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Post Your Prescription

Jack 10 Mar 2010, 21:22

I'm a IT system Admin

from NJ

Cactus Jack 09 Mar 2010, 19:13

jack,

No, it is a very mild prescription. At your age, the sphere (first number) may increase slightly over the next few years depending to some extent on your occupation and how much close work you do. The cylinder and axis (second and third number) may change some, but the prescription even with small increases and changes is nothing to worry about.

What you might want to be excited about and looking forward to is getting your glasses and being able to see effortlessly and comfortably. After a few days of wear, you won't even notice that you are wearing them. If fact, what you may notice is when you are NOT wearing them.

Please let us know when you get them.

May I ask your occupation and where you live?

jack 09 Mar 2010, 17:32

Dear Cactus jack

Thanks for ur reply

i'm 26

I dont know why the doctor scared me

is this a strong script for first time wearer?

Aubrac 09 Mar 2010, 13:39

Brian

My wife who is hyperopic has added 3 degree base out prism to each eye. With this she wears her glasses a lot more now and seems far more comfortable with them for distance and reading.

Cactus jack 08 Mar 2010, 19:10

jack,

To answer your other questions.

YOu should not be worried. Depending on your age, your Rx may increase some over the next several years, but probably not very much.

Right now your main problem is astigmatism. The cause is unknown and there is no cure. So you will likely want to wear glasses to see clearly from here on out. It is not the end of the world. Millions wear glasses that are a lot stronger than yours and wearing them is not optional.

Cactus Jack 08 Mar 2010, 19:03

jack,

You did not mention your age, which is a factor in the answer.

Your Rx indicates that you are a very low myope (slightly nearsighted) with astigmatism. Your glasses will be very lightweight and thin. Except for the astigmatism you could probably get by just wearing your glasses to drive, watch TV, in class, or at the cinema. However, the astigmatism makes it impossible for you to see small print very clearly and your headaches were caused by your brain trying to focus your eyes and there is no way it can be done without wearing glasses.

When you wear them is up to you, but I suspect you will find wearing them very comfortable and you will likely want to wear them most of the time, because of the comfort.

You should try to wear them full time for the first two weeks to get used to wearing them and let others get used to you wearing glasses. After that you can wear them when you don't want to get headaches.

jack 08 Mar 2010, 17:31

I had a bad headache when watching TV.so I did my first eye test today!

Doctor checked my eyes and asked me to read the eye chart.

He was amazed when i couldnt able to read the 3rd line with my left eye.

He asked didnt i notice i cant see well until today.He asked how i got my driving license too?

He checked my eyes again and again with some machines. & gave me this Rx

R -.50 x -.50 x 90

L -.50 x -1.0 x 90

& told me to wear them full time.

What do u think about my Rx?

will i get strong lenses?

Do i have to wear them whole life?

does my left eye so weak?

I'm so worried. Please help me to find this

Thanks

MJ 08 Mar 2010, 10:44

Brian - I just recently got BI prism in my glasses as well. I have always had problems with reading (severe eyestrain, words would float around on the page, blurring, couldn't read for more than 5-10 min, etc.). The optometrist I have seen for my entire life kept throwing reading glasses my way. Never helped, just made the words bigger, but same symptoms. A few months ago I developed severe eyestrain all the time to the point where I couldn't drive, watch tv or anything without searing pain in my eyes. I went back with the new symptoms and was given yet another rx for reading glasses and was told to read more exciting books. Essentially, he thought i was crazy. I decided to move on to an ophthalmologist for another opinion. He diagnosed me with a convergence insufficiency and, like you, put prism lenses in the test frame. It was amazing how much clearer print got with each stronger lens. My first rx had 1.5 BI in each eye, had to go back a few weeks later and he increased it to 2.5 each eye. I absolutely love them. All symptoms have resolved and can now read for hours pain free. It took me a few minutes to adjust to the prism, but give it a few weeks for your eyes to fully accept the change. I don't wear glasses full time, only have a very mild astigmatism. However, I often find myself wearing them all the time because they make my eyes feel so happy. Now that my eyes are relaxed I can go a lot longer without them, but still need them for reading and close work. Good luck!

Brian 05 Mar 2010, 06:40

I will keep you posted.. As I said, I likely won't have the new glasses until the middle of next week sometime.. Thanks for the advice.

Brian-16 05 Mar 2010, 04:42

Brian- C.J. is correct in that it will be more comfortable.My rx is nearly 3 times yours but with 8BO prisms it it easier to cope.My prisms are just the opposite of yours.Let us know how you are getting on with glasses now instead of contacts.

Cactus Jack 04 Mar 2010, 21:00

Brian,

You will only notice more comfort. The inside edge of your lenses will be a bit thicker and the outer edges a bit thinner. It will probably take about 30 seconds to get used to them and others will notice you are wearing glasses instead of contacts. 2BI will only move your eyes outward a little over 1 angular degree which will be invisible to others even if they know what to look for.

Let us know what you think of them when you get them.

Brian 04 Mar 2010, 17:13

Well it looks like my days of wearing contacts are coming to an end. Not that I didn't know this was coming at one point. But I finally am getting a prism correction put in my glasses. After hinting it was needed for the last 10 years, my doctor finally put it in a trial frame and the difference was incredible. My distance prescription remained the same OD -5.25 x -0.25 x 130 OS -6.00 but I know have a 2(Base In)BI Prism in each eye. I got rimless frames with the polycarbonate lenses and transitions since I assume I won't be wearing contacts anymore. My glasses should be ready in about a week. Let me know if anyone has any thoughts or advice on getting used to a prism correction and what I might see different from a 2BI correction in each eye. Thanks..

Tom 23 Feb 2010, 05:43

Ok, i ended up getting prescription sunglasses in my "correct prescription" But they appear strange. The left eye is so sharp and clear but the right eye is blurry in comparision ( the right is only slightly better than without the glasses) What would be the reason for this? i dont think that the girl who did my eye test did it right? I spoke to the shop who did them and they said come back in 2 weeks, and they will retest.

All in all i am very happy with the left eye though, they felt a little strange at first but now feel perfect on the left side.

Brian-16 05 Feb 2010, 09:24

Dan...How are you getting along with your bi-focals especially in college ?

ehpc 04 Feb 2010, 20:55

Simply couldn't be a better 55 here......born with the energy of two people (really).........only a bit of appearance-ageing which is completely irrelevant -snow-white hair, what there is of it, age 47. I am also 8 pounds lighter than three weeks ago and plummeting. Living solely on fruit and vegetables until I lose a further 11 pounds and will then be spot-on my BMI weight.Just a minus 1 difference between normal glasses and a 'close vision' pair.

nostolgic 04 Feb 2010, 18:14

@Clare,

I'm with you on keeping the accommodation! I usu wear glasses but if you're contacts-only, that's fine if that's your bag. This is the 'prescription' thread, not one about specs, so it's OK not to like them here:-)

I have daily toric contacts in -3 stronger than my real script; they work so wonderfully. Vision is 110% in them a/c good accommodation and they correct my astigmatism - 20/10! I usu. don't talk about my significant astigmatism here, rounding to spherical equiv. to shorten my already long posts. Over-minusing makes my eyes feel very good.

If you normally wear strong contacts, you can't over-minus by too much. But to preserve your accommodation check the post I just left in 'induced myopia.' Basically hide a temporary pair of specs at your desk so the sum of your extra minus leaves you with just 1.5-2D of accommodation. When you first wear them at your computer, it will be in focus at 2/3 meter; as your ciliary muscles and lenses warm up, down to 1/3 meter. Much further away and your eyes won't converge enough inward to cause accommodation. Much closer and your head will pop off for putting your nose in your monitor! It took me 3 glasses orders for me to get it perfect (-4.75D - decent accommodation for a 42 yo - if I do the math my old eyes can hold +6.5 and more D of accommodation when warmed up to win over the close screen and minus glasses).

Since 'bifocal' and multifocal contacts basically suck, and, though monovision is good, it can only be used to get an extra +1.5 before it gets uncomfortable and therefore will only work 'til age 50 or so, it's especially important for you to preserve your natural accommodation if you wish to stay out of having to NEED glasses when you are going to read; much better to choose a few hours every week to put them on only in front of your computer to exercise your eyes and keep them young.

I wish I could say I am pretty good for 42. I still have thick hair and nice teeth but my knees and back are all shot to hell. Good luck staying young!

Clare 04 Feb 2010, 11:53

Like Lenses - not a nice thought. I'm still okay with reading fortunately but hope it'll stay that way! I have a friend, a couple of years older and more myopic than me, who does mono vision very successfully. I'm not keen to try it till it's absolutely necessary (ie a good 10 years!) but look to her as an example of what can be done.

Clare 04 Feb 2010, 11:49

Phil - not an issue for me, I'm pretty good for my late 30s ;) I agree with you, it's great so many professional women are embracing the specs, find the right pair and I could be tempted partly but it's not happened yet. How's your fulltime wear coming along?

Phil 04 Feb 2010, 01:18

Old Clare?!! Try 54! You are a slip of a lass. It's a pity you are so intent on avoiding glasses though. As Hollie's experiences demonstrate, minus correction is the norm for successful professional women. And glasses set such a great image both for work and fun. I think it's grat that so many beautiful girls now accept that wearing a nice pair of glasses, with attractive lenses, is something that enhances their appearance.

Like Lenses 03 Feb 2010, 23:19

Clare

At 39 you could find your accomadation change very rapidly.

There are a lot of problems with monovision contacts,yhe bigest being very poor ,to no binocular vision. Also with your astigmatism you may not be able to get them.

I think it would benefit you to try wearing a overcorrection,while you still can.

Melyssa 01 Feb 2010, 13:43

What's wrong with being 39? I'm age 39 years and just a few months -- 177. LOL

Clare 01 Feb 2010, 13:22

Thanks Phil, for making me feel old ;)

Actually I have excellent accommodation according to my optician so no varifocals for me just yet! But, as a contacts wearer, I guess it'll be more mono vision than bifocals when the time arises. I guess (and hope) though it'll be a few years yet ...

Phil 01 Feb 2010, 03:55

Clare, I didn't realise you were 39!! I was 39 when, at my eyetset, the optician remarked: I can see the first signs of presbyopia! I emerged with a slightly increased minus rx (almost excactly what yours is now) but still with single vision lenses. It was the same at the next test. But at the next one after that (when I was 43) she exclaimed "first-time varifocals": and I got my first add. I'm not sure why you are worrying: I have always found varifocals fine, except when I once got cheepo lenses. And I think that women look extraordinarily sexy when they dip their eyes to read in multifocal lenses!

Like Lenses 30 Jan 2010, 00:28

Clare

As Nostolgig stated if you wear the over correction no more than eight hours a day you will not induce myopia.

With the reasonable prices at Zinni you really should order a pair just to give it a try.

Clare 29 Jan 2010, 22:17

Like Lenses - I'm sure I'd like the crisp distance vision but am not sure I'd want an extra -1, that'd take me to nearly -4 which seems strong to me. I might be prepared to try if I knew it would delay presbyopia but wouldn't induce any more myopia.

nostolgic - I'm 39 and wear -3 and -2.75 contacts

nostolgic 28 Jan 2010, 16:08

Claire how old are you and what's your script?

I was just searching thru the full posts and couldn't find it before my girlfrienhd walked in the room. In a frantic scurry of missed mouseclicks I got the browser closed just before she would have caught me. I'm sure she thought I was surfing pr*n. D*mn.

Like Lenses 26 Jan 2010, 00:54

Clare

I think you would also enjoy the super sharp distant vision with an over correction.

With Zenni's prices you have little to lose.

Like Lenses 24 Jan 2010, 23:27

Clare

I think at your age it could benefit you to wear one to one,and a half diopters stronger to stave off the need for bifocals.

Dan 23 Jan 2010, 11:48

Nostolgic,

Thanks for the tip! I may have to give it a shot. Let's see how the bifocals work first.

Clare 22 Jan 2010, 21:36

Nostalgic - I wonder if this would be a good thing to do ahead of developing presbyopia. Maybe if I did this in my late 30s it might stave it off for a while longer! Although I don't want to induce any myopia.

nostolgic 22 Jan 2010, 17:35

@Dan,

Hope your bifocals work. Another think I noticed that helped sore eyes when I was studying a lot was an 'exercise' philosophy. Actually using extra minus (literally handicapping instead of helping like readers do). For example, get glasses ($7 on zennioptical.com) that are your prescription but taking the sphere -3 or -5 (for a young person) and first learning to see up close with them about 15 minutes at a time. When it's possible to read/see with them and keep things in focus (takes a few tries), use them to study for 1/2 hour at the end of the day. I might recommend Friday's last bout of studying - the first few times you might not feel so great afterwards (like the first time you go jogging).

Once your cilliary muscles get stronger, you can use it more predictably and for longer. Then normal closework (without the handicapping glasses) will be effortless. You may find that about an hour or two of studying (It's possible to work up to -6 glasses for reading, for a person in their 20s) 1x or 2x per week might let you do just fine with no glasses the rest of the week.

This is not for everybody of course. I can wear extra minus just fine but have a pretty thick skull when it comes to swallowing a temporarily different visual environment.

It's a tradeoff between glasses all the time and just part of the time. But like exersising it takes extra resilience. Also with minus glasses, you can see in the distance without removing them. Just keep it down to less than 8 hours a day - if you start pushing 10+ or fulltime, you could increase your myopia.

Dan 10 Jan 2010, 18:05

Thanks for your help Cactus!

I just ordered the bifocals with a +1.25 add. I'll let you know how they work once they arrive.

Cactus Jack 08 Jan 2010, 21:19

Dan,

I would suggest an add +1.25, but please understand that the choice is really yours. I have no way to know anything about your visual environment other than what you have said.

Dan 08 Jan 2010, 20:43

Thanks cactus! I have actually tried the OTC readers a bit and they do seem to help. So i should go with a +1.00 or +1.25 add for the bifocals?

Cactus Jack 08 Jan 2010, 08:18

Dan,

If you order bifocals, you may need to provide both distance and near PD. It us usually listed as a fraction such as 63/60 where the larger number is the distance PD and the smaller number is the near PD. The near PD is usually about 3 mm less than distance PD..

Cactus jack 08 Jan 2010, 08:05

Dan,

Before you order bifocals, try some low plus (+1.25 or +1.50) OTC readers over your glasses to see how you like that. Bifocals can be really handy in class when switching from the distant board or screen to your notes. You can try various OTC strengths, but don't get them so strong so that you need to get closer to what you are reading to focus. I would avoid progressives.

Dan 08 Jan 2010, 07:38

Cactus,

This past summer I was thinking of trying out some bifocals due to some discomfort when doing near work with my glasses and some trouble switching focus from near to far.

I had put it off but decided that I'm going to try it and see how they work. What would you recommend for an Add? My prescription is:

OD -1.00 -0.50 x 90

OS -0.75 -0.50 x 90

I'm a 20 year old college student who does a lot of near work. Thanks!

Dan 07 Jan 2010, 15:09

Thanks Cactus!

Cactus jack 07 Jan 2010, 06:58

Dan & tom.

Measuring your Pupillary Distance is easy. You will need a ruler calibrated in mm and a mirror such as in the typical bathroom with good lighting. Look in the mirror and measure the distance from the center of your nose to the center of each pupil individually. Do this three times and average the distance form the center of your nose to the center of each pupil. Add the two numbers together. The result will probably be between 55 and 70 mm depending on your head size. That is your PD.

Tom,

The Rx you listed was:

Right Eye (OD) Sphere +0.25 Cylinder (none) Axis (none)

Left Eye (OS) Sphere +0.75, Cylinder -0.50 Axis 10

I would suggest ordering two pair of glasses. One with the above Rx and if you want to try some low minus glasses order the following:

OD Sphere -0.75 (Leave Cylinder and Axis blank)

OS Sphere -0.25 Cylinder -0.50 Axis 10

Notice that I added -1.00 to algebraically to each sphere Rx (See, there is a use for algebra) but did not change the cylinder in any way. That is an important thing to remember if you decide to alter Rx on your own.

As I said before, I would order low cost glasses in both Rx and see how you like wearing them. Once you have a little experience, you can decide to order pricer frames and sunglasses if you want to.

Hope this helps and please do not hesitate to keep us informed.

Tom 07 Jan 2010, 02:49

What sort of changes would be required then for a small minus rx? i assume that my eyes would just accomodate for the prescription?

Dan 06 Jan 2010, 20:56

Cactus,

I'm thinking about ordering some glasses from Zenni Optical and was wondering if you could spell out how to compute Pupilary Distance. Thanks!

Cactus Jack 06 Jan 2010, 09:04

Tom,

Please don't do that without some expert help. It is a little more complex than just changing + to -, but not much. If you want to try some low minus sphere glasses, we can help.

Tom 06 Jan 2010, 08:30

honestly i would have prefered to be myopic, but not a lot, just a little so i dont have to wear glasses all the time, say my same prescription in minus. mayby i should just change the + to - and see what happens, though i dont want it to fuck up my driving

Tom 06 Jan 2010, 08:05

Cactus jack 06 Jan 2010, 07:35

Tom,

I didn't answer you question about your Rx increasing. It is not unusual for there to be a small plus increase in low hyperopes Rx after about 6 months as their ciliary muscles and crystaline lenses relax. However, in you case I suspect it would be pretty small, say +0.50 to +1.00 more than you present Rx. Also, hyperopes typically need bifocals a little sooner than myopes, but that is likely 10 to 15 years away. Depends to some extent on how much close work you do.

Cactus Jack 06 Jan 2010, 07:30

Tom,

Before investing in some nice sunglasses, I would suggest getting some low cost glasses from an on line retailer like Zenni and see if you think they will make enough difference to justify prescription sunglasses.

The main things you need to order online is your Rx, which you have and your Pupillary Distance (PD) which is pretty easy to measure with a ruler calibrated in mm and a bathroom mirror. We can tell you how.

The biggest stumbling block is choosing frames on line. The nice thing about ordering from Zenni is that they are very inexpensive compared to High Street opticians - Their low cost glasses (depends mostly on the frames) are US$8.00. For now, you don't need any extras, just the glasses.

Look up Zenni Optical on line and see what you think.

BTW, I have an on line friend, about your age and Rx, who decided he preferred being myopic (minus glasses) instead of hyperopic (plus glasses). He started with some low minus glasses about a year ago and is now wearing-3.50 full time.

If you want to continue this discussion, it will have to be tomorrow.

Tom 06 Jan 2010, 06:39

sorry for the extra post. if i got the prescription, do you think it would become more + as it kinda looks funny people with plus glasses :)

i have found this forum interesting in what can happen with eyesight. i guess the only reason i got my eyes tested was because all the guys i work with were getting it done, so i though why not

tom 06 Jan 2010, 06:36

Im a mechanic, i live in perth australia. i havent got a prescription filled, i was thinking of getting in my oakley gascans, depending on how much it will make a difference

Cactus Jack 06 Jan 2010, 06:19

Tom,

It couldn't hurt. Have you taken any action to get the Rx filled?

May I ask your occupation and where you live?

Tom 06 Jan 2010, 05:52

would it be benifical to get prescription sunglasses, for use when i drive? i do amature race driving in my car, which is almost always during the day, where good distance vision is important?

or would it be a waste of time. the optometrist said that my eyes work well together and give me good eyesight with both eyes, but stuff on the left is slightly more blurry at times.

Cactus Jack 06 Jan 2010, 05:32

Tom,

For the most part, you are a young low hyperope and you can easily compensate for the low plus sphere by using your accommodation. This occurs without your even being aware of it. The blurriness of distant objects with your left eye is caused by astigmatism as indicated by the -0.50 x 10 cylinder in the Rx for your left eye. You nor anyone else can compensate for astigmatism without either glasses or contact lenses.

At this point, glasses are optional, but that will not always be the case. Over time, you will find it more difficult to compensate for your hyperopia and some form of vision correction will become highly desirable.

If you do much reading or close work, you will find that glasses make things easier.

tom 06 Jan 2010, 03:59

also, i am 23 years of age and thought that i would have been myopic?

Tom 06 Jan 2010, 03:58

Hi, i just got my eyes tested and got the following prescription

RH +0.25 and nothing

LH +0.75 -0.50 10

i am confused because the prescription is + yet everything is very clear even very close to my face, but far away in my lh eye is blurry?

cheers

tom

Slit 03 Dec 2009, 04:59

Is Andrea who made the below last post around?

"Andrea 16 Apr 2008, 07:50"

If yes... How are you doing Andrea? Is everything fine in your end?

Just revisiting the threads and checking how our folks are doing :)

Neville 28 Nov 2009, 22:26

Cactus Jack

Thanks for your reply. It sounds quite alarming when you hear that the brain will ignore the vision from one eye completely. I'll go with her today to look for some new glasses today and suggest she gets some advice about when she needs them.

Cactus jack 28 Nov 2009, 14:26

Neville,

Because of the time difference, it may be tomorrow before Aubrac can reply. Perhaps I can help in the meantime.

Vision occurs in the brain, the eyes are merely biological cameras. In the ideal situation, the brain is provided with two quality images to use in constructing 3 dimensional visiion in the visual cortex of the brain. In the case where one image is better than the other, the brain will select the best image and use as the basis of vision. It will use what ever information it can from the other eye to support and improve the perception. If one image is really bad, it will just temporarily ignore it.

In your GF's situation, without her glasses, her brain will likely use the image from the -1.00 eye for its primary distance source and the image from the -2.00 eye as the primary source for close vision. With her glasses, her brain is supplied with two good images and it doesn't have to work nearly as hard to deliver good vision all the time from both eyes.

At 29 it is highly unlikely that the brain will completely ignore or reject the image from either eye entirely, however that is not the case in very young children. There is a condition called Amblyopia where the brain may decide to only accept the image from the best eye and permanently reject the image from the poorer eye. Should that occur, we do not know how to cause the brain to ever use that eye for vision even if it is later corrected to be able to provide perfect vision. Many times, if amblyopia is discovered early, before the brain has completely rejected the images from one eye, the good eye is patched, forcing the brain to use and develop vision from the poorer eye. If the therapy is successful, the child will ultimately develop normal 3D vision, but will likely have to wear glasses.

Neville 28 Nov 2009, 13:27

Aubrac

She's 29. This isn't her first prescription. I don't know what the other one was as she virtually never wore glasses. What do you mean that the brain will reject one eye, does that mean that it will become kind of dormant or weaker? And what will that mean for the future health of her eyes if she doesn't wear her glasses?

Emily

I think she wouldn't start with wearing glasses all the time unless she was told to. Would that be common at this level?

Aubrac 28 Nov 2009, 07:09

Neville

Emily is quite right in what she said. I would add that your girlfriend may unconsciously be experiencing monovision. That means the brain will prefer the clearer image of the -1.00 eye and reject the image of the -2.00 eye. Nothing particularly serious about this but it could affect depth perception as we need both eyes focussed to effectively judge distances.

May I ask what age your girlfriend is?

Puffin 27 Nov 2009, 14:03

Ian, if you've got access to a reasonably good colour printer and a decent wordprocessor I reckon you could do your own headed paper, don't think you need a whole printworks these days.

Emily 27 Nov 2009, 12:32

Hi Neville,

That's a fairly typical first prescription for someone who is beginning to become nearsighted. She can probably see about 20/50 with the -1 eye and 20/100 with the -2 eye.

She needs to wear her glasses for driving, watching TV or movies and if she's in school, to see the board.

Because of the difference in vision between her two eyes, she will probably be more comfortable wearing her glasses all the time, except maybe for reading.

It's not a strong prescription, so don't worry about it.

Neville 27 Nov 2009, 11:25

My girlfriend was given a prescription for glasses this week. With a prescription of -1 in one eye and -2 in the other how much does she need them and what would she need them for?

Ian 22 Nov 2009, 09:53

I mean like on headed paper that looks like it came from a genuine optician.

22 Nov 2009, 07:17

cyl -2.25

22 Nov 2009, 07:17

OD sph -15.75 cyl -2.22 axis 180

OS sph -17.00 cyl -0.5 axis 10

Ian 22 Nov 2009, 05:01

Can anybody here write up a fake prescription?

Cactus Jack 16 Nov 2009, 08:08

Mirka,

I don't know the procedure for getting a driving license in Poland, but in most countries the vision test is just a simple "screening" test where they ask you to read the letters on an eye chart at a certain distance or read the letters by looking in a machine that simulates distance. The test is done both with your glasses and without them. If you can read the letters with your glasses, but can't read them without, a restriction is placed on your driving license that says that the license is only valid when you are wearing corrective lenses. That is usually all there is to it.

You should probably wait until you get your full prescription before you try to get your driving license.

Paula 16 Nov 2009, 07:57

My distance is only -.75 which is why I don't know why they make such a big difference. I mean that without them, especially at night I sometimes see "rectangles" in the distance, and don't realize until I put on the glasses that there is actually printing on them. It just makes wonder what someone with -2.00 or worst can see!

I decided to try contact lenses, and the Doc told me to try monovision. I am trying them and they work! But the other day I was in a hurry and took out a new pair. I made the mistake of putting in two + lenses, and in the rush didn't notice this until I was in the car and rushing. EVERYTHING was a blur! I couldn't even read license plates. I wore my glasses over the contacts, which helped a lot, but was still fairly short-sighted. It was a very interesting experience to live the morning as a really nearsighted person. Later I was able to replace one of the + lenses with the - and then was really struck by the clarity!

BeBe 16 Nov 2009, 06:45

Paula,

Yes I definitely notice a BIG difference when driving at night. I didn't realize that the halos around lights etc wasn't normal. I also just assumed I couldn't read street signs, because of the darkness. By the way, what is your rx for distance, and do you wear your glasses most of the time?

Mirka 16 Nov 2009, 04:33

Today start my second week with my glasses. I think I got used to they, and I got a bit depend from they. My close vision got better with they than without, I every day put on they on as first things in the morning, and take they off before I go asleep. Sometimes I forgot, that I have they on, but if some friends see me with they first time are still amazed that I need they, and I need they all the time. As told some friends from here, I find my vision got worse when I take they off, but I think it is from reason so I am got used to they. I'm very curious about eye exam for Driving Licence, and if I have they prescribed in Driving Licence.

Aubrac 16 Nov 2009, 01:10

Paula

May I ask what your distance prescription is? Most people who wear a plus scrip for reading then start wearing also a plus correction for distance. It is slightly unusual in BeBe's case to need a minus for distance without being aware of it before.

Ricky 15 Nov 2009, 22:03

Hey Paula, I know how you feel. I have now ended up wearing the trifocal lens. First reading glasses, then bifocals and then the mid-range vision was gone---poof. The trifocals are on the way.

Paula 13 Nov 2009, 07:45

Hey Bebe,

At my last exam, I also got a surprise..didn't know I needed distance glasses till I went in for stronger reading glasses. What a shock. While they did make things sharper and crisper the biggest difference they make is for night driving. At night I can't read signs or street names without them. I can't now remember how my vision was before. The clincher came when I went to visit someone for the first time, not wearing the glasses, and parked the car and walked up to the house, and realized I was off by 1 block cause I couldn't read the street number. I am not full time yet, but now always use them for driving and movies. The increase in reading strength (to +2) though has made me even more dependent on them. How is your night vision with and without them?

Aubrac 13 Nov 2009, 00:43

BeBe

I think the point is that you are slightly shortsighted, this is a physical reality and nothing to do with brain signals or interpretation.

How much you wear your glasses is entirely up to you, some people with your shortsight prescription would be FT in order to have crisp vision, while others don't mind the constant blur.

Do you drive? As I think without glasses you probably wouldn't pass the 20 metre test. However, as I said how much you wear your glasses will be dictated by what you are comfortable with.

Rayray 12 Nov 2009, 10:05

bebe I think you said that the distance proportion of your prescription was -1.75, -1.00. As this is a prescription for short-sight your distance vision will inevitably be clearer with the glasses. Its just a matter of whether the increased clarity would make it worthwhile wearing them full-time. As you also need them for close-up it be that you end up taking them on and off all the time if you don't wear full-time.

russell 12 Nov 2009, 07:21

BeBe: if you are experiencing great vision with the glasses and notice a distinct blur when you remove them, why would you stop wearing them full time? It sounds as if you need them and can benefit from full time wear. Certainly, if you wear them full time for two full weeks, just about anybody you regularly come in contact with will have seen you in them, so they will not be expecting you to suddenly no longer be in glasses. And strangers will never have known you without glasses. So who would you be fooling? (If vanity is, indeed, your reason for not wearing full time.)

BeBe 12 Nov 2009, 06:03

I was able to get my new glasses yesterday afternoon. I took the rx to Optician on 11/9/09, and since I asked for progressive lenses (still in shock over the need for bifocals, rather than just reading glasses)) was expecting glasses to take a week , wow! I have been wearing all the time as Cactus Jack suggested I do (for two weeks.) Playing around with them I notice a disctinct blur when I take them off. I realize this is just my brain getting used to seeing clearly, as you all talk about. My question is, when I stop full time wear in a couple of weeks (which I do intend to do) will I be able to once again see the distant objects clearly, if I wear the glasses as needed?

minus 5 who luvs gwgs 11 Nov 2009, 10:24

Your girl friend is very short sighted but not incredibly shortsighted without glasses she cannot see a lot but can read if she moves very close to the print My own girlfriend is minus 6.50 Your girl friend sounds very lovely and I hope it all goes very well for both of you

Curtis 11 Nov 2009, 10:20

tim --

i asked her if she knew what her prescription is and she said negative 9. does that square with what you told me? i don't wear glasses so i don't know much about prescriptions. thnaks!

Tim 09 Nov 2009, 20:51

Hi, Curtis! You have netted a high myope, or very short-sighted girlfriend. Many of the regulars here would be quite jealous! Do you find her glasses a big turn-on? If so, welcome to the club! Do post a photo of her if you can.

curtis 09 Nov 2009, 18:49

hi. i hope i've come to the right place. about 6 weeks ago i started dating an incredibly attractive girl with glasses. she's shy to let me look at her glasses and i wonder if someone can tell me what might be wrong with her vision if i describe what her lenses look like.

they make her eyes look real small and there seem to be a number of concentric circles around them. and the outer surfaces seem to be totally flat.

for what condition would someone wear such glasses?

thanks

Cactus Jack 09 Nov 2009, 08:22

BeBe,

Should be endangers others.

Cactus Jack 09 Nov 2009, 08:21

BeBe,

Wearing your glasses is strictly up to you. Your vision is your business, no one else, unless you are engaged in some activity where poor vision engagers others, such as driving.

For the first two weeks, you should wear the glasses full time, to get used to them. After that you can wear them when you want or need to.

I would expect that you will need an increase in the add to somewhere in the +2.50 to +3.25 range depending on how much close work you do and how close you like to do it. The amount of the add is related on the distance from your eyes to the work. Your distance Rx (the minus part) and the astigmatism part may change a little, but probably not much. Your Rx should be stable for many, many years.

BeBe 09 Nov 2009, 07:40

How often would you suggest I wear the glasses, if I should get them? Will they be very difficult for me to get used too? What type of rx change do you anticipate in a year/ (Cactus Jack)

Thanks, BeBe

Cactus Jack 09 Nov 2009, 06:54

Mirka,

Remember, your eyes are not "getting used to the glasses" your brain is, and it likes them. We know that your Rx will increase in the next few months because your eye doctor did not fully correct your myopia. The amount of increase will depend on how much these glasses are under corrected.

How much your prescription will increase depends on your genetics. Most young people your age experience about -0.50 increase in their sphere Rx per year, but it can vary. The cylinder correction may change some, but that usually happens very slowly. Small axis changes (the number after the "x") are normal because the accuracy of the axis number depends on your skill at determining relative blurriness during the exam.

Contact lenses are certainly a possibility, but as your doctor said, everything has to stabilize or it is a waste of time and money.

Have fun on your date. If your boyfriend is smart, he will like you even better with your glasses.

Aubrac 09 Nov 2009, 06:39

BeBe

It is unusual at your age that you have never noticed that you are shortsighted and need glasses for distance. You may have noticed the other posts from Mirka who with a similar prescription to you, is just experiencing what is like to see clearly.

I would have thought in any case that you are on the borderline when it comes to needing glasses to drive legally.

The first two figures -1.75 and -1.00 represent the degree of shortsight you have, OD is right eye and OS the left eye. The second figures +0.50 98 OD and 96 OS are the cylinder correction for astigmatism. At certain angles some of the light rays are not focussing on the retina and need a correction of +0.50 at an angle of 98 degrees to correct it. This would result in slightly blurred distance vision, and also make reading difficult which probably explains the headaches.

The add of +2.25 is the additional power for reading, it effectively cancels out the short sight correction and adds more convex power, +0.50 and +1.25 for reading.

I would suggest you have the prescription filled as I think you will be suprised at how much clearer distance vision will be and reading ability a lot better.

Because of the difference of -0.75 between your eyes, ovet the counter readers will not help you as they will either over or under correct the vision in each eye, this will also lead to headaches as each eye will work hard to focus properly.

Cactus jack 09 Nov 2009, 06:35

BeBe,

Based on your Rx, it appears that you are not only need reading glasses but you are also a bit myopic as indicated by the -1.75 and -1.00 in your Rx. The myopia has been helping you with close work, because low myopia is like having built in reading glasses. The +.50 x 98 & 96 indicates that you also have some astigmatism. While it is not very much, it is enough to cause you to have difficulty with small text at any distance. The +2.25 add replaces the reading glasses you have been wearing.

I would suggest getting the prescription filled. Because of your age and this is your first Rx, you should expect to need a slightly different Rx within a year. This is normal. It is nothing to worry about, it just happens to most people in your age bracket.

Not wearing the glasses will not help.

Try to notice your PD (Pupiliary Distance). You may decide later to try some inexpensive glasses from on line retailers and you will need your complete Rx and your PD to order them. For now, it would be better to get the glasses locally. The primary reason for this is that they will adjust the glasses to fit comfortably and many retailers will re-make the glasses at little or no cost if your Rx changes within a year. Be sure and ask what their policy is if your prescription changes within a year.

Mirka 09 Nov 2009, 05:29

Hi Astra, Aubrac, and CJ.

I think so my eyes got used a bit to my glasses, because when I took they yesterday I find that all things at my room looking much more blurry than few day ago, before I got glasses. I think you are right with your opinion, thank you for it, I'm still anew about glasses. Anyone know how strong get my glasses in about 2-3 years? You think I can wearing contacts lenses? My eye doc told about they, but I have to get my finally prescription. But I still enjoy my clear visin with my glasses on!!! Today I have my date and my boyfriend doesn't know that I got glasses, I am a bit scary but exciting what he think about me and my glasses.

BeBe 09 Nov 2009, 05:27

Very interested in this site, as I was online trying to get some info about the glasses that were prescribed for me last week. I am over 45 and have been wearing over the counter reading glasses, for a few years. I never wore any other glasses, and have been experiencing alot of headaches. I also thought it was time I have a glaucoma test and things.

My question for anyone who can help is, what does this rx mean and when would I benefit from wearing these glasses? Would it make sense to fill the rx, or just wear my reading glasses?

Rx says : -1.75 + .50 x 98 OD

-1.00 + .50 x 96 OS

ADD + 2.25

Seems to me from reading your posts that this is a very weak rx, that may not be necessary.

Thanks, BeBe

Aubrac 09 Nov 2009, 01:00

Mirka

When I first started wearing glasses with a similar prescription to yours, I used to think my eyes had suddenly got worse.

But what really happens is that you get used to seeing very clearly with your new glasses, after wearing them maybe all day and taking then off, the comparison between the blurred and and clear images is much more noticeable. If you didn't wear your glasses for some time you get used to the blurred images again quite soon.

At your age, especially teen years, there will be changes in prescription due to growth, actually wearing glasses will have little effect on this.

anon

I have tried wearing my wife's 4 degree BO prism glasses, and as CJ said, there is only a momentary instance of double vision when either putting glasses on or off. However after wearing them for a few hours, the double vision partially stopped but it did take a few minutes to return completely to normal.

Cactus Jack 08 Nov 2009, 15:00

anon,

3 prism diopters Base Out will be almost unnoticeable because the tracking system which converges the eyes for closer than 20 feet (6 meters) objects will automatically adjust the muscles to fuse the images in a fraction of a second. Each eye will turn inward about 1.5 angular degrees. They might notice momentary slight double vision when they took the glasses off, but that also would be compensated for quickly, but it takes slightly longer for the muscles to relax than to contract. Another reason they might not notice anything is that the brain normally does not respond to images from an eye in motion, but waits until it stops moving to process it.

08 Nov 2009, 13:07

what will normal person see if he puts prisms glasses for ex 3 prisms BO?

Astra 08 Nov 2009, 08:42

Mirka,

It's normal for uncorrected acuity to get worse by wearing glasses, as your brain is getting used to the corrected images instead of the uncorrected ones. Moreover, your ciliary muscles are getting more accustomed to function with your glasses instead of without.

Mirka 08 Nov 2009, 06:43

Thank you for your advices my friends. Today is my second day with my glasses. I can to see very clearly, but I'm a bit worry, because yesterday when after all day with glasses I took off they, I think my vision got worse without they.

Cactus Jack 07 Nov 2009, 08:50

Astra,

The ciliary muscles are like any other muscle in the body, the way you condition muscles is by using them.

However, unlike your arm or leg muscles, you have no direct way to exercise the ciliary muscles. That usually is not a problem, because unless a person is myopic, presbyopic, or has some condition that precludes their use, the ciliary muscles get plenty of use and exercise without any conscious effort on your part.

The only function of the ciliary muscles is to adjust the optical power (focus) of the crystaline lenses and if the crystaline lenses have no reason to change their focus, they don't get any exercise.

A hyperope's ciliary muscles probably get too much use, but depending on the amount of correction needed, a myope's ciliary muscles get little or no use if they are not wearing their glasses.

In some instances, if the myopia has been uncorrected long enough, the brain may have forgotten how to work the ciliary muscles. When the myopia is finally corrected, the brain may have to relearn how to work the ciliary muscles and then the muscles have to get conditioned again and used to performing their intended function.

Astra 07 Nov 2009, 02:30

CJ, are there any means to get the ciliary muscles "better conditioned"?

minus 5 who luvs gwgs 06 Nov 2009, 23:22

Mirka if I were you wear them all the time your eyes will probably get a little worse as you are so young so sooner or later you will need them all the time wear them with pride and know you are even more lovely with glasses

Mel P 06 Nov 2009, 20:24

I also found that the simulations at Optiker didn't change much when I put in different numbers, although I didn't go really low. I think I'm a little bit blurrier than what the simulator showed for my prescription, which is R: -9.00, L: -7.75, -1.25x002 (plus a OU +1.25 add). My prescription was too strong to get a result at the Israeli site. I suspect there's a limit like that at Optiker as well.

Like Lenses 06 Nov 2009, 19:36

Mirka

All of the books on optometry that I have read say that if the astigmatism is -.75 or greater in the better eye , that the patient should wear the glasses full time. You are right at that point.

Your vision without glasses is most likely about 20/200.

Cactus Jack 06 Nov 2009, 15:51

I suspect that Mirka actually needs between -2.00 and -2.50 sphere correction. Her ECP (Eye Care Professional) suggested that she wear her glasses full time and come back in 3 months for another exam and an increase to her full Rx. An excellent suggestion.

There are two reasons for initial under correction. One, it to allow her to get used to having good distance vision with her astigmatism probably fully corrected. Vision is a strong secondary factor in balance (signals from the semi-circular canals are the primary factor), recall her mention of some dizziness. A reduced Rx makes that easier. Two, it is likely that her ciliary muscles are not used to having to focus and they need to get used to having to accommodate. A reduced Rx will also make that easier.

You may recall the recent 17 YO who was given an initial Rx of around -3.25. His ciliary muscles were so de-conditioned that he could not read or use his computer with his glasses and had to get tri-focals. I wonder how he is getting on.

I think Mirka should follow her doctors advice.

Guest 06 Nov 2009, 14:21

interesting comment Puffin, what would you think the optician would recommend someone to wear full time?

Puffin 06 Nov 2009, 14:06

Mirka,

Your prescription is somewhat less than I expected (but then, it was an estimate!)

It sort of falls into an inbetween area where the decision to wear all the time is a matter of comfort, avoiding tiredness, and utility, ie keeping them on instead of constantly on/off/on/off. It's not quite at the stage where things would so fuzzy that an optician would automatically recommend full time wear. (btw, that stage isn't far away, I think)

Best thing to do is give them a go at whatever level of usage seems appropriate for the task you're trying to do, especially (obviously) for looking at things in the distance.

Aubrac 06 Nov 2009, 08:24

Mirka

It is always for the individual person to decide if they should wear their glasses or not.

Your prescription consists of two parts, the first one, Right -1.25, Left -1.50 is the correction for short sight or myopia. This amount of correction will make thinks clearer for distance and would make glasses necessary for driving a car.

The second part Right -0.75x10 and Left eye -0.5x170 is correction for astigmatism. This is needed to correct light rays that are not focussing evenly on the retina and causing a blurred image. This amount of astigmatism will cause blurred images at distance and also make reading more difficult. This is maybe why you hold books so close to your eyes to read and can also cause eyestrain and headaches.

On balance full time wear would be appropriate but as I said it is entirely up to you.

As long as you have chosen some nice frames that I am sure will look good on you, trying wearing them all the time. You will be suprised at how clear things like leaves on trees, bricks, signs, etc look.

On thing you may notice as I did when first wearing glasses, is that everyone seems to be looking at you. This is not the case but only seems so because you can see everyone clearly especially their eyes.

Try with and without glasses and see what you think.

Millhouse 06 Nov 2009, 07:05

-Dave,

Yes, the sim is quite accurate, I have a -7/ -6.5 rx and its about the right sort of image I have with no correction.

Mirka 06 Nov 2009, 06:44

Yesterday I got my first glasses. My prescription is: Right eye: -1.25x-0.75x10 and Left eye: -1.50x-0.5x170.

Give me some advice, I have wearing they all the time or not? What do you think?

Specs4Me 04 Nov 2009, 17:36

I entered the Optiker site twice and in the first I entered the Rx the I wear, -9.25 and in the second I entered -15.0. I then flipped back and forth and could not see any diference in them.

I also think that the -9.25 shows the images to be blurrier than what I see without my glasses.

I question the usefulness of this site.

minusfive 04 Nov 2009, 13:17

It's incredible what the simulator shows. You can boost your prescription from -5, which is incidentally what I currently wear, to -9 or even -15 and hardly see any changes. At least not what you would expect with a 4 or 10 diopter increase.

Rayray 04 Nov 2009, 07:18

The first sim shows thing a little more blurry than they really are.

I am OD -8.00 CYL -0.75 105

OS -8.25

And my visision is closer to -6.5 ish on the sim. I think it starts off too strong tho in the minus start any way

Dave 01 Nov 2009, 17:05

Here's another one:

http://www.billauer.co.il/simulator.html

Dave 01 Nov 2009, 16:58

Definitely full time. I can see OK without glasses, around 20/50 in the better eye perhaps a bit worse than that.

Thing about astigmatism is that your eyes continually work at trying to find the right focus when not wearing glasses so the eyes feel continually strained.

Glasses wearers try this translator and tell me if it works for your Rx (and what the Rx is)

http://www.optiker.at/simulator/index.htm

Guest 31 Oct 2009, 15:59

Dave,

Congrats on the new rx. An interesting one as I don't know much about astigmatic prescriptions, do you wear full time?

If you didn't with the old, will you with the new?

Dave 31 Oct 2009, 14:18

New prescription which means new glasses, YAY!

OD -0.50 -2.25 x 165 (unchanged)

OS -0.50 -1.75 x 015 (was -0.25, -1.25 x 019)

I hope the change works - he thought it might take a little getting used to.

Eduardo 21 Oct 2009, 13:04

Thanks Cactus. Next time I go to the eye doctor, I may ask about contacts and see if she thinks they might be workable. Otherwise, I probably need to purchase a pair of "sports" glasses. I do like wearing glasses now.

Chris 21 Oct 2009, 01:24

Cactus Jack, I had exactly the problems you describe with toric lenses. It took me a long time to accept that I needed to start wearing glasses or lenses. When I finally accepted the fact, I thought I'd get contacts. After the test the optician explained that because of my astigmatism, I'd need special lenses, so I should get glasses first whilst the lenses were sorted out. Because the optician was in my home town and I was at university, it was another ten months before I began my trials with torics. I tried a series of different lenses but could never get anything more than adequate vision. Although I do have a pair of lenses, I only ever wear them for sport. I take them out straight afterwards.

Cactus Jack 20 Oct 2009, 19:37

Eduardo,

You need to ask your Eye Care Professional (ECP) about contacts. A contact lens for the -0.50 eye would not be a big deal, but the contact for the +1.25 eye with +1.00 cylinder for your astigmatism could be a problem. There is a type of contact lens, called a "toric" that is used to correct astigmatism, but some people have difficulty with the lens not staying in the correct position on their cornea. If it rotates out of position, it will cause the image seen by that eye to be out of focus. Sometimes, it is possible to get by with a sphere only contact that has the sphere correction plus 1/2 the cylinder (astigmatism) correction. In your case a +1.75 lens. Your ECP can advise you and let you try some contacts and see how they work.

If you can get by with sphere only contacts, I would suggest "one day" lenses. They are very inexpensive if you buy the lenses at some place like Wal-Mart (Rx required). You wear them only one day and throw them away. There is no care or solutions required. They would be ideal for occasional sports wear.

Hope this helps.

Eduardo 20 Oct 2009, 12:24

Hi Cactus Jack, just wanted to touch base. Am wearing my glasses full-time now and studying is less stressful on the eyes. I wanted to ask you about contact lenses---will they work with my hyperopic and myopic prescription. The reason I ask this is because when I play any sport, I take my glasses off, but in a few minutes my eyes feel like they are crossing and I sometimes see double. I think contacts would help.

marilyn 18 Oct 2009, 09:31

Puffin 16 Oct 2009, 13:57

They're not "rules", it's just basically what the average optician will suggest in a given situation. The wearer is at liberty to ignore or follow the advice.

Guest 16 Oct 2009, 13:42

Honestly, I find this attitude regarding "rules" for when to wear full-time a little odd. I think it's really an individual decision--if you want to see well, and your glasses help you to do so, then just wear them. I think to say that, if your prescription is less than -2.50, there's not enough blur to worry about, or to say that a prescription of -2.0 would be the minimum needed to wear full-time is just silly. If your prescription is -3.0, or -4.0, or whatever, and you don't feel the need for correction, then don't wear your glasses (except when driving, please!). If your prescription is "only" -1.0, and you like how you see with your glasses, then wear them whenever you like . . .

Visitor 16 Oct 2009, 11:06

On the subject of full time wear starting at -2, what would the guidance be if someone was higher than -2 in one eye, -3 say, and -1.75 in the other?

Puffin 15 Oct 2009, 17:16

Shantal, it does happen that people get along okayish with vision in the range -2.5 to -4.5 with some accomodation ie getting closer, etc.

It just depends on whether and how often you need the correction, whether you are able to get closer, of course,

some jobs need good vision, etc. Then there is the issue of comfort, some people find it difficult to cope with a blurred image, headaches, etc, especially if there is astigmatism.

(and of course, people deal with that sort of level of myopia without correction, as you well know)

Opticians (or eye docs) will make a recommendation according to their experience but full time wear normally starts at -2 from a standpoint of seeing things clearly and probably from getting people who can be reasonably expected to have increases used to correction.

Dieter 15 Oct 2009, 14:37

SAS,

I missed your earlier post but just caught up thanks to Danbert. I absolutely disagree with your doctor. I have used monovision for at least 12 years and have always been happy with it. Initially, I used contacts for most all activities but found them more useful at work. I now require more help for middle distances because of increasing presbyopia. I work at a computer monitor most of the day. That is essentially what you are asking � to use contacts at work for mid-distance purposes. Monovision is a great plan especially if you plan to continue using your glasses at times for other activities. Bifocal contacts may be a better solution for you but the only way to know is to try something. Find a doctor that is willing to work with contacts whether they are bifocal or single vision for monovision. Your�s is being a jerk when he acts as though it is a low quality solution.

Danbert 15 Oct 2009, 13:53

@SAS: I have no doubt that your opthalmologist probably believes that he is doing you a favour by refusing to help you with contacts. Unfortunately, he is also forgetting that it is not so much his job to tell you what you should do, but rather to guide you to a safe and functional solution that works for you.

Some people are happy with monovision and some are unhappy with it. People have different preferences, habits, expectations and adaptability. Personally I don't like the idea of it, but plenty of people seem to function perfectly well with it.

The same goes for bifocal lenses. They will work for some people, but not for others. The only way you can find out if they will work for you is to try them, which means going to someone who _will_ help you out. Explain your situation and hopefully someone will let you take home some different trial lenses. If you find something that works for you, great. If not, no harm done.

It's going to be a compromise whichever option you take. What matters is which compromise works well for you.

There is also nothing to say that you can't get 'normal' contacts and reading glasses, an option which I doubt I would go for but which may or may not work out just fine for you.

I think it would be a good idea to get bifocal glasses as well as a backup.

Disclaimer: I am not an eye nor a medical practitioner, merely an interested third party. Good luck!

Dieter 15 Oct 2009, 13:26

Shantal,

That sounds like the makings for an excellent story for the "When I Was at School" thread.

Shantal 15 Oct 2009, 11:58

Louise, I usually tell people don't even bother with glasses unless you are at least -2.50. Anything lower than that is not really blurry enough to worry about and it will just make your eyes dependent upon them. Soon you won't be able to see without them and will feel disoriented without them.

I was embarassed to tell my parents I needed glasses when I was in high school because I had been secretly wearing a strong pair I picked up at the thrift store and thought it might have ruined my eyes. For fear of being discovered, I lead a blurry life until I was almost 18 and completely utterly failed the eye test for my driver's permit. I went to get glasses and my first prescription was -4.50! Before that time my eyes had gotten so bad I could barely recognize people but I didn't realize how bad they had gotten because it took so long to get that way.

I really know the feeling of putting on those glasses for the first time. The world bent around me and it seemed like I was in a fishbowl. It took me months before I wore the glasses full time because it was such a dramatic change for me and I couldn't let people see these thick glasses I had after not having glasses at all and claiming my vision was just fine to everyone.

I guess everyone is different after all.

admirer 15 Oct 2009, 11:39

Louise

you have been wonderful posting here. everything you have said rings so true about your persosnal experience. At the end I feel you do gain by wearing them full time but you have to be happy. The benefits wil speak for themselves

ehpc 15 Oct 2009, 09:37

Louise - I bet you look STUNNING wearing the 'bold' pair. What do you do professionally?

Louise 15 Oct 2009, 08:20

Hello well I wore my glasses to work today, I choose the bolder pair as I think I prefer them on me.

I got few comments mainly "I didnt know you wore glasses". But people said they suited me and some wanted to try them on to see if they suited them.

It is a relief to finally wear them out in public just got to show most of my friends and family now.

SAS 15 Oct 2009, 08:14

So Sorry for all of the questions, but I do find your help, informative. I have been thinking about contacts, to wear during day at work. My opthalmologist won't rx them for me as he doesn't like mono vision or bifocal contacts. When I mentioned contacts and mono vision he stated firmly "nice try, but you do need bifocals and they must be glasses". He also said that I can probably find a Walmart optometrist or similar to rx & sell me contacts, but I would be compromising quality of vision and wouldn't be happy. At me rx (stated below), is there even a point in trying contacts? If so how do you all feel about bifocal or monovision lenses, do you agree with my Dr. ?

Thanks-SAS

SAS 15 Oct 2009, 06:00

Cactus Jack,

Thanks once again. I live in the US,Pennsylvania.

SAS

Cactus Jack 15 Oct 2009, 05:57

SAS,

It actually makes no difference in the optics of the glasses. Eye Care Professionals are trained in using either + cylinder or - cylinder examination techniques. In the US, Opthalmologists tend to use + cylinder and Optometrists tend to use - cylinder. Phropters are made with either type cylinder and trial lens sets have both.

No matter how the Rx is written, there is a simple formula for converting + cylinder to - cylinder. Lenses are ground from lens blanks which involves removing material which generally grinds in more minus to the starting power of the blank. Lens makers convert a + cylinder glasses Rx to - cylinder and make the glasses. The end result is the same.

I hope this helps.

May I as where you live?

SAS 15 Oct 2009, 05:27

Cactus Jack and Russell,

Thanks for your help! I am going to try the clip on's 1st, and see what happens. I have another question that you may be able to help me with. I don't understand the difference between the + correction for astigmatism vs. the - correction. I realize my correction is miniscule. Is it that with the + the .50 gets added to the -1.75 at the axis prescribed, and the minus cylinder would get deducted from the spherical correction at the axis specified?

Thanks,SAS

Cactus jack 14 Oct 2009, 15:40

SAS,

If you want to order some computer glasses and need help with an Rx, let us know, but I would try the clip ons first.

Cactus jack 14 Oct 2009, 15:37

SAS,

Comfortable focus at 34 inches would require about a +1.00 or +1.25 add to your distance Rx. Some while back, I got some +1.00 clip magnifiers for use with the computer and they are great. The nice thing about them is that they are cheap and I can look straight at the computer without tilting my head and getting a crick in my neck (I wear trifocals).

Check out http://www.rx-safety.com/Magnifying-Safety-Glasses/ their clip on magnifiers are US$14.99 and are available in +0.25 increments from +1.00 to +3.00 in two sizes.

russell 14 Oct 2009, 14:28

You can have your optometrist write you a prescription for computer glasses--which will be single vision that you will use only at the computer.(As Cactus said, be sure you tell the opto the distance you use from the computer.) Then go to www.zennioptical.com or www.39dollarglasses.com and order them. In about two weeks, you should get them. I've always been happy with Zenni's work and you will be able to get a pair for under twenty bucks. I love 39dollar's progressive lenses so if you ever buy frames only, send them to them for cheap, very well made lenses. If you go with 39dollarglasses for computer glasses, you will pay just that: $39.

sas 14 Oct 2009, 11:49

Cactus Jack,

Thanks for your help ! I sit about 34" from my computer screen, so I'm assuming from what you have told me that this would be considered intermediate vision. Most likely my distance and add rx are correct?, sound right? I hate to give up my cute glasses, but realize that the intermediate area is obviously not sufficient. Would computer glasses need to be prescription or would some over the counter readers suffice? My glasses were rather expensive and I can't afford the expense of another Drs visit or rx glasses for the computer, although I work at a computer atleast 8 hrs each day, so this is an issue

Thanks Again, SAS

Cactus Jack 14 Oct 2009, 10:43

sas.

The first thing to do is measure the distance from your eyes to the computer screen. You will need that number if you go back to your Eye Care Professional.

I suspect the problem is caused by the "compact" progressives. Your add of +2.25 will allow you to see things comfortably at about 45 cm or 17 inches and a bit closer, but things beyond that distance will be blurry.

You may find that "computer glasses", a larger intermediate area in the progressives, or tri-focals would give you more comfort.

sas 14 Oct 2009, 09:56

Hi I haven't posted for a long time, and just got a new rx, it is :

OD -1.75 + 0.50 x 097 +2.25 ADD

OS - 1.00 + 0.50 x 095 +2.25 ADD

I am having a major problem with seeing the computer. So much so that I have to wear my old glasses all day at work. My old rx was .75 diopters weaker for distance and astigmatism rx only in left eye. Could the problem be that my progressive lenses are the "compact" type and my mid range area is not large enough. Or is it that distance is too strong or add is too weak?? Please help. I'm debating on whether to take the glasses back to optician or ask opthalmologist for another exam.

Louise 14 Oct 2009, 08:10

Hey I wore my glasses last night whilst at home, did notice a difference when watching the tv.

I noticed that my eyes felt more relaxed wearing them, than when I took them off.

I wore them on the the way to work but have again chickened out wearing them at work but do have them in my bag!!

Phil 14 Oct 2009, 07:31

Louise, how is the glasses-wearing going?

Phil 13 Oct 2009, 09:09

I first tried specs on a bus! Look at all the shop signs. You'll be able to read them!

Louise 13 Oct 2009, 08:53

Im about to finish work so might try them on whilst on the bus home.

I dont live with my parents as have moved away to work, I still havent told them ive got glasses yet.

Yes it is strange why im so self conscious about them as im a fairly out going person.

Phil 13 Oct 2009, 08:35

Louise, put them on when you've left work. If it is beginning to go dark by them the difference will be more noticeable. Let us know how you find wearing them. It's odd how wearing glasses make some of us self-conscious, isn't it? Are your family expecting you to come home a first-time gwg?

Louise 13 Oct 2009, 07:48

Hey everyone, yes I did pick my glasses up today during my lunch hour. I did notice a difference in my vision when the optician put them on me in the shop, I was then asked if I would like to keep them on im afraid I chickened out at put them in their case.

I havent worn them since as ive been at work and will probably wait till I home to wear them and get used to them!!!

Stingray 13 Oct 2009, 07:08

My wife is myopic and her prescription is -3.00 OS, -2.50 OD with some astigmatism. On the prescription, the optometrist wrote "recommend hi-index or polycarbonate lenses". Do you think that is necessary? It seems to me that high index lenses are for much higher corrections. Is this just a rip-off or what?

Phil 13 Oct 2009, 05:17

Louise, have you collected them yet?

russell 13 Oct 2009, 02:29

When I first showed up wearing glasses, almost no one said a word about it. They just simply assumed that I needed them and that was why I got them. Little did they know that one lens was plano and the other had only a -.25 correction. I had no need for them. I simply wanted them and was glad that the optometrist prescribed some correction and sold them to me. (This was well before the internet where we have a vast array of possibilities for getting glasses without prescription or making up a prescription or doing glasses over contacts.)

Phil 12 Oct 2009, 09:37

Louise, I can't say that I found it easy! I've worn specs for 35 years and am still not fulltime!

But it sounds as if you have chosen nice frames. And you should take comfort that wearing them will enhance how you look rather than detract. Have you told your family you are getting them? Friends and colleagues will certainly just shower you with compliments (or just be too shy to comment). But family might expect to have been told!

Let us know how you get on. You will not believe how crisp your vision will be. Look at the bricks, leaves and blades of grass!

JR 12 Oct 2009, 09:05

Louise

Seriously, put them on and wear them. That said, we all need a little "alone time" to get used to them. Look in the mirror and see how pretty you are wearing them.

I think a lot has to do with your vision change. It is easier if you can tell a real change. If it is more subtle then you will feel a little self conscious. But it is just the first time, then it is easy from there on.

Louise 12 Oct 2009, 08:19

Hey had a call from the opticians and my glasses will be in tomorrow, so I should hopefully be able to pick them up at lunchtime. Am feeling abit nervous about having to wear glasses!!! Any tips on the best ways to get used to them, and wearing them in front of friends and family for the first time.

bela24 11 Oct 2009, 14:30

Hi, since this thread is post your prescription im finally posting mine after being a lurker for quite a long time!. Its -0.50, -2.25 both eyes, axis 70 and 117

ehpc 11 Oct 2009, 09:11

The bold black plastic frames sound just the best, Louise :) Pete

Louise 11 Oct 2009, 07:46

By the way im 25 years old

Louise 11 Oct 2009, 06:04

Hey everyone I choose quite a bold black plastic frame and a pair of semi rimless ones. It was my friend who persuaded me to go for the bold pair aswell.

Im just finding it strange that I hadnt noticed I need glasses and now need them, I guess because it all happened so quickly!!

Amy 11 Oct 2009, 04:27

Louise. Like antonio says, you only have a mild prescription so going without glasses shouldn't be too much of a problem for you. I would suggest wearing them for driving, tv and the cinema and perhaps when you're in town shopping. They will certainly make evrything clearer. Depending on your age your eyes may not change too much, but once you start wearing glasses, they do tend to get more dependent on them the more you wear them.

Phil 11 Oct 2009, 02:55

Louise, you'j be amazed when you first put your glasses on. If you are comfortable wearing them, keep them on. You'll be amazed at the positive reactions from others.

antonio 10 Oct 2009, 22:59

Hi Louisa,

whether you wear your glasses all the time or only sometimes will be up to you,

because it�s only a mild prescription you got. Nevertheless I�m sure you will be able to read far signs better in them and have a clearer view in general as you have astigmatism.

Just try and wear them for a while to see how good they are

best regards, antonio

ehpc 10 Oct 2009, 19:26

What style frames will you be wearing, Louise? Pete

Louise 10 Oct 2009, 17:17

Hiya I pick my glasses up next week they are going to phone me when they are in I got two pairs as they had n offer on both of them are very different to each other. Not sure which pair im going to wear more.

My prescription is L -1.00 +0.75 86 and R -0.75 0.50 100. Not sure what it means, also any ideas when i would need to wear them, or should i wear them all of the time?

Dan 10 Oct 2009, 11:23

Louise,

Do you know your prescription?

When do you pick up your glasses?

I'm sure you'll love the crisper vision!

Truely 10 Oct 2009, 09:20

Hi, I have been reading for a while but not posted just got new rx.

R -4.50 -0.75 20 3 base out Add +1

L -3.75 -0.50 180 3 base out 1.5 base down Add +1

This is my first RX with add but the third with prism.

Louise 10 Oct 2009, 08:46

Hello everyone just found this site and also found out that i need glasses for the first time!!!

I hadnt had an eye check up for about 5 years and was out shopping with my friend who was also picking up her new glasses. Whilst in the opticians a worker there gave me voucher for an eyetest and my friend persuaded me to hve one, it turned out that they had an appointment free.

I didnt think that i had any problems with my vision, but after the test i was told i ws slighty shortsighted with some astigmatism (not sure what this means).

As i was in the shop with my friend she helped me choose some frames which she said suited me. Not sure about wearing glasses, as it all happened very quickly.

Amy 10 Oct 2009, 03:49

Fran. Your girl friend must be about as bad as me, I reckon, if she can only see up to 20 cms without either glasses or contacts. I'm -7.00 and -7.75. But I suppose it depends what she actually means by clearly! For instance I can walk around our house without glasses and find stuff ok without any problems if I want to. But it would be difficult in someone else's house that I didn't know very well. I can't actually read anything without glasses unless I hold it closer that 20 cms if that's any more help.

minus5who luvs gwgs 09 Oct 2009, 21:30

My gf has just got a new prescription was minus 5.25 and minus 6.25 has gone up on both eyes by minus.25 and her add has gone up by .50 to 2.50 Great to see an increase in her myopia even though she is now 51 She picked a pair of Rayban rimless frames with a double temple in black and white I must admit she looks delectable great power rings and decent cut in what a lovely girl

Puffin 01 Oct 2009, 15:30

It would be around minus 5, and the visual acuity would be around 20/500, depending on how good she is at interpreting blur and whether she has any astigmatism.

I imagine a quick eyetest might be awkward.

Fran 01 Oct 2009, 14:42

The girl I have just started seeing, wears contacts nearly all of the time. I haven't seen her in glasses yet. She says that she can see clearly up to about 20cm and then after that everything is a blur. If someone can see for 20cm, what prescription would this be? And what would it be in terms of 20/xx?

Thanks

Wilson 01 Oct 2009, 11:49

Lentifan:

I have tried monovision, but was never successful, hated it in fact. I far prefer the clip ons.

My Brother, 24, on the other hand, likes the monovision. He has one lens -25 for distance, and one -21 for reading.

lentifan 30 Sep 2009, 16:30

Wilson, have you ever considered monovision, as an alternative to clip- ons for reading etc?

Wilson 30 Sep 2009, 13:00

Puffin:

I get 2 eye checks per year, have had increases in both.

Mark & Others:

The twins are identical. The -21 started glasses at 1yo, the -17 at 3yo, and she has lagged her twin in everything, walking, talking, glasses, etc. I'm sure they will both end up well into the -20's.

Astra 27 Sep 2009, 13:06

Re Josh: Same as Cactus Jack, I would advise you to have an eye check. Because eye discomfort are likely due to eye problems.

But you haven't mentioned how long you focus on the computer/book. If it is relatively short period of time (say less than 5 min), then very likely there must be eye problems. If there are refraction errors, the refraction errors may be quite significant (usually requiring more than 1 diopter of correction)

But if it is relatively long period of time (say more than 45 min), then your eyes may get dry or strained, due to slight refraction errors (usually within 1 diopter) or other eye problems.

Cactus Jack 25 Sep 2009, 08:30

Josh,

Brian-16 is right. At your age, focusing for long periods of close work should be effortless. An exam would be in order to find out what is going on. It would also be good to occasionally look away from the book or computer to let your eyes relax for a few moments.

You haven't provided enough detail for me even guess at the problem. My first thought is that you may be a little hyperopic (far sighted), but only an exam can determine that for sure. Don't be afraid to let your parents know that you are having some vision trouble. No one can know how well you see except by getting an exam. From here on out, your visual workload will be mostly close work in school and university and you need comfortable vision.

Please let us know your plans and the outcome of the exam.

Brian-16 25 Sep 2009, 04:39

Josh - It is always a good idea to have a check-up.Perhaps Cactus Jack might have some advice.Where are you located-US or Europe?

Josh 25 Sep 2009, 01:13

Hi, I'm new here. I'm 14 and I think I might need glasses cause when I'm reading a book or the computer my eyes sometimes drop out of focus and if I'm tired it can be hard to focus again... do you think I might need an eyetest?

harry 24 Sep 2009, 14:02

can someone send me images of the -19.75 (or less) glasses from zennioptical ?

if you can send it to my mail that will be great - dsuk124@walla.com

thanks :)

Dieter 24 Sep 2009, 10:44

Mark,

There's still some unknowns. Are they identical twins or fraternal twins? Did they start wearing glasses at the same time or different times? Besides, with the name "Wilson", they might be volleyballs.

Mark 24 Sep 2009, 10:10

@guest,

Thats kinda my point, its a 20% difference when they are twins, ie, they didnt start at different ages different births etc, were both from the same, and yet they ended up different.

Thats why i was asking as to whether there might be some nurturing difference as nature was the same.

and -17 to -21 is still quite a big difference, if it was -17 and -18 wouldnt be such a big thing as one might prefer slight over correction etc.

guest 24 Sep 2009, 09:19

@Mark

Is going from -17 to -21 a big difference? In percentage terms 20-25% isn't that much. That'd be like one twin at -4 and the other at -5.

Or given the huge jumps a 16 yr. old would have to acquire myopia that high one twin may be one or two RX's behind.

Mark 24 Sep 2009, 06:01

@Wilson

Its interesting that your twin sisters have different prescriptions, and by quite a large amount.

Do you think you could acredit this to their differences in personality and likes? ie one prefers a lot of reading?

Regards

Mark.

R Ed 23 Sep 2009, 11:40

Chrissi,

Your question "I wonder what rx I will be at when my progression stops!" is unanswerable even though no doubt you'd like to know the answer.

But it sounds like you and your parents are doing the right thing-getting good professional eyecare advice and following it.

I would have guessed you'd be prescribed an add for bi focals, since reading is easier with older, weaker glasses, but I take it that did not happen. Is that correct?

Puffin 23 Sep 2009, 08:26

Wilson, do you/did you have yearly prescription changes? Or did the optician suggest coming back sooner if the RX went up by 2 or 3 dioptres? Yes, I know 2 dioptres is to some extent managable temporarily, depending on what you're trying to see.

Wilson 23 Sep 2009, 08:22

Puffin:

As to my progression, it has been faily even in two rough steps. From age 2 to 12 it was about 1 diopter per year. From 12 to 20 it averaged 2 diopters per year, although one year, when I was about 16, it was 3 diopter.

I discuss my glasses with the optician before they are ordered, but I have had them long enough that he pretty much knows what I want.

Chrissi:

Mostly, you lose peripheral vision with the myos, and have to look through the center of the lens and turn your head more. But you should be accustomed to that if you have -13s.

My younger sisters (twins) are 16, and one is -17 and the other is -21. Both of them wear myos.

Danbert 22 Sep 2009, 17:38

@Dan: Myopic progression may be caused by various factors: (a) genetics, (b) excessive near-work and (c) myopic blur, amongst others.

(c) relates to the fact that the eye may attempt to compensate for blur caused by growing (the brain may not actually "realise" that shrinking, if that were possible, would be preferable).

This is debatable and may be contradicted by other evidence. Regardless, the general/boring advice I see is that wearing your prescribed correction will make no difference to your Rx at all.

Not wearing correction will result in squinting/eyestrain and your ciliary muscles will not have to work very much when focusing up close. These things are probably not permanently detrimental to one's vision, but they're unlikely to help it either.

Chrissi 22 Sep 2009, 16:05

R Ed, my script is about -12.75 and -13.75 for my left and right eyes (respectively). There is some astigmatism. I wonder what rx I will be at when my progression stops!

R Ed 22 Sep 2009, 07:04

Chrissi,

My Rx is

right eye -5.00, +1.25 at 45, +2.75

left eye -6.5, + 1.50 at 170, +2.75

I've had progressive bi focals for many years; they are great. One day perhaps you'll consider them.

Chrissi 21 Sep 2009, 16:22

@R Ed. I have yet to get bifocals actually! Still working with the older glasses thing for lots of close work....What is your rx?

Clare 21 Sep 2009, 12:53

Dan - my first Rx was about the same as your wife's; I was younger though, in my early 20s. 15 years later I mostly wear contacts and my prescription is -3 and -2.75 with a bit of cyl. I can't attribute the progression in my Rx to wearing my glasses too often - I didn't wear contacts full time till I got to around -2.50. And since I did, though it may be coincidence, I've not had much change.

Dan 21 Sep 2009, 12:37

After suffering repeated headaches and noticing she didn't always see things sharply when tired, and a visit to the ophtalmologist, my wife (aged 33) got her first pair of glasses two weeks ago. Her prescription is not strong, with -0.75 in each eye and some cylinder left.

I have been encouraging her to wear her glasses often (I really like her in them), but she only puts them on when driving so far. Although she immediately conceded that she could see much better with glasses, she thinks her eyes will deteriorate if she wears them too often. I think the contrary: put the glasses on, and that way you will not put too much strain on your eyes.

Do you think her prescription can evolve over the next years? And will it matter whether she wears the glasses often or not?

R Ed 21 Sep 2009, 06:52

Chrissi,

If I recall correctly you were asking about bi focals some time ago and discovered reading was easier with older glasses with less minus power. Were you prescribed bi focals as part of your most recent Rx?

Mark 21 Sep 2009, 02:14

Chrissi, if you are interested in trying out myodiscs but dont want to shell out a fortune i have a few ideas that you might like to hear.

Send me an email if you want to talk about this in more detail.

Samheim@hotmail.co.uk

Regards

RL 20 Sep 2009, 16:10

I have gotten myodiscs from optical 4 less and was quite satisfied with them. I've just been trying to find someplace closer to home than Hong Kong. Somplace where one could talk to the optician.

sam12744 20 Sep 2009, 14:45

RL,

I should have mentioned, though, that optical4less are still quite expensive, despite being an online supplier. The quality is good, but the choice of frames may leave something to be desired.

sam12744 20 Sep 2009, 14:43

RL,

Failing getting myodiscs( lenticular) done locally,optical4less are happy to do them online. You can order the size of bowl you want( default is 28mm, which is on the large side for most modern frames), so you need to specify in the "other instructions" what size you want. I use 20mm or 18mm to avoid them being cropped by the frame.They can turn out remarkably thin and light myodisc lenses in scripts from -14 to -40.Obviously, the plano carriers give the thinnest and lightest lenses.

Puffin 20 Sep 2009, 14:41

Wilson and other similar high myopes:

When you get your presumably myodisked glasses, do you give the optician some input about what you want, ie bowl size, plus or plano carrier, etc, or just leave them to it and see what they turn out?

Also, did your myopia go up sharply in the teens - for some congential or near congential myopes, it grows steadily or stays fairly flat.

Chrissi 20 Sep 2009, 13:11

Wilson, wow that is a very high rx! I might actually get around there by the time my progression stops. I am 14 and wearing -13 now.

Can you tell me about how it is to wear myodiscs?

Wilson 19 Sep 2009, 08:24

RL:

I don't think I am going to be much help, all of my family (also significant myopes) use an optician in our town (no chain) and have always used him. He sends out to a lab, my glasses usually take about a month to come in. I've worn myos since I was -18, about 7-8 years now.

My current glasses are 28mm bowl, plastic with + carrier.

SoCal 16 Sep 2009, 21:27

Okay, so I went to the eye doc today and to my surprise, he was going to lower my Rx. I had told him I was getting headaches and he thought that my Rx was a bit too strong for me and that lowering it would fix the problem. He also thought that my eyes were too dry and that the dryness was distorting my vision. He said that my current Rx was too strong for me and that, coupled with the dry eyes was causing the blur. I told him that my eyes actually felt better with contacts on and that there was not any dryness and that it was not the issue. So try and fix things for now (until I return next Tuesday) he lowered the Rx in one eye and increased the Rx in the other eye so that they were the same. Well, now when I am indoors or driving at night, I find myself squinting a bit because I don't feel like I am seeing much better than before I went in. What is up? Is it me or is the Rx off? Should it be stronger

Cactus Jack 16 Sep 2009, 16:06

Eduardo,

It was only a suggestion. It is not unusual for a low hyperope to need less than a +1 increase in their sphere correction after getting and wearing their first glasses for a few months. This is because their ciliary muscles relax after years of compensating for their hyperopia. However, because you are slightly myopic in one eye, it is possible that you have been reading with that eye, your hyperopic eye has not had to compensate, and your Rx is correct.

Many optometrists will do a recheck at no charge after a few months of wearing your first glasses and if you need a small change, many glasses makers will remake your lenses at no charge within a certain time frame.

After everything has had a chance to relax, a once a year exam will be all you need unless you notice a problem.

Eduardo 16 Sep 2009, 15:41

Thanks Cactus, I think that you are trying to tell me that I will need stronger glasses in the near future. More hyperopia?

Aubrac 15 Sep 2009, 12:25

Jack

Saw your earler post. Contacts come in faorly standard diameter and base curve but you must have an optometrist fit them.

If not you can get oxygen starvation to the cornea and loose sight to the lens.

Don't mess around with it

Cactus Jack 15 Sep 2009, 12:07

Eduardo,

I didn't answer your question about distance vision w/o glasses. The reason that doesn't seem as sharp is that your brain has become used to using both eyes together and is not over accommodating to see distance clearly with the hyperopic eye while ignoring the blurry myopic eye.

Cactus Jack 15 Sep 2009, 12:03

Edurado,

Good to hear form you. What you are experiencing is pretty much normal. The pulling or eye crossing are caused by the interconnection between the focus mechanism and the convergence mechanism in your brain. You distance vision may not seem as sharp because the image from your mildly hyperopic eye is like a slightly over corrected myope. The image appears shaper and you brain will always use the sharpest image as the primary source.

In a month or so, you might want to consider a re-check on your Rx after your eyes have had an opportunity to fully relax.

Eduardo 15 Sep 2009, 10:24

HI Cactus jack---wanted to check in with you after several weeks of college. Have been wearing my glasses all the time for about a month and been back at school for two weeks. Interesting, I have found that when I remove my glasses for any length of time, my eyes feel like they are pulling or crossing. Also, distant vision w/o glasses is now not as sharp. Not sure why this is the case as I am only nearsighted in one eye. Close accounting work is now less stressful on the eyes.

RL 15 Sep 2009, 07:56

Wilson, where do you get your myodiscs made? I find they are increasingly hard to come by and although my prescription is only in the mid-teens, myodiscs are the only really thin lenses I can get. Are yours plastic or glass and do they have a plus or plano carrier? How big are the bowls? Thanks in advance for the info.

Wilson 15 Sep 2009, 07:24

I am a 21 yo college senior and very high myope. Introduced to ES a few weeks ago by my room-mate. Worn glasses most of my life. First were about -4 at 18 months.

My script is R: -27.00 -1.75 x045 L: -28.50 -4.25 x050 add +5.00, been stable for a couple of years. Glasses are myodisks and then I have clip-ons with intermediate and add, and another clip-on with just +5 in the lower part for class.

ambly 14 Sep 2009, 04:34

Just had an eyetest two days ago script changed from +2.00_add+2.25 both eyes to R +1.75 L+6.00 add 2.50 this is the largest increace i have ever had.This was just a two year checkup i hadnt noticed anything wrong.Have not ordered any new glasses yet as I am still a bit shocked and maybe a little pleased to have a deasent strength script at last.Does anyone think my new glasses will look a bit odd with only one strong lens? I dont really mind if they do look odd being a long term O-O with a love of the unusual.

JimInCA 12 Sep 2009, 22:30

Hi all. Been viewing this site for a while. As sometimes people ask what someones vision is like based on a presciption number, I wanted to share this tool I found on the web for myopia simulation. It shows the number and an image and what it looks like. I imagine it is probably pretty accurate, but can't say for sure.

http://www.eyeland-design.com/webtools/53828496ca1045c06/53828496bd08d7c0c/index.html

My vision actually went past this as I had -11.5/-12.5 plus about 3 myopia in each eye. I say "had" because I got a surgery to fix recently - I got the Visian ICL in both eyes in May and then a Lasik on the left eye in late June. I am seeing very good now, around 20/20 - way better then my old 20/1000+ range!

JimInCA

Clare 11 Sep 2009, 12:02

Jack - my prescription is similar -3/-2.75. I'd say its worth paying to get a proper examination for contacts, unless you get the right brand for your eyes they can be less comfortable than they need to. Invest in the money, keep your eyes healthy and comfortable. I've had contacts that weren't and it is horrible!

R Ed 11 Sep 2009, 10:55

Jack,

Listen to Julian; he is correct.

I did what you are doing all through high school. It was dumb. Everyone knew I couldn't see; people are observant. No one cares if you wear glasses or not.

My denial ended when I got a great job that was subject to a physical exam including guess what? An eye test. A few days later I had glasses, wore them full time and guess what again? IT WAS NO PROBLEM.

Please let us know what you intend to do.

Julian 11 Sep 2009, 02:10

Jack: honestly, why don't you just let people know, AND SEE, that you have glasses? Everybody around you probably knows that you need them, so why not just put them on and wear them with pride?

Phil 11 Sep 2009, 01:30

I picked up my new specs. Distance rx down by .50 sphere and .25 cylinder to -3.25 in one eye and down by .50 sphere to -3.25 in the other. Reading add up to 2.50 from 2.25.

I certainly can't see long distance as well as before. Bus destinations etc are much more of a blur. And the bottom portion of the lense is much less clear for reading. But computer vision is excellent with the new lenses. I think I'll use them for work and get a pair with single vision lenses at old prescription for distance and another pair (at around -1.25) for reading.

The strange thing is that, if I take off the new specs after only a short period of wear, my eyes feel tired. I did not experience that with my previous rx.

Curt 10 Sep 2009, 06:32

Jack: Contacts must be fitted by an optometrist. They come in different curvatures and diameters, and measurements of your eyes must be done to ensure that the lenses fit properly. Badly fitted contacts would be irritating to wear, and could possibly cause problems with your eyes.

If you really want contacts, spend the money and have them fitted properly. They are the only eyes you have...

Jack 10 Sep 2009, 06:24

Hi,

My prescription -2.75 , I can't see anything without my glasses,nobody around me know that I have glasses (I am 18), and I thought that I need to get some contacts.

There is a store nearby which sell very cheap contacts , and I want to try some, but I don't want to go the optometrist, can I just buy them and put them ? Visitng optometrist will be very expensive so I prefer this way .

I am interested in daily contacts just for school ( because I cant see a thing)

I can videos on YouTube to demonstrat how to put them.

Is that will be a problam.

SimonC 10 Sep 2009, 01:14

Julian - Hi. It is inches. I realised as soon as I had posted it but had not had time to reply. Trying to post while I should have been working.

VFL: Glasses with me, just took them off to see what I could(nt) see. They were straight back on. Dont like going bare eyed.

Julian 10 Sep 2009, 00:32

Simon: do you really mean you have to be 6 mm. from the screen to read it? Even 6 cm. would seem pretty close with your Rx.

VFL 09 Sep 2009, 13:20

Thank you for your reply, Simon. Where were your glasses when you were in the car? Tucked away in your pocket? Don't you get headachey going without?

SimonC 09 Sep 2009, 08:44

Hi.

Without my glasses I am pretty useless. I can read the computer screen without glasses about 6mm away - cant make out the keyboard when sat here without glasses on. And no, cant see any faces looking around the office here. I can make out people sat down but no features of them.

I can manage getting around at home without glasses as I know where everything is so I can get up in the night to say go to toilet without needing to put them on.

Driving is a complete no-no of course. I cant recall the distance you are supposed to be able to read a number plate from but when I was in the car a few days ago and someone asked if I could see a number plate I couldnt read the one right in front of us when in traffic jam.

VFL 09 Sep 2009, 08:37

May I ask, Simon, what your vision is like without your glasses? Can you recognize people from across a room? Are you okay with not putting them on in the middle of the night? How about reading a book or the computer?

If you were out somewhere and broke them, could you drive home?

Galileo 09 Sep 2009, 08:21

Hi James, I have seen -4.25 with plano fronts.

SimonC 09 Sep 2009, 08:04

I am 35. My current prescription is:

L: -5.50 -1.50

R: -5.00 -1.25

James 09 Sep 2009, 07:15

I am sure this has been asked a thousand times but I couldn't find it, so here goes:

what is the MINIMUM minus Rx at which lenses are made flat in front?

I saw a delicious guy yesterday with irresistble flashing-in-the-light flat fronted lenses. Nice cut-in too. But then, from the side, they looked disappointingly thin, attributable mos likely to high index. Either way, I guess he was on the lower end of flat fronted lenses, and I am wondering what his numbers were.

James 09 Sep 2009, 07:14

I am sure this has been asked a thousand times but I couldn't find it, so here goes:

what is the MINIMUM minus Rx at which lenses are made flat in front?

jhon 08 Sep 2009, 13:46

probalby that will be more than 20/200, i think 20/250

Interested 08 Sep 2009, 12:42

Hey

My Korean girlfriend wears glasses. She said that in Korea, visual acuity is measured from 2.0, 1.5, 1.0,0.9,0.8..........0.0...and then into minus figures e.g. -0.1,-0.2 etc.

So good eyesight is at '2.0'. He eyes are 0.0 in both her right and left, so I was wondering whether anyone could give me an idea of what this would be in either standard visual acuity terms or her rough prescription. I'm really interested to know how well she can see. She wears contacts all of the time, so I rarely get to see her in glasses.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

John L 04 Sep 2009, 14:53

Recently had a boost to my near vision prescription to +2 both eyes now 49 was + 1.5 at last test at 47.

Distance

right

-5.00, -0.75cyl, -180

left

-4.75, -0.75cyl, -180

Clare 04 Sep 2009, 11:22

Phil - remember, it's your acuity that counts not your Rx! Did you ask what your acuity is?

ehpc 02 Sep 2009, 12:39

Phil - I am 55 and about five times in the last couple of years I have been assumed to be, or asked if I am, a 'Senior Citizen' !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's the white hair (what little there is of it :)) - hair was white by age 45. Pete

Phil 02 Sep 2009, 02:42

I've just had an eye test. My previous rx was -3.75 sphere (in both eyes) and -.25 cylinder in one. My new rx is -3.25 in both eyes (with no sign of astigmatism)! It's the first time my rx has ever gone down. The cheeky optician was so happy: she said it was "age-related"! I am distraught: I was expecting a slight increase!

I ordered Zeiss varifocal lenses. And I managed to get her to edge my reading add up to +2.50.

I am not expecting clear sharp vision with the new glasses but I suppose I might be surprised.

david 01 Sep 2009, 13:34

i want to make an order from zennioptical and i have some questions.

my prescription is -3.25 and -0.5 cyl

1)what will be the difference between lenses index 1.61 and 1.67 ?

2)is there anyone here who didnt receive his glass from zenni?

3)how much time it will take them to ship to israel?

4)you reccomand to buy from zenni or from optical4less?

if you cant answer some of this questions send it to email -hareld10@gmail.com.

Cactus Jack 27 Aug 2009, 14:39

Adam,

It sounds like things are working out about as we discussed previously. Your Rx is low enough that glasses are optional for most situations and they are no big deal to you, your friends and associates should you decide to wear them. The strain you described is normal because your brain now knows what the images are supposed to be like. It is trying to use the tools it has to improve the quality of the images being delivered without your glasses. Unfortunately, the tools (ciliary muscles and crystaline lenses) are simply not capable of solving the problem without external help.

Just out of curiosity, did you find that the football game was more enjoyable with your glasses? About how far were you from the screen? If it was more then two meters, it should have been sharper and any text should have been easier to read.

I hope you have found the advice and encouragement by the members of Eyescene to be helpful and you will continue to post occasionally.

Has anyone asked to try you glasses yet?

Adam 27 Aug 2009, 11:52

Sorry i havent posted for a while, but i have now started wearing my glasses in front of my friends. It was when i went to the pub to watch some football on the tv i could see the screen ok without my glasses, but thought this would be an ideal time to wear them. So i put them on when the match started, there were afew comments but not as much i thought just like "I didnt know you wore glasses?" and comments to that nature. I ended up keeping them on for the rest of the night. Now people have seen me in them i dont feel as self concious about wearing them anymore.

I do find that my eyes are straining when i dont have them on, but im still not wearing them all of the time mainly for driving at night.

Slit 27 Aug 2009, 11:11

Hey GG!

Well, actually it was me posting as Eyescene by mistake.

Yes, what you say seems to have a fact.

I guess forst we have to point nose, and then move eyeball along the vertical line to find the right place to see through.

GG 26 Aug 2009, 20:28

Eyescene,

Its true, I cant just move my eyes side to side to see since it gets distorted like you said. I have learned to point my nose at what I am trying to see. It was hard to find the right part of the lense at first especially when working on the computer but the more I wear them the easier it has become. Maybe because I started wearing the progressives with a low RX it was easier to get used to? I dont know, but either way I wouldnt be without them now.

Melyssa 26 Aug 2009, 12:44

Eyescene,

My husband has worn progressives for 3 years now. And yes, he does "follow his nose" to see properly at all distances. His RX is -8.25 with a +2.25 add. He got used to them pretty much right away.

Eyescene 26 Aug 2009, 10:38

Hey GG!

Yes, you are the engineer who started with bifocals.

Well, seems your eyes have found its full relaxed position.

I have tried bifocals, but never tried progressives. Always thought the area in two sides of the lens look fuzzy.

Does it require to point head at each thing you see? Back in time I heard a tip somewhere that prograssive wearer should direct the nose at what is needed to see (it ifs upclose) so that things are well focused.

How do you handle this?

guest123 25 Aug 2009, 16:52

thanks for the photos jack

GG 24 Aug 2009, 20:20

I dont know if you remember my posts from last fall but I am writing with an update. My full Rx is +2.50, -.5, add +1.00. I was wearing contacts but about 6 mos ago I finally got some really great glasses with my full RX. They are black and copper color with thin progressive lenses!! I now put my glasses on first thing in the morning and wear them all day! I hate to say it but I have become pretty dependent, I don't have the ability to bring near writing or object in focus anymore without my glasses and supprisingly distance objects are even more clear! I still wear my contacts occassionaly but I notice that my vision is definitely not as good and I find that I strain to read since they do not incorporate the astigmatism or reading add of my Rx. My Dr. wanted to see me back in a year wich will be in the next few months and I am curious if I will have any changes in my Rx. I have been reading that it is not unusial to have Rx increases often as your eye muscles relax. I am truly amazing how fast glasses have become a necessity for me. I will keep you posted when I have my next exam. Thanks again to all of those who encouraged me to trade vanity for great vistion. :)

SAS 24 Aug 2009, 11:31

When I said I see better without glasses previously, I meant (when viewing the computer, only)

SAS 24 Aug 2009, 11:30

Hi,

I used to post on this site, but mostly lurking lately. I am 47 yrs old and have a new rx for progressives. It reads :

OD -1.75 + 0.50 x 097 +2.25 add

OS -1.00 + 0.50 x 095 +2.25 add

I'm sure my left eye compensates for my right at distance, and with such a weak rx, why do you think my opthalmologist stated, "the glasses are meant to be worn full time". Do you think it's necessary to avoid eye strain? Also, I feel that I get alot of headaches and don't know if it is because of the new rx, or the fact that I sit at a computer all day, and find that I see better without my glasses. I need my glasses however at work to see anything printed on paper. Any suggestions or answers would be appreciated. Love this sight! So informative.

Guest123 24 Aug 2009, 10:15

I sent you an email

Cactus Jack 24 Aug 2009, 09:59

guest123,

I don't know of any web site with pictures of Base Out lenses and Eyescene has no provisions for posting picutres. If you will contact me privately at cactusjack1928@hotmail.com, I will see what I might be able to send you. I have worn prism glasses for about 20 years.

Guest123 24 Aug 2009, 08:39

I understand what you want and I checked it on optical4less, but I don't have money to "throw away" and I want to put this money on much better lenses,

My optician suggest for 1.74 lenses , what would you suggest?

+ do you have any web so I can see glasses with prisms before I do something?(it's not that I am not gonna order I just don't want to surprise)

Thanks

Cactus Jack 23 Aug 2009, 19:37

guest,

You mentioned that you were very concerned about the thickness of your lenses and unfortunately, Base Out prism will make the outer edges of the lenses thicker by a few mm. However, the major controlling factor in edge thickness is the Sphere Rx, the width of the lenses and the index of refraction of the lens material. Because this is your first prism Rx, you might consider getting the lenses made locally at the lowest possible cost, perhaps even using old frames and CR-39 because of its optical quality, to make sure the Rx solves the double vision problem. Then, you can order more stylish glasses with high index lenses. If you want to order on line, you might try Optical 4 less or Eyeglass Factory Outlet. Both offer prism.

Another possible way to reduce lens thickness is to put part of the sphere correction in contact lenses and the rest of the sphere, the cylinder and the prism in glasses. There is no way to put prism in contacts and the toric contacts are not always satisfactory. In effect, a form of glasses over contacts.

Before spending a lot of money on an exotic solution, I would suggest getting the Rx at the lowest reasonable cost and see how it helps.

Please understand that this is a forum of people interested in vision and optics. We offer nothing but education, advice and suggestions based on knowledge and experience. You are always free to do as you wish.

Also, it would be helpful, if you continue posting, if you could adopt a unique nickname. There are many visitors who post as guest with widely diverse questions and it is difficult to keep them straight.

guest 23 Aug 2009, 16:12

i have been in the oprician and i got new script:

RE SPH -4.75 CYL -1.00 AXIS 110 PRISM 3 BASE OUT

LE SPH -4.5 CYL -1.25 AXIS 80 PRISM 3 BASE OUT

i didnt order the lenses yet , and i need your suggestion... what are you offering?

guest 20 Aug 2009, 23:29

i am going to the optican tommorow

Cactus Jack 20 Aug 2009, 18:28

Guest,

That really is not the way to approach the problem. It is possible that you may need Base In prism. In that case, prism will make the outer edge thinner and the inner edge slightly thicker.

The important thing is to find out the source of the problem. Then, we can help you decide what to do about it. Remember, you do not have to get an Rx filled immediately.

You may need to see a doctor who specialized in such matters.

Guest 20 Aug 2009, 14:24

It is very important to me the thickness of the lenses (I have -4) and the glasses are thick,so I don't want to "put" more thickness on the edges.

So before I do something, do you have images of glasses which have prisms from as I checked between 1d of prisms and 11d of prisms so I can the thickness and consider the lens type according to the thickness.

Thank you

Cactus Jack 20 Aug 2009, 13:20

Adam,

How are you doing with your glasses.

hd,

How are you doing with yours.

Puffin 19 Aug 2009, 15:30

If I were to try assessing my own convergence or double vision problems I'd get hold of some prisms, look through one at a time with increasing prism each time, and see how much is needed to cause a problem.

However, this is quite likely to be awkward and inaccurate if you've never done it before, and will not tell you what the cause is, so perhaps best leave it to the optician.

Cactus Jack 19 Aug 2009, 14:45

guest,

It is possible that you have some muscle imbalance problems and that might be helped by prism. The need for a small amount of prism is very difficult to self diagnose and if you are having the symptoms you describe, the best thing to do is schedule an appointment for an eye exam and relate the symptoms you stated in your post.

Just to help you understand a bit more about prism, prism us used to bend light rays and correct for situations where the 6 muscles that control the motion of each eye (total 12 muscles) do not work together in a coordinated manner. Base Out prism corrects for the eyes trying to converge too much. Base In prism prism corrects for the eyes trying to diverge or not converge enough. Base Up and Base Down prism corrects for situations where one eye points downward while the other points upward.

Prism is specified in Prism Diopters where 1 prism diopter is defined as that amount of prism that will deflect a ray of light 1 cm at a distance of 1 meter. In angular terms, 1 prism diopter deflects a ray of light 0.57 angular degrees.

It is likely that you may need a few diopter of Base Out or Base In prism which would increase or decrease the outer edge thickness of your glasses by about 1 mm per diopter. Up to about 5 diopters of prism would be barely noticeable by others but if you do need some prism correction it would substantially increase your comfort.

Please let us know what you decide to do.

May I ask your age and where you live?

guest 19 Aug 2009, 04:39

hello,

i am 21 , and in the last time i feel that i am not fully control my eyes, sometimes i see think like double vision and i need to focus again, it's happen to me also when i am reading.

and its happen to more when i am tired.

I checked in the internet and i found that prisms can fixed that, so ,is there any way i can make a rough test on my computer to see if i need some?

and someone can give me explantion about prisms ? i also see something about "base out,base up...." what is that mean?

my prescription is -4.00 with -0.75 cyl both eyes

Joseph 15 Aug 2009, 04:50

Many thanks Cactus Jack, for all the information and insight. I had not had my eyes examined in over 30 years---so all of this presbyopia, latent, etc. is new to me. Am going to the optical shop today and purchase a pair of bifocals.

Cactus Jack 14 Aug 2009, 14:46

Joseph,

The effects of astigmatism are difficult to explain without your ever having seen the difference between corrected and uncorrected astigmatism.

Astigmatism is caused by your cornea being curved more steeply in one direction than it is in a direction 90 degrees away. What that means is that it is impossible for you to focus an image accurately on your retina with sphere only correction. The effects of can be noticed when reading small text where the horizontal, vertical and diagonal lines (strokes) of the letters are not equally black, sharp and in focus. It will probably be more noticeable in your left eye than it is in your right eye because the astigmatism is greater. If you move the text closer and farther away, you will probably notice that the relatively clarity of the strokes changes unevenly.

If you have ever seen a Tee shirt with multiple prints of the word "focus" that is similar to what a large amount of astigmatism can cause. Fortunately, you have very mild astigmatism or we would not be having this discussion.

Regarding your distance vision, you may not immediately notice an improvement in your distance vision. It is likely that you have been compensating for your hyperopia that it will take several weeks for your ciliary muscles and crystaline lenses to relax. Until they fully relax, your distance vision may be a bit blurry.

If you review the threads on hyperopia and presbyopia, you will find numerous instances of concerns similar to your. Essentially, you are what is called a latent hyperope and there are many, many people with similar concerns as yours. You are not alone.

Joseph 14 Aug 2009, 13:04

Honestly, I do not understand enough about my astigmatism prescription to even know how it affects my vision. Also, will the distant prescription make a noticeable difference in my vision?

Cactus Jack 14 Aug 2009, 05:39

Joseph,

The +3.25 OTC readers will be OK for close work, but you really need to consider some Rx bifocals. If nothing else they would also correct your astigmatism which can affect reading acuity.

You should be able to get either lined or progressive bifocals on line pretty inexpensively. You can try progressives, but with your Rx, I think you will find lined bifocals more satisfactory. Try both and see which you like best.

Joseph 14 Aug 2009, 05:26

Thanks. Am going out today and purchase +3.25 OTC readers.

Cactus Jack 13 Aug 2009, 18:53

Joseph,

For bifocals, the reading add optically adds to the basic distance Rx so your reading segment is actually OD +3.25 OS +3.00.

Joseph 13 Aug 2009, 18:18

Have worn OTC readers for over 6 years. Am now 49 and my partner had been urging me to have my eyes examined. Finally gave in and went today. Prescription is:

OD +1.00 -0.25 160 add +2.25

OS +0.75 -0.50 5 add +2.25

Interestingly, the + on my OTC glasses was +2.50. For this prescription, it appears the reading lens is not as strong. Also, a little surprised that I had difficulties reading the eye chart at a distance.

Adam 13 Aug 2009, 13:32

Still havent worn my glasses in front of my friends yet, but have been wearing them most of the time when driving. I also wore them whilst shopping in my local city this was by accident really, as i had them on while driving and forgot i had them on when i got out of the car.

So i guess this means i am kind og getting used to them, just need to wait for the moment i forget to take them of in front of my friends!!!

Dan 13 Aug 2009, 08:09

Clare,

My vision without the glasses/contacts is not terrible (I wouldn't expect it to be with a -1.00) but I really like to see things as clearly as possible.

I'll be going back to college in a week or two and I need to be able to see the board obviously. It's easier to just wear the glasses/contacts all the time especially with my new prescription.

The only time I see myself not wearing any correction is in the morning when I wake up or late at night if I'm just watching TV. Actually, right now, I'm not wearing any correction while typing this.

Clare 13 Aug 2009, 01:33

Dan - congratulations on your new Rx. How are you finding your vision without glasses/contacts now? I guess that's a factor in your decision to go full time?

Dan 12 Aug 2009, 15:22

I posted back in June regarding my new prescription:

OD -1.00 -0.50 x 090

OS -0.75 -0.50 x 090

At the time, I decided to get contacts (yes I know, contacts...everyone start the jeering haha) and just now got around to getting my glasses' prescription updated.

Although the contacts are great, there is definitely nothing like getting a new prescription and seeing the thickness of the lens...mine are a fair amount thicker than last time.

Looks like I'll be full time now (whether it be contacts or glasses).

Cactus Jack 11 Aug 2009, 14:57

Adam,

The halo effect is typical of an improperly focused image on your retinas. Lack of focus does two things; it makes the image a bit fuzzy, and it spreads the available photons over a larger area, which reduces their ability to stimulate the light sensitive cells in your retina. The result is a very mild form or night blindness. Most people who need a much stronger Rx than you, try to avoid doing anything after dark without their glasses for that reason.

You are doing fine, I think you will be pleasantly surprised at the reaction of your customers and friends. I will bet that it will be a non-event.

Adam 11 Aug 2009, 13:47

Yes the cinema sounds like a good idea, will try and go when ive got some time. As it is dark i went for a drive wearing my glasses, and they do make a difference to my vision make lights less of a halo effect (if that makes any sense). Have kept them on since i got back from my drive t owatch tv, to try and get used to having glasses on my face which does feel strange and i guess takes time to get used to!

Cactus Jack 11 Aug 2009, 12:35

Adam,

The more I think of it, the cinema would be an excellent idea. You can put on your glasses after the lights go down and if the movie is a good one, you may forget that you are wearing them and even walk out with them on.

Cactus Jack 11 Aug 2009, 12:31

Adam,

Most people with a low Rx and some with a remarkably high one are surprised that their vision was not "perfect" before they got glasses. If nothing else, go somewhere where you are not well known and see what the world is really like. I think you will really notice the difference after dark. Perhaps the cinema.

Adam 11 Aug 2009, 11:15

Hello, my glasses arrived today. I have worn them in the house abit and have noticed that my eyes feel relaxed wearing them, and that words on the the television are clearer, i had not noticed them being blurry before.

Im still not sure that i suit glasses and i think i look abit strange wearing them. I havent worn them in public yet as i only got them after i had finished work, now got to build the confidence to wear them out in public.

Cactus Jack 08 Aug 2009, 08:03

Adam,

I think you will notice the biggest difference in low light conditions. In bright light, your irises close down and that is like squinting. Please don't wait too long to wear them in public. All that happens is that wearing glasses will just be "something new". Everyone will want to try them and some will comment that they are not very strong. You may also find that others are pretty quiet and make no comment. Usually, the ones that make no comment, discover that they see better with the glasses.

Your Rx means that your vision starts to blur around 2 meters (6.5 feet). Closer than that, you probably won't notice much difference with your Rx.

Andrew 07 Aug 2009, 11:06

Bel,

I'm no expert, but two things spring to mind. It might be your age, or it could be the way the prescription was written last time out, or a combination of both. CJ will also point out that small amounts of astigmatism are difficult to assess 100% accurately so this could also come into play.

Adam 07 Aug 2009, 08:45

Hello well i choose two pairs from an internet site and they should be delivered in 3 to 4 days!! Still havent told people i need glasses yet, will try and get used to wearing them first before i wear them in front of people.

Will let you know how i get on.

Cactus Jack 06 Aug 2009, 18:55

Eduardo,

Please do.

Eduardo 06 Aug 2009, 17:22

Thanks for your advising, Cactus Jack. If it is okay, I will post after I return to school and let you know how my life and studies go with glasses.

bel 06 Aug 2009, 15:52

Andrew, I hadn't had an eye test in a few years which was mainly why I decided to get one. I do get tired eyes when reading and the occasional headache but I've gotten used to it.

The other interesting thing (well to me, at least) was at my previous test I was very slightly nearsighted and now I am slightly farsighted. Is there a reason behind this?

Cactus jack 06 Aug 2009, 11:15

Eduardo,

At 19 you probably have quite a ways to go. The typical age is around 40, but the need for focusing help can occur at any age. College students with heavy workloads occasionally get bifocals for the classroom to make switching from reading the blackboard to their notes easier. Don't sweat it.

Eduardo 06 Aug 2009, 10:21

Hi, I am 19 and live in Brooklyn, NY. I cannot even imagine wearing bifocals---is it possible that I could need them in a few years? Just getting used to full-time wear of glasses seems to be a big deal to me. Want to be wearing my glasses full-time when I return to school in a few weeks.

Cactus Jack 06 Aug 2009, 09:43

Eduardo,

Yes, you will likely need some form of vision correction from now on. Symptoms that you need an Rx change would be about the same as you previously indicated or mild blurring. Even if no symptoms appear, you should get a yearly exam.

Also, don't be too surprised if you wind up needing some additional help with close work a bit sooner than is typical (bifocals).

May I ask your age and where you live?

Eduardo 06 Aug 2009, 09:17

It does look as if I should get used to the idea of wearing glasses from now on. Stronger glasses in a few months---what would be a signal that I need new glasses? headaches, etc.

Cactus jacl 06 Aug 2009, 05:45

Eduardo,

The numbers after +1.25 indicate that you do have astigmatism in that eye. Astigmatism affects your vision at all distances and there is no way for you to compensate for it except with glasses or a toric contact lens, which may or may not work.

It is very difficult to predict what changes may occur in your Rx because it is difficult to know how you have been compensating for the hyperopia in your right eye. Within limits, unlike myopia, it is possible for you to compensate for hyperopia. people with low hyperopia regularly, without being aware of it, compensate for their hyperopia by using the auto-focus mechanism in their eyes. This constant compensation can cause their ciliary muscles and crystaline lenses to have difficulty relaxing. This condition is called latent hyperopia because the "victim" is usually not aware of the condition until early presbyopia prevents reading comfortably. Depending on the circumstances, when they finally get an exam and vision correction, there is a period of Rx changes over several months, typically increasing plus, as the ciliary muscles and crystaline lenses relax. Only time will tell how you have been compensating for the hyperopia in your right eye.

It is also possible that the -0.50 will increase a little, but probably not too much. You should just be aware that changes are possible and most Eye Care Professionals will gladly re-check your Rx if you have problems. Some will provide new lenses for your glasses at no charge if your Rx changes within one year.

Eduardo 06 Aug 2009, 03:58

Hi Cactus, thank you for your thoughts. I checked my prescription last night and the eye that is -.50 has no other numbers on the line. The line that is +1.25 has additional numbers after the +1.25: +1.00 X 175

Also, I was interested in why you thought I would need a new prescription in a few months and should I be expecting more farsightedness or nearsightedness or both?

Many thanks!

Andrew 06 Aug 2009, 02:50

Well done to the optician for NOT insisting that you get glasses with such a mild prescription. The choice is yours, bel, but I guess one of the factors might be what made you decide to get your eyes tested in the first place. If, for example, your eyes get tired when reading, then the glasses might help with that. If you were to go ahead and get glasses, you should also be able to take advantage of a "complete pair of glasses including frames and lenses for a set price deal".

Good luck with whatever you decide.

bel 06 Aug 2009, 02:13

I went for an eye test about a month ago and was given a prescription of +0.50 -0.25 X 180 for both eyes. The optician mentioned it was a borderline prescription and it was up to me whether I wanted to get glasses.

For such a mild prescription, I don't know whether I want to invest in a pair of glasses which can be quite costly. Also, will I see a difference if I do get these glasses made?

Cactus Jack 05 Aug 2009, 19:50

hd,

That sounds about right for a person who has never worn glasses and almost immediately needed trifocals. Sounds like you are discovering what you have been missing. Best wishes and please try to occasionally post your adventures. I understand Greece is a very beautiful country, enjoy.

Have you had any comments about wearing glasses or the fact that you needed to start with trifocals?

Cactus Jack 05 Aug 2009, 19:38

Mike,

All that would happen is that you wouldn't be able to see very well with either a very high plus Rx or a very high minus Rx.

Myopia is primarily caused by a mismatch between the plus power of your cornea and crystaline lenses combined (about +40 diopters) and the length of your eyeball. It is highly likely that because of genetics and perhaps your visual environment mildly excessive growth has occurred and your eyeball is about 4 mm longer than it should be for the above mentioned plus power. Your minus lenses cause the focus plane to move back to your retina so you can see clearly.

Unfortunately, organs of the body, including the eyes tend to grow rather than shrink and eyeball growth, if it occurs, tends to occur slowly increasing myopia in those so disposed. Age plays a big factor in growth, may I ask your age and occupation?

Mike 05 Aug 2009, 17:19

Hello,

I am -4D and I have question,

If for example I put very high plus glasses (+12D)

Or very high minus (-15D) for a day what is going to happen to my vision? Maybe it will help me improve my acuity? Maybe it can help me lower my -4D's?

Mike

hd 05 Aug 2009, 14:48

jack,

i got the trifocals, they are great, i can see fr close and mid very sharp and focous.

i need a week in order to adapt to the glasses

Cactus Jack 05 Aug 2009, 12:23

Eduardo,

What is happening is not at all surprising. There are a few fields of study where your eyes will let you know if you have a problem and accounting is one of them.

I wish you well and don't be hesitant to seek help if you have vision discomfort. There is no need for it.

Eduardo 05 Aug 2009, 09:36

Will check my prescription for astigmatism. I will be a sophomore and am studying accounting.

Cactus Jack 05 Aug 2009, 08:00

Eduardo,

In your situation, full time wear would be very helpful in training your eyes to work together as a team. Because of the difference between your two eyes, you have years of experience in using your eyes separately and it will take a while for your brain to learn to fully coordinate two good images rather than picking he best image for the situation and using it. Once your brain learns how to use both eyes together, you will have significantly improved depth perception (3D stereo images) and improved overall visual acuity. Also, it is possible that your right eye has become so used to compensating for the +1.25 that it will take a while for your ciliary muscles and crystaline lens to relax and start functioning properly. You should expect to need another exam in 3 to 6 months and the possibility of a prescription change.

If you have astigmatism, it would be indicated by a cylinder and axis component in your Rx. For example, if your Rx was written as:

OD (right eye) +1.25, -0.50 x 87

OS (left eye) -0.50, -0.25 x 80

The first number would be the sphere correction for myopia or hyperopia and the second and third number would be cylinder and axis for astigmatism. If you have no cylinder or axis listed, that means you don't need any astigmatism correction.

I hope this helps. Let us know if you have other questions. May I ask your college level and field of study?

Eduardo 05 Aug 2009, 07:05

Hi,

The eye doctor did suggest full-time wear. I have been working on that but am not there,as of yet. How would I know about astigmatism?

Cactus Jack 05 Aug 2009, 06:13

Eduardo,

It is very common for there to be a difference between the prescription for each eye. Yours just happens to be on different sides of 0.00. The difference is enough to make it hard for your eyes to work together and the fact that one is - and the other is + makes it even harder.

I suspect that you have needed vision correction for several years, but your brain was able to compensate for the difference. The higher study workload in college just made your visual system complain by causing the symptoms you described.

Just for information, the -0.50 in your left eye actually makes close work a little easier, but the +1.25 in your right makes close work significantly harder. And, if there is also some cylinder for astigmatism needed, it just makes things even worse without correction.

Did your Eye Care Professional suggest full time wear?

Eduardo 05 Aug 2009, 04:33

This past school year at college, I noticed that I was rubbing my eyes a lot while studying and having occasional headaches. Decided to have my eyes examined before returning to school. Ended up with a very interesting prescription---one eye has slight myopia and the other is farsighted. -.50 in the left and +1.25 in the right. Would this type of vision problem cause my difficulties with studies? Is plus in one eye and minus in the other common. Never heard or seen it before.

Cactus Jack 04 Aug 2009, 17:22

hd,

How are you and the trifocals getting along?

Cactus Jack 04 Aug 2009, 14:48

Presbyope L,

What you are experiencing is common. It is caused by rapid de conditioning of your ciliary muscles rather than rapid stiffening of your crystaline lenses. Your distance Rx may increase a bit more and then stop and your add will increase to around +2.50 to +3.25 and then stop. I have written extensively about this phenomenon on the hyperopia and presbyopia progression thread.

Presbyope L 04 Aug 2009, 12:02

I just had an exam and have a new prescription.

SPH. CYL. AXIS ADD

OD +1.00 -.75 105 +1.75

OS +1.25 -1.00 85 +1.75

I have been wearing glasses for about 3-4 years now. When my acuity was tested I could only read ( barely) the 20/60 line. On my near vision, without the add, I could only read the second line. I am amazed at how quickly my vision hsa deteoriorated. I told my doctor that I was not always full time and she said that I definitely should be a full time wearer. I also got monovision contacts and wore them three days in a row and was quite impressed with them.Has anyone else suffered such rapid deteorioration?

Cactus Jack 03 Aug 2009, 16:47

Adam,

Usually, assistants in optical stores will tell it like it is. If she said that some frames looked good on you, she was telling the truth because it is simply not good business to sell someone frames that will not complement their appearance.

There are a couple of ways to introduce your associates to the idea that you are going to be wearing glasses. One way, which some consider the best, is just get them and start wearing them with confidence. That will get you and them used to the fact that you now wear glasses. After a day or two, it be of no more consequence than getting a different style of hair cut or a different shirt. After a week or two, you can make a decision on how often you wear them. The other way is to mention that you had an eye exam and you are going to have to get some glasses. The problem with that way, is that they may want to offer their inputs, and frankly you don't need any input but your own. If you decide to get and wear glasses, you do it for your purposes, not theirs and you really don't need their approval. If it causes them a problem, they aren't very good friends anyway.

Let us know what you would like to do and any help you need. I mentioned Zenni Optical, but there are several on line retailers in the UK. Perhaps some of our members in the UK can offer suggestions on a good source of low cost glasses.

The only other thing you will need to order on line is your PD. If it is not listed on the Rx, you can measure it easily with a ruler marked in mm and a bathroom mirror. We'll tell you how

Adam 03 Aug 2009, 14:24

Hello whilst out shopping i went to try on some glasses. The assistant in the store was very helpful and i ended up trying on quite afew frames. She understood that they were my first glasses and i didnt know what i wanted or wasnt very keen on the idea of wearing glasses.

To my surprise i did find afew pairs that i liked and she said looked good on me (but i guess she would have to that). I didnt buy any as i think i might try getting a cheap pair from the internet first to try them out. Although im still not keen on wearing glasses im abit more confident after trying some frames on, but still worried about wearing them in front of people i know when i get them. Any tips on the best way to introduce the fact you need glasses to friends for the first time?

Cactus Jack 03 Aug 2009, 08:03

Guest,

Your astigmatism is enough to cause problems at all distances. But your computer problem is likely an early symptom of presbyopia.

If you want to do a experiment, get some +1.00 or +1.25 reading glasses and try wearing them over your regular glasses while using the computer. They will have the effect of reducing your distance Rx by that amount. You absolutely do not need more minus in your glasses for close work.

If that helps, you may need to consider bifocals, single vision computer glasses, or clip on readers. Because of your astigmatism, using the computer without your glasses is probably not very satisfactory.

May I ask your age and where you live?

Aubrac 03 Aug 2009, 07:36

Katy

Very good point about downside of Lasik. I think very few people know it will exclude them from certain types of jobs.

I think it is due to the very high possibility of 'haloing' at night especially with oncoming vehicle lights. This cannot be tested for and so a blanket exclusion is imposed on Lasik patients.

Guest 03 Aug 2009, 07:12

Wear mild minus distance script, with bit of astimatism about -2.00, -1.25 RE -0.75, -1.25 LE. Have difficulity when using computers, done online test for computer glasses & was coming out about +1.00 for intermediate use.

Would increasing distance script compensate for the short term, or is this sign that astimatism has increased ?

Adam 03 Aug 2009, 05:37

I got my eyes tested at my local opticians, where i had had all my previous eyetests growing up. So they would notice any changes in my eyesight, and dont think they would just be trying to sell me glasses.

I dont think i would be keen on lasik even if my eyesight was worse than it is. Anyway off to go and try on some frames, will let you know how i get on.

Katy 03 Aug 2009, 05:09

Adam - where did you have your eyes tested? I would think about maybe getting a second opinion, as some opticians will 'find' a very low prescription is needed, in order to sell glasses. The optician has written your prescription in a way that makes it appear more than it is - an more common way to write it would be Right 0 sphere, -0.5 cyl and Left -0.5 sphere, -0.25 cyl. Written this way, you are not shortsighted in your right eye and only very slightly in your left, and you have a small amount of astigmatism in both eyes. If you have another test, ask them to write down your visual acuity and then check the police requirements. Also I would be very careful about Lasik as some employers won't take you if you've had it (eg. train drivers), and you could very easily end up with much worse vision than you have.

Adam 03 Aug 2009, 03:58

When i had my eyetest i mentioned i was applying for the police, and she said my vision was good enough to apply. What would my vison be as its not 20/20 with my prescription.

I am going into town later today so i might have a look at some frames as i will need them if i get into the police, hopefully i will start to warm to the idea of wearing glasses if i can find a frame i like and suits me!!

Aubrac 03 Aug 2009, 02:38

Adam

Not so many years ago you could not work for the police unles with 20/20 vision. This was relaxed as was height requirements due to lack of recruits.

I think even with your low scrip you will need to go fulltime if you join the police force. Not uncommon in the UK now to see officers wearing glasses although interesting to see if there are any rules on style, lens type etc.

As a bye-the-bye, many years ago, air hostesses in the US and UK could not wear glasses, and only work as ground staff if they needed them.

Just shows how we have progressed since them, or is it just a higher incidence of people needing some form of eyesight correction?

Cactus Jack 02 Aug 2009, 18:56

Thanks Julian,

Any suggestions or corrections you might have for Adam would be very helpful. To my very deep regret, my total experience in the UK consists of a stop at Heathrow for a few minutes about 35 years ago, on the way to somewhere else. They let us off the plane long enough to stretch our legs and get a cup of Earl Grey.

I don't even remember where I was going.

Julian 02 Aug 2009, 18:27

Cactus Jack & Adam: No, the UK 'member of the Walmart family' is ASDA, not Tesco. Only the biggest branches will have an optical department - but that applies to most supermarket chains.

Cactus jack 02 Aug 2009, 17:53

Adam,

Just a bit more. I suspect that the police department would require vision corrected to 20/20 which would mean that you either get glasses or contacts. If you want the job, the decision may be made for you.

Another option is lasik, but I would thing long and hard before deciding to do that.

If you decide to get some glasses, there will be a few comments for a couple of days, but then they will seem natural to both you and your associates. After that, no one will pay any attention to them.

Cactus jack 02 Aug 2009, 17:45

Adam,

Unless you do a lot of reading, I would not think working in a pub would cause much pseudo myopia so it is possible that your myopia is true myopia.

Here is my suggestion. Go to a large chain optical store that has a lot of men's frames on display. Try some on and get an idea of what you like. Here in the US, I would probably go to a Wal-Mart Vision Center, but in the UK, I believe Wal-Mart is known as Tesco.

Don't feel obligated to do anything but look and try some on. People do it all the time. If a clerk offers to assist, you can tell him/her that you are a little bit shortsighted, but have never worn glasses. Your current job doesn't require vision correction and you don't need glasses to drive. The situation is that you have made an application for a job that might require that you wear glasses and you wanted to get an idea of what kind of frames you might like and the cost. If asked if you have a prescription, say not yet.

The clerk will likely make some suggestions of frames that suit your face. Then, look on line for similar frames. Measure your PD, and order. Most sites are very helpful and the order for single vision glasses is pretty simple.

On line retailers like Zenni have some very low cost glasses and if they work for you fine, if you don't like them it is no great loss.

I would suggest that you avoid High Street opticians unless you are very flush with cash. There is little difference in the quality of the glasses no matter where you get them. High fashion, designer frames are murderously expensive with incredible margins.

Adam 02 Aug 2009, 17:10

I am from England, i am currently working in a pub but am applying for the the police which was part of the reason i got my eyes tested as there is a visual acuity test in the application process.

My concern about wearing glasses is i think based on both what people will think and personal inconvience. I dont want to wear them all of the time but this also means i have to carry them around with me incase a situation arises where i need to wear them.

Yes i do drive, with this prescription will i need to be wearing all the time when driving or just for in lowlight situations?

Cactus Jack 02 Aug 2009, 16:55

Adam,

Typically, myopia tends to develop, if it it going to, much earlier than the 20s, but it can develop in the 20s and even in the 30s.

Your myopia is pretty low (sphere correction) and it is possible that it is what is called pseudo (false) myopia rather than axial (true) myopia. Myopia of either type causes blurry distance vision, but at low levels does not affect close vision. In practical terms -0.50 means that things beyond 2 meters are not sharp and clear. -0.75 means that things beyond 1.3 meters are not sharp and clear. However, in your situation, your brain will select the image that is clearest an use it. Pseudo myopia can be a temporary condition in the ciliary muscles and crystaline lenses that may go away if you can avoid visual stress while doing close work. Axial myopia is caused by a mismatch between the optical power of your cornea and crystaline lenses and the length of your eyeball. Axial myopia doesn't go away and does not generally decrease. Both can increase. Myopia is corrected by glasses, contacts or in some instances, by surgery.

I am more concerned about your astigmatism (cylinder and axis). While it is low, it is enough to cause you some discomfort and fatigue, if you do a lot of reading, by making it impossible to see really clearly at any distance, without correction. Astigmatism is generally caused by uneven curvature in the front surface of the cornea where the curvature in one direction is greater than it is in another. The cause is not known, it usually changes very slowly and the only solution is to wear corrective lenses (glasses, always or contacts, in some cases). Astigmatism can be corrected surgically, but the correction is problematical.

I understand your concern about glasses, you have survived for 24 years without them and you are apprehensive about wearing them. You just joined a club of several thousand people who, to their dismay, discover every year that they may need glasses. A number of them wind up here asking questions exactly like yours.

Before I offer any further suggestions, I would like to ask you a few questions:

1. Where do you live?

2. What is your occupation?

3. If not obvious, does it involve a lot of close work?

4. Is your concern about wearing glasses based on what other may think or personal inconvenience?

5. Do you drive?

I look forward to hearing from you.

Adam 02 Aug 2009, 15:37

Hello getting a cheap pair from the internet sounds like a good idea, as i dont really want to spend alot on a pair if im not ging to to need them that much. I'm just a bit worried about finding a frame that will suit me and i will like as the idea of wearing glasses does not really appeal that much to me.

I have not noticed myself squinting and friends have not said any thing about me squinting either. Im also abit nervous about wearing glasses in public for the first time and peoples reaction to them.

Is there any reason for my eyes to have become shortsighted as i have always passed eyetest with perfect vision, and thought that it was when you are in your teens that myopia developed not in your twenties.

He 02 Aug 2009, 12:51

Jack,

I got the trifocals, it's looking good, give me a fed hours to get use to them.

I will update you

Cactus Jack 02 Aug 2009, 07:58

Danbert,

I don't think there is a time limit. What is going on here appears to be optical physics and it has little to do with presbyopia itself. With IOLs, I have about as much "presbyopia" as you can get and it worked for me.

BTW, after I wrote the post, I tried 6 point and 4 point arial text and had no problem with the 6 point at 16 in(40 cm) and a little with the 4 point.

Danbert 02 Aug 2009, 07:48

Thanks Cactus Jack. Very interesting.

I'm guessing that you're not the only one who recognises this phenomena (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presbyopia#Presbyopia_and_the_.27payoff.27_for_the_nearsighted) but it would be interesting to know how long high myopes can in practice get by with single vision lenses.

Cactus Jack 01 Aug 2009, 18:53

Danbert,

The sentence in the last paragraph should read . . . depth of field for high natural . . .

Cactus Jack 01 Aug 2009, 18:49

Danbert,

On 23 July, I promised to conduct a test of focus range (depth of field) while dong GOC.

I received the Proclear +12 contacts from Globallens and I must say that they are more comfortable than my previous +12s. The glasses are single vision

OD -14.75, -0.25 x 90

OS -12.00, -1.50 x 75

In good lighting, I can read 8 point text easily at a distance of 16 inches (40 cm,) which is normal reading distance and vision is quite good at all distances and is maybe a bit better than 20/20 at distance.

The only disadvantage to the high minus glasses is that the location of the optical center is pretty critical and acuity decreases rapidly when looking off axis.

If you recall, I have had cataract surgery on both eyes and have IOLs selected for monovision. Normally I wear a low Rx with trifocals because I have no accommodation. My actual Rx has changed slightly from my Rx when I got the -14. 75 glasses and I think the cylinder is off a little which affects reading more than distance. Also, the GOC Rx was determined by refraction while wearing the +12 contacts. Vertex distance is critical and a mm in either direction affects acuity significantly.

The experiment is very interesting and it tends to confirm the theory that high minus glasses do provide significant improvements in depth of field high natural or GOC myopes than for low and it may have the practical benefit of delaying the effects of presbyopia. It will be interesting to someday conduct the experiment with high plus GOC and compare depths of field.

C..

Cactus Jack 01 Aug 2009, 10:34

Adam,

Your Rx is low enough that wearing them is optional (your decision) for most of your activities, except for driving, particularly in low light conditions. The only thing to do is compare your vision with and without correction and see which you prefer.

If you want make the comparison without spending a lot of money, you might consider ordering some low cost glasses from an on line retailer such as Zenni Optical (we'll help you do it) and see if the difference in your vision is worth spending more money for fashion designer frames - lenses are not the expensive part, unless you get high index, which you don't need with your Rx.

Many people worry about their eyes becoming "dependent" on glasses. Your eyes are merely biological cameras and their job is to provide two images (for 3D vision) to your brain. The brain has the ability to correct small problems in the images, not unlike image processing done by modern computers, and present you with acceptable vision (actually a potentially beneficial form of hallucination). The amount of work you brain has to do depends on the quality of the images from your eyes. The better the images, the less work the brain has to do, which results in less fatigue. Your eyes will probably not become "dependent", but your brain may decide that it likes not having to work as hard.

One reason you may not have noticed that you vision is not as good as it could be, is that you have likely been squinting to see better. Squinting can help, if your Rx is low enough. You may not have noticed that you were squinting, but I'll bet your associates have and been thinking that you should have your vision checked.

Let us know how we can help.

Adam 01 Aug 2009, 07:44

Hello have just been prescribed my first glasses at 24. My prescription is Right -0.50 +0.50 10 and Left -0.75 +0.25 100. I hadnt noticed that i had been having problems with my vision, but went for an annual check up. When should i wear my glasses when i get them? I havent chosen any yet as im not that keen on the idea of needing them and making my eyes depended on them, and also im not sure if i will suit glasses. Any comments would be appreciated.

Julian 01 Aug 2009, 02:15

Presbyope lover: yes, of course, if it's really necessary. I was just suggesting that Myra should try finding out whether it is.

Like Lenses 31 Jul 2009, 14:48

Myra

Also if you have not, wear them full time for a week or more. Best to put them on as soon as you wake up in the morning, and keep them on all all day until you go to bed.

Like Lenses 31 Jul 2009, 14:45

Myra

Try working on the computer for about an hour getting as close to the monitor as you are visually comfortable, while wearing the new glasses, then try reading a book or newspaper for about a half hour with the new glasses. This should help you get used to the new stronger prescription.

Presbyope Lover 31 Jul 2009, 12:06

Julian, Is it not better to get an add and have comfortable reading? It seems like it is delaying the inevitable......But then again, i ve alwyas enjoyed wearing glasses.......always wanted them when in school

Julian 31 Jul 2009, 11:28

Myra: maybe if you persevere with your new glasses you might adjust to the slightly stronger Rx and find you can read with them.

Presbyope Lover 31 Jul 2009, 11:27

Myra, 36 seems a bit early for presbyopia, but you might have a bit of an overcorrection in your lenses. You might want to look into progressive lenses if you do a lot of reading with your glasses on. I found it was easy to adjust to progressives starting earlier. I have a very good friend who is about -4.00 and has worn glasses for as long as I've known him and he had a difficulut time adjusting to progressives. He uses lined bifocals

Danbert 31 Jul 2009, 10:24

Just wondering... but shouldn't an eye examiner not only seek to correct someone's distance vision but also try to ascertain whether the near vision is still adequate?

When I had an exam I was asked to read some fine print as close as possible until it started to blur. I don't know exactly how close I was, but it seemed like roughly 10cm which would be about right for my age.

Myra 31 Jul 2009, 09:07

I am 36. I can read perfectly without any glasses. I could read OK with my old glasses. It is the new ones that blur everything close.

Presbyope Lover 31 Jul 2009, 06:48

Myra It sounds like you might be in the early stages of presbyopia, which is totally normal condition where as we age it is harder to see up close because of weakness in ciliary muscle or hardening of lens. In any event, it is totally normal. It probably means bifocals are in your future. What age are you?

Myra 31 Jul 2009, 06:37

My eyeglasses were 4 years old so I decided to get new ones but couldn't without a new prescription. The old ones were -0.75r and -1.00L. I got a new prescription -1.25R and -1.50L. Tried them on in the shoppe and had them adjusted. I can see everything much crisper, but can't read with them. Is this normal. I am going back to the Dr, but not till next week. Why can't I see close?

hd 30 Jul 2009, 17:21

jack,

i am sorry for the delay, i should get my glasses on sunday, i'll update you

Cactus Jack 30 Jul 2009, 08:31

hd,

We haven't heard from you for a while. Did you get the trifocals? If so, how are you doing with them.

Also, did the optometrist suggest any exercises to strengthen your ciliary muscles?

Melyssa 28 Jul 2009, 09:56

Aubrac,

With the vision-impaired, drunk, cell-phone yakkers, maybe the figure should be 300%. Make it 299% -- my husband and I know what we're doing when we drive. LOL

Aubrac 28 Jul 2009, 03:29

Melyssa

I think with all impairments the figure must be 100%!!!!!

Danbert

Sorry - didn't notice your link

Val

It just shows with plus prescriptions how other factors affect acuity. With half your prescription, my wife as I said, could not read a numberplate at 20m, although she is the same age as you.

Sorry Val, but as a simple myope it still seems difficult to understand how you can see numberplates so well but wear your glasses most of the time. Unless maybe it makes vision more comfortable with less strain and fatigue.

Melyssa 27 Jul 2009, 12:53

"60/70% of drivers in the UK have uncorrected visual impairments but continue to drive." In the U.S., you can add 29% to that. Oh sorry, the quote said "visual" impairment. I was thinking all impairments combined. LOL Well, maybe the drivers here don't want to see what's going on.

Val 27 Jul 2009, 10:37

Aubrac, I am wearing my glasses almost 90% of the time. I don't wear contacts. I don't wear my glasses when I'm playing some sports, or go hiking.

Danbert 27 Jul 2009, 08:35

Aubrac: Just thought I'd point out that I had already posted that same link on the 24th July ;)

Aubrac 27 Jul 2009, 08:30

Danbert

Found a good website with conversion from acuity to diopers.

www.mdsupport.org/library/acuity.html

Danbert 27 Jul 2009, 05:35

Ok, here's a list of various countries and their minimum vision requirements, visual acuity being just one of them.

In terms of visual acuity, 20/40 (or 6/12 or 0.5) seems to be most common, but there are lots of variations.

http://www.icoph.org/standards/drivingapp1.html

Aubrac 27 Jul 2009, 05:18

Val

That's interesting, I think it would be a good idea for everyone to have a proper eye test rather than just reading a number plate.

It is theoretically possible for a registered blind person, e.g. with tunnel vision, to pass the eyesight test and start driving a car. There are many other factors affecting vision such as glaucoma, halos, poor contrast abilities, etc, that would severly restrict visual acuity.

It was mentioned in previous posts that 60/70% of drivers in the UK have uncorrected visual impairments but continue to drive.

May I ask if you wear glasses at any other time apart from driving?

Val 27 Jul 2009, 04:21

Because in my country you have to go to an eye exam before getting your licence to drive. It's not a simple eye test. And if you are a hyperope above +0.5 you will have to wear glasses to drive.

Aubrac 27 Jul 2009, 03:53

Val

Sorry but a little confused, if you can read numberplates at 30 metres why do you need glasses to drive?

Is it because you make a concentrated effort with accommodation to read something specific like a numberplate at distance, but for general driving cannot do this?

Do you always need your glasses for reading or can you still accommodate for this?

Val 27 Jul 2009, 03:36

Aubrac, if one has accomodation enough, +1.50 of sphere correction is not a problem to compensate without glasses. I am at +3 and I can read number plates from 30-40 metres without glasses, and I am 41 years old. I am not saying that I can drive without glasses.

Aubrac 27 Jul 2009, 00:44

Wow, a lot of interesting information. The concensus seems to be about -0.75 which is pretty low really. You may be able to see a bus fairly clearly at 20m but not be able to read its numberplate!!

Astigmatism should also be taken into account as I suppose this alone (without any sphere correction) could result in failing the test.

I am really interested in the plus correction needed. My wife used always to wear her glasses for driving but rarely does so now, and I know she can't see signs, directions etc. Her ciliary muscles have probably become de-conditioned as she wears glasses all day at work, and always uses them now for reading. This is fairly recent as she only used to wear glasses for reading at home for very small print or in poor light. So I am guessing she would not have much accommodation power for distance and would probably fail the test.

With a scrip of R+1.50 -0.50 30, L+1.75 -0.75 130 and limited accommodation power I very much doubt she could read a number plate at 15m let alone 20m. Would this assumption be correct?

Katy 25 Jul 2009, 06:18

I think -0.75 is about right - I had about -0.5 and -0.75 at 17 before I got glasses - my driving teacher picked up that I was struggling to see number plates and told me to get an eye test. I can't remember whether I needed them for the vision part of the driving test, but I always wore them for driving after I passed.

Clare 24 Jul 2009, 07:53

Phil - of course it's inevitable but it must also be inconvenient, so no harm in postponing it as long as possible!

Aubrac - I scraped through my driving test (just, they had to measure the distance and let me have another try, how embarrassing!) at 17, a few years later I was prescribed -1.25 and told to wear them for driving. I'd guess thenthat the barest minimum would be between -0.75 and -1, depending on the person I suppose.

Danbert 24 Jul 2009, 04:09

SC: 20/40 in feet or 6/12 in metres is the legal minimum in most if not all of the world.

Actually I come from a metric converted country as well but oddly enough everyone here still uses feet when referring to acuity. We also say 'mileage' when it comes to how far we travel on one tank of petrol (it does sound better than kilometreage). Regional oddities :)

SC 24 Jul 2009, 03:57

Danbert,

Found a site that claimed the UK test was between the 9 & 12 lines (ie between 20/30 & 20/40). If you take the height of the letters on the 6m Snellen and just multiply up to 20m then 79mm would fall between the 12 & 18 lines. This assumes that I got the correct size of 88mm for the top letter!

So this confirms your view that 20/40 is the target even though we have to state it in a different way in UK

Danbert 24 Jul 2009, 03:15

Sorry for double-posting. SC's post wasn't visible when I composed mine.

SC: True, the degree of blur would be the same assuming no accomodation.

For the low hyperope, however, reasonable accomodation may help achieve good enough visual acuity, whereas for the myope, nothing but minus lenses are going to help.

Danbert 24 Jul 2009, 03:09

Most countries legislate a minimum acuity of 20/40 for driving, so legally it would be closer to 0.75 diopters, not 1.50.

http://www.mdsupport.org/library/acuity.html

The FAQ of this website also describes the rough conversion between acuity and prescription (assuming no complicating factors).

SC 24 Jul 2009, 03:07

Aubrac,

I don't think the maths will help because it's difficult to work out what level of blur makes things unreadable. The maths will help you match to the Snellen chart but not give you an Rx.

You can do practical experiments - as I have just tried. I'm -0.25 so that is like in-built +0.25. If I add +1 readers then I believe I am seeing what a -1.25 person would see. If this is correct then the 'N' on the plate of the Vauxhall Vectra outside becomes very tricky (N or M or W???).

So my conclusion is that the limit is below -1.25. If I put my progressives on (-0.25) and put the readers over the top, then the 'N' is still a challenge but the other letters and numbers are pretty good. So my best guess is that it is somewhere between -0.75 and -1.00. I suspect a lot of people are driving illegally!

I can't try the hyperope approach but I don't see why the image being focused in front or behind would make any differences to the degree of blur so perhaps the same values could be used.

Aubrac 24 Jul 2009, 02:40

Cactus Jack

Many thanks for that, I'll try and have a go but don't know if my maths is up to it!!

I would guess that around -1.50 is around when people must wear glasses for driving, does anybody know what prescriprion thay got when realising they needed glasses to see a numberplate?

Cactus Jack 23 Jul 2009, 15:41

Danbert,

I don;t wear the GOC much because the contacts are uncomfortable and I don't like the pin cushion distortion in the glasses. I have ordered some different contacts and will conduct the experiment again.

I only have the +12 contacts and the glasses to go with them, but if the new ones are comfortable, I will try some other values. I suspect you have to get above -12 glasses for there to be much benefit, but it is an excellent question.

Danbert 23 Jul 2009, 15:10

Cactus Jack: Yes, optical physics is very grand :)

Thanks for bringing up the importance of depth of field - in your case, what was the acceptable focal range where you could see quite clearly? If you could read then, what factors necessitate your use of trifocals now?

Would there have been an "optimal" plus IOL that you would choose, given your time over again?

Very interesting stuff.

Hopefully Retinox appears on the market soon :)

Cactus Jack 23 Jul 2009, 12:16

Aubrac,

There are some specification for the Snellen Chart that specify that the 20/20 (6/6) line on the chart subtend 5 minutes of arc from a distance of 20 feet. Don't have the rest at hand. You can use trig to determine the minutes of arc subtended by the characters on a number plate from 20 meters and then compare that number to the specifications for the lines on a Snellen Chart you should be able to come up with a number.

There are strict specifications for the characters on the Snellen chart and If I remember right, they are the same height and width. I suggest using the height or 79 mm as being the dominant dimension that determine legibility.

Cactus Jack 23 Jul 2009, 12:02

Dan,

+1.00s shouldn't cause too much problem because even with +1 you ciliary muscles have to supply the other +1.50 to read at 16 inches (40 cm) and visual tasks without the +1s should keep the muscles active. The only snag is that you may like the +1s so much that you gradually increase the power and ultimately de-condition the muscles. Hooked!

Cactus Jack 23 Jul 2009, 11:54

Danbert,

Presbyopia is a biological process that changes the flexibility of the protein that makes up the crystaline lens. There probably are things that can affect that process, but I don't know of any particular efforts to find out what they are or how to delay presbyopia. Almost everyone gets it and there are some pretty good tools to inexpensively correct it. I believe I recall a scene from one of the Star Trek movies where McCoy gave Kirk some reading glasses because he was allergic to "Retinox 5" so apparently, there is hope for a solution in the future.

Obviously, conditioning of the ciliary muscles is important, but there are limitations to how much effort the muscles can expend to alter the shape of the crystaline lenses.

There are a few optical tricks that a person could use to "delay" the effects of presbyopia. The easiest one is to take advantage of "depth of field" effects and there are two ways to do that. One is to read using good lighting so the iris will close down and increase the depth of field. The other is to consider high Rx minus glasses using GOC.

I know many are asking if their dream of having a socially acceptable reason to explain sudden strong glasses, has come true. Well, maybe.

As I mentioned previously, I have had cataract surgery wilt IOLs that wound up making me slightly myopic in my right eye (about -1.50) and slightly hyperopic in my left eye (about +0.25) with absolutely no accommodation. I decided to experiment with GOC using +12 contacts and an appropriate glasses Rx (in the -13 to -14 range) using a trial lens set. I was initially concerned that I would need at least bifocals, but had trouble getting them from Zenni and they ultimately supplied two pair of glasses, one for distance and one for reading. It turned out, I didn't need the reading glasses. Because of vertex distance effects, the high minus glasses act like wide angle lenses and the depth of field is incredible. I have a full range of vision with the distance glasses and can read comfortably. If I had reasonable accommodation, I might never have noticed.

Ain't Science (optical physics) Grand?

GOC anyone? Now all we have to do is convince the ECPs that we are on to something. If I had know about the phenomenon, I might have asked for very high plus IOLs.

Vision with trifocals is very near normal as long as you are doing typical visual tasks. The only time lack of accommodation becomes a problem, no matter what kind of lenses, is if you need to focus on something close, but can't tilt your head or look down. This is a frequent problem for mechanics or electricians who need to do close work above their eye level. The solution is glasses with an Add segment at the top of the glasses in addition to segments below eye level. I don't have any glasses with that feature, but there have been rare occasions when I wish I had some. I might have avoided a crick in my neck and a few expletives.

As far as getting used to bifocals or trifocals, it might have taken me 15 minutes.

Aubrac 23 Jul 2009, 08:47

Does anyone know the minimum spherical correction (plus or minus) needed in order to pass the UK driving test eyesight requirements?

The test requires a person to be able to read a numberplate with characters 79mm high and 50mm wide at a distance of 20 metres.

Is there a way this can be calculated?

Dan 23 Jul 2009, 07:59

Cactus,

A related question to Clare's. If you were to not have any vision problems and decided to wear reading glasses (+1 for instance) while doing nearwork would you eventually decondition your ciliary muscles and become dependent on the glasses?

Danbert 23 Jul 2009, 07:21

Cactus Jack: Interesting stuff about presbyopia.

Do you have any suggests for people approaching the age of presybopia to delay the onset as long as possible? Is it as simple as delaying reading adds as long as possible, or are there less inconvenient measures that can be done?

I do wonder (and can only wonder) what the visual experience is for those wearing bi/tri/varifocals. Compared with single vision lenses, is it a reduced visual experience for distance?

Cactus Jack 23 Jul 2009, 06:02

Clare,

I think occasionally not wearing your glasses to read or use the PC is not particularly harmful because your ciliary muscles get plenty of exercise by normal vision activities. They are probably the second or third most used muscles in the body behind the heart and breathing muscles. I also think natural myopic monovision or moderate uncorrected myopia in the -1.5 to -3.5 range is particularly insidious because the eye's focusing mechanism rarely needs to be used and in young people, the brain simply does not develop the skill to use the focus control system properly.

Intentional monovision after a person becomes presbyopic or when selecting IOLs for crystaline lens replacement is not harmful because accommodation is lost anyway.

Ciliary muscle de-conditioning can occur much more rapidly than stiffening of the crystaline lens and is the primary cause of the common rapid increase in the required strength of reading glasses or bifocal add in presbyopia.

This link has a very good explanation of presbyopia's and decreasing accommodation amplitude with age as affected by several factors. http://www.nova.edu/hpd/otm/otm-c/presbyopia.html

Notice how slowly the decrease occurs and compare that with how rapidly the need for reading add occurs. About the only factor that explains the rapid increase is ciliary muscle tone.

Phil 23 Jul 2009, 05:44

It will come whatever Clare; and within the next 5 years! You should view it as an opportunity: you'd look stunning in readers or varifocals I'm sure!

Clare 23 Jul 2009, 01:36

Cactus - on the subject of keeping cilliary muscles toned, do you think it's important to wear a minus prescription for reading? If I'm not wearing my contacts at home I wouldn't generally wear glasses to use the PC or read but although I'm in my late 30s I can still read with them. So should I keep them on to stave off the advance of presbyopia?

Dieter 22 Jul 2009, 19:30

Cactus,

I'm sure the point is moot but it's been a fun discussion. I'm probably wrong for looking at this subject from the other end (i.e. the older side of life). I've used monovision for many years - never even tried bifocals. Several years ago, I had a lensectomy in my dominant eye so now I have a plano eye and a -3.25 eye. Encouraged by my doctor, that's how I deal with most activities. But, I also have two contact prescriptions, two glasses prescriptions, and a multitude of readers for my special needs. I have a story in progress documenting all this that I plan to post on Bobby's site some day.

Cactus Jack 22 Jul 2009, 18:59

Incidentally, the trifocals were great for flying instruments.

Cactus Jsck 22 Jul 2009, 18:56

To put in my two cents, I think the question is moot, we have no input in the matter and it is doubtful, the niece will even hear of our discussion.

That said, I must agree with Specs4ever et al, but from a slightly different perspective. As I mentioned before, it is important that normal accommodation and binocular function be established as soon as possible. My first Rx at 14 was OD -1.50, OS Plano. Fortunately, I was able to develop binocular vision and depth perception to the point where I could pass the physical for a Commercial Pilots License (2nd Class Medical), but the price I paid was bifocals at 20, part time trifocals at 30 (to read D size drawings) and full time trifocals at 37. Later I started having problems with double vision and now were prism correction full time. My last Rx before cataract surgery was about OD -3.75, OS -2.50. I don't know if the delayed correction had anything to do with the early presbyopia and strabismus. No one really does.

The posts by hd on this thread are rather interesting. First Rx at 17 of about -3.25 and almost no ability to accommodate. It remains to be seen if the problem is extreme de-conditioning or some other problem that will require permanent trifocals instead of temporary. Hopefully, he can train his ciliary muscles to work properly.

Dieter 22 Jul 2009, 18:31

specs4ever,

See, that's the thing with vision comfort; it varies considerably from person to person. Some people find monovision unadaptable. Others find it preferable. The niece in this case is not needing nor trying to have monovision. But I think a -1.50 difference is not considerable enough for the doctor to mandate full time wear to promote binocular vision in an 18 year old. I say encourage her to wear glasses when she finds them useful(and obviously when mandated by law such as driving). She will determine what's right on her own.

specs4ever 22 Jul 2009, 16:54

As one who has experienced a big prescription difference(over 2.50D) in eyes for most of my life, I must agree with those who suggest that Clare's niece should wear her glasses. Ii is wonderful to be able to see distance clearly with one eye, and it is great to be able to read well into my middle 60's without glasses. However, I lack binocular vision, and when my eyes get tired mid to late afternoon, even when wearing my glasses I find that I have a tendancy to have double vision.

Puffin 22 Jul 2009, 14:42

I agree that it is somewhat unlikely that this niece will develop normal binocular vision simply by correcting the focussing error fulltime (rather than using prisms). If she was younger it would rather more likely to succeed (hence, the optician will be more justified in suggesting it) due to the generally more adaptable nature of a younger visual system.

As far as I know, the first step in sorting out binocular vision problems in young children is to correct any focussing error (presumably full time)

and see if it sorts itself out, then move on to patching, exercises and all the rest if that fails.

oh, and fulltime wear at -0.75 seems a bit odd to me. I think if you had little or no astigmatism, no vast difference in RX between eyes, no headaches or tiredness and okay binocular vision there's no apparent need to insist on full time wear.

Dieter 22 Jul 2009, 11:20

Clare,

I think that is my point. Based on our experiences both personally and from this forum, vision is incredibly subjective. I work with a lady that wears glasses mostly full time at -1.50. Others don't at -4.00. Some doctors bully, others tell you to use glasses as you wish. From my own experiences, -1.00 in one eye with -2.50 in the other is not a major imbalance. If the lady is comfortable seeing that way, her vision will get no worse or better simply because she refuses to wear glasses full time.

Clare 22 Jul 2009, 10:54

Puffin - I'm sure they do (as in my experience opticians would have us wearing glasses fulltime at -0.75!) but it doesn't seem necessary, do you think? At -1.25 my vision seemed okay to me.

Dieter 22 Jul 2009, 09:07

Puffin,

That's a different subject (and it varies widely between optical professionals as well). I was addressing Clare's statement "The optician told her that she has been using one eye for distance and that she should now wear her glasses most of the time to get her eyes working together" which in my opinion is a load of hooey. With one eye at -1.00, she is seeing at approximately 20/40 and I'm sure is quite happy doing most activities without aid.

Puffin 22 Jul 2009, 08:20

re the niece of Clare's friend, as far as I'm aware, opticians tend to recommend full time wear based on the worst eye (amongst other things) and this is above the -2 threshold that normally triggers the recommendation. Is there any astigmatism? if so then it becomes more likely.

Dieter 22 Jul 2009, 07:01

Clare/Cactus/Aubrac,

Concerning the niece of Clare�s friend, I�m not certain I agree with her doctor. Obviously, the girl needs glasses to wear for driving and seeing in the classroom. She will find them beneficial for all distance purposes if she can get past vanity. But, wearing glasses full time with the expectation that they will correct the imbalance doesn�t exactly jive. Is her �bad� eye going to get �better�? Not likely. Is her �good� eye going to get �worse�? More likely, but most probably both eyes will continue to change for the worse based on her age and the fact that she is going to add stress at university. I expect that she will have a very different visual situation by the time she reaches her mid to late twenties. But for now, a -1.50 difference is actually a very small difference in monovision terms. It will not cause issues with depth perception. If she is comfortable doing activities and does not suffer from headaches or strain, at age 18 she is old enough to wear glasses when she finds them beneficial.

marieb 21 Jul 2009, 14:24

Thanks!

Clare 21 Jul 2009, 09:09

Cactus/Aubrac - I know she's hoping to go to university later this year so it may be that she will come to appreciate the difference at that time.

Aubrac 21 Jul 2009, 08:10

Clare

CJ is quite right, monovision while seemimg to work well for reading and distance is not a good long term solution.

Our eyes are designed to work well as a pair and give us binocular vision. The greatest advantage of this is that the different image from each eye allows the brain to estimate distance. Seeing with only one eye could lead to unfortunate consequences when driving by not realising how far away oncoming traffic is at a junction, or mis-judging the distance from the car in front. Try closing one eye and quickly touching your computer screen - a lot easier with two eyes!

At 18 she might not be too happy but will probably find a good improvement in vision and with less fatigue for extended periods of reading and computer work.

Cactus jack 21 Jul 2009, 04:41

Clare,

Yes, I read the post and I think the opticians advice is on the mark. 1.50 difference is enough for her brain to become have become very used to using one eye for fair distance vision (good intermediate vision) and the other for quite good close vision. She has a form of natural monovision.

Monovision can work well for some older people, with limited accommodation (presbyopia) but at 18, she is effectively already wearing natural bifocals and that is not good for the long term. She needs to develop binocular vision and exercise and condition her ciliary muscles, or she may never develop really normal accommodation functions. That can lead to early symptoms of presbyopia. After she conditions her ciliary muscles, she may find glasses optional for many situations, except for say, driving. Initially, her ciliary muscles are going to rebel, but she need to learn to use her eyes normally soon, or she never will.

Vanity can be a very powerful force in a young woman of 18. My thought is that at 18, university is straight ahead with its extreme visual workload. If wearing glasses is the problem, she needs to be using contacts unless they are not an option.

Clare 20 Jul 2009, 22:24

Cactus - did you read my post below? What would your opinion be? Thanks

Cactus Jack 20 Jul 2009, 15:42

marieb,

I understand what you need now. The +2.00 contacts have the same effect as making you -2.00 more nearsighted and you will be doing a form of very light GOC. The Rx for bifocals would be:

OD -2.25, -3.75, X 180, 2PD up

OS -1.25, -2.25, x 063

+2.00 Add

If you don't want bifocals just leave off the Add and get single vision glasses. The PD would be for distance.

marieb 20 Jul 2009, 14:35

Cactus Jack,

Sorry...I did sound confusing! I have the +2.00 contacts solely for times like reading menus at restaurants, if I am out with someone and don't want to own up to the glasses thing just then! The astigmatism correction isn't there, but it suffices for that time period. But of course, unless I remove them before I leave, it's tough to see much beyond a few feet. I have not been able to find a contact lens that sufficiently corrects that cylinder, so I just get the extra magnification. My vision is certainly not great with just the contacts, but it, as I said, is enough for the time being. I guess I want to be able to get up and get around without having to take them out and put on my glasses-just putting a pair over the contacts instead. So, they would be for distance, and astigmatism, while the contacts allow me to see up close. If this makes no sense then please advise as such! I'm just thinking about how to see things up close, albeit not perfectly, without glasses and then be able to put them on when I leave and see well enough to get home! Right now the contacts work for allowing me to see the menu, but the faces of those around me are not totally clear, and anything beyond is a blur! Then I make a restroom stop, remove them, and pretty much bare eyed. I know what you, and everyone else is thinking, just wear the darned glasses and be done with it. I'm working on it. Just not there yet. thank you again for your help.

Cactus jack 20 Jul 2009, 08:15

Aubrac,

I would think that they would make some difference. I suspect, but don't know for sure, that most auto- refractors approach their estimated Rx from the plus direction. By approaching from the over plus direction, the ciliary muscles tend to be more relaxed and have litle opportunity to accommodate. Of course, without dilation, there isn't much opportunity for the ciliary muscles to relax very much in a typical exam.

Aubrac 20 Jul 2009, 06:09

Question for anyone.

Does administering cyclopegic drops make any difference to the autorefractor results? I do not know exactly how they work but assume that with drops, the ciliary muscles will relax completely, therefore the lens shape will change, and the amount of plus indicated by the autorefractor will be higher.

I was just surfing some websites about autorefractors, and on one it said drops should be given before using it.

Cactus jack 19 Jul 2009, 15:22

marieb,

Your request is a little confusing and your significant cylinder correction complicates things a little.

If I understand correctly, you have some +2.00 sphere only contacts that you use for reading. Do you presently wear your prescription glasses over them while you read?

If you are wearing the +2.00 contacts, what would you want the glasses to do for you? Distance, close-up, or both?

marieb 19 Jul 2009, 13:33

Cactus Jack, Thank you for your answer to my Rx question. If I may ask one more, please; I have some contacts that I wear for reading, they are +2.00 for each eye. I would also like to get glasses for wearing over the contacts, so how would that adjust my recommended prescription? The +2.00 would not be worn with the reading-only glasses, but rather so that I can see close, and put glasses on top of the contacts for everything else. I know this is opposite of what is usually done, which is putting reading glasses over distance contacts, but it is what I would be interested in. Thank you.

Clare 19 Jul 2009, 10:26

One thing we discussed this afternoon was my friend's niece who has just got glasses with quite a high first prescription. Of course my friend doesn't know I know so much about glasses but was telling me about her niece's first glasses which are -1 and -2.50. The optician told her that she has been using one eye for distance and that she should now wear her glasses most of the time to get her eyes working together.

It made sense to me but the girl, who is 18, is not very happy. I guess with -1 she can see not too bad most of the time.

For anyone who's come across a big discrepancy like this, is this a regular recommendation?

Cactus Jack 17 Jul 2009, 07:09

hd,

The last post was from me

17 Jul 2009, 06:33

hd,

I saw this link in a post on the Induced Myopia thread from Nostolgic.

www.i-see.org/gottlieb/presbyopia_chart.pdf

It is a technique developed by an optometrist to help older people delay the onset of presbyopia where they have trouble focusing close. I was thinking that it might be useful for you to help you get your ciliary muscles back to work.

There is an interconnection in the brain between the convergence muscles and the ciliary muscles that helps you focus when you look at something close. Its strength varies significantly depending on the individual. I suspect the your convergence/focus response may also be very weak. It may not work, but it is worth a try.

The explanation is not very clear, let me know if you need help or if it has any effect. The exercisees should be done while wearing your distance glasses, but without the readers. However, you may need to start with your low powered readers until you develop some focusing capability.

Gabi 17 Jul 2009, 00:39

Many thanks for this info, does make sense, my optometrist will see me in 6 months time regarding my left eye, he says other than the increase in power my eyes are healthy.

My concern about what the lenses in my glasses looks like comes from when I look at myself, my left lens does look noticably stronger and I am aware that it may look strange to others?

I have been battling a little to read both with and without my glasses so I am looking forward to my new lenses arriving.

thanks again!

Cactus Jack 16 Jul 2009, 13:51

Gabi,

I am not sure exactly what you meant by your question. Varilux lenses look very much like regular high index lenses except there will be a very noticeable area (to you) where they make the transition from distance to the reading area. It will be much less noticeable to others unless they know what to look for.

it is very rare for an Rx to increase as rapidly as yours has at your age and in only one eye. You might want to consider an appointment with an opthalmologist to find out what is happening. Either your left eye is growing longer or the plus power of your cornea/crystaline lens is increasing. The -4 difference will cause a significant difference in image size on the retina which can cause other problems including double vision. If you have problems you might have to consider wearing a contact lens on one eye to equalize the Rx in the glasses.

Gabi 16 Jul 2009, 10:13

Wow! how interesting, please help, I am 47 years old getting varifocals for 1st time, however interested to know what Cactus Jack might think about the deterioration in my Left eye only over the last 3 years.

My current prescription:

OD-5.50 -0.75 x139 add 2.50

OS-9.50 -1.00 x80 add 2.50

At my eye check in 2005 OD-5.25 -0.75x139 / OS-6.75 -0.75x139

Increase only to left eye in 2007, 2008 and now?

I wear a 1,67 index lens, and noticed the difference in thickness with my current glasses, what will my new glasses look like?

Input appreciated.

kind regards

Cactus jack 16 Jul 2009, 09:47

hd,

I'm glad you got an exam. Your situation is about as I expected and we discussed. The muscles that are very weak are the ciliary muscles that change the plus power of your crystaline lenses. Hopefully, as you begin to use your ciliary muscles, they will become stronger.

You might do some research on how vision and the eye works. It reality, the eyes are nothing but biological cameras and the way they work is very similar to a film or, more closely, a digital camera.

Please let us know when you get your trifocals and how you like them.

hd 16 Jul 2009, 09:37

jack,

today i went to the optometrist, he told me that muscels are very weak and he told that i need to where trifocals for a while, so made a exam and i have new script.

OD sph -3.5 cyl -0.5 165 add +3.00

OS sph -3.75 cyl -0.75 20 add +3.25

he told that the intermediate part will about 0.5 from the power of the reading.

i should get the glasses soon, i will tell you how its feel.

hd 15 Jul 2009, 18:29

jack,

i understand what you are saying,

i am going to the optometrist tomorrow,

i will catch you up with the result.

Cactus Jack 15 Jul 2009, 13:20

hd,

The problems you are having are not surprising. Your glasses have corrected your distance vision to normal, but the autofocus mechanism in your eyes is not working properly and you are having the same problem that older (typically older than 40) people have when they have lost their ability to focus close.

The +3.00s are right for distances of 33 cm or less because your eye can add a little more plus if it is needed but because your ciliary muscles and crystaline lenses are fully relaxed, they can't go any lower in power than they already are.

To focus at a distance of 45 to 50 cm, you need a +2.00 lens and to focus at 50 to 80 cm, you need less than +2.00. For example, a +1.50 lens would focus at 67 cm.

Hopefully, you can train your autofocus mechanism to go back to work, until you can, you may need several different powers of reading glasses to wear over your glasses until you can get some trifocals or train your ciliary muscles and crystaline lenses (the autofocus mechanism) to go back to work.

hd 15 Jul 2009, 09:45

hi jack,

let me explain again, when i put the +3.0 over my glasses i can read stuff very easy (books and newspaper) , and i can read from the screen very clearly from abot 29-30cm .

but if i am looking to something ,lets say 50-80cm away i feel its blurry again , its kind of weird because without the +3.00 i can see things far away very good,and when i put the +3.0 on ,its very easy to read from close but between the reading and the far i see some blurry.

maybe i wrote it wrong last post, i do see cleary to the screen from 28-30cm with the +3.0 but its start to blurry when i move the screen a little bit to the back and then it become about 45-50cm.

i did not understad exacly what you want me to measure,if you can xplain it better it will be good.

thank you again

Cactus Jack 15 Jul 2009, 07:28

hd,

The +3.00 may be too strong for the distance to the computer screen. They focus at 33 cm or 13 inches or a little closer and would probably be about what you are used to for reading.

Measure the distance from your eyes to the screen of the computer and tell me what you get. We can then use the formula 100/distance in cm to determine the + value you need for the computer. I suspect that it is a bit farther away than 33 cm and that would make it blurry with the +3.00. You probably need less than +3.00 for the computer. Try the +1.50s and see how that works.

Welcome to the world of optics. The math is easy, and it almost always works.

hd 15 Jul 2009, 06:08

jack hi,

today i bought +3.00 reading glasses and with them i can read very easy books and newspapers, but when i am trying to read from the computer ther is some blurry and again uncomfortable.

what would you suggest?

Cactus jack 14 Jul 2009, 06:30

HD,

Last post is from me.

14 Jul 2009, 06:29

Hd,

59 is your distance PD. When you order Trifocals or Bifocals, reduce the PD by 3 mm for your near PD. For example PD 59/56 would indicate both.

hd 14 Jul 2009, 05:36

jack,

i know my pd (59).

first i will buy +3.00 reading to check if the script match, if it is i will make order fot trifocals/bifocals.

thank you , and i will update you about what i am going to do.

Cactus Jack 14 Jul 2009, 05:07

Hd,

For Bifocals or Trifocals do not select a frame that it too small vertically. Here are some example Rx. I have indicated an Add of +3.00 but substitute what you need.

Trifocal Rx:

OD Sphere -3.25 Cylinder -0.5 Axis 170 Add +3.00

OS Sphere -3.25 Cylinder -0.5 Axis 15 Add +3.00

Trifocal 7/28 or 8/35 (the numbers mean the height of the intermediate segment and the width of the segment)

Bifocal Rx:

OD Sphere -3.25 Cylinder -0.5 Axis 170 Add +3.00

OS Sphere -3.25 Cylinder -0.5 Axis 15 Add +3.00

FT-28 (or FT-35)

If you want progressives, do not specify FT-28 or FT-35 because that would be meaningless.

You will need your PD. Do you have it or know how to measure it?

Check out several online retailers to see what they will make. Zenni makes low cost glasses, but I don't think they will make trifocals. Optical4less is well known and there are others such as http://www.eyeglassfactoryoutlet.com/ as a possible online vendor to get an idea of how what is available. Also check other vendors to see if they will make what you want. You might also contact Patrick who posted on Glasses for Auction or Sale to see what he can do.

Perhaps other members can offer suggestions.

If you have any questions, please ask.

Hd 14 Jul 2009, 04:07

Thank you catcus jack for your help,

I think in the meantime I will put reading glasses while I am reading, I can buy reading glasses very fast ,I think I will go for +2.75/+3.0 for reading ,and I will update you how it feel.

About trifocal, you have website which I can check this option,if you can give me prescription for trifocal it will be good.

About bi focal / progressive I do have web so if you can give final prescription and I will check it out.

Thank you again,

Phil 14 Jul 2009, 01:55

Guest, I have just bought a trial lense set and one of the things that I have noticed when using it is that the effect of adding or subtracting .25 is insignificant once one gets beyond a very low rx. I'm around -4 and the effect of even .5 either way is hard to assess. I now realise why my recent prescriptions have varied between -3.25 and -4.

guest 13 Jul 2009, 22:27

Cactus Jack,

Can you tell me why - contacts go in increments of 0.5 after about -6?

Just curious why they don't correct to the nearest 0.25 like for the lower powers.

Cactus Jack 13 Jul 2009, 20:22

hd,

You are on the right track with the +1.50 readers over your glasses, but I suspect that they were not strong enough. You are accustomed to reading without your glasses. Effectively, when you do that, it would be like wearing +3.25 reading glasses over your glasses except that there would be no correction for your astigmatism.

I would also suspect that you are used to reading and using the computer at a distance of about 30 cm using the formula Focal Distance=100 cm/3.25.

There are several types of multi-focal glasses.

Bifocals are glasses with two different powers. The top portion or segment of bifocals is for distance and the lower portion or reading segment has additional plus power to provide the focusing power that your ciliary muscles are unable to supply at this time.

Bifocals are available as lined bifocals and progressives. In lined bifocals, the reading segment is a distinct lens of additional plus power. Most lined bifocals these days are what are called Flat Top where there is a straight line across the top of the reading segment. Flat Top bifocals are available as FT-28 and FT-35 where the numbers mean the width of the top of the segment of either 28 or 35 mm.

Progressive bifocals are glasses where there is a gradual transition between the distance segment and the reading segment and there is no obvious line. Progressives are very popular where the wearer does not want the need for bifocals to be obvious, but there are disadvantages. The transition zone is much wider with progressives and take up valuable lens space. Also there can be some distortion in the transition zone particularly if there is a higher add involved (which you need right now).

Trifocals are similar to lined bifocals except there is a third intermediate power segment between the reading segment and the distance segment. Trifocals can be very useful in those situations where a strong reading segment is needed. but the reading segment is too strong for intermediate tasks such as using a computer.

I suspect in your immediate situation that you may find that lined bifocals or trifocals would be more useful than progressives because of the wider field of view.

If you were older, I would definitely suggest trifocals with a +3.00 or +3.25 reading add an an intermediate segment of 1/2 the reading add, but few online retailers offer them. They would probably slow down the conditioning of your ciliary muscles, but I suspect you would find them very comfortable.

I hope the above has been helpful. When you decide what you want to do, please let me know and I can make some specific suggestions and advise how to order.

One thing, I noticed that you were asking about buying existing glasses. Please do not get glasses that were not made for you. You may be able to adapt to a sphere difference, but you cannot adapt to a cylinder difference. You have enough problems right now without creating more.

Cactus jack 13 Jul 2009, 19:33

marieb,

The Rx for single vision reading glasses would be:

OD +1.75, -3.75, X 180, 2PD up

OS +2.75, -2.25, x 063

If you have the PD, it should be stated as something like 60/57. The top number is the PD for distance and the bottom number is the PD for reading. If you don't have the PD, you can measure it with a ruler calibrated in mm and a mirror and get pretty close. Let us know if you need instructions. Some on line retailers include direction on how to measure PD.

marieb 13 Jul 2009, 18:31

I posted a question a while ago but did not have my complete prescription with me at the time in order to provide enough information for an answer! I have a new prescription with an add but would like to order, at an online store, single vision reading glasses. How would I change the current rx to be just for reading?

OD -.25, -3.75, X 180, 2PD up

OS +.75, -2.25, x 063

+2.00 Add

Thank you.

hd 13 Jul 2009, 11:39

there you go-

1)Greece

2)i really dont know, i knew from about 14 that i will need glasses but it never bother me too much, its like i ignore it.

3)if you mean physics formulas , not at all, but if you men that you put - 3.25D and +2.00D you will finally have -1.25 glasses.i do know about cyl and the basics, but not too much.

4)Male.

again, thank you for your help

Cactus Jack 13 Jul 2009, 11:29

hd,

Before I get too deep into all this, I would appreciate answers to some additional questions.

1. Where do you live?

2. How did you avoid glasses until you needed -3.25?

3. Do you have any knowledge of the basic formulas involved in optics?

4. What is your gender?

The above will help me formulate my suggestions and answers to help you understand them better.

hd 13 Jul 2009, 10:56

thank for your help,

I do have +1.50 reading glasses , so i tried to put them and read newspaper, it's still blurry and unfoucosed but more easy to read with the +1.50.

i can efford buying a new eyeglasses,

if i buy new eyeglasses i will buy throw the internet , what should i write then?

the same prescription just with "add +2.0 or +2.5"

last quest- what is the difference between bifocals and multifocals?

and what is progerssive lenses?

what is the difference between those 3 kinds?

what should i order?

if it will help you, i work a lot with the computer, without glasses.

Cactus Jack 13 Jul 2009, 10:13

Carlos, Jr.

I seem to recall that your son had a similar problem to hd's when he started wearing glasses. Didn't he have to wear bifocals for a few months until his ciliary muscles got conditioned? BTW, how is he doing?

Cactus Jack 13 Jul 2009, 10:06

hd,

Welcome. Yes, there is a problem, but the problem is not uncommon in moderate myopes who have avoided wearing corrective lenses for too long. Your ciliary muscles (focusing muscles) are completely de-conditioned from lack of use and you need to train them to work as they should. The solution is fairly simple. You need some temporary reading help either with bifocals or supplemental reading glasses. If you decide to try the supplemental reading glasses, you need to get some reading glasses to wear over your regular glasses when you read. I would suggest starting at the lowest power you can read comfortably with and gradually reduce the power. If you got +3.25 reading glasses, you would not do any conditioning. If you can start lower than that, say +2.00, wear them for a week or two when reading and then try to reduce the power to +1.50 and then after a week or two, try to reduce it to reduce it to +1.00. After a couple of weeks reading with the +1.00, try to read without any supplemental glasses.

If you are successful, then you have re-conditioned your ciliary muscles. It is possible that you still may wind up needing to wear bifocals or progressives, but lets hope not. You should try to avoid reading without your glasses except in an emergency because it allows your ciliary muscles to not get exercised properly and you may wind up having to wear bifocals or trifocals before you would normally need them.

If you have more questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

hd 13 Jul 2009, 09:16

my script is

od SPH -3.25 cyl -0.5 axis 170

os SPH -3.25 cyl -0.5 axis 15

acuity before - 6/36 after 6/6

those are my first eyeglasses and i got them a month ago, i am 17.

when i put them it is very hard to read stuff' its so blurry that i prefer reading without them.

is there any problem?

Mr Cockeyed 13 Jul 2009, 08:03

Rachel, you are very nearsighted with fairly strong astigmatism, did you ever consider toric contact lenses?

Rachel 13 Jul 2009, 02:47

If I post my latest rx, could anyone thoruoughly explain it to me please.

RE -11.75 x -1.50 x 115

LE -12.50 x -1.75 x 120

Thanks

Sal 11 Jul 2009, 12:20

Melyssa

Interesting, indeed it is a small world, but I don't know of any Pucci's except for my family and cousins, etc.

Cactus jack 10 Jul 2009, 18:38

Dan,

The 2nd sentence in the 3rd paragraph should read:

. . are at work here and there is . .

Cactus Jack 10 Jul 2009, 18:35

Dan,

The astigmatism correction at 100 degrees, which is just 10 degrees from vertical, might be responsible for about 1 to 2 mm extra thickness to the inside and outside edges of the lenses, but there are more significant factors at work.

Lens edge thickness is related to size of the lens, index of refraction, required center thickness for safety, and the Rx. In your situation, the long axis of the cylinder is almost vertical so that your Rx in the horizontal direction is approximately -3.25 and in the vertical direction it is approximately -2.00. If your frames are rectangular, the width would be a significant factor.

If the edge thickness causes you concern, you might consider higher index lenses and narrower frames. Unfortunately, optical physics are at work had there is not much you can do about it.

May I ask where you live, some countries require a minimum thickness at the thinnest part of the lens so it can withstand being struck by an object without shattering.

dan 10 Jul 2009, 16:40

thank you for your help do think my glasses are so thick beacause the astigmitism is at 100 degrees

Cactus Jack 10 Jul 2009, 16:16

Dan,

Thanks, now I understand your problem. On the surface, you have fairly low sphere correction and a moderate astigmatism correction, but the problem is that when they are combined, you Rx is complex enough that you really need your glasses. T

Sphere correction is usually associated with a mismatch between the length of your eyeball and the total plus power of your cornea and crystaline lenses.

Astigmatism is usually caused by uneven curvature in the front surface of your cornea.

Astigmatism is a real trouble maker because it actually causes they eye to focus at two different distances and there is nothing that can be done about it except wear corrective lenses or have corrective surgery of some sort.

dan 10 Jul 2009, 13:37

od -2.00 cyc -1.25 axix 100 it is the same for both eyes

Cactus Jack 10 Jul 2009, 13:34

dan,

A typical complete Rx would look like

OD (Right Eye) Sphere. -2.00, Cylinder -0.75, Axis 100, Prism and then Add

OS (Left Eye) Sphere -1,25, Cylinder -1.00, Axis 95, Prism, and then Add

If there is no prism or add then those are not listed

It might be abbreviated:

OD -2.00,-0.75 x 100

OS -1.25. -1.00 x 95

The Rx you listed does not have enough information for me to work with. I can't tell if you have any sphere correction or if the -2.00, =1.25 is the cylinder correction..

dan 10 Jul 2009, 11:29

my rx is -2.00 -1.25 astig boyh eyes cant see more than 13 inches clearly thenit is very blurry maybe it is a fairly strong astig correction my glasses are also quite thick 5mm maybe because the axis -s -100 degrees

Cactus Jack 10 Jul 2009, 06:12

dan,

It sounds like you are confused by the difference between sphere correction and cylinder correction. Each has its own purpose. Could you please post your full Rx and your age?

Rachel 10 Jul 2009, 04:27

dan. The astigmatism doesn't help. And if you keep your glasses on all the time with -2.00 you will have got used to the improved vision they give you. It could be you need an increase as well. How long is it since you had your last check-up? i was fulltime with -1.50 and -1.75.

dan 10 Jul 2009, 04:10

i am confused by this site i have -2.00 and -1.25 astigmitism and when i take my glasses off things are very blurry how can this be such a mild rx when people on this site have -7 rx and higher i dont think ican see anything with that rx

Cactus Jack 09 Jul 2009, 11:00

davidson,

Pretty normal. If you wear glasses that are -2.00 and -1.00 and you wear +2.00 readers without your regular glasses, your effective vision is +4.00 in one eye and +3.00 in the other. That would mean that the +4.00 eye would focus clearly at about 25 cm or 10 inches and the +3.00 eye would focus at 33 cm or 13 inches. Beyond those distances things would get progressively blurrier. If things do not get blurrier beyond those distances, you may have some pseudo myopia or may be over corrected.

You should be aware that wearing that much plus for close work will de-condition your ciliary muscles and may cause similar effects as presbyopia.

davidson 09 Jul 2009, 09:37

i'm shorsighted, about -2,00 and -1,00 but I bought myself readers +2,00 and i am wearing them right now (without my other glasses) and it's heaven to look at the computer screen or books, just SO effortless. I am 27, is that normal?

Rachel 09 Jul 2009, 06:02

Carlos, jnr. You can't really because each person is different. But there is a kind of pattern, especially with myopia. The younger you start with glasses, the higher you are likely to get, and the teenage years are pretty crucial ones for rapid increases. But like I say, everyone is different and it can vary.

Carlos, Jr 08 Jul 2009, 23:23

Rachel, how do you compute prescription increases for people? I am just interested in the logic/method.

Rachel 08 Jul 2009, 22:37

newcomer. At 34 your prescription probably will not increase as rapidly as if you were in your teens like me. I suppose if you start wearing your new glasses quite a lot you will appreciate the improvement in vision they give so much you will tend to keep them on. But wearing them a lot will not damage your eyes and will probably stop you straining them, so my advice is try and get used to the idea of needing glasses. In the end you will probably end up with a prescription of around -3.50 or so which will not becessarily make you totally dependent on them.

Cactus Jack 08 Jul 2009, 20:12

newcomer,

Welcome. That is a pretty low Rx and at 34 it is highly unlikely that you will become "dependent" on them or that it will increase much in the future. Depending on your occupation you may find that you like seeing clearly rather than the blurry distance vision that you have "enjoyed" up to now. You can pretty much wear them whenever you want to.

newcomer 08 Jul 2009, 19:11

I'm 34 years old and just got glasses for the first time. It's been a long time coming, I guess, but I've survived this long without them. My perscription is R-1.50 -.50 110 L -1.50 -.25 70. How would that perscription compare with others. How often and for what do people with that perscription wear their glasses. My biggest fear is becoming dependant upon them if that is at all possible. Anyone who can respond with some advice based upon personal experience would be appreciated.

USANJ 07 Jul 2009, 09:49

I don't know if this is the proper place to right this but anyways, I lost one of my contact lenses this morning so I wore my eyeglasses to wrk. My current prescription is -5.50 and -5.75 -.75 x 032. So during my lunch I went to a small Optical store near my job so I could purchase new contact lenses and since I was there I decided to check how much a new pair of eyeglasses cost. They are actually very cheap, the lady tells me that it will cost $70.00 So I asked if that was the low index lenses and she said no, with low index and she said no because with my prescription it would be very thick, so I told her I wanted it to be cr39. I never had cr39 lenses, normally I get 1.57 index. And she made sure I would know that the lenses were going to be very very thick. I was very happy for that, so I can't wait until my new glasses arrive. Any guesses on how thick they will be?

p 07 Jul 2009, 07:10

Cactus, thanks for the reply. My main problem is with frame appearance and fit, its just too hard to tell with a pic and some measurments. I want to go full time but I need to be totally happy with my choice. I'm not looking for high Rx at the moment, only -2.25 or so. I've had no problems with the vision aspect of it. I just need a template that will give me a good starting point, me and photoshop can take it from there. Its worth a try anyways I reckon.

-P

Melyssa 06 Jul 2009, 12:37

Sal,

One of my favorite frames is a designer frame, oversized sky-blue top-temples, from Alberto Pucci. I also knew a Joseph Pucci in junior high school. Small world!

Sal 06 Jul 2009, 04:55

Yes I'm a guy, Salvatore Joseph Pucci, III.

Cactus Jack 05 Jul 2009, 18:36

It would probably be a good idea if you got an Rx in the area where you live. I have Rx in a number of different formats and no matter what format the Rx in in, the optical dispenser always copies the Rx on to the form used in their shop, and retains a copy of the Rx for their records.

Could I ask what glasses Rx you are trying to get. Perhaps the problem is not in the glasses, but in the CL / Glasses combination you have selected for your actual Rx. The tables and formulas appear to get very inaccurate in the higher Rx.

p 05 Jul 2009, 17:50

Does anyone have a rather generic looking Rx that you would be willing to scan and e-mail to me (you can cover personal info with strips of blank paper or whiteout)? I'm sick of ordering glasses online (for GOC) and being dissapointed. I can run the scanned document through Illustrator and have it say whatever I want so I can just walk into a shop and order glasses that I know I'll like.

Thanks!!

Rachel 05 Jul 2009, 03:03

Sal, a guy?? wow.

05 Jul 2009, 02:17

Sal posted his Rx on 17 Jun 2009, 08:20 on this thread.

Rachel 04 Jul 2009, 23:00

Sal. What's your rx now? Trifocals sound pretty amazing. I presume you are a pretty high minus wearer.

Sal 04 Jul 2009, 03:53

I got my new glasses about 3 days ago and am really enjoying the crisp clear vision. Could not get the aspheric lenses this time, got some 1.6 high index,, but they are really much thicker than my previous ones, and a lot less peripheral vision.

I like the trifocals, for the first time I have only one pair of glasses.

We got some good news last week, my fiancee was approved for a cochlear implant. Her hearing has been really bad since she had memingitis as a 13 yo. She gets implanted 7/13 and activated in mid Aug.

Happy 4th all!

And 03 Jul 2009, 15:31

Ash, have you noticed you can now see things/people/detail that you didn't realise you couldn't see !

03 Jul 2009, 11:08

Ash rx is further down the page.

Rachel 03 Jul 2009, 06:05

Ash. What rx are you now?

Ash 02 Jul 2009, 23:29

Well I have worn my glasses quite a bit this week. Twice at work, when we have had to sit through presentations, the cinema and tv a few times (the tv in my room is very small and I was having difficulty with the print and seeing fine details). Mostly positive comments about the glasses. Although my boss at work told me to be careful not to wear them too much (I had only worn them twice at the time, both or distance and not just whilst I was sat at my desk!) or I would end up needing them all the time. I told him that I wasn't planning to wear them all the time but distance vision had become a lot clearer with them so had decided to start wearing them more. I am still getting a few headaches but hopefully they will reduce now I'm wearing glasses more.

Cactus Jack 30 Jun 2009, 06:52

Steve,

There are several parts to a prescription that do completely different things. Asking about overall Rx is like saying I have 3 apples and 2 oranges. If I combine them, how many appnges will I have.

The sphere component usually corrects for a mismatch between the plus power of your cornea and crystaline lens (about +40 combined) and the length of your eyeball. Yours, right now, is about 2 mm too long which is corrected by the -2.00 sphere.

Astigmatism is usually caused by uneven curvature of the front surface of the cornea. Yours has greater curvature in one direction (actually +1.25 more) than it does in the direction 90 degrees away from it. Sort of like an American football, but to a much lesser degree. The -1.25 corrects that.

Your average or overall Rx is about -2.67, but that doesn't mean anything. If you tried wearing glasses with a -2.67 Rx, it would be clearer than without glasses, but would still not be as good as wearing the correct Rx.

Lens thickness is affected by three things. The Rx, the size of the lens, and the index of refraction of the lens material. You probably have CR-39 lenses, which is inexpensive, has a low index (about 1.49), but superior optical properties. If you want thinner lenses, you need to go for higher index lenses that are smaller, but be ready to pay more. There is a direct relationship between the index and the cost of the lens.

May I ask your age and where you live?

If you have more questions I need your complete Rx.

steve 30 Jun 2009, 05:58

they stick out 5mm from my frame ihreard that over -1 astig is called moderate astigmitism what is my overall rx

Cactus Jack 30 Jun 2009, 05:11

steve,

No and No. Define "thick".

steve 30 Jun 2009, 04:20

my rx is now -2.00 with -1.25 astigmitism is that a large amount of astigmitism and is my ovarall rx -3.25 because my glasses are quite thick

Cactus Jack 29 Jun 2009, 08:25

dan,

Your eyes are probably rather good, they just like to focus at about 26 inches or 67 cm. which makes things farther than that, blurry. Then, the astigmatism makes it even blurrier.

Overall, the prescription is pretty low. Glasses will fix that very well.

dan 29 Jun 2009, 05:27

hi i just got 1-50 myopia and -1.25 astigmitsm how bad are my eyes

Ash 25 Jun 2009, 08:16

Cactus jack,

Thanks for all your help. I don't think my eyesight is bad enough to warrant contacts but I will keep in mind to try and wear my glasses more often- I think Im probably straining my eyes at work. We often have to sit through presentations that I feel myself squinting at. Will bite the bullet and wear specs next time : )

Cactus Jack 25 Jun 2009, 04:52

Ash,

Wearing your glasses is ALWAYS your choice. Prevention is much better than a cure, if you think you are going to be in a situation where you might develop a headache, you could prevent it by putting on your glasses a half-hour before.

Before you started wearing glasses, your brain had probably given up on seeing clearly and was no longer even making the effort. One of the reasons you may be getting headaches is that your brain has re-discovered the pleasure and comfort of seeing effortlessly, using two eyes, rather than straining to see clearly with each eye individually. Human beings quickly adapt to labor saving devices and are reluctant to go back to the old ways. You glasses are a labor saving device for your brain, and it is rebelling against having to strain to see.

If you REALLY don't want to wear your glasses, you might discuss contact lenses with your Optician. Even if toric contacts are not an option for you, it may be possible to do an acceptable compromise using sphere only contacts. They are easy to wear for most people.

Ash 25 Jun 2009, 00:45

Cactus jack,

Thanks for the advice. So when should I be wearing them, whenever I get a headache? It mostly happens at work and I would just put up with it if I was off out somewhere. So I may stick with my current glasses as they are only 6 months old.

Cactus Jack 24 Jun 2009, 15:53

Ash,

Vanity is generally ascribed to females, but when it comes to wearing glasses I'm about convinced that the males may have you beat. Maybe it is the Macho image.

You do have a very significant advantage in the frames department. Attractive frames can be a very important fashion accessory. Fortunately, your Rx is not very strong and it does not require very thick lenses. You probably chose you frames thinking that you would not wear the much and never in a social setting. Consider getting some frames that accent your beauty. I think rimless frames (similar to the style Sarah Palin wears) can really make a young woman even more attractive than she already is. Your optician friend should be able to advise. If there are budget issues, consider ordering on line. You have your Rx, all you need is your PD which is easy to measure if you don't have it handy.

You are thinking of glasses as a liability, turn them into an asset.

Ash 24 Jun 2009, 13:43

Cactus jack

I am female- perhaps why the vanity! I actually got an eye test after my fathers friend, who owns an opticians, noticed me squinting slightly at some distant view and gave me an eye test for free! Previously I had noticed that if I shut my left eye, it was quite blurry, but thought it was ok as my vision with both eyes seemed fine.

He told me I was only very slightly short sighted so would just need glasses for driving and distances. There was never any mention about astigmatism although I have read a little about it here, or wearing them for any other activities.

Cactus Jack 24 Jun 2009, 12:28

Ash,

Monovision is usually done intentionally to avoid wearing bifocals. One eye is corrected for distance vision and the other eye is corrected for reading and close work. Mostly it is done using contact lenses and occasionally it is done with implanted replacement lenses during cataract surgey. With monovision you typically see with only one eye at a time. The brain switches between the eyes to use the clearest image for what you are doing, without your being aware of it.

Normally, monovision does not cause headaches, but uncorrected astigmatism does. The problem with astigmatism is that no matter how hard your brain tries to provide you with clear vision, it simply cannot do it without external correction using glasses or contact lenses.

You might possibly be able to wear what are called toric contact lenses, but they don't always work well for low levels of astigmatism. The problem with low cylinder toric contacts is that they are expensive and tend to move on your cornea as you blink. Your astigmatism may not be enough to stabilize them.

To correct astigmatism, the axis of the cylinder corection must be very close to the axis of your astigmatism. If it is not, it actually makes your vision worse.

The best solution is to wear your glasses even though you may not like them. You and your associates will soon get used to them and you will enjoy the comfort. The alternative is to stock up on headache rememdies.

BTW, I had natural monovision similar to yours when I first got glasses at 14. I am 71 now and have had cataract surgery. I intentionally selected the implanted lenses for monovision and I also wound up with a bit more astigmatism than you have. I can function without glasses, but I prefer the comfort of glasses and don't care what others think.

Please don't let vanity keep you from having comfortable effortless vision.

May I ask your gender, Ash is sort of gender neutral.

Ash 24 Jun 2009, 11:37

I am 22. Had the last eye test around 6 months ago which was when I first got glasses. What is monovision, is that what is causing the headaches?

Cactus Jack 24 Jun 2009, 11:31

Ash,

I would suggest that there are two problems. One is the difference in the sphere and the other is your astigmatism.

What is happening is that you are primarily using your left eye for distance and the right eye for reading. That is pretty much what monovision is all about. The problem is your astigmatism. Unfortunately, there is no way to compesate for astigmatism except corrective lenses.

May I ask your age and when you had your last eye exam

Ash 24 Jun 2009, 09:36

Cactus jack- thankyou for the quick reply. My prescription is L eye sph -0.50 cyl -0.75 x 105 and R eye sph -2.00 cyl -0.75 x 60. I have started wearing them a little more now, but I'm not a massive fan of myself in them!

Cactus Jack 24 Jun 2009, 09:22

Ash,

You may have some astigmatism which changes what is typical. What is your prescription.

The fact that you find wearing the glasses more comfortable than not wearing them should tell you something.

Maybe it is time for a new exam and perhaps new glasses and more frequent wear.

Ash 24 Jun 2009, 09:08

Hi. I have what might be a slightly weird question but not sure where else to ask! I have glasses because I'm very slightly shortsighted but never wear them really- I don't have a car and I just move closer if there's something I can't see properly. However recently my eyes were feeling a but strained and I have been getting headaches so I wore my glasses for a couple of hours to a work presentation. As well as being able to see, my eyes felt lots better and the headache disappeared. But I have read here that short sighted people shouldn't get headaches without glasses. I have tried it a few times since when I've had a headache/ strained eyes and it's worked every time. Anyone any idea what might be going on?

Dan 24 Jun 2009, 06:59

Rachel,

Yep, definitely! I doubt I will ever get to that prescription.

Rachel 24 Jun 2009, 03:37

Dan. Wow I bet. You are still really low though compared with me. RE -11.75 x 1.50 x 150 LE -12.50 x -2.00 x 180

Dan 23 Jun 2009, 19:20

Got an eye exam today and got a new prescription.

Old:

OD -.50

OS plano -.50 x 90

New:

OD -1.00 -.50 x 90

OS -.50 -.75 x 90

The optometrist showed me a trial frame with my new prescription versus my old one and the difference is so amazing...I can't wait to get my new prescription!

Chrissi 23 Jun 2009, 17:47

Thanks for the tips Cactus Jack and R Ed.

I do have an appt booked in August, one for my ophthalmologist at a hospital and one who can get me measured for contacts.

My CL rx is 2 years old (but my -11.25 for glasses are only 8 months old).

I will be needing an increase when I go back in August.

R Ed, you're right, I might have issues reading up close when I get my distance rx for contacts updated.

I might get glasses to wear for reading if it comes to that.

Thanks for the help!

R Ed 23 Jun 2009, 14:12

Cactus Jack and Chrissi,

CJ- Please don't be concerned with "butting in"; I certainly respect your very helpful comments to all on Eyescene.

Chrissi,

CJ's estimate of 1.66 add for you is likely correct over your CL's. You might test this by trying on readers at a pharmacy ( or chemists if you live in the UK). You may wish to ask CJ if there are adverse consequences, short and long term, of reading with your distance correction

Cactus Jack 23 Jun 2009, 07:28

Chrissi & R Ed,

Not to butt in, but the -9.50 contacts are pretty close to what is required for a refracted -11.25 distance Rx. If you like wearing the -8.75 glasses for reading, that would be pretty close to the effect of wearing +1.66 reading glasses. You might try wearing some +1.50 or +1.75 readers with the contacts for reading and close work. The differences are caused by vertex distance effects which are related to the glasses Rx squared (^2).

R Ed 23 Jun 2009, 07:00

Chrissi,

You mentioned earlier you only wear glasses around the house. That being the case you already have what you need; -11.25 for distance and -8.75 for reading.

You say you can read "all right" with -9.50 CL's. Do you feel eye strain? Are your eyes fatigued after long periods of reading? Since the experiment with your old weaker glasses suggests you need "add +2.50" which is certainly significant; maybe your current CL's are a comprise; a little weak for distance, a little strong for reading but you can accomodate. How old is you CL Rx? Maybe it needs updating for distance and that would make reading without bi focals more difficult. If I were you I'd visit my eye care professional soon.

Chrissi 22 Jun 2009, 16:36

Thanks R Ed for your advice.

Should I still then, get bifocals, if I can read with my -11.25 glasses, but just not as comfortably as with weaker ones?

Because when I wear my contacts, -9.50, I can read all right.

R Ed 22 Jun 2009, 06:46

Chrissi,

If I understand correctly your best distance Rx is -11.25 and you are most comfortable reading with -8.75 glasses. Bi focals would be a huge help for you. The difference between these two numbers is 2.50. If you had a bi focal prescription it would state "add + 2.50".

I believe there are two ways to deal with this. With CL's one eye would have he distance lens -11.25; the other the reading lens -8.75. I believe this approach is called monovision. I wouldn't take this approach but I know people who do and they accept it.

The second approach is bi focal glasses. Progressive bi focals (with no visible line) are excellent; I've had them for many years.

Which approach do you think you'll take?

Aubrac 22 Jun 2009, 00:41

Had the biennial eyetest yesterday but nothing really exciting.

My contact lens scrip has been the same in both eyes for over ten years,

-5.00 +2.00 add, small change in glasses scrip, now

R -5.25, add +2.00,

L -5.00, -0.75 axis 166, add +1.75

Ther was a little concern that the eyeball pressure was slightly over the limit in the left eye, apparantly in the UK this has recently been reduced so more people are being referred. However, after the third test nearly an hour later, it had gone below the limit.

Must say a very thorough and unhurried test by a nice young lady optometrist.

Chrissi 21 Jun 2009, 16:32

I apologize for any misunderstanding.

Due to budget issues, I haven't been able to get new contacts (which is why they're still in the old rx), but my -11.25 is my real prescription.

Chrissi 21 Jun 2009, 16:29

Oh and don't get me wrong, I love my glasses, but the reason I wear contacts is that it's just easier to get around for me.

I consider them more of an intimate thing, I suppose.

Chrissi 21 Jun 2009, 16:26

Thanks for everybody's input.

My -11.25 is about an 8 month old prescription.

I actually wear -9.50 contacts (which convert to about -10 in glasses). I rarely wear my glasses, only at home.

When I read, I wear my -8.75 glasses.

It is easier for me to read just because it takes the pressure off my eyes. The letters appear to be farther away when I wear my -11.25.

Sal 21 Jun 2009, 12:29

Chrissi:

R Ed's idea is a good one you can also try a pair of +1.5 or +2 OTC readers over your glasses and see if there is less strain. Once you get into college, probably with a still higher prescription, you may find bifocals helpful. My siblings and my fiancee are very happy with them for intense studying.

In fact, when I was an undergraduate I roomed with an architecture student. By the time we were seniors, almost every architecture student had glasses of some type for close work.

Rachel 20 Jun 2009, 01:01

R Ed. No I haven't actually, cos I find reading and close work OK with my single vision lenses and I desperately need the high minus for my distance vision. Maybe one day I will have to give in and get some bifocals, but until then I want to persevere with single vision.

R Ed 19 Jun 2009, 13:49

Chrissi,

My idea, 2 posts earlier, would just give you an indication if you may benefit from bi focals. The authoritative way would be to visit your eye care professional.

Rachael,

Thanks for your support. Have you tried my suggestion? If so, what were your conclusions?

Rachel 19 Jun 2009, 11:03

Chrissi. That's a good idea of R Eds. try it

R Ed 19 Jun 2009, 10:51

Chrissi,

If you feel eye strain when reading small font in dim lighting then you may need bifocals.

You may be able to run a test if you have an old pair of your glasses with a lower Rx. Do you have something in the -9.00 to -10.00 range? Do you feel less eye strain? Do the letters seem larger?

Rachel J 19 Jun 2009, 08:39

Sal. That;s not too big an increase for her thankfully.

Sal 19 Jun 2009, 08:22

RachelJ

My sis' prescription before the change was -16, not -15.

Rachel J 18 Jun 2009, 23:00

Chrissi.

I'm 16 and my current RX for glasses is very similar to yours R.E -11.75 and LE-12.50. At the moment I don't have any problems at all with single vision lenses either for reading or close work, so I reckon you should be O.K. with them for quite some time yet. Are you having problems, or is -11.25 a very recnt rx? Sometimes opticians recommend bifocals at quite an early age in an attempt to slow myopic progression. Someone I chat to who is 22 was prescribed some, but she wasn't very happy with them now she has gone back to single vision lenses again and prefers them. It would be good to hear your experiences.

Chrissi 18 Jun 2009, 17:30

Hi, I'm new to posting but I've been reading threads for about a year now.

I'm 14 and my rx is -11.25 for glasses.

I was wondering about bifocals; when does a myope know when he/she needs them?

Rachel J 18 Jun 2009, 01:55

Sal, Has Jen gone up to -16.50 and -17.00 from -15.00? If so that is quite an increase I would say and she must have been really struggling with her old glasses. Her astigmatism is pretty severe as well isn't it? Is she having high index lenses fitted into her glasses? I don't blame her for not wanting contacts to be honest, because I don't fany them despite my mother banging on about them all the time. I'm sorry to seem more interested in your sister's prescriptions, but I don't know much about hyperopia, except one of my friends at school has it and her current prescription is now R.E. +6.00 and L.E. +6.50. I don't know what the rest of the numbers are, but she seems pretty happy with it now. She kept putting off having her eyes checked for a long time before she got her new glasses, because she didn't like the idea of her eyes looking even bigger through them, but now she's accepted it.

Sal 17 Jun 2009, 08:20

Well, my sister Jen and I had our exams and both got increases, Jen's a little less than in the recent past, mine about what I expected. Jen is not going to get contacts, she just doesn't tolerate them at all.

My new script is R: +10.50 +2.25 x105 13.00BO L: +10.25 +3.50 x095 13.00BO add +3.00 with trifocals.

Jen's new script is R: -16.50 -5.00 x050 L: -17.00 -4.25 x020 add +3.25 with trifocals (this is the first time I ever knew Jen's full prescription).

My fiancee, Susan, also recently had an eye exam and had no change in her script.

Rachel 17 Jun 2009, 07:05

Cactus Jack. I thought you must mean that. Yeah I suppose with such a high rx you will need -3.00 more for glasses than for contacts. It bumps your rx up quite a bit more actaully. Sal's sister Jen is pretty high isn't she?

Cactus Jack 17 Jun 2009, 05:51

Rachel J,

The -15.75 was a typo that is why I corrected it in the next post. The reason I said -18.50 or -18.75 was because of potential errors in the formulas. You have to start with the refracted Rx that the patient has said was the clearest and that is very subjective. The examiner can't tell what you see, only what you tell him you see.

Cactus Jack 17 Jun 2009, 05:47

Andrew and Rachel,

The difference between a glasses Rx and a CL Rx is caused by the vertex distance of the lens. Vertex distance is the distance from the front surface of the cornea and the back surface of the lens.

Except in rare instances, the vertex distance of a phoropter and glasses is pretty close, about 12 mm. That being the case, the Rx as determined by the phropter is pretty close to the Rx of the glasses without any adjustment for the difference. However, CLs have a vertex distance of Zero (0) which means that the CL Rx must be adjusted for the difference.

The formula for the adjustment is pretty simple, but it involves a couple of steps:

Refracted (or Glasses) Rx ^ 2 (squared) and then divided by 1000. This will yield the amount of Rx change per mm of vertex distance. Then multiply the change by the vertex distance. This final number is then added to or subtracted from the refracted Rx to give the CL Rx. If the refracted Rx is minus, you subtract. If the refracted Rx is plus, you add.

Note that you start with the refracted or glasses Rx. If you start from the CL Rx, you have to guess at the glasses Rx and do the calculations until you arrive at the CL Rx. The reason for this is that you are dealing with exponential functions and the square of the refracted Rx will be different than the square of the CL Rx. Also note that at refracted Rx below 5, the difference is so small that no adjustment is necessary and accommodation will usually make up for slight errors.

There are two problems with the calculations. The errors get large at high Rx and it is very hard to measure or estimate vertex distance. There is an instrument for doing this, but it is a bit pricey and few ECPs have them. Usually, there is a small calibrated prism on each side of a phropter that will allow the examiner to read the distance from the front surface of the cornea to the back surface of the first lens in machine.

Rachel 17 Jun 2009, 02:08

Cactus. I should have put -3.50 MORE

Rachel J 17 Jun 2009, 02:06

Cactus Jack. Do you mean -3.50 for glasses, if your contacts are -15.00? What do you mean by -15.75 then? I was only -1.00 with my assumption though.

Andrew 16 Jun 2009, 09:39

Is there a set formula for working this out? I know my glasses Rx is based on a lens to pupil distance of 10mm., and I have been told today I now need a -7.50 contact lens for one eye (other would have risen to -7.25, but they don't make them). Given that, how strong are my next glasses likely to be (am due an eye test in October, and am pretty sure a change will be needed)?

Cactus Jack 16 Jun 2009, 07:46

-18.50 or -18.75

Cactus Jack 16 Jun 2009, 07:45

Raches J,

Glasses would actually be closer to -18.50 or -15.75 if she wears -15 contacts.

Rachel J 16 Jun 2009, 07:26

And. I think Sal means that her sister Jen is getting -15.00 contacts and then her glasses will need to be a higher prescription. Probably about -2.50 more, making her glasses prescription something like -17.50. That's because with contacts being actually on your eyes, they don't need to have as much minus as glasses, that are about an inch away. I know it sounds complicated but it's not really. It makes sense when you think about it.

And 15 Jun 2009, 09:49

Nothing wrong with being 5'3" or wearing glasses ! Do you mean Jen will wear contacts and glasses together ? That sounds complicated.

Rachel 14 Jun 2009, 22:47

Sal.

Are those "hard" contacts your sister is getting (RGP)? -15.00 is really strong for contacts isn't it? Usually contacts are a lower rx than glases aren't they? What rx glasses will she need now with such a high rx for contacts?

It's amazing how quickly your hyperopia is increasing. Are you wearing your double digit glasses all the time then now instead of your normal ones? If so that shows you are in for an increased rx again. I love the big eyes plus lenses make you have. I sometimes wish I was a hyperope. I hope your sister Jen likes the extra clarity she'll experience when he gets her new specs!! I bet you can't wait either!

Sal 14 Jun 2009, 12:40

Rachel:

Thanks for the wishes, my exam is tomorrow. Jen is going for her exam before her learning permit and since I am taking her they are working me in. Jen is getting RGP contacts -15 with the rest of her prescription in glasses.

I don't have a problem with the double digits, I have almost been wearing them now since I am wearing my computer glasses most all of the time, and they are not quite adequate, and they don't really work for computer either. I am like you, can't function without glasses. I even have to put them on to see my bedside clock at night.

Me being a hyperope and the rest of the family myopes, the doctors explain is due to my size. I am the runt of the family, I am only 5'3" while the other guys are over 6' and Jen is 5'11". I was small at birth, was cross eyed and have short small eyeballs (although they look big through my lenses). The doctors say my hyperopia will increase for a while yet as well. There were other problems I had earlier in my life but not vision related, so I won't bor folks here with them.

Rachel 10 Jun 2009, 23:50

Sal.

Good luck with your eye exam. Let me know what rx you get to. Do you want double digits?

Rachel 10 Jun 2009, 23:48

Sal.

It's quite weird that your brother and sister are really myopic and you are the opposite I think. Usually brothers and sisters are the same. Jen must be coping ok with he bifocals by now and also Jim. I suppose of its just a case of doing what the opticians recommends. I have heard it where they recommend bifocals to try and prevent myopia increasing too much, because doing a lot of close work looking through minus lenses can help to do that. (That's why some people who wnat higher rxs do read a lot close up wearing minus lenses.) I'll probably get bifocals pretty soon myself, if my distance vision carries on deteriorating like it is doing at the moment. I wonder if bifocals also help to take some of the pressure of your retinas as well. maybe that's why opticians recommend them to high myopes too.

Sal 10 Jun 2009, 12:22

Rachel:

Yes my sis does have problems with peripheral vision. It is true with high myopes and hyperopes too. I have the same problem and have to look through the very center of the lens, and it will get worse when my prescription increases. The prisms make it even more pronounced, my lenses are thick in the middle and at the edges.

Our eye doctor thinks bifocals are required for myopes over 10 dpt, that's why Jen got them when she was 12, and why Jim got them at 18. Also the doctor says hyperopes over +6 need them so I started again with them when I was 14.

I have an eye exam scheduled at the end of the month and will probably be into double digits myself.

Rachel 10 Jun 2009, 05:56

Sal. Wow, Sal your sister's myopia is real bad for 16. I'm the same age but my latest rx is only RE-11.75 and LE-12.50 with some astigmatism. Poor girl having to get bifocals at 12. So far I have been ok with single vision lenses and don't have any probs reading small print even with my high minus rx. maybe one day I'll need them though, which I have now reluctantly come to terms with. Some people think bifocals look pretty cool, especially if the have a straight line across the middle of the lenses. I reckon they could take a bit of getting used to, especially coming down stairs and things like that. Like you may not be able to see the stairs clearly through the bifocal part especially if it is quite a bit weaker. I suppose its just one of those things you have to adapt to with wearing glasses. Does your sister have difficulty with her peripheral vision at that rx like i do? Mine looks really curvy unless I turn my head and look directly though he centre of my lenses.

Dave 09 Jun 2009, 18:25

Thanks Sal

Maybe a slight increase will help the spelling!

Dave

Sal 09 Jun 2009, 12:51

I am embarrased, can't spel meteorology and I are won.

Sal 09 Jun 2009, 12:50

Dave & Clare

Sory to be slow in posting. I got glasses very young, about 9 months. I was born very cross eyed, followed by 3 surgeries in18 months. First glasses were +3, then +4 with +2 add in kindergarten. About 3-4th grade the bifocal went away and then had about +3.5. In high school I was +5 and back to a minimal bifocal and started with prisms. Since then over about 10 years I have seen a slow but steady increase to where I am now.

I have a pair of glasses about 1dpt stronger for computer and they seem to work well for distance, so I think I need a change soon & trifocals.

As for my family, everyone else is myopic. Mom & Dad -6 and -8 respectively with bifocals. Brother Bill is 23 and an Army officer, was -6 but got lasik, now he has to wear +1.5 for reading. Brother Jim is 19 and in college, he has -11 and just got bifocals. Sister Jen is a 16 yo high school student, wears -17 glasses and got her first bifocals at 12 yo.

My fiancee is 1 year behind me in a graduate program (doctorate in meteriology), she is very myopic at -14, wears trifocals and lost an eye in an accident as a kid.

Yavanna 08 Jun 2009, 07:17

The three pairs of glasses (-1.25, -1.5, -1.75) I ordered after posting here about a month ago finally came in a couple weeks ago, and I've had some time to play with switching around between them.

The first thing I noticed was that without the anti-glare coating my regular glasses have, there were lots of annoying reflections, so I wouldn't be settling for any of these, they'd just be good for backup and checking what prescription I need.

First I wore the -1.75s for awhile, when driving and to a concert. Things do seem a bit clearer with them. But I think that even though I could wear them (if they had anti-glare) comfortably, they're a bit stronger than I really need, since if I totally relax my accommodation it blurs a bit even in the distance. Surprisingly, in comparing the different prescriptions, the biggest difference that was really helpful was between my old glasses (OD -1.25, OS -1.25 +0.25 057), and the prescription I was given last month (-1.25). I hadn't thought that -.25 of astigmatism correcting being swapped for an extra -.25 spherical would make much difference, but it does, even if it's subtle.

Now I'm getting ready to get a new "real" pair of glasses, with all the coatings and stuff that I want, and frames that I'm sure I really like. My insurance covers transitions lenses, which is probably enough on its own for me to want to go with a place that takes it (VSP). The big chain places don't take it, only optometrist's offices do.

If I could get anything I wanted without verification, I'd probably get -1.5, just for a bit of extra sharpness, but I don't know if I can get away with faking my prescription. I've already scanned it, and could easily enough make it look like what I want (as a graphic designer it's part of what I do for a living, after all). But I wonder if they'd be likely to call the place that gave me the prescription to verify? Especially if I have to go the optical shop at an optometrist's office, and not something like Walmart or Lenscrafters. I'm thinking I'll probably just go with my legit prescription of -1.25 to save myself the hassle. That would be more a bit more comfortable for near vision when I'm tired, anyway. But slightly more minus would be nice for driving, especially at night. I might order sunglasses online, since I'm less picky about how they look, and insurance won't cover them anyway, and get them in -1.5, or even -1.75.

Rachel 06 Jun 2009, 23:02

Hi Ricky. I'm glad to hear you like extra minus as much as I do and love the sharpness and clarity it gives you. I suppose my eyes are still at the stage where they can focus at all distances with single vision lenses. Like you say the thought of bifocals seems like a sign of ageing!! I suppose no one who is pretty myopic ever wants give in and admit that they can't see to read with strong glasses. It's like admitting you don't really need all that minus! I don't know if you have chatted to Emily in Lenschat but she is around -14 now and when her optician pescribed her bifocals she didn't really like them or need them so now she has gone back to single vision lenses with an even higher rx. Even so if I get to a situation where I eventually need them I'll definitely give them a whirl. I suppose having the line right across the middle of your lenses does look pretty cool when you're quite young.

Ricky 06 Jun 2009, 05:50

Good day Rachel. I started wearing glasses at age 10. My teacher saw squinting and called my parents. Since all my brothers were wearing glasses, it was expected that Ricky would follow suit. Like you, I enjoyed getting stronger glasses on a regular basis. The sharpness and crispness was (and is) always great. My presccription reached -13 in one eye and -14.50 in the other. At about age 28, a co-worker of mine asked why I was looking over the top of my glasses to read up close. I really had not noticed I was doing that--but thought it must be normal. Then I saw on ths website that some others were taking glasses off for close-up work. When I mentioned this here, I was told that I probably needed bifocals---but my immediate response was that I was too young for the bifocals. After thinking about it, had my eyes examined and the eye doctor told me that I should not have to remove my glasses to read up close. Prescribed bifocals---a +2 add. Felt strange wearing bifocals at age 28, but no one even noticed. About two years later, began to have difficulty with mid-range vision---you guessed it--trifocals. A +1 in the midrange and +2.25 in the add. Trifocals at 31 (my age now). Looking back on it--I think if I had not been pusing for a stronger and stronger minus, I would not now be earing trifocals But, anyway, bifocals/trifocals normally arrive at age 40---mine just came early. So Racchel, I think with your prescription, you will be a premature bifocal babe. Men will love it.

Rachel 06 Jun 2009, 01:50

Puffin. You can see what I've written to minus 5 who luvs girls with glasses. Before my last test I've been having increases of around -1.00 every six months since I was 15, but at Easter this year I really went for it in a big way. Dr. Quinn that usually tests me was away on holiday and I had her new optician Chris. He seemed really sympathetic with me and when we had got to what I knew was another -1.00 I asked him if he could just go a little bit stronger. He notched it up another -0.25 and asked me if that was better, so I said "Please could you just go a bit stronger still," and to my surprise he did!! If it had been Dr. Quinn she would have told me, "No, we have gone strong enough for now Rachel."

Rachel 06 Jun 2009, 01:42

minus 5 who luvs gwgs. (continued) Everything looked really minified and I simply couldn't read the card the receptionist put in front of me but I lied to her and said I could. After that she adjusted the ear-pieces and when my new glasses were back on, she said stand up and walk around in them for a while in here, as they may take a bit of getting used to with having such a big increase. I did as she said and then told her they were fine and when I walked out of the opticians the doorway sides looked kind of curvy!! Once I was outside in the street the pavement looked miles away, so I walked all the way back home trying to get used to it. Luckily by the time I got home my eyes seemed to be adjusting quite well to the extra minus and I manged to help my mum prepare supper without any problems. It felt really weird though, because everything looked so small and my mum kept looking at me a lot. I think she was shocked at how much stronger my lenses were, but all she said was, "Can you see a lot better with your new glasses Rachel" and I simply answered, "Yes they're fine mum." That was over two months ago now and my new glasses are still brilliant. Everything looks so crisp and clear and I don't have any problems reading even quite small print. It's simply great.

Rachel 06 Jun 2009, 01:26

minus 5 who luvs gwgs. Hi, the extra minus you wear sounds great. I'm not sure what my rx was at 7 when I first got glasses but I think it must have been quite a bit over -1 because it made such a difference. I kept telling my mum I needed glasses because I was having problems seeing the blackboard at school but at first she didn't believe me. She thought I only wanted glasses because another girl had got glasses. In the end my teacher suggested she take me for an eye-test and after it I ended up with glasses and I can remember how much better I could see with them. After that I needed stronger lenses each year and by 12 I had reached RE-5.25 and LE-5.75 (That's when I started saving all my prescription forms and trying to fake my tests.) Since I was 15 I've been going for check-ups every six months which has probably helped to push my rx up even higher. The last increase I got was at Easter (-1.50 in each eye.) I think this was about -0.75 more than I needed because I got quite a shock when I went to collect my new glasses and first tried them on.

Puffin 05 Jun 2009, 17:56

Hey Rachel, how much does your prescription go up by each time? And how much do you over-estimate your inability to read things?

btw you've got some way to go before you're forced into myodisks, usually between minus 20-25 or so, depending on high index lenses and small frames.

minus 5 who luvs gwgs 05 Jun 2009, 11:07

Thanks Rachel I started with my right eye at the lowest I believe it was -0.50 my left eye was -1.00 by the time I was 16 I was up to -1.50 and -3.00 with slight astigmatism it progressed to about -3.00 and -4.00 by the time I was about 44 it then jumped to about -3.50 and -5.00 in a few months it now seems stable but to get the sharp vision we both love I now wear -5.00 and -6.00 As regards the higher prescriptions just look at Sandra from Germany a lovely lady with very high minus So what did you start at ?did you realise at 7 you needed glasses or was it a teacher or doctor What had you got to by age 12 By the way on another thread you mentioned swimming you can get prescription swimming goggles which would be better than wearing your glasses

Rachel 05 Jun 2009, 08:18

minus 5 who luvs gwgs. Thanks, it interesting to hear about your progress. Urm,, I really took to minus in a big way at about age 12 or 13. Like you I just love the crispness it gives when you first have an increase. The problem is with me it never seems to last long. I suppose it all to do with my age and stuff. My eyes keep changing and all that. I never know if getting extra minus makes them change quicker, or if they would just change anyway. I suppose its anyones guess! All I know is I like it... more minus I mean. I don't want to get to the myodisc stage though!! ...no way! I hope not anyway if I can possibly manage without. Love to hear back from you.

Rachel 05 Jun 2009, 08:06

Ricky. No, never. I just keep my glasses on for everything. When did you first get glasses and how old are you now? (If you don't mind saying lol)

minus 5 who luvs gwgs 05 Jun 2009, 07:47

Rachel I wore glasses first at 8 years old unlike you although glasses fascinated me I was very shy about wearing them and like a fool tried to do without however from about 12 when I became interested in girls I have always been attracted to gwgs the stronger the better i have been out with two girls who were around minus 15 my first wife was about minus 4 my current wife is a minus 2 with significant astigmatism while my girl friend is minus 6 when I saw her cut in and power rings I could not resist!!! I suppose i like someone who has something in common so hyperopes do not float my boat there is just something about a nice powerful minus lens with the cut in power rings minification and that lovely glint like diamonds they really are like face jewellery Myself I just like the super crisp vision that slightly increased minus gives me thank goodness you are a proud gwg just like my gf who would never consider contacts or laser Please do not worry about any eye problems a relative of my wifes got to 89 and she had myodiscs i think around minus 25 and apart from extreme myopia had no other eye problems

Ricky 05 Jun 2009, 05:32

Interestingly enough Rachel, your prescription is very close to the same strength as mine. Do you ever take your glasses off to read small print up close?

Rachel 04 Jun 2009, 22:36

Ricky. Well thats probably me Ricky. Another Rachel mentioned bifocals, but that definitely wasn't!

Ricky 04 Jun 2009, 22:33

Rachel, your postings are eerily similar to another Rachel. Talking about your mother trying to keep you from wearing glasses all the time; your strong obsession with glasses--all sounds hauntingly familiar. I guess that many Rachels love their glasses.

Rachel 04 Jun 2009, 22:19

minus 5 who luvs gwgs. Well I got my first glasses at 7 for school. I was so surprised how much better I could see I kept them on as much as I could even though my mum kept telling me to take them off. Then my eyes just got worse every year, so I always looked forwards to getting stronger lenses. By 12 I was really into strong glasses and my obsession with them has just gone on from there. I can't help it but I simply love it each time I get another increase now, than I need if I possibly can. What do you like about minus glasses best?

minus5 who luvs gwgs 04 Jun 2009, 07:15

Well I am a guy Rachel who would love to hear of your myopic progression and at what age you first got glasses and how you found out you needed them

Rachel 04 Jun 2009, 03:17

Dave. Are you interested in myopes as well? At the moment I'm wearing glasses with RE-11.75 and LE -12.50 with quite a bit of astigmatism. I'm happy with my rx at the moment but I reckon that in another six months I'll probably be gagging for more. lol.

Dave 03 Jun 2009, 14:06

Hi Sal

Welcome!

Would love to hear more about your glasses "story". Starting wearing, progression, your feelings towards your glasses, funny stories, contacts experiences, etc etc etc.

Best Wishes

Dave

Clare 03 Jun 2009, 12:50

Sal - welcome. I'm sure someone here will be able to answer your questions.

Sal 03 Jun 2009, 08:34

I found this site a few days ago looking for info about prisms which i have had for years due to esotropia. I am a 25 yo grad student. My prescription is R: +9.50 +2.25 x105 12.00BO; L: +8.75 +3.50 x090 12.00BO add +2.50.

Cactus jack 30 May 2009, 14:58

GarethUK,

That is a judgement call that only you can make. I think I might be strongly tempted to order the new Rx from Zenni to see if I liked the Rx enough to spend more money. I don't know what the price would be where you live, but in the US it would be under $10 for the cheap frames plus shipping.

If you like it, then you could have the Rx filled where ever you wanted to.

All you need is the Rx, your PD, and a credit card. Let me know if you want to try it and need help.

GarethUK 30 May 2009, 14:18

Thanks for the response Cactus Jack, given that it's only a small change is it worth getting the prescription made into a new pair of glasses?

I'm 28 and it's been two years since my last test

Cactus jack 30 May 2009, 02:32

GarethUK,

Your old Rx was written with + cylinder and your new one is written with - cylinder. I have converted your old Rx to - cylinder so you can make a more accurate comparison:

Old

R. -4.50, -0.25, 0

L. -4.25, -1.25, 175

New

R: -5.00, -0.25, 5

L: -4.50, -1.50, 175

Some practitioners use phropters or trial lenses with + cylinder and others use - cylinder. The results are the same with either, they just look different. When a lens maker gets a + cylinder Rx, they convert it to - cylinder and make the glasses. Looks like you have a =0.50 sphere increase in your right eye and a -0.25 sphere and -0.25 increase in astigmatism in your left eye, Not very much, really. May I ask your age and how long it has been since your last exam?

GarethUK 30 May 2009, 00:08

Hi,

I went for my eye test yesterday and due to my old optician retiring I went to a different one. My old prescription was:

R: -4.75, +0.25, 90

L: -5.50, +1.25, 85

According to the optician I saw my eyesight has got worse and I they have recommended that I get a new pair of glasses but when I got the prescription it looks like one eye has got a lot better. My new prescription is:

R: -5.00, -0.25, 5

L: -4.50, -1.50, 175

Can anybody please explain as i'm a little confused as to whether my eyesight has actually gotten worse or not

Clare 29 May 2009, 11:39

Last post from me!

29 May 2009, 11:39

father of gwg - Aubrac is right, people 'see' things differently. I also think that, at lower levels of myopia, how much people want/need to wear their glasses depends on how comfortable they feel with how they look in them.

New 28 May 2009, 12:14

Test

father of gwg 28 May 2009, 08:12

Thanks to all for your informative posts. From everything that has been said it seems as if our eyes are an inexact science when it comes to how they change over long periods of time. I now realize that it is impossible to know how bad my daughter's eyes may get over the next 10-15 years. All we can do is make sure we continue to follow-up with our eye doctor every year or so and see what happens. Thanks again to all. I have really enjoyed learning about this subject. I will keep everyone updated on future developments of my daughter or anyone else in the family who may have problems seeing.

Aubrac 28 May 2009, 07:53

Father of gwg

I have posted before to you but would like to add an anecdote that shows every individual situation is different.

Years ago one of my house mates was a lovely bare-eyed girl in her mid-twenties. We got around to talking about glasses one evening and she said she had worn glasses since was 12 and then moved to contacts fulltime as she did a lot of stage work. She remembered being about -2.00 and at an eye test at age 22 was told she no longer needed contacts as she could read all lines on the chart without lenses, she went for a retest six months later and result the same � no need for glasses!

One the other hand, I used to have French lessons with a lovely French lady in her late twenties. One day I arrived and she was wearing les lunettes � glasses! We got to talking about them and she said had always had glasses for a small amount of astigmatism, and wore them very little for reading when she was tired. However she suddenly realised that she couldn�t read road signs or see the titles of books on her shelf, and an eyetest showed a -2.25 scrip plus cylinder. She was now almost FT dependant and that was within only one week of getting them.

Opposite sides of the coin show anything can happen.

Rachel 28 May 2009, 03:16

RL. Thanks for the info on myodiscs. Sometimes I feel pretty daunted at the prospect of needing them eventually but maybe they won't look too bad. Even cool from what you say!

Clare of 27 May 2009, 12:37

father of gwg - my prescription was stable (around -1.25) for the first few years. Then I had a jump to -2 (both eyes, I think), then -2.25 both eyes, after that they seemed to change at different rates before I got to my current prescription a couple of years ago. I always wondered if I didn't quite see as well as I should - when I took my driving test at 17 I had to have a couple of attempts to read the car number plate, very embarrassting!

I started to wear contacts regularly when I got into the -2s, before that I managed just wearing glasses when I needed to. At -2 I never felt my eyesight was bad.

Compared to others my eyesight isn't bad now either. At home I need glasses to watch TV but can roam around the house without. Outside is alot different although I'd go for a walk without, could go shopping assuming I don't want to read signs in the aisles, but would probably ignore a few people along the street! I don't do it often but certainly could if I had to. At my prescription I think the reality is that most people choose not to, which is understandable.

I read bon's post in Acuity and Prescription and their optician recommends wearing glasses fulltime at a much lower prescription.

Clare of 27 May 2009, 12:37

I started to wear contacts regularly when I got into the -2s, before that I managed just wearing glasses when I needed to. At -2 I never felt my eyesight was bad.

I read bon's post in Acuity and Prescription and their optician recommends wearing glasses fulltime at a much lower prescription.

RL 27 May 2009, 07:56

One more thing; I find the field of vision to be great because the myodiscs fit really close to my eyes. The edges don't dig into my face like my full-field glasses. And having them fit closer improves the vision as well. Every so often I'll get a comment or question about them, but like I said; they're exotic.

RL 27 May 2009, 07:53

Rachel,

The best thing about myodiscs is that they are thin and light especially if you can get them in plastic. Mine have 30mm bowls (that's the circle in the center of the lens where the prescription is) with a slightly plus carrier (that's the outer portion of the lens.) The fronts are slightly concave, about a -2 and the edges are thin enough that they don's stick out of the frames at all. My full field glasses by comaparison are 11 mm thick at the outer edge. There is very little edge distortion because there is no thick edge. The only thing is that you have to get used to keeping your eyes looking through the center of the bowl. I don't find this bothersome at all. Mine are in black plastic frames and I think they look pretty cool. The power rings are mimimal and it's hard to detect the unusual lens design unless you know what you're looking for. Since the outer portion of the lens magnifies the edge of your face and your eyes look really small through the bowls, there is quite a contrast. I've decided they're exotic, and I like them a lot. Hope this helps.

Rachel 26 May 2009, 23:36

fatherof gwgw. Clare is probably right. If your daughter can read without her glasses comfortably encourage her to do so. Sometimes doing a lot of close work wearing glasses can make myopia increase more rapidly. It's probably because your eyes get used to focussing on close things through correction and then they need more correction to see at a distance. Look at my post to Catcus Jack on Hyperopic progression to see the physical implications of myopia. You will probably find it helpful. Tell me how your daughter re-acts.

Rachel 26 May 2009, 23:30

RL. Thanks for your latest post. You are right once you get into the habit of looking trhough the centre of you glasses everything is OK. Like when you cross roads, you need to turn your head instead of just glancing sideways. Myodiscs fascinate me actually. Tell me more about them. How much field of vision do you actually get with them and is the distortion as apparent? It looks as though I will probably end up with some by the time I'm in my mid to late teens. They can look pretty cool I reckon if you get the right frames.

father of gwg 26 May 2009, 18:34

Clare,

At what rate did your myopia increase? When your perscription did increase say by .50 or so did it make a noticeable difference in your vision? Did you realize that your eyes weren't very good prior to finally being diagnosed in your twenties, or do you think that's when your eyes started to deteriorate? Also, when you were -2.00 can you describe how you saw things without correction to give me a better understanding of what my daughter sees uncorrected? Lastly, now that you are -3.00 what is your uncorrected vision like?

Clare 26 May 2009, 13:56

father of gwg - I've been in the -2s for quite a few years and am now at -2.75 and -3 with a bit of astigmatism (-0.50). Although I wear contacts lenses 90% of the time it's not impossible for me to go without correction, especially for reading so your daughter may easily be able to accommodate for that despite her astigmatism. I have a friend who has a prescription of -3.75 with -0.75 of astigmatism who is happy to read without glasses but at her prescription she has to hold material quite close to her eyes.

I was in my early 20s when my myopia was discovered, I am now in my late 30s and expect that my prescription has stabilised. I think that it's likely your daughters prescription will increase but it may not be much more than mine, and that's not too debilitating so don't be concerned. Apparently I'm unusual in that I developed myopia relatively late and reached a moderate prescription (so my optician tells me).

It seems to make sense that she doesn't wear them if she doesn't need to for close work but she will decideas it's a very subjective thing.

RL 26 May 2009, 11:41

Rachel,

Yes, there is some distortion at the edges of my lenses, but I've gotten used to looking through the centers, and I currently have two pairs of myodisc glasses in the old Rx that help since the prescription is confined to the center 28mm of the lenses. I thought I would try the new Rx in a full-field lens first, but I will probably get it done in a myodisc as well. It keeps the lens much thinner at the edges. I think the new ones will be over 10mm thick at the edges even in hi-index plastic. We'll see. I'll keep you posted.

Rachel 26 May 2009, 10:05

RL. Sure. My rx make things look smaller when I first get an increase. However it goes it the sharpness and clarity which I really like. Do you get quite a bit of distortion with your peripheral vision now, like I do? It can be a real pain until you get used to it and concentrate on looking through the centre of your lenses all the time.

RL 26 May 2009, 09:26

Rachel and Puffin,

The Doc said long ago said that I have "high resoultion retinas" which allow me to see small things at a distance. It's just the optics of my eyes that are off. Actually I see about the same in both eyes, though things in the left (stronger Rx) eye appear slightly smaller. Not a problem since I've worn glasses since I was ten and have adapted quite well. At one point when I was in college, the difference between my eyes was 5.25 D. That was a little weird, but then my right eye "caught up." Current Rx is R -11.50 +.50 X 106, L -14.00 D/S. So I'm only up by 1D for the new one, not too bad for waiting two years.

Cactus Jack 26 May 2009, 09:04

father of gwg,

It might be useful for your daughter to consider wearing some glasses with a reduced Rx for reading and close work. The lower Rx will reduce her accommodation stress while reading and studying and could slow her myopia. I would suggest 1 diopter lower in the sphere correction. The cylinder and axis should remain the same. The small reduction in sphere Rx will still require her to accommodate some, just not as much.

If she has contacts that correct both her sphere and astigmatism, a pair of +1.00 or +1.25 reading glasses worn over the contacts will accomplish the same thing.

You could order glasses with a lower Rx on line at considerable savings, if you wish and we can help you with the order.

Puffin 26 May 2009, 08:55

RL, 20/15 is really good with that rx. is it better with the -12 eye or no difference?

Rachel 26 May 2009, 08:41

father of gwg. I agree with Aubrac. Wearing glasses for girls is no big deal these days. I for one love looking at all the trendy frames that keep appearing at my opticians. I can never resit going in when i pass and trying some on even when I'm not due for my check up. I reckon she could get to around -6.00 and by then she will be pretty dependent on glasses but the fact that I'm totally dependent never stops me having fun. Like Aubrac says all she needs is her confidence boosting about wearing glasses fulltime and help in choosing some really cool frames. It's no good her missing out on seeing a lot of stuff.

Rachel 26 May 2009, 08:26

father of gwg. I know astigmatism can be a problem when reading, that's why I always wear my glasses for reading as mine is quite bad.

Something that may interest you though about myopic progression is that when my aunt was in the sixth form she decided to try wearing hard contacts, because another girl told her they would stop her myopia increasing as quickly. Her optician was non-committal on the subject but was willing to prescribe her some. In fact they did, because for about six years her rx only increased by about -0.50 every year. Then after she gave birth to her little daughter Sophie she decided to go back to glasses again because of problems with dry eyes. As soon as she did her myopic progression really took off and after 6 months she was desperate for an increase which was -1.25. Six months later she needed another -1.00 but thankfully her eyes have now settled down again to a steady -0.50 more per year. So probably specs4ever is right in saying that constant wear, especially contacts, does make myopia progress more rapidly.

Aubrac 26 May 2009, 08:12

father of gwg

It is pure speculation on anyone's part as to when and at what level a prescription will stabilise. However it is unlikely that myopia will stabilise at age 17.

From the wide experience of the many people on this site, we can only base estimates on what we know, which may be different for any particular situation.

Your daughter's rate of increase does not seem very high and so she is less likely to finish with a scrip of say above -6.00. However, it is quite possible to expect an increase of -0.50 every two years for another ten years or so. This is why people have speculated that her final scrip could be about -4/-5.

Your concern is obvious from your posts, but may I suggest that regrettable though it may seem, wearing glasses/contacts is no big deal - millions of people do so.

I suggest you just take it in your stride, and help her choose some nice frames as an occassional alternative to wearing contacts - buying online will greatly reduce the cost of this.

At -1.75 without correction she will miss out on a lot of detail, texture, etc, find signs difficult to read, and wont pass an eye test for a driving exam. The most important thing is for her not to be worried about this and enjoy good vision with either glasses or contacts.

Rachel 26 May 2009, 08:05

RL. Wow that's really good. I can only ever get down as far as the 20/30 line after I've been prescribed my new rx. And when I get to it my optician tells me I've done really well. Your eyes must be miles better than mine, lol.

RL 26 May 2009, 07:35

Rachael, I'll let you know when they come in. It will be nice to see really clearly again. I was able to read the 20/15 line with the new prescription, much to the surprise of the opthalmologist.

father of gwg 26 May 2009, 07:00

Thanks to all for the informative posts. Is there a chance that my daughter's eyes stabilize now and she never becomes full-time dependent on her glasses and contacts? If so what percentage would you put it that her perscription stays below -2.00? Also, I've spoken to her about not using the glasses for near work, but the doctor told her that the astigmatism affects work at all distances.

Rachel 26 May 2009, 01:19

Father of gwg. I think Aubrac is correct regarding inheriting myopia via the female line. Like his sister's kids needed glasses and not his. Similarly I needed them because my mum's sister younger needed them and now her little girl who is only 5 needs them. Aubrac's sister's progression from the age of 12 has not been as great as mine from the age of 7, resulting in her only having about half the rx I have. Like Aubrac I'm pretty sure your daughter will only reach around -4.00 or perhaps -5.00

Aubrac 26 May 2009, 01:04

Father of GWG

There have been many useful contributions but may I add a couple of points.

You did mention the hereditary angle. I am not a geneticist and do not know how this works, I can only say that my parents and all relations had, as far as I know perfect eyesight, and none of them wore glasses. My Mum was shocked to find at about 12 my sister needed glasses, she has since progressed to about -7 and I am at a well stabilised -5. My ex had perfect eyesight and we have 3 kids all with perfect eyesight, whereas my sister (her husband has perfect eyesight) has four kids with scrips ranging from -2 to -6.

From observation it seems a couple with highish scrips will have a child who will also have a high scrip. From what you said about your daughters new prescription and age, it is quite possible your daughter may eventually go to -4/-5 but maybe not more than that.

Hope this helps rather confuses the issue.

Rachel 25 May 2009, 23:14

Wow RL that sure is some rx!! I bet you can't wait to try your nw glasses on when they arrive at your opticians! I'd love you to post to your first reactions in another week.

Rachel 25 May 2009, 23:10

father of gwg. I think what specs4ever has posted about kids is probably quite true. When I first got glasses at 7 I was so thrilled with how much better I vcould see I fell into the trap of "leaving" them on most of the time even though my mum kept nattering me to take them off. Watching TV was much better, and seeing things clearly when I was out, and as I had no problems reading with my glasses on, I couldn't see the point of keep taking them off and risking forgeting taking them to school. In fact I once did and my teacher had to phone my mum to ask her to bring them for me and you can imagine how embarrassed I felt when she walked into the classroom in the middle of a lesson to hand them to me! So I supposed I've paid the penalty for being a full-time wearer from a very early age. As my mum's younger sister, who is also very myopic, told me recently "Once you start on the slippery slope there is no going back!" However like Specs4ever I am convinced your daughter's rx will get no where near as high as mine is now as she only started with glasses in her mid-teens.

RL 25 May 2009, 13:32

Got a new Rx last week. Up a little to: R -12.00 +.50 X 106, L -15.00 D/S.

Ordered the new glasses in 1.67 High index lenses, black plastic frame. Should have them in a week or so.

Andrew 24 May 2009, 11:32

I realize that contact lens technology has changed a lot in the last few years but I wore my contacts most of the time from the age of 18 until about 25, when I was told I had to stop wearing them for a while to give my eyes a break. For a while after that, I was only allowed to wear them for 5 hours a day. Now (I'm 43), I can wear them most of the day if I need to, but if I'm indoors and not doing sport, or it's not raining really hard, I go for the glasses option.

father of gwg 24 May 2009, 07:54

Specs4ever, thanks for the reply and the detailed explanation. Would anyone else care to comment on this subject. This information is very helpful to me and my family. I don't know if the doctor commented on any of these things as my daughter went by herself for her exam, and I'm sure she didn't ask any questions at all. If anyone else has knowledge on this subject please share it.

specs4ever 24 May 2009, 06:14

Father of GWG, I am again just a layman, but I will try to answer that question as to if your daughters eyes will ever become as bad as Rachel's I would suggest that it is not very likely. In most cases a high prescription has already manifested itself by the age of 17. She has worn contacts without giving her eyes a break for long enough that if she was really succeptible to myopia, her myopia would already have started to climb. Most parents don't know, and most kids don't care at the time, to realize that one of the worst things they can do to their eyes is to wear a low(and yes, even with the increase your daughter's prescription is still very mild)minus prescription full time. The hours spent doing schoolwork and the other nearpoint visual tasks our kids are faced with at a young age tend to mean that kids are more likely to become nearsighted. If they are slightly nearsighted, wearing a correction for their myopia full time means that they are looking through a lens designed for distance vision even while they read.

You will find confirmation of what I just told you if you search the web. But I can almost guarantee you if you were to ask your daughter's eye doctor if her prescription will get worse or not, he, or she, will be unable to answer you, and will give you a statement something like "Well, no one can really tell. We will just have to wait and see what happens." That is because the doctor doesn't know for sure, anymore than I do. However, I am basing my thoughts on years of observation and research.

I would suggest that your daughter should remove her contacts when she return home from school. She should do her homework, or any other close visual tasks without wearing any correction. This is even more important for when she gets to college.

Until her prescription reaches -4D or greater, she should be able to read comfortably at a reasonable distance. After -4D - if she even reaches that, she could consider bifocals for her around home glasses, even though a dioctor would be reluctant to prescribe them.

Rachel, on the other hand, is likely destined for a prescription in the low -20's, and there really isn't much she can do about it.

Sorry I am so long winded, but this is a favorite topic of mine.

father of gwg 24 May 2009, 03:10

Rachel, back in the 7th grade it was very dramatic when my daughter was perscribed glasses. She got both glasses and contacts that first time and wore her glasses some, but when she got comfortable enough with the contacts she turned to them everyday. When she took them out at home she didn't find it "necessary" I guess to wear her glasses. As a matter of fact, I don't remember seeing her wear her glasses since she had gotten into high school 3 years ago. Until this most recent increase she only kept up with the contacts (saving me a pretty penny)which she religiously wore everyday for school and going out. At her exam on Monday the doctor told her that only relying upon contacts on an all day everyday basis could be harmful to her eyes in the long run so she was encouraged to get new glasses as well for the first time since her original visit 5 years ago. Now that she realizes her vision is worsening she has accepted the fact that glasses are going to be necessary some days, actually probably everyday for at least part of the day. She has been wearing her new glasses around the house almost exclusively for the past day or two. I paid good money for a nice black plastic Armani stylish frame, and we all think she looks great in the new specs, including herself. She has noticed the increase and has commented how clear her new vision is. I have shared with her your answers to my questions, and I think she has accepted the fact that her dependence will only become greater with time. The thing she keeps saying is how unfair it is that my wife and I and our freshman and fifth grade son all have very good vision and how the heck did she get stuck wearing glasses. I'm sure she will continue to wear her contacts most of the time, but as a concerned father I hope she accepts the advice of the doctor to give her eyes a rest from her contacts sometimes. She also has expressed some fear that her eyes could keep increasing to a perscription of your magnitude. Is that possible?

Rachel 23 May 2009, 23:20

Can anyone tell me about the rate of increases someone with a plus prescription can expect, if they start wearing glasses at about the age I did? i.e. aged 7.

Rachel 23 May 2009, 23:10

father of gwg. Hi, I got my first glasses when I was 7. I'm not sure what prescription they were now, but I remember they made an enormous difference to my vision when I started wearing them. I reckon they must have been getting on for -2.00. Probably RE-1.50 & LE -1.75 or something like that. My mother didn't like me wearing them as much as I did because she thought hey would make my eyes go worse, but they went worse anyway,so she was obviously wrong. After that I had increases every year until I was 13 and since then I've been getting them every six months. I hope this helps. I think you daughter should stabalize at around age 21 or 22. By the way, does she like wearing glasses or prefer her contacts?

father of gwg 23 May 2009, 11:54

Rachel, thanks for the reply. When did get your first pair of glasses and what was the script? Do others agree that I can expect my daughter's eyes to worsen to about -3 or -4 based upon her age and the increases she has had thus far. At what age can we expect her eyesight to stabilize?

Rachel 23 May 2009, 05:53

father of gwg. An increase of only -0.50 in her teens is pretty good for your daughter. I'm 16 and my last increase was quite a lot more. With a prescription of under -2.00 still, she will not be totally dependent on her glasses or contacts yet. However with such a low prescription and increase of -0.50 will improve her distance vision considerably. She will probably end up eventually at around -3.00 or -4.00 and by then she will definitely need glasses or contacts fulltime. I hope this helps. For comparison my latest prescription is RE-11.75 x -1.50 x 120 and LE-12.50 x -2.00 x 180

father of gwg 23 May 2009, 00:08

Today my seventeen year old daughter got her new glasses and contacts. Her perscription increased in the last year from R-1.25 -0.50 L -1.00 -0.75 to the new script of R-1.75 -0.75 L-1.50 -0.75. Her first perscription back in the 7th grade was R-1.00 -0.50 L-1.00 -0.50 and that seemed to stay pretty steady until this latest increase. Will she notice a big difference in her vision? She recently had made comments about not seeing as well. Is this a normal increase in a year's period for someone this age? Will this move her a lot closer to full-time dependence? When can we expect her vision to stabilize because I just spent a pretty penny on anti-reflective lenses. I've been following this site for a few months, so I know there are many out there who can help answer these questions. Thanks.

Clare 21 May 2009, 09:43

ph - good luck, be audacious. It's hard to go from no glasses to full time even at the best of times, so good luck and let us know how it goes!

ph 20 May 2009, 20:13

No, I wasn't wearing them full time. Mostly in private or out of town... nobody knows about them except for my signifigant other. She is cool with me going full time though, I guess I'll just "go get an exam" and come home with glasses (already been checked though..20/20). We'll see, they shouldd arrive soon!

A. 20 May 2009, 17:55

Hello,

What a nice site!

My prescription is -6 for both eyes. I sometimes wear glasses, but mostly I wear contacts.I'd love to wear glasses all the time,because I like the feeling,but contacts are simply more comfortable.And besides,I hate when strangers ask what my prescription is..it's so sexual and private :P

Clare 20 May 2009, 02:23

ph - so were you wearing the -2.25s full time before they got scratched? And how will you introduce the new ones to friends and family? Good luck!

Rachel 20 May 2009, 01:11

ph. To be honest even at 31 I think you eyes would comfortably accommodate -3.50, especially if you stick strctly to wearing glasses all the time. Who knows then, you could easily end up permanently short- sighted, which is obviously what you really want. I say definitley go for it.

ph 19 May 2009, 18:58

thanks for the words of encouragment. though I'm actually 31... I've been using some -2.25 glasses with and without contacts, I can compensate fine but I prefer using contacts as it creates a need for the glasses and I don't have any trouble reading when tired. I just ordered a pair of -2.5 which will hopefully wind up being my "introductory pair" (the -2.25 pair got scratched). hopefully they won't look too strong -yet strong enough!

Rachel 18 May 2009, 09:12

ph. I am certain that at 21 your eyes will easily accommodate -2.00 without wearing any contacts at all. Just get some glasses made up at that rx and wear them all the time. Once you feel entirely comfortable with them then you can go for more.

Clare 17 May 2009, 22:50

ph - I wouldn't say -2 is too strong, an ex of mine got glasses at 21 and went straight to fulltime wear. I don't remember that they were very strong so they were probably slightly less than that. Some people might not wear glasses fulltime at -2 but many would so go for it!

ph 17 May 2009, 18:56

I've been doing GOC off and on for a couple years but I've never "gone public", However now with my wife's approval I'm ready to go full time.So what would be a good Rx to start doing full time GOC with? I'm thinking about -2.5 (the weakest combo I have), anyone think that's too strong for a "first pair of glasses"? Also I've been working with online eyeglass stores but would love to get a fake Rx so I could actually go in a store and pick out my glasses but unfortunatley my vision is perfect. Anyone got any blank Rx forms or perhaps a simple Rx of around -2 that we could just change the names on??

Thanks!

eyespy 16 May 2009, 04:03

Michael - I presume that you have -3.5 sphere in one eye and -1.75 sphere -0.50 cyl in the other. It means you're moderately shortsighted in one eye and mildly shortsighted in the other. In one eye you also have half a diopter of astigmatism (that's the -0.50) at 90 degrees. The angle (or degrees) of the astigmatism can determine how noticeable it would be. The astigmatism effectively adds another half diopter to your overall prescription.

I'd expect that you notice a big difference in what you can see with each eye. I imagine you've been recommended to wear glasses fulltime. A friend of mine was prescribed -2 and -3.5 and that's what she was told. Hope that helps!

Rachel 16 May 2009, 00:51

Michael.

Yes it is strong for your first glasses. There should be an rx for both your right eye and your left eye. Usually it says R.E. then 3 sets of numbers and then L.E. and three sets of numbers. The first numbers are the amount of dioptres you need, then the astigmatism then the cyl.

Guest 15 May 2009, 13:51

That's a strong prescription for a first timer Michael. Were you told to wear them full time? How do you find your uncorrected vision now?

Michael 15 May 2009, 13:07

I just got glasses for the first time and was was written on -3.5 and then -1.75 -0.50 and 90 anyone help me in explaining it?

Rachel 15 May 2009, 08:54

I just got an increase of -1.75 to RE -11.75 and LE-12.50

Bela 15 May 2009, 08:36

Hi, my prescription is:

OD -0.75,-2.25x065

OS -1.00,-2.25x170

Age:24

Location: South Africa ;-)

Phil 13 May 2009, 04:53

Aubrac,

I think fulltime wear for Maria is on the horizon, if not overdue. If she can't read the Snellen chart without correction, she shouldn't be driving bare-eyed. And the fact that she wears them throughout her time at work (not only to read, but to perform middle-distance tasks) is another indicator.

She looks gorgeous in her new frames. And she likes them herself. She also likes her chap to wear specs. So maybe we'll rather readily convince each other that we are both now fulltime wearers. She's getting me to have a new test and is going to choose me some frames.

Aubrac 13 May 2009, 04:25

Phil

Even different people in their forties with the same plus prescription will have diffwerent use patterns.

In a restaurant the other day a mid-forties couple came in, he was wearing about +2 glasses while she was bare eyed, she took out a pair of at least +3 glasses to look at the menu and then kept them on to look at the view from the window. When the food arrived he took his glasses off and put them in his pocket. When they left, he was bare eyed and she was still wearing her glasses!

You would think +3.50 indicated FT wear but this isn't always the case.

Phil 12 May 2009, 01:40

Her rx only increased slightly. But is it plausible that someone with +3.50 and 0.50 cylinder, in her 40s, can survive without wearing glasses fulltime? How much hyperopia can someone cope with bare-eyed at that stage of likfe?

aubrac 12 May 2009, 01:23

eyespy

I don't profess to be a great expert on astigmatism but believe that at .75 and above, it does start to give real problems, also the angle of correction i.e. from 10 to 180, can seem to make a difference.

I had an ex-girlfriend who had sligh hyperopia but high astigmatism, she said that without her glasses it was a bit like looking in a distorting mirror, which made the proportions and angles of things look different.

Vertical lines would appear at an angle and squares would appear to have different length sides

eyespy 11 May 2009, 13:47

Aubrac

Astigmatism is a weirdly wonderful thing isn't it?

I've got -0.50 of it but on top of my Rx I can't really tell if it makes a difference or not! When I take my glasses off the world's blurry anyway.

Guess that -0.50 only makes a difference if you're bordering on full time wear. Would you agree?

eyespy 11 May 2009, 13:45

Phil

What was her previous Rx?

Phil 11 May 2009, 07:20

Aubrac, After Maria got her rx of +3.5 I questioned whether she is safe driving bare-eyed. She revealed that she can only see with "heavy frowning"! She has just picked up her specs. I plan to flatter her and urge fulltime wear. I hope I am pushing at an open door.

Aubrac 11 May 2009, 07:14

LT Lurker

A very similar story, my wife is 40 and wears R+1.50, -0.50, 30 L+1.75, -0.75, 130. The astigmatism makes reading letters difficult at all distances.

Like yours and Onlooker's wife, she is rather touchy about discussing her vision, and when I last suggested a re-test, it was met with a rather tetchy 'nothings changed and I'll know when it's needed'.

However she does wear her glasses much more these days, and always makes sure she has a pair with her. FT wear will eventually become a need.

Cactus Jack 08 May 2009, 16:14

John11,

-1 astigmatism isn't "bad", but it is enough to be really annoying for reading small print at any distance and it needs to be corrected for comfortable vision. Check out and experiment with the simulators listed on the Hyperopia and Presbyopia Progression Thread. A picture is worth a thousand words.

john11 08 May 2009, 15:46

is a -1 a bad astigtism?

LT Lurker 07 May 2009, 15:09

Hi Onlooker, It appears that your wife is in a similar situation to my wife.+1 with astigmatism, although a very small amount -0.25.

If your wife is over 40 , mines 41 then it is most likely that the +1 sphere will start being a hinderance to daily tasks.

My wife wore her glasses for computer and religiously for reading in the evening.All of a sudden she has dropped the reading useage.As,like yours,she refuses to sensibly discuss her vision,Iam of the belief that she is entering into the final phase of denial.Reading without them means she reads for a maximum of 10-15 minutes where as before she read for 1-2 hours.

This will no doubt become more tiresome as will watching TV.When she first got her specs 2+ years ago she was advised by someone to watch TV whilst doing a near task ie crotchet so as to keep changing focus.This she tried the other night and it seems that doing this is only possible for 10 minutes now. I think she should have an eyetest as she is due but she says she knows when she needs new glasses!

So I guess the bottom line is, that like me you just have to wait.But I think I will happen.+1 is difficult to overcome at 40+.Was your wife cyclopleged? if not she may be a bit more than +1.

Cactus Jack 07 May 2009, 06:48

On Looker,

Also, what is her complete Rx? Just saying she is +1 with some astigmatism doesn't tell me much.

Cactus jack 07 May 2009, 06:45

On Looker,

What is your Rx for distance?

Yavanna 07 May 2009, 06:27

I ordered a few cheap pairs from Zenni Optical, in -1.25, -1.5, and -1.75. Now I just have to wait, hopefully it won't take too long for them to get here. From what I've read it sounds like ordering from them might be a gamble, but I figured it was cheap enough to be worth it. Once I figure out what works best for me, I'll get something nicer.

OnLooker 07 May 2009, 04:32

My wife has just been found to be +1 with astigmatism. Now i'd love to know what it looks like to be +1 especially that she is in denial phase and doesn't want to talk about her vision at all. She keeps saying that she can see fine at a distance and that she needs glasses for closeup to avoid eye strain and ehadache. She says her vision is still OK without glasses. Is this true? A question for hyperopes.

Filthy McNasty 06 May 2009, 21:54

I would have guessed somewhat into the mid-teens. Perhaps it is wishful thinking. She is certainly lovely.

Tim 06 May 2009, 20:48

About -10, methinks, certainly in the right eye.

antonio 06 May 2009, 13:09

How strong might the glasses be, she wears ?

best regards,

antonio

SZ6 06 May 2009, 07:51

Oops, that should have gone in "Seen on the web" - sorry!

SZ6 06 May 2009, 07:50

Cute 20ish brunette with strong minus glasses:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4y9OIOWSu_Y/Segyeeb87TI/AAAAAAAAAI4/bA_nkl-WQfM/s1600-h/IMG_1212.jpg

Yavanna 05 May 2009, 09:30

Cactus Jack,

Actually that had occurred to me, that my accommodation might get better if I started using it. When I first got these glasses, I found them uncomfortable for close work, so I always took them off, and usually left them off during the day at work. It was annoying not having them when getting up and walking around though, and also annoying taking them off every time I sat down to eat or something. So a few months ago I started wearing them more, and now I'm comfortable with them either on or off when I'm at my computer. Reading is still more comfortable without them, but I'm okay with them, too. I figured if I never really had to accommodate, I might end up dealing with presbyopia sooner than I otherwise would, though I'm not sure if it really works that way. I understand that it has to do with the stiffening of the lens, but I'm not sure how much ciliary muscle strength has to do with it. But I suppose the less the lens is flexed, the sooner it might lose its ability to do so.

Cactus jack, 05 May 2009, 08:14

Yavanna,

Your vision without glasses is close to ideal for the working distance of most computers. -1.25 without correction focuses at about 31 inches (80 cm) so you only have to accommodate a little more (+0.25 to +0.50) to focus on the display without your glasses.

At 26, you have plenty of accommodation so you can probably wear a bit of over correction without problem for distance. If you work without your glasses very much, you may not be exercising your ciliary muscles enough and they may be getting slightly de-conditioned because they are almost fully relaxed most of the time.

Cactus Jack 05 May 2009, 07:55

Yavanna,

You need only a ruler marked in mm and a mirror.

Look in the mirror and note the distance from the center of your nose to the center of each pupil individually. While you do this, one eye will be turned slightly inward and the other will be looking straight into the mirror. They will alternate as you check each eye. The distance you want is the one looking straight ahead at the moment.

Do this three times for each eye and average the readings for each eye. Add them together. You should get a number in the 55 to 65 mm range depending on the spacing of your eyes. That is your PD.

Yavanna 05 May 2009, 06:37

Cactus Jack,

I'm 26, and a graphic designer, so I spend a lot of time in front of a computer.

I think if I had something like -1.75, I'd end up taking them off a bit more often for near work than I do now, but I would like the sharpest distance vision I can get, especially for long drives.

I'm not sure what my PD is. What would be the best way to measure that myself?

Cactus jack 04 May 2009, 23:59

Yavanna,

Low levels of astigmatism are extremely hard to determine accurately because to quite a large extent, it depends on your ability to discern relative degrees of blurriness as the examiner tries to bracket the axis of the astigmatism and the amount of cylinder. You could get another exam tomorrow, by a different examiner, and likely not come up with the same exact Rx.

Your plan is a good one. You might be able to discern a small difference between your old glasses and new ones with -1.25 in each eye, but you will likely find -1.50 or -1.75 provides much sharper vision especially at night. I suspect you will settle on the -1.75s, but only you can judge.

One factor that will affect your preference is your accommodation (age related) and occupation. May I ask your age and occupation? Also, do you know your PD or how to measure it?

Yavanna 04 May 2009, 19:31

Hello,

I had an eye exam today, and was a little bit confused/ surprised by the results.

My old prescription, as of a year ago, was:

OD -1.25

OS -1.25 +0.25 057

These glasses were the first that I wore a majority of the time, though sometimes taking them off to read or just for around the house. Before that, I had a -.75 pair that I only wore for things like driving and concerts.

Since I first got my current glasses, I feel like I've gotten a bit nearsighted. My vision without glasses seems somewhat worse, though I know that could just be me not being as used to dealing with a bit of blur as I was before. But my distant vision with glasses doesn't seem quite as crisp either, as I've noticed when driving, especially at night. And when I try putting my sunglasses, which are the same prescription, on top of my regular glasses, things seem a bit crisper, though I know the total of -2.5 is too strong, since I have to accommodate a bit even for distant vision. So I figured I'd end up somewhere between -1.5 and -2, probably either -1.5 or -1.75.

The prescription I was given today was -1.25 in both eyes, no astigmatism in either. So the right eye is the same, and as for the left eye, as far as I understand I'm just swapping a very small amount of astigmatism for an equally small amount of myopia. I wouldn't be likely to tell much difference if any if I got glasses in that prescription, would I? I think either I was slightly over-prescribed last time, or slightly under-prescribed, because I don't *think* it's just my imagination that I'm a bit more nearsighted than before.

I haven't ordered new glasses yet, I didn't see any I *really* liked (I'm pretty picky about what glasses I like on myself), and they were all kind of expensive, along with me not being sure about the new prescription. What I was thinking of doing was getting a couple cheap pairs online, one in the prescription I was given, and one or two that are slightly higher, just to see how I like them. Though if I do end up liking how I see in one of the higher ones, but don't like the frames, I might have some trouble getting what I want locally (and covered by my insurance, which is mostly only accepted by private practices, not Lenscrafters, Walmart, ect.)

Does it sound like I might be better off with something a bit stronger than they gave me, or would the small change in the left eye make for a noticeable improvement? Thanks for any advice.

Cactus Jack 02 May 2009, 20:39

Guest,

It is sometimes difficult to determine the reasons for very low prescriptions. Low plus reading glasses will make extensive reading more comfortable because they reduce the amount of accommodation you have to supply to read and do close work, but there could be other things going on with your vision. It is not unusual for a person who wears low power reading glasses and has plenty of accommodation, to find that very low power minus glasses will make your distance vision sharper and clearer, but if you try to read with them you will likely find that your eyes gets tired more quickly than without the either the reading glasses or no glasses.

It is also possible that if you tried your friends glasses after doing a lot of reading and close work that you had developed a little pseudo myopia which would go away after a few hours of not reading. Of course, a combination of very low minus glasses with a low reading add in progressives or bifocals can be the best of both worlds, particularly in a classroom environment where you are constantly switching from the board to your notes, even for a person of 18. Many university students find that combination very useful.

Ideally, you should consider getting a dilated exam if you want to find out exactly what is going on, particularly if your distance vision is not as sharp and clear as you would like. But at this point, it would be strictly up to you.

guest 02 May 2009, 14:12

Hi,

I am 18 and got prescribed +0.75 and +.5 glasses for reading a few month back, as after working for a full day my eyes would get really tired.

However, yesterday, I tried a friend's glasses, and her prescription was -0.5 in both eyes and this actually improved my distance vision, thing that doesn't happen with my glasses.

Can I have been wrongly prescribed ?

Thanks

Cactus Jack 27 Apr 2009, 07:59

Sam,

A person, like your wife, with low myopia, has in effect, built in reading glasses. Her glasses correct that problem for good distance vision and the add helps with near when she is wearing her glasses because she (and you) have some presbyopia like everyone else your age. In your wife's case she is likely reading with her -2.00 eye when she is not wearing her glasses. Her -1.00 astigmatism fouls things up a little, but apparently not enough to bother her. Ideally, what she should do is order some low cost prescription reading glasses on line. They are really great if you like to read in bed. We can help you/her with an Rx for readers if needed.

Sam 27 Apr 2009, 06:53

My wife is 55. She is nearsighted and has worn glasses since high school. I was always curious to know her prescription and what she can and can't see without them. About a year ago she got bifocals. She now has:

-2.00 -1.00 x 12

-.75 -1.25 x 1.25

add is +1.25

She always puts them on first thing in the morning, and takes them off after she is in bed and puts them on the night stand. What I don't understand is that often reads "bare-eyed". I have readers I have offered her for reading but she doesn't need them or like them. She says that even though she is 55 she can read perfectly without any glasses! I sometimes ask to borrow them, but the -2.00 is too strong for me...but I can see perfectly through the -0.75. She seems to have a fairly weak scrip, but cannot function without them. Can someone tell me how her eyes function?

Clare 24 Apr 2009, 22:30

Thanks Cactus. My complete prescription is -2.75 and -3 -0.50 x 140. I don't generally notice it when reading, more when at the computer or viewing things further away. Is the convergence thing happening too do you think? Many thanks.

Cactus Jack 24 Apr 2009, 18:09

Clare,

Astigmatism usually causes the most discomfort when trying to read small print. It can become a problem both close and distant, but it is most annoying when trying to read up close. A lot depends on your tolerance. I think more than )0.25 uncorrected astigmatism is usually a problem.

I'm sorry, but I don't recall your complete Rx so I can't answer your question about the pulling sensation, but I suspect the astigmatism is playing a significant role. You can compensate in most instances for incorrect minus sphere by changing the distance, but you can do nothing about astigmatism because no distance is the correct distance.

Another factor could be the degree of myopia. If you have myopia above about -3, you may also be converging excessively to read clearly and fuse the two images. The excess convergence could be triggering increased accommodation which has the effect of making you more myopic which makes you bring the text closer, which makes you converge more, which triggers more accommodation, etc.

As the King of Siam said, "Its a puzzlement"

Clare 24 Apr 2009, 14:09

Cactus - is it -0.50 cyl that you believe is the point at which astigmatism becomes noticeable?

I ask because I have that amount in just one eye and I sometimes feel what I'd describe as a pulling sensation bordering on headache after a while not wearing my contacts.

Is that astigmatism or myopia? Thanks

Sean 24 Apr 2009, 13:36

Oops - forgot to ask..does the astigmatism affect near vision as well as far? Should I get the bifocals at this time?

sean 24 Apr 2009, 13:34

Cactus-

Thanks for your help. Are you suggesting that I don't buy over the counter readers because of the small amount of astigmatism?

Cactus Jack 24 Apr 2009, 07:53

Sean,

That is enough cylinder (astigmatism) to cause trouble - especially with close work and small print. I strongly suggest that you stick with either Rx readers or bifocals. That decision is yours. I happen to like sharp comfortable vision at all distances so I would probably opt for bifocals.

I wear trifocals because I need a +3 add and need to see clearly at intermediate distances, I also have a pair of single vision Rx reading glasses for when I want to read for long periods (in bed)

Sean 24 Apr 2009, 07:05

OD cyl is -.50 165

OS cyl is -.25 15

My monitor which I us much of the day is about 22 inches away and I also do a lot of close work. Thanks for your help.

Cactus Jack 23 Apr 2009, 17:43

Sean,

Do you have your complete Rx? The decision on getting bifocals depends on a couple of factors. Does your Rx have any cylinder correction and your occupation. If you need to switch frequently from close work to distance, you may find bifocals very convenient. However, if you read for long periods with only occasionally needing to see distance clearly and have no cylinder in your Rx, O-T-C +1.75 readers may work just fine.

Sean 23 Apr 2009, 15:37

I am having some trouble reading small print, so went to have my eyes checked. The distance part of the exam seemed to go OK but at first I had some trouble reading the close chart, which he stuck on a stick in front of me. He tried a bunch of lenses until I could read almost the whole chart clearly and told me I need glasses for close work. He removed the machine, and the chart went blurry on me! When he put it back I could see clearly! He told me that I will see much clearer and without strain but will soon become dependent on the glasses as my muscles start to relax. Then he removed the close chart and showed me that anything in the distance will be a blur as the glasses only work to 18 inches or so. He said an alternative putting the glasses on and taking them off all day would be for him to give me a distance correction of -0.50 which he wouldn't ordinarily prescribe if that was my only problem. Should I go for the bifocal and learn to wear the glasses full time or just get the +1.75 readers. (I am 47.)

Puffin 13 Apr 2009, 14:50

Cactus Jack, I remember the ST:TNG episode you're talking about. It's "Chain of Command" where Picard is temporarily replaced by Capt. Jellico. But that's another story.

Astra 13 Apr 2009, 13:52

CJ thinks it is a hard part to believe Rose managed to escape... well, I think Rose hated the idea of wearing glasses, as she had mentioned before.

Astra 13 Apr 2009, 13:41

(Mocking Cactus Jim = Rose)

I am not real, I am just making up a story.

Astra 13 Apr 2009, 13:39

Cactus Jim = Rose ?

Cactus Jim 13 Apr 2009, 12:19

"I am not a doctor. I just play one on television."

Ted 13 Apr 2009, 09:15

puffin, first RX was on Feb 26th. This rx was a difference of approx. 11 dioptres. Rose says, she is long sighted in one eye and short sighted in the other. Recent rx shows no sign of this as both rx's are plus with astig and prism (I believe). There are, in my opinion, just too many issues with this story.

Cactus Jack 13 Apr 2009, 09:09

Ted,

I really didn't take offense. Actually, I took it as a complement, but I couldn't resist the temptation to tweak a little. Mostly, I was commenting on some of the common ways the phrase is used. It is one of those phrases where the meaning is in the ear of the beholder. Tone of voice provides the clue about the intended meaning.

I don't know if you are/were a Star Trek NG fan or not, but the phrase brought to mind several scenes where Commander Riker was about to provide a particularly inept substitute Captain with a piece of his mind without being punished for insubordination. In the script, it usually went over the inept ones' head.

Regarding Rose' situation. If her story is true, there is enough difference between her eyes for her to not have true binocular vision. I suspect she has developed skills where her brain switches from one eye to the other depending on the circumstance. I also suspect that at 21 she is beginning to loose some flexibility in her crystaline lenses which would make accomodation in the hyperopic eye more difficult.

Also, with glasses as she descrbed, the difference in image sizes on the retinas will make true fusion very difficult. If she can wear them, I would suggest ultimately that she try a form of GOC by wearing contacts with sphere only correction and glasses with a small amount of sphere and all the cylinder correction. That will provide approximately the same image size and an opportunity to develop true stereo vision.

Puffin 13 Apr 2009, 08:20

re Rose, I'm thinking perhaps the seemingly rapid changes are due to wearing correction more often than before - her visual system could just be adapting itself to its new situation. As far as I'm aware, she came to this site stating she'd not worn glasses regularly before.

Ted 13 Apr 2009, 08:09

CJ, I have read your posts over the years and also you have responded to a question or two of my own. My only knowledge of who you are is through this site. I believe you have a great amount of knowledge in this field. My comment was not to insult in any way, this is my take on the phrase.

with all due respect

with the admiration that is owed With all due respect, I think there are some facts you have not considered.

Usage notes: used to disagree politely with someone

See also: due, respect

Cambridge Dictionary of American Idioms Copyright � Cambridge University Press 2006. Reproduced with permission.

I believe we both can agree to disagree to the authenticity of this poster.

Maybe Wurm can check their IP address to see if there are multiple screen names.

Astra 12 Apr 2009, 22:53

CJ, I have never seen anyone with such a huge dioptre difference between both eyes like Rose does. Her story sounds totally ridiculous to me, but I suspect there would be a great deal of change for eyes like hers to accommodate properly.

CJ, I wonder if prolonged reading increases the minus prescription? It seems to me normal eyes are not designed to focus at short distance for prolonged period. I can't see a word at reading distance with my distance glasses, for example. But as far as I know, normal eyes (before presbyopia) have much better auto-focusing ability. Many of my friends of my age does not even need reading glasses, for example. It sounds equally ridiculous for me. There must be a great deal of accommodation between reading (30 cm) and distance (say, 6 m)... So prolonged reading would stretch the eyeball longer and cause more minus prescriptions? I have a friend whose myopia progressed from normal to -3.5 within 2 years, and she used to read too much and too close. (Kind of smelling the books)...

Cactus Jack 12 Apr 2009, 19:22

Ted,

I have always been curious when someone says "with all due respect". Usually, it prefaces a coment where it is obvious that the amount of respect is really zero. In a military context it usually means that you are about to tell your superior officer that you think he is dumber than a box of rocks, but you don't want to be court martialed for for saying it.

As an experiment, I set up the inverse of Roses' Rx in a trial frame (allowing for my own Rx) and I found it was fairly easy to function. Reading was not impossible with the myopic eye and if there was enough accommodation range in the hyperopic eye reasonable distance vision seemed possible. I could not simultate the later condition, because I have no accommodation.

Human beings are amazingly adaptable. One of our members who has to wear very high plus glasses around +30 with a huge amount of prism, can function without his glasses surprisingly well. He can't read without his glasses, but he has developed exceptional hearing, amost like a person who is unsighted and ways of compensating. He is unable to fuse the images and therefore uses each eye individually.

At this point, I believe Rose is telling us the truth. Her responses to having her vision corrected are pretty realistic. Either that or she is a very good fiction writer. The hard part to believe is that she escaped having her vision corrected for this many years. Her vision did not deteriorate overnight.

If that means you have lost what little respect you had for me, so be it. Time will tell who is right.

Ted 12 Apr 2009, 08:28

This Rose story is getting more ridiculous by the day. before too long a guide dog will be used. first prescription on Feb 26 09 supposed to go back in three months, that should be around May 26th 09. But been back March 30th 09. with a big increase I could go on but do not like to feed the trolls any longer.

CJ, with all due respect surely you must have your doubts.

I can not imagine anyone in school at 21 being able to manage with a RX of +5 or so and a couple dioptres of astig functioning.

Clare 11 Apr 2009, 12:00

Beth - I have a friend whose prescription is -1.75 and -2.75 (we only know because she tells us!) and she wears her glasses all the time. She says she has a little bit of astigmatism too. She gets headaches if she doesn't wear her glasses and definately attributes them to not having glasses - we only see her without them if she's forgotten to pack them by mistake so there's no choosing to leave them behind.

My recommendation is just to wear them to see if it helps. From what my friend says a difference in your eyes can be quite uncomfortable.

Rose 10 Apr 2009, 15:10

HI When I went back to the optician the other week he said there had been a change in my prescription but he did not want to change my glasses then and told me to wait anther 2 weeks. As it my be due to the fact I was very tired as I had been studying very hard all week

So yesterday I went back for a full exam

This time he said there was a big change in my vision and decided to change the prescription in all 3 pairs of glasses

MAIN PAIR

Right eye +6.75 -2.75 190

Left eye -6.25 -2.25 10

COMPUTER

Right eye +8.25 -2.75 190

Left eye -4.75 -2.25 10

READING Glasses

Right eye +9.75 -2.75 180

Left eye -3.75 -2.25 10

John asked me if I would like him to pay for thinner lens in my main pair. But after talking to the optician I decided to wait until next time as the optician wants me to come back in 6 months He said I had spent years straining to see things and now my eyes were starting to adjust.

The new lens will be ready for fitting in my glasses tomorrow, so John and I are going to collect them, I am going to leave my main pair and reading glasses first and try and manage wearing my computer glasses out side. It will only take about 2 hours so we will go and have lunch while we wait Then I will leave my computer glasses and go back later for them.

I hope I have made the right choice by keeping to standard lens

Val 09 Apr 2009, 04:53

I've had a slight problem with convergence 15 years ago, when I first got glasses. The problem was gone at that time with physical exercices. About 20 min a day, for a month. The eyedoc taught me what kind of exercises to do at home, so I did.

I am hyperopic, so my problem was that my eyes were turning inward. I think that for myopic people it's the opposite, and, probably, there are different kind of exercises.

Beth 09 Apr 2009, 01:12

Please don�t tell me it�s wrong to look for answers on the internet! I have very odd eyes because one has much stronger nearsightedness than the other. I�ve told my eye doctor lots of times that the worst one gives me a lot of eyestrain when I�m not wearing my glasses and all he says is that nearsighted people don�t get eyestrain. My glasses are -1.25 in one and -2.75 in the other eye. I�m wondering if I have something called convergence insufficiency which I read nearsighted people can get. Would that explain why I get eyestrain in just one eye? I don�t get the eyestrain when I�m wearing my glasses but as one eye is much better I don�t see so bad that I need them all the time.

Does anyone have any ideas please?

Rose 30 Mar 2009, 10:42

Thanks

Going for a full eye test pm today

Cactus jack 29 Mar 2009, 16:19

Rose,

To add to what Aubrac said, you may need a bit of additional plus for reading, so be sure and tell your optician what is happening, he may be able to help with that.

Cactus jack 29 Mar 2009, 16:18

Rose,

To add to what Aubrac said, you may need a bit of additional plus for reading, so be sure and tell your optician what is happening, he may be able to help with that.

Aubrac 29 Mar 2009, 16:11

Rose

CJ will probably give you a more technical explanation but I will give you some ideas.

My wife has the same thing, it is called 'accommodative esotropia', what the long words mean is simply that without sufficient plus correction for close work, your eye muscles simply can't cope with the attempt to focus on near objects, and one eye crosses.

When my wife is wearing her strongest glasses this does not happen, but when wearing a lower scrip she is happy with for full time wear, her right eye crosses to the centre when reading.

It means of course, that the brain rejects this image, and only processes the left eye image resulting in monocular vision, the equivalent of only seeing with only one eye.

It seems your eyes are still in a process of adjustment, wearing glasses full time will help you get towards your true prscription, and it will do no harmto wear computer glasses, as long as you are comfortable with them.

However, please tell your eye doc about the crossing next time you see him.

Rose 29 Mar 2009, 15:20

Cactus Jack

John wants to know why my right eye turns in a lot when I am reading?

Should I tell the optician ? What can they do to stop this ?

I have decided not to get trifocals this year as I can see so well with my 3 pairs of glasses and I don�t find it a problem changing them to read or use the computer.

Will it do my eyes any harm if I wear my computer glasses around the house as I can see to work on the computer a walk around the house as I seem to be able to see up to about 15feet away now. Last week things at that distance were a blur. ..

Cactus Jack 23 Mar 2009, 19:19

Rose,

I am very glad to hear that you are doing so well with your glasses. I seem to recall that it was only a few weeks ago that you were afraid to go pick up your glasses. I think John is a tremendous help and very supportive. I also think you have an exceptionally caring optician. You are exttemely fortunate in both instances.

Your Rx change for the reading glasses is very small and not at all surprising. They now have the same power as a +2.50 reading segment would have in bifocals. Which is nothing to get excited about. They should be very comfortable for reading at 16 inches or 40 cm.

BTW, it is a pleasure to be of help.

Rose 22 Mar 2009, 11:32

Cactus jack

I have had to buy a bigger handbag .

Just got back from the opticians I now have 3 pairs of glasses . You were right about be needing a pair of computer glasses, I have got them on now WOW what a difference. I have my other distance and reading glasses beside the computer.

The optician was very helpful when I told him the problems I was having, he did a quick check of my reading glasses and decided to change the right lens RX now Right eye +8.25 -3.00 180 ( is that a big change ) He has not charged me for this. He left my distance glasses as they were until I go back for the full check up in 8 weeks time unless I have problems before. He said it would not be a good idea to get trifocals yet ,as he thought I would need at least 2 more changes this year as for bifocals they would be useless as I would still need a 2nd pair I would have to decide

Ether to have reading glasses or computer glasses�

Thanks for all your help.

I went to make a coffee and John thought it great laugh when I took my computer glasses off and put my reading glasses on by mistake and walked straight in to him

Cactus jack 22 Mar 2009, 03:25

Rose,

I think it is very likely that your eyes are already changing and adapting to their new visual environment. I agree with your optician that you should wait for the suggested time interval for a new Rx or sooner if you get to where you are having difficulty functioning. Getting computer glasses should not require a new Rx because their Rx will be based on your distance Rx and the usual working distance from your eyes to the computer screen. If you will measure the distance, I can calculate the "add" and apply it to your distance Rx so you will have an idea of the Rx for the computer glasses. I will need your complete Rx (all the numbers).

You might also consider ordering some very inexpensive glasses from zennioptical.com, Zenni is very inexpensive in simple Rx, but they may not make an Rx as complex as yours. All you need is your complete Rx and your PD. If it is not listed on your Rx, I can tell you how to measure it or you can ask John to measure it. (how exciting) for you. I don't know Zenni's prices when shipping to the UK, but their price for single vision glasses is US$8.00 plus shipping if you pick the inexpensive frames. You really don't need anything fancy for the computer if you don't like them, it is no great loss.

Rose 22 Mar 2009, 00:15

Cactus Jack

Thanks that is a big help.

I sent a text to john to ask him what he thought I should do about your suggestions. He felt getting a 3rd pair for computer use would be the cheapest option as I might need new lens when I have a retest also if we went today I would have them straight away (I think he finds it Quaint and sexy me having to change glasses to read ).

It will be 3 weeks on Monday since I first got my GLASSES could my eyes be changing already? Reading my mobile text is not as easy this morning , Distance is still great.

John suggested we ask if they have any retro pink N H S glasses. I don�t know what are they like?

Cactus Jack 21 Mar 2009, 19:39

Rose,

Maybe I can help you understand a bit more about how glasses work. Remember what I said a while back about your eyes being simply biological cameras and like all cameras, they have an optical system your biological cameras actually include an autofocus system. Unfortunately, because of the large difference in the refractive power of your eyes, your autofocus system doesn't work very well - not an uncommon situation.

Most people don't realize that they have an autofocus system until they begin to develop presbyopia, then it comes as a great shock or surprise.

The first step in prescribing vision correction is to determine the lens power (your Rx) that neutralizes or cancels out your refractive error for distance. The next step is to find out if your autofocus system can supply the necessary plus addition need to focus at typical reading distance of 16 inches or 40 cm. The laws of optical physics says it requires +2.50 to focus at those distances. If your autofocus system is working well, it can supply the required +2.50 without apparent effort. If it can't supply the needed +2.50, some or all of it must be supplied by external lenses either as separate reading glasses like you have or by having a supplemental lens segment built into your glasses as bifocals. In your case, your reading glasses have -2.00 less sphere power which is the same as your distance glasses with a +2.00 add.

A +2.00 add will focus at approximately 20 inches or 50 cm. To focus closer, your autofocus system apparently can supply a small amount of additional plus. However, your autofocus system has no ability to supply any less plus than that required for clear distance vision with your glasses, so anything beyond 20 inches or 50 cm will be blurry. That includes John in the restaurant or your computer screen if it is more distant than 20 inches or 50 cm.

The solution may be a third pair of glasses with an Rx between your distance glasses and your reading glasses, but if having two pairs of glasses is a nuisance, three would be even worse. Thus, the reason to consider bifocals or trifocals.

If you decide to consider either bifocals or trifocals, I would not give any though to progressive lenses with your Rx. You probably need either Flat top 28 or 35 mm or even "executive" lenses where the segments go all the way across the lens.

While all this sounds complex, your optician should know what to do. If you decide you want to consider trifocals, measure the distance from your eyes to your computer screen so the intermediate segment can be the correct power.

One last thought. It is possible that your autofocus system doesn't function well because you haven't been using it. As you become accustomed to wearing your glasses, you may find that your autofocus system can in fact provide some of the focusing power required for near tasks and your need for reading glasses, bifocals, or trifocals diminishes. That occurs frequently in young people with simple myopia who have been able to read comfortably before they got glasses for distance. When they get glasses, their autofocus system has to go to work and it takes a few months for it to begin functioning properly. Until it does, they often have to wear bifocals.

I hope this help you understand a bit more about vision and vision correction.

Rose 21 Mar 2009, 15:59

I have now been wearing my glasses full time for 2 weeks now they have changed my life so much .

I have to put them on as soon as I wake, I can no longer manage without them

When I went to the restaurant with john I was very shy about taking my glasses off and putting reading glasses on ,but I was great to be able to read the menu but when I looked up Johns face was a blur

He is being a great help to me getting used to HAVING NOW to wear glasses.

Using the computer is a problem as I don�t know which pair to wear I keep changing from one pair to they other neither is very clear

Hi Wendy

I think it would be great to have a thread about hearing aids and glasses. How can we get one set up. How old are you .

I think you should go and get a hearing test if you are giving hearing aids it is up to if and when you wear them, you would at least have the choice of wearing them, you could find them such a help that you would wear them some times, without them you have no choice.I should have gone a long time ago to get glasses. But I meet john so that is good.

Cactus Jack

I live in UK

marsh 18 Mar 2009, 14:42

Hi Melyssa,

Whats up we dont hear from you much, Please post some more adventures.

later

Melyssa 18 Mar 2009, 12:55

Charlburt,

At my wedding my husband and I both wore our glasses, as we both wanted to see what was going on. :) Also, everyone knows (or knew) us, so it wouldn't have made sense to stumble around for vanity's sake. Neither one of us can wear contacts.

While I wore my white cat's-eyes with my entourage as I was preparing for the main event, I wore clear, plastic, unisex frames for the ceremony, the reception, and all of the photographs before and during them.

Izzy 18 Mar 2009, 12:14

Kamila -

My glasses are thick and heavy too, especially the left lens. My eye doctor says that my right eye is getting less nearsighted and the left is becoming more farsighted, if that makes sense. At sometime I may be farsighted in both.

Phil 17 Mar 2009, 08:48

Charlburt,

I think that a new pair of rimless specs would look stunning with a wedding dress. Go for it!

JR 17 Mar 2009, 08:44

Charlburt

Ask your future husband his choice.

Your pictures really should look like you as you are. Ether way, it is fun to look back in time.

Charlburt 17 Mar 2009, 07:38

White sounds nice, but I wear simple rimless frames. I could make it down the aisle without my glasses, but I would have a hard time making out faces in the crowd. Maybe that would be better -- I'd be less nervous! Not sure what to do about the photos.

minus5 who luvs gwgs 17 Mar 2009, 00:23

I know one lady who wore white framed glasses to go with her dress she looked HOT

Puffin 16 Mar 2009, 16:31

I'm told wearing a tiara helps. Perhaps because it's something else glinting and shiny on your head.

16 Mar 2009, 15:54

Charlburt: Melyssa is the person to advise you on this subject. Good luck!

Charlburt 16 Mar 2009, 15:47

What do you think of a bride wearing glasses in her wedding? I just don't know what to do. They just don't seem to go with the look.

Kamila 12 Mar 2009, 07:36

Cactus Jack,

My lenses are very thick, and heavy, and they are longing strange in compar with lenses in glasses others glasseswearers.

Kamila 12 Mar 2009, 07:30

Cactus Jack,

I don't know what mean 20 base out but I write it from my script before I got it for my optician. As smal child I had surgery for my strabismus, but it back again about 4 years ago, and I remember my oldest glasses had 15 base out, and on the last eye exam I got more + 0.50 in sphera for each eye. I think so I got much crosseyed when I got used to my current prescription.

Cactus Jack 12 Mar 2009, 07:18

Kamilla,

May I ask if the 20 diopters of Base Out prism is total or is it 20 in each eye? How has your Rx changed in the last 2 to 3 years.

Kamila 12 Mar 2009, 04:52

Hi all,

I'm here a new, but I wearing my glasses since I was small child. I'm longsighted and crosseyed, my current prescription RE +6.50x+2.50x170 and LE +7.00x+2.00x10 and I have 20 base out prism. Last Dezember I got new, my current prescription, but since I have this glasses my close vision is Ok, but My distance vision isn't very good. I want some advice, and how much my prism could increase? I'm 17 yo.

11 Mar 2009, 10:48

I've not actually received my specs yet! I've just gotten use to not seeing a great deal but I've always had people comment about how close I lean into my screen at work and I've even had to buy a beanbag so I can sit right infront of the TV at home, rather than back on the couch!!

I'm kinda looking forward to how my eyesight may change, and the different view I may get of the world! :P

andy 10 Mar 2009, 14:41

hey -0.75'er,

welcome to the club! I've a very similar pescription which I got 2 weeks ago - althought it is not considered strong it makes a significant difference when you put on glasses.

how do you feel about wearing glasses? I was a both shocked and excited when i discoveded i needed them.

I took them on holidays and wore them nearly full time - that got me used to them. it is weird when i look in the mirror and see how different i look.

i'm still a bit shy wearing them, now that i'm back from holidays, but i think i'll wear them out to the pub this friday and let everyone see them and try them on etc.

10 Mar 2009, 10:44

Hello, I just got my first ever glasses prescription of the following:

SPH:

R: -0.75

L: -0.75

CYL:

R: -0.75

L: -0.75

AXIS:

R: 82.5

L: 80

Apparently I'm to go back in 12 months rather than 24 because of (and I quote) "an unusual first time prescription". Does anyone have any idea what the different figures above mean, and what's so unusual about them?!

Cheers!

Cactus Jack 09 Mar 2009, 07:53

Pufffin,

I wear behind the ear hearing aids and the glasses go on first snd then the hearing aids. I don't notice either one unless I need a haircut when the glasses temmple arm traps hairs between it and my ear and causes irritation. I then know it is time for a visit to the barber shop. They still have those places in the US.

David Pet* 09 Mar 2009, 05:01

Puffin,

I wear the glasses arm closest to the head. However saying that, the frames i need to choose have very thin arms (as opposed to thicker plastic frames). Otherwise my ears would stick out too much. BTW my glasses Rx is only -2. I do however wear contacts as well.

Cactus Jack 09 Mar 2009, 02:34

Rose,

I noticed that the Department of Redundancy Department was in action in the 5th paragraph.

One someday is a long enough wait.

Cactus jack 09 Mar 2009, 02:29

Rose,

Typically, a person with what is called latent hyperopia in both eyes who gets say +2 glasses will have trouble with blurry distance vision until their lenses relax and then they will need a small increase to maybe +2.50 or +3.00 where their Rx will stabilize. This is caused by the constant focusing effort they had to make over the years to see clearly at any distance before they got their glasses.

I suspect your situation is different because you have likely been using your left nearsighted eye for most of your reading and close work so your right, very far sighted eye, has likely not even made much of an effort to try to focus close. Sort of an extreme case of what is called monovision where one eye has almost no Rx, which is used for distance and the other eye is somewhat near sighted and is used for close work. Lots of people do monovision on purpose with contact lenses to avoid bifocal glasses, but you need a fairly low natural or corrected Rx to do it.

You may not have much of a change from your lenses relaxing. However, there could be a change for what may seem like a strange reason to you. Eye exams are very subjective because the examiner can only get close to your Rx by using an auto-refractor or looking into your eyes with special instruments. They have to refine your Rx based on what you tell them you see as they try various lenses. They don't know what you actually see. Up to now, you have not had any experience seeing very well. As you become used to seeing things more clearly, you will do a better job, as a patient, of refining and perfecting your Rx in the exam. With your glasses, you are learning what things are really supposed to look like.

In your case, it could change a little in either direction or perhaps not at all. Some of your Rx is based on your personal preferences. Some people like their vision to be as sharp and clear as possible and others like their vision a little softer and fuzzier, which affects their Rx. I hope you discover the joys of sharp, effortless vision so you can take in the magnificent visual wonders of the world around you and that you soon stop worrying about your actual Rx. Glasses are just a tool to help you see better and they need to be the right tool for you as an individual.

Unfortunately, there is no way to study for an eye exam. Someday, I hope to write a book someday on that subject.

Ultimately, I think you should see an opthalmologist who specializes in internal contact lenses. You may not be able to wear regular external contacts, but there are special internal lenses that can be inserted through a very tiny incision in the side of the cornea that can correct most of the difference between your two eyes. The surgery is painless, takes only a few minutes, recovery is very fast, and the results are almost instantaneous. However, it is not inexpensive. You will likely still need glasses, but the Rx will be much lower and more balanced so your eyes can work together more easily. In some ways the procedure is similar to cataract surgery, which I have had, but simpler. Interestingly, the lenses can even be removed and changed if you need to.

May I ask where you live?

Rose 09 Mar 2009, 00:17

Cactus Jack

Do you think I will need stronger or weaker lens in 3 months.

Cactus Jack 08 Mar 2009, 21:35

Rose,

When a person is hyperopic, as you are in your right eye, and have never worn any correction, it is very likely that your ciliary muscles and crystaline lens have been trying to compensate. Now that you have glasses, your ciliary muscles and crystaline lens can relax and it will probably cause your Rx to change a little. A 3 month follow-up will make sure that your Rx is the best possible for you. Don't sweat it.

dada 08 Mar 2009, 16:11

yeah or...

why not chill out and let 'em talk

it's such a serious forum

08 Mar 2009, 15:36

As this is a newgroup about vision I think it would be very inappropriate to have a sub group about hearing aids. Why not start your own newsgroup outside of this site?

Rose 08 Mar 2009, 14:10

Why do you think i have to go back in 3 months for a re- test

Puffin 08 Mar 2009, 12:13

Here's a question for you glasses and hearing aids wearers. Which do you have closest to your head, the earpiece to glasses or the hearing aid? Is it uncomfortable with both stuck behind the ear?

Thor 08 Mar 2009, 09:52

Wendy, I agree with David. Hearing aids are no big deal really. You can get all sorts that go from fitting in your ear completely to sitting behind your ear. They really aren't noticeable at all. I've worn hearing aids for years. Plus if you have long hair, they're not visible at all as opposed to glasses, which sit right in front of your face -- the first thing anyone would notice usually.

Maybe we should have a thread here for hearing aids since this topic comes up every once and a while?

David Pet* 08 Mar 2009, 03:51

Wendy - it's not the same as ES but here is a link that could possibly help with your hearing concerns.

http://hohadvocates.org/wwwboard/index.php?bn=hohadvocates_hohconcerns

I discovered this site as i was in your shoes...now i wear my BTE's with pride for the past 3 years.

Cactus Jack 08 Mar 2009, 03:32

Rose,

First of all, you vision has not become worse by wearing glasses. Vision actually occurs in the brain your eyes are just biological cameras. Without correction, your brain has to work extra hard to try to create the best vision it can based on the images provided by your eyes. What has happened is that your brain is not having to work as hard to make sense of the world and is beginning to relax a little and it is liking it. That happens very fast, just as if you were trying to lift a heavy object and someone gives you some help. You like that immediately because you don't have to work as hard. If you stopped wearing your glasses, your brain would reluctantly go back to work, but it takes longer and it wouldn't like it much. Your brain is just as human as you are.

There may be some comments, but it is likely that they will be positive ones. It has likely been obvious to others, like your friend, that you were having vision problems, but they were too shy to offer help. You really can't hide a vision problem like yours. There will be some surprise that your vision problems are as significant as they are which will cause some questions like why can't you wear contacts, but bear with them, most will be delighted for you that finally got some help.

Decide to overcome your shyness and learn to meet other people. Finally, you seem to have been pleasantly surprised that at the reaction of the young man in the opticians shop. Expect more of that. Remember, in the long run, people care a lot more about what is inside you, your character and personality than they do about your glasses. If you don't make a big deal about your glasses, ultimately, they won't either. It is time that Rose, bloomed.

Good luck with your new friend. Keep us informed, we care.

Oops! Trifocals are similar to bifocals except the have, in addition to the reading segment, an intermediate power lens between the distance and reading lenses to help you focus on things about 20 to 30 inches away, if you need a strong reading lens.

Wendy 08 Mar 2009, 00:40

Rose

I know how you must feel I have a hearing problem and hate the idea of going for a hearing test as I don�t want to wear hearing aids

I think it would be worse to wear hearing aids than glasses,also there is no site like this to talk to people about my problem

I have worn strong glasses since I was 5 so they have always been a part of me.

Rose 08 Mar 2009, 00:27

I am a very shy person so I never went out much. I stayed at home to read and study,

I have avoided getting into situations where my vision would be a problem. For years I have not been to the cinema or night clubs. I normally walk to uni with a friend who lives in the next flat, she knows I have a problem seeing and a FEAR of wearing glasses, we both go to the same lectures so she gave me her notes to read and always wrote very large for me. I found that if I closed one eye I could read better and for TV I would close the other eye. I had not realised how much of a blur things were until I got my glasses .

Next week will be very hard for me as I go back to uni and will have to wear my glasses I now find after wearing them full time for a few days I can�t see without them. None of my fellow students have seen me wearing glasses so I think I will get a lot of nasty comments

When I take my distant glasses off to put my reading glasses on I feel blind Has my eyesight got worse? When I have my reading glasses on I can only see about 2 feet away

I have been looking at my prescription again as I can now see it .I got my reading bit wrong should have been

Right eye +7.75 -2.75 180 Left eye -3.00 -2.25 3 Not

Right eye +7.75 -2.75 180 Left eye -5.00 -2.25 3

I am going to go shopping today and having lunch with my new friend he told me to bring my reading glasses with me this time.

Izzy. What are trifocals ? Why do you need them ?

Cactus Jack 07 Mar 2009, 16:47

Rose,

I could be wrong, but I suspect they believe that your posts are a made up story and perhaps not true.

It is rather difficult for some of us, who understand optics and vision, to believe that you have managed to function needing that magnitude of vision correction without getting it long before now.

If you have reported your situation accurately, I sincerely hope that with vision correction, your life significantly improves.

If it is true, I believe many of us would appreciate learning how you managed all these years.

Rose 07 Mar 2009, 16:10

I'm sorry, whats that supposed to mean?

Robert 06 Mar 2009, 01:16

Rose

Nice story Rose, look forward to the next instalment, when's the film coming out?

Robert 05 Mar 2009, 12:39

Ted

Agreed - throw the bait out and see who takes it!!!

Fun for someone - sad for others - but who is who?

05 Mar 2009, 11:36

A -2.25 shouldn't make your eyes look small

Ted 05 Mar 2009, 09:44

Hook, Line, and Sinker.

Plus lover 05 Mar 2009, 07:30

Rose,

I lile to see your post... Maybe you agree with us now : girls with glasses are nice...

Even if you need a stronger prescription in a few months, maybe you will ask for only one pair of bifocals and thiner lenses.

Can you tell us what kind of frames you choose ?

I think you will not agree but : maybe some pics of your glasses ?

Thanks for reply and sorry for my poor english...

Julian 05 Mar 2009, 00:36

You see? Men DO make passes at girls who wear glasses!

Rose 04 Mar 2009, 23:37

I cant believe it IM WEARING GLASSES .

The lens are VERY different one is thick on the out side and flat at the front the other is thick on the nose side and VERY bowed at the front they are HEAVY.

BUT I CAN SEE.

.The right lens in my reading glasses is VERY THICK.

BUT I CAN READ

My right eye looks very large and my left eye looks very small

I can see bus numbers and TV text and im going out on a date tonight I have been told to wear my glasses.

Life is strange, I went to pick them up yesterday While I was seating waiting a young man came in to collect his glasses he sat next to me and we started to chat, It was his first pair of glasses as well, He said he was not looking forward to getting glasses, I said I hated the idea of having glasses .He then suggested we went and had a coffee together after we got our glasses ,Then HORRER he said we had both to keep our new glasses on , I did not like the idea but he was so good looking that I reluctantly agreed .He had his fitted first ,then it was my turn, my heart fell through the floor when I saw mine, they were thick and heavy ,I was just about to take them off before he could see me in them, when he told me to turn round as I had seen him in his it was now his turn to see me in mine. I was shocked when he said I looked nice. WOW I could see. He looked very sexy in his glasses .

Tell you more later getting ready to go out

Izzy 03 Mar 2009, 08:04

Phil

Yes I have an add for both eyes, same, +2.50 in each.

Rose

I do like the trifocals, they are absolutely necessary to see a computer monitor or the dashboard in the car.

My eyes do look different, one larger than the other, and the lenses look different as one is a lot thicker in the center. Both are thick on the outer edges as a result of the prisms, but the prisms correct double vision so I have to have them.

Phil 03 Mar 2009, 00:22

May, I've just bought a set of trial lenses and a trial frame. They are the best thing I've acquired for ages: such fun.

May 02 Mar 2009, 14:37

Amanda,

The second test sounds a lot like mine except I had to wear a trial frame with lenses in and look into the machine also. It seemed to go on forever but every change she made to the trial frame lenses and the machine made things visibly clearer. I was afraid I would end up with very strong glasses but luckily still in the mid range but its definitely on the way up. :( I love the sound of the lenses slotting into place in the trial frame though.

rose 02 Mar 2009, 14:00

Phil,

No not yet

Phil 02 Mar 2009, 10:19

Izzy, do you have the add for both eyes?

Rose, did you get them?

Rose 02 Mar 2009, 10:05

Hi Izzy,

Do you like your trifocals?

Do your lens look very different?

Do they make your yes look Different size?

Rose 01 Mar 2009, 16:11

I was going pick up my glasses today but i chickened out.May go tomorrow

Izzy 01 Mar 2009, 12:36

I, too am a student with 1 near and 1 far sighted eye. I've worn glasses for some time and bifocals for 5 years. I recently "graduated" to trifocals when my add increased.

My prescription is:

RE -2.25 -2.75 x10 10.0BO

LE +4.50 -3.00 x50 10.0BO

Add +2.50

I am 20 by the way

Andrew 28 Feb 2009, 11:45

Rose,

I hope you enjoy being able to see clearly again with your new glasses. I think you have made the right decision going for the cheaper lenses at this stage; if the optician wants to see you again in three months, you may well require a change of lens, and you may be better sticking with the ordinary lenses until your eyes settle down.

Rose 28 Feb 2009, 09:38

Had a phone call this morning. Glasses are ready

Amanda 28 Feb 2009, 01:04

Rose and May

I found you comments interesting about your doctor adding lenses at your exam.

I just went through two exams one week apart.

During the first part he used a machine that I looked into and there was a background that was nothing but a blur. The machine kind of clicked, and with each click things began the come into focus. Finally after many clicks the scene was a farm, with a little red tractor. The farm seemed to clear up first, and finally the tractor.

Then later in the exam. a device was placed in front of my eyes,and there was a chart on the wall, that was somewhat in focus, but he kept changing lenses, and asking me to compare one to another.It seemed to go on forever, but each lense made the chart, and different letter rows come in clearer.

When I got my first pair of glasses three years ago, that were only for night driving, I don't remember it to be such an ordeal.

My prescription is pretty strong now, and I need to wear glasses all the time now,so I assume this is what future exams will be like.

May 27 Feb 2009, 15:40

Rose,

I know what you mean re: strong lenses as I remember my last test, the optician kept adding and adding more lenses to the trial frame and I could feel the frame getting heavier on my nose. My prescription is +2.75 and +3.25 and she said to come back in 3 months to see how I settle in to the prescription as I may need more of an increase. I am lucky in that I can wear contacts as I find that the lenses would be too thick looking in glasses, but that is me being vain. Your prescription will make one eye big and the other small so I would save for the high index lenses. Good luck.

Hansel 27 Feb 2009, 15:14

Rose

With the prescription you have you the lenses will be thick.

In time I think you will be keen to save up for the thinner high index lenses, but I would guess that your eyes will need to settle down as yuo get used to your specs. The lens for a long sighted eye because of the different construction really benefits from the thinner material.

The cornea comment relates to the fact that as well as having the long/short sighted eyes, the cornea is knobbly or bumpy. This is referred to as astigmatism.

With a higher astigmatism count this is why the optician has responded that you aren't suitable for lens. However, technology is progressing all the time. There are "toric" lenses which are designed for the astigmatic eye. Although I have a reasonably strong astigmatism count, I have lenses, but they aren't torics, so it is not beyond bounds that you could find that yuo might be able to cope.

However you do have a complicated set of issues, and the suggestion that prisms might be needed could make the idea of lenses dodgy.

My daughter aged 14 was struggling with print and is slightly long sighted. However, a series of exercises designed to help her close focus recommended by the hospital has generally sorted this out. Occasionally I will suggest that she continues to work on these. It was suggested that the alternative would be prisms. Since you have the reading add, and the prism suggestion it might be worth asking about these.

As for the long/shortsighted eye..my wife has that so it's not unusual. Hope that some of the above is of some help!

All best

Hansel

Rose 27 Feb 2009, 14:39

Hi Hansel

I cant remember what my prescription was ,but I know I was told to wear them all the time, that is why I tore it up.

I�m getting very worried about having to wear them all the time and having to carry a second pair with me to read with, could I not wear my reading glasses all the time .

The main pair are gold oval frames my reading pair are round pink metal slightly larger ,I was told not to pick plastic frames as they would be to heavy with my lens in that�s why I am starting to worry what the lens will look like, I was too shocked at the opticians to think about the lens .

I have had a lot of reading to do today so I have bought a patch to wear it has been a help and have worn it all day ,it was the opticians idea. it has been much better I have no headache, so I am going to wear it all the time until I get my glasses.

I am starting to remember more things that the optician told me now as I am thinking about it all the time.

He said something about my corneas , that�s why I cant wear contacts also I might need to have prisms in my next pair I don�t know what they are or why I might need them.

Are there many people with one eye long sighted and the other short sighted

Hansel 27 Feb 2009, 12:29

Rose,

While you probably don't remember the details, what was the recommendation of the optician who gave you the prescription you tore up?

Did he recommend full time wear at that stage?

Aubrac 27 Feb 2009, 06:52

Rose

You certainly do have quite a difference of 11 dioptres between your eyes.

Sometimes lenses cannot be worn because either the tear response is low, i.e you have dry eyes and so contacts would become uncomfortable very quickly, or the cornea is quite flat which means lenses would tend to slip, and not stay in place.

You will notice a difference in appearance between your eyes, in that the right plus lens will make your eye appear a little larger, and the left minus lens will make it seem smaller. However, the use of high index lenses will minimise this, although even with normal index lenses, unless you have chosen a frame with large lenses, you may be the only to notice it.

You have a marked degree of astigmatism, the -2.75/-2,25 part of your prescription, that would make reading close up, and reading letters at distance very difficult.

I would think that without glasses, you find it difficult to see at any distance, especially as a student who must spend a lot of time reading.

Your glasses will take a few days to get used to, but I am sure you will be amazed at how good distance vision is , and how much easier it is to read.

The right choice of frames is important with such as prescription and after you have had a retest, I suggest you have a look at on-line retailers, who will be able to make up a pair of bifocals with thinner lenses at a reasonable cost.

It may have come as a bit of a shock, but if you read other peoples posts, you will see that it is not that unusual, and how everyone has come to accept their glasses and enjoy the better vision they give.

We all wish you well and hope to hear how you get on with your new glasses.

marsh 26 Feb 2009, 15:22

Yes, they will be nice and thick in plastic, at least they wont break. Good luck with them, dont worry you couldnt get the good ones, soon your boyfriend will, with that type of prescription you had to have serious visual and attitude adjustment problems, no you wont, you'll be fine and a NEW PERSON - and a better student with a good job -congratulations, marsh

Rose 26 Feb 2009, 14:45

Hi I�m a 21 year old student.

About 3 years ago I started having problems with my eyesight ,I went for a test and was told I needed glasses, I hated the idea of wearing glasses so I asked about contact lens I was told that I would not be able to wear them, something to do with my eyes, so I tore the prescription up as soon as I got home.

I think my sight must have been getting worse over the time ,but about 3 months ago I started getting very bad headaches and I could no longer see to read out of my Right eye so I had to keep it closed while reading ,I could not see bus numbers even when the bus had stopped and seeing the TV was a great problem , so I gave in and went for a eye test today.

I got a very big shock, the optician kept putting more and more lens in the trial glasses I was told I was long sighted in my Right eye and short sighted in my left eye. I was then given a hand held chart to read ,then more lens were put in until I could read the 3rd line from the bottom

The optician then told me I would need to have 2 pairs of glasses one to wear all the time the other for reading as he thought I would find it too hard to get used to bifocals to start with as there was a great difference in the prescription for my left end right eye.

He recommended I have high index lens but when he told me the price of the 2 pairs.

I said I could not afford them so he said he could fit standard plastic C 39 lens at nearly half the cost so I have settled on them. As I must return in 3 months for a retest.

MAIN PAIR

Right eye +5.75 -2.75 180

Left eye -5.25 -2.25 3

READING Glasses

Right eye +7.75 -2.75 180 Left eye -5.00 -2.25 3

I have no idea what all the numbers mean.

Will the lens look very different?

Will they be thick?

They will be ready next week

John S 26 Feb 2009, 10:52

I don't think it will be a night and day difference between you having the astigmatism correction. It will make a difference, but it varies among people.

Start at +2.00 from the store. If you need to adjust the reading distance, the smaller the number, the greater the reading distance (weaker). The higher the number, the closer the distance (stronger). Some people have several pairs depending on their vision needs for what distance they will be used for.

New Four Eyes 26 Feb 2009, 10:24

Advice please.

I never wore glasses, but at 47 find myself with short arms. I went for an exam and not surprisingly was told I need help reading. He had me read distance, and I could read the letters which were minimum for driving without correction. He then sharped those letters. So my distance vision isn't perfect but is good enough for driving. He wrote the following for me:

OD -.25 -.50 165 +2.25

OS -.50 -.25 15 +2.25

He suggested bifocals ($150 or so) or multifocals ($275 or so).

I know I need the reading help. Can I just get CVS readers ($10)? Which strength?

Will the distance correction make a difference or am I being oversold?

How bad is the astigmatism and will correction really make a difference? Do I need the astigmatism correction for both near and far?

If I get the glasses made up as he suggested and wear them as he says "till I get comfortable seeing through them" will I miss them if I don't wear them? Will I become dependent on them?

I've never worn glasses before so I just don't know what to expect.

Any advice from those with experience will be appreciated. Thank you

marie b 23 Feb 2009, 14:47

What would the prescription for just reading glasses be from the following? Also, I have +2.oo contacts that I use when going out for dinner or in situations where I don't want to wear glasses but need to see up close for extended periods. what prescription would I need to be able to wear glasses over the +2 contacts? Thanks.

OD -.25

OS +75

add 2.00

(astigmatism about 3.75 on each, but probably not needed for calculations)

Thank you for your assistance. I want to order glasses online for wearing over my contacts, and for reading. I am getting the regular bifocals at my optical place, as there is also a prism and I worry too complicated for not getting them in person. I will probably get the prism in the glasses for over the contacts, but since they're not the everyday glasses, exact isn't a necessity. Or is it? Thank you.

pdtp 18 Feb 2009, 05:41

@ aubrac: thanks for the explanation. you would't know of any online-thickness measurement? maybe someone knows what I'll have to expect...

Aubrac 17 Feb 2009, 09:47

gwgs

Prism in glasses can have a large effect on the thickness at the edge of the lenses.

Even low rx glasses with high prism will be quite thick and so thin lenses are often preferable.

gwgs 17 Feb 2009, 06:19

In my own opinion, I think you are going a bit over the top getting 1.6 index lenses for such a low prescription. I have a set of +3.5's that don't even show any relative thickness beyond the metal rimmed frames and these are in standard 1.5 index lenses.

This will simply be another expense for you - for which I am sure the optician is most grateful for - but they are going to be worn by you so it is obviously your decision.

pdpt 17 Feb 2009, 02:41

Yesterday I went to the optician. My old rx was +1.00 with 7 pdpt in each eye, now I got a new rx:

R: +1.5 -0.5 109 12pdpt b.a.

L: +1.5 -0.5 75 12pdpt b.a.

In my old glasses I had lenses with a 1.5 index, my new ones are gonna have a 1.6 index with thickness reduction (Zeiss lenses). What can I expect? My old glasses were on the edges about 0.9mm thick. Is the 1.6 index gonna do a big difference. After all my prism rx rose also quite a bit. Are my eyes already gonna seem to be cross-eyed behind the lenses? Anyone with similar amount of prisms?

Roy 16 Feb 2009, 12:33

Cactus,

Thanks very much for your advice which is very helpful and bang on target.

Cactus Jack 15 Feb 2009, 20:16

Roy,

Sounds like you have a rather complex Rx to solve a complex problem. To answer your questions:

An auto refractor measures the Rx one eye at a time and it only estimates Sphere and Cylinder. It does not measure prism.

Your varying double vision as you move your eyes to the side is reasonable. I wear more prism than you and I have noticed it.

It is likely that they did not adjust the PD inward enough to compensate for the Base Out Prism. The higher your Rx the more critical the location of the optical center of the lens. Ideally, the optical center should be coincident with your central axis of vision for the sharpest image. Making prism glasses seems to be an almost lost art. Be sure the lens makers and fitters understand and apply Prentece's Rule and that they adjust the PD in the glasses to put the "sweet spot" of the lens in the correct location on your axis of vision. The reason PD for bifocals is listed at two numbers is to adjust the OC inward in the reading segment a few mm to compensate for convergence while reading. When wearing prism, your eyes are converged as if you were reading even for distance so the distance PD needs to be reduced some and the reading PD more.

I am really surprised that you are wearing varifocals with such a complex Rx. I suggest you consider either 28 or 35 mm Flat Top Trifocals to give you a wide field of view. Executive Trifocals give the widest, but many people don't like the appearance unless their occupation demands it.

I suggest staying with your optican if possible, but be sure he/she understands and appreciates the problems you are having with the OC of the lenses. I suspect your glasses are not inexpensive. If they are not right, have them remade, but be sure to complain immediately.

Roy 15 Feb 2009, 07:22

I wonder if Cactus or anyone else can help with some queries about to my prescription. The prescription is:

Right -4.00 sph -1 cyl axis 85 prism 1.5 down, 10 out

Left -6.50 sph -0.5 cyl axis 90 prism 1.5 up, 7 out

Add 2.75

I am 61 and first had prism correction in my late teens after suffering double-vision. It took some time to get the prism correction right because my double-vision is not too bad when looking straight ahead but the two images spread further apart as I look left or right. The problem is that the double vision has been tested by seeing if a spot is above/below and left/right of a line, and adjusting the prism until they line up. This test is done looking straight ahead and I needed the prism increased to more than the test shows, to avoid double vision when looking to the sides. By my early 20s the prism was sorted out and I had no double vision with my glasses on. I have stayed with the same opticians most of the time since then and, when I have an eye test, they check with me that I have no double vision problems and leave the prism unchanged.

My optician is now moving to new premises with new staff and equipment and I am worried that they will want to re-test the prism and get it wrong. I have never had an eye test with an auto refractor. The questions are:-

Does an auto refractor measure the prism correction for double vision?

How common is it to have double vision that varies with the direction you are looking? How can the optician test for this?

I can get 20/30 to 20/20 visual acuity but I have noticed that I get the sharpest vision looking a few degrees away from straight-ahead. Is this due to the prism or is there something wrong with the lens manufacture?

The prism limits my choice of lens materials with the varifocals that I need. I can see distance and near OK, but there are large out-of focus areas at the bottom left and bottom right parts of the lenses and I have to have a separate pair for intermediate (computer) use. Can anyone recommend a good lens to try?

Sorry this is such a long post. Any suggestions would be gratefully received.

Need Advise 10 Feb 2009, 10:17

i know i have to get used to them, but can cope without, my distance is better, i can notice the difference when watching television, the main difference is when reading it is more comfortable

Cactus Jack 09 Feb 2009, 22:36

Need Advise,

You can fight it all you want to, but it won't change the outcome. You have actually been dependent on glasses for quite some time, but you just didn't acknowledge it. It is called Denial and it is not a river in Egypt. The vision problem isn't going away. The best thing is to learn to deal with it and then forget you even are wearing the glasses. Soon, you will notice when you are NOT wearing them rather than when you ARE wearing them.

Go way back to 2007 and read some of the very well written posts by Macrae on the Hyperopia and Presbyopia Progression Thread about his adventures with new glasses for hyperopia. All are informative and some are downright funny.

Welcome to the club.

eyespy 09 Feb 2009, 20:40

need advice

How are you finding your distance vision with your new glasses?

Need Advise 09 Feb 2009, 15:47

i got my glasses over the weekend, have worn them when i've needed them but not yet fulltime, guess maybe a little scared of being reliant on them but they certainly make a difference, things are of course uch clearer

Need Advise 04 Feb 2009, 16:24

i am male, i haven't been for an eyetest for over 4 years, seem to remember the doc saying i may need glasses when i'm older a few years ago, also i think i was given a prescription then but was very weak and didn't need glasses, i guess when i get glasses i will notice how bad my vision is without

Julian 04 Feb 2009, 11:53

NA: Sorry to keep on pestering you, BUT: you say you went for a test because it was due. Does this mean that you have had your eyes tested regularly during your teens, and if so when was your last test? It would be odd to develop that amount of BOTH hyperopia AND astigmatism in as little as two years.

Finally (I only ask because I want to know) are you male or female?

need advise 04 Feb 2009, 05:08

end of the week picking them up if ready

Sox 03 Feb 2009, 15:58

NA,

When are you getting the glasses?

need advice 03 Feb 2009, 14:34

thanks for the responses, i went for an eyexam as was due one, did have headaches but no idea how bad my vision is, i will keep you updated, is seems much harder to find out about longsight, there is more on myopia for some reason, and can i ask what prescription do most people go fulltime with longisight

Julian 03 Feb 2009, 08:16

need advise:

(by the way should it have been 'need advice'?) I just want to emphasize what Aubrac says and I said earlier without explaining properly: when you get your glasses you need to wear the full time, at least for a while. This is because you have a a lot of astigmatism, hence the big cylinder component in your prescription. This means that, because you have been compensating for your distorted vision, when you first put your glasses on everything is going to look distorted; and if you don't keep them on until you have learned to see things as they really are, you'll never get the benefit of them.

Concerning possible increases of the plus sphere in your Rx, if these occur it won't be your eyes getting worse, but latent hyperopia (long sight) becoming manifest as your eyes learn to relax and stop straining.

Do let us know how you go on.

Aubrac 03 Feb 2009, 02:00

Needadvise

I think you can see from all the posts that it's a good idea when you get your glasses to wear full time for a few weeks and then see how you feel about difference between wearing and not wearing in terms of both comfort and better vision.

As said earlier no one can predict yourn future needs but generally speaking you may need an increase in 12/24 months time after which your prescription could stabilise for many years. However it does also seem that fulltime wear for hyperopia results in a more stale prescription, whereas intermittent wear results in more increases.

Let us know how you get on.

As an aside I remember when aged 14 at school I had a friend who was shotsighted (about -3.00 from memory of what his glasses were like) but who refused to wear them. His brother was two years older and one day arrived at school sporting a pair of possibly +4 glasses which he joked about because they made his eyes look so big, he then went fulltime straightaway.

Puffin 02 Feb 2009, 18:02

need advise, what prompted you to go to the eyedoc in the first place, was it headaches, or not being able to see clearly?

John S 02 Feb 2009, 16:44

Actually, I didn't get glasses till I was 17. I knew I needed them earlier.

My rx was bifocals with an a +2.00 add. That creeped up a little by the time I was 30 to +2.50. For normal reading it is still +2.50. My first distance was +1.00, now +1.00 -50, +1.25 -50. I don't consider that much of a change.

Sox 02 Feb 2009, 15:09

John S,

The same for 40 years? Not even bifocals?

John S 02 Feb 2009, 13:10

need advise: I think once you get used to your new glasses, you will wear them most of the time. The combination of the corrections you need will make a big difference. It might take you a few weeks to get used to them. Make an effort to wear them as much as you can, for that time. Make your decision on how much you would like to wear them after that break-in period.

As far as your prescription changing, most plus RXs will increase a few times in the first few years, them level off. I am the exception, mine has stayed about the same since I was 13, 40 years ago...

need advise 02 Feb 2009, 09:14

she asked me what i thought of getting glasses, i wasn't enthuasiastic but have ordered them, i don't think my vision is too bad, it was a local private optomotrists,thanks for all the replies, i wish she was more honest with me and said i need them, and whether fulltime etc, and how bad will my vision get in your opinions

Julian 02 Feb 2009, 07:10

need advise: I'm surprised your eye doc said it was up to you whether you get glasses. While in a way that's always true (no one can compel you unless of course you can't see to drive) I'd have expected her to stress that glasses will improve your vision and relieve the headaches. I'd say get them (if you haven't already) and wear them; they'll take a bit of getting used to but before long you'll be enjoying the benefit.

Aubrac 02 Feb 2009, 06:21

Need Advise

It is very difficult to crystal ball the future as everyone is different. However, with myopia, especially when doing a lot of close work like reading, does tend to continually worsen until about 30 years. Whereas hyperopia does tend to stabilise earlier and then worsen after 40.

Lasik may be possible but is more difficult with a higher rate of astigmatism. You may still also need glasses, especially for reading in the future.

As these are your first glasses, I am suprised the eye doc said to wait a full two years which is the normal period between tests. Most hyperopes need a prescription change within a year after their first exam and after this it may stabilise, another reason why early lasik may not work so well.

I know it costs, but before you do anything, I'd suggest you have a test with an optometrist and see if the results are the same. May I ask which optical store you went to?

need adivse 02 Feb 2009, 05:10

the eyedoc said it was an unusual first rx, i was due an eyexam and have had headaches. i am in uk and studying. is longsight like myopia where it carries on increasing till mid 20s, is laser/lasik possible? the doc said it was up to me whether to get glasses and said i don't need to go back for 2 years, any reason why she said this

Aubrac 02 Feb 2009, 01:54

Need Advise

Can I ask what prompted you to have an eye test?

From your prescription, I would think you may have had problems reading and possibly headaches. How is your distance vision, and is it good enough for driving.

As Cactus Jack said, it is quite an unusual first prescription and only you can decide what to do. However, would suggest you try full time wear for a few days as it would take this time to get used to your new glasses.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Cactus Jack 01 Feb 2009, 16:34

need advise,

That is a very unusual first Rx. It is amazing that you have been able to function without correction. The eyedoc was right that the astigmatism partially cancelled out the sphere correction but that amount of astigmatism makes it very difficult to see anything clearly at any distance. I think you will find it much more comfortable wearing the glasses than not wearing them, but only you can judge that.

Will your prescription change? It is likely that the sphere will increase a little as your internal focusing muscles relax and grow accustomed to not having to work as hard to keep things in focus. I suggest that you might want to go back for a re-check in a few months and possible adjustment to your Rx.

May I ask where you live and your occupation?

need advise 01 Feb 2009, 13:04

hi. i am new here, and need some advise, i got prescribed glasses last week for first time, didn't realise my vision was so bad, my prescription is

r- sph +3.25 cyl -2.00 axis 5

l- spg +2.25 cyl -2.25 axis 1.50

i have little idea what all this means, eyedoc said to wear when i need them, but this seems quite strong, doc also said the astigmatism balances the far sight out a bit, what does this mean?i am 21 so will my eyes get worse, should i wear always etc

Cactus Jack 23 Jan 2009, 06:50

Sus,

A +2.50 Add or +2.50 in addition to your distance correction is typical for a person your age with limied remaining accommodation. The amount of plus you need for close vision is very much a function of how close you like to read.

+2.50 focuses images at about 16 inches or 40 cm which is typical reading distance. If you like to read closer (such as in bed) or you need to read print smaller than normal news print or book print, you may need a little more than +2.50. It is rare for the need to go higher thatn +3.25 or +3.50 unless there are other vision problems than simple presbyopia.

Sus 23 Jan 2009, 06:35

is +5 about average for reading glasses for someone my age (49) or as my friend said, strong. I know they make my eyes look huge with them on

Thanks for all the replies, it was helpful

Cactus Jack 23 Jan 2009, 04:41

Leo,

That question is almost impossible to answer. There are simply too many variables and unknowns that enter into the matter for plus glasses. The only way to tell is with an eye exam and even that, surprisingly, can have unknowns and variables. If you read the posts on the several threads for hyperopia and presbyopia, you will find that most new plus glasses wearers will have to be re-examined after a few months to adjust their Rx for good distance vision.

Sorry about that.

Leo 22 Jan 2009, 03:55

Hi, not sure if this is the right thread... In the UK, if someone with plus glasses was just under the legal limit to drive with correction, what is their rx likely to be?? Thanks a lot all.

Like Lenses 21 Jan 2009, 12:19

hsparent

Your daughters prescription includes -.75 cyl. for each eye,and that is a contact lens prescription, glasses would most likely be a bit stronger. Cylinder corrections are to correct astigmatism, which means that vision at all distances are not clear without the lenses.

Most doctors recommend full time wear if astigmatism is .75 or more in the better eye.

Since she is wearing contacts, she is getting used to the prescription, and will have very blurred vision without them.

Her uncorrected vision is probably about 20/150.

She probably should have a pair of glasses as a backup, and also to give her eyes a break from the contacts.

At 14 her prescription will certainly increase, perhaps even in the next six months.But farsighted people usually do not increase as much, or as often as nearsighted people do.

Slit 21 Jan 2009, 09:44

Sus,

I believe Cactus J gave a good explanation of the things.

Best wishes for the perfect fitting pair of glasses!

Cactus Jack 21 Jan 2009, 06:53

Sus,

It appears to me that your new Rx is

R +2.50, -0.25 x 70

L +2.50, -0.50 x 64

That is your Distance Rx. It just increased a little from 2003.

For bifocals, a +2.50 add would included

For stand alone reading glasses the Rx would be

R +5.00, =0.25 x 70

L +5.00, -0.50 x 64

Notice that the reading glasses have the same optical power as the reading portion of the bifocals and the cylinder and axis is the same for all glasses.

Don't worry about the missing decimal point in the Rx you were given. In some countries, it is traditional to not include the decimal point. I can assure you that a lens maker anywhere in the world would understand either way of writing the Rx.

Also, don't worry about the apparent decrease in the add. The absolute power of your old reading segment was +4.75 (+1.75 plus +3.00) so you had a slight increase there.

None of this is unusual. Enjoy your new glasses.

Katy 21 Jan 2009, 06:05

Sus - I think the +5.00 (with the cylinder) is your total prescription for near, because it is written as a complete prescription. If it was a reading add, it would just be written as +5.00. So your reading add is +2.50 for both eyes.

Sus 21 Jan 2009, 00:53

had glasses since i was a teenager but now 49 and not had my eyes tested since 2003 when prescription was

R+1.75 L+1.75 with an add of +3 for close work. Have always needed quite strong glasses for close work slit, but not sure how my new rx works

Slit 21 Jan 2009, 00:42

Hi Sus,

well this is a bit unclear whether your near prescription is

a) +2.5 add +2.5 => which gives a net near rx of +5

b) Distance +2.5 add +5 => which gives a total of +7.5, which is pretty strong.

Is this your first glasses?

How old are you now and what are the reasons that drive you to get glasses? (blurriness, headaches etc?)

Sus 20 Jan 2009, 23:41

my Prescription is R+250 -25 x 70

L+250 -50 x64 With a near prescription of R+5.00 -25 x70 L+5.00 -50 x64

Can someone explain all the numbers to me please. And my friend said if i just want to order new reading glasses, they would be the sum of my distance rx and my reading rx added together, is this correct, because that would make my reading glasses very strong, i know i dont see good close but dont think they that bad.

glad of any replies

r 20 Jan 2009, 16:03

hsparent: On glasses in addition to contacts, I would say yes. On how often she should wear the contacts, that would be something to discuss with the doctor.

hsparent 20 Jan 2009, 14:35

My daughter was recently perscribed contacts with the perscription sph+0.75 cyl-0.75. She is a first-time wearer age 14. Should we get her glasses as well. How often should she wear her contacts, school, sports, tv, reading, etc. Should we be worried that her eyes will worsen with age?

Andrew 19 Jan 2009, 10:51

My glasses Rx contains -1.25 and -0.75 of cylinder correction for astigmatism, but I am still able to function perfectly well without toric contacts, although I can now see better with glasses than contacts (it used to be the other way round as the contacts were closer to my eye, and I had little astigmatism).

Hope this is of some help. Toric lenses are also much more expensive!

Aubrac 19 Jan 2009, 05:12

Slightly myopic

Contact lens prescriptions are often about .50 less than glasses because the lens is closer to the eye and so the amount of correction needed is not so great.

If you like lenses, the best solution is bi-focal contacts however the -1.00 cylinder correction for astigmatism cannot be supplied with bi-focals as far as I am aware, and without this there would still be lack of clarity for reading and distance.

You could buy on-line toric lenses with a -1.00 sphere, and your cylinder correction, this should make distance pretty good, and you may still be able read well excdpt for very small print.

At 54 though, your reading add will probably increase and so this will only be a short term measure.

"slightly myopic" 16 Jan 2009, 00:43

Hi all,

I'm slightly myopic, (aged 54) my normal prescription is L-1.75D-1.0Dx110, R-1.75D-1.00Dx55, I wear my glasses probably 90% of the time, mostly for watching TV and driving, they're no good for the computer or reading so I have to get fairly close to see properly.

Just out of interest, I tried a pair of soft contact lens I got off my mate which were only 0.50D I was amazed at how good the correction was even though they were no where near my prescription. OK, the vision wasn't perfect but certainly a much bigger improvement than without.

Can anyone explain why this is? Do you need less correction with contact lens? Is it partly because they are directly on the eye compared to a normal lens? How much difference in strength do they exhibit? Can anyone suggest what strength I would ideally require for proper correction?

I found them very comfortable, I might consider getting some for occasional use. I did notice that with the lens I could see the computer screen very well and read at normal distance too. When I put my glasses on with the lens in I could see perfectly well in the distance although bot quite as well as with glasses only, the combined correction was a bit too strong.

Thanks.

London 14 Jan 2009, 15:33

If Hyperfan's wife gets the +1.50 reading glasses she will probably love the brightness of the print and prefer them to the improved vision she gets from the progressives with the weaker add, but she will likely need an even stronger add within 6 months. Aubrac is right! I am guessing she can actually read ok now without the glasses and they just make it a bit easier. Within a year she will need her glasses for anything but larger blacker print. Others agree? Good luck

Aubrac 14 Jan 2009, 01:18

Hyperfan

I'd suggest just letting her get on with the progressives and try full-time wear.

If she has another pair of glasses to wear and is swapping between them, she might get frustrated and stop wearing them.

May I ask what age she is? If this is her first pair she may well need another +.50 in the next six months and another +.50 within another year.

Guest 13 Jan 2009, 22:58

Congratulations hyperfan. Did she wear glasses before for the distance RX or is this completely new? How much is she currently wearing them?

Hyperfan 13 Jan 2009, 06:36

My wife got her first progressive lenses : R = -0,50 add 1,25 L = -0,50 (-0,25 at 75�) add 1,25.

I told her to have also glasses for reading : do you think her RX will increase if she wears +1,50 reading glasses ?

Thanks.

DWV 13 Jan 2009, 00:01

Barbara:

You should consider getting trifocals or progressive lenses with an add that big. You may find that the reading portion of bifocals is too strong to see the computer screen clearly, while the distance section may give you eyestrain. The problem with progressive lenses is that there will be a fairly narrow corridor of clear vision as the power changes through intermediate to near. Maybe the optician or eye doc can provide a demo lens to show how that will work for you.

Like Lenses 12 Jan 2009, 18:20

Barbara,

Ask your optometrist what your uncorrected vision is. My guess is that it is around 20/80, which would certainly be required for driving, as most countries require at least 20/40 or better.

You will most likely want to wear them full time.

Willy 12 Jan 2009, 12:59

Barbara -- It is a bit uncommon to have a first prescription with an add of over +2. Part of the reason for this is that usually someone with that degree of add will have had even more difficulty reading than you have experienced. In your case, however, your mild myopia to some extent compensates for the need for the reading glasses -- netted out, your near prescription is about +1.5 to +1.75 which is a very common prescription for first reading glasses. When wearing your distance prescription, however, you will find it very difficult, if not impossible, to read without the near add. Good luck and let us know how you get on.

Clare 12 Jan 2009, 12:09

Barbara - I don't have an add so can only comment on the minus/cyl elements of your prescription. I'd guess that you are close to the limit on the DVLA (if you're in the UK) restriction on driving which, i think, is 20/40. I'd guess your uncorrected distance vision would be close to that. I'm sure you'll welcome the extra distance correction so enjoy!

Barbara 12 Jan 2009, 11:18

I knew I needed reading glasses and at 44 finally decided to bite the bullet and get an exam. Here is the result:

OD: -.50 -.50 150 +2.25

OS: -.75 +2.25

How does that stand as a first pair? I didn't know that I was nearsighted and am anxiously waiting to get the glasses to see what difference they will make. I read ok now, but with difficulty mostly in low light. Will the -.50 150 make much of a difference? Was really surprised to start with bifocals! Will I expect to need them to drive/can I expect to have a restriction on my license? Thanks.

Guest 09 Jan 2009, 15:58

Otto

I have no knowledge but wonder if the -1.25 eye would compensate but then maybe the difference as you say would make it too complicated.

Melinda let us know!

OttO 09 Jan 2009, 10:21

Melinda: Please remember that its always up to the wearer as to how much or how little to wear their glasses. No rules. Lots of people start out part time and then move to full time wear. My guess is that given the discrepancy in lens strength and the fact that one eye needs -3, it won't take your daughter very long, once she becomes accustomed to the glasses, to decide on full time wear.

antonio 09 Jan 2009, 07:36

it´s not impossible that her bad eye shuts off and stops looking as it´s giving her a worse image.

But whether this really happens, I can´t say.

Probably it would be better to wear them at least part time, and not only for driving,

best regards, antonio

Melinda 09 Jan 2009, 07:02

Does anyone have an idea what the recommendation would be for a prescription of -1.25 for one eye and -3 for the other?

My daughter has just been given this prescription after failing her driving test. Should she just wear it to drive or should she wear it full time given that there seems to be quite a big difference between the two eyes? Is there any risk that not wearing them could mean the worse eye deteriorates or shuts off?

Thanks

Cactus Jack 02 Jan 2009, 03:59

Guest,

There can be several reasons, but unfortunately, there is no way to tell from your description. You could be a little farsighted, or have some astigmatism, or even some early presbyopia and they require different solutions. The very best thing to do is get an eye exam to find out exactly the problem. If you decide not to get an exam (bad idea) you might try some low power (+1.00 or +1.25) over the counter reading glasses to see if they make any difference.

Guest 01 Jan 2009, 22:08

hey,

I am 18 year old, and have been complaining of tired eyes on the computer or while working. Also after working for a few hours on a test for example, or when really tired, ?I have trouble going from near vision to distance vision. It takes my eyes a few seconds to adjust. Any idea as to what it could be?

Cactus Jack 22 Dec 2008, 19:34

andrew20,

If you want to try some Rx computer glasses, we can help you adjust the Rx for that purpose. They could also be ordered online.

If you want to, measure your normal working distance from your eyes to the screen and let us know what it is.

andrew20 22 Dec 2008, 14:06

i had the eye test because i was getting headaches whilst at the computer. optician said probably cause i wasnt taking enough breaks, which i can understand.

like you say getting some cheapos off the internet maybe the answer, see if they make a difference.

im 20 and in the uk, thanks all

Buck 22 Dec 2008, 12:05

Andrew20

Could be you're eyes are working so hard to see the computer all day and are trying to adapt to soooo much close work.

Maybe you need a mild reading correction to take the strain off and therefore, the need to compensate.

Try picking up a pair of the lowest reading strength glasses at the drugstore. Probably +1.00. See if that makes computer work easier and your very mild minus need goes away.

russell 22 Dec 2008, 11:17

Andrew20...you don't say why you decided to get an eye exam, but if the correction prescribed was that mild, I suspect you got the exam because you want glasses. If that is the case, then you should definitely get the prescription made up and wear the glasses. And if you wear them full time, your friends and family will quickly get used to seeing you in glasses (and assume that you are blind without them.) Most people have no idea how to gauge how strong glasses are by just looking at them--and most people will try on a pair of glasses and say something like, "Wow! These are strong!," even if the glasses have no correction in them. I think it is because many people are embarrassed at the thought that they might need glasses. The gist of all this: get your glasses, wear 'em, enjoy em! And Claire is right: a lot of girls and guys like the way a guy looks in glasses.

Clare 22 Dec 2008, 09:39

Andrew 20 - I guess if you'd like glasses then you should get them. You may not notice an enormous amount of difference than without them but if you like the way you could look in glasses - and a lot of girls* like a guy in glasses - then go for it!

* and boys of course!

Cactus Jack 22 Dec 2008, 06:34

Andrew20,

That is a very low Rx. Because of your work, the astigmatism in your left eye could be slightly annoying. The only real way to tell is to get some glasses and see if they make your work easier. I would suggest getting some low cost glasses online from someone like Zenni Optical as a trial. Let us know if you need help ordering with such things as Pupilary Distance (PD).

May I ask your age and where you live.

andrew20 22 Dec 2008, 04:34

Hi, got my first eye test a couple of weeks ago, this is the prescription. He said i didnt need glasses. Reading this thread, there seems to be a a fair few people with similar prescriptions who wear glasses all the time. i am a web designer so wonder if it would make a difference seem as though i am at a computer 10hrs+ a day, thanks

Right:

Sphere -0.25

Left:

Sphere -0.25

Cyl +0.25

Axis 140

ROCKYJJ 09 Dec 2008, 11:41

new glasses rx

od -13.50 x -1.50 x 68

os -12.00 x -1.50 x 86

SoCal 08 Dec 2008, 19:02

Just ordered my new glasses and I can't wait till they come in!

sam 07 Dec 2008, 05:36

i got new glasse -2 -1 astig +2 add and they are 5mm thick they look like coke bottles is that normal they are poly lenses can only see about 13 inches before things get blurry

Eyespy 06 Dec 2008, 07:19

Erik

Your eyes shouldn't get too much worse at your age although full time wear will make your eyes crave correction so you will notice the difference more. Have your friends and family remarked on your new glasses?

Erik 06 Dec 2008, 04:21

Hello

I have my new prescription and i wearing them fulltime since yesterday. I feel the difference.

Will my eyes get worser in the future?

Greetz

Erik

russell 05 Dec 2008, 05:23

Erik...yes! Wear them full time.

Erik 04 Dec 2008, 07:57

Hoi

tomorrow will my optician put a new prescription in my glasses.

My old prescription is -1,25 and -1,75

My new prescription is -1,75 and -2,25

I'm 35 years old. When will my eyes be stable?

And di i have to wear my glasses fulltime? Now i'm wearing my glasses 80-90% of the time.

Greetz

Erik

Julian 28 Nov 2008, 05:52

Derek: given the Rx you quoted on 4 November, it's not surprising your glasses improve your distance vision. On the other hand, given that you're 54, it is surprising that your optometrist didn't check your near and intermediate vision! Apparently you read OK bareyed in spite of a whole dioptre of astigmatism; but you clearly need a lower Rx for the computer. Bi- or trifocals, or of course progressives, are the next step, maybe pretty soon, though as Sam says, pushing your specs down your nose a bit should help to be going on with.

sam12744 28 Nov 2008, 04:23

Derek,

Try sliding them down your nose a little, when using the computer. Assuming they are minus lenses,that should bring the screen into focus.

Derek 28 Nov 2008, 01:54

Havn't had a chance to post on here for a while but I thought I'd just tell you how I got on with the new glasses which I collected a couple of weeks ago...

They certainly make quite a difference, I didn't realise how much I couldn't see before without them. I already seem to be wearing them almost all the time except for reading, they're useless for that. My problem now is that I can't see the PC screen with them on or off, have to get quite close without them and can't see it clearly with them on, what's that all about? Otherwise they make my eyesight fantastically crisp and clear for distance.

Derek.

Hmm 11 Nov 2008, 09:40

Ted 02 Nov 2008, 08:45

Having to stop now so I can make up more of the story.LOL.

Like Lenses 11 Nov 2008, 00:32

Or Jo's new lenses are so strong that the print here is not readable.

Puffin 10 Nov 2008, 14:18

yes, probably too busy saying "ooh look at that!"

Hansel 10 Nov 2008, 12:47

Obviously Jo is having so much fun seeing the world around her that she hasn't got round to enlightening those who offered suggestions and advice.

Phil 07 Nov 2008, 02:04

Have you collected them Jo?

Hansel 06 Nov 2008, 12:58

Haven't been on the site much this week...too much work, :-(.

So, Jo, any news to report, how is your view of the world now?

ehpc 05 Nov 2008, 18:23

A woman with cool ideas about glasses Melyssa:)Big and bold is beautiful:)

Melyssa 05 Nov 2008, 12:43

Pete,

I also got a new pair of black frames, large of course, flat along the top-front and most of the side-front before curving in. A friend of mine bought wide-side frames a few months ago but she will not wear them while driving as they hinder her side vision. And there isn't a frame like that big enough to fit me (read: lenses at least 2 inches in diameter).

ehpc 04 Nov 2008, 13:02

COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL :) And nice and big too, I take it? :) And, of course, you do have several pairs of black rectangular plastic frames with wide sides:) ????? Pete

Melyssa 04 Nov 2008, 12:42

ehpc,

Those might be the SECOND worst. Had they been black plastic on top and metal the rest of the way, like 90-year-olds in the U.S. have worn, then they would be "first worst." My latest hot pair is a blue/purple "split-temple" frame.

Aubrac 04 Nov 2008, 10:10

Derek

Your prescription would generally be considered quite strong and I think you'll be amazed at how clear everything will be with glasses.

At 54 though you might find reading with glasses difficult.

Let us know how you get on.

Dieter 04 Nov 2008, 08:29

Your absolutely right, Phil. Neither of them would come close to passing a vision test for driving.

Phil 04 Nov 2008, 05:05

Isn't Jo's quite a hefty rx for a first-time glasses wearer too? I suspect that most myopic people get prescribed correction for the first time at below -2. But I may be wrong. In any event I'm pretty sure that neither Derek nor Jo should be driving without glasses.

Dieter 04 Nov 2008, 04:46

If Derek's + is reversed, his prescription is -2.50 -1.00, -2.50 -1.00. It is then very close to Jo's. A little less sphere, a little more cylinder.

Derek 04 Nov 2008, 04:09

Phill,

Well not knowing much about prescriptions and lens power strengths I didn't realise it was that strong, I just assumed it was fairly weak as I can see most things OK, I just cant see all the detail without screwing my eyes up!

Derek

Phil 04 Nov 2008, 01:07

Gosh Derek. That's a strong first prescription! Can anyone here beat that? I was -2 when I first got glasses and the optician was horrified that I had been driving without correction.

Derek 04 Nov 2008, 00:57

Hi everyone,

I'm new on here, having just read the story of Jo and her eyesight problems I thought I'd report my story!

Due to a recent change of job (which involves driving) and the resulting medical exam I was sent to the opticians for a test. I did have an idea that I was very slightly short sighted but I've always seemed to manage OK so have never bothered to have a test....I'm 54 by the way and have never had an eye test before except back in school days.

Anyway, I came away from the opticians

with a prescription and the advice that I do need glasses as I'm short sighted. Here's the details:

L -3.50 +1.00 x 110, R -3.50 +1.00 x 55

The optician suggested I choose some frames straight away, she said I would probably find such a massive difference that I would probably end up wearing them full time. This was quite a shock to me as I thought I was only very slightly short sighted, usually squinting makes a big improvement for me.

I chose some frames, I'm just waiting for them now, should be ready on Friday. Then I suppose I'll find out what difference they make and wether or not I will wear them. I must admit I'm not convinced I will need them or wear them full time.

I'll let you know how I get on with them,

Cheers,

Derek

Puffin 03 Nov 2008, 17:55

Will,

On the basis that the optician is trying to correct unbalanced vision, the answer is yes, depending to an extent on the personal opinion of the optician involved and perhaps whether your gf is having any problems converging, double vision, etc.

ehpc 03 Nov 2008, 16:31

Melyssa, those are the worst glasses imaginable - the 1950s Church of England clergyman look. But I know you have many HOT HOT HOT pairs now:) Pete

Will 03 Nov 2008, 13:59

Interested in Puffin's comment about the eye dr usually recommending on the worse eye. My gf is -2 and -2.75 would the eye dr recommends she wear it fulltime because of the -2.75?

Melyssa 03 Nov 2008, 13:56

Jo,

The first pair I ever had (when I was 8) looked like these: http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2007/09/26/fashion/thursdaystyles/20070927POINTS_index.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1225749023-Zkxr1iAtW2Xua0kmRllmsQ

There wasn't much to choose from all those decades ago.

I was quite reluctant to wear them, especially in school at first, but with a couple of classmates already wearing glasses I was able to handle the situation. Of course, that one day when I forgot to take them off at lunchtime and I saw what was served to us; well, other than getting an up-close view of something I did not want to touch, my glasses (30 pairs now) have always been a huge help to my vision.

So as long as you have friends or close family members who wear glasses, they can help you get over the fear of wearing them in public.

Phil 03 Nov 2008, 08:02

Oh Laura! You should have. A bride or bridesmaid in specs is just perfection for us gwg-loving chaps! I hope you enjoyed the wedding!

Laura 03 Nov 2008, 07:18

Hi,

Mainly wearing the glasses. 90% of the time I would say. Didnt to a wedding on Saturday where I was bridesmaid though.

OnLooker 03 Nov 2008, 06:18

Very nice frames Laura, what RX are you? I just love this type of frames they are so visible and they do enhance personality, beauty... They are also so sexy and hot...for us GWG lovers...

Phil 03 Nov 2008, 03:20

Are you wearing glasses fulltime now Laura?

Laura 03 Nov 2008, 03:16

Jo: I got 2 pairs - links below to them.

http://www.specsavers.co.uk/glasses/designer-glasses/th23

http://www.specsavers.co.uk/glasses/designer-glasses/th06

I can only say well done for getting your eyes checked and knowing the difference I can see with my prescription I can imagine you will notice a massive improvement.

I thought I wont wear them much, only wear them in private etc but being able to see properly is so important and I just love my glasses now.

Let us know how it all goes.

Phil 03 Nov 2008, 02:03

Sorry Jo: just re-read your post in which you reveal the frames you chose! You must be so excited about picking them up: everything will seem so clear.

Phil 03 Nov 2008, 01:06

Wow Jo. What an eyetest! And what a significant first prescription. Just as I predicted, you'll be a gwg by the end of the week. And a fulltimer soon I bet. What frames did you choose?

Slit 02 Nov 2008, 18:17

Hi GG,

How are you doing?

Is the new bifocals supporting you well with your daily work?

Did you finish your exams?

Here in Sri Lanka, the glasses and frames come at a very low cost compared to Europe and US, so a person who have to wear prescription glasses have the opportunity t try out several fashionable frames due to high affordability!

But sadly the girls here seems to have not got a great fashion sense for glasses. :-(

Puffin 02 Nov 2008, 15:00

This will probably make little difference to whatever the optician recommends to you - they usually go with the worse eye when making recommendations. He would probably recommend fulltime wear but it is up to you if you want to listen to him.

Some people go around for a while in a sort of halfway house with such a prescription, wearing them or not as the situation demands. Often what happens is such people end up preferring the clear view of the world and end up going full time after a bit anyway - something like that, anyway.

Jo 02 Nov 2008, 13:32

Just looking back over the thread I see I made a mistake with the numbers My left eye is - 2.25 -50. Does that mean I won't need to wear them full time as you suggested?

dan 02 Nov 2008, 13:06

Alice,

My girlfriend has -1.25 in both eyes and she wears contacts full time because it's more convenient and she hates not being able to see clearly. Her doctor said she doesn't have to wear them all the time but I guess it's all really a personal preference.

I have -.50 and plano -.50 90 and sometimes I wear them a lot and other days I don't...depends what mood I'm in.

Jo 02 Nov 2008, 10:33

Hi Laura Jersey Girl and Melyssa Just catching up And thanks for your posts too!! I know it's pathetic and random but still don't see how you've done it so easily!! What frames did you guys get? Did they help? Any tricks to get over the not me I don't need glasses. I always though it was other people.. Like Ali or when I was at school a friend called Sonya who had very strong specs.

Jo 02 Nov 2008, 10:17

Thanks Hansel, that's really sweet. I'll try my best!!!

Hansel 02 Nov 2008, 10:13

With the prescription that you have been given, I think you will be full time before you know it, you will wonder why you struggled on.

I think deep down that you have known for a long time that you needed to get glasses.

I was like you, very much the reluctant, but there are so many fantastic frames these days than when I was at university, and these are very much fashion statements as well as in your case an essential to help you as you complete your studies.

It's a strong first prescription and not a million miles away from Clare, who is a FT Lens wearer and indeed FT when she needed to wear her specs when she had an eye infection, so when you get them, don't be surprised when the optician suggests you keep them on. Have a go and walk out of Vision Express with your head high and a clear view as you look through your new specs.

Well done, you have done all the hard work now!

All best

Hansel

Mike 02 Nov 2008, 09:55

If this is really you Jo and not someone posting in your name then you will actually want to wear them with that prescription because you'll see a big difference

Jo 02 Nov 2008, 09:43

He then put lenses in and it got more and more sharp and clear. Then red and green lights until the targets both seemed as sharp. Finally he put it all together with both eyes and it was crystal clear.

He then said I should choose some frames. I deliberately didn't ask him how often I would need to wear them, as I'd had enough with the test and being told to choose frames.

I felt a bit shaky but also thinking of your comments on here and that maybe they could look OK. I chose two different styles a bolder black retro pair and a metal frame small and oval as a second. But I still can't see me wearing them except maybe at home or movies in the dark!!

I asked for a copy of my prescription for you

"Unaided vision L 6/24 R6/24"

R -2.75 -50 L -2.75 -50.

I've told Ali and she says she'll come with me when their ready next week, might prefer to go on my own so I'll be under less pressure to wear them!

Ted 02 Nov 2008, 08:45

Having to stop now so I can make up more of the story.LOL.

02 Nov 2008, 06:24

Don't keep us in suspense too long Jo :)

Jo 02 Nov 2008, 04:03

Ali arranged a test for me!!! She booked it Vision Express away from where I might bump into friends. she knows I'm not convinced yet. So I went there yesterday am a bit she'll shocked coz I'd hoped I could do eye exercise until posting on here!! I was greeted by the receptionist who has similar colouring to me and was wearing glasses and looked good to my surprise... probably part of the sales tactics!!!

She showed me to the waiting area and I was duly summoned through to the exam room by a young fit guy with dark hair. He looked into my eyes with a light and then used a puffing machine, he says to check the pressure in my eyes. He said everything was OK . He then said he'd ask me a few questions while my eyes recovered from the light and the puffs. He asked about the problems I'd had seeing and also asked about my studying leisure computer use reading and driving. I'm feeling nervous meantime and thinking this is getting a bit real when it wasn't even my idea to be here. When we'd done with that he clicked a switch abd a black nox on the wall I'd been wondering about lit up with some letters, the eye chart!! He placed an uncomfortable cold complicated spectacle frame on my nose and ears put on his glasses (trendy dark tortoiseshell) as he asked me to read the chart with a black lens slid into the specs thing covering out one eye. I didn't get very far. I was horrified and when he swapped the eye cover, the other eye was no better... Struggling to see the third line. Sorry I'm getting upset reliving it I'll have to stop...

Puffin 01 Nov 2008, 18:52

Although if you are stubborn you can carry on without until you realise you can't do without them.

Puffin 01 Nov 2008, 18:50

It's around minus 2. If you have significant astigmatism, say 0.75 or more, that will tend to increase the likelihood. If you go in complaining of headaches that will probably indicate fulltime wear being beneficial.

Alice 01 Nov 2008, 15:08

Interesting discussion about full time wear. What's the average prescription for people who go to full time wear?

May 01 Nov 2008, 12:02

Wouldn't it be interesting to have an eye test thread on this site for people to share the different experiences of eye tests around the world !

Melyssa 01 Nov 2008, 07:56

Jo,

Your friend Ali's RX of -1.75 and -1.50 is exactly what my first one was, long, long ago. I only wore my glasses for watching TV, at the movies, or to see the blackboard at school. I did not go fulltime until I was in the -2.50 to -3.00 range. But then, everyone's different; there are no hard and fast rules for this.

Phil 31 Oct 2008, 03:21

Jo, Don't forget to tell us exactly how the test goes. I always find eyetests so exciting! I think you'll come away with a prescription and will be a gwg by the end of next week!

Laura 31 Oct 2008, 01:29

Hi. I can honestly say when I first knew I needed glasses I said I wouldnt wear them or only when nobody was around, but as soon as I put them on and realised just what I couldnt see it was easy to keep wearing them. Of course I had some concerns, I was worried about what people might think and the attention it attracted etc but at the end of the day being able to see is all that is important.

I now wear mine most of the time. It is nice that I can leave them off if I want to for some things.

Good luck and you really will notice the difference once you get them.

Jersey Girl 30 Oct 2008, 15:08

I wear -1.75 in both eyes full time for over one year now. I just love the intense sharpness of vision that I get wearing the glasses. I also occaisionally wear some -2.25 glasses which are my boyfriend's mother's old correction and I see just as well with them. Once you get the glasses you will see the difference.

Jo 30 Oct 2008, 13:36

Thanks Clare and Hansel, sorry I'll need to get a grip, thanks to everyone I'll at least go for an eyetest

Clare 30 Oct 2008, 13:32

Jo - I'm with Hansel, you wouldn't have to wear fulltime. I'm -2.75 & -3 with -0.50 of astigmatism and, though I wear contacts, I can still go without glasses if I need to. It's just that when you've experienced clear vision you sometimes don't want anything less ;)

Hansel 30 Oct 2008, 13:22

Now now! Remember, don't waver. Get that eye test booked!!

There are some who would not be full time with the prescription that Ali has, so she obviously appreciates the clarity her specs give her. I am sure you will be the same....perhaps in time ;-)

Best wishes

Hansel

Jo 30 Oct 2008, 13:11

"you really do need glasses" scary words still don't believe it. Ali's prescription She says R 1.50 L 1.75 whatever that means. Full time wear - try none!!! How did you do it Laura!!

Puffin 29 Oct 2008, 18:14

Jo, don't worry about it too much and just concentrate on the fact that when you get glasses, that means no more struggling to see things. Just a thought, being as you are dependent on a friend, what happens if she's off sick or something? It would be better not to rely on someone else.

And 29 Oct 2008, 17:50

Jo, how did you look in Ali's glasses ? There are so many great frames to choose from and you don't need to wear full-time if you don't want to. How big was the clock, could Ali see it without her specs ?

Hansel 29 Oct 2008, 15:59

Jo, Things seem to be gathering pace.

The regulars I am sure will be interested to hear, if you can find out, what sort of prescription Ali has.

I think you are appreciating that you really do need glasses, still the reluctant, but conscious that you do need to have the eye test. You are on a roll now, so don't waver now.

I think you will be surprised when you do get your glasses just what you have been missing. You already know it's when and not if!

Jo 29 Oct 2008, 14:41

Hi everyone ... Well Ali and I were out shopping for clothes and lippy and went for a coffee. We were chatting about shopping separately and then meeting up again for lunch. We were working out when and Ali said well what time is it now and I panicked cause I realised to my horror I was sitting opposite a blurry round thing that I reckoned was a clock and I had no watch on ... Games up thinks me ..imaginary Eye scene mates on my shoulder!...I said Ali that clocks just a blur to me. She then to my surprise said You must be needing glasses, here have a shot of mine. I put them on thinking I'm not wearing things like these whatever happens. I looked at the clock and could make out the numbers with a struggle. Ali took her specs back turned around and said She could see them easily and Jo you should get an eye test soon and come to think of it I suppose that explains you copying notes in the lectures. Hmm food for thought And a bit of a shock actually

glassesforeveryone 29 Oct 2008, 05:08

There you go Jo. If ever you needed more encouragement to take the plunge then Laura's example should do the trick!

Laura 29 Oct 2008, 04:50

Hi All,

Jsut an update that I have been virtually a full time wearer since getting my glasses. Getting along well with them and enjoying seeing everything.

Will be doing my first driving lesson this weekend.

Thanks for all the nice comments.

Jo 29 Oct 2008, 01:10

Wayay! I guess I'll need to think about all this advice.... Thanks ... Maybe I'll speak to Ali.

Clare 28 Oct 2008, 12:43

Jo - if it's as bad as you describe then you owe it to yourself to do something and, if you want to drive, there's no way you'll get away without a prescription. Good luck, it'll be fine. If you read my post under Psychology of Glasses you'll see that it's even difficult for those of us who've had glasses for years and years to be seen in them if that's not our regular look.

Hansel 28 Oct 2008, 07:56

Jo, I think we have seen this a few times before.

IMO your friend will already know/suspect you need glasses,probably kn ows yuo are a little hesitant about the idea, but when you open up the conversation is more than likely to say "About time"...and then be the first to offer to help you choose your frames".

And 28 Oct 2008, 07:31

Jo, sure your mate won't mind a 'glasses' discussion if she's already wearing specs. Are you squinting lots ? How close to a car do you need to be to read the plate ?

Puffin 27 Oct 2008, 18:14

Jo, sounds like you'll have to take the plunge. Once it's done you'll like the vision and wonder why you didn't want to.

Like Lenses 27 Oct 2008, 17:12

Jo,

If as you said number plates, the screen, and recognizing approaching friends is a problem,you have become quite nearsighted, and will probably have a pretty strong first prescription, for full time wear.

You will be amazed at the clarity when you put on your glasses for the first time.

antonio 27 Oct 2008, 15:44

Jo,

just tell her you would like to know

how you look in glasses once

and borrow Ali´s glasses once,

just to know how you see,

good idea ?

best regards, antonio

or do you have a sister wearing glasses or so ?

Jo 27 Oct 2008, 15:11

No I don't think she knows so she might think ...weird!!

antonio 27 Oct 2008, 15:03

Jo,

I was once in the same situation regarding my eyes as you are now,

so I guess I know as you feel,

best regards,

antonio

antonio 27 Oct 2008, 14:59

hi Jo,

aounds to me if some lenses in front of your wonderful eyes would help you not only to drive ???

Does your friend Ali already knows you are in trouble to see far things ?

Could you borrow her glasses once already ?

best regards,

antonio

Jo 27 Oct 2008, 14:19

Hi And. Don't need to do the number plate thing. Gone wayyy beyond that ! Screen's a gonner in last few weeks Luckily power point hand outs and Ali's notes keep me going and she recognises friends approaching!

Kelly 27 Oct 2008, 12:22

Jo, in Canada we have to do a eye test before we are allowed to get our beginners permit. I am -1.25 in each eye and HAVE to wear my glasses to legally drive. I do not know what the minimum is though.

Contacts are not an issue once you figure them out.

Just took time getting to insert them and take them out.

Been ages since I used my contacts though.

Dan 27 Oct 2008, 12:05

Jo - I thought my vision was fine till one night I was driving and my wife, sitting next to me took off her glasses to clean them. She put them back on and said, "oh this is much better...want to try them?" I told her no, because I don't need glasses! She put them on me anyways, while I was driving, and I was shocked at how clear they made street signs. I kept wearing them as I drove. When I took them off at a stoplight most distance went back to what I thought was normal. We then tested each others vision, me asking her what she could or could not see without her glasses. The next day she made me an appointment with her eye dr, and I got prescribed glasses a bit stronger than hers!! That was 3 months ago, and now I am ft! As previous poster says, plates and street numbers are amazing when you can read them.

Phil 27 Oct 2008, 10:50

So many first time gwgs appearing here lately. Ella, Laura and now there will soon be Jo! It's great to hear of young women getting their first glasses. I hope you all keep in touch and tell us of your "journeys".

And 26 Oct 2008, 14:03

Jo, try reading a car number plate, or stand in the supermarket and read the various signs, see how you manage. Do you squint at things ? If your friend is 20/20 with her glasses on it will be easy to compare what you both see.

Jo 26 Oct 2008, 11:27

Thanks Clare looks like the pressures on... May ask Ali to try her glasses and "see" how I get on .. wearing glasses .. me!?

Clare 26 Oct 2008, 07:37

Jo - if you're planning to learn to drive you'll need to prove that you can meet the vision standard. If you can't see the board in lectures you probably wouldn't meet the requirement so you'd need to wear glasses to drive. I think that even when someone has a low prescription like -1 are required to wear them for driving.

Jo 26 Oct 2008, 06:52

Couldn't handle contacts ... That poking in the eye stuff too much for me. I don't drive yet but I'd like to soon.

OD 26 Oct 2008, 04:46

Jo, you can always wear contacts.

And 26 Oct 2008, 03:42

Jo, do you drive ? Go to movies ? What's Ali's prescription, why not try her's and see how you feel ?

Julian 26 Oct 2008, 03:33

Jo: sorry, but I think you're being stupid. You obviously need glasses for distant vision, and you should get a pair and wear them.

Jo 25 Oct 2008, 16:43

Hi .. Scam don't sound too good. Struggled last year seeing screen at lectures and taken to sitting at front and lately reading friends notes. Can't see myself as a glasses wearer even though Ali got glasses last session and acts as if "whatever" "no prblm"!!!

Cactus Jack 25 Oct 2008, 11:04

Jo,

Pretty much a waste of time and money. Check out "The Bates Method" and the "See Clearly Method" on the web for scam information.

Jo 25 Oct 2008, 06:25

My eyes are going blurry. What about eye exercises? Would they help?!

Eli 24 Oct 2008, 13:33

Then I thought of the blur can be caused by a slight increase in my prescription. I removed my glasses, and realised how blind I am without glasses. I thought it should be around .75/1 D increase.

Then I tried a simple test.

I was totally amazed at how those lights get focused when my eyes seeing through... the two overlapping, removed lenses. The image was so sharp that I can see every details of the building again, under dim light conditions. So it seems my prescription have increased to around -3 range. I simply can't believe (at the instance) the increase of my myopia was so huge, as I have accustomed to a stable prescription over the last 4 years. BTW, I only wear my glasses outdoors, usually.

Eli 24 Oct 2008, 13:10

Hi. I had posted here 4 yrs ago about my first rx. Today I realised that my distance acuity have deteriorated so much since I passed my last eye test on June 2008 with 20/20, using the same pair of glasses prescripted 4 years ago. I was relaxing in my bedroom facing the window and noticed the deterioration of my distance acuity--- the once focused light sources (lighting across the a building 10 m away) were found to be "out of focus". I thought it was not significant, and tried lifting my lenses a little bit upward, then I realised the distorted image was just slightly closer to focus.

Phil 24 Oct 2008, 03:51

Laura,

What do you plan to do at the weekend? I find shopping to be one activity where wearing my specs is essential.

What's the nicest comment you've received about how you look in glasses?

Laura 24 Oct 2008, 03:02

Morning,

I wore my glasses until I got home last night. I went to the pub with my 'Mum' and 'Dad' but didnt wear them out. They were not the first thing I put on today but did put them on when I left home and they have been on since.

I know my vision is not that bad. When my mum asked how I was doing with them and we had a brief discussion I was amazed at what my Dad couldnt see with his. He has -7 / -6.25 it turns out. But I have noticed the difference when I wear mine now.

Phil 24 Oct 2008, 02:27

Ella, I think that the fact that one is wearing specs is invariably more significant to the wearer than anyone else!

You have quite a significant rx in one eye (taking account of the astigmatism). Like me you are probably beyond help from squinting.

It is interesting that Laura, who has also just got her first glasses with a lower rx than you, has chosen to go virtually fulltime very quickly. But it's all a matter of personal choice, isn't it?

Do you like wearing glasses or atre you self-conscious? What frames do you have?

Ella 23 Oct 2008, 13:52

Phil,

No, I won't wear them all the time as its mainly for distance things I need them. Wore them in a training session today after realising that squinting at the flipchart wasn't getting me anywhere. Got a comment from the manager running the session, asking me where I'd got the frames rather than anything about the fact I was actually wearing glasses for the first time!

Phil 23 Oct 2008, 10:39

Well done! I'm so impressed that in three days you become a virtually fulltime wearer. Are you used to them now? Do you like how you look in them? I bet you haven't had anything but positive compliments, having chosen such nice frames.

If you keep them on till bedtime and put them on again when you get up you will be a fulltime gwg!

Laura 23 Oct 2008, 09:45

Hi Phil,

Just going home and have worn them all day today!

Phil 23 Oct 2008, 09:43

Katy, you know exactly what I look like!!!

How are you?

Katy 23 Oct 2008, 09:19

Phil - how about a Facebook pic with your glasses on? It's only fair, if you want to see the girls with theirs on.. ;-)

Phil 23 Oct 2008, 05:13

Laura, if you want to contact me on Facebook I'm "Philip Davies" and I have no picture (because I'm too much of a wuss to load one)!

Laura 23 Oct 2008, 04:28

I have made lunch for today but might go out for some fresh air.

I am ok at my computer without but have been wearing them anyway.

Does have astigmatism add to the lens strength or is it just an adjustment to how the lens works? Maybe a stupid question or put wrongly.

Kayleigh who is my friend who said she might get some glasses like mine came over earlier and she has been looking at the specsavers magazine and online at some frames. She said I was lucky that my glasses were weak cos hers are so strong but I dont know what her prescription is cos she didnt know. Someone had asked on here.

Anyway, she said would I go help her choose some when she was ready, she needed her eyetest first though so I will help her.

Phil 23 Oct 2008, 04:21

That would be great Laura. I'd never find you on Facebook where there must be thouands of "Lauras"!!

How are you finding close work with your specs on? I'm myopic so that my glasses don't help with reading etc. But you have a bit of astigmatism too.

I haven't been able to read the MacDonalds menu for years: so I always have a quarter pounder! What's for lunch today?

Laura 23 Oct 2008, 03:53

I might post some when I have got to know everyone. I do use Facebook.

Phil 23 Oct 2008, 03:42

You've been so determined! I'd love to see a pic! Are you on Facebook or something?

Laura 23 Oct 2008, 03:39

Hello Phil.

I think I will just keep wearing them. I have taken them off a couple of times for short periods.

I love being able to see things clearly. I probably sound a bit stupid considering my glasses are pretty weak but there is a big difference to me.

Phil 23 Oct 2008, 02:56

Laura, have you still got your glasses on? I bet the comments are mostly over now. Do you intend to wear them all the time from now on? Comments like "hot" sound pretty good to me!

Sis 23 Oct 2008, 02:30

Just got new glasses.

L: Sph -7, cyl -0,5/15

R: Sph -4,75, cyl -0,25/180

Add 2,25

There is a significant difference between the two lenses - quite cool, I think.

I got som quite stilish frames:

http://www.bjornborg.com/en/Collection/?varshowitem=Revival 5 BB01 51_17-140

My kids think I look like a total nerd - perhaps I am one.

I alternate the glasses with progressive contacts. They took some time to get used to, but now I'm fine.

My prescription for progressive contacts are L: -5,25, R: -4,5. The idea is that I use my right eye for distance and my left for close. They have different strength within each lens, so that when my pupil is small - in bright light and on short distance I use the middle section of the lens. When the pupil is bigger I use the outher section which is suited for distance.

I'm not sure how they messure the right rx, but I think there is some sort of table they use. It's working anyway.

Laura 23 Oct 2008, 02:06

I took the plunge and wore them when my friend picked me up for the gym. She made nice comments too and I told her I was a bit nervous/conscious etc about wearing them and people finding out for the 1st time.

I didnt wear them in the gym or afterwards but she told me to put them on to show her again and she snapped me in them on her phone.

So now she has sent it to most of our friends and said everyone knows now. I had some messages sent saying nice, cool, hot etc so I guess everyone knows.

I wore them at home yesterday evening and now worn them all of today...so far.

So thanks for the nice comments from everyone here.

And - I couldnt read the menu from where I was in the queue, tested by taking glasses off and on. So glad I had them.

My mum was right. It is really nice to be able to see. Although as I mentioned before having read through some of the posts I know my mum and me dont have very strong glasses at all but she said to me - you'll start wearing them all the time once you realise your blind. Mums are always right. lol.

Zorab 22 Oct 2008, 16:03

Clare -- thanks for the reply, sorry to have got the wrong one!

Clare 22 Oct 2008, 13:16

Zorab - not me, I'm far too conservative for drop temples!

Phil 22 Oct 2008, 10:43

Wow Laura, you are nearly there. A fulltime wearer within a day or two of getting your first specs! Very impressive! Still keep putting them in your hair from time to time though: it's such a sexy device that girls use to such advantage! Do you find thay help when you are at work on the computer?

And 22 Oct 2008, 10:35

Laura, before your glasses would you not have been able to see the McDonalds menu ? Did your friend reveal her prescription ?

Laura 22 Oct 2008, 09:52

Thanks.

1st pair Blue, 2nd Brown.

We went to lumch but didnt have long so it was McDonalds. In a queue as usual so my friend asked what I was going to have so I got my glasses out and looked to see what I wanted. She just said something like I didnt know you wore glasses and they looked nice and went on about what she was going to eat.

When we got our food at sat down she asked when I got them and said better for checking guys out outside etc.

So I wore them back to work and did have a few people making a fuss but nothing horrible. A couple of people tried them on.

I spent the afternoon both wearing them and with them sat on top of my head. Just about to go to the gym with a friend so I am keeping them on for now.

I am glad some people have seen me in them now but I feel a bit funny still cos I will have to get past this with other groups of friends etc.

My friend I went to lunch with, Kayleigh, came over to my desk later on and said she has glasses but always has contacts. Known her for about 3 years and never knew that but she said she liked my glasses and tried them on and said she might get a similar design so that was nice.

Thanks for all the nice comments from people on here.

Phil 22 Oct 2008, 05:01

They are both lovely frames. What good taste you have. I bet you look gorgeous in either pair! Do you have them in brown or blue? And which ones did you wear for your lunch? How was reading the menu? And what did your friend say? So many questions! Hehe!

Laura 22 Oct 2008, 04:56

Thanks guys.

I hope the links below work.

I am going for lunch with a friend from here so I will show her them if I am brave enough.

http://www.specsavers.co.uk/glasses/designer-glasses/th23

http://www.specsavers.co.uk/glasses/designer-glasses/th06

glassesforeveryone 22 Oct 2008, 04:03

Hi Laura,

Good luck with your new glasses. It's a weird thing 'coming out' for the first time. My prescription is similar to yours but, despite resolutions to the contrary, I still don't wear my glasses full-time.

I wear them at work and at home, but I am not comfortable wearing them in front of friends - no idea why!

Maybe it's because getting glasses in adulthood gives you the freedom (while your eyes let you) to choose whether to wear them or not. Whereas people who get glasses when they are younger don't really have the choice.

I bet they look great on you and more importantly you'll see great, especially with astigmatism and working on computers. If you wear your glasses I bet you'll notice the difference at the end of the day. At the moment your eyes must be working overtime and there must be strain and headaches at the end of the day. You'll notice the difference.

Let us know how you get on - good luck!

Phil 22 Oct 2008, 03:50

Wow Laura. You are doing so well! I predict you will soon be a fulltime gwg. Hearing about you getting there is so exciting!

If your colleagues see you I have no doubt you you will get a few (positive) compliments initially. But that will be that. From then on your specs will be yesterday's news. Soon people will not remember you bare-eyed. And you will be able to see!

Have you tried them for computer work? Given the astigmatism they may help. Have you got both pairs with you? What are they like?

Laura 22 Oct 2008, 03:32

Morning,

I wore my glasses once I got to the bus last night and wore them for the 20 minute journey. They seemed to give me a bit of headache so took them off then.

Went to my mums house before going home. My Grandad and dad (mums BF) were there. My mum and Dad thought they looked really nice and suited me (but they would say that anyway). My mum tried them and she said she could see pretty well with them, I asked my dad if he wanted to try to but he said they wouldnt make any difference to him. My mum said I should be wearing them all the time.

When I got home I wore them for the rest of the night. Could actually see the time in the football match on TV!

This morning when i got up my lodger was back. I had left the 2nd pair in the kitchen and she asked if they were mine and said lets see them on you then. She said I looked good in them so at least she has seen me in them.

I wore them to the bus stop, could see which bus was mine today and wore them until was at the office but I have taken them off again. How weak of me!! I am thinking I should put them on while I am here at my desk typing this but feel a bit awkward. I will try to pluck up some courage. I dont think I mind having them on, its that I dont like fuss and attention and I think I will get a load from all my colleagues.

Phil 22 Oct 2008, 01:32

Do you think you will wear them all the time Ella? And how about you Laura?

Zorab 21 Oct 2008, 17:41

a long time back, someone called Clare was trying to obtain some 'drop temples' frames. Clare: are you the same Clare, or was it another? I think I have found some of the frames you were looking for!

Ella 21 Oct 2008, 12:21

I wore them today! Only two friends commented who were sat next to me at the back of the presentation. I could see everything, was really clear and I sat on the back row instead of the front.

Clare 21 Oct 2008, 12:18

Ella, Laura - I think we are all used to our habitual state, so now that you have glasses you both realise what a difference they make, even if the prescription isn't so strong. I don't consider my prescription strong, although it's a bit stronger than yours, but even so it still surprises me sometimes how much I can't see if I take out my contacts at an airport or in the office.

Just appreciate the difference and enjoy the compliments!

Phil 21 Oct 2008, 09:52

Try wearing them on your way home! Even I wear mine if I need to spot a train. How are they for reading? Good luck.

Laura 21 Oct 2008, 08:43

Not sure yet. Just wore them in the opticians and then for 5 minutes in outside my work. I liked that I can see. I am starting some driving lessons next week so lucky I have the glasses now.

I cant imagine all these strong prescriptions I have read about and how people must see without their glasses!

Phil 21 Oct 2008, 07:27

Wow Laura, I told you it would be amazing. Just wait till you are out in the dark! It's like that when you get stronger lenses (as you may do). Do you enjoy wearing them?

Laura 21 Oct 2008, 07:16

OMG, you posted just when I was doing mine Phil.

Laura 21 Oct 2008, 07:15

I got my glasses at lunchtime. Having read through the posts and read what some people's vision is like it seems a bit stupid to say but OMG how blind was I. I can see things again. When I first put them on and looked down the shop it was quite amazing at what I could see. I tried both pairs which both fitted well but when the lady asked if I wanted to wear a pair I said no. A bit weak of me! I put a pair on for about 5 minutes before going back into the office and could see number plates across the road and leaves on the tree etc. I have not put them on since but will when I go home. Maybe I will when I wait for the bus, then I'll know what number is coming and not have to wait till its right in front of me. LOL.

Phil 21 Oct 2008, 07:13

Have you collected them Laura? How can you see?

Aubrac 21 Oct 2008, 06:23

Ella

I remember getting my first glassez at about seventeen. I used to think everyone was staring at me because I was wearing glasses, until I realised that with glasses on, I could actually see clearly what people were looking at.

Once you have worn them for a while in front of friends and colleagues, you will find it completely normal, and have the benefit of seeing everything clearly and without strain.

Phil 21 Oct 2008, 01:20

Laura, let us know how it goes. It will be a great feeling when you first put them on. Everything will be so clear.

Laura 21 Oct 2008, 01:07

Hi Phil,

I think I have known for a little while that my sight was not right. I had mentioned it at my mums house and she let me wear hers and I could see the TV better. That made me investigate eyesight a bit and found this sight and so I think I have become quite interested in them now.

I am goin to collect them today in my lunch break.

Hansel 20 Oct 2008, 14:46

Ella

If anyone does notice, I am sure it will be positive and complimentary.

Good luck anyway!

Ella 20 Oct 2008, 13:57

Hansel

Yes, I've worn them in the house, and the TV is lovely and clear! Am planning to 'debut' them at work tomorrow as there's as a presentation which I know will be difficult to see without them- just going to put them on and forget about them I think.

Phil 20 Oct 2008, 09:32

You sound interested in glasses Laura. Were you pleased to find you needed to wear them yourself?

Laura 20 Oct 2008, 09:27

My mum has had glasses for about 20 years and has always had about the same prescription which was upto last year -1.25 both eyes and -0.50 astimatism both eyes. She said it has changed very slightly. Last year she had to get Varifocal glasses.

My mums boyfriend is in his 30's and has quite thick lenses. I have no idea about the strength but might ask him about them. He usually wears them all the time and contacts occassionally.

Phil 20 Oct 2008, 09:07

They sound nice Laura. Quite a co-incidence to find both you and Ella in the same boat at the same time. If I were advising you both I would say "wear them" because they will make you look great: a girl in glasses will inevitably outshine one without! You both have great prescriptions.

But I'm hardly one to give advice. I'm now up to -4 and still don't wear my glasses fulltime. I'm fine at weekends, and on holiday. But I've never had the confidence to wear them fulltime at work. My saying so again here will no doubt cause an outburst of indignation from some people here who don't understand and just think I'm a wuss! But when glasses are a significant thing in someone's life it is not always easy to behave rationally.

Laura 20 Oct 2008, 08:52

I have 2 pairs (for price of 1 - Bargain) of Tommy Hilfiger from Specsavers. I'll try to find a link to them when I get time.

Phil 20 Oct 2008, 05:33

What frames have you chosen Laura? You've the perfect prescription: enough to make you a fulltime girl with glasses but not such as to make life awkward for you. Good luck. Just have fun wearing glasses and sit back and wait for the compliments!

Laura 20 Oct 2008, 04:13

Hi,

The optician said it was up to me but he would suggest wearing full time right away. I am quite excited to be getting them but a bit 'worried' about it too.

Puffin 20 Oct 2008, 03:41

That seems to be quite a bit of astigmatism, I would think you've been advised to wear them full time.

Laura 20 Oct 2008, 02:41

I am 23 and just got told I need glasses. I am collecting them tomorrow.

Great site. I have been rumaging around.

My prescription is

R -0.75 -1.00

L -0.75 -0.75

Hansel 19 Oct 2008, 13:59

Have you tried wearing them around the house, watching TV etc yet? That will give you the feel of the benefit they provide.

Hansel 19 Oct 2008, 13:56

With the numbers you have provided Ella, given the -2.00 and the additional -0.75, you might find wearing them all the time will really help.

Be brave and go for it.

Ella 19 Oct 2008, 13:47

My prescription is -0.75 in my left eye and -2.00 in the right one, there's also another number (-0.25 and -0.75) after both, which if I remember what the optician said, is to do with the curvature of your eye?

He didn't tell me when to wear them, except he said definitely when driving.

Have still not worn them at work yet!

Cactus Jack 19 Oct 2008, 12:09

dave,

It sounds like your eyes are quite good, but you just have a very mild distance vision problem and perhaps reading problem.

I suspect that the primary reason the lenses are thick at the edges are because of the width of the lens and the thickness at the center of the lens for mechanical and safety reasons.

You could probably get very thin lenses if you went to a smaller lens and were prepared to pay for them and accept the risk of breakage and easy damage.

May I ask your age and occupation.

dave 19 Oct 2008, 09:20

i see good with them my frame is size51 my rx is -2 -1 astig and +2 add axis 90 degrees they are poly but thay are quite thick

Cactus Jack 19 Oct 2008, 08:31

Dave,

How well do you see with your glasses?

How wide are you glasses lenses?

What is your complete Rx?

dave 19 Oct 2008, 04:33

also my semirimless glasses are quite thick around 5mm is this because om my astigmitism and its axix at 90 degrees

dave 19 Oct 2008, 04:18

i have -2 myopia and -1.00 astigmitism how bad are my eyes

Dieter 17 Oct 2008, 08:41

Ella,

A lot of us felt the same at first. It is almost comical to read the posts of mature people who resist wearing reading glasses as they reach their 40s or 50s. At one time it is a new experience for every first time glasses wearer. It is especially difficult to walk into a large room of people you know when you feel as though everyone is looking at you.

Let me suggest a couple of ideas:

Try wearing them someplace where you are a complete stranger and no one will particularly take notice such as browsing through a clothing store. Then continue into the hallways of the mall or streets and hit some more stores.

At work, do something like wear them as you walk into or out of the office. Lay them on your desk so they will be seen and become "conversation starters" one on one. Wear them to a presentation where the group is small. Once one or two people take notice, and you have gotten past a few of the remarks about your glasses, you will become more comfortable with the idea of being seen. You will likely be surprised at the pleasant comments and "double takes".

Cut-in UK 16 Oct 2008, 22:51

Ella, remember, you are the same person with your glasses on. What did the optician recommend about wear ? Wear as directed for visual comfort but also to get people used to your wearing them. They soon become part of you and you MAY even find that they become a fashion accessory. Most young women who wear them today, choose bolder styles, and often receive many compliments.Take the plunge and let us know how you get on and more importantly, how YOU feel about them. You obviously need them.

And 16 Oct 2008, 15:59

Ella, what's your prescription ?

sourgrape 16 Oct 2008, 15:15

It's tough at first, but it is well worth it.

Ella 16 Oct 2008, 15:03

Hey,

Just found this website. I'm 24 and just got my first pair of glasses after about 2 years of thinking I might need them and putting off going to the optician!

Feel incredibly self-conscious and not worn them yet, which seems a bit silly because the reason I went to get an eyetest is that I was struggling to see things far away. I had started sitting near the front at presentations and meetings at work, and now I don't have to, but still do out of habit and too scared to just put my new glasses on!

Anyone else feel like me? It seems that I have spent a lot of money and now am wondering if I should not have bothered because cannot pluck up the courage to wear them.

Phil 13 Oct 2008, 01:06

Clare, Don't choose alone! Remember I'm only just up the road and will happily offer a chap's view!

When I was 39 the first signs of presbyopia were there! But you've probably got a few years yet without needing an add. How are you on the share prices in the FT when wearing your glasses? I found it was the little fractions of a penny that became indecipherable first. Try it in dim light!

-5.00 who luvs gwgs 11 Oct 2008, 23:22

this was exactly why I googled and found eyescene in the first place I was reduced from -5.00 and -4.00 to -4.75 and -3.75 which I found to be too weak so I have ordered them at -6.00 and -5.00 and now have the best sight as far as I am concerned the optician thinks I am overprescribed but she does not see through my eyes If I were you have another test and then order online

Adam 11 Oct 2008, 19:59

-3.25 and -3.50

The last time I had my eyes checked, my optometrist gave me a weaker Rx (-3.25/-3.00 from a -3.50). I can make out the 20/20 line with the -3.25, BUT, I can definitely see better with the -3.50, and even -3.75/-4.00. (I can see the 20/15 line better with the stronger Rx's.)

Should I ask my optometrist to just give me the stronger Rx? I mean, they're my eyes. He seems to think my eyesight will improve by giving me a slightly weaker Rx.

ehpc 10 Oct 2008, 21:06

Clare.....................I have been telling you for ages that blondes wearing minus lenses in black rectangular plastic frames with wide sides are the hottest women in the planet.........................but it's never got through :) Sigh........................Pete

Clare 10 Oct 2008, 13:46

Hiya Phil - I must say I'm a bit over the heavy rimmed styles and I've never been convinced they suit me anyway. I was away with a few friends a couple of weekends ago and the discussion turned to glasses styles. Someone there was a bit of a style guru and, along with recommendations for the others, reckoned that the heavy dark styles suit blondes. I'm not so sure so looking for something different. I'm not sure I've seen the frames you're describing, or maybe I'm not with it tonight - it's been a long week!

No add for me yet I think and anyway I'm still to hit the big 40 so expect to stave it off for a while!

Phil 10 Oct 2008, 01:35

Hi Clare, How are you? Haven't heard from you for ages? The heavy plastic look seems still well in. What do you think of those frames where the sides of the lenses are not embedded in the frames? I quite like them.

Any chance you'll need an add next time? Can you read tiny print with your current rx?

Clare 09 Oct 2008, 11:30

Like Lenses - not I've not been buying new glasses. I'm thinking about it for early next year though. Need to check out what the next look will be.

OD 07 Oct 2008, 09:10

Slit, have you started wearing bifocals yet?

JR 07 Oct 2008, 06:07

Sure

O.D. +1.00-2.50x80 add +2.25

O.S. +0.75-2.50x100 add +2.25

Slit 06 Oct 2008, 23:17

JR:

Hey thats a cool one ;-)

Whats is ur Rx may i ask?

Like Lenses 06 Oct 2008, 23:11

Clare

Have not seen you here. Are you out getting new glasses?

JR 06 Oct 2008, 14:17

I just remembered my personal drinking test is, when I can see the "same" with and without my glasses I have had enough to drink!

Slit 06 Oct 2008, 13:39

Apparently i exceeded character limit previous time.

Here comes the second part to GG:

Hi GG,

re: studies. are you studying for masters? i have been at engineering school for 4 yrs and graduated recently.

Slit 06 Oct 2008, 13:37

Hi GG,

well what i assume about the alcohol effect is that alcohol results in relaxing the muscles (because after few drinks i feel all my body muscles are relaxed and kind of less sensitive... a feeling of being feelingless on skin... the best thing about alcohol for me!).

i guess it relaxes eye muscles also which are held up under tension to make eyes focus. (which is the common case for hyperopes like u and me)

anyways, althogh blurry vision is a head ache at times, it becomes a grace for the times we need a relaxation and turn off all the signals from environment and we can get lost in our own world!

Slit 06 Oct 2008, 13:36

test post.

GG 04 Oct 2008, 10:33

Slit,

I had glasses when I was very young but never wore them. I guess I was farsighted back then but I just started wearing glasses/bifocals at 29. I have too found that after a few drinks trying to focus is much harder.

I have even been told by a few friends that I have a lazy eye after a few drinks. (only close friends can tell you something like that) I shared what they said with my eye doctor but he didnt notice anything. SO who knows maybe it is an effect of alchohol, not a real eye problem.

Not that this is a good idea but I have wondered if people would be given a higher prescription if they had an eye exam after a few drinks....just a thought!

FYI wearing my bifocals now and going to study!

Jersey Girl 04 Oct 2008, 10:14

Just had my annual eye exam this week. The doctor was going to prescribe -1.50 in both eyes. I said I am happy wearing my current prescription of -1.75 in both eyes so he rewrote it at that level. I also wear -2.25 glasses sometimes without difficulty.

Slit 03 Oct 2008, 19:25

Hi GG,

Well, it is good that you are feeling comfortable with the contacts, although they do not correct 100%.

Actually accorsing to your postings i had inferred that u wore glasses only for reading for a long time and u got bifocals at 29? Or was this your first ever glasses at 29?

For me personally, I do not wear glasses too often, but recently when i was after 2 glasses of alcholic cocktail i felt that my eye is relaxing and letting go of the focus on near things! (i.e. i had to put an deleberate effort to focus on my mobile phone.) Did you or anyone else had a similar experience?

GG 01 Oct 2008, 12:28

Slit � I chickened out and went with contact lenses. They don�t have the astigmatism or bifocal part so I actually see better with my glasses but at least I am wearing the contacts all the time. The eye doctor said that even in the short time since I got glasses my eyes are excepting the prescription and he increased my �distance� prescription from +2.00 to +2.50. I get headaches sometimes at work though which I attribute to not having the reading add although I still use my glasses if I know I am going to study for a long period of time. I saw my mother last weekend but I just wore my contacts so they still haven�t seen me in glasses yet. I know my prescription is pretty weak but I definitely feel more comfortable with at least my contacts in.

Now that I am more aware of vision I keep noticing how many other people have less than perfect vision. A co-worker of mine, in his early 30�s who is farsighted as well lost the screw out of his frames he left to get them fixed he said, but later admitted that he couldn�t finish the day at work without his glasses and he couldnt see the screw well enough to fix it himself. I think he is coming to the reality that needs his glasses, they are no longer just helpful, they are a necessity. It actually made me sort of sad for him. He has talked to me about vision/glasses a lot lately, I think it is just nice to be able to talk to someone who understands.

sourgrapes 27 Sep 2008, 11:51

They were saying that it was common, but as you say there are exceptions

Longtime Reader 27 Sep 2008, 10:45

Clementine, do you have sourcing for your comment citing -2 as "generally accepted" requiring full-time wear or is that just your personal opinion?

I have known many people over the years who go without glasses with prescriptions of -3 or more, sometimes even -5, who either didn't wear glasses or wore them very loosely. There are many stories here on Eyescene noting the same thing.

So I would really like to know what you are citing when you say this.

Cleventine 24 Sep 2008, 14:11

It should have been on the dr's recommendation, but it is commonly accepted that -2.00 or greater compells full-time wear.

Don't you get headaches?

nathan 24 Sep 2008, 11:43

Is that really true? Doesn't someone usually tell you that you should wear them all the time? I thought it was on dr's recommendation.

Puffin 23 Sep 2008, 05:35

Erica, as your son is that young he might have enough accomodation in his ciliary muscles to overcome some or just possibly all of the hyperopia he has, but no amount of accomodation will help with the astigmatism, which will cause distortion at all distances.

I'd put the uncorrected vision somewhere around 20/400 or so, purely an informed guess, although it could be more like 20/800.

KS 23 Sep 2008, 01:35

I've got my new glasses with the prescription:

LE:-8.50

RE:-9.25

Strong prescription

ROD 22 Sep 2008, 21:08

Hello Erica,

I've a prescription similar to the one your son's wear.

OD +8.50 : -5.75 x 175� add +2.00

OS +9.25 : - 4.50 x 0� add +2.00

I've very poor eyesight, I cannot see anything without my glasses. Everything is a blur, at any distance, and even with glasses on my nose I can't achieve a complete correction.

In order to have an idea of what your son sees, you may consult the next link:

http://www.vsdar.de/auge/virtualeye.html

Cactus Jack 22 Sep 2008, 18:42

Erica,

It is hard to describe what another person sees. However, with that Rx, distant objects would appear very blurry and very small, near objects would be even more blurry. It would probably be impossible for him to read without his glassses. The next time you take him to his eye care professional, you might ask them to let you try some lenses that are the opposite of his Rx in a trial frame.

Do you wear glasses or contacts? If so, could you provide your Rx.

Erica 22 Sep 2008, 13:13

My five year old son has an Rx for +8.5 in both eyes with a +2.00 for astigmatism and a 90 axis. I wondered what this might mean his vision is without glasses in terms of 20/20. I know it's pretty bad but noone has ever told me what his vision acuity is without glasses. It's corrected to about 20/30 with them.

Erica

Cleventine 21 Sep 2008, 10:42

Nathan,

It is because you have crossed the line into a "full-time-wear" prescription. That happens about -2.00. And the correction for astigmatism makes full-time wear even more appropriate.

nathan 21 Sep 2008, 08:05

I got a new prescription for glasses about 6 months ago. My old glasses were -1.50 & -1.75 the new one went up a bit to -1.75 & -2.50 -0.50 x 135. I'm wearing these more than the others which is strange as they said it wasn't a big change and I've never thought my vision was bad. It surprised me when I went out to the supermarket yesterday and left my glasses in the car because my eyes felt so tired. Why is that? Is it the extra -0.50 x 135 on my prescription.

Slit 19 Sep 2008, 18:15

Hi GG,

Did you manage to find a good supplier of glasses online?

How is the reaction from family about bifocals?

I guess they would be a little curous in the begining, but later it would become just a nother part of you for them. :-) This is what happened for me when I got braces for the first time. Everyone was asking questions about how it feels, isnt it hard to eat with them one and etc... but after 1 week, they started seeing it as a part of me...

And surprisingly, after it was removed sometime later, it again became a top story for them, asking "what happened to them?" :-) but only for another week!

Cactus Jack 19 Sep 2008, 16:02

mysuperduty,

10 mm might be a little to much adjustment. The amount of adjustment is related to the vertex distance from the cornea to where the axis of vision intercepts the back surface of the lens. If you analyze the geometry and trig involved, it appears to increase from about 0.25 mm per diopter to a little more than 0.3 mm. I think it should be closer to 8 mm reduction in PD, but i don't believe 10 would cause much problem. Just make sure that the lens maker doesn't reduce it again. Please let us know how it works out.

mysuperduty 19 Sep 2008, 06:13

HI! I was trying to figure out how to adjust my PD for prisms. I read the conversion chart that was posted, but I wanted to re assure I was close in my calculations. I am normally a pd of 61, but if I want to start wearing prism of 15 each eye(30 diopt. total) I should make the pd closer , lets say a pd of 51? Is this right? THX for the help!!!

Andrew 18 Sep 2008, 12:02

My children have just had their annual visit to the optician's; no glasses required as yet, but I still had good eyesight at their age, so time will yet tell.

Cactus Jack 16 Sep 2008, 17:29

Carlos Jr.,

There is a lot of circumstantial evidence that there is a genetic component to myopia, but I don't think anyone has identified the gene(s) involved. Several years ago there was some research at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore that identified a hormone produced by the retina that affects eyeball growth that could be involved. Generally, myopia is caused by the eyeball having grown a bit too long to match the plus optical power of the cornea / crystaline lens system which then requires an external minus lens to neutralize the excess plus power.

Carlos, Jr. 16 Sep 2008, 15:48

Hi, I know some of you remember me posting about my son. Carlos III, having to get glasses for nearsightedness and then having adjustment problems which meant using bifocals for a period of time. The good news is that Trey is happily seeing through contacts. This past week, my youngest son Joseph, age 12, brought home a note from his teacher suggesting an eye exam. Apparently he was squinting while looking at the blackboard. We had his eyes examined and he was -1.25 in both eyes. Now both my boys are nearsighted. Is nearsightedness inherited--just wondering since I am nearsighted also.

Shelly 15 Sep 2008, 19:17

Hi GG, Yeah, I've ordered from a couple of sites. Some of the sites like myeyeglasses.net are, like, in Hong Kong or China, so no, they're definately not gonna contact your doctor! They don't even ask for your doctor's name! And yeah if you use CJ's calculation for what your full reading prescription is, just enter that, leave the 'add' part blank, and there you have it--your reading/computer glasses. If you don't want the bifocal part in your regular glasses, just use your regular prescription and again leave the add part blank. It's pretty simple actually. (I know because I've helped my mom do this.)

You think you might not like the frames when you try them on? Well you can find the same exact ones or similar ones at a local optical store to try out. I think rimless ones are a pretty safe bet. And some of these sites are cheap enough that they could be spare pairs if nothing else!

I'm glad your seeing well but you should definately feel comfortable w/others seeing you in them! For me it was a gradual process where people first saw me in them at the library or in class. Obviously now I wear them much much more (maybe 80% of the time) and everyone sees me in them. It sounds like your going kind of straight from no glasses at all to needing them quite a bit and feeling better with them on. By now probably your office-mates are used to seeing you in them. Since you bring up meeting a friend at a restaurant, you could do the same with your family or with other friends. When the menus come, you could take out your glasses from your bag and call attention to them and show them off, then put them on.

But the first step is to get a pair you like! If you don't want to order online then just splurge and get a cute pair anyway. If you don't like bifocals get the no-line kind. I bet they would work for you. But if you feel more comfortable with the lined kind--like my mom for example--just wear them and don't worry about it. Anyway get the glasses you like, now! Just do it!

SoCal 15 Sep 2008, 16:37

Hey guys . . .

I just got the new Rx today . . . L -2.25 R -1.75.

4eyes 14 Sep 2008, 13:57

Opsss... 4 eyes from Brasil

heheheh

14 Sep 2008, 13:56

I've trying to talk to you since ages...

I am so happy you're Ok.

E-mail me, if you please

anderson

GG 11 Sep 2008, 13:42

Shelly - Thanks for all the websites, I found a few pairs that I like but you just never know without trying them on. Have you ever ordered from any of the sites yourself?

And do they call your doctor to verify the RX, I just really like the eye doctor I went to and dont want him to get upset that I went elsewhere. Also, my RX is written for bifocals, will they make regular glasses with just the reading RX? Sorry for so many questions, this is all new to me.

I definitely dont feel comfortable in the bifocals. The vision is great but I have yet to get used to people seeing me in bifocals. Just letting people see me in glasses is hard enough. So, I agree with you Shelly that I really need to find a pair that I feel good in and want people to see me in, especially my family. They don�t know yet and I'm not sure how I will bring it up. Any suggestions?

Anyway, I am finding that with most things especially close up, I am becoming more reliant on my glasses. Two nights ago I met a friend out and he knows about my glasses but I didn�t have them with me and he started playing a vision test game with me to see what I could see. I found that that I couldn�t read some things he could. But in my defense it was very dark in the restaurant and the menu was in italics. He was shocked at my vision and couldn�t understand why didn�t have my glasses on or even with me. But he said that he has one �good� eye and one �bad� eye and if he only looked with his bad eye he could pretty much only see what I could see. He said that is both of his eyes were as bad as the �bad� one he would have to wear glasses almost all the time. He told me his RX was L +.25 and R +1.75 and he is 32. There are so many more people who need glasses than I ever thought!

Shelly 10 Sep 2008, 20:33

GG, I forgot, coastalcontacts.com and framesdirect.com have cute designer frames. Good luck & look good!

Shelly 10 Sep 2008, 19:50

GG, I first got them in college, but their a little stronger now, and I now I have some astigmatisam too. Before, I used to just wear them for heavy reading and studying/office work, and didn't like them at all for distance...Now I wear them much more but take them off when I know I won't be needing them but keep them with me. Kind of a switch in default I guess.

Yeah, now I need them way more for reading and especially small electronic things like my cellphone. And they make distance definately if subtly more comfortable indoors...like when shopping in those dimly lit boutiques! And I always wear them for night driving. When I first started, they made reading better but it was still OK w/out, just maybe a headache if I did it for too long.

Back to you: I would definately invest in the best glasses you are willing to spend, after all you have to see well AND look good! I read what people said about drugstore readers but they are ugly!

It looks like you need two pairs, maybe three if you get sunglasses. If you want to save $$, try one of the online places like globaleyeglasses.com which have a few designer styles or if you like rimless which are both super-cool and elegant, try myeyeglasses.net. They have sweet deals if you get 2 or 3 pairs.

Curt 10 Sep 2008, 10:34

GG: +3.00 is as strong as many OTC reading glassses get. I have occasionally seen +3.25 or +3.5, but they are not very common.

The bifocals that you have are sometimes called D-segments, since the bifocal looks like a capital "D" on its side. Standard sizes are 28 millimeters across; if you want a bigger reading area, 35 mm bifocals are available.

If you think the reading area is too small, you are likely not going to be happy with progressive lenses; the reading area in them is usually smaller (depending on the model, sometimes much smaller) than with a standard bifocal.

Good luck!

GG 09 Sep 2008, 13:35

Shelly - Its reassuring to hear that you have similar experiences when you remove your glasses. How long have you been wearing them? Your�re right, it is kind of disorienting at first when you remove them. Eventually my eyes do feel fine if I am just hanging out relaxing with friends. And I totally agree that I need them while shopping. Have you ever been caught without them and found that you couldn�t read something? What about your vision in poor lighting? Thanks for joining in and please do share what you can/cant see. I would love to compare!

Slit- I my bifocals are flat on the top but rounded on the bottom if that makes any sense. I don�t have any problems when I look through the bifocal but it isn�t a very big viewing area.

C � I went to one drugstore yesterday but the highest strength I could find was +2.50 and the frames were not attractive so I�m going to keep looking. Seems that+3.00 isn�t that weak or it is a very popular prescription!

Slit 09 Sep 2008, 13:35

Hi Shelly,

Thanks. I can get some idea of how it feels.

Actually i have the ability to relax my eyes and let go of the focusing, so that things up to about 3 feet gets blurry and i can bring back focus to normal level.

Shelly 09 Sep 2008, 13:01

Slit it's kind of blurry close up but not a total blur at all. If I really want to try to focus w/o glasses I can but it's a pain. Medium distance kind of blurry as well. Even at distance smaller things aren't totally easy to see. A lot depends on how tired my eyes are, or if I've been wearing my glasses a long time that day.

But I'm here trying to help out GG. If you want to become farsighted maybe you can try getting your own glasses or contacts!

Slit 09 Sep 2008, 12:12

Hi Shelly,

Thanks for the participation.

Well, it is amazing how some people will remove their plus glasses and get adjusted in few moments.

Last week i was in a tour to brazil. at the airport i went to a souvenir shop where there was a girl who was wearing something about +4 and operating a fax machine.

But soon after that she removed them and put them in to the case.

Afterwards she continued to carry out general tasks such as folding some papers in a neat manner, packing some items and preparing things to go home.

I was personally surprised to see how she managed near vision tasks without the glasses. If i was to wear +4, i bet i would not remove the glasses for a single moment until i go to bed, because i am so much reliant and addicted to clear vision all the time.

Shelly, how do you see the things within your arms reach when you remove glasses?

Is it a total blur?

Are you used to the blurry sphere around you and a distinctly clear boundary which everything becomes clear? (when not wearing glasses)

I really love to experience how a hyperope would see the world, so i am so thankful if you can explain it in words for me to visualise.

Shelly 09 Sep 2008, 11:13

Hi GG, I know what you mean about the dashboard being blurry, and how sometimes you can feel kind of disoriented after taking your glasses off. I'm a couple of years older than you, and my glasses are about as strong as yours but without the bifocal part. (Although, my optom warned me that I would probably be getting them at my next eye exam.) She also says that I don't need to wear them all the time.

I wear mine pretty much the whole day at work, b/c I'm gonna need them anyway, but take them off afterwards when going to the gym or relaxing or socializing. When I'm doing things like that, I don't really notice that my glasses are missing, and pretty soon, voila--I feel fine and my eyes have adjusted. There are times when I really feel I need them, like when shopping. And there are other times when I feel I see better without them, like when being outside in broad daylight. But I guess everyone's eyes are different, so wear yours as you see fit!

If you don't like either your frames or the bifocal part you should definately get new glasses that you want to wear, which you want other people to see (instead of taking them off as soon as you see someone you know). Make a statement with them! Good luck, Shelly

Slit 08 Sep 2008, 15:19

Hi GG,

Well, i can understand the fact about your concerns of how others mights see you.

But i think if we are bold ans confident about our selves, the others will also feel challenged to look at the bifocals in bad way.

It is common that lot of peoples need of glasses surface with the advancement of the technology. I was in a conferece last week where there were about 700 delegates and i must say that at least 40% wore at least contact lenses and another 20% with glasses!

Do you have circular bifocal segment or flat top segment?

Cactus Jack 07 Sep 2008, 13:55

GG,

If you want to get some Rx reading glasses with the same Rx as the reading segment of your bifocals the Rx would be:

OD (R) +3.00, -0.50 x 100

OS (L) +3.00, -0.50 x 105

You will need your PD (Pupilary Distance). If it is not on your Rx you can measure it easily with a mm rule and a mirror. Let me know if you need help.

Because you are doing a lot of studying, I think you will find the Rx reading glasses will help reduce fatigue and make studying more productive and efficient because you are expending less energy to focus.

You need to face the fact that what you are experiencing with the blurry vision after extended reading is normal and expected because you are forcing your ciliary muscles to go back to working harder than they were intended to do to see clearly. Your brain actually controls the ciliary muscles and the focus effort is normally triggered by the convergence required to read. When you look at more distant objects (even an instrument panel), less convergence is required and your brain must re-program itself to focus without convergence and it doesn't particularly like it.

Emily 07 Sep 2008, 12:58

GG: I'm only 22, but I wear bifocals. I can see nearby things clearly through the top, but my optometrist said bifocals could slow down the rate at which my eyes are becoming more nearsighted. I resisted at first, but after getting another big increase I gave in. To my delight, the line is virtually invisible. People notice that my lenses are quite thick, but nobody notices the line.

GG 07 Sep 2008, 12:40

Slit - I'm a female and I know it shouldnt matter but I am concerned about how other people will see me...especially with the bifocals. Although, I ran into a male aquaintance at a cafe on Sat. night while I was studying and he said that the bifocal line was barely noticeable and that he liked my frames. He came clean about needing glasses himself especially in poorly lit places and he admited that he couldnt read the majority of the menu without holding out and trying to catch some additional light. I figured that was just as emarassing as wearing bifocals, so it made me feel good.

C- My full RX is L +2.00 -.50x105 R +2.00 -.5x100 Add +1.00. I havent gotten around to looking at OTC reading glasses but seeing as though I have huge test coming up and I will be studying and doing even more close work than I normally do I think I really have to get some reading glasses. I am finding that It is taking longer to focus after I take off my glasses. I removed my glasses to drive home after studying and the dashboard was blurry the whole way home! I know you said it isnt doing harm wearing them and my eyes are relaxing but in those instances when you relize that you cant see like you should it is scary and I hope I dont become totally dependent. Thanks for your help on a reading glasses RX.

I'll keep you all posted on my glasses wearing expeditions!

Bird 07 Sep 2008, 01:31

My most recent prescription:

OD: -3.25 +2.75 90

OS: -3.00 +1.25 90

My first pair (8 years ago):

OD: -2.50 +2.75 90

OS: -3.00 +2.00 90

And 05 Sep 2008, 10:49

Tom, thanks. I would probably ask her if she were wearing glasses as perhaps the topic of vision might come up eg when she was cleaning/adjusting them etc but as she wears lenses I think it's more difficult.

Cactus Jack 05 Sep 2008, 10:26

GG,

The minus cylinder correction subtracts from the sphere plus, but only in the axis of the cylinder. In most instances the sphere correction is to compensate for the length of the eyeball and the cylinder is to correct for uneven curvature of the cornea. Two completely different things. To help you with an Rx for reading glasses, I need your complete Rx. The axis is important.

Until you get some prescription reading glasses, I would suggest using 1/2 the cylinder power. Because the Rx is written with minus cylinder, you would subtract 1/2 of the cylinder power from the sphere. If you can find them, +2.75 OTC readers would be about right. They will help some. If you only have a choice between +2.50 and +3.00, go with the +3.00.

One thing to be aware of is that your basic distance Rx will likely increase a bit as your crystaline lenses relax and the reading add may increase a bit over the next few years. It is very normal.

Slit 05 Sep 2008, 07:50

Hi GG,

Well according to your RX, you seem to have a small astigmatism factor, if it is poted in the regular format.

THerefore, it will be a little tricky if you go for the OTC glasses. But i dont see any harm of trying it out. If it fits ur vision, it fits you!

Re: Vanity factor, it may be a little uneasy at the begining. But if you go for the right frame and progressives you will be very attractive.

May i ask you are a girl or a boy? [coz girls find it more of a vanity factor than guys, still un knowing how many guys admire girls with glasses.]

GG 05 Sep 2008, 05:48

C - Thanks for all the good information. As you offered, could you help with a reading glasses only RX should I decide to order online. But in the meantime if I buy OTC reading glasses do I buy the +3.00 or only +2.50? In other words is the is the astigmatism subtracted from the total? Also on another note - what would someone who is not farsighted see through my glasses? Are they concidered weak or strong? I will keep you all posted as I try to let go of the vanity and enjoy the great vision! Thanks!

Cactus Jack 04 Sep 2008, 15:08

GG,

I forgot to mention. If you lift your glasses up and look through the bottom segment and the computer screen is nice and clear, +3.00 OTC readers are worth a try, but you really need the astigmatism corrected also for reading a lot of fine print comfortably.

Cactus Jack 04 Sep 2008, 15:04

GG,

If vanity is really the issue, you could probably do OK with some contacts for distance and some OTC readers for the computer and reading. If you can handle the vanity thing, another possibility is that you can get some low cost Rx computer and/or reading glasses online, for when you have to do a lot of close work. One thing you need to consider is that some of your problems are being caused by not getting glasses sooner and delaying correction will only make matters worse.

Will you become dependent on wearing correction for comfortable vision? NO! You already are! And have been for a long time. Up to now, your ciliary muscles and crystaline lenses have been working beyond their design limits to provide the required correction. The problem is, that they have been suffering this abuse for years without complaint and they are tired of it They are fatigued and they are complaining. If you stop overworking them they will recover some, but like everything else, not back to their original capability and flexibility. That is why it takes a while to focus after wearing your glasses.

You didn't say what time of engineering you do, but I suspect that any materials or parts you work with don't take kindly to being overstressed. Fortunately, ciliary muscles and crystaline lenses are not known to have catastrophic failures, but they suffer from age and fatigue.

Let me know if I can help you with an Rx for readers or computer glasses.

BTW, the reason your nearsighted friends don't understand about focusing close is that by being nearsighted, they have natural built in reading glasses. Their ciliary muscles and crystaline lenses are fully relaxed and there is nothing they can do about seeing distant object clearly, except with external correction. However, depending on their age and their Rx, they can focus easily on some really close things. It is very useful for threading needles for farsighted people, like you, or fixing mechanical watches. Talent, not needed very often these days.

GG 04 Sep 2008, 13:12

Thank you for your insight.I live in the US. I measured the distance between my eyes and the monitor and it is about 20". Based on my prescription, how often should I wear my glasses. I dont recall what the doctor said besides that they will be helpul for close work. The more that I wear them will I become more dependent?And should that factor into how much I wear them? As it is I already feel that I "need" them at work but also at night when my friends and I go out my eyes are saying wear them but because of the vanity and the fact that I dont want to need them all the time I havent. I will review the hyperopia posts, most of my glasses wearing friends are nearsighted and dont get why I am having difficulty up close but my new friends here on eye scene do. Thanks!

Cactus Jack 04 Sep 2008, 11:10

GG,

Bifocals are not always a good solution for computer use because you have to tilt your head back too much. Could you measure your normal working distance from your eyes to the computer screen?

The +3.00 OTC might be a solution, but the astigmatism correction would be missing. There is another low cost way.

Your focusing problem when you remove your glasses is also normal. You are what is known as a latent hyperope. Until you got the glasses, your eyes had been under constant stress to provide the necessary plus power to focus even distant images and more stress to read. With the glasses, your focusing muscles are relaxing and rebelling a little when you make them go back to work. Convergence is when your eyes turn inward to maintain fusion when your read. There is connection in your brain between focusing close and convergence, however, by going for years without correction for your hyperopia, that connection (programming if you will) has been weakened and your brain is not used to providing the proper signals to your focusing muscles. With those signals, your eyes would have tried to cross when you focused to see distant objects clearly and tried to cross more when you read.

It is possible that in a few days, your brain will re-program itself and some of the issues will go away, but it is also possible that a little presybopia is creeping in and glasses will be the more comfortable solution.

I suggest that you review some of the posts on the hyperopia threads back a few months to read some of our other members experiences with new glasses for hyperopia. It wasn't going to be to long before you would have been joining the rest of us bi and tri-focal wearers anyway and you need to get over the vanity. There may be a few comments, but they and you will get over it in a few days and by then you will like the comfort, reduced fatigue, and efficiency of a little visual help.

May I also ask where you live?

GG 04 Sep 2008, 08:48

I am an engineer and I was finding that reading the small 11"x17" plans were difficult but also the computer screen would give me headaches. I havent quite figured out how to use the bifocals with the computer yet. I feel like I am constantly moving my head around. Do you think it would be beneficial to just buy +3.00 glasses at the drugstore to use at work? Also, is it normal to find that I cant read anything on the page when I first remove my glasses? Eventually I can read some things as long as the print is reasonable and the lighting is good but it take a few minutes. The doctor also said I have convergence insufficiency, is that what has the caused the bifocals at an earlier age? Thanks for your comments.

Guido 04 Sep 2008, 08:24

Depending on how much you use the bifocal segment you may be well served with the lined lenses. I do a lot of close work professionally and I use lined bifocals for that environment. The close segment is larger, and I do not find myself "hunting" for the reading segment. Evenings and weekends I do just fine with the progressives. I go between the two pairs quite easily.

Cactus Jack 04 Sep 2008, 08:22

GG,

It is not unusual for hyperopes to start having trouble with near focusing a little earlier than myopes. May I ask your occupation?

You can order no line bifocals on line pretty inexpensively.

GG 04 Sep 2008, 07:46

Sorry about the previous post, I was having trouble posting. Anyway, my new RX is +2.00 -.5 L/R, add +1.00. Seems a bit early for bifocals since I am onyl 29 but they do really seem to help. I got lined bifocals because I wasnt sure I would really use/need them but now an wishing I didnt get the one with a line, it makes me very self consious.Thanks for listening :)

GG 04 Sep 2008, 07:21

test

Tom 04 Sep 2008, 01:24

First of all, your friend sees as he/she (BTW, is she a man or a woman?) was -5.25 both eyes, the worse image being cancelled by the brain. With that prescription (I have the same in my bad eyes) it is still possible to walk safely, especially in daytime and if you know the way. Only in the darkness you could have some difficult walking due to a step or something like this, but it is unlikely. Object that you may hit are so large (trees, cars, other people) that you easily recognise them. Most difficult is e.g. to find a small object (e.g. your glasses!) because things are really blurred beyond few metres from you. I cannot at all figure out the face of my colleague across the room, but I clearly see there is a desk, a PC, someone behind it.

But at the end, why don't you ask directly tt your friend or (better) have he/she make a trial? My best dream is to see how an uncorrected medium-high myope woman or gilr behaves without glasses. This is why I love bareeyed experiences so much.

DWV 01 Sep 2008, 19:31

It's not that bad; they could walk around just fine. I've simulated various degrees of nearsightedness using plus trial lenses, and it takes a lot more than -10 before things become hopelessly fuzzy.

Puffin 01 Sep 2008, 14:28

Depends on how close things are and how big & distinctive things are. Obviously small things that can't easily be got closer to will be a problem to see/identify.

01 Sep 2008, 13:17

without glasses or contacts she's blind as a bat

And 01 Sep 2008, 10:07

I'm just curious to know if my friend with a -7.5 and -5.25 prescription would be able to manage around the house etc without correction.

Wurm 30 Aug 2008, 20:30

I accidentally deleted the last few days of posts from this thread while I was in the process of cleaning up another thread. I offer my sincere apologies to those who may have been affected by my mistake.

Cactus Jack 27 Aug 2008, 05:35

Curious parent,

You have literally removed the film from Jonathan's eyes and opened the world to him. He is discovering the world and he likes what he sees. Just think of the wonders that await him.

Don't worry about the thickness of the lenses. Think of them as safety glasses so he can't break them easily. By the way, it can't hurt anything if he wears them in the shower. It will be another learning experience that if his glasses get wet, he can't see as well with them, but a quick wipe with the towel will fix it.

Try to make arangement for him to be seen by a Pediatric Opthalmologist as soon as you can. Also, please share his joy and wonder as he discovers the world.

Curious Parent 27 Aug 2008, 04:43

Thank you all for being so helpful, I just got his glasses yesterday and I was shocked to see how strong they look. But I was even more surprise to see how he seemed so happy to be able to see things... on the way home I noticed that he was watching everything and everybody. He didn't take his glasses off and when it was time for shower I took his glasses off and he wanted back and began to cry.

Cactus Jack, my sons name is Jonathan and we are in newark, new jersey.

Michael R. 26 Aug 2008, 17:56

Thanks for the info. I guess I'll just move my monitor closer to me.

Emily 26 Aug 2008, 15:17

To Curious Parent

http://www.medhelp.org/search/expanded?cat=posts&page=3&query=%22high+myopia%22

I think you'll find this site useful. 182 Qs and eye doctors' A's to people with high nearsightedness. Many of the Qs invvolve young children, some even younger than your son.

I started getting nearsighted at 10. My glasses still get stronger every year and now I have -14.50. It's not the end of the world. I feel very comfortable wearing them.

Good luck. I hope things work out well for you and him.

JR 26 Aug 2008, 13:30

Curious Parent

My wife has no memory until she got her glasses when she was seven years old. Her first Rx was -6. now in her sixties and -28.

So many kids are missed until school you are really doing the right thing.

Good luck.

Cactus Jack 26 Aug 2008, 13:14

Michael R.

Yes, the glasses are likely too strong for 30 inches working distance and No, I have no relationship with the restaurant in Florida. I'm in Texas

If your computer is located 30 inches from your eyes, you would at most need +1.00 to +1.25 additional making the sphere at most.

OD +3.00, -1.50 x 102

OS +3.00, -0.75 x 74

The higher Rx will work, but you may find that you need to be a little closer - 22 to 24 inches.

Michael R. 26 Aug 2008, 12:31

Cactus Jack: Thank you for your response. I suck at math and don't exactly understand what you mean. The distance from my eyes to the computer is 30 inches. I'm 61 years old. Are these glasses going to be too strong for me?

There is a restaurant in Jupiter Florida that bears your name. Is it your establishment?

Clare 26 Aug 2008, 11:14

Phil - you won't be surprised to know I don't do Facebook!

Cactus Jack 26 Aug 2008, 07:57

Curious Parent,

The the lenses will be a few mm thick for two reasons. Optically, it is necessary for them to be thick to do their job and they must be physically strong to withstand the abuse inflicted by a 3 year old. A bit like safety glasses in an industrial plant, only probably worse. On the other side, because the lenses are small the edges will not be very thick.

I think you will be amazed at his reaction to the glasses as they open the world beyond about 20 cm (8 inches) to him. He will discover leaves on trees, birds, stars in the sky and other things that he has been unable to see. About 90% of the things you learn as a child depend on good vision. Remember, he has no idea that there is anything wrong with his vision and the wonders that await him.

If you would like to get a idea of what his vision is like without glasses, ask the optician or doctor if you could look through some +5 lenses. I imagine they will be happy to let you. You need to experience what he as been living with and the wonders of the world he has been missing. But remember, you know what things are supposed to look like, but he has no idea.

Again, you are to be congratulated for recognizing that he has a problem and seeking help. There are many children with unrecognized and uncorrected vision problems who should have glasses. Some of them will be forever limited in their development by either inattention by their parents or denial that there is a problem. Fortunately, it is not too late for him to develop his full potential. Please keep us aware of how your son is doing and his reaction to being able to see the world.

Yes, his prescription will likely increase some, but when he gets older and his vision stabilizes, you can get him some higher index (thinner) glasses or contact lenses if he wants them.

May I ask your son's name and where you live?

We wish you and your son the very best.

Julian 26 Aug 2008, 06:43

Curious Parent: if there is one thing more likely than another,it is that your son will need stronger glasses as he grows, and especially in his teens. It is normal for myopia to increase during the years of growth. Take note of Cactus Jack's advice and get him to a paediatric ophthamologist who will be the best person to see that his myopia is managed and corrected properly.

Curious Parent 26 Aug 2008, 05:33

Thank you all for your answers, we will be picking his glasses this afternoon, I'm just wondering if his glasses will be thick... I don't know what to do. DO you guys really think that it will go up higher than what it is?

thank you

Cactus Jack 25 Aug 2008, 15:55

Michael R.,

The computer glasses Rx is likely in error.

You said that your new glasses Rx was:

OD +1.75, -1.50 x 102

OS +1.75, -0.75 x 74

with a reading add of +2.25

That means that the absolute power of the reading segment is +4.00.

You didn't mention your age or your preferred reading distance, but if you customarily read at 40 cm (16 inches) you have to accommodate +0.25 for a total of +2.50

The Rx for the computer glasses should have the same amount of sphere value in each eye and the amount of additional plus depends on your typical working distance. You can calculate the correct amount of additional plus by measuring the distance from your eyes to the screen and dividing it into 100 if you are working in cm or 39.37 if you are working in inches. For example, if you measure 50 cm or about 20 inches. When you do the division, you will get about +2.00. Apparently, you can comfortably supply +0.25 so you need only +1.75 more plus added to your distance sphere to be able to use the computer comfortably. The resulting Rx for the computer glasses would be:

OD +3.50, -1.50 x 102

OS +3.50, -0.75 x 74

The Rx is close, if the assumed distance is correct. The best way is to measure the distance and do the math.

Cactus Jack 25 Aug 2008, 12:32

curious parent,

It is a little unusual for a 3 year old to be this nearsighted, but his prescription is what it is and it is important for his visual development for him to see as well as possible. I would strongly urge you to take him to a Pediatric Opthalmologist, they are very knowledgeable about young children's visual problems. You should not get expensive frames. He will quickly outgrow them and will probably break them before that. CR-39 is an excellent low cost optical material for his glasses, do not waste money on high index lenses. The correct prescription is what is improtant.

Please do not concern yourself with appearances or what others may think about the fact that he needs glasses. If they know anything about vision, they will congratulate you on recognizing his problem and doing something about it.

Vision actually occurs in the brain and the eyes are simply biological cameras. All he has right now is a focusing problem. Proper development of his vision is one of the most important things in his young life because it will affect him throughout his life. Be very thankful that you recognized his vision problem early. He is at an age where brain development is occurring rapidly and good vision is vital. There is a visual condition called amblyopia which can occur in young children where vision does not develop properly in one eye. If that is not corrected by about age 6 to 8, the brain can decide to ignore any images from that eye and effectively turn it off and we do not know how to cause the brain to turn it back on even if the visual problem is corrected.

If you have any more questions, please feel free to ask.

Hansel 25 Aug 2008, 12:02

Curious parent,

As a first prescription this is high. I reached that sort of figure when I was about 11.

Full time wear is required, and it is likely that it will go higher in the years to come.

As a spec lovers website you have landed on the r