glasses and so takes them off once in a while but they go back on again when she needs to see - at some point taking them off will prove more hassle than it's worth and she will go full-time without thinking abt it.

varifocals 19 Jul 2011, 12:41

I too am a Select Specs user. their glasses have been fine so far.

James 19 Jul 2011, 12:26

Is that small? Most of the Select Specs glasses seem to be around that width. My girlfriend isn't tiny but she isn't exactly tall at 5'4"!

She had the weekend off and we stayed inside most of the time as it was p***ing down with rain most of the time and she wore her glasses (current ones - the photochromatic ones haven't come yet) from first thing until bed time both days. Yesterday she put them on first thing, probably wore them at work - don't know, took them off when she got in from work and put them on an hour or so later when we pu the tv on. There doesn't seem to be a pattern forming - just when I think she's decided to wear them full time she goes back to only wearing them when she really needs to!

Soundmanpt 15 Jul 2011, 13:24

James

Is your girlfriend on the small side? I ask because the glasses are on the small side as for the total width. They are only 122 mm.

varifocals 15 Jul 2011, 12:30

James.

Select specs stuff is good.

I have several pairs

James 15 Jul 2011, 12:04

Soundmanpt

She is wearing her glasses a lot of the time, certainly a lot more than before Wimbledon started. She doesn't always wear them right from getting up but once she's put them on for when she really needs them they tend to stay on all day. She's been wearing them at her work even though there's no tennis on the tv.

I wouldn't say she's a full time wearer but rather a most-of-the-time wearer!

She has now ordered a new pair of glasses with photochromatic lenses. They will turn dark grey in the sun (neither of us liked the look of any other coloured tint especially brown!). Here are the ones she ordered http://www.selectspecs.com/Glasses/Stellar/665/ss13.11.html There's an extra £25 for the photochromatic lenses on top of the price shown plus £3.50 shipping, but it's still really cheap ("Anti reflection", "UV400" and Scratch resistance" coatings included). We have 2 wait another 2 or 3 weeks, probably, before the glasses arrive.

Soundmanpt 14 Jul 2011, 11:33

James

Wimbledon ended nearly 2 weeks ago and your girlfriend was then wearing her glasses from the time she got out of bed in the morning until bed at night. You were hoping that she would continue the wearing habits after tennis ended. So has she decided to be a full time wearer now?

How has her search gone for finding another pair of glasses? Having several pairs will make it more fun for her to wear glasses all the time.

Soundmanpt 11 Jul 2011, 11:01

Emily

Your welcome. I didn't ask her if your eyes would be able to see the monitor right away or if your eyes might still need to adjust a little. My own guess is that she felt that a +.50 in the top would soon be too weak after your eyes fully adjust to reading with your glasses. However if your intending on wearing your progressives full time or most of the time it will be a little easier to see distances with +.50 than the +.75.

And with the glasses you already have in the +1.25 rx and you wear them full time the fuzziness will soon go away for all distances. The first thing that will come into focus will be your monitor, then things further away, like the TV and finally distant signs will be sharp as well.

In a previous post you said you weren't wanting to rush it, that you didn't want to be dependent yet. Will whatever you choose to do either with progressives or by wearing your current glasses, if you do decide to wear them all the time they will not make you dependent on them. Your distance vision should not change at all. More than anything you would just get used to having them on.

Hope this helps!

Emily 11 Jul 2011, 09:02

Thanks Soundmanpt!

I will try that with Zenni. Will I be able to see the monitor clearly with these or will it take a while to get the focus clear. If I understand your first response right, wearing the readers for distance will be fuzzy at first, but will just speed the ability to wear the glasses full time.

T

Soundmanpt 08 Jul 2011, 21:08

Emily

I really wasn't quite sure what to recommend for an rx if indeed you decide to get progressives, so I asked a doctor friend of mine. I gave her all your details and she suggested that if you do go for getting progressives your rx should be +.75 with an add of +1.25. She said that the problem with getting planos with +1.25 add is that the mid range is very narrow and would limit your view of the monitor a lot. Whereas by using the full top segment of +.75 should be about right for you. She agreed with me that you shouldn't invest too much money in glasses as it is most likely your eyes will be changing in a short time. But she did think you would like the progressives more than single vision glasses.

My only warning is if you get the progressives be very, very careful on steps with them until you get used to them. Do not look down while going up or down steps.

Emily 08 Jul 2011, 08:49

Thanks Soundmanpt.

Yes I am new to glasses. I understand that if I wear them more often, or even full time I will likely adjust to full time wear despite the initial blur that I have now, but why rush it? I am just getting used to seeing myself now wearing glasses, and not yet dependent on them. I am thinking that to preserve what close vision I still have (and distance too) that a small + on top, or even plano would help on the computer.

And yes, I am looking at Zenni as they aren't way high on price.

Thanks for your advice!

Soundmanpt 07 Jul 2011, 18:11

Emily

First of all welcome to "Eyescene" always good to see new people come in. Sounds like you are also new to wearing glasses as well. Others may have some different answers but I think you have 2 possibilities, If your glasses are serving you well for close work such as reading etc. with continued wear your eyes will soon adjust for longer distances. The longer the distance the longer to adjust, but for you to be able to see your computer monitor clear with your glasses it won't take much and you will be seeing it perfect with your glasses. Your other option is progressives, but as you know they can be rather expensive and there is a good chance your vision will be changing within the next 6 months to a year. How is your distant vision without glasses? I assume it is fine so really no need for any rx in the top segment at all. If you were only prescribed +1.25 glasses I would just get used to them for reading and the computer.

And AR coating is good to have even for indoor use on the computer as it cuts down on any glare you may get from the screen or your glasses. Try going on-line for your glasses as it is much cheaper. Have a look at my favorite place, zennioptical.com.

Emily 07 Jul 2011, 17:50

Hi y'all.

Just found this site, and find it very interesting. I was recently prescribed glasses for close, and they are great...but I can't read my computer screen through them. The readers are +1.25. I am thinking of going to Zenni for progressives that are +.50 with a 1.00 add. Does that sound right? The monitor is about 28" from my face!

Also, should I order AR coating for the extra bucks? They won't be used outside, so I don't know what difference that would make.

Advice is welcome.

Cheers!

albert 07 Jul 2011, 06:22

My wife is in her late 30's and does a lot of computer work so I hope that these work for her sake! (And mine of course! ;) )

Soundmanpt 06 Jul 2011, 11:01

Albert

Your wife's rx is very mild. They are mostly for reading at length and she may find that with an AR coat (anti-reflective) she may find they are helpful with driving after dark. She also has a slight astigmatism in one eye that can sometimes cause headaches. But many people with the same rx may only seldom ever wear their glasses your wife's eye may be more sensitive than that. If she is getting headaches and her eyes feel tired she likely will find her glasses make her eyes comfortable very quickly and thus may want to wear them full time. In fact the more her eyes get used to them the more she will get headaches without them. What is your wife's age and what type of work does she do. If she does a fair amount of computer work or other close work she will enjoy wearing her glasses

Albert 06 Jul 2011, 09:33

My wife has just had a test and come out with +0.5 sph +0.5 cyl 20 left and +0.5 sph 0 cyl right.

She had been having really bad headaches and tiredness

Do you think she will need these full time?

Thanks!

Trent 05 Jul 2011, 22:00

New glasses care of Clearly Contacts (Coastal Contacts). Guess metal frames, 1.61 index progressive lenses. Rx R -8.0, -2.75, +2.75 L -7.75, -2.75, +2.75. Lenses are thin & light, vision is good! Got them on sale, I saved a bundle ordering on-line.

Soundmanpt 05 Jul 2011, 12:19

James

You may have to help her get her PD number (distance between her pupils) if she doesn't have it. The easiest way is for her to ask where she got her glasses at. They will have that marked on her chart. But is easy to do. Simply have her remove her glasses and using a ruler with millimeters have her look straight ahead in the distance and measure from pupil to pupil(the dark tiny circle in the middle of the eye) The number should be something like 58 to 62 or so. You posted her rx awhile ago so she has that. So when she (finally) finds what she likes she should be good to order. If you need any help let me know or others as well can help.

James 05 Jul 2011, 11:45

Soundmanpt

I can put up with the women players grunting as I am more distracted by the players themselves. A lot of them are very good looking with well proportioned athletic bodies! I can say that as my girlfriend certainly appreciates the male players as much as I appreciate the female ones!

Anyway, back to the topic before I start thinking about Miss Sharapova again!

Thanks for the info about photochromatic/transition lenses - they don't mention that in the blurb (maybe they do but it's hidden away in the small print nobody reads). She already has a pair of prescription sunglasses so she could keep them in the car and then use them for driving if the transition lenses didn't get dark enough. I can see why she wants them - if she's in a sunny street and then keeps going in and out of shops she won't need to keep taking her sunglasses off and putting them back on or swapping them for regular glasses and then back again.

I think she may have worn her glasses most of the day yesterday. She had a day off but I didn't. She was up by the time I left for work and had her glasses on then and she had them on when I came home. They stayed on until we went to bed. Perhaps she's just got into the habit of putting them on first thing whether she needs to or not.

She may be getting close to ordering her new glasses (at last!) as she was looking online again last night and has saved the links to a few frames she likes on different sites.

Soundmanpt 05 Jul 2011, 10:46

James

Last week I happened to catch some of the tennis, but to be honest I had to turn the sound off as the women with the grunts was too much. I used to play tennis, maybe I would have been better if I grunted? I doubt it. Anyway it reminded me that your gf was going to be wearing her glasses at work so she could see the TV and the matches. So now after wearing them pretty much from when she got up until bedtime that night. I guess it will be interesting to see if she continues to wear them full time or not. My guess is she has no reason not to wear them. Now everyone has gotten used to seeing her in glasses and she has to see better and no headaches like when she takes them off.

not sure how you want to tell her this, but is she aware that photochromatic and transition lanses don't work real well for driving. The car windshield has UV protection on it and that is what makes the lenses darken up. Since she is finding that she really needs her glasses she should get a spare pair of regular glasses and a pair of sunglasses in her rx as well. Has she looked at Zenni or Global Lens? They have nice glasses and are quite inexpensive as well.

James 04 Jul 2011, 12:08

I think my girlfriend is getting ever closer to wearing her glasses full time. Over these last 2 weeks of her wearing her glasses all day at work (so she could see Wimbledon on their tv clearly)she seems to have got more used to wearing them than not wearing them. By Wednesday she was putting her glasses on when she got up and taking them off when going to bed. At home the glasses stayed on even after the matches she was watching had finished and we'd turned the tv off. Yesterday, after watching the men's singles final, she got her laptop out and started browsing online opticians for another pair of glasses (yes, she's still looking!) and was also comparing prices of photchromatic/transition lenses. I didn't say anything to her but that did make me think that she's maybe planning to wear glasses most/all of the time now or soon.

Soundmanpt 04 Jul 2011, 11:25

Helen

I have a couple of questions for you. Was there a reason you went for an eye exam? Also do you tend to get many headaches? As i'm sure you can tell your left eye doesn't see as well as your right eye without correction. You are only slightly near sighted in your left eye and like Phil stated your vision shouldn't get much different than it is. The second numbers in your rx, the ones with the plus sign, is enough to maybe cause you to get headaches. I think you may find that your eyes will feel much more relaxed if you wear your glasses most all the time. Your vision without your glasses will still be quite good even with full time wear.

Enjoy wearing your glasses.

Phil 04 Jul 2011, 06:42

Helen,

It's a pretty low prescription and my hunch is that although you might get a bit more myopic you'll not end up with a very high one. Are you still studying: that might hasten things. What frames did you get? And what reactions have you had to becoming a girl with glasses?

Helen 04 Jul 2011, 05:43

Hi I have just got my first pair of glasses at the age of 21.Could someone please explain my prescription.Right sph 0.00 Cyl +.75 Axis 80. Left eye sph -0.75 cyl +1.00 axis 90. I am enjoying wearing my glasses but wonder if they will get stronger overtime and will I need to wear them all the time?

Brian 30 Jun 2011, 12:10

Heather, How strong is your near vision add?

Aubrac 30 Jun 2011, 11:30

very progressive

The downside to monovision is that it can affect depth perception. With two eyes we have stereoscopic vision and the difference between the two eyes helps us to judge distances.

For distance, the brain will ignore the image from your daughter's -1.50 eye and so when driving it may be harder to judge the distance from the car in front or the speed of an approaching car.

This ability seems to vary from person person but it may be a good and safe idea to wear glasses for driving if at no other time.

Soundmanpt 28 Jun 2011, 21:52

heather

glad to hear that your eyes didn't change at all this time. So now are you to go back in a year or 6 months again? I really like the glasses you picked out. Very much in fashion these days but even better as they should give you a bit more lens area to see out of. I don't remember, did you ever get prescription sunglasses yet? I think you talked about it, but I can't recall if you did get some? I'm sure you only got single vision in those as a bifocal really shouldn't be very necessary.

Heather 28 Jun 2011, 17:59

I just had another eye exam (after only about 6 months since my vision had changed a lot over the last few years). Luckily my prescription has remained the same -5.25 in each eye plus the near vision add. I was so glad and decided to get new glasses . This is the pair I got: http://www.pretavoir.co.uk/paul-smith-fenton-onyx-p-12834.html

I had 1.67 lenses put in. They are somewhat thick but much better than my old pair. I really like the new glasses and I can see very well with them. As they are semi-rimless and the lenses are quite strong, the minification of my face behind the lenses is quite visible but I will probably get used to that.

Cactus Jack 23 Jun 2011, 14:48

very progressive,

Your daughter had natural monovision. She has been using her right eye (plano) for distance and her left eye for reading and close work. While this works, it is highly likely that her ciliary muscles are poorly conditioned.

The reason she says that she sees perfectly is that vision occurs in the brain and the eyes are merely biological cameras. When presented with a sharp image and a blurry image, the brain will always choose the sharp image as the basis for what you "see" and use what information it can from the blurry image to supplement the image.

Interestingly, her Rx is almost identical to my first Rx when I was 14. She may be very surprised at the increase in quality of vision when both eyes are working together and both are supplying quality images to the visual cortex.

The only thing she may experience is some short term difficulty in using the computer and reading as her ciliary muscles have to go to work and get conditioned. She needs to tough it out or the result may be very early onset of apparent presbyopia. Use it or loose it applies here and there can be a downside to not using what you have.

C..

very progressive 23 Jun 2011, 14:35

by the way, my daughter doesn't think she will fill the rx at all, as she does see fine without the left eye being corrected. Is this an attempt to sell glasses to an impressionable young woman? She would likely spend even more for frames if she felt she needed to wear glasses all the time.

very progressive 23 Jun 2011, 14:21

My daughter was just rx'd glasses for the 1st time. Her rx is OD - plano and OS : -1.50 + .25 x 180. She is 28 yrs old and the optometrist clearly stated that she is prescribing the glasses for "full time wear". My daughter asked him why , as she can see clearly with both eyes together ,at all distances ? She only has a minimal problem with distance with her l eye . According to my daughter she said that the difference between each eye was significant enough that on eye was doing all the work. She feels that this will cause eye fatigue and strain? I'm thinking that this may be a little bit of "over kill", but who am I to advise my daughter? Would appreciate any thoughts on this. Thanks !

James 22 Jun 2011, 12:13

I was wondering if, when my girlfriend said she couldn't read the credits on the tv when she took her glasses off, she might have exagerated her difficulty to get sympathy/attention from me or maybe it was because she was trying to read the credits immediatley after taking off her glasses without letting her eyes adjust.

She has been wearing her glasses to work this week so she can see the tv there clearly. This means she has been wearing them all day. She was a little bit nervous about wearing them at work as she has only done it once before and didn't really want lots of people commenting on her wearing them and making her feel self-concious. It turned out that she only got a few comments (most of her colleagues and regular customers already know she has glasses) and they were positive and flattering ones. She actually wore her glasses for her shift on Sunday even though Wimbledon didn't start until Monday so she could get used to wearing them at work.

She still hasn't chosen frames for a spare/alternative pair of glasses. I thought she was bad enough with clothes shopping trying to decide on what to buy but she is even worse with choosing glasses frames! She has seen a few both in opticians shops and on internet only opticians sites that range from "OK" to "Quite nice" but nothing that she really likes a lot. The search continues...

Crystal Veil 17 Jun 2011, 03:00

Jose @

unusual - yes, say one in a thousand. I have +2 for the left eye and -2 for the right eye. The four diopters difference between both lenses is a bit awkward and during an eye test, I take much time to get a prescription that gives me a good balance between the two images. Your son will not come across such difficulties. Opticians often mention a three diopters difference as the maximum that can be handled by the client. When the difference is five diopters or more, contact lenses are a better alternative.

Jose 16 Jun 2011, 22:42

Just wanted to check and see if this is unusual. My 14 year-old son had been complaining that his distant vision from the right eye was blurred, but no problem with the left eye. A couple of weeks ago, I had him in for an eye exam. He is nearsighted in the right eye: -1.25. The surprise was the left eye: +1.00---farsighted. Is this type of prescription unusual? BTW, he chose a pair of black retro frames and they look great.

Soundmanpt 15 Jun 2011, 10:29

James

Your girl friends progression to needing her glasses full time is going even faster than I thought it would. Seems like she is finding she really can't do without them already. The fact that she asked you how you felt about her wearing glasses is a sure sign she will soon not bother taking them off except at bedtime. If she can't see one word of the credits on the TV from across the room, so that means even the picture is out of focus then as well. The reason her eyes are tired and achy when she comes home from work is because she so far hasn't been wearing her glasses at work. Then she puts them on to drive home and they relax her eyes much like cool water on them. That is likely why she now is leaving them on all evening, not to mention seeing clearly. Maybe after watching tennis or something else on the TV at work for a few days will be enough for her to become full time. But it sounds like she is wearing them more 50% of the time. She only got her glasses about 6 weeks ago, she has come a long way already.

Aubrac 15 Jun 2011, 04:44

I stand corrected - maybe is just my wife who has never really bothered to clean her glasses. I used to when she first got them and still do if I see them lying around, often in a smeary and spotty state!

James

The seemingly odd thing is that people with low levels of correction often get more eyestrain and headaches than those with higher prescriptions. Astigmatism cannot be overcome by any squinting or straining and even people with low cylinder correction are often FT wearers for this reason.

James 14 Jun 2011, 13:10

My girlfriend asked me if I still find her attractive when she is wearing her glasses. Obviously I said I did. She looked very relieved to hear my reply. She said she wasn't sure if I did or not. The glasses have been staying on every evening. She gets a headache if she doesn't, especially when tired.

We were watching a film on the tv the other day and when the credits were on at the end she took her glasses off to scratch an itch at the top of her nose. She said she couldn't read a single word of the credits. She put her glasses back on and she said she could see the credits perfectly. I didn't realise that her glasses made such a big difference. She also mentioned that she hadn't been able to read the credits easily for quite a while before she got glasses and really struggled to read them in the couple of weeks before she got glasses. With glasses is perfect. Without and fine detail like tv/film credits or place names on road signs or car number plates goes from almost impossible to read to possible but not sharp, depending on the size of letters. She also said that she doesn't notice her sight is bad unless she has to concentrate on something. Just generally looking around isn't a problem, but she has noticed that since getting glasses her eyes feel more tired than before she got glasses if she doesn't wear her glasses when she should.

Melyssa 13 Jun 2011, 06:52

You want steamed glasses? Just wear large-frame glasses and open the oven after it's been on for 20 minutes or so. :)

ehpc 12 Jun 2011, 16:13

To clean glasses, that is.

ehpc 12 Jun 2011, 16:12

Using breath to steam classes to clean them isn't obsessive or excessive - it is common sense!

Soundmanpt 12 Jun 2011, 13:20

Your very right. For those that get glasses for the first time they do tend to clean them far more than a longtime wearer. The first timer will notice the smallest spot, or non-spot, because they are not used to looking through glasses to see. Also they are more prone to accidently touch or get water spots etc on them. The experenced wearer forgets they even have them on and never touches them and knows now to block rain and things. James's girlfriend is still very new to wearing glasses so she likely has no problems with keeping the lenses very clean.

Polyphemus 12 Jun 2011, 12:38

Aubrac... Not sure where you are getting your experiences from, but several people I have known over the years cleaned their glasses quite excessively after first getting them, and dropped off over the years significantly.

I know one woman who was obsessed with cleaning them, using breath to steam them, etc, but these days she has had a long scratch on her left lens for months and she said it bothers other folks more than it bothers her!

Aubrac 12 Jun 2011, 04:17

James

One thing you might want to check when your girlfriend leaves her glasses about is how clean they are. New glasses wearers very often don't think about cleaning the lenses and they soon get smeared and spotted making vision sometimes worse than better.

Whenever my wife leaves her glasses lying around I always make sure they are perfectly clean.

Grease smears can be particularly off-putting as they can distort especially in sunlight - keep a tissue or a packet of spectacle wipes handy and give them a quick wipe.

Soundmanpt 10 Jun 2011, 15:11

James

I told you she may not say much but she is struggling more and more. It's not the small distance correction that is getting to her, it's her astigmatism that is becoming a bigger problem for her. I think you would agree if her eyes weren't bothering her she would not be putting them on for no real reason like she has been doing lately. And as I told you the more she wears them the more she will need them. To be honest I feel for her, she seems like she doesn't hate the idea of wearing glasses but would like to be able to choose when to wear them but her eyes aren't allowing her that option. Hopefully she will soon understand that she can wear her glasses full time and still be able to see very well without them, but she will not be able to keep them off for long before the headaches will come. She won't be anywhere close to being dependent on them to see, but dependent on them not to get headaches.

Sorry I am not much into tennis anymore, more into golf, and I happened to see tennis on over the weekend and assumed that was it. Not sure what matches those were then.

When the tennis she wants to watch comes on if she in fact does wear her glasses those days that should help push her a little or maybe a lot more closer to full time. Also if she hasn't worn them at work before I am sure she will get lots of comments and they will all be good. I'm sure most will tell her how good they look etc. That may lead her to feeling more comfortable to wear them at work If that happens she will likely just not bother taking them off.

James 10 Jun 2011, 13:11

My girlfriend kept her glasses on after getting home from work Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings this week. In the mornings I leave before she does (although we both get up at the same time) and she wasn't wearing her glasses on Tuesday or Wednesday morning. On Thursday she put them on about 1/4 of an hour before I left and this morning she put them on not long after we got up. She wasn't watching tv or using her laptop on either morning. I did't ask her if she has been wearing her glasses at work as it would sound a bit strange. Wimbledon doesn't start for another couple of weeks so I doubt if she has been paying much attention to the tv at the pub she works in. They normally have the BBC News Channel on most of the time and only show the big sports events like Wimbledon, football World Cup, Olympics. So, until Wimbledon starts she probably won't be wearing her glasses at work.

Melyssa 08 Jun 2011, 06:44

A neutralizer is used for perms. My favorite hairstylist, who wore glasses most of her life, jumping right from plastic cat's-eyes to metal frames in other shapes, said so. I miss you, Mom! :)

Soundmanpt 07 Jun 2011, 16:12

Thanks Curt, I even used one and always called it that. Nice to know the real name. Actually it makes sense since that is what it is. I guess i called it that because that is what they call it when you read the rx off the lenses.

Curt 07 Jun 2011, 15:39

Soundmanpt: The device is actually called a lensometer, not a neutralizer.

very progressive 07 Jun 2011, 15:24

Thanks Soundmanpt !

Soundmanpt 07 Jun 2011, 13:10

very progressive

Funny you should ask that. It is much more likely that the machine is fine it more likely the person checking doesn't know how to use it. Over the years I have been shocked at how many opticians can't read the rx off of glasses. When I first started ordering glasses from Zenni I would take them into one of the optical stores where I knew some of the opticians and some were honest and said they didn't know how to read rxs and some made an attempt and were way off, then I would check with someone else and the glasses were perfect. I learned quick not to tell them ahead of time what the rx was supposed to be because then they would say they were fine. I would tell them after they read the rx. When I found several that knew how to do it I only used them for prescription checks.

At one shop that I used for that a cute little somewhat new girl said that she was trained for that. But I noticed after bringing in several pairs of glasses to be checked she was always off by about the same amount each time, not much but off. One day when she checked a pair I told her she off just a little. The manager was nearby and said he would check them for me. He did and the glasses were right. He told her to do it again and again she came up with what she had before. She told the manager she seemed to off by the same amount each time. The manager asked her if the doctor had ever given her an eye exam? She said no. Next time I came in she had glasses on. The manager thanked me, she said that because she was slightly near sighted she needed to adjust the machine to compensate for her own vision.

It does take some time to learn to be good at using the machine (neutralizer) The hardest thing was reading CYL SPH was easy.

Soundmanpt 07 Jun 2011, 12:50

And the reason she gave was true. I'm sure her eyes were tired without them because she was making her eyes work hard to focus properly. The longer she keeps / wears her glasses the harder it will be her to focus when she takes them off. Right now she just fighting it, but in the end she will have to give in.

Soundmanpt 07 Jun 2011, 12:46

James

Like I said she is getting closer to full time wear with each passing day. Having never needed glasses before she just doesn't want to accept the fact that she really needs them and should be wearing them full time. Getting the prescription sunglasses will speed up the process for sure. I'm sure she likely wore regular sunglasses a lot before she needed glasses? So wearing rx sunglasses she doesn't even give it a second thought that they are not only keeping the sun out but also improving her vision as well. Not at all surprising that after wearing the sunglasses for a while when she took them odd her eyes bothered her. As you said, her eyes had gotten fully adjusted to seeing proper and then when she took them off her eyes were not comfortable anymore and wanted the correction back. If she would have needed more distance correction it would be a lot easier for her to accept wearing them more, but she barely needs any correction for distance and can see distance near perfect during the day but a bit harder after dark without her glasses. She might fear that if she wears glasses full time her eyes will get worse and she can no longer see without them. But when she becomes full time she will be surprised that she will still be able to take off her glasses and still see very good. Now of course her vision could change a little and she might need an increase for her distance in the future, but that will happen no matter what she does.

Do you you know how much she wore her glasses while at work watching the tennis matches? If she wore them much she likely came home and kept them on then too?

Trust me it won't be long now.

James 07 Jun 2011, 12:36

Hello Aubrac

I certainly won't be pushing her to wear her glasses more. It is interesting that she went sort of full-time during our holiday. Each week since she got them she seems to wear them for longer periods than the week before. She always has them with her in her bag (along with her prescription sunglasses) even if she isn't driving.

I won't discourage her from wearing them. I will casually suggest she puts her glasses on if her eyes feel tired again. She told me her eyes were tired without me saying anything to her when she put her glasses on in the restaurant. Perhaps she felt she had to give a reason to wear them.

very progressive 07 Jun 2011, 12:34

Not sure if this is appropriate thread ? I am wondering if anyone can tell me how accurate the equipment that is used to determine the rx of your previous eyeglasses? I had recently gone to a new optometrist for contacts and as I had never seen this Dr before they checked my previous glasses. I noticed that the tech had to ask for help in checking the glasses. I am curious, as I never received a copy of the rx for glasses, as I was getting contacts. My glasses are only a few , months old anyway .I was told that my rx for glasses is same except for a "tweak" in the left eye. Just wondering the accuracy, as to determine what exactly whether "the same" is based on a correct reading of my present glasses?

Thanks !

Aubrac 07 Jun 2011, 12:03

James

As Soundmanpt said, never try and push anyone into wearing glasses because it really is their choice. I did this six years ago when my wife got her glasses and she really dug her heels in about not wanting to wear and need them.

Your girlfriends sphere is very low and there are probably millions of people like her walking around uncorrected and not really bothered about it.

The cylinder correction even when low, my wife's is R -0.50/L -0.75, gives rise to much eyestrain and cannot be corrected by squinting although you sometimes see people turning their head at an angle to try and see things in one plane of clearer vision.

Your girlfriend can probably see quite well to function and so does not always need to put her glasses on, only when trying to read signs, print, etc, does she find it difficult.

Astigmatism is probably the major cause of eyestrain and headaches, and so it is quite likely she will accept that they prevent this, and wear her glasses for this reason rather than clearer vision.

James 07 Jun 2011, 11:35

We have just come back from a few days away. We did a lot of sightseeing and a lot of walking in the countryside so my girlfriend wore her prescription sunglasses a lot! She must have got used to seeing with correction as she seemed to have trouble seeing clearly when she took her sunglasses off when we went inside a building or in the evenings. She put up with this for the first day and most of the second. When we went into a restaurant in the evening of the second day she took her prescription sunglasses off and, to my amazement (and joy), she put her glasses on after a couple of minutes. She said her eyes felt tired and achy when she took the sunglasses off and wanted to see if her regular glasses would relieve that feeling. They did, so the glasses stayed on. The next day was cloudy when we got up, so I thought she wouldn't use her sunglasses. She didn't but did wear her glasses all day saying that the scenery looks better when she can see it really clearly! For the rest of our short holiday she would either be wearing her prescription sunglasses or her glasses.

Back to work today. My girlfriend didn't put her glasses on when we got up this morning and they were still off when I left for work. She won't be back until later so I'll see then how long the glasses stay on after driving home.

I think our holiday has made her realise that she needs her glasses more than she first thought. I'm wondering if this is another step towards wearing them all the time or most of the time?

Soundmanpt 01 Jun 2011, 13:25

James

Yes you are so right you don't want to push it at all. It is very understandable what she is going through. She has never needed glasses before an month ago and the fact that she can still see quite good without them makes her feel like she shouldn't be wearing them all that much. If she had been given a little more rx for her distance and still had the same CYL numbers she would realize that she can't see distance at all and likely wear them more. As I said don't be impatient, she will find that the headaches are going to be more and more unless she keeps her glasses on. Full time is right around the corner for her she just doesn't know it yet.

James 01 Jun 2011, 12:57

Soundmanpt

She is wearing a little more than she was. I have noticed she tends to leave them on for longer now after watching tv or being on her laptop than she did a couple of weeks ago. She is quite often still wearing her glasses when she comes in after driving home. But they always come off eventually (except last Thursday when she wore them all day). Sometimes she blinks hard or rubs her eyes when she takes her glasses off.

I don't think she has considered wearing glasses all the time yet. She doesn't regard her eyesight to be too bad. She probably doesn't realise that even though her sight isn't getting any worse her eyes and brain are getting more and more used to corrected vision. I will not push her to wear her glasses more than she wants.

And 01 Jun 2011, 12:55

Vicky, what do your current frames look like ?

Rayray 01 Jun 2011, 02:29

Hi Vicky - your prescription is pretty close to mine - stronger in the -10.25 eye. I would definitely go for some plastic frames of fairly small size if you don't want expensive high index lenses. Do you have glasses in anything close to your current rx? Standard lenses will be pretty thick so if you are self-conscious about that and will wear the glasses in public I would go for at least a 1.67 index lens. 1.74 is very expensive and not really necessary. If you are not bothered by thickness then go for the standard lenses, but they could be heavy and uncomfortable in a large frame so get something small or mid-size that fits very well.

ehpc 31 May 2011, 19:44

Big black rectangular plastic frames with wide sides, Vicki :) Pete

vicky 31 May 2011, 18:10

im normally a contact lenses wearer but the optician has told me need to wear glasses more give eyes a break. im with -8.75 -10.50 which frames lenses should i go for? havent bought glasses for a while. dont really want to go for expensive lenses as not sure how much im going to wear them

Soundmanpt 31 May 2011, 16:25

Clare

Just a thought, since her contacts are certainly for distance with as you noted a fair amount of CYL. it would seem maybe the glasses she is wearing in the office may be for close work. So she might well be wearing her contacts under her reading glasses.

Clare 31 May 2011, 16:00

I don't really understand astigmatism as I have only -0.50 in one eye, however - my colleague has what looks to be a fairly low prescription for myopia yet she wears her glasses f/t in the office. I recently saw her putting in contacts which were -1.25 but with -1.25 cyl which I guess is a fairly decent amount of astigmatism? What I can't figure then is why she never wears them to get to the office, only when she gets there? And, tonight having taken her glasses off to go home, she was having a good squint at the PC.

Soundmanpt 31 May 2011, 14:06

James

Are you noticing that your girlfriend is wearing her glasses more and more and for longer periods now? Looking back on her rx she is needing them more not so much for the weak distance rx but because of her astigmatism correction. She would barely need glasses if she only had the distance correction, but she has a pretty fair amount of CYL This is the reason for the headaches. What happens is her eyes get very comfortable and relaxed with her glasses on, but then when she takes them off her eyes really miss the correction causing the headaches. So the more she wears them the more she will find she can't go without. The reason she is fighting wearing them is because she probably feels like she really doesn't need them that much because she can still see pretty well without glasses,because her SPH is low. It would be so much easier for her to just go full time if she needed more distance correction. As I mentioned before the person that used to cut my hair only needed astigmatism correction,

she had plano for SPH but was -1.00 both eyes for CYL and had to wear her glasses full time to prevent headaches. She also tried to not wear them but soon found she had no choice. Once she went full time she could only be without her glasses for a few minutes before she would get a headache. There is a strong possibility that if indeed she will be wearing her glasses at the pub she works at to view the tennis on TV for a couple weeks she may be much closer to full time by the final match.

James 31 May 2011, 11:33

My girlfriend got some prescription sunglasses and has worn them quite a lot. She didn't wear them much over the last few days as the weather has been cloudy and rainy (shouldn't complain about the rain as we badly need it, especially the farmers)

She is now looking for a spare pair of regular glasses in case she loses or breaks her current ones. We had a quick look at one of the online glasses shops but didn't find anything she liked. We/she will have another look at some other sites soon to find frames she does like. If she still can't find anything then it's back to the physical shops!

She is definitely becoming more dependant on her glasses as she now wears them when she's a passenger in the car. She says she gets headaches if she doesn't as she is trying to focus on what's ahead even though she isn't driving. I do the same - it's automatic I think. If you are used to driving you still look at the road ahead the same way when you are a passenger. Sometimes when I'm a passenger, without realising it, I move my leg as if to press the brake pedal. I try not to do it because I get an earful from my girlfriend thinking that I'm silently critising her driving!

I've just remembered (how i forgot, I don't know!) my girlfriend actually wore her glasses all day on Thursday She had a mild headache which came on about half an hour after getting up probably because she was still tired from working late on Wednesday night. She watched a bit of tv (glasses on, of course) and the headache went away. The headache came back when she took her glasses off, so she put them back on and kept them on. Since Friday she's only worn them when she's needed them.

I know for sure that she'll be wearing he glasses more when the Wimbledon Tennis Championships is on (20th June to 3rd July). She loves Wimbledon and her pub always has the tv on for it. The tv is on the opposite side of the room from the bar and faces the bar, so she'll be able to see it when working.

Aubrac 15 May 2011, 03:19

Jessie M

Many people wear plano glasses just for the look of it - don't worry about looking a fraud as it matters only that you know what you are.

Besides if anyone looks from behind through a plus lens they will know it is not plain glass.

Phil 14 May 2011, 02:31

Go with the new rx. It's an intriguing one and I'm sure you'll enjoy wearing bifocals. You are keen on becoming a gwg, aren't you. Then go for it big time!

JessieM 13 May 2011, 12:32

I will Phil although not sure what script they will be! See hyperopia thread for explanation...

I want to try full time but if they are too weak then I don't know. I don't want to look like a fraud.

Phil 13 May 2011, 10:39

Jessie M, Do you think you will wear them full-time? Let us know how you get on and what comments you get from friends and family when you "come out" as a gwg! Good luck.

Aubrac 12 May 2011, 13:16

Smudgeur

It just goes to show with hyperopes how different things can be.

I posted before my wife's rx but at 42 she does need about +2 correction to see distance clearly and needs an add for close work.

Soundmanpt 12 May 2011, 12:48

Jessie M

Good going! I think you will find that even with very weak lenses they will make a difference for you. Just don't be shy about wearing them.

For what it's worth a friend that works in the vision dept at Wal-Marts got her first eye exam after working there a short time and got an rx of (R plano L +.25 -.25) she wanted glasses because of working in the vision section so she ordered a pair through me for 2 reasons first because they only get 10% discount on glasses and second because she couldn't find anything she liked in her store. After a year had passed she again got her eyes examined, this time her rx was (R +.50 / L +.50) she ordered the same glasses as she had with the new rx and to this day wears them full time. Remember she wanted glasses in the first place. She recently got her 3rd exam and her rx had only changed to the need of -.25 astigmatism again in her left eye. She said she wasn't going to get new glasses for such a slight change and will see if she maybe will need a different rx next year.

JessieM 12 May 2011, 12:27

Hi all,

I went to the opticians at lunch and picked out some semi-rimless frames. Slightly adventurous but not too much so.

I'll pick them up Monday, so no more sore eyes!

Thanks for all your help

X

Smudgeur 12 May 2011, 02:41

oops - sorry the astigmatism on her latest prescription is -0.50 not -0.25 - sorry!

Smudgeur 12 May 2011, 02:40

JessieM

If you go onto the Post your Prescription thread and scroll all the way down to February 2002 you will see that my wife got the following prescription aged 34:

LEFT +0.75 -0.25 078

RIGHT+0.50 -0.50 080

She is now 43 and has the prescription:

LEFT +0.50 ---- -----

RIGHT +0.75 -0.25 090

ADD +1.25

and she wears varifocals full-time. Hope that gives you some indication of how a hyperope may progress (i.e. not much in distance, but quickly downhill for reading)

Aubrac 11 May 2011, 16:22

Jessie M

Your glasses are very similar to the first prescription my wife had at 36. However you may find that as your eyes get used to the glasses your ciliary muscles relax a little and you may need an increase in the first six months or so. My wife had two small increases in the first year but it does make for less strain and better close and distance vision.

Don't worry about 'bulging' eyes, only when the plus is quite high e.g. +5 or more is the eye magnification effect noticeable, also bifocals are unlikely to be an issue for many years yet.

Anyone at any age can have hyperopia resulting in difficulty with close work, it is purely a physical thing to do with the shape of the eyeball, nothing to do with becoming an 'oldie'!

JessieM 11 May 2011, 14:45

Thanks Very Progressive that allays my fears!

very progressive 11 May 2011, 13:27

Oops sorry Jessie, seems when re-reading your post, you do have very mild rx for hyperopia. Still thinking that although may increase, probably not dramatically. Bifocals in 30's are also questionable. Whenyou get the glasses, beleive you will find that your eyes do not appear to bulge.

very progressive 11 May 2011, 13:24

I am not an expert, but seems to me that you have an rx for astigmatism and not for hyperopia? I beleive from all that I've read that this is a relatively mild rx for astigmatism, and there is not reason to believe it may increase dramatically as you age. I also understand that rx will not cause bifocal use in your thirties, as this is not hyperopia, and effects vision at all differences. Also, astigmatic or cylindrical correction does not make the eyes look larger or seem to bulge a lenses for hyperopia would.

Please someone correct me if I am wrong. Thanks!

JessieM 11 May 2011, 12:57

I accidentally posted this in the hyperopia thread. My eyes are already failing!

I've been reading up on my prescription and what it means. It seems it's likely the glasses will get stronger. I don't like the idea of bifocals in my thirties though or having large bulging eyes.

I think my questions are more for the hyperopia thread bur even that worries me because it seems to be an older audience! I wanted glasses not to be an old woman!

My eyes are really aching so I think I'll get the glasses tomorrow.

Jessica

Soundmanpt 11 May 2011, 10:26

Jessie M

Even with the difference in your rx it is still a very mild one. But as i said before you will notice a difference if you do much close work as that is the strongest part of your rx. If you feel like you have the desire to wear glasses more often or even full time, you can certainly wear yours as much as you like. Remember the doctor's recommendation of when to wear your glasses is only telling you what they were prescribed for and should do you the most good. If you choose to go full time your eyes should have very little problem adjusting to them for all distances rather easily.

Just be sure to pick out a pair of glasses that feel very comfortable when your trying them on as well as looking good.

nickweymouth 11 May 2011, 07:26

jesse m defo go full tim enow

JessieM 11 May 2011, 07:04

Hi all,

I went to the opticians and tried on some frames but couldn't decide so I am taking my friend tomorrow to help me. I will have to come out the closet this afternoon.

The weird thing is that my optician was there so she said hello. She looked at my prescription card and said her colleague had made a mistake. My prescription is now:

R: + 0.50 cyl -0.25 axis 20

L: + 0.75 cyl -0.25 axis 10

So that seems to be stronger already!

She wasn't happy with her colleague.

nickweymouth 11 May 2011, 06:28

jessie m after hearing your wishes advice etc from others id sugest wear them full stop as soon as you get them

Phil 11 May 2011, 03:46

Jessie M, You will certainly come to need stronger glasses for close work. Presbyopia usually starts in one's early 40,s but as your rx indicates that you have a bit of latent hyperopia it will come early for you. I recon you'll end up needing +3 or more for close work and you'll probably find you need a little help with distance too. I reckon you'll be in progressives five years from now!

JessieM 11 May 2011, 01:24

Thanks for the advice everyone. It's weird, when I was a girl my best friend always wore glasses (wears contacts these days) and I always wanted a pair myself, but my eyesight was perfect.

Now that I might need glasses I'm not so sure. I guess my issue is that secretly I want stronger glasses or no glasses at all! Is my eyesight likely to get worse to the point I might need them fullstop?

Thanks again for all the advice. Still not sure what to do, I will go and try some frames at lunchtime.

Soundmanpt 10 May 2011, 21:54

Jessie M

Your rx is indeed a very mild one, but if you spend much time reading or using a computer at work or play your eyes will fel much more relaxed with your glasses helping your eyes. Yours a very slight plus rx for helping with seeing things close and a mild astigmatism as well which actually helps with all distances, but because it is very mild I doubt you would even notice a difference for distance at all. But as the others have said you should get the glasses as I am sure you will find them helpful.

Puffin 10 May 2011, 17:52

JessieM: yes that seems reasonable to me.

nickweymouth 10 May 2011, 17:48

im no expert but as mr cactus or mr soundm havnt said owt ill put in me twopenoff if i get owt wrong chaps please put me right best thing is to do what your opticain sugessts abd wear thnem to read and use the pc

r 10 May 2011, 17:03

This Rx is very similar to mine. I would go ahead with it, your eyes will be more comfortable in front of the computer. Take it from someone who works at a computer all day and spends a considerable amou t of time online for personal stuff in the evening too.

JessieM 10 May 2011, 16:12

Hi there,

I've just been prescribed glasses for the first time. I'm 35 and the optician told me I'm slightly long sighted, but I was borderline in terms of needing glasses, although she did recommend that I get glasses.

My prescription reads:

L: CYL +0.25 SPH -0.50 AXIS 20

R: CYL +0.50 SPH -0.50 AXIS 170

Can anyone tell me a bit more about these numbers and whether you think I should or shouldn't get glasses?

One final thing, I was told I should wear these for PC use / reading.

Thanks

Soundmanpt 10 May 2011, 12:25

James

No I didn't mean that it would happen in a week or two, but more like a few months down the road.

Prescription sunglasses would be most helpful to her. Not only for driving but if she likes to sit out and read much her eyes will be much more relaxed with the aid of the astigmatism correction in them.

I wish there was a way you could tell her about going on-line for glasses and sunglasses without giving yourself away. It would save her a lot of money. You could tell her about someone where you work that went on-line and got glasses and how nice they look. There are many on-line retailers out there.

Presby 10 May 2011, 11:46

Hi all,

My dauaghter, who is 21 now, started college last year. She had never worn glasses before but started having trouble seeing the presentations from the back of the auditorium. She went to the doctor and was prescribed single vision glasses for distance. After 2 weeks, she complained of headaches and bluriness with her near vision when wearing her glasses. She went back and left with bicfocals! She was devastated and thought her world was over but gradually accepted them. A year later, she has no problems and loves her glasses (or should I say, loves what her glasses do for her).

James 10 May 2011, 11:25

There seems to be another James now - I don't teach at a Uni.

Soundmanpt - My girlfriend seems quite happy only wearing her glasses when she needs them at the moment but then she has only had them for a very short time. It will be interesting to see if she does start wearing them more. I wouldn't wish that her eyesight got any worse, just that she wore her glasses a bit more. At the moment she is wearing them for what the optician suggested - driving/distances (tv) and using her laptop. As I said previously she does sometimes walk around the house wearing her glasses after watching tv etc. But no signs of her wearing them for even longer yet.

If she wore prescription sunglasses a lot would that make her want to wear her regular glasses more at other times? She is likely to buy some prescription sunglasses this week now as her non-prescription sunglasses look like they might break very soon. She does like being out in the sun so does wear her sunglasses a lot which is probably why they need replacing as they've worn out through over use!

Melyssa 10 May 2011, 09:55

At the two colleges I graduated from in the 1980s, one of which was 100% female students and the other about 2/3 women, I do not recall looking through my beautiful drop-temple frames and seeing any of the young women (or men) wearing bifocals -- only the occasionsl age-40-50-something continuing education students.

Crystal Veil 10 May 2011, 09:25

Phil, James,

bifocals for young people are nowhere seen in Holland, not in the past and not in the present.

Nearly twenty years ago I had a relation with a Dublin woman in her mid thirties. Her prescription for long distance was between +7 and +8. She had problems with reading and close work and she kept her glasses an inch away from her face when reading. When I suggested bifocals she said that the Dublin opticians refused to prescribe her bifocals because she was too young. So I took her to a Dutch optician, we explained the story and he gave her the bifocals. But this was an exceptional case.

The very few young people I saw in bifocals were in Switzerland and they were hyperopes, not myopes.

Phil 10 May 2011, 08:34

So would I. Is the uni in the UK? I still rarely see young women in bifocals here though it now seems common in the States and continental Europe. I think all young myopes should be prescribed an add. I remember when I first got glasses at 21 (-2.50). I was told to go fulltime and put them on at once. The distance clarity was fantastic but I couldn't focus on my cheque to pay for them. It would encourage glasses-wearing by myopes if close work were easier. And I think many studies show that it would help to slow myopia progression. Come on opticians in the UK!

gwgs 10 May 2011, 07:54

What a sight James, would love to see this!

James  10 May 2011, 07:23

I teach at a uni and i now see a lot of girls wearing lined bifocals

gwgs 10 May 2011, 02:48

Bifocals at 19, now that would be a sight to behold! :)

Dan 09 May 2011, 23:36

I was talking to a friend today who just got prescribed glasses for the first time (she's 19). We got talking about some of the details of the eye exam and it had me a bit confused so I wondered if anyone here could shed some light...

She has mentioned to me many times that her eyes get really tired at night, especially while using the computer and she has slight trouble seeing far away. She ended up picking up some over the counter computer glasses (+1.00) a month or so ago which she used for close up and they helped her reduce the eye strain/fatigue although she couldn't see far away with them.

So she basically knew she was going to get some sort of correction when she had her appointment today. After being examined, the eye doctor confirmed that she has slight trouble seeing far away but not significant as well as astigmatism (I don't know the prescription). The eye doctor recommended plus lenses with astigmatism correction to relieve the headaches/fatigue while doing close work. The doctor also mentioned that these glasses wouldn't make distance any clearer.

My friend is really happy that she can no longer get tired after reading for 20 minutes but I was wondering that given the situation described above, could my friend have benefited from bifocals? Or maybe the distance correction prescription would be too small?

Clare 09 May 2011, 23:17

Soundmanpt - thanks for that, it's interesting to know as you are clearly knowledgeable. In the UK opticians are the ones that do the prescribing and dispensing, although I think there used to be a kind of optician that was called a 'dispensing optician'. I suppose that's the equivalent of what you were. However we generally refer to them all as opticians rather than doctors as you do in the US.

Soundmanpt 09 May 2011, 15:44

Clare- Younger people tend to have better accommodation than the older generation.

I worked for several years as an optician, not a doctor and I would never claim to have been a doctor.

At the moment I am still retired and will be 63 in July. But with prices going up all the time I am considering maybe seeing about going back to that if there are any openings. My chances may not be good as the stores near where I live seem to favor younger people than me and mostly women. We will see.

Hope you enjoyed your trip.

Soundmanpt 09 May 2011, 15:35

James

I'm not sure how much you know about those numbers, so I will try and explain them to you. The first number for each eye is what her distance rx is. Her distance numbers are very low. If that were the only numbers on her script she would hardly ever need to wear her glasses, maybe driving at night in an area she didn't know well. And she would have passed the driver's test without correction, however the next numbers in her script is astigmatism and she has a fair amount in each eye. Astigmatism will cause both her distance and close vision to be blurred. Also generally speaking anything over -.75 usually can cause headaches if she is working her eyes much. I think you will find your gf wearing her glasses more and more as time goes by. They will soon become much more comfortable for her than not having them on.

Getting prescription sunglasses is a great idea as she really does need glasses for driving.

James 09 May 2011, 13:14

My girlfriend is thinking about getting some prescription sunglasses for driving in sunny waether and will probably go shopping for frames for them over the next week or 2. Hopefully she'll use them as she would regular sunglasses when she's not driving.

At the weekend she pinned the card with her prescription on the notice board we've got in our kitchen. She said she thought that would be the best place for it so it doesn't get lost or damaged. This gave me the chance (when she went out) to see the prescription properly. Here it is below.

SPH CYL AXIS

RE -0.50 -1.25 88

LE -0.75 -1.00 61

Tina 08 May 2011, 18:56

Chino, thank you so much, watched the video and had to try it, i put my lenses back in to give it a go, so simple and i barely have to touch my eye, i will be stickng with this method from now on

Chino 08 May 2011, 17:21

Tina

I had a similar issue removing my contacts. My girlfriend showed me this video and it has worked fantastically. I honestly think it's even faster than inserting them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTUaVfmgl_I

student 123 08 May 2011, 14:43

Soundmanpt, I thought the use of accomodation is only good if you have hyperopia, whereby you can use the focussing mechanism to bring things into focus, if you accomodate with myopia , doesnt it make images more blurred? Not sure if i understand the process behing accomodation and making the effects of myopia less.

Clare 08 May 2011, 14:37

Soundmanpt - interesting that you say that people can more easily go without correction according to their age. Do you mean that even at low prescriptions for myopia it becomes more difficult for people to go without correction as they get older?

I'm also interested in what you say about where you worked, what did you do??

Soundmanpt 08 May 2011, 13:10

Tina

I forgot to address your removing of your contacts. When you go for recheck on Saturday besides doing a very quick check of how your seeing with your contacts they will ask if there is anything else you have questions on? Just show the girl how you have been removing them and she will likely show you a better method.

On the question of when is full time wear necessary. That is a question with many answers and actually with many right answers. People can accommodate differently and age enters into it as well. The more accommodation you have the more you can tolerate going without correction. Where I worked we generally recommended full time wear at around -1.50 or -1.75. But I have friends that are in the -2.50 or -2.75 range that seldom wear their glasses.

Tina 08 May 2011, 12:38

Baker, thank you for that tip, will try that way, I do sometimes let go and not move it across in one sweep and think that is where my problem lies

soundmanpt, I can assure you that I have got a pair of glasses now as the optician did make the point of not wearing the contact all the time, I guess i chose contacts as i dont like the way i look in glasses but accept taht i will have to give my eyes a rest, i liek the wide field of clear view with contacts also, but waht sort of prescription do you recomennd as full time glasses wear just out of interset?

Soundmanpt 08 May 2011, 10:39

Tina

Glad to hear you doing good with your contacts. It's not too hard to learn how to put them on and take them out. I think the main thing is being very careful not to scratch your cornea with your fingernails when inserting them or removing them.

To be honest I am not in favor of contacts for anyone until their eyes reach the point where they would be wearing their glasses full time. The exception to that would be someone that plays a sport where they really need absolute perfect vision to be at their best. Your rx is mild enough that full time wear is not needed. However if you feel you want to see perfect at all times and be pulling glasses at to drive etc then contacts may be the best for you. The worst reason is not wanting to be seen wearing glasses.

Soundmanpt 08 May 2011, 10:15

Pete O

Unless a doctor says that you can use over the counter readers it is not always a great idea. Yes the OTC readers may work okay for making small print readable they are not correcting your astigmatism at all. I would say as soon as you see that making small print bigger and more readable you should look into an on-line retailer that makes the glasses to match your rx. Actually most of the on-line places are not much more if more than your OTC readers. I recommend Zenni but there are many sites that offer good service at a very cheap price.

baker 08 May 2011, 04:58

Tina-I take contacts out pretty much the same way but instead of moving the contact to the side, I move it down to the white part of my eye and pinch it out. Also, I don't let go of the contact after I move it down, I just take it out in one motion. I hope that helps!

Tina 08 May 2011, 04:32

Hi Soundmanpt I have been wearing the lenses most days now, getting quicker at putting them in- taking them out is still taking a while, if anyone has any good quick techniques to take them out would be great to hear them, currently i am moving the lens onto the white part of my eye at the side and pinching it out. I have got a checkup on saturday to see how i am getting on with them,

Aubrac 08 May 2011, 03:07

Pete O

Yes many over the counter readers are very cheap but bear in mind two things, the optical quality of the lens may be poor and can give rise to distortion, also they will not correct the astigmatism you have, which in itself can give rise to strain and image blur both close up and at distance.

You would be better off buying on-line, there are many styles and frames available from about £12 upwards.

Pete O 08 May 2011, 00:07

Rachel, I'm 26; I finally decided to get the glasses made up after 6 months just to see if they would make a difference, I don't feel I need them full-time, maybe just for the computer, but we'll see. It's nice though that Visionworks Optical has special prescription reading glasses as they are substantially cheaper than actual glasses, granted the frames are very plain. I get them on Monday so it'll be eventful to as how I see with them on.

Soundmanpt 07 May 2011, 09:35

Sophie

It's been a couple weeks since you got your first glasses. You were talking about wearing them for driving and the Tv etc. Have you found that you need them for much more than just those things yet? Actually I would say full time except for reading or other close work is okay without glasses. But anything more than just a few feet away starts to get blurry.

Soundamnpt 07 May 2011, 09:26

tina - It has been about a week now since your contact fitting. How are you getting along with the contacts? Are you doing good with putting them in and taking them out?

Rachel 07 May 2011, 06:10

Pete O:

I agree with Aubrac but I thought i'd tell you that I have almost the exact same prescription as you. Using the glasses for close work makes things so much more comfortable and you will tire less.

I am now almost full time wearing them because of the astigmatism I notice sharper vision all around (only slight but you will see what I mean) and I get far less headaches having worn them all day at work. Not sure of your age? I am almost 30 and have always had a similar prescription since first getting my glasses about 10 years ago, but i've noticed that as i've progressed through my 20's (i'm nearly 30 now) I actually feel more and more that I need the correction all the time (plus i'm one of these people who actually really likes wearing glasses - so I do!).

On weekends sometimes I don't wear them when generally doing stuff but after a few hours I reach for them because i'm fed up of the slight blur and uncomfortable or burning feeling in my eyes. Don't worry, you will not harm your eyes by wearing or not wearing. In fact I found the opposite is almost true. When i'm not wearing them my eyes feel uncomfortable and i'm constantly rubbing them etc which isn't good. I had a few infections of my eye lids on the trot over a few summers when I was home from Uni and not wearing my glasses around my parents and I am sure it was because I was rubbing them all the time!

The other point is that I actually prefer driving at night with my glasses on as I noticed my vision is a bit worse in dim light. You should experiment and see for yourself what works for you and makes you comfortable. No one, not even an optician can tell you when or when not to wear your glasses. They are yours, your vision is yours and they are an aid to make it even better. Whether you choose to make it perfect all or just some of the time is entirely your choice.

Enjoy experimenting!

Aubrac 07 May 2011, 04:33

Pete O

Wearing glasses is very much an individual thing especially at lower strengths like yours, as different people with the same prescription may enjoy different wearing patterns.

A lot depends on your power of accommodation. Although not always the case, generally the younger a person is, the softer the crystalline lens and more ciliary muscle strength, that is the muscle that can alter the shape of the lens to focus on objects both near and far (this only works for hyperopes and not myopes).

Hyperopia is sometimes called far or long sighted, this doesn't mean they can see a long way, but that the image focuses at a point beyond or 'far' of the retina, as opposed to shortsighted people where it focuses 'short' of the retina. In both cases it results in a blurred image but the hyperope can use accommodation to certain extents to self-correct. A presbyope has the right shape eyeball that allows focus on the retina but cannot accommodate for close distances and therefore only ever uses glasses reading.

A hyperopic person may go for many years without realising they need glasses because they can use their power of accommodation to see clearly. However, there comes a time when the lens stiffens and firstly they cannot see clearly for close work, and then find distance blurred.

My wife got her first glasses age 36, R +0.50, L +0.75 with some astigmatism in both eyes. She mostly wore her glasses for reading but six years later and at more than double her first prescription she is now mostly a full time wearer.

As I said it is a very individual thing especially with plus lenses, as some people find constantly using accommodation to see clearly a strain and prefer full time wear even at very low strengths. My point is that you cannot 'harm' your eyes by wearing glasses and may find full time wear more comfortable and clearer - it is really very much up to you to decide.

Pete O 07 May 2011, 02:32

Aubrac,

The actual reason for the glasses is mild hyperopia, I have 20/15 distance vision. The prescription sheet was marked "as needed" for wear. So how would I benefit from wearing them full-time, if the optometrist marked wear "as needed?"

Aubrac 07 May 2011, 01:54

Pete

You certainly won't harm your eyes wearing glasses all the time and may even find it better.

It depends on the actual reason for the prescription, if you are hyperopic then wearing full time will be beneficial, but if you are presbyopic they would be prescribed for reading only.

However you have a small amount of astigmatism that your glasses will correct for distance vision and make things sharper. You may find distance slightly blurred at first which is normal because your eyes will still try to accommodate for distance which results in a slight over-correction hence the blur. This normally disappears after a few days constant wear.

Try wearing them all the time for a few weeks and I think you will enjoy better all round vision.

Pete O 07 May 2011, 01:37

This is an adult PD, my prescription is as follows:

R +1.00 -0.50 090

L +0.50 -0.25 060

The optician put my PD as 29.5 for both eyes, so the 59 and 61 mm makes sense now.

I am supposed to wear them for computer work, near and reading as needed. Would I be harming my eyes if I wear them more than that?

Thanks soundmanapt

Soundmanpt 07 May 2011, 00:55

Pete O

Is this a child's PD or an adult? If it is a child and that is the full PD then a normal PD would 31 1/2. If this is an adult and that is only for one eye you must double it to 59 and add 2 mm to it making it 61.

It's late I think I did the math right on that.

Pete O 07 May 2011, 00:01

What does a PD of 29.5 near equate to in a normal PD? Thanks

Soundmanpt 06 May 2011, 19:49

James

Yes I see her point there is probably very little need for them. She likely gets little time to watch a TV so she don't need them for that. In that setting for her they probably seem like they would be more in the way and something she might have to worry about maybe breaking or something. It's good that she has made the rounds and everyone has seen her in glasses now, because she shouldn't be shy about wearing them most other times. I think the more you see her wearing them around other times and for longer periods she may find that she really sees so much better with them that she may even decide to wear them at work and really become a full timer before too long.

Your handling your part very well by not making much out of it when she is wearing them.

James 06 May 2011, 14:20

My girlfriend works full-time behind the bar in a pub in England (sorry, no more precise than that - don't want stalkers!). Not her dream job, but she likes it and the pay isn't bad. She doesn't really need her glasses for work but she always takes them with her in her bag where ever she goes if she isn't wearing them.

She does have astigmatism but I don't know how bad (not very bad as her glasses don't seem very strong but bad enough to need glasses that make quite a noticeable difference for her). I still haven't seen the card with her prescription on it. I know she's got it somewhere. I'll try to casually bring up the subject with her.

She is much more at ease wearing glasses now that most friends, colleagues and immediate family have seen her wear them - so no more reactions to her wearing them. She is also happy to walk around the house still wearing them after watching the tv or using her laptop. I don't draw attention to this in case she takes them off!

Soundmanpt 03 May 2011, 12:04

James - I hope you didn't miss a good chance to get her rx? An easy way to do it is to tell her that you read somewhere that people should always ask for a copy of their script, so if you were out somewhere and broke or lost your glasses it would be easy to get new ones made no matter where you at.

It kinda sounds like she must have some astigmatism. That will often make the wearer a bit dizzy until you get used to it. What kind of work does she do? She may find in near future that her eyes won't feel so tired if she starts using her glasses more. If she gives into wearing them at work she likely will then just go to full time wear. Does she use them for watching TV now?

James 03 May 2011, 11:46

My girlfriend got her glasses on Thursday. She was really pleased how clearly she could see with them although they made her feel a bit dizzy. One of the assistants in the opticians shop suggested wearing them all day for a couple of days to get used to them but not to drive with them on until she is used to them.

She wore them for the rest of the day and all day Friday (she spent most of the day watching the Royal Wedding and the other related shows that were on after it!).

I thought she wouldn't wear them much after that but she wore them the whole weekend and Bank Holiday Monday too!

I, of course, said to her how good she looked in her glasses and that they suited her very well. I didn't go on about them too much as I didn't want her to get self-concious or start asking me awkward questions about why I was so interested in her glasses! She did let me try them on without me asking her but they made my eyes ache so I couldn't wear them for more than a few seconds. I still don't know her prescription but they don't seem very strong.

She didn't wear them all day today as they were in their case in her bag when she got home from work. I did casually mention the fact she wasn't wearing her glasses and she replied that she now feels used to them and so doesn't need to wear them all day.

I had a feeling she wouldn't continue wearing them all day but I thought she was going to as she wore them all day every day for 3 and a bit days. Never mind. At least she will wear them occasionally which is better than nothing!

baker 02 May 2011, 21:55

I finally scheduled an eye exam for Wednesday morning. :)

Will report back Wednesday night.

Soundmanpt 30 Apr 2011, 15:44

Tina - See we told you it would be no big deal with being fitted for contacts. Contacts are okay, but you should still have a nice pair of glasses to wear at least a couple times a week to give your eye a rest from them. Like "ehpc" said keep looking for a nice trendy pair of glasses that may be as much for fun as need. With your very mild rx you can rock the big plastic frames well. The newest trend in Hollywood is the Ray-Ban Wayfarers but in glasses not sunglasses. Hilary Duff wears them as well as many other young stars. Zenni has a very nice knock off of that frame on-line. Have a look at #820415 (brown) or #220421 (black). With your rx and the AR coating (anti-reflective) it would only be $15.00 plus $5.00 for shipping.

Glad your happy with the contacts.

ehpc 30 Apr 2011, 13:26

It would be good if you bought some trendy hot glasses too, Tina :) Pete

Tina 30 Apr 2011, 13:12

Hi cactus jack and soundmanpt

I wrote on here a few days ago about my new glasses and going in for contact lenses

well I had the assessment today, It wasnt as bad as i was imagining, lots of tests to go through, he put some dye in my eyes and kept making me stare for age without blinkig and then he put in the contact lenses for me-which i wasnt expecting as i thought i would get told how to put them in and i would do it,then i had to show him that i could put them in and out 3x before they let me out of the place! 2 hours later and i was allowed with them! got another appointment in two weeks to see how im getting on

all in all, really happy and can see very clearly now, more so than in my glasses!

just thought i would update you all on here!

Soundmanpt 28 Apr 2011, 09:06

Sophie

It was probably a good and safe thing not to drive at night. I think in the coming weeks you will soon find that even driving during the daylight hours without your glasses very difficult. By going back in this thread and clicking on "view all posts" emma's experience when she got her first glasses maybe some help for you. Look back to March 29th. Have you worn them in front of your co-workers, friends or family yet?

antonio 28 Apr 2011, 03:48

hi Sophie,

nice you got some optical little helpers !

if you like you can come to lenschat, too

http://www.lenschat.com/lenschat/

best regards, antonio

Sophie 28 Apr 2011, 03:02

Soundmanpt

Actually had not driven at night for a few months, managed to make various excuses to get out of it as I did not feel safe at all. That sounds really silly now. I should have got an eyetest ages ago! I noticed my right eye wasn't very clear about 4 years ago and then the left only started about 18 months ago. It got to the point where someone would point someone out at work at a distance and I couldn't recognise them, and I wanted to sit at the front for presentations etc at work. I tried a work colleague's glasses on, they made things clearer, so finally decided to book an optician's appointment.

I hadn't thought about when to wear them yet. At the moment I am thinking driving and perhaps the TV sometimes, and navigating the tube when I'm not sure where I'm going. When I shut my left eye the right one seems really blurred now for reading signs, both eyes are better, so my eyes are getting used to the glasses.

Emma 28 Apr 2011, 03:00

Hi Sophie,

I'm glad you like your first glasses. I got mine about 6 weeks back now and although I was nervous about wearing them for about a week, after that I decided to take the plung and go full-time. It's much better! I can see! My first prescription is similar to yours RE-2.25 and LE-2.00

Emma 28 Apr 2011, 03:00

Hi Sophie,

I'm glad you like your first glasses. I got mine about 6 weeks back now and although I was nervous about wearing them for about a week, after that I decided to take the plung and go full-time. It's much better! I can see! My first prescription is similar to yours RE-2.25 and LE-2.00

Soundmanpt 27 Apr 2011, 19:10

Sophie

Welcome! Glad you found our little group. Before you got your glasses driving, more so at night, must have been very difficult? I think you will find day by day that your vision is much better for most everything with your glasses on except maybe close things. Bet you had forgot that trees have leaves? At they do when your wearing your glasses.

Sophie 27 Apr 2011, 17:16

Hi all

Was just googling around for some info when I came across this site. I have just got glasses and they make everything so crisp and clear, I am actually genuinely excited to have gotten them. I'm 26 and have known for a while I might need them, but only just got sround to going for the eye test. My prescription is -1.25 -0.25 in my left eye and -2.50 in the right. I got some plastic type frames and have been wearing them for driving and the other day navigating the underground, which made it much easier. Have also just realised I sit closer to the TV than I used to, put my glasses on to read the titles of the programmes at the bottom of the screen and realised I can sit at the other side of the room to watch!

James 27 Apr 2011, 13:15

Lucas

She wasn't excited. I don't think glasses have the same appeal to her as they do to me. She wasn't too bothered by the fact she needs glasses but if she didn't need them she wouldn't want them. She has no intention of going for eye surgery or contacts.

The frames are sort of rectangular metal around the lenses and the arms are wideish plastic/resin looking.

The shop didn't phone today so hopefully the glasses will be ready on Thursday. My girlfriend would like to have them on Thursday as she wants to wear them for watching the royal wedding on tv on Friday. She's hoping that they'll make the picture on our HD tv even clearer! I'm not bothered about the royal wedding but it's given us an extra days holiday which I do like!

Lucas 26 Apr 2011, 12:12

James, good for you and for her.

Do you know if she was excited to get them? Also, what type of frames did she pick out?

James 26 Apr 2011, 11:54

I've been a lurker on this site for a while now. A very interesting site for someone like me who is interested in glasses especially women wearing glasses! I don't need glasses myself.

Last week I had to hold back my excitement when my girlfriend said she'd booked an eye test for Saturday as she'd been getting headaches when driving and when using her laptop and felt that she couldn't see things as clearly as other people seemed to be able to.

She went for the eye test and explained to the optician what she felt was wrong. He did all sorts of tests including putting different lenses in front of her eyes as he told hime which was better. He also puffed some air into her eyes which made them water a bit!

After the test he told her what she had already guessed that she needed glasses. She should wear them for driving, for distances and for looking at laptop or pc screens. She has some astigmatism which is causing the focussing difficulty which causes eye strain which gives her the headaches. She is also a little bit short sighted which also causes focussing problems for distances.

After nearly an hour trying different frames she picked some out that she liked and gave them and her prescription to the lady at the till.

Her glasses should be ready on Wednesday or Thursday. The shop will phone her when the glasses have come in.

I don't want to seem over interested in her getting glasses in case she thinks it's a bit wierd. I will find out her prescription soon. I did see it in the shop but I can't remember it properly. Too many different numbers! One of the numbers was 1.25 I think. A minus number I would presume.

I can't wait to see her in her glasses as she looked great in the frames she tried in the shop.

Cactus Jack 24 Apr 2011, 16:59

Tina,

Vision actually occurs in the brain and your brain will select the best image and use that as its primary source of information and use the other image to support and improve the overall image you see. There really is not much difference between your two eyes so you can try each eye individually and then together and compare.

You might see a little better with the -0.75 eye, but the 0.25 of astigmatism can mess that up to where you might not be able to tell much difference between that eye and the -1.25 eye.

Where you really notice small differences in an Rx is when you are reading the very small lines from 20 feet as the examiner is approaching your final Rx.

Squinting can "improve" the vision of low myopes, like yourself, because of what is called the pinhole effect. Occasionally, you will see ads for "universal" pinhole glasses that have a lot of very small holes in a piece of black plastic. You can experience the pinhole effect by looking through the holes in a large button. Pinhole glasses are worthless for normal wear, but can be useful in diagnosing some vision problems.

C.

Tina 24 Apr 2011, 16:33

flipping eck, I have just looked at an online chart and its only the second row of letters down, didnt realise my eyes were quite that bad, is that for both eyes or for the -1.25 eye? I do remember squinting a bit and the opticain said to stop doing that and when i stopped doing that couldnt read much off the screen!

Cactus Jack 24 Apr 2011, 14:37

Tina,

There is no exact correlation between Rx and the lines on a chart. There are just too many factors involved. Your Rx would be approximately 20/100. What that means is that you can read at 20 feet what a person with perfect vision can read at 100 feet.

What other people think of your Rx or Visual Acuity is meaningless. No one, including the examiner knows how you see or how you like to see. Some people like living in a blurry bubble.

C.

Tina 24 Apr 2011, 13:57

Thank you cactus jack for your reassurance, I cant wait now for the appointment,

I was talking to a friend who wears contacts and she was sking me what my prescription was and when i told her she said thats really weak and i should be seeing quite good anyways, she is a -5.00 so i can see what she means in comparison to her, but things are blurry in the distance

In terms of typical acuity, what would my prescription equite to on the eye chart in terms of 20/...20 ? I remember for the eytest it was displayed on a cpmputer screen and the optician kept changing the lines so couldnt count down them.

Cactus Jack 23 Apr 2011, 16:12

Tina,

There is no need to practice touching your eye. The blink reflex is very natural and one of the thing they teach you is how to hold your eyelids open with one hand and balance the lens on a finger of your other hand and touch it to your cornea. Your finger does not actually touch the surface of your eye, the contact lens does.

The cornea is actually quite sensitive, but there is no need to actually touch it during the exam. The base curve and diameter are measured optically using a special instrument and if there is any reason to touch the cornea with one of the instruments, it will be anesthetized with some drops so you will feel nothing.

There are tree reasons why you can only barely feel soft contacts for a few seconds when you put them in.

1. They are very thin

2. They are very smooth

3. The solutions have the same chemical characteristics as your natural tears and have what is called the same pH.

pH is a measure of how acid or alkaline a solution is and the reason no tears soap or shampoos (Baby Type) works, is its pH is the same as your tears. The reason soap burns when you get it in your eyes is that is usually alkaline.

You have the right idea about washing your hands before handling your contacts. However, remember to a hand soap that rinses well and leaves no lotions behind. Ask the people teaching you how to deal with the contacts what kind of soap they recommend.

I realize all this is new, but in a week, you will be an old hand and wonder what all the fuss was about.

C.

Soundmanpt 23 Apr 2011, 15:12

Tina

Calm down, you will do fine. It really is not as scary as your making it. They will do a good job in in teaching you how to insert them and remove them. It will take a few tries but in a week or so it will be much easier to put them in and take them out. Let us know how it goes for you.

Tina 23 Apr 2011, 12:44

soundmanpt, they are offering a free contact lens assessment, so wont have to pay for this, but i would have definitely mentioned something along the lines of what you were saying had that not been the case.

Tina 23 Apr 2011, 12:43

again, thank you so much for your help on here, you all seem very knowledgeable about these things.

I will definitely make sure I wear them as advised and wear my glasses to give my eyes a rest,

What exactly is involved in measuring my eyes, They wont be touching my eyes with anything will they? I am psychologically preparing myself for having to put my finger in my eye, ive had a practice in the mirror just touching my eye very slightly with washed hands, just my index finger,

Will the blink reflex stop over time as i have beeen practicing touching my eye and my blinking is getting in the way!!

I am going to be relieved when this appointment is over, but looking forward to it in a weird way , waiting to see how well i can see in them and being able to walk around without having to squint at things is going to be a welcome change!

Soundmanpt 23 Apr 2011, 10:50

Tina

Since you only had your eyes examined for glasses very recently if you go back to where you got the exam they should only make you pay the difference between a glasses exam and a contact exam as long as it is less than 6 months since your glasses exam. Most of the optical stores offer that. Be sure to ask that question.

Something to think about. Contacts do require a bit more work than putting on a pair of glasses. If you are not very careful you can easily get eye infections and even a scratched cornea. With contacts you are required to get an exam each year in order to continue to get a new supply of contacts. If you don't go back each year they will not sell you more contacts.

jay 23 Apr 2011, 10:50

if anyone is thinking about buying glasses in vietnam a good place to start is Saigon i got a pair of tinted varifocals for under £30

i got another pair in Hue hugo boss(maybe a copy but i can't tell) they wanted to charge £45 but when i told them about Saigon they dropped the price

not the best place to buy is Hanoi i tried to get a pair there and they couldnt get lenses for me (i have a high script +7 add +2)

Does anyone else know of places that you can get deals so good? maybe there should be a page link?

r 23 Apr 2011, 10:22

It can take a little while to get used to putting in contacts and taking them out, but with some practice you will get the hang of it and you will have the blink reflex under control. Your eyes are not (yet) used to contact lenses; a little patience will go a long way.

I agree that you should give your eyes a break from the contacts every now and then.

Cactus Jack 23 Apr 2011, 09:30

Tina,

You are probably right.

The main measurements they need to make are the curvature of your cornea (Base Curve) and the Diameter of your pupil and iris, so the CL will fit comfortably. They already know your Rx, but they may check it to be sure.

Most of the time will be spend teaching you how to put them in, take them out, and caring for them, they will want you to wear them in the office for a while to make sure you are comfortable with them. They may want you to try several different brands to see which ones you like the best. There are some differences in lens materials that make a difference to different people.

It is natural to be concerned about "putting something in your eye", but once you learn how to do it, you can only feel the lens for a few seconds - if that. After doing it for a few times it will be a non-event.

C.

Tina 23 Apr 2011, 09:17

Thank you r, soundmanpt and cactus jack for your encouragement, I have made the appointment for the 30th (the day after the royal wedding in the UK!). I just wanted to get some feedback from people about whether it was a good idea, i know that my prescription isnt severe but its enough to get annoyed at with squinting at things,

i have heard that sometimes people can see better in contact lenses?

what is involved in a contact lens assessment- they said that the process is going to take at least an hour, im guessing they will be teaching me how to put the things in as im starting to panic abit about what exactly they are going to do with my eyes for an hour if that wasnt the case!!

Soundmanpt 22 Apr 2011, 22:23

Tina

Cactus Jack and r are both correct. You can certainly get contact lenses if you want them at your rx. Like Cactus Jack said they will likely put you in -1.00 and -1.25 contacts because your cyl is very small. I have seen people with weaker rx's than yours go with contacts from day one.

May I remind you though that it is still very important that you don't over wear the contacts. Give your eyes the rest they should have by taking them out at night and maybe wear your glasses at least one day a week.

r 22 Apr 2011, 19:35

Tina:

I don't see why you would not be able to get contact lenses simply because of your prescription. Please keep us updated.

Cactus Jack 22 Apr 2011, 17:47

TINA,

Not silly at all. Lots of people with similar Rx wear contacts. I suspect you would be very happy with a -1.00 contact in the eye with astigmatism and -1.25 in the other.

C.

TINA 22 Apr 2011, 17:38

please could i have some advice from some glasses/contact lens wearers

got my first prescription for glasses at age 26, i have noticed at night time driving, things are fuzzy , with lights glaring out like halos? so went to get an eyetest and the guy gave me -.75 sph and -.25 cyl at 90 and then -1.25 sph for the other eye,

I spent ages trying to find a pair of glasses, and got so frustrated with trying them on, chose a pair and not too trhilled how i look in them, altough wearing them, things are crisper and i really enjoy how the colours seem to look brighter and more detailed, i really want this correction all the time but dont want to wear the glasses,

I have made an appointment to try contract lenses, but am worrying that the optician is going to say no because its a low prescription and think im being silly asking for them

what do people think of this?

gwgs 20 Apr 2011, 04:13

I would also like to see some photos further to Tex's post. We understand you don't want to be in the photos Melyssa, but we've heard so much about your fabulous glasses that we'd love to see photos of them.

I am a keen observer, and collector, of oversized, drop temples and 70s/80s style frames and for this reason I'd love to see some photos. The glasses themselves could simply be posted on Flickr or Fotki - which are both free and easy to work.

varifocals 19 Apr 2011, 08:12

TEX.

I agree with you.

A glasses disply would be great.

Tex 19 Apr 2011, 07:20

Melyssa,

You've noted previously that you are hesitant to post photos of you wearing your glasses to this site, which is totally understandable. However, would you be willing to at least take individual photos of all of your glasses by themselves (i.e., lying on a table) for our benefit? This would be a lot of work but would be really cool, especially since some of the exact frames cannot be found online as you say. Just a thought. Thanks.

Melyssa 19 Apr 2011, 07:05

Where to start? Let's try to answer everything in one post.

Tim,

I do try to look professional at work, befitting of my job title, as I'm always wearing a business outfit (blouse, skirt, matching jacket) Monday through Thursday and either a dress or blouse/skirt combo on Friday (provided there is no snow on the ground or in the forecast). Drop-temples, other feminine styles, and unisex frames make up my glasses wardrobe there (and anywhere else). Men seem to want me to be a dominatrix to them when I wear cat's-eyes, so only my husband gets to see them (whether or not he's been naughty -- LOL). And we women do desire to know what other women like or dislike in fashions. I've heard from both extremes on the cat's-eyes.

Pete,

These "Judy" frames that I posted the other day from another posting are not from Bleudame, but from Kenmark. And yes, the Taylor Swift type frames that I posted a while or three ago are from Bleudame.

Varifocals,

All of my glasses are -9.00 in prescription. I have posted a number of my frames (not necessarily the exact colors) on a number of occasions. Some of the Bleudame frames are no longer available, so the pictures have disappeared. Bummer!

varifocals 19 Apr 2011, 05:10

Melyssa.

why not post a picture of your new glasses then we can all enjoy them. You are a fashion icon.

What rx are they?

ehpc 18 Apr 2011, 23:28

Melyssa - the 'new black frames' are the STUNNING BleuDame frames? The perfect glasses :) Pete

Tim 18 Apr 2011, 23:22

Melyssa, why on earth would you not wear cat's eyes to work or show them to men?

Melyssa 18 Apr 2011, 06:35

Varifocals,

Thank you for the compliment on my frames. I wore them yesterday, so that's it for this week -- all of my pairs are worn once a week. And early on, people did take notice of this frame at work, yet not as much as my new black frames that look like one of Taylor Swift's. Now they're just another pair of glasses to them. Of course, I would not wear cat's-eyes at work, although I have shown them to certain coworkers (women only).

Soundmanpt 17 Apr 2011, 21:47

new to specs

Your glasses are not very strong, but my guess is he feels because of the unbalance between your eyes it may become difficult after you have your glasses on for a while to focus very well when you take them off. In the end it is up to you how much you choose to wear them. So I would say if you like seeing everything very clear and sharp then you should wear them. Without a doubt you should wear them at all times for driving to be safe, if you are of driving age of course.

varifocals 17 Apr 2011, 17:07

Melyssa.

Thanks for the clarification of 2009 & the new glasses which sound stunning.

Are you still wearing them now.

I bet they draw lots of approving comments.

new to specs 17 Apr 2011, 16:40

went for my first ever eye test and the optometrist gave me a prescription of -1.25 right eye and -.50 left eye,

is this a prescription i should be wearing all the time, the optometrist said that i should be doing so but didnt give any reason for this

im waiting for the glasses to be made up

any advice on this woukld be greatly appreciated

Melyssa 16 Apr 2011, 11:16

VariFocalS,

No, I did mean 2009. That's when I got them, 25 years after my very first pair of drop-temples. I'm glad you like them too. And they go well with black, white, or gray outfits.

varifocals 16 Apr 2011, 10:54

MELYSSA

Do you really mean 2011 not 2009.

They sound lovely

Melyssa 15 Apr 2011, 06:44

Soundmanpt,

I'm glad you like them. They will be ready in May of 2009. :) Actually, that was my first drop-temple frame since 1998, hence the first pair of this century. I have obtained two newer pairs of drop-temples since.

baker 15 Apr 2011, 01:51

@puffin

Never by myself. The last time I got an increase I hadn't realized that things were getting fuzzy until I failed the vision test at the dmv (but then I didn't get new contacts until at least a month later because they let me go) anyhoos...that was an increase of -1.5 in one eye and -.75 in the other so I guess I didn't notice because the eye that was only undercorrected by -.75 was doing all the work.

I know I need stronger contacts/glasses but am SO bad at taking the time to make an appt. I didn't realize this time either until I was driving with a friend who was navagating and she was telling me to turn way before I was able to read the street signs so I asked her if she could read signs when we were over 3 car distances away and she could. I was confused and didn't think that my corrected vision was sub-par so I asked another friend. (I don't know what increase this will be)

In both cases, once I realized that things that were fuzzy weren't supposed to be I can't get myself to forget.

Soundmanpt 14 Apr 2011, 17:45

Melyssa

Those are really nice! When will you be getting them?

Melyssa 14 Apr 2011, 15:28

This is the Kenmark Gallery Judy frame, my first drop-temples in the 21st century. Instead of gold, the part just above the black part is white, and the rest of the frame is sort of gray: http://ny-image2.etsy.com/il_fullxfull.153739950.jpg

Puffin 14 Apr 2011, 14:35

Here's a question, primarily for full timers:

How bad does your vision get before you start noticing things are fuzzy (in the distance for myopes)?

I'm assuming that people wouldn't notice say 1/8th of a dioptre, but probably would notice 1/4. No doubt it wouldn't be cause to update the correction at that point, but it should be noticable.

varifocals 13 Apr 2011, 09:03

mylessa.

47 years eh!

What rx now.

Melyssa 13 Apr 2011, 06:52

Baker,

Having been a myope for 47 years, I know that my glasses make things (including my beautiful baby browns) look smaller. A coworker and long-time friend just figured that out yesterday, even though she wore contacts for decades before having Lasix in 2002. She wanted to wear glasses during a rather boring training session so no one would know if she was keeping her eyes closed. I told her that instead of putting on eye shadow, try to paint open eyes there, so it would look like she was wide awake when her eyes were closed. (The Three Stooges did that on a couple of episodes.)

antonio 13 Apr 2011, 03:58

interesting happening, baker,

how could you see out of those "swapped" glasses ? And how strong are those you wear yourself ?

best regards, antonio

baker 13 Apr 2011, 02:32

not new glasses,but this catagory is the closest I could find...

A few glasses related things from 'wearing' (like a headband rather than in front of my eyes, or placing on my desk) glasses today instead of contacts...

I learned that minus lenses usually make thigs look smaller but have never really experienced this but a friend of mine tried my glasses on and said that they made everything look smaller

There was a 3-way glasses swap (more if you count the two people who tried on glasses who don't wear them) during one of my classes today. Two guys swapped glasses to see what each other looked like in them and I (finally) got to participate. One of my friends picked up my glasses that were sitting on my desk and put them on (funny how guys and girls rarely swap glasses). People commented on how nice they looked on her et cetera. It's funny, my teacher made some comment about how the guys who switched glasses were being stupid and 'ruining their eyes.' One of the guys then swapped glasses with me later on. All three were very different style frames so it was fun!

Laura 11 Apr 2011, 09:20

Emma.

Well done for being brave and going full-time from the beginning. You will find this has been so much easier than if you hadn't. Anyway with your first prescription, it looks like you needed to!

Emma 06 Apr 2011, 08:28

Aubrac.

Many thanks for that. yeah its a bit tough when you are the only one in your family who needs glasses, but like I say they've all given me their support. And it did help me having to leave school early one afternoon to go for my eye exam. It meant I had to tell everyone including my teachers that I was probably going to have to wear glasses.

Wow your sister must be pretty short-sighted if all 4 of her children need glasses. Kind of cool though, all in one family. Thanks again.

Aubrac 06 Apr 2011, 02:52

Emma

Well done, sounds as though you are quite happy and confident wearing glasses which is as it should be. I think I may have said before that many new glasses wearers whip them off when they see someone they know looking at them thinking 'oh my God they'll see me in glasses', when in fact they can only see the person looking at them because they are wearing their glasses!

It can be difficult for first time wearers when no one else in the family wears glasses. I remember the soul searching that went on when my sister first needed glasses, although when her four children all started wearing glasses (they are now all grown up and wear between -4.00 and -7.00)it all seemed perfectly normal that they would do and there was no stress at all.

Soundmanpt 05 Apr 2011, 11:35

Emma

Something you said in your response was very interesting. You said most all of your classmates knew you were going to get your eyes checked. That should be good advice for all the ones that pretty much know they need glasses but continue to hold off. If you make a point of telling as many people as possible before you go for an eye exam and then tell them that you will be getting glasses, it wont be a shock to anyone. This should also make it easier to wear them when you do get them. I hope others read what you said, that it really was not a big deal and after a day or two nothing was said.

Emma 05 Apr 2011, 10:25

Soundmanpt.

Sorry a few wrong spellings but I reckon you'll get the gist. I should have spell checked before posting.

Emma 05 Apr 2011, 10:22

Soundmanpt. Yeah that's right. Thanks for your kind support.I just needed to brave it out for few days and then as you say, me wearing glasses full-time was old news. My family wasn't a problem at all. I have an older brother who doesn't need glasses, not do my parents. But they were all very supportive and tole me I looked great in them for the start. My own class at school were pretty OK as well, cos they all knew I'd gone to get my eyes checked out and was getting specs. Some of the older pupils were less helpful at first, but now all the comments have died down. I still ahev a few relatives to see me in glasses, but I think the news has gone around that I'm wearing them by now. I would recommend anyone getting glasses for the first time to jump in at the deep end and just get on and wear them all the time. I don't really have a steady bf so no problems there! And yes, it does seem a lot more blurry when I take them off for some reason or other. But my optician did say my eyes would change once they had fully adapted to glasses, so I'm not all that bothered to be honest. Thanks again

Soundmanpt 05 Apr 2011, 09:33

Emma

Good to see you have gotten very comfortable with wearing your glasses full time? As nervious and scared you must have been that first day you wore them, it really wasn't so bad was it? After the first day or two people don't seem to notice or comment, it's like you wearing glasses is old news. The best thing is how nice it is to see everything so clear and sharp now? Interesting now when you take your glasses off how fuzzy and blurry things are now. Probably more blurry than before you got glasses? Your glasses have not made your eyes worse, it's just that your eyes have adjusted to your glasses.

What was more scary for you, wearing them in front of your family, friends or bf for the first time? How did the comments go, where most all very favorable?

Emma 05 Apr 2011, 08:50

Aubrac.

That's really interesting. It looks like my first prescription is pretty normal after all. I've worn my new glasses now "all the time" for just over a week and feel perfectly confident going anywhere now. No nervousness like I felt at first. Like whipping them off when I thought anyone was coming I might l know. Then feeling totally stupid and ridiculous when they say, Oh have you got glasses now Emma?" It's was like "Yes" blushing red. I alos appreciate being able to see everything clearly for once in a while. It's great and no one make comments at all about me wearing glasses anymore.

Melyssa 04 Apr 2011, 09:21

Amy,

I would like to add a top-temple, black-top, clear-bottom frame to my vast collection. I did see a pair in the place I frequent, but it was two months before my previous eye exam so I couldn't buy it then. Naturally it was gone when I was ready for it. Avril Lavigne, Chloe Sevigny, and Hilary Duff have worn that pattern.

Aubrac 04 Apr 2011, 08:11

Emma

I have been posting to these threads for some time and have found that there is no right or wrong about wearing glasses, that everyone has different perceptions about their wearing glasses, and that forecasts about sight changes can only be general and may actually not apply to you at all.

First prescriptions are generally around -1.50 although I have known people have -3.50/-4.00 as a first. Children who have parents with myopia/astigmatism tend to have them tested earlier and they often start with prescriptions below -1.00. The need for glasses usually shows itself when people realise they can't see signs, people, etc, that other people can quite easily, or they try someone else's glasses and are amazed how suddenly everything is brighter and sharper.

We have a friend who was always squinting and got her first prescription at 28 of -1.75, she soon went almost full time and everyone said how relieved they were not to see her keep screwing her eyes up to see - by the way this usually only works up about -2.00 after which it has little effect.

My sister got her first glasses at about 13/14 and I did at 16 of -1.50. I didn't go full time at first but after an increase to -2.00 started wearing them all the time. My prescription didn't stabilise until I was about 40 at -5.00 and tended to increase more between 17 and 25 than from 25 to 40, I believe it is someway connected with growth that can accelerate the change.

Without glasses you can miss out on a lot, someone suddenly says - look at that - and you don't know what they're talking about! Regarding Clare's comment about being hit in the face by a ball, you are more likely to get hit by not wearing glasses as you can't see the ball clearly in the first place.

As has been said how much you wear glasses is entirely up to you, but I think that once you have enjoyed really clear vision and all the detail that goes with it, you don't really want to return to the fuzzy, light halo world of uncorrected vision.

Emma 04 Apr 2011, 03:47

Clare.

Are you suggesting that I shouldn't wear full-time then?

Amy 04 Apr 2011, 03:45

Hi Melyssa.

The first pair look dead cool! Did you know that in the UK styled very similar to that are comming back into style? Usually in all black. Look at Paris Jackson's glasses to give you a clue.

If you like you can email me on

amy-withglasses@hotmail.co.uk

I could send you pics of my glasses and you could send me some of yours. I'd be so interseted.

Clare 03 Apr 2011, 15:45

I guess a lot of children are prescribed an Rx like that. Are they generally told to wear them fulltime from the outset - on the basis that they will sooner or later get to the point where they have no choice?

A friend of mine, now -4, just mentioned in conversation how much she hated the English game of rounders, turned out that someone had managed to hit her with the ball which had broken her glasses. I think she was about 12 at the time.

Melyssa 03 Apr 2011, 10:29

Amy,

The big difference back then was that the lenses were made of glass, not plastic, and you had to order (for a few extra dollars) shatter-proof lenses.

My first pair looked like these: http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2007/09/26/fashion/thursdaystyles/20070927POINTS_index.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1225749023-Zkxr1iAtW2Xua0kmRllmsQ

And while I bought this pair in 1990, there were frames that looked like these in the 1960s: http://www.mrsite.co.uk/gallerypic.asp?gallerytitle=&gallerydesc=&url=http://www.OPERAOPERA.net/USERIMAGES/thumb_upswept7%2EJPG

Amy 03 Apr 2011, 10:03

Melyssa.

That's an amazing coincidence. Didn't they make a difference when you were young LOL

Melyssa 03 Apr 2011, 09:41

Amy,

While I do not have the full RX of my first pair of glasses, which I got exactly 47 years ago today, the diopter measurements were the same as yours -- -1.75 & -1.50.

Emma 03 Apr 2011, 05:15

Hi Amy,

That's very interesting. My first prescription is obviously slightly higher than yours so what is my final one likely to end up at. Is it possible to forecast or not?

Amy 02 Apr 2011, 10:37

Emma.

My first glasses had a prescription of RE-1.75 -0.50 100

LE -1.50 -0.25 80. Since then it has increased by about -0.50 every twelve months. By last April it had reached RE-4.00 and LE -3.50 and that was when I was forced to give in to full-time wear. I'm due for my next check up soon and hoping that I will only need another -0.50 but we will have to wait and see.

Amy 02 Apr 2011, 10:37

Emma.

My first glasses had a prescription of RE-1.75 -0.50 100

LE -1.50 -0.25 80. Since then it has increased by about -0.50 every twelve months. By last April it had reached RE-4.00 and LE -3.50 and that was when I was forced to give in to full-time wear. I'm due for my next check up soon and hoping that I will only need another -0.50 but we will have to wait and see.

Emma 02 Apr 2011, 03:40

Amy

Thanks for your information and help. Glasses definitely make life easier fo me! Its amazing you staeted with glasses at the same age as me. I was slightly concerned that you said my first prescription was slightly above average for first ones. Do you mind telling me what yours was when you first got glasses and what has it got to now? Does it usually increase at each of your yearly check-ups?

Amy 01 Apr 2011, 10:09

Emma,

For what it's worth, I think you are been very sensible in deciding to be really brave and go full-time with your first glasses more or less straight away. With your fairly high initial prescription of -2.00 plus a small amount of astigmatism, glasses will definitely make your life much easier. Also by wearing your glasses all the time your family and close friends will very soon accept them as an essential part of you and regognize howm much you need them. When I first got glasses at 12, I made the fatal mistake of trying to do without them as much as possible and so I never got over my initial embarrassment about wearing them. Then eventually after three moderate increases in my prescription I reach the stage where I simply couldn't cope any longer and I finally had to give in. However I've been full-time now for well over a year and thankfully no longer have a problem with glasses. I just wish I had done as you aredoing from the start.

Cactus Jack 31 Mar 2011, 10:34

Emma,

Thanks for the kind remarks. But always remember, you don't wear your glasses for me or anyone else. You wear them for YOU, so you can enjoy seeing this wonderful world in all its glory. I don't know where you live or if spring has sprung yet, but it is a wonder time to see the new leaves on the trees and flowers in bloom instead of wondering what that blur is all about.

C.

Emma 31 Mar 2011, 09:58

Hi Cactus,

Thanks for all your encouragement. You'll be pleased to hear that I've had my glasses on all day today, since getting up first thing this morning, and they are still on now!! Funnily enough when I was walking through town after school back home, I completely forgot I had them on, until I saw myself in one ot the mirrors in Topshop. Wow, I thought, that girl in glasses is me!

Cactus Jack 30 Mar 2011, 08:47

Emma,

Good work, this "adventure" is almost behind you and you will wonder why you were so concerned about what is essentially nothing. Almost everyone who wears glasses has gone through the apprehension of going to school the first day with glasses.

I did, when I was 14, nearly 60 yeas ago. Back then, glasses were not as common as they are now, but it was not long before I had lots of company. I just happened to be one of the first in my class. Back then, under special circumstances, you could get a Drivers License in Texas when you were 14, if you could show an economic or family necessity. That is how I had to get glasses. Today, most young people can't learn to drive until they are 16 and that is when the glasses come on.

In a few more days you will just forget you have your glasses on and you (and others) will only notice when you are not wearing them. Keep up the good work.

C.

Emma 30 Mar 2011, 05:19

Cactus Jack, Aubrac, Hollie, Clare.

I really appreciate all of your comments and observations. They are really helpful at this stage. I don't have any problems with wearing my new glasses for school all the time, because like you say, everyone in my class realised I needed them. Also they all knew I was getting some, because I had to leave school early to go for my eye appointment. Actually a few guys in my class have already asked me if they can try them on and I've had a few comments about them being "quite strong" even though I know they're not really. I'm also OK about wearing them at home all the time and yesterday I actually had them on all day until I went to bed, including walking across town after school and all through our estate with them on. As it happens two of our neighbours saw me in them and one actually said hello to me without commenting, thank God! So I finally did it really, providing I can keep it up. There are still some places we go to regularly where I haven't worn them, but I'm determined to try and pluck up enough courage when the time comes. Probably by then I might not be too scared. Like you say, I alwyas have the option of changing over to contacts when my glasses get stronger.

Hollie 30 Mar 2011, 01:10

Emma

I've been wearing glasses for years and would still rather not wear them in front of family and some friends! I wear them to work quite a bit and so all my colleagues know I wear specs, but I usually wear lenses out of work. It is a good idea to let lots of people see you wearing them and then at least you have more of a choice as to whether you wear them or not.

Hollie 30 Mar 2011, 01:10

Emma

I've been wearing glasses for years and would still rather not wear them in front of family and some friends! I wear them to work quite a bit and so all my colleagues know I wear specs, but I usually wear lenses out of work. It is a good idea to let lots of people see you wearing them and then at least you have more of a choice as to whether you wear them or not.

Clare 29 Mar 2011, 13:53

Emma - I agree with Cactus and Aubrac. I didn't get glasses till I was in my 20s and had a low prescription for quite a while which meant I didn't wear them very much. Then, as my prescription started to increase in my 30s, I felt too self-conscious to wear them more even though I needed them more. My solution was to wear contacts but I think it would have been better to become more comfortable wearing glasses as once you are only ever known to wear contacts you never really get over the fact that, if you wear glasses even once, it will always be a novelty. I'd embrace them and like Cactus says, get it over with!

Aubrac 29 Mar 2011, 11:13

Emma

I was about the same prescription as you in my teens when I first got glasses and was also rather self-conscious about wearing them.

I seemed to think that everyone was staring at me for wearing glasses but soon realised that it was only because I could actually see clearly peoples faces for the first time, not that they were really looking at me!

I was a teen many years ago when there were far far fewer glasses wearers, and frames were often not that attractive, nowadays celebrities, TV people, etc, all wear glasses so it is no big deal, especially when you think that some wear plano glasses just for the look and don't need them.

It is usually a first time thing when people see you with glasses for the first time, after that it's just natural.

Cactus Jack 29 Mar 2011, 09:40

Emma,

It is normal to be concerned about what your friends and relatives will say about your glasses. The very best thing is to wear them full time and get it over with. Their interest and comments will only last for a few days. Your friends at school have known that you needed glasses for a long time and they will be happy for you, that you got them. After a few days, they will only notice that you are wearing glasses if you change frame style. Your glasses will just be a natural part of you.

A few friends may want to try them on and there may be some comments about how strong they are or how weak they are. The really interesting ones are the ones who say nothing. It is a very good clue that they may need glasses themselves and they can't believe how sharp and crisp their vision is with your glasses. Their initial reaction is that they also need glasses, but may not have the courage to face the truth as you have.

The most important thing to remember is that you wear your glasses for YOUR benefit, not for theirs. Enjoy!

C.

Emma 29 Mar 2011, 09:15

Cactus jack.

Thanks a lot for the information. I'm still quite young, so the optician did tell me my short-sightedness would probably increase slightly until I'm out of my teens. To be honest getting glasses has been quite a relief for me. I've been struggling to see stuff at a distance for ages and haven't liked to tell anyone. When I walked home wearing my glasses after I'd been to collect them, it was like a truly amazing experience. Stuff looked so sharp and clear. Now I don't really want to take them off, but I'm still a bit self-conscious of people I know seeing me in them outside school. I feel OK when I'm walking around amongst total strangers, because for all they know I could have been wearing glasses for ages. Anyway its great to talk about it somewhere like this.

Cactus jack 29 Mar 2011, 08:21

Emma,

You are a low myope (near sighted) with some astigmatism. Your Rx indicates that every thing beyond about 20 inches or 50 cm gets increasingly blurry without your glasses.

Will your Rx increase, probably, but it depends on your age, visual environment, and genetics. You didn't mention your age.

Very shortly, you may think that your glasses have made your vision worse because things will seem extra blurry when you take them off. This is normal. Vision actually occurs in the brain and the eyes are merely biological cameras. Without your glasses, you brain has had to do a lot of extra work because your eyes were delivering blurry images of things beyond 20 inches or 50 cm. You brain is perfectly capable of apparently clearing up a blurry image if it knows what something is supposed to look like. Proof of the brain's ability to create images without even visual input occurs when you dream.

Now that your glasses are delivering clear sharp images, your brain can devote it efforts to other things and it will quickly stop trying to process blurry images because it is no longer necessary and you will thing your vision without glasses has become suddenly worse, but it really has not.

C.

Emma 29 Mar 2011, 07:32

Hi,

I'm a recent glasses wearer and found this site. Apparently I'm short-sighted and I was amazed how much better I could see when I went to collect my new glasses and tried them on for the first time. I just wondered if my eyes are likely to change much now I've started wearing glasses. So far I haven't been brave enough to keep them on permanently. My precription form reads as follows. R.E -2.00 -0.50 100 LE -1.75 -0.25 90. Can anyone here interpret for me?

Derek 29 Mar 2011, 03:10

Karen, sorry forgot to answer other part of your question, she said i squinted a lot and always wanted to sit near the front when watching a film.

Derek 29 Mar 2011, 03:08

Karen Hi, to answer your question, my glasses were slightly stronger than my girlfriends were. And now we not together now. And as a matter of interest, i am full time wearer now, wonder how i managed without. Thanks for interest

Soundmanpt 28 Mar 2011, 22:55

Karen

Sorry about that, I went back and found the comments that he was making. Curious to know if his glasses were actually stronger than the gf's? Better question is if they are still together I guess?

Karen 28 Mar 2011, 18:54

It's a post from a couple of weeks ago. His girlfriend had him try on her glasses just to prove that he needed glasses.

 28 Mar 2011, 18:29

Karen

Who is Derek????? What about his gf saying he needs glasses????

Karen 28 Mar 2011, 18:18

Derek, how old are you and how do you think your girlfriend could tell you needed glasses?

Soundmanpt 26 Mar 2011, 18:47

inthecloset

Yes, I do agree with you about the double clicking being a pain in the backside. Not sure what the problem is there. I know I was trying to pick out some glasses for a friend and I had the same issue. One thing that I found helped, at the top you can choose to look at 10 - 20 - 40 - 80 at a time. Pick the 80 and that makes the pages way less just longer pages on each page of course.

Remember the money your saving makes it worth some small problems like that.

I know I mentioned before, but the regional manager of Pearle Vision found out that I had got glasses for one of her employees and called me and wanted to see samples for herself. She had never owned a pair of rx sunglasses and went to Zenni and got 2 pairs. She was so impressed that she then told all her employees at all 7 stores in her region.

specs4ever 26 Mar 2011, 18:43

I can't complain about the quality, or the speed of delivery for the glasses I have gotten from Zenni. I was just aggrevated with the speed and design of their "new" website. Had no trouble at all with their old one, but I get upset when things don't work properly.

Soundmanpt 26 Mar 2011, 18:38

specsforever

They redesigned their web site a couple of months ago and i think they are still getting some bugs out. I have caught several things that I called them and made them aware of that they didn't realize was happening. I placed an order this morning for 3 pairs of glasses for 3 different people without any problems, guess it's good I didn't try last night?

I must be honest though, are vision group has used Zenni for the past 8 years and we are very happy with the quality and that they really do arrive in 2 weeks.

inthecloset 26 Mar 2011, 17:29

I think Zennioptical site is one of the best sites I've come across. The only problem I've come across is needing to double click the next page number...

specs4ever 26 Mar 2011, 15:49

Been messing around Zenni's website the last couple of days trying to pick frames for an order. Don't know if anyone else has noticed it, but Zenni's sit has eben absolutely the worst site I have ever tried to navigate. Finally got on late last night and was able to get it to work almost properly, but still a real nuiscance. They need to redesign it so that it will handle the traffic.

Obsessed 26 Mar 2011, 14:25

Just got an order of RX photochromatic specs from Zenni. So happy! The frame is huge and the cut-in is very nice :))) My RX is low. Gotta order something more substancial and start GOC.

Rayray 26 Mar 2011, 12:59

I sent it again - thanks.

Laura 26 Mar 2011, 06:34

Rayray.

I don't think I received it. Try again.

short-sightedlaura@hotmail.co.uk

Thanks

Rayray 23 Mar 2011, 17:06

Hi Laura I sent you an email a while ago - it must have ended up in the spam filter?

Laura 23 Mar 2011, 04:22

y w.

Hi,

Just to let you know I've worn glasses fulltime since I was 11. I'm 20 and my current scrip is RE-10.00 and LE-9.75.

short-sightedlaura@hotmail.co.uk

y w 22 Mar 2011, 17:39

hello,

i've discovered this site pretty recently.

i've always been intrigued by girls with glasses, and find them very attractive.

i'm interested in starting a correspondence with a gwg.

i enjoy corresponding with people around the world, and am registered to penpals sites.

i believe it could be nice to get a little bit more familliar with a high myope's world.

if you're interested, you're welcome to contact me via this address- 7108yaronw@gmail.com

i too am a glasses wearer.

thanks.

Soundmanpt 21 Mar 2011, 10:55

Philippa

Interesting, so with your glasses (-2.00 / - 2.25) on you can't see clearly across a room? you have recently had your eyes examined and now your actual vision is even less by a -.25 in both eyes? So I would think that your vision is even worse outside? It really sounds like what you said, that you need a stronger rx, but I am not sure how your eyes tested at -1.75 / -2.00??? My suggestion would be to maybe go back where you had your last exam tell them the problem your having and see if they have another doctor that can do a re-examine. That way there should be no charge. If where you went only has the one doctor then find another doctor to get examined by. Normal logic would say that if the glasses your wearing are several years old you likely need an increase. Do let us know what the outcome is when you find out?

Philippa 21 Mar 2011, 07:50

Interesting to follow this discussion as you'll probably find my prescription quite weak by comparison to what's been posted here. I'm actually -2.00 and -2.25 but I find it hard to see across a room, what's wrong with my vision?? If I'm staying in a strange place or in a hotel I find it difficult to find where I'm going. Am I seriously under-corrected or is this normal? I've had this prescription for a while and have recently tested at only -1.75 and -2 so can't understand why my distance vision even at 6 feet away seems compromised. Can anyone shed any light please?

Janice 21 Mar 2011, 07:20

soundmanpt

yes i can well remember after less than a week waking up in mornings and thinking my eyes had go worse in the short time i had been wearing glasses. I soon got into hapbit of slipping them on when i woke up. And yes, 17 years old was not a good time to go from no glasses to full time wearer but i sat down and thought, pros and cons, and it was nearly all pros. I could see friends at a distance, cross road safely, and a lot more things become far eaiser to complete. I had a good chance to meet lots of friends wearing them the first week, as i was bridesmad at a friends wedding, and thought, to hell with it, i will wear my glasses and see whats happening. I got lots of kind remarks including several from close friends who stated, "you should have got those ages ago then we would not have to point out things to you, or what a guy looked likd across the other side of the pub. So bottom line, it was correct to get them and more correct to wear them.

Hope this helps anyone who may find getting specs a problem

varifocals 19 Mar 2011, 05:27

NEW GLASSES- JANICE

I think blind as a bat varies a lot between different people & their tolarance levels. Here are 3 examples.

1. Helen attractive but very myopic, could not wear contacts. hated glasses & only wore them when vital.weekends at home in the blur. myopia increasing

2. Paulette a fulltimer..Asked by her mother not to wear her glasses for her wedding to show off her brown eyes. left her glasses at home then in the car discovered how poor her eyes were. She liked glasses & full time 12 year wearer. about -5 eyes steady.Panicked in the car to the church as the longer period with no glasses became a strain. Her family knew she wore glasses. Pour soul was like a fish out of water without her glasses.

3. Jo a vain myopie was made to wear contacts at work. then got engaged to a chap who made her wear glasses. Got married in a new pair. later her friends asked her to take glasses off for picturesof " Old Jo" she did so then found the blur too much could not focus & glasses back on.

So the bat factor depends on the person

Cactus Jack 18 Mar 2011, 20:52

Peterle,

You used the term in your original post and I was curious about where you were from, not trying to be cute.

If you choose not to answer that is your business. Often, we are asked for suggestions and the suggestions are based on where you live because some optical terms mean different things in different countries.

I did not answer your question about where I think your Rx will stop. There is no way to tell because genetics play a big role. Are any of your parents or grandparents myopic?

BTW, your English is fine.

C.

Peterle 18 Mar 2011, 15:56

Cactus Jack.

My mother's tongue is pink with tastebuds on it.

Melyssa 18 Mar 2011, 13:58

I put on my first pair of glasses for the day, realize it's dark out, see the "5" to the left of the colon on my clock radio, and wish I could get 3 more hours of sleep, with or without glasses. (Saturdays, Sundays, holidays, and prearranged days off not included.)

Soundmanpt 18 Mar 2011, 10:53

Janice

Your first glasses were about what I would have thought they might be. The doctor was right, most people's first glasses are in the range of -.50 to -1.00 and are only needed for seeing special things like driving or seeing the board in school. I'm sure it was a pleasant surprise when you first put them on and saw what you had been missing? Needing an increase in only 7 months would be expected. When you got your first glasses because of accommodation you were still able to see the eye chart better than what your real vision was.Do you remember that after only wearing glasses for about a week that now when you took your glasses off things were much more blurry than before you started wearing glasses? The glasses did not make your eyes worse, but your eyes now were much more relaxed and not straining to see all the time. At 17 how difficult was it for you to suddenly go from no glasses to wearing them all the time around friends, family and male friends?

Jose 18 Mar 2011, 10:43

Hi Janice, your story is similar mine too, if you sing in on lenschat.com you can chat with a lot of people around the world in glasses , with nice stories, i`d like so much you join to that chatroom, see you soon

Laura 18 Mar 2011, 09:49

Janice.

It's like i can't function without mine LOL

Janice 18 Mar 2011, 08:11

Yes put them on and its good morning world, as it comes into focus, its wonderful

Laura 18 Mar 2011, 07:13

Janice.

Me too!! I just instinctively reach for my specs after a couple of minutes of staring at the blurred surroundings of my bedroom. Then keep them on until I go to bed.

Janice 18 Mar 2011, 04:56

Soundmanpt. Yes i was told when i first got glasses they were needed full time. And to be honest the day i went to pick them up, i knew she was correct, what a difference i noticed walking out of opticians wearing glasses, it was a whole new world and made me think how stupid i had been trying to hide the fact that i could not see well. Te prescription was L-2.25 R-2.50 according to optician in specsaves this was abouve what normal first glasses would be but i have nothing to compare this with. I do know once i get them i kept them on. And it was just 7 months before i had to return because i needed further change, and this time it went up to L-2.75 and R-3.25 and climbed everytime i went back for my exam. I hope my current prescription is final but i will have to wait and see

Janice 18 Mar 2011, 04:46

Laura. Yes I dont use the term "blind as a bat" lightly. It would be impossibe do do most normal things without my glasses on laura, as you say you soon get very dependent on them. I know i automatically reach for mine as soon as i wake up in the morning, and take them off before i turn light out at night.

Cactus Jack 17 Mar 2011, 14:14

Peterle,

Welcome.

To make a valid comparison, you need to change the first Rx to - cylinder notation.

Old Rx in -cylinder:

R -1.75, -0.75 x 85

L -2.00, -0.25 x 05

New Rx in -cylinder:

R -3.00, -0.75 x 100

L -3.50

That is not an unreasonable increase from your first Rx. It is possible that you were slightly under corrected because it was your first Rx. It is not unusual for there to be some changes in the cylinder axis because the accuracy of the axis depends on your skill at judging relative blurriness and you have little experience in the eye exam department.

For a CL Rx, there would be no need to adjust the Rx for vertex distance effects with an Rx this low. However if you wanted to get sphere only contacts you would add 1/2 of the cylinder to the sphere and order as close as you can get

IN the case of a CL for your Right eye that would be -3.375, which you can't get. I would suggest a -3.50 CL for both eyes and if you wanted to go up a little, -4.00 should work fine.

If you want to order glasses, you should use the -cylinder notation. If you ordered in +cylinder format, the lens maker would just convert it and make the glasses with -cylinder. The reason for this is that today, most glasses are made by grinding the Rx into the back surface of the lens.

If you want to increase the glasses Rx a little, you could add -0.50 to the sphere in each eye. Do not adjust the cylinder or axis from the Rx.

May I ask your mother tongue?

C.

Peterle 17 Mar 2011, 12:01

Hey there, I'm a long time reader, but now I got to post because of some questions.

I had an eye exam today and my prescription increased from R -2.50, 0.75 175° and L -2.25, 0.25 95° to R -3.00, -0.75 100° and L -3.50. I think at such a low prescription (some will consider) this is kind of a big jump in a bit more than a year. The first prescription was my first I've ever had at age 19 - I "hided" my myopia during school, because I was too vain at this time. Now this is my second visit for glasses in my life (had one inbetween for CLs) and I was shocked a bit about this increase.

I just wanted the prescription, because in Europe it is much cheaper to buy glasses and CLs online. Additionally I want to buy them with -0.50 more in each eye (not because I want to induce more myopia, which will probably happen due to my studies and age, but I really liked the crispness of a slight overcorrection i receaved last time i got new CLs). But now I got some questions:

I'm 20 years old now, at what RX do you think I will stop?

At an RX of R -3.50, -0.75 100° and L -4.00, what CL prescription would you recommend, i.e. how much power will be diminished by the smaller distance?

How is it possible, that my astigmatism changes axis in my right eye by 15°? And should I order glasses with negative or positive cylinder? What would the RX be with positive cylinder?

Thank you in advance. Sorry for my bad English, it obviously isn't my mother tongue.

Rayray 17 Mar 2011, 09:21

I didn't get glasses till my rx was -2.5/-3 at 11 and didn't wear them ft till i was over -4 - i think that if you are genetically programmed to be shortsighted you probably will be regardless of how much you wear them though it might effect your prescription change. I personally think once are -3 you pretty dependent on glasses anyway, it's just when you get to an rx over -5 or -6 it becomes totally impossible and life limiting to go without correction.

Laura 17 Mar 2011, 09:13

Janice.

Actually your glasses are pretty strong. I know what you mean by being "blind as a bat" without them. It seems that once you do start wearing full-time, your eyes really get to depend on correction more and more.

Soundmanpt 16 Mar 2011, 13:14

Janice

Were you told to wear your first glasses full time? I have to think from what you described that you were likely around -2.00 or so for your first pair? Then you must have needed sizable increases pretty often to be where you are now. But needing and not having glasses for 4 years or more would explain the fast increases, your glasses had to catch up to your eyes. But I really think your rx would be no different now even if you had gotten glasses at 13. Had you got glasses at 13 the increases would have been less each time and you likely would have been wearing stronger glasses at 17 if you had done that. When you got your first glasses it is likely you needed an increase not long after you started wearing them.

Hansel 16 Mar 2011, 12:34

Janice

Can you remember the first prescription?

Janice 16 Mar 2011, 08:57

Good Question. But i would not see friends across the street, could not drive, or see much around me. My current prescription is l-7.25 r-8.0 May not be bad to some but i find things impossible without glasses, i need to slip them on when i wake up and take them off at bedtime. I also have astigmatism which does not help

And 16 Mar 2011, 08:16

Janice - 'blind as a bat' is a phrase that has been used on here by folk with all manner of different prescriptions. What kind of activities would you find difficult or impossible without glasses ?

Melyssa 16 Mar 2011, 06:46

And as Soundmanpt alluded to earlier, I love being complimented on my new or old or middle-aged glasses. If a woman does it, I thank her and tell her where I got them, and if a man does it, I thank him and make sure he sees my wedding ring. :)

Melyssa 16 Mar 2011, 06:44

Janice,

I could never wear contacts, as only hard lenses would have been possible, due to astigmatism. Fortunately, I have made the best of things by having lots of pretty glasses to wear.

Janice 16 Mar 2011, 04:59

Guess you are right Laura, I know now i am as blind as a bat without my glasses on, and have had to have my glasses changed 5 times since i first got them. I cannot wear contacts which is so annoying so stuck with my glasses, but at least i can see with them on. My optician said they should settle down in my early 20's but as recently as last month on my exam i cam away with yet stronger glasses, just hope it stops changing soon.

Laura 16 Mar 2011, 04:19

Janice. They probably would be actually. Maybe even stronger. It seems that once your eyes adapt to glasses fulltime, they tend to change more rapidly. That's what most opticians say anyway. Even if you hadn't tried to manage without for such a long time.

Soundmanpt 15 Mar 2011, 22:06

I always complement the ladies when I see them wearing some nice fashionable glasses. And I can tell when they thank me by the smile they give that they really appreciate it. Think of it this way, when someone makes an effort to get nice trendy glasses they have to feel good when someone notices.

murky 15 Mar 2011, 21:55

What do people think about complementing complete strangers on their glasses selection, is it rude?

I enjoy looking at great frames, and it would be poss to see them without staring by giving a complement.

Clare 15 Mar 2011, 17:33

Derek - it seems advice from opticians vary, and you probably got better advice from yours than I from mine. During my 20s/30s my prescription went up as would be expected and I was at -2.25 and -2.75 for a number of years. I denied wearing glasses fulltime, partly because I didn't think I should because I could get by. Had my optician recommended it, as yours did, I might have had a better attitude - I kind of thought I needed permission (as I've heard Cactus Jack say). I wasn't blind but, like you, I would have seen alot better most of the time, as I do now as I wear contacts 99% of the time.

Soundmanpt 15 Mar 2011, 11:43

Janice

It is doubtful you did any real harm to your eyes by going uncorrected for 4 years. But it would have been easier for you if you had gone and got glasses as soon as you realized you probably needed them. You would have likely only had a weak rx and would have only needed them to see the board at school. So it was really only you that suffered by not being able to see things clearly. I'm guessing when you were told you needed glasses to learn to drive you probably were wearing them full time rather quickly? So now your 24 and your eyes should be getting close to stablizing if they haven't already? Do you remember, or know what your first rx was and what is your current rx? How you found out you needed glasses is very common many find out by trying on someone else's glasses.

Janice 15 Mar 2011, 09:24

Good to read about your experience Derek, i was similar.

When i was 13, my close friend was prescribed glasses for short sight. When she came to school in them i asked if i could try them on. When they were on i looked up and the blackboard seemed to have zoomed in, it was so stark and clear. I gave her glasses back fooling myself by telling her i could see nothing in them. I got by until i was 17 squinting and peering at things. Then as young girls do, i wanted to drive and booked a driving lesson. The first time i turned up, I was asked to read this number plate before lesson started. I could just about see shape of a car let alone number plate. That was when i was told sort your eyesight out and re-book if you want lessons. I went to opticians and it was no surprise i was wearing glasses a week later. Now 7 years later i still wear glasses but a lot stronger than i started with, i often wonder if i had worn when i first became aware i needed them if they would be as strong now

Derek 15 Mar 2011, 02:00

Hi Dan, nice to hear from someone with similar experience.

I knew my eyesight was not that great, but i did not drive and until i tried those glasses on, did not really know what i was missing. The lady in the opticians said i should have been wearing glasses years ago. When she had finished my exam, she told me what i knew, i was short sighted, but did not know how bad until she said i really need glasses full time. She gave me a prescription of R-2.00 L-2.25 with -.75 astig both eyes. When i went to collect them from the shop and put them on, it was strange i could see all things so clear. Walking along the street was amazing. But i was not going to wear them full time, so started just using them for tv, cinama and things like that, But after a short time approx 3 weeks, i found myself needing them on to walk down street so i could see clearly. All my friends used to say why not wear your glasses you cannlot see without. So in short space of time i was a full time wearer Dan. Now i love them, i think guys in glasses look good. Thanks for interest and any more information, just ask.

Dan 14 Mar 2011, 22:57

Derek,

What is your prescription now?

I had a similar beginning of glasses wearing although I did not go full time so quickly and my glasses were not that strong at all.

I tried on a friends glasses while on a bus one day when I was 17 and I noticed how many more details I could pick out. I never really thought my vision was that bad, the glasses just made a slight difference.

So I scheduled an appt and came away with -0.5; plano -0.5 x 90. I started wearing full time when I was 20 and my prescription is now -1.0 -0.50 x 90 in both eyes (I'm 21). Although I do have a pair of bifocals that I wear on occasion to help transitioning from near to far. The add is +1.25.

Soundmanpt 14 Mar 2011, 11:07

Kylie

Have you begun to wear them around your friends and family yet? As your finding out each day now you really should be wearing them full time and only take them off if your going to be doing a lot of close work like reading a book.

Derek 14 Mar 2011, 11:01

More or less her exact words Puffin, i think she saw how shocked i was at how clear things were with her glasses. It was later the same evening she said i think you should get your eyes tested, but i had already made up my mind i needed to. The extra prod of trying on her glasses was all that was needed for me to bite the bullet and make eye appointment

Puffin 14 Mar 2011, 10:45

Those who are already glasses wearers often spot those who need them.

Derek 14 Mar 2011, 05:32

GWGS Yes i have and as i thought, i was told i need to wear glasses, which if i was honest i knew. I have had glasses for 3 months now and recently, began wearing full time, it was to much hassle keep taking on and off. I do notice now anyway, how much i need them, so makes sense to stop being vain and just wear them.

gwgs 14 Mar 2011, 05:17

Interesting story Derek, have you now gone to the opticians for an eye test?

Derek 14 Mar 2011, 02:15

It was a shock first time i tried a new girl friends glasses on. We sat near the back which was not good for me i liked to sit closer to the screen. I knew my eyesight was not that hot but did not think it bad. During the break when adverts were showing, she was cleaning her glasses, i mentioned they looked nice on her, she said they unisex frame, lets see how you look wearing them. She passed them to me, and i put them on, omg, the screen lept out towards me, everthing was so clear, i just could not believe how different i could see wearing them. I passed them back and asked if she always wore full time. She replied, yes, these are quite strong and my eyes are bad.

To end the story, it was not long before she sussed out i could not see well and needed glasses.

Cactus Jack 13 Mar 2011, 19:04

Kylie,

Your question reminds me of a time several years ago when I broke my fibula (small bone below the knee in your leg) skiing and I had to use crutches to get around. I had never broken a bone before or needed crutches. I asked my Dad, who had considerable experience needing crutches, how I would know when I didn't need the any longer. He said you will know when you need something from across the room and it will be too much trouble to grab your crutches. He was right.

To answer your question, you will decide to wear them full time when it is too much of a nuisance to be putting them on and taking them off. You may also find it a nuisance to try to remember where you left them. I have worn my glasses pretty much full time since I started wearing glasses about 60 years ago. I think it is funny watching a (vain?) part time reader wearer chasing one of their many pairs of glasses all over the house. I can't recall ever having mislaid my glasses or ever having sat on a pair because they were not on my face.

C.

Kylie 13 Mar 2011, 16:58

I've had my glasses for about a week now. From not thinking I needed glasses much I've gone to thinking I need them more than I thought. I don't think I need them all the time because i read and see at close distances but I had some friends round this morning and it was really irritating not to be able to see their faces clearly across the room. I didn't go and get my glasses but perhaps I should have. Although it might seem odd to just put them on for that!

What do other people who have a similar sort of prescription to mine do. Do you put them on and off a lot it just put up with a bit of blurry vision?

Clare 13 Mar 2011, 09:19

I'm not sure why people want to try on other's glasses really. I guess for non-wearers it might be tempting but I can't imagine why anyone who wears glasses would want to try on someone else's. Admittedly I'm not often wearing mine but I've never had anyone ask to try them and I wouldn't ask to try any of my friends' glasses either so maybe those people who ask are closet OOs after all.

GOCer 13 Mar 2011, 05:39

I've always wondered if people who ask to see other people's glasses are potential or closet OOs.

I haven't had anyone ask to see my glasses since grade school. I never gave them up though - I already had enough trouble as it was with bullies snatching them off my face watching me grope at them trying to get them back.

baker 13 Mar 2011, 01:28

Soundmanpt, it's never bothered me but I feel like there's no non-awkward way to respond. Having once been in the catagory of people saying they don't see why I wear glasses after trying them on, I agree that this is the more favorable of the reactions. One of my best friends tries on people's glasses pretty often, but she has the comment thing right (probably because she wears contacts...). She doesn't ever comment on the lenses except once when she tried on a guy's low rx glasses and was suprised that they helped (though that too went into an awkward short conversation). Do you think that it's awkward because the reaction "woa, these are strong" is stupid because obviously if someone wears glasses, they make a difference or because people don't feel comfortable talking about vision? Also, I wanted to see if anybody had a favorite responce that solved the awkward issue.

Soundmanpt 13 Mar 2011, 01:10

baker

I think all you can do is laugh it off by saying something like, "What do you mean, I can see perfect with them? They don't seem strong to me." Actually for someone to say that, tells me they just aren't thinking. Kinda a rude statement to make anyway. People some times just don't think before they open their mouth. Others have complained that have weak rx that people will make comments that their glasses seem very weak so why do you wear them all the time etc. I would say just try to not let it bother you. Certainly all they should say is "nice glasses, they look nice"

baker 13 Mar 2011, 00:54

This is one of those questions where I don't know which thread to post it on but...

How do you respond when someone tries on your glasses and says something along the lines of 'wow these are strong' or 'I didn't realize your vision was this crappy'?

Laura 09 Mar 2011, 04:51

Kylie. Your new glasses soundeat. Brown plastic frames look so cool these days. I must admit it' easier coping with wearing at first if other people in your family wear them. I was lucky because my mother does. I was the first to need them, then my brother and then my younger sister both needed them.

My brother now prefers to wear contacts all the time, but my sister has just gone full-time wear with her glasses and seems quite happy with it.

Cactus Jack 08 Mar 2011, 18:05

DC,

The Rx is confusing because it is written with assumed + cylinder format. Many ECPs would consider that writing an Rx without + signs where necessary is not professional and could result in errors in making the lenses. It is a little easier to understand if it is converted to - cylinder format.

R +0.50, -0.50 x 90 Add +0.75

L +0.75, -0.75 x 70 Add +0.75

A year ago, your wife was a little hyperopic with mild astigmatism. Presbyopia was just beginning to be manifest. It is very likely that some of your wife's hyperopia was hidden, but is now beginning to reveal itself and here presbyopia has increased. The only way to know for sure is to get an eye exam.

You didn't mention your wife's age, but things sound pretty normal. Please post your wife's new Rx when she gets one.

C.

DC 08 Mar 2011, 16:45

Cactus

Can you help me and explain my wife's prescripton

R Cyl 0.50 Axis 180 Add +0.75

L CYL 0.75 AXIS 160 ADD +0.75

After years of waiting for the day of having a GWG at home and having had her glasses for a year she now says that she cannot see with them

Help me please

DC

Kylie 08 Mar 2011, 16:21

Actually not that many of my friends have seen my glasses and none of my family, and no one has asked to try them. And yes,my vision at night is impossible! Bit I'm putting that down to what Cactus Jack says about my eyes getting accustomed to my vision with glasses. It's quite scary though that once you start seeing perfectly you really realise how your vision without them is less than perfect. I guess it's easy to get dependent on good vision once you get used to it.

ehpc 06 Mar 2011, 14:02

They sound great Kylie :)

Soundmanpt 06 Mar 2011, 13:49

Kylie

One good thing is that it doesn't seem like you had any shyness about wearing your glasses when you got them? I assume by now all are most all of your friends, co-workers and family have seen you wearing your glasses, what comments have they made? Any comments from those that may have tried your glasses? Not sure what country your in and how often you must renew your driver's license, but you should be glad you got your glasses now because you would not be able to pass it without correction. Have you noticed that your vision is even worse after dark without your glasses? You are correct in not wearing your glasses if your going to be doing much reading or any other close work. No need to remove them if your only looking at a menu or something.

When were you told to return for your next eye check?

Kylie 06 Mar 2011, 11:48

I chose a pair of brown plastic frames from Gucci, they were quite expensive but I figured it'd be better to get something nice even though I thought I'd only wear them on the rare occasions I drive or if I go to the theatre. Fortunately I didn't buy a pair I don't feel look nice as I'll probably wear them more than I thought I would.

I don't have a problem reading with my glasses on although I'm usually not wearing them for close things. I am really enjoying the clear vision though but pI didn't think I really needed glasses before!

Like lenses 05 Mar 2011, 22:08

Kylie

I don't know why your optometrist said it is a small prescription.

Your -2.00 eye would not be able to see the top line on his eye chart. And then considering the small astigmatism in that eye, and the lesser prescription,with no astigmatism in the other eye,you have a fair amount of unequal vision uncorrected.

I think that you should wear the glasses full time.

How you you find reading with them on?

I would say they are a fairly strong first prescription,and within the next year will get stronger.

ehpc 05 Mar 2011, 12:37

What frame style do you wear, Kylie?

Pete

varifocals. 05 Mar 2011, 05:17

KYLIE

Well done, now you are over the first hurdle it will be like a piece of cake.

Enjoy the clear world ouit there.

I have known many take the same journey, & those who did not later regretted it.

Kylie 05 Mar 2011, 00:15

Yes you're all right that it makes a big difference. Yesterday I was walking in town, with my glasses everything was crystal clear then I took them off and everything seemed quite blurry in the distance. I'm quite surprised as I didn't really think I needed glasses except maybe for driving but now I realise I probably wouldn't be able to catch the right bus without them. So this is a small prescription for distance!

Laura 04 Mar 2011, 05:01

Kylie.

Yours is stronger than most first prescriptions to be honest. Usually kids start at around -1.00 or -1.50 with glasses for seeing in class at school. Then it starts climbing year by year. You will notice quite an improvement in clarity with your first prescription. Normally most people would get that as a second prescription. When you reach -3.00 or more, you won't want to be without your glasses!! You'll definitley be a full-timer by the LOL.

Cactus Jack 03 Mar 2011, 20:40

Kylie,

Maybe this will help you understand what your Rx means in terms of vision.

Without your glasses, your best eye (-1.50) would determine where things begin to get blurry. 26 inches or 66 mm. Beyond that, things would get increasingly fuzzy and your vision would be a little worse with your -2.00 eye. Given a choice, your brain will choose the best image as the primary source of visual information.

Vision actually occurs in the brain and the eyes are merely biological cameras. Your brain is perfectly capable of constructing an rather good image using low quality information, provided it knows what something is supposed to look like, but it takes a lot of effort and computing power. Ever had a dream? Your brain constructed those images with your eyes closed.

Very soon, you might begin to think that your glasses have made your eyes worse because things look blurrier than they used to with out your glasses. What has happened is that your brain has learned that your glasses let your eyes deliver high quality images and the extra processing is no longer necessary, so it does not even try. Instead, it will likely rebel and cause discomfort until you put your glasses on. The result is that soon you will reach for your glasses when you wake up and take them off just before going to sleep.

It is all natural and normal. Depending on where you live, spring will soon be here and you will discover leaves on trees, stars in the sky, and a big bright beautiful world that you have been missing.

C.

Soundmanpt 03 Mar 2011, 16:31

Kylie

I am not sure where some of these opticians are coming from? I assume that is who told you that? Of course your glasses are not what one would call "strong" but as I have stated more than once. Generally speaking I would think most would be at full time wear or very close to being there with your rx. Most doctors pretty much recommend full time wear at around -1.25 or -1.50 that I know. Of course some are reluctant to wear their glasses full time with even higher rxs, but that is up to them. If you feel comfortable and like how well you can see there is no reason you shouldn't wear them full time. As many have said in here it is very much your choice.

What finally made you get your eyes checked?

Kylie 03 Mar 2011, 16:20

I've just picked up my very first pair of glasses. The difference is amazing. All the optician said was that I needed a small correction for distance and I didn't think it was a big deal. This week unlocked up my glasses and am amazed at the difference with/without them.

My prescription card says

OS -2.00 x -0.25 x 135

OD -1.50

I have no clue how serious this prescription is only that they make a big difference. I'd easily wear them all the time but my optician said I only needed a small correction. How strong is this really?

Astra 28 Feb 2011, 00:55

I got a new pair of glasses this month.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/czova/5485026296/

Soundmanpt 26 Feb 2011, 14:55

jen

It is more common for someone under age 21 to become nearsighted than someone older, however that is not locked in stone. So it can happen at any age. Many things are a factor that can enter into it.

Soundmanpt 26 Feb 2011, 14:28

Andrew

I am in the USA and because of guidelines setup by F.D.A. (Federal Drug Administration) lens thickness on glasses made here are thicker than those that are purchased on-line which for the most part all come from Hong Kong. That was and it seemed like the glasses she purchased was from an on-line company. Regardless I think they made a mistake and are not willing to correct it. That is why I asked what company it was so I would be sure to never use them and hopefully no one in here would either. I know Zenni and most of the others are very good about backing their glasses.

You are correct here in the States -4.00 would likely be about the strongest you would want to go before getting into the mid index, provided you don't like the thicker lenses.

Andrew 26 Feb 2011, 13:39

Soundmanpt,

I agree, but from what I have heard it is at about -4.00 that you start to get "recommended" for high-index lenses. They may be worth the expense if you are likely to be wearing the glasses for several years, but probably not if you will need a change in 6 months time.

Jen,

Yes, but there are certain ages where myopia is more likely to develop. We are, after all, all individuals.

jen 26 Feb 2011, 10:51

can you start to need shortighted glasses any age ? or youu only get them at younger age?

Soundmanpt 25 Feb 2011, 11:51

Thanks Andrew, you are so right. I didn't go back far enough. But even that rx should not need a high index lens depending on the size of the frame. A larger style frame she should probably get the mid index lenses.

Andrew 25 Feb 2011, 11:45

Alexa's new glasses were -4.00 and -4.25, enough to make a difference from behind the lenses, even if most people would not notice anything from in front of them.

Soundmanpt 25 Feb 2011, 11:04

Laura

I really don't think she needs any high index lenses or if or at the most a mid index. If you refer back to Alexia's post from Feb 14 th she stated her rx as being -3.25 and -3.00. Not at all very high. I am not sure what size frame she has but unless it is a very big frame normal lenses should be fine and look great. Zenni's standard lenses are 1.59 and I use those for people until the rx is stronger than -5.00 and the glasses look great and lenses are not thick at all. If I recall your sister's glasses are about the same power as Alexia's, does she have high index lenses in her glasses?

Email me sometime, we haven't chatted for a good while now.

Laura 25 Feb 2011, 04:21

alexa. What is your actual prescription? I work at Specsavers and we do high index lenses very reasonable.

alexa 20 Feb 2011, 12:01

I ordered them off toni and guy opticians online website, they had some nice designer frames on there, I was totally robbed and should have just got them direct from the optician store, its such a bummer as i havent worn them as they feel so heavy on my face, considering paying a reglazing company £90 to get 1.74 index lenses

if i did go for the 1.74 index how thick would hte lenses be, the frames are semi rimmed, ted baker-zimmy zero so that you know what size the frame is , hopefully someone more optically minded can help work it out for me, please

Soundmanpt 19 Feb 2011, 18:31

alexa

What company is this that your dealing with? I think everyone in here would want to know so as not to use them for ourselves.

More so since they are unwilling to help you at all and only what another sale from you. Very bad business.

Soundmanpt 19 Feb 2011, 18:29

alexa

Yes I'm sure if you take your glasses to any optical shop they can tell very quickly what type of lens thickness that was used. You might even ask them to document that for you so you can have proof when you contact the company you got your glasses from.

Does this company at the very least not offer half your money back even if you don't like your glasses? Zenni will refund half of what you pay for your glasses for any reason, even if it's just that you don't like how they look.

alexa 19 Feb 2011, 16:40

well i emailed the company and explained that i was not happy with the thickness etc, the advice they offered me was to upgrade to 1.74 index and pay them £120 for the privelege, I wasnt expecting that outcome, at the very least i thought they would have checked

is there any way for an opticians to recognise the material they were made out of, if i can confirm that the lenses have not been made ut of 1.67 and then inform them.

it looks like i might be stuck with thes glasses, sighs

Aubrac 18 Feb 2011, 02:40

very progressive

With your prescription if you take the - away from the + add you have +0.50 R and +1.50 L. This is a significant enough difference to mean that for reading without glasses, you will use mainly the right eye. With glasses your eyes will relax and you will be able to read more clearly and easily with both eyes.

When you then take your glasses off and try reading, your eyes will struggle to accommodate and find balance resulting in strain and possibly headaches.

Probably best to wear full time and get used to them as nearly everyone does, and get progressives at a later date if you really want them.

antonio 17 Feb 2011, 16:42

Alexa

if you want to have thin lenses it´s always better to choose a small frame

as wide frames get thicker lenses at the sides, too.

best regards,

antonio

Soundmanpt 17 Feb 2011, 13:28

very progressive

It would seem to be normal, but if you are still having issues after a week or of wearing them then you may want to go back and have them check the rx to be sure they are made in the correct rx and if that is good the doctor may need to re-examine you. But I think it is more the fact that your now training your eyes to look through a small area for your reading add and that takes getting used to. So your basivly straining to make your eyes look through the right part of your glasses, after a while this will become natural and you wont even think about it. Also i'm sure you are sometimes catching part of the add when your looking in the distance. This is another reason why it would be a good idea to wear your glasses all the time now. Once your eyes adjust to wearing them then maybe go back to part time wear.

very progressive 17 Feb 2011, 10:37

oops, rx is posted on "multifocals" thread. sorry!

very progressive 17 Feb 2011, 10:35

Is it normal (at this rx?) for my eyes to tear, and get mild headache with these new bifocals when I take them off? I never had that problem with single vision for distance? I realize that rx , especially astigmatism component is not strong, and wouldn't think bifocals should have this effect ?

Soundmanpt 17 Feb 2011, 09:09

very progressive

When you say "are they meant to be worn full time" that is the key. My answer is "yes" because that is the purpose of combining correction for both distance and close-up into one pair of glasses. Can you get by and only wear them for certain tasks? Yes of course, so then you might as well just have 2 pairs of glasses. Most often once someone needs bifocals they generally go full time as well.

very progressive 17 Feb 2011, 07:37

Are progressives or bifocals meant to be worn full time, evern with a low rx?

Aubrac 17 Feb 2011, 03:11

Alexa

Just to add to comments - I bought thin lenses in a -5.00 prescription. The lenses are 50mm wide and 4mm at the thickest part, also the power rings would only be equivalent to about a -2.50 lens

Yes it does seem you have been given the wrong lenses

gwgs 16 Feb 2011, 08:39

Alexa, it definitely sounds as if you've received CR39 lenses - these are the thickest, and lowest index, and cheapest you can get - maybe the opticians mixed them up when producing them, or forgot to do it in the high index lenses, or as others have said, hoped you wouldn't know the difference and when you paid for hi index lenses (1.67), he's used the complete opposite.

I have had the opposite problem a couple of times when ordering frames online as I've sent the frames off to be reglazed with a prescription, asking for regular 1.56 lenses and checked the thickness of the lenses on the aforementioned website, only to receive them and the lenses are about 1/2 as thick as I thought they would be!

Rayray 16 Feb 2011, 08:00

Alexa, soundmanpt is right you were ripped off - with 1.67 index there is no way your lenses should be that thick. I have 1.67 index -8.50 glasses that are 7mm thick in a medium - large frame. With 1.5 index cr39 lenses they would be that thick maybe but it is definitely time to complain!

Slit 16 Feb 2011, 03:50

Well, not exactly my own new glasses. But tried out new glasses my mom bought, -0.5 add +1.75 for both eyes.

The new varifocal lens gives almost effortless getting used to, and extreme transition between the distance and near. However she is not much savvy on these things, so she does not know who is the manufacturer of lens etc.

Make me interested to move to varifocal zone!

gwgs 16 Feb 2011, 03:40

P.S. On another topic, the girl I mentioned in a previous message several days ago about going to the opticians has told me she has had an increase of -1 in each eye and her prescription will be -4.75, -5.75 once the glasses are ready (I'm sure she previously said to me she was "about minus 5.5 though!!!???)

Quite a significant increase for such a relatively low rx - a jump of about 27% in one eye, and just over 20% for the other. This is suprising as she has said before - and I've posted about it - that she gets her eyes tested regularly!

gwgs 16 Feb 2011, 03:36

Guest, I also use that tool to check the thickness of lenses before ordering glasses but on a couple of occassions, the lenses have been quite a bit thinner than anticipated even though I've put in the sphere, pd, frame and bridge size values and chosen the relevant type of lenses!

guest 14 Feb 2011, 20:09

The edge thickness depends on a variety of factors: PD, lens eye width, bridge size, prescription (both cyl and sphere), and the lens material. The best way of checking if the thickness of your lenses is what you would expect with your prescription and frame is to use a lens thickness calculator such as this one:

http://www.justeyewear.com/thickness-calculator/

anon 14 Feb 2011, 18:42

Alexa

I can't say whether you have actually got the lens material you thought you were buying, but I bekieve that hi-index lenses are not necessarily lighter in weight, due to the material being denser.

But 6mm is really not thick.

Soundmanpt 14 Feb 2011, 18:31

alexa

I am not sure what on-line company you used, but it would seem they did not give you the high index lenses you paid for. Most if not all the on-line retailers have some type of return policy. Most will refund 50% of what you paid even if it just because you don't like the fit or something without question. Some may even do 100% refunds. But because I think they made a mistake it should be remade without cost. If you continue to have problems with this company please let everyone here know about it. Because I volunteer with a non-profit vision group I have personally ordered more than 400 pairs of glasses over the lats 8 years mostly from "zennioptical.com" I have a pair of glasses I need to deliver with an rx of -4.25 in both lenses and I only got the 1.59 lenses which are included in the price of the glasses and they are very thin. If you want to see the glasses I am referring to look at #339115. The total price with AR coating was $15.00 and they really look great. By the way there are other good companies out there as well.

Good luck!

alexa 14 Feb 2011, 18:15

anon- i am being so negative about my new glasses as my last pair of glasses my prescription was -3.25 and -3.00 and they were barely 3mm thick at the edge and negligible, now my prescription has increased a bit i dont see how its just shot up with the thickness

i think i am more annoyed at the fact ive spent this extra money on going fot the thin lens option to find that they are not thin at all, they feel heavy on my face, so its not just the aesthetics it is the comfort

please could someone tell me if an error may have been made with the material before i bounce off an email, they wil propbaly not take any notice , but if i have a bit of optics knowledge it might work in my favour getting the lenses sorted out

anon 14 Feb 2011, 18:02

Alexa

I can't answer your question but I'm curious why it bothers you that your lenses are 6mm thick. That doesn't sound very thick to me. I have always disliked my own glasses because they are too thin. They are only 3mm and look so insubstantial (I think they are polycarbonate) that I feel people will think I don't really need them. No doubt I could get by without them much of the time but I don't like the world looking constantly fuzzy.

I'm going to try to specify low index lenses next time in the hope that they won't look so flimsy.

I suspect you are being very negative about your glasses. Try wearing them and you'll get lots of compliments. No-one is expected to have perfect uncorrected vision these days. Why pretend.

alexa 14 Feb 2011, 17:53

hi i really need some advice

recently had an eyetest and because i didnt like any of the glasses in the opticians, i ordered a pair online,

they arrived, the frame is fine, try them on i can see fine in them, but the problem i have with them is that the lenses are extremely thick

bit of background, i ordered ted baker jimmy zero frame, because my prescription is -4.00 and -4.25 i ordered the 1.67 index lenses- hoping that tehy would minimise the lens thickness a fair bit, sadly not, they potrdue out of the glasses and look really thick and have lots of those power rings, making it look like a really high prescription, i was curious so i measured the outer bit of the lens near the hinge and they are 6mm thick, whereas in the past i have had glasses made in some thin material and they have been around 3mm or so -i got my old glasses out and measured!

so my question is,do i stand a chance getting arefund or an exchange to a better quality lens,? another question is, is 6mm thickness sound correct for the lens material i ahve chosen? , if i were to go for the next thing up 1.74 material what would the thickness be with that, i am just really annoyed at how ugly they look and they remain in the box!

any help on this as people on this forum seem to know their optic stuff a lot more than i do!

JP 13 Feb 2011, 11:22

Thanks Rayray for your photos. You seem to like your glasses.

Cactus Jack 11 Feb 2011, 11:53

Roberto,

A short lesson in optics, assuming you have 0.00 refractive error for distance. If you have some refractive error, that must be corrected to 0.00 first because that is the relaxed state for the eye's lens system. In its relaxed state, the lens system must supply about +40 diopters in the cornea (fixed focus) and crystaline lens (variable focus) combined to focus distant images on the retina located about 25 mm behind the two lenses.

The most fundamental formula in optics was developed by Isaac Newton (of gravity fame) around 1700 and it describes the relationship between lens power and focus distance. In inches, this formula is 39.37 (1 meter)/focus distance = lens power. To focus clear on your BB at 12" requires 39.37/12 = +3.28 diopters additional power to focus on something at that distance.

When you were young and your crystaline lenses were very flexible they could easily supply the additional +3.25 and then some to focus at 12" or even closer. However, at your age presbyopia has reared its head and while you can still supply some of the +3.25 you need some external lens power to help so your ciliary muscles won't have to work so hard to squeeze your ever stiffening crystaline lenses and increase their + power from their relaxed state. With your +1.50 reading glasses, your crystaline lenses only have to supply about +1.75 to focus at 12" so your ciliary muscles don't have to work as hard and the start becoming de-conditioned.

The ciliary muscles, for their size, are normally the strongest, hardest working muscles in the body, but like all muscles, they begin to loose strength as you get older. Your crystaline lenses get thicker with presbyopia and harder to squeeze and the spiral begins. Ultimately, you may likely need +3.25 for your BB at 12", but that will be too much for reading at say 16" which takes +2.50 and either progressives or trifocals become quite useful even if the distance Rx is 0.00.

You have been very fortunate to have made it to 48 without needing some focusing help, most people start experiencing the problem in their late 30s or early 40s. There is no hard and fast rule because genetics and type of refractive error play a big role. People who need + glasses for distance seem to need reading help earlier that people who need - glasses for distance. however, you are there now and the amount of + you need will increase until it reaches the point where all the focusing power required is supplied with glasses, but it will never go higher than that needed for focus at a particular working distance and that is a function of text size. If you switched from a BB to a tablet with larger text, you might be able to read it farther away and need less + to focus, but it a certainty that you will need some.

It is all a matter of math, physics and biology, not in the least mysterious. Glasses are tools that help you function with less effort, nothing more. You might be able to drive a nail with your hand, but a hammer is easier and less bloody.

C.

Roberto 11 Feb 2011, 10:31

CJ-

I only wear them for close..distance is too blurry. The BB is about 12" away.

R.

Cactus jack 11 Feb 2011, 09:55

Roberto,

If your current Rx is +1.50 one step weaker would be +1.25 and one step stronger would be +1.75. Optical prescriptions are typically in 0.25 (1/4 diopter) steps. Rarely, some Eye Care Professionals will give someone a 0.125 (1/8 diopter) step, which is so small few people can tell the difference.

You asked about how rapidly the ciliary muscles can become de-conditioned. The answer is: With amazing speed. At your age, the examiner did you a favor by increasing your Rx a step. It saved you a quick trip back for an increase even sooner. I can give you a better explanation of what is happening if you will answer a few questions.

1. Are you wearing the +1.50s for distance both distance and close?

2. If you are wearing them for distance, did you immediately see clearly at distance?

3. How close do you hold the BB to your eyes when you read the text? Please measure.

C.

Roberto 11 Feb 2011, 09:02

Cactus..

I am 48, and he prescribed me +1.50's and said Walmarts would be ok for me. To refresh from my 1st post, I could barely read the close chart, but with each flip of the lenses I could read another line. When I told him I could read the bottom line, he flipped one more time. I thought I should go for the weaker lenses, but you thought I should go for the stronger glasses as I would get there anyways. That is what I did. Now I can't read without them, and wonder if I am already due for an increase.

If the stronger prescription is +1.50 I wonder what the weaker would have been. Thanks for your input.

Yeti 11 Feb 2011, 03:55

gwgs: My cart was rejected when I entered card number and control digits. It's stranege because I did some operations as booking airplane ticked or hire a car but all in EU

Maybe thay blocked cards from some parts of world

gwgs 11 Feb 2011, 03:39

Isn't funny how the small things in life work out sometimes!

A work colleague had the day off on Monday, she only booked this time on Sunday evening and for this very reason I thought she may be getting her eyes tested as she hasn't had an increase for a few months now - to my knowledge, and she had said before that her eyes are a bit unstable and she goes to the eye doctor several times a year for a re-test. Well, she was back in on Tuesday and I asked how her day off was, she had some errands to run she said, but no eye test.

This morning, my secretary tells me that this girl will be late in work as she's getting her eyes tested. I asked her why this couldn't be done at the weekend and she said that the girl in question said the weekend appointments get very booked up and that she had reported that her eyes are very tired the entire day, and that she couldn't read the signs at the train station anymore. Isn't this strange, that one day she can read the signs, and the next she can't??!! I think her current prescription is around -5.5. Any guesses as to new prescription?

Its strange also that I thought on Monday that she may be having her eyes tested, and on Friday she is! Coincidence, or am I a mind reader??!!

Cactus Jack 10 Feb 2011, 22:09

Roberto,

Possible. Please remind us of your age and your complete current Rx.

C.

Roberto 10 Feb 2011, 21:38

Hi guys.

I posted about a month ago about trouble seeing my Blackberry. I did the close part of the exam and finally could read the smallest line,but he wanted to make the glasses 1 step stronger. I asked here for advice if to go with the weaker or stronger, and the consensus was the stronger, which I did. A month in to wearing them, I have gotten very used to them, and now need them for reading any small print. The letters on the BB are a blur without them, although I can make out some of the print on the screen. Is it possible I already need a stronger prescription? I didn't think I would lose focusing ability this fast! After wearing the glasses for even 20 minutes or and taking them off I can't make out even larger print! Normal?

gwgs 10 Feb 2011, 06:54

Yeti, have you tried ordering from Zenni with your card? I'm from the UK and have ordered with my card a few times. It shouldn't be a problem

Yeti 10 Feb 2011, 06:07

Hi folks,

I am looking for a guy from US, who could pay by credit card for glasses I order at zenni optical. I have problems with my credit card as I am from central europe and find some difficulties while paying online. I could transffer monay by PayPal to sombody's account to forward it to zenni optical

Cheers

Y.

Wurm 02 Feb 2011, 06:17

He isn't wearing a huge silly grin, but it's a good photo. He seems reasonably content.

varifocals 02 Feb 2011, 05:59

Ray does not look happy in his new glasses.

Rayray 02 Feb 2011, 02:37

A pic of my new glasses RE -8.25 -0.75 96 LE -8.50 1.67 index lenses.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rayakins/5409525559/

Clare 02 Feb 2011, 01:14

thanks for the good wishes! I'm looking forward to the new job but it will be a huge challenge.

Anic - my first trip will be to meet colleagues with whom I already work in HK and probably early next month. I wouldn't wear contacts on a long journey of 12 hours but have done on on a flight back from Dubai with no problems, I expected it to be uncomfortable but surprisingly, it was okay!

LikeLenses - like the rest of the working world I'll spend a fair amount of my day at a PC/laptop, and of course I already have a Blackberry and an iPhone, but what do you mean about a visually stressful job/stronger lenses/avoiding bifocals? Not sure I understand that.

anic 01 Feb 2011, 10:51

Clare - I definitely wouldn't wear contacts on a plane, dry irritable eyes and all that.

Over the years I have seen many people suddenly pop out of nowhere that seem to have never worn glasses before and suddenly, there they are. You don't have to make any excuses as to why you are wearing glasses, just say you wore contacts before and they started irritating your eyes hence the change. You could alternatively say you got something in your eye, or had an eye infection, and your doctor has advised you not to wear contacts until it clears up - perfectly plausible. I can't imagine that anyone would comment after this time has passed with "Hey Clare, why are you still wearing glasses", as to me this would seem incredibly insensitive to someone who needs glasses, just like saying to someone who has a cold, "why are you taking medicine".

Look forward to hearing how it goes - when is your trip?

gwgs 01 Feb 2011, 03:17

Soundman - I think only us 0-0's notice a change in eyewear. I have always observed changes in prescription, and frames on girls in our office and when they make these changes - apart from one girl who alternates between several different frames - I always comment "nice new frames", or "are they new?" Usually the response is "Wow, you're the first one to notice" at which point I wonder as to whether they think this all I notice on them!!

Good luck in the job Claire, we look forward to hearing how it's going

Like lenses 01 Feb 2011, 03:09

Clare

Will the new job be more visually stressful.

If so you may want to get a pair of online glasses in a bit stronger prescription, to wear a lot at home,to stave off the need for bifocals.

Clare 01 Feb 2011, 02:41

Thanks all, I'll probably give the hairy disguise a miss but if I change my mind it looks like there are lots of people here to give some advice ;) Starting my new job next Monday.

Puffin 30 Jan 2011, 18:11

Clare

I'm sure one of us hairy men can advise you on a good shaver.

Soundmanpt 30 Jan 2011, 17:53

Clare

Hansel is right though I would consider shaving the beard off if it were me. I got to believe you are much more attractive without it?

Soundmanpt 30 Jan 2011, 17:51

Clare

Sorry I didn't realize you were going to be working with the same people. You didn't, are these 3 people the only ones that you will be in contact with most of the working day? I would think that would be much easier than a whole bunch of people, the more people the chances for comments is sure to be more. Like Aubrac said I think you could certainly wear your glasses to work one day and if a comment is made about seeing you in glasses, simply say your contacts were bothering you so you opted for the glasses to rest your eyes. After the first day then if it wasn't so bad you could wear them again and just say the contacts were still hurting. After that a simple comment that your doctor suggested wearing your contacts less time each day. (probably not too for from the truth really)

Aubrac reminded me back a few years ago I had grown a mustache, I had it for several years. Finally I decided to shave it off. I had been working at the same job, with the same people all this time and not one of them noticed. I had to point it out to them. So Aubrac may have a point about glasses as well? I still can't believe that no one noticed!

Hansel 30 Jan 2011, 17:32

I think, Clare, if you showed up in glasses and a beard, it might spark a discussion!! ;-)

Am I getting the impression that you might be swithering about wearing your lenses less?

Aubrac 30 Jan 2011, 15:53

Clare

I think you will find it is not such a big deal - I have a friend who started wearing glasses and no one actually noticed for a few weeks.

Not quite the same topic but when I shaved my beard no one noticed!! It seems that it is the person they see, not the accessories, if that is the right word.

Clare 30 Jan 2011, 13:20

Good thinking Soundmanpt, but there's a flaw - I already know the people I'll be working with and they know me as a contacts wearer! So while that doesn't preclude me ever wearing glasses it means they've never seen me with glasses before so it'd still be a surprise. I'll likely have a business trip to Hong Kong in the next month or so, so a long haul flight may be the time to out myself!

Soundmanpt 30 Jan 2011, 10:02

Clare

Moving to new job is the perfect time to come out wearing glasses. You should make a point of wearing your glasses maybe 2 or 3 times the very first week. You can still wear your contacts as well but this will open the door to make you more confident about wearing your glasses at work. You never know you may find by wearing them more often you may get to where you really enjoy wearing them. It seems from what you have said about the type of work you do that most all of your colleagues wear glasses or contacts, so the one that doesn't wear anything now may well need correction before too long. Now is a great time to go for it. You can do it!

Clare 30 Jan 2011, 00:09

Soundmanpt, Aubrac - I think she's in her late 40s so it may be that she sees better without them, she said she couldn't wear contact lenses because she needed correction for near and far. Having said that I guess she sees okay close up without her glasses but she still does okay around the office without squinting so I guess her prescription isn't too strong. I shan't see her that often after this coming week as I'm moving to another job - and I'll be sitting right next to a glamorous GWG. There'll be four of us sitting together - 1 GWG, 1 guy with glasses, a girl with no glasses and me so who knows what conversations may come up. I can't imagine the guy saying much, I imagine he's in the region of -4. Not sure that alone would encourage me to wear glasses more but it might help if it was ever inevitable.

Aubrac 28 Jan 2011, 12:17

Clare

I think many new glasses wearers get a slight dizzy feeling, I know I do just changing from glasses to contacts or vice versa.

I only have a very little astigmatism in one eye, and when wearing my wife's glasses with only -0.75 cylinder felt as though my legs were sinking into the ground!

She just needs to wear them more and will get the benefits of less strain and crisper vision quite soon.

Soundmanpt 27 Jan 2011, 19:46

Clare

My guess is that your colleague that was prescribed glasses recently and told to wear them full time likely has a bit more astigmatism than you do. This is what would cause the dizzy feeling she is getting. If I am correct she really should do as told and get used to wearing them as they will benefit her for close and distance. She may be shortsighted but astigmatism is a problem for all distances. The dizziness should go away rather quickly if she wears them as told. I don't recall, do you wear toric lenses for your astigmatism, if you don't your vision is probably slightly better with your glasses, provided they are up to date in your rx.

At one point you said that you didn't want to wear your glasses because all your co-workers wore contacts. Now it sounds like more and more of your work mates are going with glasses. Will this trend give you more confidence to wear your glasses more?

A.P. 27 Jan 2011, 16:57

Clare, do you expect to be getting new glasses for yourself this year? Keep us updated!

Clare 27 Jan 2011, 15:25

Opticians recommendations to wear glasses full time is interesting.

My colleague recently prescribed glasses appeared wearing them this week but she can't keep them on, they're always off! She does arrive wearing them but takes them off because she says they make her feel dizzy. Having said that she seems to have no problem seeing colleagues a fair distance away. She was told she'd have to wear her glasses full time but doesn't appear to need to ...? I've never been told I should, maybe they just presume I do.

Also strange is a new colleague who wears glasses all day at work, she's shortsighted, yet whenever she comes into the office she's without them. I have thought she'd have needed them more outside of the office than in. Actually there are two colleagues that fall into that category, I don't understand it!

Soundmanpt 27 Jan 2011, 12:26

yeti

As "gwg's" said it don't hurt to mark it in the comments are, but I have gotten several semi-rimless pairs and they have polished edges without asking.

gwgs 27 Jan 2011, 11:18

Yeti - from my previous experience, if you are asking about Zenni, if you ask them, they will polish them.

Yeti 27 Jan 2011, 11:01

Soundmanpt:

thank you very much for information, I used to buy online so I always check size of frames :)

Do they polish edges if plastic lenses are ordered

Cheers

Mike 27 Jan 2011, 10:51

ops sorry should be Yeti

Soundmanpt 27 Jan 2011, 10:49

Yeti

Yes, it is very safe. I have ordered many pairs from them because of the vision group I volunteer with. Be sure to put in your 3 digit number on the back of your card where it asks for it. I think you will be very happy with the service, quality, and looks of your glasses.

A suggestion, to be sure of a good fit, using a ruler that has millimeters on it, take a pair of your glasses that fits the best across the front. Measure from the outside left to the outside right. Then compare to the glasses you are interested in buying to see if they are close in size. For example if your glasses measure 132 mm then look for something near that size. Maybe 130 or 135, but never a 147 unless you ware going for a big glasses look or sunglasses.

Hope this helps.

Mike 27 Jan 2011, 10:49

Hi Teti

Yes I have bought from zeni optical and was very pleased with all the service, no problem with payments, glasses arrived in U K in 2 weeks

Yeti 27 Jan 2011, 10:31

Did anybody buy glasses from zeni optical ? Is credit card payment safe in this case. I used to buy at optical4less but them don't offer polished edges of lenses as standard service

Cheers

new glasses wearer 27 Jan 2011, 08:10

Presby Lover,

Thanks! I love them and can't believe I need them so much. They really help me and I am a full time wearer already. The distance Rx is rather small (-.75) but they help me see signs and things like that when I drive, especially at night. The add is +1.5 and is why I went into the exam in the first place. I had no idea I needed any distance RX.

Soundmanpt 26 Jan 2011, 21:49

Presby Lover

I think what she is saying is that her rx is -.75 with an add of +1.50 for both eyes?

Presby Lover 26 Jan 2011, 20:03

new glasses wearer, Congrats on the new glasses. One question are the reading lenses +1.50 or +.75. The way the precribtion reads, it sounds like they are.75, which is quite weak.

Others can comment more, but is it possible that the distance vision is pseudo myopia do to the eyestrain? Anyway, happy that you got frames that you enjoy

Curt 25 Jan 2011, 14:50

new glasses wearer: Some valuable info from Soundmanpt and others. All your life, you have lowered your head to read something. With bifocals, you need to lower your eyes, not your head. If you lower your head, you are still looking through the top of the lens, which doesn't help at all for close up. There is also a tendency for your eyes to be attracted to the bifocal add, which is a problem if you are walking or going down stairs.

I have been wearing bifocals for 23 years now, so I can speak from experience.

new glasses wearer 25 Jan 2011, 14:07

Soundmanpt,

I have already discovered how expensive my new bifocals are compared with the readers. I guess that is the price you pay to see well. I am really happy so far with my new glasses.

Soundmanpt 25 Jan 2011, 12:44

new glasses wearer

That makes total sense to me, she is correct with the lined bifocal you get a much bigger reading area. When your on a computer you will likely find the top (distance) part of your glasses better for that. It takes a little time and wearing to get used to not look down when reading, but to only move your eyes downward. Sounds like you are quickly adjusting. So the only thing is now your glasses are going to cost a lot more than the readers. You may want to look at on-line retailers as a way to keep the price down. For lined bifocals you can find many for less than $40.00. Also you might want to consider getting a pair of single vision sunglasses in the near future. You shouldn't need the reading add for driving.

new glasses wearer 25 Jan 2011, 12:19

Soundmanpt,

I am a receptionist at a car dealership. My doctor thought that I should go with a lined bifocal because I also do some part time accounting. She said the line bifocal would give me much more reading area and not restrict me as much and I don't have a lot of distance correction. She did say I could get progressives to wear in most situations and then use a pair of readers for my accounting work. I guess, since I am so new to this the lined bifocals just made more sense to me. I am already noticing a big difference with my glasses and haven't taken them off at all today. I guess I am quickly adapting and am close to being fulltime.

Soundmanpt 25 Jan 2011, 11:21

new glasses wearer

May I ask what type of work you do? Are you on a computer very often? The reason I ask this is because for computer work often it is better to use progressives as they offer a mid-range vision area which works well for computer work. Did the doctor give any advice as to getting line bifocals versus no-line? The down side to progressives is the reading add is much smaller then the line style, but it is less dramatic from distance to close vision. It seems you are already finding that your vision is considerably better with your glasses and in a week or so you may wonder how you got by this long without glasses. I'm glad your doctor told you to come back in a year. You may even find that you need an increase before the year is up. You may need a slight increase in your distance but very little, but your close may be a bigger jump. Were your co-workers surprised that you need bifocals?

Please keep us informed how your doing as you continue to get used to wearing your glasses.

new glasses wearer 25 Jan 2011, 10:40

Soundmanpt,

Thanks so much for all the walking advice. I did put them on this morning and haven't taken them off! Yea, me! They really make things sharper. I never thought I was not seeing well at distance. I am struggling with the line and trying to figure out when to look through the bottom and when not to. I guess that will come in time. People at work have all made so many positive comments. She told me to come back yearly because at my age my add will probably increase for several years.

Soundmanpt 25 Jan 2011, 10:30

new glasses wearer

Now you see why it is always best to start by getting your eyes examined, then you know what your uncorrected vision is. In your case you had no idea that you also need help for distance. Personally I think you will find enough benefit from your new glasses for distance and close that you should really consider going full time wear. Remember to be very careful going up and down steps until you get used to bifocals. The secret is don't look down, look straight ahead. Curbs in the street can be a hazard as well. When did the doctor suggest coming back for a checkup?

new glasses wearer 25 Jan 2011, 09:09

Just letting y'all know that yesterday I finally went for an exam and got my prescription. I am not sure what all the numbers mean but she found that I needed some help with my distance vision as well. She told me that I would probably be more comfortable wearing them all the time due to my reading add but that I didn't necessarily have to. The RX is:

OD Sph -.075

OS Sph -.075

Add OD Sph +1.50

OS Sph +1.50

I picked out a cute pair of brown ovals with a lined bifocal. It has been challenging trying to get used to wearing a bifocal but I am making it! Walking has been especially difficult.

Thanks for Catcus, Soundmanpt and Presby Lover for all your help last week. Your advice and care pushed me into having an exam and I am so thankful that.

minus 5 who luvs gwgs 24 Jan 2011, 10:40

what type of stores in China sell over the counter minus glasses?

Aubrac 24 Jan 2011, 07:23

Quite so, OTC readers can be a useful way of keeping costs down but some really cheap ones e.g. £1.99 have really poor quality thin plastic lenses that scratch very easily and carry some distortion.

The other reason for not relying just on OTC readers is that most people have a different prescription in each eye, and so they will over/under correct the eyes which itself can lead to eyestrain and headaches.

I appreciate that the test itself usually costs £15 in the UK but some dispensers will deduct this if you buy frames from them, or get a copy of your prescription and have them made up for as little as £10 on line.

Eclipse 23 Jan 2011, 08:49

I recently got new glasses and thought I'd post pictures here.

Me wearing them: http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1230.snc4/156236_10150348513450273_751650272_15952355_3762632_n.jpg

Closer view of the frames: http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs766.ash1/165716_10150398732555273_751650272_16913441_7500168_n.jpg

The prescription is R -4 Cyl -0.75 Axis 20 and L -2.5. They are a brand called "Enjoy" which I'd never heard of before. As far as I can tell from Google, that brand is more popular in mainland Europe than the UK.

Soundmanpt 22 Jan 2011, 14:00

Aubrac

Very good advice. The readers in the store may be useful to indicte that if reading is much better with a certain rx than you very likely need glasses, however instead of buying those that you tried on you should make an appointment for a true eye exam. Once you have a real rx or script in hand then if you only need some plus glasses and no cyl it is safe to purchase the OTC readers if you want. You are correct that hey are cheaply made, but if someone is wanting to keep costs down an option. But without a doubt an eye exam should be done before buying anything.

Aubrac 22 Jan 2011, 13:01

Don't know if this is the right thread but anyway!

A friend in her early forties was having trouble reading and eyestrain, she bought a pair of +2 OTC readers and was pleased with them. After a short period using them as readers, she found she see better at distance and wore her glasses FT. I saw her without glasses and it seems she was getting more headaches with than without glasses.

I advised her to have an eye test and the results showed she also needed cylinder correction. With her new glasses she is quite happy and has gone FT.

The message is that OTC readers can be quite crappy, hers were a cheap pair at £4.99 and the quality of vision through thin plastic lenses is not the best. So please do not rely on OTC readers but get a proper eye test as there may be other issues that affect your vision.

Galileo 22 Jan 2011, 00:13

I once went with a friend to get new lenses in Vietnam. Glasses and new prescription were handed over the counter. Five minutes later the staff came back with the old frames without lenses and said the frames were too worn for new lenses. New frames were selected from the display in less than five minutes (how many people can do that?) and disappeared into the back shop. Less than fifteen minutes later the new frames with new lenses and the old frames with old lenses reinstalled were presented and payment made. The whole process took less than 30 minutes..... And cost around $15 US

Obsessed 21 Jan 2011, 16:00

Russia and Ukraine are amazing when it comes to buying glasses. You come to an optical salon, choose a pair of frames, tell them the RX and the PD - and that's it! The increments are 0.25 D. Anything in the range between -20 and +20 is ready within a couple of business days.

Presby L 21 Jan 2011, 15:05

Soundhampt, But there is no problem in buying a pair for style purposes. I think that one of the first hurdles for new wearers of reading glasses is the perception that they make you feel old or dowdy, so if you can buy a fun, attractive frame that is quite important These frames are sturdy enough that you can put in your own prescription. We have done that and the frames have held up.

Soundmanpt 21 Jan 2011, 14:08

new glasses wearer

At this point it would make more sense to continue wearing the glasses you have as they seem to be doing a fairly good job for you. But the best way to spend your money and time would be to make that appointment for an eye exam ASAP. After you get your real rx then if you want to purchase 20 pairs of glasses that would be fine.

oxotest 21 Jan 2011, 11:04

In China you can buy ready-made, minus glasses 'over the counter'. I have seen these in 0.5d increments up to -6, clear and tinted.

Presby L 21 Jan 2011, 10:53

new glasses wearer, Yes, the adult supervision are quire nice. I have those in the tortoise frame -couldn't get away with somoe of the other colors. Cactus Jack or others might have more insight into 1.25 v 1.50, but my experience is I moved up pretty quickly and always tolerated the stronger prescription. I think the 1.5 version will last longer. There are many on line sample tests available. Also, even withing a few days you will get a sense on how much your eyes have adapted

new glasses wearer 21 Jan 2011, 09:51

Presby Lover,

I really like them both but love, love, love the adult supervision. So you think I should get a +1.5? I guess if my vision is going to get worse so quickly that may be a good idea. I just thought I would stay the same for quite a while. I had no idea that getting glasses was going to be so confusing.

Soundmanpt 21 Jan 2011, 08:51

Presby L

What I was referring to was being able to go into a store such as Wal-Mart and buying minus glasses over the counter as you can the readers. Yes I have ordered many glasses on-line. This place has it's home base on the east coast in the USA. My guess is they are made in Hong Kong. If you like that site you should check out "zennioptical.com" their glasses are as nice and much less in price. They are home based in California but the glasses are made in Hong Kong. Available in all states and they are international as well. Also they you can make your glasses in whatever rx you want without question. Thank you for your reply though. I must admit that I have not heard of that on-line retailer before.

Presby L 20 Jan 2011, 21:30

Soundhampt, Appraently in some states you can buy - glasses without prescription. Check out this website, it will sell minus glases in some states. http://www.warbyparker.com/ I bought a pair of minus 1s just for fun Can wear them for a bit.

Soundmanpt 20 Jan 2011, 20:40

The question posed by the person with no identity is one I have been asking for years. The only answer I can see is that the readers are really only magnifiers. It would be no more difficult for someone to get just as close for minus glasses as plus glasses. I have heard now for more than a year that they are trying to market minus glasses, but i'm sure optical stores are fighting it very hard.

Presby L 20 Jan 2011, 19:46

No change or hidden identity........just miswrote newglasses wearer in the nicname spot.......,,,,and interesting post from someone without an identity!

 20 Jan 2011, 17:48

you can buy reading glasses over counter so why cant you buy minus glasses over counter without an rx

 20 Jan 2011, 17:22

hmmm... someone is confusing two of their identities it seems.

Presby L 20 Jan 2011, 15:37

New glasses wearer, Sorry that last post was from me.

new glasses wearer 20 Jan 2011, 15:31

Presby Lover,

Well, I started with around 1.00 about four years ago ( I have a bit of astigmatism, but readers work fine) and now I can use 2.25 or even 2.5 - it sometimes depends what is available. I ended up at 2.25 in about 18 months., but I also wore them a lot. You might try to get a pair of 1.50 as well. My favorite is adult supervision in color 35 or the Do the Limbo. Let me know what you decide to get.

new glasses wearer 20 Jan 2011, 15:00

Presby Lover,

Wow, you are telling me something I didn't realize. I thought I would stay at +1.25 for awhile. What did you start with and how quickly did you do to +2.25? I love the half eye frames that have lots of color. They look so fun to me. I will let you know what I get and how many! I may just surprise my husband.

Presby L 20 Jan 2011, 14:52

New glasses wearer, I know that feeling .....I buy most of my readers on the site and always buy extra pairs. Lots of different styles for different looks. They are great about returns as well. One thing that you will notice is that it becomes much more comfortable to wear your glasses so you will wear much more. I suspect you will have increases in prescription for a while ( I m now 2.25!)as your eyes relax Which style is your favorite?

new glasses wearer 20 Jan 2011, 14:19

Presby Lover,

Thanks so much for the great information. As you can tell, I have taken the ? off my name so that means I am all in! It is so funny, but now that I am wearing reading glasses I am much more aware of others that do as well. I guess it was something I ever thought of before. Eyebobs.com is awesome. I may really get in trouble with my husband if I buy all the ones I like. There is no way I can wear them all! Is that where you buy your readers? I am assuming that you wear reader based on your name. Thanks for the help.

presby l 20 Jan 2011, 13:02

New glasses wearer, Yes, there are many members of the club.....look on television, you will see Katie Couric, Ellen, Wendy Williams, Matt Lauer, Anderson Cooper all regularly wearing reading glasses.....and there are great styles.....check out eyebobs.com ! Enjoy

new glasses wearer? 20 Jan 2011, 12:51

Willy,

I didn't try any other strengths. I tried on a lot of different frames with +1.25. The way the chart described what to do was to use the strength of glasses for applied to the line that I could not read clearly. Certainly, an exam could show that I need more prescription but for now I have had no problems with the glasses I left with.

Willy 20 Jan 2011, 12:44

new glasses wearer? -- Welcome to our world. I was curious whether the +1.25 glasses were the only ones you tried; those are typically the lowest strength available in Wal-Mart or similar stores. You may have found stronger glasses to be even more helpful. I say this only because from my experience I did not need to hold my arms out noticeably when my prescription was only +1.25. If you do schedule an exam, it's possible you may be prescribed something more than that. Either way, do let us know how your exam goes if you have one and we will try to provide you with the "benefit" of our "wisdom".

new glasses wearer? 20 Jan 2011, 09:34

Presby Lover,

I am starting to get more comfortable in the club! I wore my glasses quite a bit at work yesterday and received so many compliments. I am starting to like the club. You know, it is funny that there are so many more members than you think until you become a member. I guess I was never conscious of how many wore bifocals/readers until I started wearing them.

Presby L 19 Jan 2011, 23:12

new glasses wearer, Ah that is the distinction! I always wanted to be part of the club.....and was quite happy when i first needed glasses....At first, like you, I did not always need to wear my glasses, but relatively soon afterwards, I became hopeless without my glasses. I think you will find that as you weare your glasses you will continue to wear them more and more

Melyssa 19 Jan 2011, 14:49

Laura,

When I was half my current age, my RX jumped even further into the minus column, like possibly 2 whole diopters. For the first week or three, while things at a distance looked so bright and clear, the floor at home looked a lot closer to me. I thought I was wearing trick-mirror lenses. I was told that that sensation, as it were, would go away, and it did, fortunately. They were single-vision lenses, btw.

Rayray 19 Jan 2011, 11:03

Laura that last part only applies to us high myopes lol.

new glasses wearer? 19 Jan 2011, 10:04

Soundmanpt,

Thanks for the advice and words of encouragement. I appreciate your sincere care. I will make an appointment soon!

Presby Lover,

Thanks for your kind welcome to the club! I have to admit, it is a club I wasn't prepared for or one that I look forward to being in. I actually started wearing my glasses at work this morning and have received quite a few positive comments. I started wearing them down and look over the top for distance and they are much better. I guess it is trial by error. I still don't know exactly when to use them but I guess it will shortly become easier.

Laura 19 Jan 2011, 08:10

Like I said on what turns you on about glasses. New Stronger ones do it for me! It's brilliant when you walk out into the street wearing them and everything JUMPS out at you LOL. Also you feel to be much taller cos the pavement looks futher away

Presby Lover 18 Jan 2011, 22:15

new glasses wearer,

Congratulations and welcome to the club! You will find that using your reading glasses, or whatever is prescribed, will make reading easier and relieve eyestrain. You will notice that when you begin to wear your glasses that you will become more dependent upon them. Many people think that their eyes are getting worse. In actuality, you only get used to seeing clearly.

And rememeber that reading glasses can be a very nice fashion accessory. Different looks at relatively cheap prices

Soundmanpt 18 Jan 2011, 15:56

new glasses wearer

Cactus Jack is telling you correctly. It is always best to get a eye exam as you may have a bit of astigmatism going on as well and the Wal-Mart glasses will do nothing to help that. Be sure to get a copy of your prescription in writing when you go. Put the full set of numbers up here and Cactus Jack, myself or others can tell you if the over the counter glasses will work, and save you money.

Like CJ said you will likely get comments for a day or two but I am sure they will be complements on how good they look. But the best thing is you will quickly forget your even wearing them and your eyes will feel much better at the end of the day.

It is very normal for reading glasses to be very blurry for other distances for a while, but you may slowly find that even your distance will be clear with your glasses. If the doctor doesn't tell you when you should wear them, then you should ask him if you should only wear them for reading and other close things.

Mr Jules 18 Jan 2011, 15:51

I agree with Cactus Jack.

Get your eyes tested. For me, it's now annual occurance. A regular thing like going to the dentist for a check-up. And like you say, the eye test will pick on more than just the accuracy of your vision.

It took me a while to get used to wearing glasses in front of people. But that's long since worn off. I wear glasses because I need to read ! What's worse, is trying to read without glasses. I feel self conscience when I am trying to read without them. Darned near impossible !

As I've posted elsewhere, going for my annual eye test soon. Quite certain the optician will pick up on my distance vision, too. But hey... I want an eye test and the correct glasses so I can see properly. I am not optician, so I don't want to 'best guess' my visual needs. Leave that to a professional.

Cactus Jack 18 Jan 2011, 12:34

new glasses wearer?,

It is very unlikely that anything other that a little vision correction is needed, but I would rather know than not know. Denial does not refer to a river in Egypt.

There may be a few comments, but that usually only lasts for a day or so. Remember, no matter what anyone says, you wear clothes, glasses, or anything else for YOUR benefit and comfort, not theirs.

If the comments are from people who are younger than you, just remember, their time will come and there is nothing they can do about it. Presbyopia ultimately gets all of us. When is primarily a function of genetics.

C.

new glasses wearer? 18 Jan 2011, 11:47

Cactus,

Thanks for the advice. I hope there is nothing wrong with anything else other than my deteriorating eyesight. I will try and be a big girl and break them out even though people will comment. I will see how it goes for now.

Cactus Jack 18 Jan 2011, 11:38

new glasses wearer?

What you are experiencing is typical of a person who is developing presbyopia. Almost everyone does in their late 30s or early 40s.

While you don't absolutely have to, if you have never had an eye exam, it would be a good idea to get one to find out where you really are. Eye exams do more than just check how well you see. Your eyes are windows into your body and eye exams are where many "silent" health problems are discovered (glaucoma, diabetes, high blood pressure, etc.) so they can be controlled and managed before they do permanent damage.

One thing you need to expect is for the power of your reading glasses to increase up to around +2.50 fairly quickly and you need to get over the reluctance to wear glasses if they make reading and close work more comfortable - which is the whole idea.

Please do not think that have been able to or will be able to keep your need for some vision help a secret. You friends and co-workers are already aware of your need because many of them have already been there and done that and there are lots of little clues.

Let us know if you get an eye exam and a prescription for glasses.

C.

new glasses wearer? 18 Jan 2011, 10:58

I am a 43 year old female and recently have noticed that at the end of the day I am extremely tired and my eyes sometimes burn. A coworker suggested that it may be that I need reading glasses (she commented that I also hold things out when I read). I have never worn glasses before. Over the weekend I went to WalMart and tried to read the little card where the reading glasses were. To my surprise, I couldn't read the last 2 lines! It suggested that I try a +1.25 pair (whatever that means) to be able to see the last line. When I placed them on, I was amazed how clearly I could see (or how poorly I saw without them). I purchased a pair and used them this weekend to read and took them to work yesterday. I am still reluctant to wear them around people (vanity) but they do help. Should I get an exam or am I all right wearing them for now? I have a lot of trouble seeing through them unless I am reading. I can't see across the room with them on. Not sure what that is about. Any thoughts?

Cactus Jack 17 Jan 2011, 13:51

Roberto,

You did not give us any numbers such as your age or Rx to help understand your situation. Blackberry's etc. have exposed more latent hyperopia and early signs of presbyopia than almost anything in the past except perhaps telephone directories.

Soundmanpt's suggestion of going with the stronger add is worth considering. To help you understand what is going on, I suggest that you review some of the many posts and explanations on the Presbyopia related threads and perhaps some of the hyperopia threads.

The fact that up until now, you have been able to focus close to read small print is because your crystaline lenses and ciliary muscles have been able to do what is called "accommodate". Your ciliary muscles and crystaline lenses are the variable focus mechanism in your eyes. Over time, your crystaline lenses will loose their flexibility, this is called prexbyopia (old eyes). Usually, presbyopia does not become much of a problem until your late 30's or early 40's, but it can happen at any age and tends to happen sooner if you are trying to read small print very close. Typically, the effects of presbyopia start slowly, needing a low add, but often the need for more add happens quickly as your ciliary muscles loose their conditioning and the crystaline lenses become stiffer. However, this process does not go on for ever. Ultimately, you loose almost all ability to accommodate and the amount of add you need will depend on how close you need to focus - rarely more than +3.00 to +3.50. The amount of add is determined by the actual focus distance and the laws of optical physics.

Hope this helps. If you want some more specifics, we need the numbers.

C.

Soundmanpt 17 Jan 2011, 12:49

Roberto

Well I hate to be the barer of bad news but you might as well go with the strongest that he will give you. Getting the weaker glasses will quickly be of no use to you and you be spending more money for a new pair or paying to have stronger lenses added. Even with the stronger glasses you will need an increase in about 12 months.

Roberto 17 Jan 2011, 12:03

I am a fairly new Blackberry user, and knew my close vision isn't what it used to be, so when later in the day I was having trouble reading the keys on the BB decided to bite the bullet and have an eye exam. The distance part went ok, but then he put a card in front of me and asked me to read the smallest line. I was a bit taken aback when I told him the only line I could read was the top E, and even that was fuzzy. As he flipped lenses the lines came more and more in to focus until I told him I could read the bottom line, which was clear.

I said that if that is what I am supposed to be able to see, I guess I need glasses! He agreed and explained that my eyes must have been straining for a long time. He gave the lenses one more flip,and that made things a bit bolder. He suggested I get glasses with this last prescription. I told him I thought I should start with the weakest "help" possible. I don't look forward to wearing glasses, but don't think I can put it off any longer. Most friends who started wearing readers soon couldn't read anything without them, and I don't look forward to that. What are the advantages of taking a weaker or stronger prescription?

Soundmanpt 16 Jan 2011, 16:48

Neder

Well if you didn't order new glasses with the weaker rx than you have no way of telling how well they would work for you. By guess is because you are very used to your older glasses the new rx would feel too weak for a good while. Continuing to wear the glasses you have will not do any real harm. Many people like being a little over corrected. If your eyes should start bothering you that may mean that your eyes have changed some more and now maybe your glasses will be too strong. This is not likely to happen. Most likely wearing your current glasses will keep your actual rx where it is now.

If you should decide you want to try the weaker glasses you can do so for very little money by going on-line. Check out "zennioptical.com" you can get very nice glasses complaete for around $15.00 - $30.00 dollars.

You didn't state your age or what type of work you do.

Neder 16 Jan 2011, 15:01

Galileo interested to hear that, I'm still wearing the old glasses and happy to do so. Makes me wonder if it was a test glitch but not sure if that can happen, any way I'll stick with the old glasses so thanks for sharing that. I hate eye tests so maybe it shows.

Soundmanpt as above I've not got the new glasses as money's been a bit short so it was an economy measure. Now though I'm thinking I wont bother as I see great with them anyway. Don't quite understand what you mean about wearing the new prescription then old glasses, what would that do?

Soundmanpt 16 Jan 2011, 14:45

Thanks a lot Andrew!

Just for the record that is the only time I ever posted under a different name, I bet no one knew it was really me???

Andrew 16 Jan 2011, 14:11

I rather like the idea of a poster called "Spundmanpt"!

Soundmanpt 16 Jan 2011, 10:37

Neder

Not sure how long you have been wearing your new glasses, but one way you should be able to tell the difference is after wearing your new glasses for several hours try wearing your old glasses with the stronger lenses. Your eyes should notice a difference. Your astigmatism having a slight change is not unusual at all.

Galileo 16 Jan 2011, 00:57

Hi Neder, I think one of the things which affects this is how you perform in the eye test. I have been playing this "game" with opticians for the last 8 years where they ask me "which is better, this or this?" and I answer (truthfully) "I can't tell any difference". We repeat the exercise several times and in the end they make a judgement which usually results in a shift in the axis and maybe 0.25 change in the power. At the end of it I walk out with a new prescription which I have not filled for the last six years and I don't feel I see any different.

The test is not an exact science, it is also a function of how your brain is interpretting on the day, how tired you are and how many iterations the optician feels like doing.

Neder 16 Jan 2011, 00:06

I expected it to make a bigger difference really and I thought I'd be able to go back to when my prescription was -1.50 and when I hardly wore them at all. I'm sure being used to seeing perfectly most of the time in the last few years has made a big difference to my expectations visually. When I found out my prescription had gone down I was initially pleased that I wouldn't be so dependent on glasses. Now I'm left wondering why my prescription changed in the first place. I don't have any problems continuing to wear my glasses but I always thought -1.50 was quite a low prescription. Do some people see worse even at the lower end of the prescription range?

Oddly though, while both eyes went down the now -2 eye has an additional -.50 for astigmatism which used to be in the other eye and only -.25! Whats going on!!

 15 Jan 2011, 19:48

Maybe I should take typing lessons??? That last post was from "Soundmanpt"

Spundmanpt 15 Jan 2011, 19:45

Neder

I got it now. Well I would think the difference would be not how you see with your glasses but more now your vision is without them. Things should be somewhat less blurry now when your not wearing them? Also as you say because your so used to being pretty much full time your eyes are used to seeing with correction. You may have to ween yourself off of wearing them to really tell a difference. But truthfully your rx is still enough to wear them full time if you are comfortable with them. Are you wanting to wear them less?

Neder 15 Jan 2011, 16:02

Actually this is a lower prescription. I had -2.75 and -2.25 last year and I wore them 90% of the time. Now my prescription is lower I expected I would need them less but I haven't really noticed the difference. I often wear them indoors as the quality of my vision is much better. I presume I've got used to my vision with glasses. I thought a reduction in the strength of my glasses would be noticeable.

Soundmanpt 15 Jan 2011, 14:05

Neder

Everything you said is very normal. When indoors unless you have very large rooms you should be able to see pretty well without your glasses. Maybe small print on the TV will be a bit blurred. At around -1.50 or -1.75 you will be more challenged to see very well without your glasses outdoors. as you say you can rad books etc fine with correction and I suggest that if your going to be doing much close work you should take your glasses off. If your out for dinner and just looking at a menu of course you don't need to remove them. Otherwise wearing them full time may well be more comfortable for you. Is this a rather new rx for you? What was your previous rx if you know? What type of work do you do? If your job is being on a computer most of the time you will likely find wearing your glasses a good idea for several reasons.

Neder 15 Jan 2011, 12:30

Interesting conversation about low minus glasses. I'm -2 and -1.50 and find I see much better with my glasses though indoors I can do okay without. Do I see worse or am I more intolerant than most people with a mild prescription? Reality is I would rather be with glasses than without though I'm able to read without them and mostly do. Am I unusual in feeling I like seeing better with them than not?

Soundmanpt 15 Jan 2011, 01:21

Linda

You posted earlier if I recall you were asking if you should get glasses or not? Am I correct? I looked back but could not find your other post.

Anyway I am sure you are now glad you got glasses? As you say it is funny to see what you were missing before. Glad to hear your wearing them often, that is a wise move as you are not far from needing them full time. Your about at a point where many choose to go full time.

Like lenses 15 Jan 2011, 01:06

linda

What made you go for an eye exam?

Did you know at some point during the exam that you would be getting glasses,before the doctor told you?

What was your first impression when they were first put on your face?

Can you read small print with them on?

Welcome to the glasses wearing community.

linda 14 Jan 2011, 20:52

since geting glasses -1.25 ive wore them alot. im not blind but they really help. is strange looking though little windows to see the world now

pince 12 Jan 2011, 19:57

Pince-nez Eyeglasses

Pince-nez type eyeglasses were the most popular eyewear in the USA, Canada and much of Europe during the period 1885 to 1920. A pince-nez had no arms or temples and clipped on the bridge of the nose. It was held in place by either spring powered nose guard grips in the fingerpiece type or a spring bridge with nose guard grips in the hoopspring or C bridge type. Properly fitted, a pince-nez remained securely attached to the bridge of the nose at all times and was very comfortable even during full time wear. Eyeglasses (pince-nez) and spectacles (glasses with temples) : were unisex then. The terms eyeglasses and spectacles had distinct meanings. The rimless type pince-nez was the most popular and stylish for all ages especially young people. For soldiers,it was great for wear under a gas mask or goggles and army officials stated the a pince-nez was the ideal eyewear.

If you are a fan of eyewear history or have any curiosity or interest re: pince-nez please check out pincenez1.blogspot.com this is Pince-nez Renaissance blog/site the only place on the web or anywhere for very detailed,accurate info re: pince-nez. This unique site dispels the countless myths re: this perfect eyewear and is devoted to modern day wearing of pince-nez. Click on table of: contents. Many of the photos can be enlarged by clicking on them. Readers are encouraged to ask questions and submit photos. There is also an extensive guide on adjusting pince-nez.

Unfortunately, except for one exception, any makers of modern pince-nez are worthless..their product doesn't work, it doesn't stay in place because they failed to do research to discover what made the old type so successful some even show a pince-nez worn way down low blocking the airflow...

A pince-nez was ALWAYS made to be worn clipped on the bridge of the nose.

See Flickr.com and search under pince-nez for 250+ photos and info

Clare 11 Jan 2011, 15:47

Yes she could have some astigmatism. But I find it hard to believe that someone's whose vision is supposedly that bad wouldn't notice?! Or squint? I've seen her with glasses in the office once, but they were on top of her head never on her face and she doesn't squint at all - which I would if I wanted to see people clearly across the office. Still, time will tell of course!

Soundmanpt 11 Jan 2011, 13:56

Clare

Not sure you want to give yourself away about how much you know about vision, but you would be doing her a big favor by telling her she needs to be very careful going up and down steps and curbs on the street. Many first time bifocal wearers have taken some nasty falls because of misjudging these things. Tell her to either take them off or be sure to not look down, only straight ahead.

Soundmanpt 11 Jan 2011, 13:52

Clare

It could be that she has some astigmatism as well. Not uncommon for a bifocal rx wearer to be told to wear them full time. Also as I have said many doctors suggest full time wear even at -1.50.

Clare 11 Jan 2011, 13:38

I overheard a conversation between two colleagues today where one said she'd discovered she was 'blind'. She went on to say that she'd had an eye test and was twice as bad (or half the required acuity I suppose) as the requirement for the driving test. The other one said something about being surprised she hadn't noticed, at which point the other said "and the worst thing is, I have to wear them all the time". No contacts apparently because she needs bi-focals. I think she's 46/47 years old.

Which got me thinking about what her prescription might be - about -2 maybe? Not sure what the minimum legal requirement for driving might be? I can't imagine she'd be told she has to wear them all the time under -2 but maybe the bi-focal requirement is part of that, although I'd have thought she could take them off to read, she certainly has no problem now. She, wisely, says she's not driving anywhere till next week when she gets her glasses.

Julian 09 Jan 2011, 11:03

I've been wearing progressives for over 20 years with *next to* no problems. My present pair which I've had for three years have Rodenstock frames and lenses, and are much shallower from top to bottom than most, but still no problems. The only exception, as Guido says, is trying to do close work overhead, and for that a pair of pure readers is indispensable.

Obsessed 09 Jan 2011, 09:32

BillyE -

I suspect that your feelings of dizziness might be related to the increase in your astigatic figures. Those usually take some time to get used to. Is your distance prescription minus or plus?

Guido 09 Jan 2011, 08:27

Billy,

I recently ad a similar situation. I went from a 2.00 add to a 2.50 add. I had a difficult time adjusting. As my profession demands good near, middle, and far focus, I also had a pair of trifocals that were the same near and far script, I belive the standard in trifocals is to have the intermediate script half way between the near and far. So, for more demanding needs I can use the trifocals. The progressives I abandoned and asked the optician to make a pair of 2.25 near. I can function quite well with these, but for any extended reading, I revert to either the trifocals or a pair of strictly reading glasses I have. The pure reading glasses were a great investment, as many times I find that the add in the progressives was not in an area of the lens where I needed it, i.e., working over head, working on a car, etc. I guess the thing I would suggest is that the greater the difference between near and far in progressives leads to smaller useable lens areas. Also, the design of the varifocals can lead to adaptation difficulties. This may not be what you want to hear, but I would be lost without the trifocals and the pure readers.

BillyE 09 Jan 2011, 07:09

I'm not sure if this is the right place for this one, but here goes.

I got my first pair of varifocals a year ago. They only had a small add (+1) and I had no trouble getting used to them. I think the distance part of the glasses was slightly under prescribed, which was effectively helping my middle vision. Last week I picked up my new glasses. My distance vision prescription (and astigmatism correction) was increased a bit and my add went up to +2.25. This time I had to have different varifocal lenses as the previous ones weren’t available in my new prescription. Although the distance and near vision both seem fine and I finding it quite hard to get used to the new glasses. I seem to be having to move my head a lot more - I definitely need to find the middle bit to for the computer - and peripheral vision seems distorted. I sort of feel drunk the whole time. Is this usual?

Laura 07 Jan 2011, 04:33

Carrie, If you are long-sighted, its useless trying to see with minus glasses I would have thought. I suggest you wear your own glasses full-time like you are doing, then when you go for your next check-up, I'm almost certain you'll need an increase in your prescription, which sounds like it will be good news for you.

Slit 05 Jan 2011, 23:56

Carrie,

Are you around?

Well, lets be constructive here.

Perhaps it is true that you wrote some of the things out of imagination, but let us create the story... this can be something like "Carrie's chronicle"... if you find challenging to post the story here, i would even suggest creating a blog, anonymously with an anonymous email ID...in the past before days of internet there were several writers who used a different name for their publications and remained forever unknown, so I do not think it is a problem to become an "pen named" writer on internet too...

(there are arguments that even William Shakespeare is only a face which was used by some other writer...)

Wishing you best with your skill of writing...

Soundmanpt 05 Jan 2011, 22:06

lisa

Good idea! You will find that they will make a difference for distance and even more at night. You really should wear them pretty much full time for the first 2 weeks or so to adjust to them and then decide what they work best for and how much you need to wear them.

It is very likely you will need some increase in a year whether or not you wear them. To say how much would be like looking into a crystal ball. It is likely you will never need too much correction.

If you order on-line and need any advice or help we can help you here, but it is really very easy to do.

lisa 05 Jan 2011, 15:36

i am 22, i work in psychological services within the nhs, so it involves a lot of work in front of a computer and reviewing documents,

is my prscription likely to increase at all?

I may get a very cheap pair, by the sounds of the advice given, it may help.

Aubrac 05 Jan 2011, 13:09

Lisa

Soundmanpt has covered most of the things regarding your prescription.

There is also the subjective issue, as you may have seen from posts on other threads, some people like crystal clear vision, and others even up to -4.00 are ok with a blur.

Personally, I like the best vision possible, and if I had your prescription subtracted from my -5.00 lenses, would not be at all happy. I think you may be surprised at the difference it makes but it is up to you.

I would only suggest you get get glasses made up online which will be very cheap, and just see how you get on with them.

Soundmanpt 02 Jan 2011, 12:18

lisa

The reason your cyl was written in a + format was because you went to an opthomologist and they write cylinder as plus. They also do surgery as well An optometrist is most common and can do eye exams and prescribe glasses and contacts but do not preform surgery and they write the cyl in - format.

You are correct that the prescription you received is a rather weak one, however I'm sure your distance vision would be sharper and signs easier to read. But if you drive night driving would be much better with glasses. The cyl part is slight but if you do much close work you may notice your eyes being tired or even a slight headache from time to time. That is because of the cyl. Maybe to see how much they benefit you should consider going on line an ordering glasses in your rx that way. You can get glasses there for around $25.00 delivered to your door. I have sold many pairs of glasses with only the -.50 and they can see a noticeable difference for night driving and anything at a distance that requires sharp vision. Your rx is double that in one eye not to mention the astigmatism correction.

Since you have had slight rxs in the past and didn't act on it, is it because you don't want glasses? Keep in mind you won't need to wear glasses full time, but you can wear them as much as want if you choose to.

What is your age and what type of work do you do or are you still in school?

If you decide to get glasses on line and want some help about sizes etc. many in here would be glad to help you.

Because you would want them for driving be sure to get the AR coating (anti-reflective) it is good for cutting glare on your lenses.

lisa 02 Jan 2011, 09:33

thanks to r for clarifying that

it looks rather weak, I dont know whether I should bother getting glasses made up, I have not got glasses in the past despite always getting a very slight minus prescription,

would that prescription be worth getting it made up? has anyone else got a similar prescription to that and has it helped?

r 02 Jan 2011, 09:18

OD -0.50 -0.50x10, OS Pl -0.50x175

lisa 02 Jan 2011, 08:59

hi i got a new prescription but dont understand it

Left eye SPH -.50, CYL +.50 AXIS 85

Right eye SPH -1.00,CYL +.50 AXIS 100

I have had eye tests in the past, and they have been written in - CYL format, , what would be my overall prescription if it had been written in - format,

thank you

Soundmanpt 02 Jan 2011, 01:21

Carrie

I was wondering how your friend that went to contacts was getting along. I'm sure the more she wears the contacts the better her distance vision will get, but her distant vision without glasses or contacts will soon be more than she can tolerate. I think she will soon decide to be full time with contacts or she will accept wearing glasses much more. Someone suggested that you may want to try wearing her glasses as a test. As you know to do a full test you would need to wear them long enough to see if your distant vision would soon get clear with them. This may take more than a few days and I doubt that your friend wants to be without them for that long. It is clear you enjoy wearing your glasses full time, but your lucky that if you choose to not wear your glasses your vision is still pretty good for all distances. It is true you could probably use a small increase even though you have only been wearing glasses for about 4 months. You even said back in Nov that you felt like you needed stronger glasses. Maybe the best way to see if you need an increase is to go back to the shopping market that you first was trying on the readers and found that they actually helped and try on several different rxs that are more than +1.00 and see what works the best. Don't be caring about style. Only worry about the prescription values.You can order whatever rx you want on-line for about the same price as the over the counter glasses. My guess is that you may find that +1.50 is about right for you. I think going double, your friends, is too much. Remember stronger glasses will again mean your eyes will need some time to adjust for distances. Are you wanting stronger glasses to feel more dependent?

Carrie 01 Jan 2011, 22:34

post deleted - troll, multiple usernames

Soundmanpt 01 Jan 2011, 18:42

Also "zennioptical" is even less expensive and very good quality. I don't think they work with a customer's frame though.

russell 01 Jan 2011, 18:05

Carl: sometimes your optometrist will put an expiration date on your prescription. Many opticians will stick to that date and demand that you present a newer prescription. What I suggest is that you go to 39dollarglasses.com. You do not need a prescription there--you simply fill in your info online. You can buy a cheap, but high quality, pair of sunglasses from them, or you can send the new sunglasses you have to them and they will replace the lenses with your old prescription for a very small cost.

Carl 01 Jan 2011, 11:27

Hello, I have a question about the change in my prescription: In 2007, my eyes were as follows: OD +3.0 , -2.25 cylindrical, Axis 135. OS +2.25, -0.5 cyl., Axis 059. In 2009 my prescription changed to this: OD +3.5, -2.75 cyl., Axis 140, OS: +2.5, -0.75 cyl, Axis 060.

My everyday glasses are the 2007 prescription. I am very happy with them. I just had a pair of sunglasses made, and since the 2007 prescription was past the 2 years, they had to use my 2009 values. I was told the change in prescription would not be a problem. The sunglasses came, and the difference between them is so noticeable that I cannot switch glasses when needed to protect myself in bright light condition.

Why could I not have used the 2007 prescription, if there is such a difference?

Thanks for your help!

Carl

Carrie 31 Dec 2010, 02:55

Soundmanpt

The 2 college friends I have mentioned here before both know about my new found sexuality as they were amongst the people that I told first. They were both really cool about it, thankfully. They are both straight (but then I thought I was until a few days ago) and have boyfriends. I don't have sexual feelings for either of them - probably because they are almost like family to me. I thought it was best to tell my family and close friends, especially my boyfriend, straight away as it would be best coming from me rather than them hearing gossip. I don't know if anyone I know saw what I did at the party but I think there were a few people in the same room as us which is probably why we didn't go too far. There was only us in the room when we finished so maybe they left to give us some privacy.

The trying each others glasses on and her gently putting mine back on my face thing may have been part of her chatting up/flirting technique. It worked on me! I don't know if she would have seduced me like she did if I wasn't wearing glasses. I don't fancy her any less without her glasses.

I have told my boyfriend that my new interest in women is not his fault and I still love him. He is a little pissed off, though. I can't change my sexual feelings and sadly my feelings are just slightly stronger for this girl at the moment. Until I have satisfied my curiosity I don't really know what is going to happen with our relationship as it is being a major distraction at the moment. I'm not going to decide our future purely on if I enjoy sex with a woman but it will help me find out if I'm still interested in a relationship with her rather than a one night stand. I sent her a rather cheeky text saying "Do you shag as good as you kiss?". She replied "I've been told I do - maybe better. There's only one way for you to find out!". I have done a little "research" into how 2 women have sex and one of the best pieces of advice I saw was "You know what to do on yourself - just do the same on her, gently to begin with if it's your first time together.". I'm just absolutely gagging for it now. My boyfriend knows there is no point trying to stop me or talk me out of it and the sooner it's done the better.

My boyfriend has done the slowly removing my glasses thing and we both found that very arousing. He's not that interested in glasses normally but he was that time! He doesn't wear glasses but has tried mine on. They didn't look right on him which is probably why it didn't do anything for me. I'll hopefully have a chance to do it on my friend and she can do it on me.

Sorry - rambling on again!

Soundmanpt 31 Dec 2010, 00:33

Carrie

You kind of hit around the question I was going to ask you. The question was going to be, what your 2 friends that got glasses about the same time as you think about this new side of you? But it seems due to Christmas break you have not been in contact with either of them. Are you going to tell them what your feeling these days? I'm guessing there may be some shock when you tell them. Not that it is any of my business but how is your bf handling all this? I think it was very brave of you to tell him and your family, that took real courage to do. My guess is he may fear that you may go strickly to that side of the fence. I doubt that he wants to loose you if he loves you. Sounds like this girls attraction to you had a lot to do with the fact that you were wearing glasses and yours to her as well. I really think there is something sensual about removing one's partners glasses or likely replacing them as well. A while back a friend of mine told me something that happened between her and her boyfriend. She had gotten glasses that was a very weak rx that she rarely wore. But one evening they were going to see a movie and her eyes felt tired so she decided to wear her glasses, when the movie was over she kept them on. When they got home he grabbed her and very slowly removed her glasses and she said it was one of the hottest nights ever and was a real turn on for her. She said she wore her glasses a lot more after that.

Carrie 30 Dec 2010, 19:20

My new friend from the party will hopefully be keeping her glasses on the next time I see her (how long they stay on is another matter!) and I can't really see with them as they made my eyes uncomfortable when I tried them on at the party. She is short-sighted and I'm long-sighted. My friend from college probably would let me wear her glasses for as long as I could bear it. I don't fancy her though. She is an attractive woman and I love her dearly as a friend, but she's not my type. I don't really know what my type is exactly yet as I've only just "woken up" to this side of my sexuality. But she just doesn't do anything for me whereas the one from the party....oh my god!

I will be seeing my college friend at a New Years Eve party so I will try to ask how she's getting on with the contacts. It's not long until we are back at college so she'll really be working those contacts hard then!

oxotest 30 Dec 2010, 18:48

Carrie:

There is something special about trying on someone else's glasses, especially when you have an interest or attraction for that person. Even if the prescription is such that you can't see through them properly, being allowed to look through another person's lenses is almost like getting inside a part of that person. It's a bit like an invitation to slip inside an item of their clothing, only much more intimate.

I had a particularly memorable experience of this kind once. I was having lunch with a well known TV actress who is famously short-sighted but very reluctant to wear her glasses. We don't know each other very well, but I managed to steer the conversation around to her short-sightedness and she got her glasses out of her bag and suggested that I should try them on, which I did for a few seconds. I was a bit too self conscious to really enjoy the moment as there were others present, but it was very kind and trusting of her to do this. The script was probably between -15 and -20.

Andrew 30 Dec 2010, 15:29

Jack,

If both of your g/f's eyes were +0.25 she would probably not need glasses at all. However, the 2 diopters difference is why glasses should make seeing more comfortable at all distances, as her eyes will be balanced and working together properly.

Laura 30 Dec 2010, 08:18

Carrie,

Sometimes they can fit new stronger lenses into the same frames while you wait, if they order them after your eye test. It's an idea if you really like your present frames a lot. Have you ever been into Lenschat? It's an optical chat room easy to access. I go there when I'm not at work quite a lot. It's an exciting idea to wear your friends glasses whiel she wears her contacts. Why not ask her if she'd be agreeable? Wearing stronger glasses for a good length of time is a sure way of increasing your dependence on glasses.

Carrie 30 Dec 2010, 06:01

Sorry for my ramblings earlier - a bit off topic. It's all very new and exciting for me. I would class myself as bi-curious at the moment as I have only had sex with males but I am curious to find out if I like sex with females! I'm pretty sure I will.

Anyway, back on topic. I could ask my friend if I could borrow her glasses when she's wearing her contacts. It would be unfair if I was wearing her glasses and she needed to read something and didn't have her contacts in. I have worn her glasses before but only for a few minutes. My next eye appointment isn't until late August or early September. If I get given a stronger prescription I will certainly get it made. But I would have to buy new frames for the new prescription as I wouldn't want to be without glasses while new lenses were being put in my current frames. I really like my current frames so I'd get new lenses for them once I got the new glasses.

Laura 30 Dec 2010, 05:00

Carrie,

It's like I thought you do enjoy needing glasses!! Like John says you are almost sure to be able to tolerate stronger lenses in a little while. Since I was 18 my glasses have been fitted with High Index lenses (which are more expensive than standard lenses.) But they are a lot thinner and are just as powerful in correcting my vision. Minus lenses are a concave shape, so most of the thickness is around the edges where they fit into the frames. Gradually as minus prescriptions increase, the front surface of the lens flattens out and all the curve is on the back surface next to your eyes. Once your prescription reaches -9.00, the fronts of your lenses are totally flat! I love this because they reflect the light and give you a kind of hazy look. People think, wow that poor girl must be very short-sighted. I know it sounds stupid, but I kind of like that. With plus prescriptions, your lenses will get thicker in the centre and appear to magnify your eyes, like Megan's do at church. You can email me if you like at short-sightedlaura@hotmail.co.uk

John S 29 Dec 2010, 15:42

Carrie,

You have an advantage, you can always try your friend's glasses in a few months. If you can tolerate them, you need an increase. You will probably have the same results you had when you first got your glasses. You will have to wear them for an hour or so to find out if you can get used to them.

Usually the first plus rx is a starter. You get a few increases as your muscles relax, then the rx levels off and is somewhat stable.

Glad you are enjoying them.

ehpc 29 Dec 2010, 11:48

Carrie - hot hot story:) Do update us as time goes on.....................:)

Laura - really thick minus lenses with huge cut-in which make your eyes look tiny are INCREDIBLY HOT :)

Pete

Carrie 29 Dec 2010, 07:29

Laura

Yes, I have wanted glasses since I was at school which is why I used to wear fake glasses sometimes. I was really happy when I was told I actually needed glasses. I think my prescription will get stronger and I won't be mind if it does but I certainly don't wish for it to get really strong. It's good to hear that the girl in your church doesn't mind wearing her glasses all the time. Can you not get thin lenses for your glasses?

It seems me wanting glasses is just part of my obsession with glasses. After my experience at the party I am a lot more interested in girls/women wearing glasses than I was before. Maybe I have have always been attracted to men and women but have unconsciously denied to myself that I might fancy another woman. When the girl at the party put my glasses on and then put her own glasses on I really liked it and then after that amazing kiss it dawned on me that I really fancied her and the glasses were an interesting accessory. I phoned her and asked her to email a photo of herself and I'd send her one of me. She sent 2 photos - 1 without glasses and 1 with. I have lost count how many times I've looked at them now. I really want to see her again in person. I'm not really sure what to do if I ended up in bed with her but I'm rather curious to find out!

Laura 29 Dec 2010, 04:16

Carrie,

It sounds from your posts that you have had a secret obessession to wear glasses for some time. Am I right? And now you really need them you must be thrilled. I think if you carry on wearing them full-time your eyes are bound to worsen so your prescription will need to increase to correct your vision. Will this please you? Like I told you I don't no all that much about long-sightedness except a girl I know who goes to our church and is around my sister's age (16) wears plus glasses which really suit her. She used to just them on just to read stuff, but now I notice she's wearing them all the time without any hang ups, so she must feel comfortable in them. The lenses magnify her eyes slightly, which I like. My minus glasses minify mine horrendously now and make the side of my cheeks appear to "cut in" behind my lenses. I hated this when I first started noticing it in the mirror. but now I just think to myself "Oh my God Laura, you are SO blind!!" Ridiculously really I know. Post back when you can

Gwen 29 Dec 2010, 03:52

Thanks for the interest Derek. Sorry it took me so long to reply. She is doing fine with the glasses and I have had no problems with her wearing them. When i take her tea in the morning first thing she does is reach for her glasses, and puts them on. She told me a week or so ago, "Mum you know i cannot see very well without glasses at all now" She does have to return for a further test in the New Year. After what i have read of some parents having problems with their children wearing glasses i cound myself lucky. I am at the stage now when she looks strange without glasses on, I noticed this other day at table when she removed them to clean.

Thanks again all you good people for all kind remarks i received since i informed you that she may need to wear them

Carrie 28 Dec 2010, 18:15

About the Christmas party:

It was quite late in the evening and I'd had a few drinks. I saw someone I knew from school that I'd lost contact with and went over to say hello. We knew each other at school but not very well as she was more of a friend of a friend. We got chatting and got on to the subject of glasses. She asked about my glasses as she noticed they were different to the ones I sometimes wore at school. I told her the ones at school had no prescription but these ones did.

She asked if she could try my glasses on as she really liked them. I obliged and she put them on. They looked good on her but she couldn't see much. She told me that she actually had glasses herself for distances and got them just before term started in our final year at school but only wore them at school when she really had to. She said she recently got new glasses with a stronger prescription and probably should wear them all the time but doesn't. Before she gave my glasses back she got hers out of her bag - a nice simple and pretty rimless pair. I tried them on but I couldn't really see with them. I gave them back to her and she took mine off and put hers on. They really looked good on her - which I told her. She then put my glasses back on my face and gently brushed my hair out of the way with her fingers. She then asked if I minded if she gave me a Christmas kiss. I said I didn't mind at all and she gave me a kiss on the lips. It felt a bit odd kissing her soft lips compared to my boyfriend's harder lips but it was rather pleasant. So, without thinking I said something like "Was that it?" or "Is that all I'm getting?". We then, without going into too much detail, had quite a passionate kiss for quite a while - both our glasses came off for the duration. This was amazing - she is a great kisser! It seemed to stir something deep inside me as I really enjoyed her company and her kissing got me rather turned on. I have never been attracted to someone of the same sex before but she seemed different. We could have gone further than we did but we somehow stopped before we did.

I don't know if that would have happened if I was sober but I don't regret it. I know I was sort of cheating on my boyfriend but I have told him and my family and closest friends. My boyfriend was, understandably, a bit upset and angry at first. He eventually got over it when I took him to bed - I was still rather "excited" after my experience at the party and was rather desperate for "it" and wanted to share that with him rather than take a "special toy" to the toilet! My family and friends were a little surprised and are all ok with it.

As much as I love my boyfriend I can't help thinking about my new/old friend from the party. I do get the same feelings for her as I do when I see a very attractive man.

I suppose it was a bit like Katy Perry's song "I Kissed A Girl" except my girl wasn't wearing chapstick!

Jack 28 Dec 2010, 17:57

My girlfriend (17) got glasses a few years ago with +2.25 in one eye and +0.25 in one eye. How much does she need them and how often should she wear them.

Thanks. I appreciate the work you do here

ehpc 28 Dec 2010, 17:17

Would be EVEN BETTER if your lenses stuck out Flaine :) But your glasses sound just PERFECT.........................:) Pete

Carrie 28 Dec 2010, 07:57

Soundmanpt

I think the same as you about my friend who got contacts. Just before she got contacts she said she could see distances without blur with glasses on. It wasn't long for me before the tv was clearer with glasses on so I think she has got to, or even passed, that stage - and her glasses are basically twice the strength of mine so her eyesight is worse than mine. She may be in denial about needing glasses all the time and part of her denial is to get contacts "to save putting on and taking off the glasses so often at college".

A couple of months ago I would have said I didn't actually need to wear glasses all the time but now I would say I do need them all the time. I can see without them but my eyes do get uncomfortable without them. Distances are better with glasses but probably only equal to someone with a very weak prescription for short-sight.

Even though I've only had glasses for nearly 4 months I really feel they are part of me now. I don't take them off for photos as I can't see the point of doing that. I like the way I look in my glasses and the lenses have anti-reflective coatings on them so there shouldn't be any glare from the camera flash.

I presume you were referring to my friend who was short-sighted in one eye and long-sighted in the other when you said other friend. Yes she is still wearing her glasses full time. She has accepted that she does need them all the time and has found that her co-ordination and depth perception is far better now than it was before she got glasses. I presume that is because her eyes are now balanced with perfect vision in both.

As for the Christmas party - sorry you'll have to wait a bit longer. Probably later today, when I have thought how to write it. I don't want to keep you waiting too long but I'm still trying to get my head around it myself.

Carrie 28 Dec 2010, 07:01

Kristin

I wear my glasses all the time now. I got lots of nice comments when I first got them especially when I went from just wearing them for reading to wearing them all the time as more people I knew saw me wearing them. Quite a lot of people have tried them on. A few didn't realise they were prescription glasses until they tried them on - they knew me from school when I quite often wore fake glasses just to look different. Only the two friends I have mentioned in earlier posts actually realised they needed glasses after trying mine on. Others just said they couldn't see very far with them and just made near things bigger.

Someone did try my glasses on at the party - that was when I found out something about myself.

I can't believe it's nearly 4 months since I got glasses. It's gone so quick!

I'm 17 and my glasses look a bit like these http://www.specsavers.co.uk/glasses/womens-glasses/laetitia/

Flaine 28 Dec 2010, 00:44

Soundmanpt:

Hey there, just curious if the rectangular plastic frame fashion has spread to the US yet? Or long have it did? Seems that loads of youngsters nowadays are into these frames! Also, glad that my new plastic frame hides my lens thickness well that they dont really edge out! Somehow, i love seeing the sight of people struggling and screwing up their eyes here in King Cross station, then realise that thier efforts of squinting are in vain and finally fish out a pair of rather thick glasses to read the board; then put them back into their handbags! Lovely ladies like me:) howver , i realise that their lens is almost twice as thick as mine, so of an rx of -4 to -5! I would like to experience the blur thy get but till i get to rx, i would enjoy the bluriness without my glasses!:)

Soundmanpt 27 Dec 2010, 22:15

Heather

Good to see you back in here! It has been awhile. Was your glasses actually broken or just bent? The only reason I can see that they needed to keep them overnight would be if they had to send them somewhere to be soldiered. I would think after this experience it may be wise to order a spare pair of cheap glasses on-line that you take with you from now on.

Your friend was not being very understanding about the difference between your prescription and her much weaker prescription. After you got your glasses back you should have had her put yours on and then throw her a tennis ball from about 30 feet away and see if she could see it and catch it. I really doubt if she could. By the way I bet the glasses she loaned you was an older pair with even weaker lenses than she wears now.

Cactus Jack 27 Dec 2010, 19:51

Heather,

It is very likely that you will need an add for reading in a few more years and it is also likely that your Rx will decrease a little over time.

Almost everyone ultimately develops presbyopia. However, the idea that presbyopia does not become a problem until around 40 is a myth. Presbyopia actually starts in childhood, but does not usually become a problem until around 40, but everyone is different. Genetics is the controlling factor, but your visual environment also plays a role. No one can accurately predict when you will need an add, you just need it when you need it. It will generally start with a +1.00 or +1.50 add and it will seem to progress rapidly (a year or so usually) to around 2.50, but it will never get more than that unless you do a lot of very close work.

The amount of decrease in your myopia depends on several factors. There are actually two kinds of myopia: true or axial myopia, which is caused by excessive growth of the eyeball and pseudo or false myopia caused by excessive accommodation by the crystaline lenses. Pseudo myopia is very similar to latent hyperopia in that it can decrease as the ciliary muscles and crystalne lenses relax over time. Most of the reduction in myopia is caused by relaxation of the ciliary muscles and crystaline lenses and a little is caused by a slight shrinkage of the eyeball. Unless you have significant pseudo myopia, I would be surprised if there was more than 1 diopter of reduction in your total myopia over time.

The main thing is to not worry about any of this, it is very typical. As our hispanic friends say "Que sera, sera" What will be will be.

C.

Crystal Veil 27 Dec 2010, 18:02

Heather - yes, your myopia may well decrease with a diopter or two in the future, say 10-20 years. I was L 0 / R -4.00 in my late thirties and now I am L +2 / R -2. Higher myopes, above -8, seem to meet the opposite effect, their myopia keeps increasing slowly. My partner had -9.50 in her early forties and she now wears beautiful -11.25 varifocals in her mid fifties. You may need -3 in your fifties, enabling you to put your glasses off for reading if you have no strong astigmatism. Of course, if you wear contacts then, you will need reading glasses. There are people who can give you more advice - Cactus Jack springs to mind, he's an axpert - but this is what I can tell you from my own experience

Heather 27 Dec 2010, 17:25

I posted here in the summer a few times but I have a question. I have been wearing glasses (or contacts) for more than 15 years but my prescription has increased quite a bit over the last few years. I now wear -5 lenses on both sides and I am mostly unable to wear contacts any more. Given that I am 37 years old, it is possible that I will need some reading add at some point. I was wondering whether that could mean that my distance prescription also decreases (which I would obviously be quite happy about)?

Also, although I can read well with my glasses on, I noticed that when I wear contacts (which I can only wear for a very short period of time now) reading becomes a lot more diffcult if the book is close to my eyes although the contacts are slightly weaker than the glasses. Does anyone know why that could be?

Soundmanpt 27 Dec 2010, 14:42

Kristin

If you look back to "11 Oct 2010 14:36" Carrie put a picture of glasses similar to hers. I'm sure they look great on her. I really do like that style of glasses, but they need to be properly fitted so the nose pads don't leave red marks on her nose.

Your questions make me wonder if your a new wearer and are having difficulty wearing them in public?

antonio-o 26 Dec 2010, 17:07

hi Flaine,

yes, we might have missed us on eyescene,

but there´s also always a lot to do for us, I think.

Thanks for replying so fast and honestly,

well, I can report to you, I feel my eyes - although of course my sight is much more blurred than yours - are hungering indeed very much for some lenses to be in front of them, that´s well said. At my stage of myopia, my eyes seem to tell me - if they are naked - that any minus glasses would be better than no glasses :-), I guess in those situations my mind is quite desperate of what he gets as "images" from my glassesless eyes ! :-)

So to say, I can tell I already had the same feeling - felt probably even more intense than you ever will :-)

Of course I don´t think your eyes changed since your exam, but bad light conditions, fatigue or so on can affect our vision, too, I think.

Keep smiling and enjoy life, as you know we glasses wearers are special people who can see 2 realities, one without and one with glasses :-). That´s one of the rare advantages of myopia :-)

I hope you keep enjoying both from time to time as you (and I) do,

best regards, antonio

Soundmanpt 26 Dec 2010, 11:55

Ashley

In early December you commented that you took your daughter to get her eyes checked and decided to get your eyes checked as well and was surprised that you actually needed a small rx yourself. You didn't say if your daughter got glasses or not? Also you said this was a couple of years ago, have you been back for a new exam for you and your daughter recently? It is always a good idea to go back in a year for a recheck after you receive your first glasses. Often times you may need a small increase after a year. Remember you didn't think you needed glasses in the first place so you may not realize that you may need an increase for you and your daughter.

By the way how long had it been before you got glasses that you had an eye exam? Most or many people don't get an eye check if they think they are fine.

It is always a good idea for anyone that uses their eyes a lot in their job or at school to get your eyes checked yearly.

Soundmanpt 26 Dec 2010, 11:39

Flaine

I keep missing you over on "lenschat" and I tried several times to e-mail you but it came back as undelivered for some reason. It would seem that you have gotten much better about wearing glasses? It wasn't that long ago that you and your sister were pretty much not wearing them at all, or very little? Has your sister gotten better about wearing her glasses or is she still going without mostly? Computer issues caused me to be away for the last month, I really missed talking with everyone. Many may have been glad to see me gone, who knows? Glad you got some new glasses that you like.

Flaine 26 Dec 2010, 07:48

Antonio,

Hey friend, i havent manage to see you on lenschat nowadays! Im really good now and to ur question, yea i had an old pair of channel? However i like the frame, it just feels too bold to wear them..still feel it now. Also, i was taking the opportunity to go 100% glassesless:)-->new word!

Lets see..OH YEA! challenging situations would definitely be shoppig for presents! Hafta sort of walk into each shop to see the items rather than window shopping! Also, even though i already had my new glasses, i did not wear them yesterday prior or during dinner. Due to the fact that my hall is pretty long, everytime any of the family members actually came, i struggled to make out who they were, thus i made an effortto sort of approach them when they walk in and gave them a hug, but it was more of like identifyin them before i hug them..coz im like at the other side of the hall near the kitchen!

Omg im not sure why but it seems that although my eyes has remain the same, or at least for one eye, they seem to be hungering for the lens to be infront of them! Not sure why but..i hope it hasnt deteriorated since my last check up last week!

Have a good boxing day guys!

Flaine

ehpc 25 Dec 2010, 16:43

I think you are even blonde too..................:) Pete

ehpc 25 Dec 2010, 16:42

HEY FLAINE!!!! YOU DONE GOOD! :) Pete

antonio-o 25 Dec 2010, 13:41

wow, Flaine, what an adventure !!

What a pity, you lost your old glasses,

but good you got some new ones at least.

Didn´t you have any old ones around ?

What were those challenging situations when you had to see

with naked eyes ?

have a great Christmas,

best regards, antonio

Flaine 25 Dec 2010, 08:39

Merry Christmas everyone! Im looking forward to my xmas dinner in a few hours time! Could already smell the turkey being marinated and the slow roast lamb being minted!

Anyways, a week or so before this, i actually lost my current pair of glasses:( which was vin diesel designer ones! I suspect i slipped down the cinema crouch while i took them off for some reason im regretting now..anyways, they perished and my efforts to search for them were in vain! Lucky person who finds them! It costed me 300over bucks! Damn! Anyways, so i was less without glasses for a few days. As Christmas was sort of 'looming', i probably had no time to shop for new glasses, and had some challenging moments without correction..but alas, earlier this week, i went to the opticians and chose a rectangular black plastic(PETE's FAVOURITE!). it was ordinary, not of any brand. However, i was really amazed at how they look on my face-totally brilliant! Without any further hesitation, i knew it was gonna be mine! One thing i was rather pissed was that knowing that my left eye perhaps needed a minor increase of -0.25, from -2.50 to -2.75. The autorefractor test -2.75L and -2.25R, right eye remained same for 2 years now:) :( Anyways, after the autorefractor, the optician put the prescription into a machine and asked me to red the letters on reflected by a mirror..then a red/green test. After the whole test, he decided that i should stick with my old -2.50 prescription in my left eye!!!:( he said it was due to the fact that i didnt do well at a higher presfription on the red/green test..ARGHHHHH! Sobs now im back to square one, wearing a uber nice frame but a tinge of blur in my left eye if i compare it with my right..i did mention it to the optician, but he said i will b fine, as i refrain from arguing further as it would l seems as if i want a stronger rx forcefully!

Ow what a long post here friends, im gonna prepare some deforations now so i hafta go! As for londoners here, ENJOY THE CHILLY X'MAS!

Flaine

Soundmanpt 24 Dec 2010, 22:40

Carrie

Long time since I have been in here. My computer had bad problems and was out of service since Nov 25th. Glad it is fixed finally.

I think your friend that just got the contacts will soon find that it will be much easier to just not bother taking out her contacts at night or whatever and soon will be wearing contacts only. I think she just doesn't want to admit she is finding she really needs her glasses more and more for distance as well as close up. Now with the contacts it will be the same as wearing glasses full time, so you will notice when she takes out her contacts she will quickly need her glasses even to watch TV. By the way you may remember back when you got your glasses and decided you were going to wear them full time, because you like glasses, I told you that you would find that you would find that after your eyes adjusted you would find your vision for distance better with your glasses than without. The nice thing is your rx is mild enough that your distance vision is still quite good even without them. Most likely you could pass the vision test for driving without your glasses. But if you get stronger glasses in the future it may be more difficult then. I think you have gotten so used to wearing them so much that now you feel funny if you don't have them on,like wearing them for picture taking etc. Now your more likely to be asked where your glasses are if your not wearing them? By the way can't wait to hear what you discovered about yourself at the party? You will tell soon I hope?

How's your other friend doing with her glasses? If I recall she also is wearing hers full time?

I'm glad to be back. I missed coming here.

Merry Christmas!

And 24 Dec 2010, 20:52

Laura, do you have any experiences you can share in the 'going without glasses' section ? Do you sleep in your contacts ?

Kristin 24 Dec 2010, 07:52

Carrie,

Since you started wearing glasses, What have peoples reaction been to them? It sounds like you wear them quite a bit so I'm sure people have made comments on them. I'm also sure plenty of people have asked to try them on. With that prescription I'm sure some people have probably been pretty surprised with the clarity that comes to them when they would slip them on. Did anyone ask to try them on at your Christmas party last night? I'm new on here. How old are you and what do your glasses look like? Thanks!

Kristin

Carrie 24 Dec 2010, 06:19

Laura

We are both long-sighted. My friend's prescription is L+1.75, R+2.00 and mine is L+0.75, R+1.00. As you can see my friends prescription is exactly +1.00 stronger than mine in both eyes. She now really struggles to read for any length of time without her glasses or contacts. I can go for a bit longer than her but I soon have trouble focussing on the text and get achy eyes. I didn't really need to wear glasses all the time, I just wanted to. About a month ago I realised the tv was clearer with my glasses on. Now there is definitely an improvement in my distance vision with my glasses on. Things are sharper and have a better contrast than without glasses. I can still read road signs and street names from a distance without glasses but they are clearer with my glasses on. I don't think my distance vision is bad enough that I would have to wear glasses for driving but I would wear them anyway as I am so used to them and my eyes would start to feel uncomfortable.

I did wear my glasses to the Christmas party last night. I know that some people who wear glasses would take them off for a party. I'm glad I didn't take mine off as it made the night rather memorable! All I'll say for now is that I found out something about myself that I hadn't realised before - a good thing. I'll say more another time. It's personal, so I want to speak to a few people first.

Laura 24 Dec 2010, 05:17

Carrie,

Do you know if you and you friend are short-sighted or long-sighted? If short-sighted your prescription will have a minus sign in front of the first numbers like mine. If long-sighted a plus sign. I'm not all that clued up on long sight, but if you need glasses to read you could be. Or alternatively if you need to hold stuff close to you eyes to read it, you are probably short-sighted like me. In that case you will be able to see much better at a distance with your glasses on. If you are still at college, you will probably find that your eyes will get worse for a few years, so you'll keep needing stronger lenses, but its no big deal really.

Laura 24 Dec 2010, 05:10

Slit,

I think my first prescription was around -1.75 or something like that. By 15 I'd reached RE-7.00 and LE-6.50 and with standard lenses my glasses looked like coke bottles, so I nattered my parents to let me have contacts. My current prescription is RE-10.00 and LE-9.25. (I just sneaked into double fougures after my last check-up!)

Carrie 23 Dec 2010, 00:55

Laura

I got glasses for the first time in early September. I only really needed them for reading but as soon as I could see distances without a blur whilst wearing them I began wearing them all the time.

My friend got glasses in October after trying mine on and finding they made reading clearer. She only wants contacts so she doesn't have to keep putting her glasses on and taking them off at college. She is still going to wear her glasses for reading when not at college. Even though college has finished for the Christmas holiday she has been wearing her contacts every day this week to get used to them. She told me that the cold wind does irritate the lenses a bit (we are having a very cold winter in the UK. Most places haven't got above freezing for weeks and a lot of the UK is covered in snow.) but other than that she can see fine with them.

I'm going to a Christmas party tonight but I haven't decided if I will wear my glasses or not.

Slit 22 Dec 2010, 14:05

Hi Laura,

Congratulations on gut to go full time with glasses!

What was your prescription at age 7, 15 and now?

Laura 22 Dec 2010, 04:05

Carrie,

Have you just got glasses for the first time? It sounds like it. But your friend sounds to have had them for a while, if she's decided to go for contacts. I started when I was 7 and by 15 my lenses were so thick I decided to get contacts for wearing at school all the time. However by 19 I got some new glasses with high index lenses which I really like myself in, so I'm a glasses wearer most of the time again now. I usually just put contacts in for going out sometimes or if I need to see better at distances.

Derek 19 Dec 2010, 10:48

Gwen How is your daughter getting on with the glasses hope she finding them a great help. It is about a month she has had them now, and i bet she finds everything so much better. I know i did, i had mine at 14, and it was a whold new would, to be able to see distance clearly. I am now 27 and though my glasses a lot stronger i can see fine with them on

Carrie 18 Dec 2010, 10:20

My friend actually got contacts this morning! She said she is going to use the Christmas holiday to get used to them before college starts again in January. I went over to her house this afternoon and she got me to look closely at her eyes. I could just make out a faint circle on each eye that was the contact. She said it does feel a bit weird but then so did wearing glasses for the first time and she's already used to that. She showed me how good she is at taking them out and putting them back in. Apparently the optician was impressed how quickly she got the hang of it. I won't be watching her do it again as it makes me feel all squeamish! I have no intention of ever getting contacts - I can hardly cope with eye drops! She intends to wear her contacts during the day every day for the next few days and then maybe a couple of times after Christmas. After New Year she'll only use them for college and use her glasses when she needs to the rest of the time.

I saw the first photo of me wearing my glasses today. It was taken yesterday at college and someone emailed it to me. Not a great first glasses photo as I'm wearing a Santa hat! I'll have to get a better photo of myself before I change my Facebook profile pic to one with me wearing glasses! (Sorry, but I'm not giving out my Facebook address)

Cactus Jack 15 Dec 2010, 15:28

And,

If you want to get an idea of your gf's vision without her glasses, you can try on TWO pair of +3.25 or +3.50 reading glasses (assuming you do not wear glasses) one over the other. It won't be exact, but it will give you an idea. If you wear glasses, please provide your Rx and I'll make a suggestion based on that. Fundamentally, everything beyond 5 inches or 13 cm gets increasingly blurry.

-2.00 means that everything beyond about 17 inches or 50 cm gets increasingly blurry with distance.

C.

And 15 Dec 2010, 14:27

Joannie, if you find -2 hard to imagine then I find it really difficult to appreciate what my gf sees without her -7.50 prescription ! She is now beginning to struggle with her close vision so new glasses may be coming soon.

Joannie 15 Dec 2010, 13:07

Sue went back to her doc with my glasses and said she likes her vision with them, especially with the add. The doc told her that at her exam she was borderline for needing reading help, but thought she should put off bifocals for the time being, because if she started with them she would soon need them for all close work. That is why she was told to come back in 6 months for another exam(she didn't tell us that part). The doc was expecting that after her re-exam she would warrant an add. After short discussion, Sue asked if she could have the add now, and of course the answer was yes..with the warning that if she wears her new bifocals full time, it is likely that within months she will really need them to see comfortably. Sue ordered rimless progressive bifocals.

As for me, I am not yet comfortable with wearing the glasses at all, but find the crispness especially at night great. Distant blurs are now sharply in focus. I can't imagine what someone with a higher prescription (-2?) sees without their glasses! I still find it interesting that for close they only slightly improve my vision...until I take them off and then can't see. I read the paper at home this morning without difficulty, but in my office I used the glasses while reading a magazine. When I paused and took them off after only about 10 minutes I could no longer focus on the print and had to use the glasses. I think I am on the road to dependence.

Like lenses 10 Dec 2010, 04:48

Joannie

Your new glasses seem to to the hit of your office.

Sounds like your friend wants bifocals now.

I would love to be a fly on the wall in that office.Flys have very good eyesight,but me not so good, minus 5.

Willy 09 Dec 2010, 09:59

Joanie -- From what you are reporting, there does not appear too much doubt that you were properly prescribed. It is slightly (but not extremely) unusual for a nearsighted person to develop presbyopia and need a reading add in their late 30s. You had not really noticed this problem earlier because, being myopic, your presbyopia was partially "corrected". The real comparison, though, is not how much better you can read through the bottom part versus bare-eyed but rather through the bottom versus the top, which is your "correct" distance vision. Since you say you can't read through the top, I would stick it out wearing the glasses full-time for now. Also, given that you have progressives, have you found the middle section helpful for the computer and other similar tasks?

Did your eye doctor indicate when they might want you back for your first follow-up? Though you prescription is pretty mild overall, since these are your first glasses of any kind, some changes might be noted earlier than otherwise.

Joannie 09 Dec 2010, 09:56

Hey Like Lenses...

You were a step ahead of me! I didn't confess to anyone that they were bifocals, but yesterday at one point when they were sitting on my desk Sue came over, told me how nice they look, and just picked them up and put them on. First she said they seem just like her prescription, then said the bottom is distorted. She picked a sheet of paper off my desk and looked at it through the bottom of the lens and said, "hey these are magnifiers too! You need these for reading?" I had to confess that they are. She thought they were great and kept flipping them up and down to see the difference with them and without them (just the opposite of what I did for driving). As I don't use them much indoors (yet!) she asked if she can try them for a while. By the end of the day she gave them back and said she wants a pair like mine. So maybe now she will get bifocals! Funny how things came come around!

Like lenses 09 Dec 2010, 01:52

Joannie

I would bet that your coworkers already know that you have bifocals.

First they will notice the way you look at close objects through the reading segment, and secondly the + 1.50 reading add below the top minus lense will be a giveaway.

Has anyone asked to try them on yet? If not they may not want to ask because they know they are bifocals,and think you may be embaressed.

Just to let you know, I think you would look incredibly sexy in your new bifocals.

 08 Dec 2010, 11:01

Before I put on my new glasses I took a good look around, and thought I could see pretty well and could make out most letters in the distance. When I put them on the first time, there was a bit of a "pop" with colors more vivid, and then I saw some smaller print in the distance that I really didn't see previously..a dark blur was actually a sign! This was confirmed as I wore them down my nose so I could easily look up over them or down and through them. I drove home in the dark like that too and the difference was more striking. Curious to see even now that I thought my vision was borderline ok, but much improved with the glasses. I can't see anything close through the top part of the lens, and see distance even worse through the bottom part. The reading part is ok, except for the close blur after I take them off. Makes me think that although I don't really need them to read my eyes relax with the readers and then can't focus without them!

Will let you know how I get on with them after a few days. I still didn't tell anyone at work they are for close too.

Like lenses 08 Dec 2010, 03:24

Joannie

I actually thought that you would have a bit more myopia than you do.

The fact that your distance prescription is less than -1.00,and that you also have an add is actually good news for you, in that your myopia will not get very much worse. Perhaps -2.00 within the next few years,but your add will certainly increase as you get older.

Is there any cylinder correction in your prescription?

What were your first impressions of wearing the glasses regarding distance?Were you surprised at the amount of detail of peoples faces across a room?How is your distance vision with the glasses,after you have been reading,or doing close work,and you then look into the distance? You has said that you were getting some blurring,that would clear up.

Welcome to the world behind lenses.

Cactus Jack 07 Dec 2010, 18:38

Joannie,

What you described is not an unusual experience. You need to get over the reluctance to wear glasses. Your co-workers and friends are probably aware that you needed some vision help for some time, but were very reluctant so say anything. Your friend did you a big favor by referring you to her Optometrist.

I would suggest that you wear your glasses full time for at least two weeks and then decide how often you want to wear them. Initially, you will feel like wearing glasses has made your vision worse. Vision actually occurs in the brain, and your eyes are just biological cameras. Your eyes have been delivering poor quality images to your brain and it has been having to work extra hard to do some sophisticated image processing to clarify what you see. The glasses now do the vast majority of the work and deliver crisp images to your brain. It will quickly learn to prefer working with the good images and you will experience significantly less fatigue and comfort with the glasses. If you decide not to wear the glasses, initially your brain will complain, but in a few days it will go back to work if you persist. You may say that you have become "dependent", but that is not true. You just now have a choice and your brain prefers having to do less work, but it is actually your decision when to wear them.

Remember, you do not wear vision correction for the benefit of others.

C.

Joannie 07 Dec 2010, 17:56

Sorry for the prolonged absence! Went away for Thanksgiving and got the flu! Finally back they teased me at work. Sue asked me to read a sign on the wall across the office and I only could read it after squinting. She offered me her "eyes" and I could see easier, so she gave me the name of her optometrist. I went Friday. Sorry to admit you all were mostly right. After reading down the chart as far as I could go he put the lenses in front of me and checked each eye with the which is better...A or B, 1 or 2. After that, while still looking through the lenses he put the card with the small letters in front of me, but I couldn't read it. He changed lenses again and again until the small print was exceptionally clear. When he removed the card, the line on the wall was an unreadable blur. So, I asked, "what is the story?" He says I am a bit nearsighted, and glasses will help me see distance clearly, especially at night. I wasn't surprised. But then he says I am getting "presbyoptic" and could use some help with close focusing. He said I should get bifocals to help me now and said I could wait a bit if I want, but in 6 months or so would likely have strain reading and would regret not having the glasses. Also he said I wouldn't be able to read through the distance glasses so would have to take them off to read.

So I ordered the bifocals (without a line!) but don't want to tell them at work yet that I need them for close..I'm not ready for that yet. I got the glasses yesterday, and for distance they are similar to Sue's..things are sharper, especially at night. Not sure about the close yet. They don't really do much for my close, but if I read for a while, like 15-20 minutes and take them off the print blurs on me. Still not convinced I need them for close.

Anyways, I will try them more each day and try to get used to them and the idea of "needing" help. Maybe I should get another pair of just distance glasses?

My distance is -0.75r -0.50l with an add of 1.50. Hope this rant isn't too confusing!

Melyssa 07 Dec 2010, 14:38

ehpc,

I would never think of myself as mature. That would make me feel old, sonny. :) Out at the home, ...

ehpc 06 Dec 2010, 20:20

Common knowledge I would think. What does your remark mean, Melyssa? Anything 'barbed' ? :)

Melyssa 06 Dec 2010, 14:02

Now he tells me. :)

ehpc 05 Dec 2010, 13:06

Girls mature earlier :)

BillyE 05 Dec 2010, 11:53

I've been following Gwen's posts with interest and have been impressed by the mature attitude of her daughter. I was a little older when my teacher contacted my mum to tell her she thought I needed glasses. When I went to the optician I was prescribed glasses. Like Gwen's daughter I was short sighted with a reasonable amount of astigmatism and when I went to collect the glasses, I was told I was meant to wear them all the time. However, I didn't want glasses and so went without them for about the next two years as my eyes deteriorated into such a state that it was pretty hard to function without them at any distance. If I'd had the sense of Gwen's daughter and started wearing my glasses straight away, I think I would have found things so much easier.

Gwen 05 Dec 2010, 10:46

Julian. Thanks for those kind words. This site is very well run and i am working my way through the back posts, taking time but i am learning a lot about eye problems.

I did try Janes glasses on, but they really felt like they were pulling on my eyes, it was a funny feeling. She is still enjoying sharp vision, and has now been to school wearing them and only got good comments

abby 05 Dec 2010, 06:37

i got new glasses other day, only wear for driving but they make alot difference. -1.25 went for wire frames small rectangle cant get use to them. is like there too small and eyes see out of top and bottom. might go back to old glasses but there not so clear

Like lenses 04 Dec 2010, 01:31

Gwen

I should mention to you something to keep in mind.

With the amount of astigmatism that Jane has, it is very important that her glasses are always properly aligned with her eyes.If you should notice that the glasses are slipping down on her nose,or crooked on her face,be sure and get back to the optical shop to have them adjusted. There is no charge for this,and depending on the frame may have to be done on a number of occasions. People with a lot of astigmatism are better off with frames that are sturdy,and rigid.

With misalignment,comes eyestrain.

If you have viewed through her glasses as I had mentioned,you can realize how misalignment would affect her vision if the lenses are not proper.

Carrie 03 Dec 2010, 16:18

Today I was chatting with my friend with the reading glasses. She said with her glasses on she can now see far distances with only the smallest amount of blur and everything closer than that has no blur. She is pretty dependant on her glasses for reading but is happy she doesn't need to look over the top of her glasses now when she's taking notes in a class at college. She still has no intention of wearing more even though she said she is getting fed up with putting them on and taking them off. She is actually thinking about getting contacts that she "would only wear at college and would wear glasses for reading at other times when I don't have to put them on and take them off so often".

I think it's a bit odd that she won't wear her glasses full time even though she has got great stylish frames and isn't ashamed of being seen in them but wants almost full time correction by wearing contacts most of the week just to save putting on and taking off her glasses!

Julian 03 Dec 2010, 11:04

Gwen: I haven't contributed to this discussion till now, but I've been following it with interest, and I just wanted to say it really seems to be a textbook case of how eyesight problems should be dealt with. Very well, done, all of you, and best wishes.

Gwen 03 Dec 2010, 10:44

Cactus Jack.

That was very good of you to say such nice things in your post. I dont feel guilty as such, just wish i had noticed sooner she was having problems. Seeing clearly is still a novelty with her as all the time out she points out signs and asks, can you read that, i can. So she is happy at the improved vision i have no doubt. I have already written to the headmistress asking her to pass on my sincere thanks to the teacher concerned, and i have asked that she contact me if she has any concerns about her eyesight. Again thank you for a lovely post, it has been a pleasure finding out that people can be so helpful and offer good advise.

Cactus Jack 03 Dec 2010, 06:15

Gwen,

Thank you for letting us know how Jane is getting on with her glasses. She is very fortunate to have such caring parents who, upon discovering that there was a problem, took very fast action to find out as much as possible about the problem and do something about it. It is also very fortunate that you discovered the problem before the teen years. Instead of feeling guilty, you ought to be feeling good about how you responded when you were informed of the problem by an observant teacher.

When you get a chance, I would urge you to thank the teacher for noticing and reporting the problem so you could take immediate action. You might want to encourage the teacher to please feel free to contact you at any time he/she thinks that you should be aware of any situation regarding Jane. You might be surprised how often a parent will deny that their child has a problem and be critical of the teacher instead of quickly investigating and initiating a solution.

Jane is at the age where curiosity about the world and the ability to absorb information and gain knowledge increases at a very rapid rate. Good, effortless vision makes that easier. The realization that learning about the world is fun and exciting, begins in the pre-teens. Lifetime interests and learning habits often develop in the pre-teens and about 90% of knowledge is gained visually. The easier that is to do, the better. Actually, congratulations are in order, you just began the expansion of Jane's world from less than a meter to the edges of the universe. Not bad for a few days work.

Anytime you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

C.

Gwen 03 Dec 2010, 05:54

The School has been closed since she got her glasses due to snow, so cannot answer that question. But i notice she now sits in bed and watches her tv in her bedroom, not on chair in front of it like she used to. Think that will answer how different she must see

Puffin 03 Dec 2010, 04:53

Gwen

I am assuming that now your daughter can happily sit further back from the front row, being as she should be easily able to see from there. It's probably no bad idea

to sit further back, since any further problems with distance vision will become more easily apparent. It seems likely that she now realises saying something is much better than moving forward.

Gwen 03 Dec 2010, 03:22

Cactuss Jack. Thankyou for the clear explanation of astigmatism, i understand it a bit better now. Also i can confirm she has said reading is so much esier. And you are right again, only this morning at breakfast, she said to her dad, i cannot see very well at all now without my glasses on, have my eyes changed that quick. I was able to explain what was happening thanks to you.

Claire. thanks for post supporting her, much appreciated.

Like Lenses. beleive me i will be keeping a close watch on her yes now, i still feel guilty that they were so bad and i did not have a clue, poor kid has missed out seeing things clearly for some time.

She is fine wearing them full time and not once have i had to say, "put your glasses on", So guess i am a lucky mother.

Thanks again to all who helped

Aubrac 02 Dec 2010, 05:41

Gwen

I remember getting my first glasses as a teenager and must admit I did not like wearing them at first.

It seemed that everyone started staring at me as soon as I put them on. However, I soon realised that it was only because I could actually see clearly where everyone was looking rather than them all looking at me. I became less self-conscious after that and started wearing them most of the time.

So many more people both young and old wear glasses now, it is nothing unusual, especially with the very attractive ranges of frames available, rather different from 30 or 40 years ago, when NHS round lens glasses with plastic covered frames was the norm. I remember my young teenage sister being a little embaressed wearing her pink ones for the first time!

Like lenses 01 Dec 2010, 23:45

Gwen

Did the doctor say what her uncorrected vision is?

I would guess it is 20/300,and perhaps a bit more in the right eye.If you are not aware ,without glasses she would see clearly at twenty feet,what a person with normal vision sees at three hundred feet.

If it were only short sightedness she would not have to wear them for reading,and other close work,but she does have a significant amount of astigmatism ( about twice of what many would have for a first prescription ),and will also need to wear them for all near work.

I am sure that she will want wear them,as they give her such good vision.Many kids start out with a first pair of about -.75,or -1.00,and no astigmatism correction,and see only slightly better,so tend to not want to wear their glasses.

If she is the type of child that enjoys doing a lot of close work visual things such as reading, computer, sewing,etc., you would be well off to encourage her to get involved in more distance things like sports. Most shortsighted people feel better doing near things, and it is thought that this contributes to their myopia increasing at a faster rate,with stronger lenses.

Has she commented at all on objects appearing a bit distorted. If so it is due to her getting used to the astigmatism part of her prescription. If you take and hold her glasses about an arms length from your eyes,and slowly rotate the glasses,while looking through each lense,at a window frame,you will notice the window frame will twist out of shape.What you are seeing is the astigmatism part of her prescription.The window frame will also look smaller,and that is due to the myopic correction.The right lense will be more noticeable,as it is stronger than the left.

Like lenses 01 Dec 2010, 14:53

Gwen

Your daughter has a fairly strong first prescription,and as the doctor said it will get stronger.

Now that she is wearing glasses it is important to watch that she does not hold reading material too close.

She should read at 12 to 14 inches from her eyes.

She is most likely used to reading closer,and her glasses will now make images look smaller,which will seem to want her to hold the material closer than 12 inches. This is thought to be a factor in short sightedness progressing more rapidly.Impress on her from the beginning that she hold the material no closer than 12 inches. She may say that is is not comfortable,but she should be able to adjust to it within a few days if she stays with it.

If after a few months you notice her reading too close,it will be a sign that stronger glasses are needed.

Clare 01 Dec 2010, 13:59

Gwen - great that your daughter is adopting her glasses without any problems, and with her prescription she will see a significant improvement. It is important to make her feel confident wearing them, and attractive too, especially as glasses are so fashionable nowadays.

Cactus Jack 01 Dec 2010, 12:57

Gwen,

Thank you for the update. Astigmatism is usually caused by uneven curvature of the cornea, the clear part of the eye at the very front. Ideally, the front surface of the cornea should be evenly curved as if you had sliced the side (a section) off a clear glass ball. However, if the curve is steeper in one direction than the other it will have the shape of a cylinder or like a section sliced off the side of an american football.

The difference in curvature is not very much and you can't see it just by looking at a persons cornea. The difference is not very much, but in this instance, a little goes a very long way. The axis of 90 degrees means that the long axis of the cylinder is vertical.

Jane's need for minus sphere correction means that close vision should have been very good, but anything beyond about 50 to 66 cm would have been increasingly blurry. However, the need for -1.75 and -1.50 of cylinder correction meant that her vision at ALL distances was blurry and that there was nothing she could do to make it sharp and clear. Small text would have been difficult.

In a few days, she may comment that she thinks her vision without her glasses has become worse. Really it has not changed much at all. Vision actually occurs in the brain and the eyes are simply biological cameras. What has been happening is that her brain has been working extra hard to try to correct the blurry images as best it can (which isn't very much), but now her glasses are doing the work and her eyes are delivering two excellent images to her brain which means the brain has to do little or no correction. In a few days, the brain can get very used to not having to do the extra work. I think you will find that she likes reading and exploring the world around her much more than she did before.

She may not quite realize it yet, but she just got an early Christmas Present that, in the overall scheme of things, is a truly incredible gift.

C.

Ashley 01 Dec 2010, 11:56

Gwen, I was wondering if you had your eyes tested as well. I took my daughter to the eye doctor a couple years ago because she was complaining of vision problems so I decided to get my eyes tested as well. Come to find out what I though of as perfect vision wasn't so perfect. I recived a light prescription for seeing details and night driving. I was amazed the first time I put on glasses and realized how detailed everything was.

Gwen 01 Dec 2010, 08:51

Sorry i forgot to put details of her prescription, which as asked for when i replied.

It is Right Eye -2.00 -1.75 090 Left Eye -1.50 -1.50 090

hope this makes sense, she did explain astigmitism but lost me half way through it.

Gwen 01 Dec 2010, 08:48

It transpired several of you who responded to my post were correct. Jane is indeed short sighted, and has astigmatism as well. The lady who conducted the exam was very good and explained to her what each test was and how it helped her to find out what was best way to help her to see. At the end she said , well Jane, you are short sighted and we can help you to see a lot better by prescibing glasses for you. She explained she was quite short sighted in her right eye and to a lesser extent in her left eye. But she also had a significant amount of astigmitism in both eyes.

The bottom line was she has advised me that jane should wear glasses full time, and her presciption will get stronger over a period of time but this is normal and nothing to worry about. We collected her glasses later in the day and when she put them on, her words " oh Mum everything is so clear" i could have wept, thinking i should have noticed before she needed help. She wore them home quite happy and i told her for first day or so she could carry them to school in the case until her friends had seen her in them and she felt comfortable. But due to snow, she has not been to school since. But after a few days she seems happy to put them on in the morning without me prompting her, and has had several nice comments from friends and family.

BRIAN 29 Nov 2010, 10:40

Gwen, Maybe it will help your daughter out if you and your husband go for an eye exam. Have either of you had an eye exam recently? Maybe if one of you is prescribed glasses it will make it easier for her to wear them as well.

Gwen 29 Nov 2010, 07:48

To all that expressed an interest in my daughters eye exam, she is getting glasses,which we will pick up after school today. i will post details then for those interested. Again thank you all for taking trouble to reply to my posts and offer valued assistance.

minus 5 who luvs gwgs 29 Nov 2010, 06:37

Hope your daughter is ok I had to wear them from 8 years old but I must admit that girls with glasses have a huge attraction for me and many other men so tell her not to worry at all and enjoy 20/20 vision

Gwen 29 Nov 2010, 01:08

If she needs glasses, she will be first in the family to get them. I only have the one child, but her Dad and myself both have good eyesight. Over the weekend we have both been telling her, if she does need to wear glasses its not a big deal, i have pointed out lots of celebrity people who use them. I think she is accepting she may be a young lady with specs soon. While i know she is worried about this morning, i dont think she feels as bad as when i first told her we had an appointment. I will post later tonight or in day to let you know how we got on. Again thanks for interest and help

lentifan 28 Nov 2010, 11:17

Gwen

Judging from what I see of school age girls in this country (UK), I will be surprised if she does not take readily to wearing glasses. Firstly because she will undoubtedly see much better with them - she will realise what she has been missing. Also, while it may depend on her immediate friends, many young ladies nowadays seem very happy to wear glasses as part of a fashion statement.

I would be less confident with a boy - there seems to be an anti-intellectual, macho culture amongst teenage boys and young males here which might discourage glasses-wearing.

Let us know how you (both) get on.

Cactus Jack 28 Nov 2010, 10:55

Gwen,

Somewhere about 10 or 11 is when myopia (medical name for short or near sightedness) begins to show up. When I was that age, living in South Texas, having to wear glasses meant that you had "Weak Eyes" and were somehow defective. You had to take a lot of teasing, some of which was not good natured. Fortunately, these days we have an enlightened view of young people needing correction for refractive errors and it has nothing to do with strength or weakness of one's eyes and there is no stigma.

Hopefully, there are others in her class who wear glasses so she will not be the only one. If she is the first, it probably will not be long before she has company.

Does anyone in your family wear glasses?

C.

Gwen 28 Nov 2010, 08:10

Cactus Jack. Thank you very much for your helpful reply, it was kind of you. My daughter is just 11 years of age.

And if i will let you know how she gets on, its the least i can do after you have all been so kind.

Cactus Jack 28 Nov 2010, 06:16

Gwen,

You absolutely should not feel guilty about not noticing that your daughter is perhaps short sighted. Millions of parents the world over have experienced the same thing when they discovered that their child cannot see well. Short sightedness occurs very gradually over a period of years and a person gets used to seeing in a certain way and has nothing to compare it to. They think however they see is "normal".

Even if they notice it, it is rare that they will even mention it because of possible peer pressure and the thought of being "different" because they need glasses and being teased because of it, can be pretty hard to take at any age.

I can suggest some very simple tests using a book or newspaper and a common tape measure to get an approximate idea of her prescription, but because the eye exam is tomorrow, she is under enough pressure and apprehension about the exam to make the situation more difficult for her face.

One thing you can reassure her about is that an eye exam is absolutely painless. Fundamentally, you just sit in a chair and often look through a machine and tell the examiner what letters you can read, while he/she tries different lenses to see if they help you see better. Many times, glasses are not prescribed, but I suspect they will be for your daughter.

As Aubrac said, many optical chains will try to pressure you into expensive frames, ultra thin lenses and various options like anti-reflective coatings. I don't believe you have mentioned your daughter'a age, but glasses for teens and pre-teens are like shoes, It is likely that she will need a different Rx in 6 months to a year so don't buy more than she needs. Sometimes, if the first Rx is pretty strong, the examiner will suggest less than full correction for a few months and then getting full correction. The only options I can suggest for a young person is an anti-scratch and UV coatings if they are offered. Many optical shops offer anti-scratch and UV coatings as standard at no additional cost. Also, be sure and ask about any warranty. Some opticians offer to make new lenses within one year if the Rx changes at no charge.

Please let us know how the exam comes out and don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions about it. If you have any questions, please provide the full prescription with sphere, cylinder and axis for each eye.

C.

Gwen 28 Nov 2010, 05:19

Thangs for that Aubrac, I was feeling guilty after reading when people said I should have noticed. The fact she was having problems never occured to me. I did tell her once or twice she sat close to the TV but she said she could sit anywhere and see it but liked the chair close to it. I asked her what a bus number was yesterday, and she could not tell me, so i think the teacher was correct to advise me to get her eyes tested. She is not happy we are going, but i have told her, we dont know yet if she will need glasses, I Did not tell her i was sure she would after reading replies here. Thanks to all for advice and comments

Aubrac 28 Nov 2010, 04:06

Gwen

It was some time ago but I remember when at age 14 my sister was made to go for an eyetest. Like your daughter she could not see the board from the front row and admitted she couldn't see the ball when playing hockey.

No one in the family including cousins, uncles, etc, wore glasses and so I don't think my parents suspected anything was wrong.

If your daughter is short-sighted she will stll be able to read easily and see the text on a mobile phone.

SpecSavers do have quite a good range of reasonably priced frames but don't be bullied into buying them there. You are quite entitled to ask for a copy of the prescription and then go any other dispensing opticien to get glasses.

Gwen 28 Nov 2010, 01:40

On questioning my daughter further, she admits she always copied from the girl/boy sat next to her. All will be revealed on monday, as she has a visit to specsavers scheduled for 11am. I will know one way or another if she is shortsighted and to what degree

Andrew 27 Nov 2010, 13:08

As a teacher, I know there are certain children who struggle to read the board. Given the opportunity to raise the issue with parents, I always do so (I have not been wrong yet!), although I do not go out of my way to seek that opportunity. However, whatever I may spot as a teacher is like a blunt instrument in comparison with what an optometrist can discover, and I am certainly no better than the old-fashioned school nurse-led sight tests. Thanks to what I have learned from ES over the years, I am also starting to ask questions of those who claim to have a headache; more often than not I discover they "used to" wear glasses or have never had their eyes properly tested, and this week will welcome my first hyperope into class (i.e. I intimated I thought she needed glasses; she went and got her eyes tested, and will be duly bespectacled later this week).

One thing which is not so easy to spot is the myope who relies on his/her neighbour for the work...

Julian 27 Nov 2010, 10:34

Thinking back to my own schooldays, I can remember two boys in the senior years of high school who couldn't read the board from the front row. One was in my class, the other a couple of years senior. In neither case did any teacher take any action; they were both given letters to take home after the biennial medical check. The one in my class, who was an aircraft freak, carried a pair of binoculars around and was known to use those to read what was on the board ::)

John L 27 Nov 2010, 08:16

Hansel

I find your comments about teachers interesting as I have been in both positions. As a school student who probably needed glasses from around 13 and now as a teacher. I gradually moved to the front adopting variuous strategies including pressing the the side of my eyelid which forced one of my myopic eyes to focus and I could just about make out the board in the end.

I actually managed to get by until I was around 20 and in the second year of a degree course by then I decided I wanted to take a teaching certificate. However, to get on the teacher training course a comprehensive medical was required and I knew I would get found out. So went and had my eyes checked - first rx was -6.00 right and -5.75 left! Though this might have been a slight over correction as I am now on -5.00 / -4.75 with some cylinder correction.

I had coped for seven years. I often wondered how I managed this.

As a teacher I now work in a special needs school thus classes are smaller and one is able to pick up on things and have on quite a few occasions over the years referred certain children to the mentors who liase with parents over health matters. In bigger schools I think teachers can be rather distracted and perhaps don't consider it their role to spot vision problems. Mine didn't in the 1970s.

John

Hansel 27 Nov 2010, 07:02

Nor wishing to criticise anyone in the teaching profession, but if the child had already been moved to the front row, why wait until the girl was having difficulty in that position?

I think most teachers know and alert parents when they notice any indicators.

myopeinhere 27 Nov 2010, 04:19

Sounds like she is shortsighted,the optician will be able to tell weather she needs to wear glasses full time,she won't need them for reading but distance stuff yes,all depends on the prescription,and without knowing that can't really say.

Gwen 27 Nov 2010, 01:40

I am new to this site and am ended up here researching short sight. I have received a letter from my daughters teacher, stating she thinks she ought to have an eye exam.

I asked why, as she has never complained, and she told me, for some time she has had to move closer to the front of the class to read the blackboard, and now seems to have problems sitting in front row. This she said, was indications that my daughter may be short sighted. I spoke to my daughter who just brushed it off, and said she could see fine. but i have pointed out things and she could no see them, and now attention has been drawn to the fact, i notice she sits quite close to the tv in her bedroom. Bottom line is i have booked an eye exam for her next week.

To any more experienced people in here, does she have symptons of short sight, and will she need glasses all the time or just reading. thanks for letting me ask thsed questions.

Cactus Jack 26 Nov 2010, 13:44

Jan,

The fatigue is not psychological, it is very real. The real culprit is your astigmatism which affects your vision at all distances.

There is no internal way for your eyes to compensate for astigmatism, it has to be done externally with glasses (preferred), toric contacts, or in some instances by refractive surgery. Even though it is an impossible taks, your visual system (mostly your brain) is trying to provide the best vision possible at the expenditure of a lot of energy, thus the fatigue.

C.

Jan 26 Nov 2010, 10:55

Thanks for the reply aubrac.

I am aged 33 and previously had weaker specs of L+o.75 and r 0.5which to be fair did little. I have had current prescription for 8 month but only wear them in the house. However i do notice that i come in from work feeling really tired and when i put specs on i generally feel less tired. I dont know if thats a psychological feeling as pleased to finish work or wether it is caused by eyes working too hard. Also, on weekends i do notice a difference in tiredness when not wearing specs. I wouldnt have thought my current prescription should make such a difference in terms of fatigue.

Aubrac 26 Nov 2010, 02:54

Jan

It depends on what your ciliary muscles are trying to do. If you have not worn glasses for long, the muscles will still try and compensate to accommodate hyperopia resulting in over-correction and a degree of blur. After wearing them for a while the muscles relax and allow the glasses to do the work, then distance is clear and your eyes don't get tired.

The astigmatism in one eye can also cause tiredness as in one plane anything far or near will be blurred, and there is nothing your eye can do to accommodate this.

Can I ask your age group, if this is the first pair of glasses, and how long you have had them?

Jan 25 Nov 2010, 00:33

Hi all,

Just wondering after previous poster commented abou tplus lenses sharpening things up that are 6 feet away.i also find this to be the case. My script is +1.25 with -1.00 astigmatim in one. I do not understand why my script improves vision as i take items further away. Another interesting point is that my eyes feel really tired when i do not wear my specs and after wearing them for a full day my eyes are able to see all distance fairly well. However next time i wear them distance is blurry.

Ps. I do not like wearing them in public.

Soundmanpt 24 Nov 2010, 11:00

Joannie

Were you able to get an eye exam appointment for this week?

Aubrac 24 Nov 2010, 09:41

remi

CJ is quite right, your wife will find reading easier also seeing destination boards, signs, etc, at distance.

Suggest she tries a week full time and review things after that.

Cactus Jack 23 Nov 2010, 21:30

remi,

Your wife has a very mild Rx. She is very slightly hyperopic as indicated by the +0.25 sphere correction in each eye which is dominated by the astigmatism correction of L cylinder -0.75, axis 5 degrees and R cylinder -0.50, axis 175 degrees.

Normally, at 37 she should be able to deal with the very slight hyperopia internally, without glasses. However, astigmatism causes blurring at all distances. I suspect she will find wearing glasses full time to be very comfortable. Particularly, if she is reading or is involved in any activity that requires very clear vision. The key thing is that she must make that decision, but you can encourage her by a few sincere complements and a few sincere questions about comfort and ease of reading text at all distances.

The small motion sickness effect will disappear in a few days. Her brain has to get used to not processing the distorted images it was dealing with before she got glasses.

Be patient, time is on your side. Let it work for you.

C.

remi 23 Nov 2010, 17:28

my wife just got a new pair of glasses, she is a first time wearer and she complained of a motion sickness affect while wearing them.

She is 37 and her prescription is L +0.25 -0.75 5 R+0.25 -0.50 175 any explaination of her scrip would be appreciated thanks,as i am hoping she will become dependant on her glasses.

Aubrac 22 Nov 2010, 14:38

Carrie

Your prescription is the same as my wife's first one at age 36. She had two increases within the first year and another about eighteen months later, so you could well be due for another one now.

This seems to be the norm with latent hyperopia which after a few increases in the first two years then seems to stabilise. It is often said that wearing glasses FT for this earlier does diminish the need for stronger glasses later although how true this is I don't know.

Carrie 22 Nov 2010, 11:32

Soundmanpt

I shall be looking into buying another pair soon, hopefully before Christmas. I've only tried short periods of time without my glasses so I don't know how I'd get on without them.

Yes I do enjoy wearing my glasses as much as I thought I would. I like the feel of them on my face and the lovely clear vision they give me for reading. I actually like the vision they give me at all distances even though far distances don't seem clearer or blurrier - just different in a good way. Watching a tv 6-10 feet away is better with glasses than without I've noticed. I don't really know why I always wanted to wear glasses. I'd guess it's a similar reason that some people get tattoos (although I haven't heard of anyone actually needing a tattoo like someone would need glasses!). When I was younger I had a pair of fake glasses I would wear occasionally just to look different, like wearing a piece of jewellery. I never pretended that they were real as anyone who tried them on would instantly find out. So I was quite honest if someone asked about them - I would tell them they were fake but I was wearing them because I liked the way they looked on me. A few of my school friends at the time did the same. One of them ended up needing real glasses and managed to get some in a similar style to her fake ones. I lost my fake ones and never replaced them as I couldn't find any the same or that I liked. I wasn't going to buy real frames with fake lenses as they were too expensive.

I was thinking that if my friend's prescription is basically double mine it's possible she's needed glasses longer than me even though we're close in age. Also, I've read that there's a good chance that our eyesight could change gradually until we're in our mid 20s. So it's possible or likely that stronger glasses could be needed in the next few years? After trying my friend's glasses I think I should have been prescribed stronger glasses - not as strong as hers perhaps but stronger that what I've got. It was the super-intense clear reading they gave me that made me think that unless it's just because they magnified everything more than mine that gave me the impression I could have got stronger glasses.

Soundmanpt 21 Nov 2010, 12:11

Carrie

Well not surprising that your friend now has trouble focusing up close without her glasses. Her eyes have now gotten used to having the glasses on for close work and don't like it when she tries to read without them. Because her distance vision is fine without correction and because she doesn't seem to enjoy wearing glasses that much she will probably not be going full time anytime soon. But she needs her glasses a lot more than you need yours for reading. Probably a good idea for both of you to get a second pair. She would find it more difficult than you to get by now for reading and you would do fine without glasses if you had to, but because you wear your full time you would surely miss them.

Just curious, I know this girl friend likely wishes she didn't need glasses at all so we won't go there,I know you said you always wanted glasses, do you enjoy wearing glasses as much as you thought you would?

Carrie 20 Nov 2010, 14:09

I was with my friend with the reading glasses today and she mentioned that she now has a lot more trouble focussing up close without her glasses than she did before she got them. She's worried that her eyes are getting worse and she won't be able to cope without them (but still has no intention of wearing them all the time). I think she overreacting a bit. She is going to get a 2nd pair of glasses in case she loses or breaks her existing ones. I'll probably do that myself too.

We tried on each others glasses. She hasn't tried mine since she got hers. She said mine are better than no glasses but noticeably not quite strong enough. She was surprised that there was no distance blur with my glasses (maybe she's getting used to distances with hers without realising). When I put her glasses on I found that close up was intensely clear (almost too much) and I got the same distance blur as when I first got mine.

Julian 20 Nov 2010, 09:15

Right - the HFW look sounds good!

Myopeinhere 20 Nov 2010, 08:41

Well thanks for the magnificent explanation cactus,it's all sorted out now, took about 6 or 7 hours,mow I've put the contacts back in it's not as bad.

Julian I went for the Hugh Fearnley Whittinstall? Ones as I like those,must look ok as I've had some nice comments today,why did I ever bother with contacts,mind you the power rings seem more noticeable but I kinda like them.

Cactus Jack 20 Nov 2010, 08:21

myopeinhere,

Julian is right that what you are experiencing is one of the effects of vertex distance, Another thing involved is distortion effects of lenses that increase as the Rx increases in either minus or plus lenses. It is normal and it will go away in a few days with only -5.00 in your glasses.

It is possible that you also experienced some mild dizziness caused by a difference in the apparent rate of of image motion as you move your head. Again, related to vertex distance caused minification or magnification of images on the retina.

Dizziness and nausea similar to motion sickness can also be caused by sudden large changes in image size on the retina. The balance system, eye positioning system, and the focus control system (ciliary muscle control system) are all interconnected in the brain. People with high Rx often experience some of these symptoms when going from contacts to glasses or glasses to contacts. The higher the Rx, the more pronounced the symptoms, severity varies with the individual.

The time required for the brain to reprogram itself to compensate for a big change in visual input of any type is related to the magnitude of the change and the individual. Curiously, the brain seems to be able to store different "programs". Once the brain has learned to compensate for several different conditions (eg. with glasses, with contacts, or no correction) it seems to be able to "load" the correct compensation program very quickly with no apparent adverse symptoms.

C.

Julian 20 Nov 2010, 07:10

Yes, I think it is normal. I'm a hyperope myself but when I've tried on minus glasses I've noticed everything rushing across the field of view. No doubt Cactus will be able to explain that this is an effect of the vertex distance (which of course was zero with your contacts). So did you go for the semi-rimless or the bold plastic? They both seem to be quite the 'in' thing these days.

myopeinhere 20 Nov 2010, 04:29

Picked the glasses up today,-5 in 1.72 hi-index,specsavers did a good job,nice small FCUK frames,I'm well impressed witht them,

Only slight hiccup is everything is moving around when i try and move my head,presume this is normal

Like lenses 18 Nov 2010, 18:45

Joannie,

Saw you were just here. Please go to Lens Chat.

Joannie 18 Nov 2010, 18:40

OK I get the message. I don't know how strong hers are. I am trying for an appointment early next week. Will let you know.

antonio 18 Nov 2010, 16:11

By the way Joannie, do you know how strong those glasses were you wore driving at night ?

best regards, antonio

antonio 18 Nov 2010, 16:09

Hi Joannie,

if you couldn´t easily read in them nearby it might be that those glasses you wore are a little strong for your eyes, but from what you wrote about seeing far in them, it sounds as your eyes could well need a little help to read in distance and so on. I guess you think the same.

cu another time in here or in lenschat, bye

 18 Nov 2010, 13:55

post deleted - orphaned reply

filthy animal 18 Nov 2010, 12:37

post deleted - troll

Soundmanpt 18 Nov 2010, 11:33

Joannie

Well your driving experiment went like I thought it might. There is no doubt that a light prescription would be a benefit to you for at the least night driving. As you said you could still manage without, but why not see the best you can for safety sake. Remember your friends glasses are a very light prescription and your eyes are not that bad so the difference is not going to be huge for you but as you say you could easily tell the difference in how you could see signs. It is clear you became very comfortable wearing the glasses as you even forgot you were wearing them when you went into a store. Not surprising that they didn't seem to make much difference in watching TV. Your vision is still very good for shorter distances. In most cases the TV is only a few feet away. Also being harder to read a book with them is normal as well. Her glasses are for distance so not really needed for close things such as reading. However at the computer your friend and you would likely find that glasses may be better.

When you get your glasses you should wear them for driving, at sporting events and other distance things. Or if you choose you can wear them full time, that is up to you. How long has the girl that you borrowed the glasses from had glasses? I would bet less than a year? Have you asked her when and what she wears them for?

You may not be thrilled with the idea of getting glasses, but you didn't seem to have any trouble trying them? I'm sure you will be telling everyone at work how it went so they will expect to see you with glasses in the near future.

Be sure to tell the doctor about your test you did. Like any other doctor it really helps if you tell the doctor things to start with and not make him/her have to try and find a problem. At the very least you have night blindness, that means you may be able to see the 20/20 line but need correction for night driving. When you order glasses be sure to add the AR coat (anti-reflective) as this cuts glare. i would say you will be given a rx of -.50 to -.75.

Everyone in here will be asking you this, be sure to get a copy of your prescription.

shakes 18 Nov 2010, 00:00

Joannie, really didn't have any idea that you have needed glasses before?

shakes 17 Nov 2010, 23:59

Joannie, really didn't have any idea that you have needed glasses before?

shakes 17 Nov 2010, 23:59

Joannie, really didn't have any idea that you have needed glasses before?

Like lenses 17 Nov 2010, 22:42

Meredith F,

That is a lot of astigmatism correction,and I agree with the others that you will find yourself wanting to wear them all the time.

That amount of myopic correction would not be considered that much,but for cylinder it certainly is.

You will most likely find the glasses will at first give you some rather strange visual sensations,like things that are straight,will at first look curved,but you will quickly adjust to this and will definitely enjoy your new vision.

When will you be getting the new glasses?

Like lenses 17 Nov 2010, 21:47

Joannie,

It sounds like the prescription is close to but not exactly what you need.

When was the last time you had an eye exam?

Are you planning on trying to get an appointment tomorrow?

Joannie 17 Nov 2010, 20:28

Well I drove home tonight and it was interesting. The glasses made things a bit sharper, especially smaller print on signs in the distance, but I could certainly easily manage without them. I stopped in a shop to pick something up, and forgot I was wearing them..didn't realize it till I got back to the car. All in all I wore them for about 1 1/2 hours. When I took them off I did notice a difference in clarity...worse without. Can't comment on the brightness factor as it was dark. I wore them a bit in the house, again they made things seem to be a bit bigger and larger as I put them on, but they made no difference for TV. I couldn't easily read with them..had to take them off. I guess I will have to make the dreaded call tomorrow.

Cactus Jack 17 Nov 2010, 19:18

Meredeth F,

Based on your Rx, you have mild myopia (sphere correction) with moderate astigmatism (cylinder correction). If you only had mild myopia, you might find glasses very helpful for driving, TV or Cinema, and other tasks that involve distance vision, particularly at night. However, you have enough astigmatism to cause blurring and visual fatigue at all distances.

For comfort in all situations, you should probably wear them all the time, but as always, the choice is up to you, unless you are involved in activity where poor vision could endanger others. If vanity is a concern, your friends are probably already aware that you need vision correction because they have probably seen you squinting to read distant text.

You should not worry about becoming dependent on vision correction, you already are. There is no natural or internal way for you to compensate for astigmatism. It requires external correction either with glasses or toric contact lenses.

My suggestion would be to wear the glasses full time for a minimum of two weeks to get used to seeing very well. After that, you can decide when you should wear them. One nice thing about wearing glasses full time, is that you rarely misplace them, sit on them, or break them.

Please let us know ho you get on.

May I ask your occupation?

C.

Meredith F 17 Nov 2010, 18:37

Hi,

I recently got a new prescription for glasses. I got my first glasses when I was in my late teens (i'm 22 now) or so but never really wore them and have lost them since. I noticed my vision becoming a bit blurrier so I went to the optometrist and got a rx of the following:

R: Sph -.25 Cyl -1.75

L Sph -.50 Cyl -1.25

The doctor seemed kinda vague when stating how often to wear them but is this a rx u need to wear all the time? Will i become dependent on them? Thanks!

Cactus jack 17 Nov 2010, 10:10

Joannie,

The radial bars or lines are a test for Astigmatism and the only way to find out how much is an eye exam. Unlike myopia (nearsightedness) or hyperopia (farsightedness), Astigmatism affect clarity of vision at all distances and you have no way to internally correct it. It particularly causes fatigue when reading text at any distance.

Vision actually occurs in the brain and the eyes are merely biological cameras. The primary reason you may not have noticed any blurring it is that the brain, without your being aware of it, will select the clearest image as the basis for for what you see and ignore a blurry image from the other eye.

C.

Joannie 17 Nov 2010, 07:25

VERY interesting test! Firstly, I drove in today and thought my vision pretty good. I could see signs and detail ok.

I did the test. While I passed the first part, with the letters, I noticed that one eye showed the white background brighter than the other. On the second test, with the "spokes" one eye saw them equally dark, but the other showed the more vertical definitely darker. I wonder what that means. The rest all seemed ok. I will try to borrow hers for the drive home..a bit anxious about this. Thanks again for the input!

Like lenses 17 Nov 2010, 03:09

Joannie, Thought you may want to try this series of online eye tests. Let us know the results.

http://eyeexamonline.com/exam-right-eye_what-letters-are-clear.html

Like lenses 17 Nov 2010, 01:26

Joannie,

That sensation of brightness as you describe it is a feeling that every nearsighted person likes. Every time we put our glasses on it is such a great feeling to see so sharp,and with every new prescription it it very intense.

I always get glasses -.50 stronger than needed, to get a sharper,but smaller image. most of us like getting new glasses for this intense vision when they are new.

Things like leaves,and slall branchs on trees,bricks on building, and nails in wood just leap out at you with new minus glasses.

Like lenses 16 Nov 2010, 18:55

Joannie,

You have all of the classic symptoms of the beginning of adult myopia. This is now very common with those that do a lot of computer work.

Whenever there is distance blur after close work,even if it goes away,it is a sign of myopia. Also at your age, 12 inches for reading is too close. It should be about 14.

Prior to getting glasses,I thought that my vision was fine,but my eyes did get blurred after I would read,and then look into the distance.After a few minutes the blur would clear up, but at that point I began to think that I may need glasses.I tried reading glasses,but the same blur happened.

I got my first minus glasses at 38, and they were -.75 each eye.I still remember that with them on ,if I went to read at the distance of about 11 inches which I was accustomed to that I had to move the reading material out to about fourteen inches to see it clearly. The amazing thing that sticks in my mind is how much detail of peoples faces I could see that were walking on the sidewalk,when I drove home from the appointment with my glasses on. For these reasons I wore the first pair most of the day,and only removed them on occasion at home. About a year later pretty much the same symptoms developed even if I wore the glasses full time.

I returned to the optometrist for another exam,and the prescription doubled to - 1.50 each eye. I continued to wear glasses full time,and my prescription is now -4.50,but I usually wear an over correction of -5.00 for sharper vision.

It is OK to try your friends glasses out, but you really should get tested,and get the proper prescription for your eyes.If you live in the U.S. I would suggest you make an appointment at a place like Lenscrafters, or a place that can make your new glasses right away. I would also suggest that you make that appointment right after work, so that your eyes are in the state that they usually are after the computer use.You will get a much more accurate prescription that way.

Soundmanpt 16 Nov 2010, 18:34

Joannie

It does happen often that people go in thinking their fine and come away needing correction.

Soundmanpt 16 Nov 2010, 18:32

Joannie

Computer work can be very hard on the eyes and often leads to nearsightedness. One good thing is it seems your co-workers are thinking you will be given glasses so the best part about that is because most people have their biggest problem wearing their glasses in front of people at work or school. Now if you do need glasses that won't surprise anyone at work, in fact it sounds like they will be more surprised if you don't need glasses.

I am curious, if she lets you borrow her glasses, what is she going to use? Does she have a second pair? Maybe she isn't driving?

If you will be using them overnight and they do make a difference you should plan on doing more things out, like maybe shopping, and keep the glasses on. By the end of the evening you should have apretty good idea if you will be getting glasses or not.

Joannie 16 Nov 2010, 17:16

Like Lenses wrote:

Do you do a lot of close work,or spend a lot of time on a computer? Fair amount of time on the computer which is about 20" away.

After doing close work,when you look off into the distance,do you have any blur? Often but it clears up.

How close to your eyes do you hold reading material like books,or newspapers? 12" or so

When driving,and you look at someone walking on the sidewalk,can you see their face clearly? I think so, never paid much attention to this.

How far do you normally sit from a television? Across the room

What is your age? 36

Have you ever thought that you need glasses? No! I am a bit taken aback that this morning we were just "playing around" and several people here think glasses might be prescribed.

Interesting that I never gave it much thought until now. Can't say I would look forward to wearing or "needing" eyeglasses, having made it this far without. I wonder how often it is that a person goes for an eye exam thinking their vision is ok, and then find out they need help?

When Like Lenses first got the glasses (that made things bigger)how old were you? Was the prescription a surprise? How strong were they and how long did it take you to go full time?

If she doesn't need the glasses tomorrow night I will try to borrow them. I don't really want to wear them around the office here as I think I would be self conscious, so might have to walk around a bit outside before driving home. Thanks for all the advice.

Like lenses 16 Nov 2010, 15:14

Joannie,

A few questions for you.

Do you do a lot of close work,or spend a lot of time on a computer?

After doing close work,when you look off into the distance,do you have any blur?

How close to your eyes do you hold reading material like books,or newspapers?

When driving,and you look at someone walking on the sidewalk,can you see their face clearly?

How far do you normally sit from a television?

What is your age?

Have you ever thought that you need glasses?

Like lenses 16 Nov 2010, 14:14

Joannie

People that are nearsighted do experience the sensation of things coming in closer as they put on glasses.

I can very vividly remember that sensation,when getting my first pair of minus glasses.Now after many stronger prescriptions I find it to be a comforting sensation to see the world come in closer, and as you stated brighter,as I slip on my glasses each morning.

Yes,as you hold minus glasses away from your eyes things appear smaller,but as they get closer to your eyes the smaller images become clearer,so it could seem like the images get larger,which they really are not. This is also a typical sensation for a new wearer when the glasses are not real strong. With stronger prescriptions this is not as noticeable.

I agree with what the other posters have said about the drivers vision test.

My guess is that you are slightly nearsighted,and your prescription will be anywhere between minus .75,to 1.25.

Soundmanpt 16 Nov 2010, 13:17

Joannie

First off many people sue the driver's vision test to determine if they need glasses or not, the problem is that they don't care if your vision is perfect (20/20) only good enough to see 20/40. They only test you for 20/40. You are correct that if things look smaller when you move them away from your eyes they are minus glasses. If she will let you try them for driving, best if after dark, that may give you a better idea of whether or not you need glasses. Just a suggestion, you should maybe wear them for about 15 min. before you go driving off to give your eyes a chance to focus. Even at work a good test is to go to an outside window with signs in the distance. First focus on a sign the farthest away that you can read and then try her glasses and see if you can see it better and clearer, that should be a pretty good indicator.

You never said how long it has been since you had a real eye exam, if it is more than a year or so an exam is due anyway.

Not surprising that the first glasses you tried were too strong if it is her 4th pair that means she has likely had 3 increases since her first pair. Be glad you couldn't see well with hers or you would be looking at full time wear yourself.

If you find you need glasses will you be okay with it or reluctant to wear them?

Let us know how driving with glasses goes for you.

Joannie 16 Nov 2010, 12:20

I didn't really think that I might need glasses. 3 months back I renewed my driver's license and passed the vision part.

When I looked through the weaker glasses things looked jumped a bit closer and larger, but if I held the glasses away from my face things were quite smaller, so I think she was correct that she is nearsighted. The other girl with the too strong glasses told me this is already her 4th (and strongest) pair and she is full time. As the girl with the weaker pair is not full time, maybe I can borrow them some day and try them while driving to see if there is a difference. Still curious to know why a minus lens would make things appear a bit larger. After what you all responded to my post I am thinking of getting a real eye exam (even though I don't look forward to the result)but want to try her weaker pair first for a longer time, maybe while driving.

Andrew 16 Nov 2010, 12:09

It is always possible that the girl with the weaker pair of glasses is actually longsighted, but has confused it with being shortsighted as she needs them to help her see short distances. This might also explain the difference.

Soundmanpt 16 Nov 2010, 09:50

Joanie

I agree with "Like Lenses" it would be a good idea to get an eye exam in the near future. It sounds like the second pair made distance clearer and sharper. A word often used by someone not knowing they need glasses is "brighter" By any chance did you try to focus on maybe a sign out the window? The best way to test yourself with someones glasses that are minus is looking as far as you can see with and without the glasses. It is unlikely that both girls will know their rxs. I assume the girl with new glasses must have had glasses and this is a new rx for her and she wears them full time? How much does the girl with the weaker glasses wear hers? Did she say if they are mainly for driving etc? Like lenses is correct that astigmatism correction would make things more fuzzy for you even with a weak rx. Do you have any problems with driving at night? Getting an eye exam sounds like a good idea, and you might even tell the doctor about seeing better with a friends glasses. It may help him check a little closer.

Like lenses 16 Nov 2010, 08:30

Joannie,

It sounds to me like you may need glasses.

If the weaker pair gave you clear distant vision but seemed to enlarge the image, the glasses may have some astigmatism correction in them.

See if you can find out the prescription of both pair,and post them here.

When was the last time you had an eye exam, and how do you feel about the possibility that you may need glasses?

Joannie 16 Nov 2010, 07:47

A girl in our office got new glasses, and passed them around for us to try on. I don't wear glasses. When I tried hers on everything looked a bit smaller and a bit fuzzy..very uncomfortable and I could feel my eyes straining to try to focus. Another girl then told me to try hers as they weren't so strong. They made things in the distance jump a bit closer, larger, and brighter. If both of them are nearsighted and wear minus glasses, why did one pair make things smaller and the other make things bigger for me?

Aubrac 14 Nov 2010, 11:48

Don't know if this is the right thread but anyway. Although a great GWG fan wear contacts most of the time.

I have had some rimless glasses for many years but recently one of the pins snapped so time for a new pair. I bought some on ebay, from the pic they seemed to have a fair amount of plus and when I got them found I could see quite well but rather blurred with the left eye.

I emailed the seller who said she too wears contacts most of the time too and asked for the scrip. She said she was now R -6.00 L -6.50 but her glasses were a few years old with a previous scrip.

I am -5.00 both eyes and reckon they are R-5.25 L -5.75 which is why I can't accommodate well enough with the left to see clearly. However I am persevering and think I can manage to use them without changing the lenses.

myopeinhere 11 Nov 2010, 16:55

Been wearing contacts for 25 years now,think its about time to give it a rest,

I'm dark haired,so might go for the black bold ones,trouble is it's specsavers,a well known uk everywhere chain so we'll see

Clare 11 Nov 2010, 15:47

Myopeinhere - congratulations on taking a brave decision! Why are you finding contacts such a hassle all of a sudden? There are lots of great frames around for guys at the moment, what is your colouring? For dark-greying silver/grey or black can look really good, if you're fairer I think light browns can look good too. Only thing I find with rimless or similar is that they do absolutely nothing as a feature and can look really bland. They're much easier to wear though and that might be a consideration as those of us who are habitual contacts wearers probably would have more of an issue with heavier frames. Let us know what you choose!

glassesforeveryone 11 Nov 2010, 09:00

an interesting article (don't expect too much - it is the Mirror!) about Phil "The Power" Taylor getting glasses

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/more-sport/darts/2010/11/11/the-specs-factor-115875-22708063/

Myopeinhere 11 Nov 2010, 06:52

Well,here we go,finally taking the plunge and binning the contacts,just to fiiddly and troublesome,booked in for eye check and then some specs,last check couple of years ago was -4.25 so what's everyones choice of frame for a miiddle aged bloke,quite like the semi-rimless and with 1.67 hi-index the lens thickness won't be a problem or should I go bold plastic,decisions,decisions,open to offers on all the above!

xvaman 09 Nov 2010, 09:42

Are there any others like me out there,i wear -1.5 contacts and started to wear glasses over them,but now i have removed the contacts and wear just + 10 glasses which makes my vision very out of focus although very close up i can read but getting about is difficult i have now bought a white cane online and found using this gives me the confidence to walk about without taking off the + glasses,am i alone by wanting to be'blind'?

Steve

Soundmanpt 09 Nov 2010, 09:16

specs4ever - Yes it is very much like the principle of mono vision contact lens. That is why I said she may have had this vision problem for years. Not sure why she found a need for glasses now, but if she has adjusted to glasses she may feel more of a need now?

specs4ever 08 Nov 2010, 21:31

Actually, a person who is shortsighted in one eye and longsighted in the other eye is generally more inclined to throw their glasses away and just use the shortsighted eye for close up and the longsighted eye for distance. At least that is what I did from the age of about 14 on. Whenever I first got glasses at about 18 the plus prescription lowered my distance vision in that eye, and the minus prescription didn't seem to get me to the same clarity that I had before I put the glasses on. So there was absolutely no desire to wear the glasses

Soundmanpt 08 Nov 2010, 15:43

Carrie - About what I said on both your friends, it was very likely that the girl that had one eye short sighted and the other long sighted would quickly find she really needs to wear them all the time once she got them and started wearing them. I'm sure when she would try and go without them she was really struggling to focus properly. Funny how she was probably like that for a while and never seemed to make much out of it, but once she saw things the way they should look it was all over and she had no choice. The other girl with the stronger rx for reading than you not surprising that she would prefer to only wear them for close things. I'm sure distance things are much more blurry for her than they were for. If she wanted to wear glasses full time she would have to work at getting used to the blur for a while until it would clear up for her, but since she doesn't sound like you about wanting to wear glasses full time she will be happy to only use them when needed. I'm sure she can see short distances with them, but not very far. If she ever works at a job where close work is needed she likely would slowly find it easier and easier to keep them on more and more.

Carrie 08 Nov 2010, 13:34

Just a little update-

I am totally used to my glasses now. It feels weird if I don't wear them. Distances might be very slightly better with them but it's very difficult to tell.

The friend who is shortsighted in one eye and longsighted in the other said her prescription is -0.75 in her right eye and +1.00 in her left. She has got used to her glasses now. She did try just wearing them occasionally but felt uncoordinated and had trouble judging distances (I presume that is because of the very different prescription in each eye, which she is now used to). She came to the conclusion that she'd be better off wearing them all the time. As I said before she wasn't that bothered about getting glasses but she had hoped to be able to wear them as she pleased.

The other friend who got glasses for reading keeps them on the top of her head most of the time. A couple of times I've seen her walking around wearing them properly even though she said she wouldn't wear them except when she needed them! She says she can actually see distances with them but far distances are out of focus. She still has no inclination to wear them more often.

Crystal Veil 03 Nov 2010, 06:04

Leon - my experience so far is that opticians are helpful if I need minor repairs for glasses in my collection and some of them are fascinated when they see some of my old, strong glasses. But they merely look at them with the eyes of the craftsman, if you know what I mean. None of the half dozen invited opticians showed up at the opening of my exhibition either. Some saw me with the glasses on television and when I came back to their shop to return a pair that I borrowed from them for a picture in a newspaper, they exclaimed, there's the man who has more glasses than we have in our shop! They liked the attention the glasses received in the TV programme, but they keep it at that. However, I'm sure that there are opticians with an "Eye Scene" interest. I got a few intersting "leads" from a visitor at the opening and I intend to visit the opticians he mentioned. I will let you know if anything interesting comes out of that. Or you can contact me at rob.ahoewa@gmail.com if you wish

Leon 03 Nov 2010, 03:49

@ChrystalVeil: I'd love to know a Dutch optician who could help me out every now and then. One who shares the same love for (minus) lenses :)

Soundmanpt 02 Nov 2010, 12:35

Clare - Yes! Remember I told you about Zenni a good while ago? Take some time and have a look at what they offer. You will find that they offer thousands for under $25.00 and that is complete including AR coating. The first thing to do is get an idea of what size frame you need. The best way to do this is for you to take a pair of your glasses that fit the best on you. Then measure in millimeters the face portion from outside left to outside right. When you have this number, it is referred to as overall wideth, then proceeed to pick frames you like that are near that same size as yours. For example if your frames are 130 mm then find frames that are near that size and they will fit perfect on you. I have been ordering glasses form Zenni for more than 7 years and have found them to be very good quality and the rxs is always perfect. If you don't mind I will suggest a couple of styles that are very popular with the young ladies. Look at frame #33517 it is a small plastic rectangle frame that is burgundy outside with hot pink on the inside and a touch of the pink showing on the outter edges of the front. This same frame comes in all black and also in black and yellow. But you said black seems too dark. Another one to check on is frame #339115 this is called brown, but it really is more of a burnt orange color with some black stripes on the temples. A very striking look. It also come in black and clear color. A hostess at Hooter's recently ordered the this in the brown and she only has a very like rx but she wears her new glasses full time because she really like them and has had many complements on them.If you need anymore suggestions let me know and I will be happy to advise.

This past summer a manager at a jewelery store in a shopping mall was complaining to me because she gets allergies every spring and fall and her contacts drive her crazy. She was talking about maybe getting glasses from zenni and I even showed her my samples which she found 4 pairs she liked. But she said she was going to go on-line and see if there might be something she liked even more. She only had a old out of date pair of glasses that was as she said at least 4 rxs old and the glasses were, well ugly. It was several weeks before I went back to visit with her and she came out from the back area wearing new semi-less glasses. She told me she in fact did go to zenni and that she actually got 8 pairs, I was shocked. She said she couldn't decide which ones not to buy and then added the prices and it came out ti be a forth of what her old glasses cost so she got them all. She has not worn contacts since and said she is having a blast changing glasses each day to match her outfit for that day.

Aubrac 02 Nov 2010, 03:51

Clare

Another good thing about semi-rimless is that you don't see the line of the frame when looking down, something a lot of part time wearers don't like.

Crystal Veil 01 Nov 2010, 16:52

Hello Clare,

I have some forty Zenni glasses in my collection (most of them are Rx -8.00) and I use them near the end of my photo shoots. The model can decide if these Zenni frames suit her face and if so, I order them in her own Rx as a little gift. Some twenty Zenni glasses can be seen in the streets of NL, used by my models in everyday life. They all agree that Zenni does a fine job and the lenses are not inferior to the lenses in their own glasses. Regarding Zenni frames, I prefer their plastic / acetate frames to their metal or rimless frames. The design is often very different from what we can buy over here and I think that's the appeal of Zenni glasses to my models. If you take the time to scroll down my weblog you will come across most of the 40 Zennis in my collection. Half a dozen of these can be seen frequently in my photo shoots as they really seem to suit all faces. I have nothing but praise for Zenni. If you travel to Holland in the future, I wish you happy hunting in Amersfoort!

Clare 01 Nov 2010, 14:37

Aubrac - never thought of semi-rimless. I wear mostly silvery tones (white gold/platinum) which can be a bit cold I suppose on blonds. I had some rimless with pale blue arms/bridge which worked well. It's not that I'm in the market for a new pair, just wishing I could find some that were a good look.

Aubrac 01 Nov 2010, 14:29

Clare

Try semi-rimless. My wife has a pair (see Sightings post for more info) that are matt and shiny gold colour. She is a true blond and these really look fantastic on her as I'm sure they could on you,

Clare 01 Nov 2010, 14:25

Crystal Veil - wow what a collection! And some great frames, I need a trip to NL! Thanks for posting the link. I notice you mentioned Zenni Optical, have you found many *interesting* frames on that site?

Clare 01 Nov 2010, 14:20

Soundmanpt- you're right we'll never know and I think I could never have matched their flamboyant style! If I could have felt as confident as they appeared with their appearance then maybe, although it would have been difficult as I'd been wearing contacts for a while already by then. As people employ personal shoppers I think I probably need the equivalent to match me with the right frames - being blond I find it difficult to find something that suits my colouring, I've tried black (too dark), rimless (too featureless), brown (okay but leaning towards too dark), and so it goes on ...!

Soundmanpt 31 Oct 2010, 22:42

Clare - I wonder if you had followed your work mates at that bank and started wearing glasses instead of contacts if now you would be a glasses girl? I guess we will never know? What stopped you from joining the group and getting glasses at that time? Any thoughts of maybe giving glasses ago in the near future? You know they are high on fashion lists these days. You have a great rx for glasses, not too strong and not too weak.

Crystal Veil 31 Oct 2010, 18:02

Leon and Clare,

I agree - Amersfoort is a great place for glasses. By the way, several big chains like Pearle, Specsavers etc. have shops in the city centre. But it's true that many private owned optical stores survive in Amersfoort. There are two stores in the centre that can be called modern or even avant garde - albeit at a price. Another shop worth visiting is Jekel at the Leusderweg, a 15 minutes walk from the city centre, direction south east. Several great glasses shown in my weblog http://ladiesbehindcrystalveil.blogspot.com

were supplied by Jekel. They are also very accurate at Rx measurements

Clare 31 Oct 2010, 16:39

Leon - I've made a note of it - Amersfoort is the place to go for frames! When I was working for a Dutch bank I really loved the way that my colleagues embraced wearing glasses and were adventurous in their choice of frames. Perhaps I should have taken their counsel at the time and become one of them ;)

SoCal 23 Oct 2010, 01:10

If anyone is going to be in Los Angeles this weekend, L.A. Eyeworks (www.laeyeworks.com) is having their Big Sale (30%-80% off all frames) at their Melrose store.

I got my frames there (sadly at full price) but I adore them.

Leon 22 Oct 2010, 08:41

Yes, I am in the Netherlands, that's right! We went shopping in the city of Amersfoort, mostly private optical stores (no big chains) with cool brands ;)

My wife's Rx is -4 and -3.25. With acetate frames (and not too big a lens size) 'standard' CR39 lenses won't protrude at all. So you'd better not be vain - choose for the wallet instead ;)

Clare 20 Oct 2010, 15:52

Leon - I'd love to know where you shop! I remember you're in NL - I miss my trips to Amsterdam with my old job :( but have lots of friends in the city still so am not completely isolated. Out of interest, what's your wife's Rx? I'm -3 & -2.75 and am told that the thinner lenses are necessary, but then I'm quite vain ;)

Leon 20 Oct 2010, 05:08

Went glasses shopping with the missus the other day. We saw a lot of cool frames that suited her very well. I'm a happy guy.

However, I found it appalling to see the optician try very hard to talk my wife into buying expensive extra thin lenses with an expensive AR coating and so on, and so on. I guess that's how they make money, by selling way too expensive lenses to ignorant customers.

Cactus Jack 17 Oct 2010, 04:14

GeorgeS,

Be sure and tell the examiner about the fact that you see better without your glasses in low light conditions.

C.

GeorgeS 17 Oct 2010, 04:01

Hi guest. This is my prescription and I've had it for about a year. I've decided to get a new exam later this week as I've actually found that on most occasions I find myself taking them off after dark as I can see better without them but during the day I consider them making enough difference to wear them most of the time

Dan 16 Oct 2010, 12:54

guest,

I had a very similar prescription when I first got glasses 4 years ago when I was 17. I filled the prescription but only wore them when I drove at night, went to the movies, sat in the back of a lecture hall, etc. 4 years later my prescription is still fairly weak:

-1.0 x -.5 x 95

-1.0 x -.5 x 85

but I do wear them almost all the time.

In my experience, I would recommend getting the glasses and then she can decide how much to wear them. While they won't make a huge difference they would definitely help with computer work as Soundmanpt mentioned as well as nighttime driving.

Soundmanpt 16 Oct 2010, 11:47

Carrie

Your newest glasses wearing friend is having a little tougher time getting adjusted to her glasses than you did. Because she needs correction for both close and distance she has been actually doing the same as monovision. In other words she uses the eye that she can see distance with for distance and blocks out the one that she can't see as well with. The one that works for close she uses but not for distance. So now with her glasses she is straining or forcing her eyes to work for both things. Tell her the best thing she can do to get rid of the blur is to force herself to try reading as many signs in the distance as possible. The more she makes her eyes adjust the quicker the blur will go away. It sounds like she is planning on wearing her glasses full time. Because of the difference in her eyes I think that is a good idea. You said her reading correction is about like yours and I would guess her distance vision isn't too much either. How long has she had her glasses? Remind her that each day the blur will get less and less. But she does need to keep them on as much as possible.

Your other friends rx is twice as strong as yours. Being young I guess is the only reason that she must have been able to get by this long without glasses. She would find it very hard even if she wanted to wear her glasses full time. The blur for her would be hard to over come. The problem she will have is she really needs her glasses to read small print now, it may get annoying to keep putting them on and taking them off. Not too far down the road she may find progressives (bifocals) useful. She can get them with no rx in the top part (distance) and her rx in the bottom for reading.

Soundmanpt 16 Oct 2010, 11:03

guest

Your daughters rx is very normal for a first time wearer. As you said it is a very light rx, but I am sure she would find rather quickly that driving at night would be much better with glasses. She is slightly nearsighted with a little bit of astigmatism added in. If your daughter has a job that requires her to be on a computer for long periods I would think she would find glasses an asset for that as well. As you know only she can determine how much she would wear them, but I think the best way is for her to pick out something on-line at zenni optical or one of the other on-line retailers and try it. Glasses would benefit her at sporting events such as football games and baseball games.

She should get glasses before time to renew her driver's license, because she is close to not passing now and if her eyes continue to change even a little she will not pass without glasses.

Carrie 16 Oct 2010, 07:58

My other friend did get glasses. It turned out she is a bit short sighted in one eye and a bit long sighted in the other. Her long sighted eye has a similar prescription to me. She was told she should wear her glasses all the time until her long sighted eye adjusts to seeing distances through the lens. After that she only needs to wear her glasses when she feels she needs them but will probably prefer to continue to wear them all the time.

She was a bit p***ed of yesterday because of the distance blur and kept taking her glasses off. I reminded her that I had the same problem with my glasses and that it does go away if you persist.

She's not bothered about needing glasses or even that she will probably be wearing them all the time. She thought that glasses would enable her to see better straight away and the fact she has to wait for her distance vision to be perfect does bother her. She hadn't realised there was anything wrong with her distance vision until her eye test.

My friend, who got glasses first out of the 2 of them, found her prescription card which says L+1.75, R+2.00. No wonder she was having trouble when reading, they're stronger than my glasses!

guest 16 Oct 2010, 07:51

My daughter 23 has just been prescribed her first glasses after a routine exam

She had no complaints about her vision except she says road signs were sometimes not as clear at night.Datime vision is fine.

right shp -0.5 cyl - 0.5 axis 115

left shp -0.5 cyl -0.5 axis 35

My question is does anyone think she would benefit from this rx as it it very weak.

The exam was carried out by one of the large stores and she felt they were trying to bullying her to get it filled immidiatly.

She says the assistant was a little annoyed when she said she would think about it and left the store .Is this a case of the big stores cashing in ??

She it not too keen on wearing glasses and i dont want to spend money if the benefit is so small she does not wear them .With this rx she has no diffuculty functioning and i suspect this will be the case

I realise that she can buy cheaply from the web and i suppose that there is no definitive answer unless she tries them out.

I would appriciate your comments especialy from anyone with a simular starting rx .Could you tell the diffeance ?

Lucas 16 Oct 2010, 07:43

hi everyone . I just wantedtk let you know that I ave been wearing my glasses full time for a few days but am still unable to see distances clearly. I will continue for a few more days and see if that changes

Soundmanpt 15 Oct 2010, 12:00

Carrie

Your choice of glasses looks very nice and i'm sure look very good on you. Good to hear that one of your 2 friends has gone and got her eyes examined and already got her glasses. Your probably correct that you won't be able to convince her to wear hers full time. For 2 reasons, first off you really seem to have wanted to wear glasses for some time and 2nd because your rx is not very strong and it made it easy for you to wear yours full time with only a slight blur for distance at first, which as you know quickly went away as your eyes adjusted. Your friend doesn't seem to have the same desire to wear glasses anymore than when she really must and if her rx is slightly stronger than yours she would for sure not enjoy even more blur in the distance than you noticed. The only thing that could make her consider wearing her glasses full time would be due to how much close work she does. The more close work, the more she will be keeping her glasses on and taking them off less and less.

Your other friend, do you think she also needs plus glasses?

Carrie 11 Oct 2010, 14:36

Lucas

My glasses look a bit like these, but I didn't get mine from Specsavers http://www.specsavers.co.uk/glasses/womens-glasses/laetitia/

One of the 2 friends I mentioned actually got her glasses today. She can't remember her prescription but they do seem a bit stronger than mine. She says she'll only wear them for reading as she wasn't overly keen on getting glasses but needs them. I don't think I could persuade her to wear them more than just for reading.

The other friend is getting her eyes tested this week but I can't remember which day.

Lucas 08 Oct 2010, 13:11

What kind of glasses had you gotten Carrie? Also, let us know on how much your friends wear their glasses and if you have an idea of their prescription.

Sincerely.

Carrie 08 Oct 2010, 12:47

You'll all be glad to know that I'm still wearing my glasses all the time. I think everyone is used to seeing me in them now and I'm used to seeing my self in them too. Distances are perfectly clear with them but it's impossible to tell if I can see any better in the distance with them or without them as it seems pretty much the same.

It seems that all the intense reading and writing at college has taken its toll on a couple of my mates. They both have mentioned that their eyes feel really tired and achy at the end of each day and both said that my glasses did seem to help make text at reading distance clearer when they tried them on. I suggested that they should get their eyes tested. One of them had her eyes tested this week and does need reading glasses which she will get in the next few days. The other one is going for her eye test next week.

Soundmanpt 07 Oct 2010, 21:26

Just_See

Also you can't go on-line to order glasses for her unless you have her total rx and her PD.

Soundmanpt 07 Oct 2010, 21:18

Just_See

Sorry to tell you but as long as she is determined to only wear her glasses when she feels she really needs them there is not much you can do. I think as you indicated from when you first met her and she didn't wear them at all, at least now she has found she can barely do without them. I think it is very likely her eyes will continue to get worse on there own and she will soon not be able to go without them. That is why she is getting headaches, because her eyes are somewhat adjusted to them and now when she tries to go without, geteyes are telling her keep them on.

Clare 07 Oct 2010, 16:01

Just_see - your girlfriend's reaction to needing glasses isn't unusual, maybe its a girl thing but I'm the same. Contacts are usually the answer when someone is that uncomfortable about wearing glasses but I'm not sure how good they'd be for her with such a big cyl correction. If I was unable to wear contacts Of course if you like her with glasses that wouldn't be an option.

Just_see 07 Oct 2010, 07:56

Well, the thing is, that it's nearly impossible to get her to wear her glasses full-time. I've tried it in so many ways, I even told her that I find her really attractive in glasses and that they make her "special"...but she still refuses to wear them full-time.

But she does wear her glasses often, because she actually needs them badly. Normally she would put them on first when she's at university and has to see all that pwrpoint stuff, she would then remove them during the brake and put them on again for the next lecture and so on, remove them again, and probably put them on again if she goes shopping (because she can't see well in malls, supermarkets etc, since everything is so packed with price tags and adverts ..), then she would remove them again, but just to put them on again once she gets home and starts reading/watching TV/doing her assignments.

I told her many time that she just might as well could wear them all the time, but she still won't. Does anyone have an idea what else I could do?

Altough she already had glasses when we met, she would never wear them, until i encouraged her to do so (and her eyes got worse). What seemd interesting is, that her old glasses did have a hyperopia correction (about +0.5 each eye) but a much weaker astigmatism correction. She told me that her old glasses were prescribed by a eyedoctor with those drops they put in your eyes to relax them, but her current glasses were prescribed by an optician - w/out the eyedrops.

I didn't intend to put an additional astigmatism correction in her glasse, i wanted to give her +.25 of spherical correction in each eye, since I'm not quite sure what the exact prescription was the autorefractor gave.

What I ment about getting used to a plus correction is, that it usually takes some time to adjust to it for viewing distance, that's why I thought the opticians test wasn't accurate, since he only test her distance vision with plus glasses, but not her close-up...

Soundmanpt 06 Oct 2010, 15:19

Just See

I'm not sure why he didn't prescribe her glasses including the slight plus lenses. It is very likely her rx may indeed go higher and that will be that much harder for her to get used to. As it is now that small amount she would get adjusted to very quickly. That being said, I am quite sure the reason for the headaches is because her astigmatism's is pretty strong. Interesting I just placed an order for someone that has an rx about the same as your gf. The difference is she is -.50 and -.25 for her distance and the astigmatism is -1.75 in both her eyes. She mostly wears toric contacts, she needed some new glasses because her dog got hold of them. My point is she should without a doubt be wearing them full time. Once she gets used to them she will find she can't do without them anymore.

I do not recommend adding to her astigmatism correction. I would suggest if anything maybe order her some glasses with her full correction in them.

Does she do much close work? If so putting the plus lenses in will help with that for sure.

John S 06 Oct 2010, 08:19

I meant to add, 40 years later it is...

John S 06 Oct 2010, 08:15

Just_see,

At that level of astigmatism, the problem probably is not wearing them full time. Try to get her to go to full time wear. and see if that solves her problem.

If you can get to that point and she still has headaches, try another doctor and make sure to mention the headaches and possible reading correction.

Not every young person has to get used to plus correction. When I was a teenager, my distance rx was right on. It started at +1.00. and now is +1.50, -.50. You could get that much difference between exams.

Just_see 06 Oct 2010, 07:07

Hi everyone!

I've got a few questions. Here's what you need to know:

My girlfriend is wearing glasses for astigmatism. Her Rx is

OD: +0.00 -1.75 OS +0.00 -1.25. She doesn't wear them all the time, but does use them frequently to watch TV, drive or read. The prescription mentioned is about one year old and a week or so ago we went to the optician so she could have her eyes checked. When she had them checked with the autorefractor i was able to chatch a glimpse on the receipt it had printed out. It said:

OD +0.75 - 1.75 OS +0.5 - 1.5

But after they had done the refraction with the photroper the optician said, that my gf would not need new glasses, since those additional +.75 / + .5 made her distance vision blurry. We all know that you need to get used to a new plus prescription in order to have good distance vision as well.

I think that my gf needs that plus correction, since she does get headaches (and eyestrain) sometimes, but blames it on not wearing her current glasses all the time..but since the optician told her she won't need new glasses, i can't force her to go to see the eyedoc. Don't you think, the optician should have let her do a close-up vision test as well, so she could have seen what it would be like with a plus correction?

Since I like her very much in glasses, I would love to see her wearing them full-time. That's what I thought of doing: I am planning on ordering new glasses online for me aswell, so it would be easy to convince her to order some new frames for her as well. Then I reckoned of putting an additional +.25 in those glasses, so she would get a slight hyperopia correction, and that would maybe cause her eyes to relax a bit and after some time she would need a stronger plus prescription and would go full-time eventually. So my question is, would that do any good, if I'd put +.25 more in her lenses? Or is it impossible to make her hyperopia worse even if she is already farsighted a bit?

Soundmanpt 04 Oct 2010, 00:59

Lucas

I did not say Carrie will be dependent on her glasses at all. Her rx is not strong at all and even wearing them full time she should still be able to read closeup without them, but she may find that after a few minutes that it will bother her not having them on. Also the distant vision will be only slightly less clear than with your glasses. Certainly if you were doing something that you didn't wish to wear glasses for, you would be fine to leave them off. However since you have adjusted to wearing them full time and enjoy wearing them, I see no reason to change your wearing habits. You are doing no harm by wearing them.

Lucas 03 Oct 2010, 11:38

Hey Carrie,

Hows your evolution coming along. Are you still able to see fine without your glasses, are are you now dependent on them at any distance?

Cactus Jack 01 Oct 2010, 18:05

Lenny,

We haven't heard from you lately. How are you, your glasses and your classes getting along?

C.

Lucas 25 Sep 2010, 11:15

To carrie, keep us posted as to when you finally start seeing better in the distance with your glasses.

Carrie 25 Sep 2010, 10:43

Soundmanpt

It's interesting to read that my distance vision with glasses will soon be better than without. Is this to do with the focussing muscles being allowed to relax after being strained for ages? Thanks to Eyescene I know that eyes can compensate for focussing errors easier in a younger person than someone in their late 20s and over. As my eyesight has now been corrected my focussing muscles should be getting more used to not straining each day even though I wasn't aware they were straining. All I had noticed was feeling tired after a lot of reading. Now I've got glasses I don't get tired after reading and the text is much sharper and blacker. Computer screens are easier to look at now, too. Also I've stopped frowning when I'm texting on my mobile phone - friends used to tell me off for frowning when texting but not any more. I didn't realise i was doing it until they said and I presumed I was frowning because I was concentrating. It seems that I was frowning to try to make the screen on the phone clearer!

Soundmanpt 24 Sep 2010, 16:00

Lucas & Carrie

You both are very similar in that you are both young, Carrie 17 and Lucas 19, and you both have glasses in weak rxs of +1.00. The difference is Carrie wanted glasses for a while and was happy to need them and you seem a bit less into the idea. Being young and only needing a light rx helps anyone that wants to wear them full time like Carrie. Falling asleep with your glasses on didn't do anything to help make distant vision better, but as you said when you woke up and turned the TV on not even thinking about the fact you still had your glasses on from the night before helped because from the minute you opened your eyes they were looking through lenses. The best way for any new glasses wearer to adjust to wearing glasses is by putting them on first thing in the morning before they start there day. The eyes tend to adjust better that way. Carrie quickly realized that now after watching the TV for a bit with her glasses she could see it without blur.

In her case she wants to be able to wear her glasses full time, you Lucas seem a bit more of only wanting them for reading. In the hopes of not misleading you Carrie said that she can see distance perfect with or without her glasses. I think Carrie will find that distant vision is going to be a bit clearer with her glasses than without before long. Not bad by any means, but small signs in the distance will not be as easy or sharp to read without her glasses. This would likely be the same for you. Because Carrie likes wearing glasses and the difference is so small I doubt this will keep Carrie from wearing hers. No matter how you choose to wear your glasses it is likely you both will need slight increases in the next year anyway.

Cactus jack 24 Sep 2010, 14:36

Lucas,

The ability to do as Carrie described depends on age, how long you have been hyperopic, crystaline lens flexibility, and ciliary muscle condition. Unfortunately, we really don't know much about yours yet. You could probably try that over the weekend and see how it works for you, without much problem the following week. Let us know what you intend to do and please let us know the results.

C.

Lucas 24 Sep 2010, 14:28

Carrie, thats good to know, thank you. Im glad to hear that you can still see fine without your glasses in the distance.

Carrie 24 Sep 2010, 11:43

Hello Lucas

I did have trouble seeing distances with my glasses at first. I accidentally found out that putting them on as soon as I woke up enabled me to see distances clearly. I don't see distances any clearer with glasses than I do without it's the same with or without.

Cactus jack 24 Sep 2010, 09:11

Lucas,

Again, Welcome

C.

Lucas, previously Guest 24 Sep 2010, 08:36

Hi Cactus Jack,

I will look at the posts you have mentionned. I will wait whenever I have time to adjust to my glasses full time and will be wearing them for reading for now.

Thank you

Cactus Jack 24 Sep 2010, 00:40

Guest,

There is no way to know exactly how long it will take your ciliary muscles and crystaline lenses to relax enough for the +1.00 glasses to be clear in the distance, or how much farther they actually need to go. A dilated exam might give a clue as to how much more hyperopic you are, but dilation usually does not affect the ciliary muscles long enough to allow full relaxation. It only prevents more accommodation during the time that agent is active.

I think you should expect at least a couple of weeks of full time wear to relax away the +1.00 accommodation and a week or two more per diopter of still latent hyperopia after that.

Right now, you are so accustomed to having to compensate for your hyperopia that you do not notice it. If you fully relax your accommodation, you will definitely notice when you take off your glasses and your eyes have to again compensate. They can, but they won't like it and will probably complain with headaches and fatigue. It might be best to leave well enough alone and wait until you have a few months off from school or you absolutely have to before embarking on changes that could make your school work more difficult.

If you want to read some really clever posts about latent hyperopia, go back and read Macrae's posts about his initial denial and ultimate near full time wear. I can't remember exactly when he started or the thread. Maybe someone can help us out. That will give you an idea of what you have in store, and offer an occasional chuckle as he shares his experiences while poking gentle fun at himself.

By the way, please join the group as a regular. All you need is an ES nickname. "Guest" is not a very good one because so many people use it and it does not provide on-going continuity. You are very welcome here.

C.

Guest 23 Sep 2010, 18:44

Hi,

thanks cactus Jack for the information. I have been at university for 2 years already actually, but have needed them after my first year after the exam session. I usually pull them out a few weeks before exam week and start wearing them more. I havent had a change in prescription since, but am expecting for that to change one of these days. My distance vision has not bothered me, but I understand when you say that it isnt perfect. I will probably start wearing them for a while and have my eyes adjust to it. Any idea how long it will take for that ?

Thanks, and have a good evening.

Chrissi 23 Sep 2010, 17:56

Hi, everyone. It's been a while since I've been here!

I was wondering about glasses for astigmatism. I recently got prescribed glasses to correct my astigmatism for wear over my contacts.

This is probably not the right post...but...

What are glasses with astigmatism correction like? like, glasses for myopia have thicker edges and if you hold them far away, things look smaller; glasses for hyperopia have a bit of a thicker middle.

Are glasses correcting astigmatism supposed to be slightly thicker in the middle?

I think the optical dept put the wrong prescription in my glasses. The lenses are supposed to be plano with +1.50 @90dg for cyl. I wear them over my -10.5 and -9.5 contacts. However, when I wear the glasses, print up close is clear, but everything far away is blurry. This was not the intended result. I was hoping I could have a pair of glasses to correct only my astigmatism for things like driving (when I start doing so), but the glasses don't seem right. is there a way to tell without bringing the glasses into the optician's to have them check the prescription? lol because I don't want to have mistaken and then have them tell me that...because that would be a bit embarrassing.

I hope this is enough description. if not, I will try my best to explain more thoroughly if need be.

Cactus Jack 23 Sep 2010, 17:39

Guest,

Probably around 30-35 depending on your visual environment. I assume this is your first year at university and the visual workload will only increase as you work toward your degree. Geology probably involves more field work than close work so that will work in your favor, but I would almost be willing to make a small wager that by your senior year, you will need some full time help.

You really don't have perfect distance vision, you just think you do because your ciliary muscles are under constant stress to make it so. You may be incredibly lucky, but when your ciliary muscles really start complaining with headaches and such, you may have to go straight to bifocals. It happens more often than you think.

At least, when it starts happening, it won't be a total surprise. Enjoy while you can.

C..

Guest 23 Sep 2010, 16:33

Neither of my parents have had to wear glasses for hyperopia. My mother is myopic (about -4) and my dad has had perfect vision and only has had to wear reading glasses in his late forties. Around what time would I be needing my reading glasses more often, were I to push back wearing them? I am not reluctant to wearing glasses, but more to the fact that I would be losing perfect distance vision, when my eyes only tire occasionally at the moment.

Thank you again

Cactus jack 23 Sep 2010, 16:30

Guest,

Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. Because of your hyperopia, you need additional plus to focus distant images on your retina. Right now, without your glasses, your crystaline lenses are able to supply that extra plus. If your ciliary muscles and crystaline lenses were fully relaxed, the plus you require would have to be supplied externally by glasses or contacts. The benefit of having the correction you need externally is that it will make more accommodation available for focusing close. That ability might come in handy for field work and possibly delay the onset of presbyopia. You need to be aware that hyperopes frequently need bifocals earlier than most people and you will not be able to compensate for your hyperopia forever.

If you absolutely, positively, don't want to wear glasses or contacts, you could consider lasik or an internal contact lens, but there are some downsides to that.

Theoretically, you might be able to try to induce a small amount of true myopia to cause your eyeball to grow a little and cancel out your hyperopia. However, that is a very iffy proposition if you are genetically disposed to hyperopia. Genetics trump everything.

Do either of your parents or grandparents have to were plus glasses for distance full time?

C.

Guest 23 Sep 2010, 15:55

Hi Cactus Jack,

thank you for the quick answer, it was very helpful. Im a student in geology so other than the occasional papers, I do not end up reading as much as other students would.Your answer did help a lot. What I understand from it is that if I wear my glasses full time, my eyes will stop needing to work as much, and will eventually adapt to seeing clearly in the distance with my glasses on. However, I do have 20/20 vision for distance as was indicated by my optometrist. By wearing them all the time, I would probably lose the ability to accomodate in the distance without my glasses on, and would end up not seeing as well without them. Is that correct? Or is it possible for me to get used to my glasses and still see perfectly in the distance without them.

Once again, thank you for the help. It is more than appreciated.

Cactus Jack 23 Sep 2010, 15:45

Guest,

Many people have the problem you described and you will find many discussions on the hyperopia threads.

Latent (hidden) hyperopia is a little tough to deal with. Unlike myopia, people (young people in particular), with low latent hyperopia can actually correct their distance vision to normal by using some of their extensive accommodation. This usually causes them to think they have wonderful distance vision. If they have corrected their vision long enough, their ciliary muscles and crystaline lenses become used to supplying, (in your case approximately +1.00 diopters) internally and it is very difficult for them to relax for distance vision.

Apparently, you did not include physics in your studies or you would understand a bit more about how the optics of the eye work. Hyperopia is caused by the eyeball being too short (about 0.5 to 1 mm too short in your case) for the combined optical power of your cornea (fixed power) and crystaline lenses (variable power) for the "auto-focus" function. Young people have a very large range of variable power, but over time the lens becomes stiff and the range is reduced (presbyopia). When you read at 16 inches or 40 cm, the crystaline lens has to provide +2.50 diopters to focus and if you are hyperopic some amount of additional + to focus the image on the retina.

What has happened is that your ciliary muscles and crystaline lenses are not relaxed as they should be for distance. What you have to do is get them to relax and the way you do that is by wearing your glasses full time. It may take a few weeks for them to fully relax and you may ultimately require another diopter or so in your glasses for complete relaxation. If your ciliary muscles are fully relaxed it will provide more of your accommodation for close work with less effort and possible discomfort.

I hope this helps. If you have more questions, feel free to ask.

May I ask your field of study.

C.

Billy E 23 Sep 2010, 14:01

On my last visit to the opticians a year ago, he said that it was getting to the stage where I was needed a reading add, but it was up to me whether or not I went with it. This surprised me, because I didn’t think I was old enough to need bi or varifocals. Last week when I went, I was prescribed an add of +1.50. I have found it hard to focus on text when it’s dark or I’m tired and because I’ve got a lot of astigmatism, I can’t take my glasses off to focus on text, so I ordered varifocals. I got a phone call to say that they were in today, so I will be picking them up tomorrow. I’m not sure how easy it will be to get used to them, especially as I have swapped my usual small, rectangular metal frame for a larger plastic one, as I was told this would give me a better reading area.

Guest 23 Sep 2010, 14:00

Hi , I am 19, a student at university doing a reasonable amount of reading. My prescription is of +1 in both eyes for latent hyperopia. I have been prescribed glasses about a year ago. I only wear them rarely as I am not able to see distances with them, which bothers me. Because of it, I end up rarely wearing them.

Thank you for any information,

I really appreciate the help being given on this website.

Cactus Jack 23 Sep 2010, 13:52

Charlotte,

So did I. it was not as common back then as it is today, but we did not have important things like cell phones and Blackberrys back then.

Guest,

You did not provide enough information to even begin to answer your question. What is your age, your current complete Rx, and your occupation?

C.

Guest 23 Sep 2010, 13:14

Does anyone know if I make my eyes adjust to seeing distance with my glasses, if I will still have perfect distance vision without them? Ultimately, I would like to be able to see distances perfectly with and without them.

William 23 Sep 2010, 13:05

Charlotte

I wore bifocals in college, and I've known at least a half dozen others who did as well. Women, and men.

Cactus Jack 23 Sep 2010, 12:55

Charlotte,

It depends on how desperate a person is to be able to see the board and also see their notes. If it is an intense graduate school lecture - one where you have had it if you drop your pen or pencil - any solution is viable. If he is reading privately, it doesn't matter.

The best short term solution would be bifocals, but that would probably take more time to get, than he has and would ultimately slow down the conditioning process.

As a new glasses wearer, Lenny is probably unfamiliar with available ways to solve vision problems. I was presenting possible options, Lenny is a big boy and can make his own decisions.

If Lenny is serious about his graduate studies, I suspect if given a choice between being able to function visually and vanity, functioning will trump vanity. If vanity trumps, then he may not need to be in the class at all. If the other students are paying attention to Lenny and his glasses instead of the lecture, they are in trouble also.

The proof will be the first few lectures. It is possible that he will be able to function satisfactorily with only his new glasses, but if he could find some +1.50 or +1.75 half glasses that will fit over his glasses, they might be handy to have available if he needs them. Hopefully, in a few weeks, his ciliary muscles will be doing their job and he can forget the readers.

C.

Charlotte 23 Sep 2010, 11:31

Cactus Jack,

Do you really think a college student would wear bifocals over glasses in class? Two pairs of glasses? Come on!

Guest 23 Sep 2010, 09:12

To Carrie,

I realized you have latent hyperopia as well. How is your distance without your glasses now. Are you able to see as well as you used to without them? I wouldnt want to waer them too often and decrease my distance vision by doing it

Guest 22 Sep 2010, 19:20

Carrie, did you have any trouble wearing them at first, as I can not seem to adjust to the distance. Granted I wear them for short periods of time. Would the fact that I have latent hyperopia rather than just hyperopia change anything?

Cactus Jack 22 Sep 2010, 18:24

lenny,

The thread thing is no big deal.

The distortion you are seeing is pretty common. I got my first glasses when I was 14, 59 years ago and I remember that ceiling corners of rooms did not look square for about a week.

What is happening is that vision actually occurs in the brain and your eyes are simply biological cameras. If the brain knows what something is supposed to look like, it will correct quite a bit of distortion. With your glasses, the images presented to the brain should be much clearer, but if you also have some astigmatism your glasses are correcting that, but your brain is also trying to apply the correction it had to use before you got glasses, the result is the distortion you see. It will go away in a few days after your brain has re-programmed itself.

Your brain has also been correcting your blurry vision as much as possible. The process is not unlike the image correction process that was performed on the Hubble Space Telescope when it was first put into service. You may be too young to remember that the lenses and mirrors in the HST were not ground correctly and the telescope was nearsighted. The first servicing mission to the HST was to in effect fit it with glasses. The result is the spectacular images we now enjoy without having to do any major image processing.

You will also experience something similar because your brain has been processing and correcting the blur caused by your myopia. If you have not noticed it already happening, your vision without your glasses will seem worse than it was before you got them. It is, but the problem is not in your eyes.. What has happened there is that the glasses have relieved your brain of quite a bit of its image processing duties and it will soon become accustomed to not having to do extra work. All of this is normal.

The thing I was particularly concerned about with your situation is that you probably have not had to accommodate for years and your ciliary muscles are very weak. Plus your brain may have forgotten how to control your ciliary muscles. If you have some trouble reading with your glasses for the next few weeks you can wear some reduced power reading glasses over your glasses to help. ( believe I described this on the Induced Myopia thread. You can simply lift your glasses, but that will not help the conditioning process. The alternative is to get some bifocals, but if possible, I would like for you to try to condition your muscles.

Unfortunately, all this conditioning and re-programming of the brain takes time. That is why we were really pushing you to get your glasses so you could get a head start before your graduate program started. You can instantly solve the problem by lifting your glasses or wearing some reading glasses over your glasses. You might even be able to find some bifocal reading glasses with no Rx for distance and a reading segment that you could wear over your glasses for class.

Please remember that you are not the only new glasses wearer to have these problems. It is rather common for people who have avoided glasses for what ever reason, to experience similar problems. The only thing I am surprised about is that you were able to make it through secondary school and undergraduate studies without glasses.

C.

lenny 22 Sep 2010, 17:12

cactus jack

i think i threw away my prescription sheet, i got it mixed up in some leaflets that got put through my door,as i cant find the sheet now, if i remember it said left eye -3.00 and right eye -2.75 with an astigmatism part to it but cant remember what that was now,

yes i can actually see leaves on trees clearly, everything seems very brightly coloured, a bit intense i would say! the other issue i have with them is when i look straight on with my eyes, things are clear and fine but when i look to the side things seem like they are sloped downwards, its making me feel a bit sick when i look sidewawys, is this somethign that i will get used to or is there something wrong with my glasses and need rechecking

im worrying as i start my course in a weeks time and need to get my eyes up to speed with all the reading, I know i need to wear the glasses most of the time when im back at uni as il be hopeless in lectures and also finding the damn rooms too!

thanks

Carrie 22 Sep 2010, 17:09

"Guest"

You are only a couple of years older than me and our prescriptions are pretty much the same. In my opinion if you have perfect distance vision with your glasses then wear them all the time if you want to. I began wearing mine all the time as soon as I could see distances clearly with them.

I'm not an expert and have only had glasses for a very short time. Others on this site will give you more advice if you need it.

Carrie 22 Sep 2010, 16:59

I had no problem wearing my glasses in public for the first time. I'm quite an outgoing sort of person and rather liked the extra attention I got from people I knew asking about my glasses.

My boyfriend isn't put off by my glasses. He actually helped me pick out the frames. To him they are like another piece of my jewellery. He says they really go well with my personality. He doesn't know it yet but if he plays his cards right I will be a sexy librarian or teacher for him!

I was reading the "Hyperopia and Presbyopia Progression" page and I suddenly realised what the optician said to me. It was "Latent Hyperopia". Until reading the messages on the page I wouldn't have known what it meant which is probably why I didn't understand what he said. Going by what I read and what Soundmanpt said it seems there is a good chance I'll need stronger glasses, possibly as soon as my next eye test. I'm not too bothered about that and I know there's not much I can do about it anyway. I can't stop my eyes changing. So long as there are stylish frames I'll still be happy to wear glasses. I'm yet to find some ready made reading glasses that suit me. I expect that is because they are aimed at people over 30 years older than me.

Guest 22 Sep 2010, 16:26

Hi I have glasses for latent hyperopia of +1 diopters. I have perfect distance vision and wonder how often

I should wear them. I am 19 and in college

Soundmanpt 21 Sep 2010, 18:49

Carrie

Sounds as if you have had no trouble going full time in little time at all. It helps that your prescription is weak, if you had needed stronger it would take longer for your eyes to accept wearing glasses. But even though they are not very strong it does make a difference doesn't it?

You didn't seem to have any problem with wearing your glasses all the time out in front of everyone? For many, even ones that want to wear glasses that is difficult for them to do at first. Did you have any concerns about wearing them that first day? I'm sure most comments were very positive? At 17 you must have a bf or 2, what did he /they think about you wearing glasses?

Oh and it is very normal for the doctor wanting you to come back in a year. It is possible that your eyes may change in the next year and you may need an increase in your glasses. It is best to go each year for good eye health anyway.

Also if you want a second pair of glasses since your wearing them full time you can either go on-line and purchase some in your rx. In the USA you can find readers starting at +1.00 in some locations, i;m not sure about the UK? But if you can find a store that sells over the counter readers you can wear +1.00 glasses without problem, your left eye will easily accommodate to the extra +.25.

Glad ti hear your a happy glasses wearer!

Carrie 21 Sep 2010, 12:20

Thanks for the welcome Soundmanpt.

I'm 17 and I'm a 6th Form student in the UK. I do use laptops and PCs a lot. I also use my mobile phone a lot and that is SO much easier to look at now I've got glasses! My prescription is very weak. Left eye is +0.75 and the right is +1.00. I'm still wearing them all the time even though I don't need to. The optician said something about hyperopia and suggested I come back in a year for another eye test. I didn't quite understand what he meant but I just agreed with his suggestion anyway.

In the past I have tried on friends glasses including friends with relatively low minus prescription but I could never see clearly with them, especially the minus ones. I now don't mind that I'm a bit long sighted and have a plus prescription as my glasses magnify my eyes slightly! Wearing my glasses all day every day has got rid of the slight blur. I can put my glasses on at any time of day and I can see as well at far distances with glasses as I can without. My glasses are now part of my routine of getting up - they go on as soon as I'm up and dressed. I pretty much do it without thinking.

Soundmanpt 17 Sep 2010, 19:34

Carrie

I will start off by first saying, Welcome. Always nice to see someone new in here. Next I think you did a very smart thing after finding that you had better close vision with the over the counter readers. Many would have simply picked the ones that looked the best and hopefully you could see the best with. But you wisely chose to get your eyes checked by a doctor. Very good move. The readers you tested at the store are actually only magnifing glasses. It maybe that you can actually purchase OTC readers. Geting an exam can determine if you have astigmatisms as well. It could be that one one sees better with less correction etc. What you didn't post was what your rx numbers are. Did you ask for a copy of your prescription? If you did not I suggest that you make a point to go back in and get a copy for your records. Also it will tell you and us if you can save money by simply buying OTC readers or if you really need spend much more for your rx.

Everything you mentioned about getting used to or your eyes adjusting to your glasses is very normal. If you go over to the "Hyperopia and Presbyopia Progression" thread and look at past comments you will find many that have been there saying many of the same things you have said. Your eyes adjusted easily to close work, but distance vision was blurry. The more you wear your glasses the faster the blur goes away. After a short period and constant wear you will find that not only is your close vision very good but your distant vision will also be much better with glasses and more and more blurry without your glasses.

You said for many years you have always wanted to wear glasses it would seem you have your wish.

If you know your rx please post it, also if you work what kind of job do you have? For instance do you sit in front of a computer all day? Also your age.

Again - Welcome!

Carrie 17 Sep 2010, 16:42

I have wanted glasses for years but I never actually needed them, until recently. I was in my local supermarket and noticed a rack of ready-made reading glasses. I couldn't resist having a look to see if there were any nice frames and trying a few on. To my surprise the text you look at to determine the strength of glasses to get was much darker and very crisp when I tried some of the glasses on. Rather than buying a pair of ready-made glasses that didn't actually suit me I got my eyes tested later that week and was prescribed glasses for reading. I would have preferred to have been short-sighted but I was very happy to actually be prescribed glasses.

When I got my glasses made I wore them quite often and they did make things I was reading clearer but I couldn't see clearly very far away with them as distances were a bit fuzzy. Then last week I accidentally fell asleep wearing them as I was reading in bed. When I woke up next morning I switched my tv on as usual, which is on the other side of my room, and was watching a breakfast show and I suddenly realised I still had my glasses on! To my delight I noticed I could see my tv quite clearly, just as clearly as without glasses. I wore them all day that day and had no trouble seeing distances which was good as I had hoped to wear my glasses all the time or most of the time (even though I don't need to) but the distance blur put me off. That night I took my glasses off before falling asleep in case I damaged them. In the morning I didn't put my glasses on until around an hour after I was awake and up. Distances were fuzzy again but not as bad but I didn't wear them all day. The next day I put my glasses on as soon as I woke up and I could see distances without blur again! I have done this every day since as this seems to be the easiest way to be able to see distances clearly with my glasses.

I have read other messages on this website and they give me the impression that my eyes will eventually get used to seeing distances with "plus" glasses which is reassuring.

I hardly dare take my glasses off during the day in case my eyes un-adjust and distances go fuzzy again.

Soundmanpt 14 Sep 2010, 17:49

princess

That's why I was saying to keep us informed. That is also why I asked about your right eye and how your vision is now with glasses and it seems it is getting better each day. Most optical stores have a return time limit if your having trouble. It sounds like that lens may not be strong enough, but it could be on purpose so as not to make you too out of balance too soon. What I mean is if you do need say a +2.50 lens for your left eye it will be hard to see anything when you take your glasses off. I would go back and check first with the doctor about the blur you are having with and without your glasses and see what he/she says. It would seem your left eye is weaker than your right eye. If he makes a change the store will also remake the lens at no charge to you.

Sorry you're having the bad luck.

russell 14 Sep 2010, 17:20

Just had a routine eye exam and got a new precription--actually, it was pretty much the same as the last. What I did, however, was wear old glasses to the exam to see if the doc would prescribe what I'm now wearing. Anyway, the exam began with the autorefractor, then I was ushered into see the doctor. My question: just what does the autorefractor tell the doctor? Did he really need to do a refraction with the phoropter if he had the autorefractor printout? I'm reasonably certain that I've seen optical shops in foreign countries that make glasses based on just the reading from the autorefractor on their counter. If that is the case, why do we need flesh and blood optometrists?

princess 14 Sep 2010, 16:42

ok so im getting used to my new + pescription, they have been much relief particuarly for computer use (+1.50, +1.25)

as a mentioned in my earlier posts i have a blurred left eye at all distances, i know it has only been a week or so but so far the + pescription hasnt inproved my blur.......well i was just experimenting reading some numbers off a box near my tv and have found:

left eye:

no glasses=numbers are blurred un readable

new pescription (+)= still blurry

borrowed boyfriends -pescription over my + and it comes very clear

can anyone explain why?

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 realis