Going Without Glasses

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Going Without Glasses

Peter 11 Mar 2010, 18:44

Thanks for all the recent comments. Over the last week I have hardly seen my wife in glasses. If we go out during the day she wears her non prescription sunnies. She leaves her glasses at home. At night away from home she goes bare eyed again leaving her glasses at home. Around home she remains bare eyed only reverting to glasses if she sits down to watch tv for the night. She squints from time to time but manages as if she never wore glasses. She is happy and occasionally comments to the effect that she wished she had thrown her glasses away years ago. I will let you know what developed

Clare 11 Mar 2010, 13:37

Peter - your wife's sudden behaviour is very strange, I'm sure you'll let us know if you get a better insight into her motivation!

I have a prescription not so much higher than your wife's and am surprised that she doesn't appear to find it much of a challenge when she's out and about. Of course we can all find our way around our local supermarket at around -2.50 to -3 but for navigating public transport, or somewhere that we don't know, it's not too much fun.

Aubrac 11 Mar 2010, 12:25

Peter

When was your wife's last eyetest? Prescriptions do change and at less than -2,50 she could certainly function without glasses especially for reading and close work.

If a person does not really, really need glasses, there can be a time when as a result of vanity, or comments others have made, they just want to try without them.

Buying a really expensive pair of sunglasses is statement enough - chill out and go with it for a while. Going on about bifocal contacts, prescription sunglasses etc can only make matters worse - be patient.

Hollie 11 Mar 2010, 10:27

Peter

I have posted both below and on the Vision thread about my colleagues glasses wearing habits. She was a contacts wearer who was bare eyed about a day a week, which gradually started increasing. Then she switched to full time specs wearing. Most recently she has taken to taking them off when reading, and the past couple of days has come into the office without them. Today she put them on for a pesentation, then they came off again, then she has not worn for the rest of the day. Prescription similar to your wifes but I know she has a bit of astigmatism too. Maybe this is some sort of trend! However unlike your wife she does squint without specs! I would have thought getting used to being fully corrected then managing part time would be pretty annoying- but both my colleague and your wife must be coping!

DaveG 10 Mar 2010, 17:28

I am -12 in both eyes. I only wear glasses and I have 5 pairs plus 2 pairs of sun glasses.

antonio 10 Mar 2010, 15:14

Hi Dave, interesting story,

how strong are your glasses, if I may ask?

best regards, antonio

DaveG 10 Mar 2010, 14:50

A couple of weeks ago I was traveling north and stopped at the Burlington Mall in MA. I had realized my wire frames had loosened so I stopped at Lenscrafters. This woman came right up to me, I explained the issue after taking my glasses off, and she took them and apparently tighened the screws but I could not make out anything but a blur. She asked if my etyes were stable and I said yes. She then said she was going to clean them and stepped away. I turned and realized I had no idea where she was. It was an odd feeling as I thought I got around my house fine bare eyed but in a new situation I realized I am indeed helpless with such powerful myopia and no glasses and the wierd thing is I really liked it. She came back, gave me my glasses and started telling me about all the specials while looking directly at me. I am not sure if it was being polite or she was trying to memorize my cut in. I was afraid to say more and left. I thought the experience was great.

Peter 06 Mar 2010, 02:34

Over the last 2 days my wife has not worm her glasses or prescription glasses at all. Inside she us bare eyed and has started watching tv sitting closer to the screen. Away from the house she wears her non prescription sunglasses and doesn't even take her glasses with her. She never complains about not being able to see anything although I see her strain from time to time. I fear thisay be a permanent move given her determination and her success so far. The only time she says she needs her glasses is when she drives. How do I convince her that she is missing out on a lot without her glasses?

Peter 04 Mar 2010, 03:07

Thanks for your thoughts Optix. My wife has worn progressives for about 10 years and has never complained. She has for sometime taken them off to read for long periods. Again that has not concerned her. I think it is vanity. She said she feels free without her glasses She loves her new non prescription sunglasses. Big wrap around lenses that I must admit are very fashionable. Over the last couple of days she's worn her glasses for less than 2 hours. She makes no complaints and seems very happy with her new look. I wish I was as happy although I could get used to the sunnies. No way a prescription lense could be fitted to the frame. If she keeps this up I might have to suggest contacts. At least that way she would have to wear readers regularly unless she got bi focal contacts. Does anyone know how successful they are?

optix 04 Mar 2010, 02:08

Peter

Maybe your wife never really learned to use the progressive lenses or in her most resent pair the add is not enough.

So maybe she just hates to have to take off her glasses for reading and prefers to leave them off all the the time (with exeptions)

Its a fact, that presbyopia makes people feel old!

Maybe she just feels younger witout glasses, because she can read without takeing off her glasses or looking through the bottom...

Anyway, everybody can funktion for most tasks with -2.5!

There have been people on eyescene who did not know they were myopic before they got even higher first prescriptions and there have been people with much higher prescriptions going around bare eyed and enjoying the blur!

Sometimes its nice not to see every piece of dust...

soundmanpt 02 Mar 2010, 08:17

Peter

It is very odd that she would want non-prescription sunglasses when distance is all she would wear sunglasses for. She admittedly knows she needs correction to drive, so these new sunglasses will be useless to her for that. Even sitting in the yard and looking out at the sunset will be a blur to her. You would think because wearing rx sunglasses no one except the wearer would even know she needs them to see. Seems like a real waste of money for something that will not benefit her at all.

Peter 02 Mar 2010, 02:29

I haven't noticed a vacant look but will now take particular notice. I have been amazed at her ability to function and keep her eyes fixed when taking to people. Apart from the occasional squint one would never imagine she was limited in her vision and unable to clearly see the person she is talking to. I noticed tonight that her new sunglasses (non prescription) are Fendi which cost (aus)$455. At that price she must be determined to wear them a lot and confident in her ability to adequately function with them. I did ask her whether she proposed putting a prescription lense in them to which she said she wanted a more fashionable pair with a "normal" lense.

Like Lenses 02 Mar 2010, 00:38

Peter

Although her prescription is not really strong,the fact that she has worn them full time as long as she has,could result in a kind of vacant look in her eyes when she is not wearing glasses. Have you noticed this look?Most myopes have it.

Peter 01 Mar 2010, 19:35

In recent days my wife has only worn glasses in doors to watch tv at night. At all other times she is bare eyed and apart from squinting when trying to see across a room appears able to function quite well. A friend arrived on Sunday night which resulted in my wife taking her glasses off (when she went to freshen herself up) and leaving them off for the duration of the stay. Our friend made comment to the effect that she couldn't recall seeing my wife without her glasses to which my wife replied by saying that she felt she had over relied on them for many years and was happy to wear them now only for driving and tv. Today she went out and purchased a pair of sunglasses (non prescription) with a view of wearing them as much as possible. I think i am faced with a wife who is extremely determined to be a very part time glasses wearer. How long it will last remains to be seen but up until now she seems very happy with her new "look".

Anon 28 Feb 2010, 22:20

I attempted today to go without glasses in our living room with company while watching the Olympics. I lasted for about 10 seconds as I couldn't see if people were looking and talking to me at ~6 feet away. Very unnerving so went back to glasses... (now -5.75 SD, -3.75 OD). 1.5 astig in one eye and 1 in the other.

hoffide 26 Feb 2010, 17:57

hi ???

the prism are "base in 20" and on the left eye a "base in 10" prism plasticfoil too.

Cactus Jack 26 Feb 2010, 16:21

Peter,

The very best thing you can do is be patient and keep your mouth shut. Let her make the decision to do something about her vision. Almost anything you do or say will be counter productive.

Peter 26 Feb 2010, 14:57

Hi all. I'm certain my wives vision has not improved. She had a test 9 months ago and reported no change. She continues to wear her prescription sunglasses outside ( still summer ) but inside goes without her glasses until she sits down to watch tv. I do see her squint quite often. Perhaps having worn glasses full time for half her life vanity has appeared.

I guess I can only wait and see if with the passage of time she returns to normal. Any ideas as to how to get her to "see the light". Do I mention the squinting or will that perhaps make her more determined to do without glasses? Any thoughts?

Peter 26 Feb 2010, 14:49

26 Feb 2010, 08:39

hoffide, what type of prism is that and how much?

hoffide 26 Feb 2010, 07:36

sorry, the url: http://community.webshots.com/user/hoffide?vhost=community

hoffide 26 Feb 2010, 07:35

a little look on my prism glasses...

Anon 25 Feb 2010, 21:54

I've just heard you and other talk in the past about prisms and never knew what they were all about. And...I know you know what you're talking about. :)

Cactus Jack 25 Feb 2010, 08:00

Anon,

The optical reason for prism correction is to bend the light rays so that ideally, each eye sees almost the same image so the two images can easily be fused into one 3D or stereoscopic image in the brain.

That being said, there can be several reasons for prism. The most common is muscle imbalance where the eyes converge (cross) or diverge. Prism is also sometimes used for hyperopes where the act of trying to focus causes convergence. For convergence, base out (BO) prism is used to help fusion. For divergence, base in (BI) prism is used.

There is also a less common condition where one eye points up and the other down. It those cases base up (BU) is used for one eye and base down (BD) is used for the other. For those cases where there is an oblique displacement, combinations of BO, BI, BU, and BD can typically get the images close enough together to permit the muscle control system in the brain to adjust the eye position enough to cause fusion.

Because of how a prism works, the base of the prism is always away from the direction of the pointing error of the eye.

I hope this helps. May I ask what caused you to ask the question?

Like Lenses 25 Feb 2010, 01:30

Peter

It would be best for her to get an eye exam.,as a sudden change like that could indicate something else, such as cataracts,or glacoma

Anon 24 Feb 2010, 23:04

Cactus -

What are prisms for in a prescription?

Thx

Clare 24 Feb 2010, 22:36

Peter - you said earlier that you're sure she's -2.50 in each eye. Would it be possible to get her to go for an eye test, then you'd know if her prescription has decreased at all - which could explain a few things.

As to recent behaviour, eating dinner without glasses would be no problem as would finding her way back to the car with you, but what seems strange is then to put them on in the car and, as you describe, when her friend leaves. I'm sure around the house she is fine until she needs to do something that requires reasonable vision but I suspect she may have been 100% full time in the past from what you say which does make the change seem strange.

Keep us posted!

Peter 23 Feb 2010, 02:25

Since I last posted my wife has continued to avoid her glasses. On the weekend we went to dinner and then a concert with friends. She wore her prescription sungasses to the restaurant, went bare eyed during dinner, put the sunnies on as we walked to the theatre (still daylight) and inside swapped to her normal glasses. The minute the concert ended she took her glasses off and walked with me back to the car pasing many shops. The moment we got in the car she put her glasses back on. Tonight I returned home to find her having a wine with a friend. Her glasses were in the bathroom and reappeared once the friend left. She told me aagain she didn't need them all the time. When I asked about contacts she said she wasn't interested in them as she couldn't imagine putting them in her eyes.

I wonder how long this "new look" will last and to what extent she will seek to function without hwr glasses.

Cactus Jack 20 Feb 2010, 10:44

Guest,

If you are not confused yet about computer glasses, perhaps I can help.

A typical glasses prescription has anywhere from 1 to 5 parts for each eye

The possible parts are Sphere, Cylinder, Axis, Add and Prism.

The first part, Sphere, corrects for near sightedness with minus lenses and farsightedness with plus lenses. The second part corrects for irregularities

in the curvature of the cornea and can be either minus, plus or none if the cornea is perfectly curved. If there is minus or plus cylinder correction an axis or direction is also specified. If a person needs help reading or using a computer, an ADD is specified. It is always plus and the amount of plus depends on the distance they need to focus at and the amount of help they need. Prism is sometimes specified if they need some help to make their eyes work together.

Everything starts with the distance prescription even if the glasses are for using the computer or reading. After the distance prescription is determined (sometimes none is required) a formula developed by Isaac Newton around 1700 is used to determine the amount of add required for the task. The formula is 100 cm or 39.37 inches divided by the distance to the computer screen or to the reading material. The answer will usually be between +1.00 and +3.50 depending on the preferred distance for the task. Computers are typically around +1.25 and +1.50 reading is usually around +2.50 to +3.00. The above formula always applies, but depending on a persons age, they may be able to provide some of the plus focusing power themselves using their internal lenses. In those instances the ADD or glasses prescription will have less plus sphere than the formula would indicate.

BTW, The cylinder and axis correction is the same for all distances. Only the sphere power changes for computer glasses or reading glasses and they always have more plus than the distance prescription.

If this explanation did not make the confusion complete, please let us know and we'll keep working at it. Just kidding, this stuff is not all that complicated once you learn the basics.

soundmanpt 20 Feb 2010, 09:14

guest

The easiest way to describe it is if you wear progressive lenses and the add (reading segment) is +2.00 the area between your distance segment and the add would be around +1.00. Hope that helps.

minus 5 who luvs gwgs 19 Feb 2010, 22:41

Mid distance would be an RX part way between a distance rx and a near add for a myope less minus than distance but more than reading: for a hyperope vice versa a bit more plus than distance but less than reading

Guest 19 Feb 2010, 18:28

Otto: What is a mid-distance prescription? Is that a plus or minus?

OttO 19 Feb 2010, 16:51

Guest: Computer glasses are normally single vision glasses with a mid-distance Rx, arms length if you will, for use with the computer. It's the same as mid distance lenses in trifocals or varifocals.

Bob W. 19 Feb 2010, 15:18

Hi Peter,

Sometimes at her age, myopia might have decreased a bit, so the prescription she needs might be a little less than before. While not wearing her glasses as much, her visual system can learn to improve the blurred image without glasses somewhat, so she may notice some mild improvement in her vision without glasses. Some may call that 'blur tolerance' here.

I would be worried if she showed some other changes in behavior, such as being more withdrawn from friends and family, or being more irritable and talkative than usual over time. If no other changes in behavior, maybe joining her a little in this change might be useful, rather than being alarmed, such as asking if she has noticed some mild improvement, or what she feels comfortable doing without glasses.

I don't really know the situation with the both of you, but I just wanted to look a little bit more widely.

Best regards,

Bob W.

Guest 19 Feb 2010, 13:26

Can anyone explain to me what exactly are "computer glasses?" I have heard so many people say they have them, but don't understand what they are. Is it simply a mild plus or a mild minus prescription? Is there special anti glare tinting? Maybe I need computer glasses and don't even know it!

Hollie 18 Feb 2010, 23:06

Peter

Is your wife not giving you any reason at all for her behaviour? Although her prescription is not very strong, most people would wear it full time I think. I didn't wear full time at that sort of prescription- however I did have contact lenses which were very useful for socializing etc when I wanted clear vision but didnt want to wear my glasses. I also held off full time wear far longer than most!

I would have thought being in a restaurant without them would be mildly irritating as she'd struggle to see people from a distance and any specials boards etc printed on the walls would probably be a blur.

Danbert 17 Feb 2010, 02:56

A friend of mine recently acquired some pinhole glasses to "improve" her vision but has quickly realized that the only one benefiting was the quack who sold them...

I don't understand how these remedies persist given that they contradict basic biology.

Of course, I'll happily accept that certain practices may improve one's vision if it's pseudomyopia, weak ciliary muscles, etc. that are to blame.

Peter 17 Feb 2010, 01:54

Hi Like Lenses. I don't believe she is undertaking any exercise to strengthen her vision. In the past she has rejected such beliefs and has also voiced a strong objection to laser surgery. I arrived home today to again find her bareeyed. She only put her glasses on when she sat down after dinner to watch tv. She's made no complaints of discomfort or headaches and appeared to operate around the house wwithout any problems. The mystery deepens.

Peter 17 Feb 2010, 01:51

Like Lenses 16 Feb 2010, 19:08

Peter

Perhaps someone has told her, or she has read about one of the programs such as the Bates Method, that is supposed to rid you of your glasses. Their big thing is to quit wearing your glasses,combined with exercises to cure myopia.

Peter 16 Feb 2010, 14:37

Thanks Clare again. Yesterday my wife left her glasses off all day whilst in the house. Only when she sat down to watch tv did she put them on. Her explanation was that she didn't need to wear them in the house. When I asked why she had needed them in the house for the last 25 years she changed the subject. I wonder whether at some point people get tired of glasses and try and rebel. Any thoughts?

Clare 16 Feb 2010, 11:32

Peter - I agree, it seems strange after 25 years, especially as she must have got used to wearing them and seeing well all the time. I think there's some difference though in just going out to a restaurant and going the whole day without her glasses. If she went down the contacts route she'd need reading glasses I imagine.

Peter 15 Feb 2010, 22:08

Thanks Clare for the insight. I guess I'm surprised by the sudden change and would have thought that after so many years she would have struggled to operate without them. I wonder wether she might yet go down the contact path.

Clare 15 Feb 2010, 21:10

Peter - think about it like this, in the situations where your wife is going without her glasses she is in an environment where she is quite 'safe' - indoors in a non-visually challenging situation, if she were to go shopping or have to use public transport to get there it would probably be different.

As to driving, that's a definite no without glasses, and I'd expect her to struggle to watch TV for any length of time, at least if she wanted to follow what's on!

Peter 15 Feb 2010, 20:12

Thanks for all the replies. My wife is aged 53. I'm not sure of her full script other than i'm certain she is -2.50 in each eye. Can't guess what the add component is. The mystery deepened over the weekend with her again leaving her glasses at home when we went to a dinner party. She was without her glasses for at least 5 hours and made no complaint. She hardly appeared to even squint but did put her glasses back on soon after we returned home. Her explanation is that she just wants to wear them less. I thought perhaps she was wearing contacts She said she wasn't. Is there a way to check if someone is wearing contacts? Could she drive or watch a movie without glasses? More importantly, how do I encourage her to return to full time wear. Any thoughts?

Cactus jack 14 Feb 2010, 20:35

Tom,

You can begin to get an idea of what your friend sees without his glasses by stacking 2 or 3 pairs of -5 (or so) glasses, but to get a really good idea, ask your Eye Care Professional to let you see what -20 would be like in a trial frame. -5 to correct you to about 20/20 and the extra -15 to simulate what a person who needs +15 would see without his glasses.

One of our members, Golden Man, who is in his early 20s, was able to wear about -15 overcorrection in an effort to induce additional myopia, but that is rare. If your friend has exceptional accommodation he may be able to overcome some of his hyperopia, but probably not all of it.

Tom 14 Feb 2010, 19:42

@Cactus Jack, I'm only a humble -5 but I can grasp the principle of short sightedness and what it means, however I heard of long sighted people saying I can't read, or complaining about headaches without glasses but otherwise being fine.

But I have a clearer picture now.. thanks :)

Cactus Jack 14 Feb 2010, 15:10

Tom,

May I ask your Rx.

In many ways, +15 would be like you being overcorrected by about -15 diopters more than your present Rx. Puffin mentioned that for hyperopia, farther away is better. In your friends case, farther away would mean somewhere beyond the star Alpha Centarui. Mathematically, his eyes focus beyond infinity.

Tom 14 Feb 2010, 14:14

Thanks guys, -15 I can imagine how it feels but +15 I had no idea. Much appreciated!

RL 14 Feb 2010, 13:18

I am -15 and things sart going blurry at around 2 1/2 inches from my eyes.

Puffin 14 Feb 2010, 11:39

with -15 you should get possibly up to 6 inches or so of seeing/recognizing things that are not too small. Astigmatism will reduce this. Trying to read normal print is probably pointless unless you're desperate - perhaps a few words, reading say an entire novel might be possible but hardly a pleasure.

I would say even this limited utility would not exist with +15. In the distance say at 20 feet things would be better

(as in, better than close up and better than a myope) but it would depend if you had any residual accomodation to help out (most people wouldn't have enough accomodation to make a worthwhile dent in +15 of hyperopia). Things would still be pretty fuzzy and on top of that, things being 20 feet away rather than near your nose doesn't help.

So all in all pretty much the same except the myopes can hold things close. Problem with that is, many things cannot be held close or got close enough to. Thus, I would say there is probably no better vision either way.

14 Feb 2010, 03:47

+15 probably feels the same as -15 - you can't see a thing without correction.

Tom 13 Feb 2010, 22:47

Hi all

I myself am shortsighted but I have a friend who is wearing +15 plus glasses with add-ons for reading. He says he obviously can't read a thing without them, and is wary walking around without them. I know very well how nearsightedness feels, but can anyone describe how it feels when you're +15 and don't wear glasses?

Thanks guys

Rachel 13 Feb 2010, 08:29

Peter.

I forgot to tell you, I'm up at -13.00 now, but I first started with glasses at 7 and because I really liked wearing them, I kept them on most of the time. I also "enjoy" having increases.

Rachel 13 Feb 2010, 08:26

Peter. Short-sighted people can usually "manage" with glasses, if necessary, until they reach around -3.00. Then it becomes a lot harder. In fact by then, if you have been trying to do without glasses as much as possible, you usually decide to "give in" and go fulltime. Then its usually a case of stronger and stronger lenses every year, until you get into your twenties and even beyond.

Clare 12 Feb 2010, 22:19

Peter - my prescription is not far from your wife's (I'm assuming it's -2.50 both eyes?). It should be easy enough for her to see across the average restaurant table, but she'd not be able to see any menus from a distance. Not everyone gets a headache if they don't wear their glasses, if she has astigmatism she may, and if she stresses her eyes by straining to see at a distance for a long time.

soundmanpt 12 Feb 2010, 09:10

Peter

I think more details will be needed to better answer your question. I assume the 2.50 is the top segment and thatb it is a minus number? That being the case and having worn glasses for 25 years I would think she can see okay for about 3' to 6' without her glasses. Reading should not be too bad for her uncorrected. Her age and full rx would help.

Peter 11 Feb 2010, 20:53

My wife has worn glasses for at least 25 years. Over the last 5 years she has worn progressive lenses. I recall her prescription is 2.50. Recently she has tended to take her glasses off in restaurants. Last night she left home without them. In all she was bare eyed for about 4 hours. My questions are: (1) is she likely to suffer from headaches by not wearing her glasses for such periods (2) what is her vision like....can she distinguish faces and features across a dinner table and (3) Is this a new trend for long time glasses wearers?

Hollie 11 Feb 2010, 12:38

Different colleague. Hyperopic colleague still not in specs! He seems to be managing ok- must have good accommodation!

nostolgic 10 Feb 2010, 15:51

@hollie,

Where are you guys from?

Lately I've taken to wearing -4 contacts fulltime, right away I have to sit 2/3 meter from the monitor for 20/20 clarity (1.5D for a total of 5.5D of accomodation) but within 20 min I can shove my face within 40 cm with no blur -2.5D - 6.5D total! Not bad for a 42 year old but also a stroke of luck. I didn't get into this 'til early 30s. I did measure with 2pt text in my early 20s - could read it at 9cm (11D) - without warming up in dim light - I wish I'd had the guts to order -9 contacts, darnit!!

Being an aging accommodation junkie is not a good thing. That's why I'm always happy to see a young person (ab)using theirs. waxing,

nostolgic.

nostolgic 10 Feb 2010, 15:40

@Hollie,

I was wondering if you ever heard from your 27 year-old farsighted coworker that you mentioned on 19 Sep 2009 who stopped wearing his glasses? I notice of this college you say 'her' but the farsighted one was a 'him.' Did he start wearing them again?

I myself would love nothing more than to be 27 and farsighted +5 my whole life (assuming I got to keep my accommodation until the end!)

Because if he is that farsightedhe is accommodating a lot all the time. Jealous me!

Clare 09 Jan 2010, 06:32

Hollie - that's good news for your colleague, I always felt I needed to be advised to wear glasses till I got contacts. I remember when my rx was around -2.25 asking the optician how much someone of my prescription would wear glasses if they didnt wear contacts, and he said it would be most of the time. Your colleague, like me, has probably long felt that her rx isn't too strong and as she can function without them for basic tasks that she only wear them when she absolutely has to.

It will be interesting to see if she does wear these more, and if her rx is the same. Perhaps she also has some frames that she likes better too!

And 08 Jan 2010, 11:16

Hollie, what prescription does she now have ? Is she wearing full-time do you think ?

Hollie 08 Jan 2010, 10:26

My colleague turned up in glasses today! And didn't take them off. Another colleague asked her if they were new and complimented her frame choice. She replied that she was really struggling to see at work as she doesn't like wearing lenses with the heating and aircon in the office. She also said when she had her eye test (presumably the one the other day) the optician had told her that 'he was surprised she managed without her glasses so much' - I think that this 'permission' to wear them must mean she's now decided to.

Has anyone else at a similar prescription received this kind of advice? I remember being about -2 with about -0.75 of cyl and the woman fitting my glasses seemed surprised I didn't wear them all the time, but the optician himself never gave me any advice about when I should be wearing them.

And 07 Jan 2010, 11:42

Clare, think you're right. My gf probably wouldn't manage bare-eyed so she leaves her lenses in even when her eyes look dry or she's rubbing them a lot and will even sleep in them unless she's home alone. I know she carries her glasses in her bag but I bet they never come out ! Have you and your friends all got trendy glasses in your current scripts ?

Clare 07 Jan 2010, 10:21

And - I have one friend, stronger rx than me who's worn glasses since she was 11 or 12, she certainly wouldn't/couldn't go for too long without glasses but does admit that she is very keen to avoid having to go back to wearing glasses full time at all costs; another - similar rx to me - appears happy enough to wear them at home or in the gym but never seen wearing glasses for work (even on one occasion with no contacts). Fairly typical attitude I think dependent on the prescription - higher than me and there's a limited choice.

Hollie - how did your colleague get on with her appointment, did she say?

Chrissi 06 Jan 2010, 21:00

Thanks everyone for your input!

So I guess I could just get some swim goggles and disposable contacts and be good to go?

Thanks again! lol :)

And 06 Jan 2010, 14:16

Hollie, a good time to ask her about her vision perhaps ?

Hollie 06 Jan 2010, 14:14

Clare

Today I was working from home due to snow, but my colleague sent an email round saying she had an opticians appointment! I wonder if it was a contacts thing or maybe we will see her in glasses, although I doubt it!

And 06 Jan 2010, 14:07

Clare, really, all with similar scripts ? Are any of your friends like my gf and would go to any lengths to avoid being in glasses or bare-eyed ?

Clare 06 Jan 2010, 13:48

And - of course! All of my friends are contact lens wearers, strangely ... !

And 06 Jan 2010, 12:58

Clare, is she another who much prefers contacts and avoids glasses ?

Clare 06 Jan 2010, 12:25

And - yes my friend is -4, and does sometimes wander around the house without correction.

And 06 Jan 2010, 11:03

Thanks Clare, does your friend have a higher script than you ? I wonder if anyone has lost contacts when swimming, I would imagine water parks, slides, rapids etc might be a challenge. My gf certainly made sure she didn't get her face soaked for fear of losing them.

Clare 06 Jan 2010, 01:02

And - no I don't generally take my contacts out for swimming, nor does a friend of mine, though I've heard you should. I don't generally swim with my face submerged so I don't think it's a huge issue for me. Of course I could swim without them but if I've already put them in it seems there's little point in taking them out just for a swim.

Clare 06 Jan 2010, 00:25

Hollie - it's kind that you wouldn't want to embarrass her, I wonder if maybe she didn't realise that people notice. I wonder if it's that she doesn't like how she looks in glasses (I know that feeling), or that she thinks that it's silly to wear them when there's not something specific to need to see (I know that feeling too). If she minds not seeing well without her contacts it might help that someone who's been there, ie you, could tell her a) she looks fine and b) it's okay to wear them - and that people notice that she struggles without them! It's embarrassing to know that people notice, I remember being in the gym when someone noticed me squinting at the TV and commented, I was mortified!

Clare 06 Jan 2010, 00:19

And - no I didn't wear full time at that rx - I'd have been bare-eyed if I didn't have contacts in! With hindsight I'm not sure why we put ourselves through it, I know it's not a strong rx but there's an argument for wearing them when they're needed not just for the obvious.

EyeTri 05 Jan 2010, 15:17

Crissi

I swim in a pair prescription goggles made by Hilco. These not made to an exact prescription (no astigmatism correction), so they are inexpensive. The pair I have cost about $30.00. My prescription is R: +2.50 -0.25 @ 30, L: +3.25 -1.00 @ 140. A pair of +3.00 goggles work well for me. Your optometrist should be able to tell you if Hilco makes anything that will work for you.

Hollie 05 Jan 2010, 14:33

Clare- no, I'd be too worried about embarrassing her! She must feel pretty self conscious as without contacts she clearly doesn't feel comfortable in specs. I have seen them though and from what I remember they were fashionable thick frames and suited her. I remember at the time being relieved she'd put them on. I'd never seen her in glasses before and after she squinted at the lift buttons to see the floor numbers I was a little anxious about getting in the car with her!

This afternoon I noticed her rubbing at her eyes a few times so I'm guessing she doesn't have amazing tolerance to lenses.

When I was a similar rx I had a waitressing job and always used to wear them for work as I'd struggle to see table numbers and if customers at the other end of the restaurant had finished eating. I'm not sure what I'd have been like in an office job, whether I'd go bare eyed and bite the bullet and worn glasses at work. There are a few people in our office who wear full time with a lower minus ex than my colleague.

And 05 Jan 2010, 14:32

Clare, do you remove your lenses before swimming ?

And 05 Jan 2010, 14:30

Clare/Hollie, I suppose her script isn't so strong that she can't manage daily tasks bare-eyed except for those you've mentioned - driving/presentations. Were you fulltime at that kind of script ?

Clare 05 Jan 2010, 13:35

Hollie - did you tell your colleague that you can tell she's without her contacts? If it were me and you told me it'd make me think, I think!

Hollie 05 Jan 2010, 12:24

I guess a little bit- I wouldn't choose to go without contacts in the vast majority of situations as it is far too difficult.

And 05 Jan 2010, 11:02

Tut, not very nice of him ! My gf says she would feel very vunerable without her contacts - probably explains why I've never seen her without them. Have you ever felt like that ?

Hollie 05 Jan 2010, 10:09

And- I can see shapes and people- just not the detail of their faces or read any signs- finding which lanes are slow and fast is something of a challenge. Last time I asked the lifeguard, who pointed at the signs, helpful! Had to tell him I couldn't read them and he said, really, they're huge, loudly. Way to make a girl feel embarrassed about being pretty short sighted!

And 05 Jan 2010, 09:36

My gf swam on holiday with her contacts in but kept her head above water ! Hollie, must be difficult bare-eyed not just to find your locker, could you see anyone ?

Cactus Jack 05 Jan 2010, 08:40

Chrisi,

You really should learn to swim. I would suggest contacts AND swim goggles. That would be a lot less expensive than getting Rx swim goggles.

Contacts depend on tear films (water) to keep them on the cornea and if you open your eyes underwater with contacts, they might just float off your cornea. Ric is very fortunate to not have had problems opening his eyes underwater with them. Hopefully, he changes them after swimming to get rid of any contamination (chlorine, etc.) from the pool.

Hollie 05 Jan 2010, 08:17

I have posted before here about a colleague of mine who is a contacts wearer but doesn't wear them all the time and goes bare-eyed. I've seen her in glasses about 2 or 3 times I think- once when driving and other days at work where we've had presentations which she can't see without correction. It has always been obvious to me when she's bare eyed as she squints at people who are talking to her from a distance away, and I've seen her struggle to read other peoples computers when she's stood behind them.

Anyway, yesterday she was squinting a bit in the morning and I ran into her in the loos just before lunch. I noticed she was ripping open contacts packets so I lingered a bit so I could get a glance at her prescription. She has toric cls, -2 and -2.25 with -0.75 cyl in each eye. Managed to get chatting with her a little about them, she said they dry out in the office air con but she was struggling without them today. To be honest she quite often looks like she is struggling without them, but obviously I didn't say anything!

Ric 05 Jan 2010, 02:49

I ever wear disposable contacts for swim. Never had any problem even opening eyes in water.

Hollie 05 Jan 2010, 00:40

Chrissi

I sometimes wear contacts to swim. I use daily lenses and throw them away afterwards. The optician told me if I was going to wear them to swim that would be the best solution. I wear goggles over them so not had the problem of losing one! I believe you can have prescription goggles made too but they might be expensive- particularly for your high rx I expect. I would have thought it would be difficult to manage without for you. I do sometimes, I'm about -6, and finding your locker again is difficult!

Chrissi 04 Jan 2010, 18:49

Hi guys! I'm fourteen, almost fifteen (I've posted here before if any of you regulars have seen me here before) and my parents are thinking about letting me get some swimming lessons. I know I'm at an unusual age to get lessons but I used to be really scared of water and swimming. Now that I'm less scared, I realize it's probably practical for me to learn how to swim.

But I'm really apprehensive about it because I can't really see without my glasses or contacts, but I was wondering how well you need to be able to see? My rx is about -13 in my left eye and -14 in my right. Do you think I should get goggles or can I just wear my glasses? Or do I have to...?

Thanks for everyone's opinions in advance!

VFL 03 Jan 2010, 15:34

I am real. Really!

And 03 Jan 2010, 15:04

Hollie, good to hear it. It must be good to be able to wear either with confidence.

Hollie 03 Jan 2010, 13:42

And

Yes I am, eye infection cleared up. The time off made my eyes feel less dry, so I'm now trying to make a conscious effort to wear glasses sometimes.

Puffin 02 Jan 2010, 14:33

Now I'm starting to wonder how much of this site is fakery.

It may not just be those with multiple login names.

Hansel 02 Jan 2010, 13:41

From my point of view, I would commend Wurm for his approach.He also makes very pertinent points about log ins which could deter posters. Carry on the good work, Sir.

Just as a final point, don't forget, there is no dark side of the moon.

specs4ever 02 Jan 2010, 10:47

I think that you are doing a great job Wurm. You are correct in saying that the regulars don't bother responding to most of the "poser's" I used to respond to most of them, but as time went on I began to realize that the stories were boringly similar, and that the chances were that the poster was attempting to create still another fictional character. You are the only one who can tell from the ISP address who is posting multiple posts, however I am grateful for this web site, and I don't want the administrative duties to become so great that you get tired of running the site. So, I wait for a while to see if the poster is removed before I post any comments.

Thanks for running the site Wurm.

Happy New Year to all.

Wurm 02 Jan 2010, 09:25

It's a quandary, Puffin. My current method of letting them run a bit and then wiping their recent 'work' does create confusion.

A basic username/password system doesn't help - people just register multiple accounts. That only really addresses the problem of multiple people using the same username, and even then people will spoof.

A small pay barrier (US $5 an account or something) would thin it out I'm sure. But we'd certainly lose some of the regulars and it would discourage casual drop-ins too.

You could have some sort of system that clarifies who is a trusted user - after someone has a solid posting history they can be leveled up to a higher status. A 'novice' grade user could still flood the system with characters, unless there were some kind of limit on posting by new users. The problem I see with a posting limit is that it's often the drive-by newbie who has an involved question that needs a bit of back-and-forth to answer. You could pen them up in a Newbie Questions thread or something but that would quickly just become the troll zone.

One site I know of has a code phrase for trolls. When someone identifies a troll, the code phrase is posted as a signal to ignore the posts. The idea would be that instead of deleting the posts, I would come into the thread and say "the lunatic is on the grass" as a signal that fakery is afoot.

Puffin 02 Jan 2010, 08:44

After all I was talking to "Rachel" about eating the pattern off her plate, suddenly it all vanished - it makes you think twice whether it's worth saying hello or give any advice if it's all going to disappear the next day. If someone pops up on here claiming to be "Rachel" I have no way to know if they are Rachel or not, especially if they say something plausible or consistent with the established "Rachel". Is it worth the bother replying at all?

To me this is a cause of "saying bye" if every other time you reply to something in all innocence, it all gets suddenly removed.

Perhaps in future I will only reply to people who have unique names, never having posted before, and also with very routine problems, nothing remotely outlandish or the slightest possibility it's made up nonsense like going from nothing to -10 in a few weeks, all in an attampt to ensure replies only go to genuine posters.

That sounds a bit "boring" to me, but how else do I prevent replies getting chopped?

Puffin 02 Jan 2010, 08:29

In that case why can't we have a registration and password system, otherwise some of the pleasant exchanges with people get rudely cut off and vanish without a trace. it's rather irritating & confusing.

Melyssa 02 Jan 2010, 07:32

I agree with Wurm as well. It's like, "Your post looks familiar, but I don't know where to put it."

Galileo 02 Jan 2010, 03:07

I'm with Wurm. I think the fakes make the site boring. They follow the same story lines with monotonous regularity. I get the feeling "here we go again" every time a new high myope with fantasy inducing circumstances appears. I've followed this site for 10 years and I don't intend to leave. I'm happy that Wurm 'cleans up' every now and then. It is a reminder to the innocent not to believe everything they see here.

Ric 02 Jan 2010, 00:50

These make the site bored. Is one cause for say Bye.

Wurm 01 Jan 2010, 23:00

If the 'fake' percentage gets too high, some of the real people get disgusted and stop posting, which drives up the 'fake' percentage even more. This happened on the original polls site years ago. Before we moved to the UBB forum around 40% of the posts were by trolls (or serial fakes, if you prefer).

That's why I won't change my behavior. Perhaps some of our long-time fakers can explain why they don't give up playing charades and join the real conversations.

Puffin 01 Jan 2010, 17:07

I wonder if it is so terrible that some "people" here are fictional but have realistic but fake problems.

What difference does it make? All it means that advice and support is unnecessary, but if the fake ie left alone, then the advisors and supporters never know.

unless of course they are impersonating someone else?

Wurm 01 Jan 2010, 16:53

Yes, I've been more aggressive in deleting posts from people using multiple usernames to run fictional characters. I'll probably back off again eventually.

01 Jan 2010, 12:39

you can call it (im)moderate moderating

And 01 Jan 2010, 07:46

Is there a problem with this thread ? The index suggests people have recently contributed but I can't see any updates since I last posted on 24/12 ?

And 24 Dec 2009, 05:48

Hollie, are you back in contacts now ?

21 Dec 2009, 14:13

here is how anyone can go without glasses:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eA1CFm3U8jY

And 15 Dec 2009, 09:58

Rachel, I was asking about your vision, don't know where the messages have gone ! With a contact script of -7.50 would my gf be able to distinguish people, objects etc.

Puffin 15 Dec 2009, 09:11

I remember (I think) asking about Rachel trying to eat the pattern off her plate, but its seems to have gone. Very odd.

guest 15 Dec 2009, 09:05

No, it was no trolling. It was Rachel describing her experiences where she was going with her friend through the streets bareeyed.

Galileo 15 Dec 2009, 07:57

I guess there was even more trolling going on than I thought!

Belgian Bril 14 Dec 2009, 12:16

The last message I see today here is with date 22 Nov 2009 ; I remember having seen more recent messages the days before ...

???

And 14 Dec 2009, 11:10

Just testing - for some reason I can only see messages from Sept and earlier on this thread !!!!!

Susan 22 Nov 2009, 09:32

And:

No, I didn't loose them and I didn't have any problems actually. Unless there was a time, where I had to wear my glasses 4 one month, because I had an eye-sickness. the problem was, that I couldn't see with my glasses more than 40-50%, means: I really had problems to ride a bike or focus to things which were more far away than say 3 meters. this was really hard for me, because I didn't want somebody to know - and it worked ;) but it was a big challenge!!! I went fulltime since I'm at primary school, I guess... (around -1?). Don't remember...

Yes, I usually sleep in my lenses - just take them out for 1 or 2 nights a week.

Rachel:

Thanks a lot for sharing! It's great to hear some stories from people with a simulary problem. I know exactly how it is to NOT recognise a person in a room, if her/he doesn't move. That's why I always take my glasses to check the surroundings in my flat, befor I take them off and make a "going without my glasses- session".

What did your dad say afterwards? Does he also have high myopia? How old are you? Did you also have some "going-without-glasses-stories" from outside?

For me: I don't have... It would be to dangerous and to embarrassing, but it would give a cick, I'm sure. Are there other "inside-stories" you can tell? Do you also wear contacts? I do. That's why - if I checkt the surroundings with my glasses, I sometimes go bare-eyed, because the others won't know I'm bare-eyed right now. (Of course I won't stay for long... ;)) Great to "meet" somebody with the same "problem"

Susan

22 Nov 2009, 07:48

rachel, can you upload or send to my email a picture of your glasses?

i am so curios to see hoe these glasses looks like.

thank you

my email is dsuk124@walla.com;

Rachel 22 Nov 2009, 04:11

Susan. Once I was downstairs without my glasses on and I took a drink into the conservatory and my Dad was sitting there reading quietly. Guess what? I didn't even know he was there until he spoke to me and said where are your glasses Rachel? God I felt SO embarrassed!

Rachel 22 Nov 2009, 04:02

Susan. I'm -13.25 and -14.00 now and sometimes for laughs I go downstairs without glasses first thing in the morning to make a drink. My mother nearly goes spare when she sees me putting everything so close to my eyes to see them, but I just tell her she's lucky not to need glasses. Its amazing how much you can achieve without glasses when you know where everything is kept and as long as some idiot hasn't moved them. Nice to know you find it amusing as well Susan.

And 20 Nov 2009, 14:55

Hia, I just meant had you lost them, had problems with them etc When did you go full-time, what rx ? Do you sleep in your lenses ?

Susan 19 Nov 2009, 21:47

And:

Yes, I usually wear contacts (nearly always). I don't anderstand your other question - what do you mean "involving them"?

Susan

And 19 Nov 2009, 15:27

Susan, do you usually wear contacts ? If so have you ever had any episodes involving them ?

Susan 19 Nov 2009, 09:52

Like lenses:

Hmm.. I think it doesn't do any kind of difference if I squint, so I usually don't. But if I have to focus - or TRY to focus on something special, I squint and try to recognise... but usully it's useless. I love the feeling to not be able to see something... but I just love it, when I'm alone and no-one is around. Otherwise I HATE it!

Chrissy:

Why didn't you take your glasses at night? Do you also love the special feeling to feel somehow helpless? Do you have some experiences where you felt this feeling?

Some other stories of others with high myopic?

Susan

Susan 19 Nov 2009, 09:27

Like lenses:

Chrissy:

Why didn't you take your glasses at night? Do you also love the special feeling to feel somehow helpless? Do you have some experiences where you felt this feeling?

Some other stories of others with high myopic?

Susan

sourgrapes 18 Nov 2009, 18:21

Tell us more chrissi. Do you have any other bare eyed experiences?

Chrissi 18 Nov 2009, 16:48

Susan, R Ed is right, I have a similar prescription to yours. I am at -13 in my left eye and -14 in my right.

Actually this morning my friend called me when I was still half asleep to get help on her homework and I had to go all the way to the other room to pick up the phone...without my glasses. lol I was kinda worried I'd kick over something but I made it alright.

I don't tend to do much without correction although sometimes I will talk on the phone bare-eyed. lol

I also like how everything looks without my glasses too. It's like a whole new world, seeing things in a different perspective almost.

And 18 Nov 2009, 14:47

Wow Susan, do you carry your glasses around with you or leave them in a particular place ? My gf has -7.5 contacts but wears them 24/7 so I still don't know how she'd cope bare-eyed.

Ian 18 Nov 2009, 12:50

Hi Susan

My girlfriend is -7.25L and -8.50R, with astigmatism in her right eye also. Until 2yrs ago she still managed fairly well without her glasses at home, but since then she's got amost 100% dependent on them.

Showering and going to the toilet at night are the only activities I can think off that she does without glasses. She used to take her glasses off when we walked hand-in-hand until recently, but last time she almost stumbled and quicky put them back on.

I don't mind her being in glasses at all, since she sees better with them and looks very sexy in glasses also! And yes, she likes to keep them on during foreplay, as they have become a toy for us during the deed :)

R Ed 18 Nov 2009, 07:13

Chrissi,

Your Rx is similar to Susans. Could you make some comments to Susan.

Like Lenses 17 Nov 2009, 20:44

Susan

Do you tend to squint when you are enjoying the blur?

Minus 10,one of my favorite prescriptions.

Do your glasses lenses have flat fronts?

Susan 17 Nov 2009, 13:55

Hey all!

I'm -10 both eyes and without my lenses/glasses I'm in a big blur.

But sometimes I just love this feeling and so I'm trying to do the dishes, brush my teeth, walking around (in my house), trying to recognise things in a distance, etc. without my glasses/lenses. I kind of love the feeling to loose the control.

If you are also a high myopic (more than -10): Do you know this feeling? Do you also have some experiances without your visual help? Could you write some down? Did you meet some people without glasses and they didn't know you^re without lenses? Have you some stories to tell? Did some things happen to you in such a situation which made you feel ashamed?

Thanks for sharing.

Susan

nostolgic 09 Nov 2009, 17:20

@Hollie - if you're still here! I just caught your post back to me from a few months ago. Has your hyperopic coworker got new glasses or contacts yet? My guess is if he has not started back on, he's worked his cilliary muscles back into shape (plus glasses make them lazy) and won't be back in glasses until presbyopia sets in (which it does early for hyperopes).

Would be cool if you could find out his script! I've been wearing -3.5 contacts lately (they make me +3.5 hyperoptic), and after a week of consistent wear, the constant accommodation does get a little tiring - but not as bad as I thought it would at my advanced age of 42!

Sometimes I just relax my eyes and let things blur. It's not like I can take them off when my eyes get tired! But I do have a pair of reading glasses to put on when somebody sneaks me some fine print. Nobody asks questions.

sometimes I wish I were a young medium hyperope. Just stare off into space and let things blur, accommodate them into focus, let them blur again. Ahhhh.....

Have you gone without glasses lately, are you still -5, -6? That's quite blurry. Have you tried inducing myopia?

regards.

Like Lenses 12 Oct 2009, 19:51

Ghrissi

I would go with the script that your regular doctor prescribed. It doesn't make sense that with that strong a script, that it would go down.

Chrissi 12 Oct 2009, 17:58

Hi Rachel! It seems like it's been a long while since you've been posting things! This is kind of the wrong thread, but when did you get new glasses?

At this point in time I'm kind of in a dilemma because I got a new script in July that was -12.50 and -10.75 (although my old script was -11.25 for both eyes so I'm confused about that) and then from my regular ophthalmologist a month later I got an rx of -13.75 and -12.75. I have yet to fill either of the prescriptions as I normally wear my contacts (I got new ones) and glasses only at home and I can see well.

So I think I will wait a while...

What do you guys think?

Again, wrong thread, I apologize.

Rachel 11 Oct 2009, 04:51

Hollie and Amy. Going without glasses is definitely a no brainer for me with my rx. I hardly dare risk walking around the house now without them in case some idiot has left something in the way. If they have I would probably bump into it. It's pathetic really at my age. I'm currently looking through R -13.25 and L -14.00.

Amy 10 Oct 2009, 03:31

Hollie. I don't know why I've written this under "Going without Glasses" It's really nothing to do with it.

Amy 10 Oct 2009, 03:29

Hollie. They always tell you that the teenage years are the worst for myopia increasing rapidly. I'm certainly finding that at the moment. You can either worry about it or simply accept it as the norm. What I find most annoying is choosing some new glasses I really like and getting used to wearing them and then I realise I'm already needing stronger. I've tried having new lenses put in the same frames on a couple of occasions, but somehow the glasses never feel just the same afterwards. Like the lenses don't fit as well or stick out more round the edges and stuff.

Astra 05 Oct 2009, 02:34

(Continued from my last post)

My friend then tried to read some texts without glasses. Occasionally I see her getting really close (less than 15 cm from the text) to read the text, which is expected, given her prescription. But she don't seem necessary to get that close, she seem to be able to read at about 20-25 cm from the text.

Hmm... seeing this rare opportunity of her without glasses, I decided to trick her. I asked her to put her text a bit further away to read. She can't read the text at about 35 cm away, unless she squints. I think this seems quite normal for -2.0 to -3.0 , and a bit over expected for -3.5 .

I found that interesting. After several hours, I decided to play more tricks on her in order to for me to know more about her uncorrected vision. (or undercorrected vision)

(To be continued)

Astra 05 Oct 2009, 02:18

A close friend of mine visited my home yesterday, who have been going bare-eyed for a few days because the lenses of her glasses were slided off from her frames. Her prescription was about -3.50. I don't seem to know her exact prescription, but it is about that range. I have little idea about her uncorrected vision before, though I knew that was her first prescription ever got. She seemed to get by easily, didn't bumped into anything.

I was trying to get an external hard disk drive in order to use the program within that particular hard disk drive. The external hard disk drive was put on a large suitcase, I opened the suitcase and got the external hard disk drive. My friend was nearby, standing over the table about 2.5 metres away from the suitcase which was lying on the floor.

Then she told me she spotted a glasses case on the suitcase. I don't know how she could spot my glasses case on the suitcase over that distance. I was sitting in front of a computer and I saw a very blurry black round object on the suitcase, and that's the glasses case. That glasses case holds my second pair of glasses which I was got at age 10. She tried that pair of glasses on for a while. Then commented they were much weaker than hers.

(To be continued on my next post)

Astra 05 Oct 2009, 01:49

Re Sadeyes: It is quite normal for women wearing contacts, why stop them being so if they prefer contacts rather than glasses?

Sadeyes 04 Oct 2009, 18:55

My wife having worn glasses for 30 years plus (now progressives) started wearing them less and less over the last year or so. She would take them off at restaurants or in a social setting. Much to my horror she came home from an eye examination last week with a packet of trial contact lenses. How do I discourage her from wearing them? Any thoughts?

Hollie 04 Oct 2009, 00:44

Amy

I'm 24, but only started wearing glasses at the age of 15. Hopefully have almost stopped increasing now. I was only about -2.25 when I was 18!

And 03 Oct 2009, 08:32

Amy, my gf has a -7.50 contacts script and I've never seen her without them, can you describe how she might see / function without them.

Amy 03 Oct 2009, 04:28

Hollie. Sorry, I have just read your post further down that you are -6.00 and -5.00. May I ask your age? I'm almost 18 now and my myopia is still on the move! Like my mother keeps telling me, once you start on the slippery slope of wearing glasses all the time there's no going back!

Amy 03 Oct 2009, 04:24

Hollie. What prescription are you? You sound pretty close to mine from the way you describe what it's like going without glasses. My current one is RE -7.00 and LE -7.75 with a little bit of astigmatism.

Astra 02 Oct 2009, 12:46

About Reading text with monovision... well it seems quite difficult for me to accommodate that, I would just close one eye for that.

Astra 02 Oct 2009, 12:44

Astra 02 Oct 2009, 12:41

Re Phil, Hollie:

"attach something to wearing glasses which most people don't"... This is quite amusing, even though I am probably one of such individuals.

I think most people either see wearing glasses is for seeking correction to normal eyesight or for decoration. They rarely have particular feelings about people wearing glasses, tend to either prefer or not prefer wearing glasses, and that's all.

For me, I tend to notice females with glasses on, try to look for the cut-ins. If I am sitting at the sideway-back, I like to look through their glasses from that position, tempting to have a rough guess of her prescription.

I surely doubt most people would be that curious about others' prescription. Surely I had started that habit since the age of 7 or 8, when I realise I needed -2.00 correction. Back then I have no idea about how bad my eyesight are compared to others. Back then I have already heard stronger prescriptions usually means worse eyesight, and vice versa. And strong prescription usually goes with thicker lenses. I started to notice my classmates. At younger age there are not many classmates with glasses, most of them looked either quite strong (more than -5) or very weak (-1 ish) to me. As time progress I realise prescriptions does change, and that arouse my curiosity. Most people would not be so curious about that, just viewing it normal. But I was actually reluctant to see myself having too fast increase on my minus prescriptions. Actually that never really happened to me. (say, -1.00 increase every year, so I must be -10 or worse if that happened to my prescription, or even accompanying awkward cyl--- for others I surely don't mind, it is interesting to see others having those increases)

Phil 02 Oct 2009, 04:14

Angela, how are things going with the glasses?

Dieter 01 Oct 2009, 06:44

Guest,

The reason one eye sees distance uncorrected is because it had a lens replacement a few years ago. I wore glasses mostly full time removing them to read. Or, I often wore contacts doing monovision with a +1.75 difference.

Guest 30 Sep 2009, 22:06

Dieter

What did you do before presbyopia, did you wear glasses - full or part time?

Dieter 30 Sep 2009, 13:30

Clare/And,

I have one eye that requires no correction while the other needs a -3.25 lens to see 20/20. Since I live in the Land of Presbyopia, I do most activities uncorrected so I essentially function as Clare with one contact. It is an extreme amount of difference for monovision but I have adapted to it. Monovision seems to be quite suitable to some people, but completely unacceptable to others.

30 Sep 2009, 13:14

One lens? That would be Colonel Klink and his monocle.

Clare 30 Sep 2009, 12:58

And - I'm not sure in terms of cm but I'd say its arm's length, for sure I couldn't read anything at more than that. I mean if there's something written, of course larger objects are more easily identified.

As for the one lens thing, its not great! Its funny how the eyes figure it out - I can see generally well enough to get by but I find that detail blurs so at near distance I can't read what I'd expect to. I think the eyes get confused by the two images. But oddly its easier than going bare-eyed.

I have driven like it but had a near miss so don't think its advisable and won't do it again!!

Hollie 29 Sep 2009, 15:39

And

To see things in focus, about 7 inches or so? Maybe less...Squinting doesn't help very much, sometimes I can recognize things by their shape, but to be honest I need glasses to read- a book, a wine lust, whatever at a comfortable distance. I'd have to hold stuff close without correction, which draws attention in a social situation!

And 29 Sep 2009, 15:36

Clare, one lens, does that mean you keep closing one eye, what happens to your vision when you have only one lens ? I'm sure you would not choose to go bare-eyed but you'd probably manage ok if necessary eh ?

29 Sep 2009, 15:17

And 29 Sep 2009, 14:02

Hollie, Clare, how close would each of you have to get to be able to see these things clearly ?

Clare 29 Sep 2009, 13:45

Hollie - good question! Actually I don't, because I can't? Not really I suppose. I've gone out with one contact lens before when I couldn't wear both, which isn't so easy!

Hollie 28 Sep 2009, 11:51

Clare

Very true. I went out with them on and took them off when we were sat chatting. Walking round at night without them is a bit of a nightmare. Re drinks available... I meant beer pumps as well, they are just a blur to me. I do remember going out at a similar rx to you bare eyed and trying (in vain) to squint to see what drinks they had in the fridges! Do you ever socialize without lenses in?

Hollie 28 Sep 2009, 11:47

Phil

I am fulltime- out of necessity though- not by choice, I don't feel like I have a choice to go without anymore.

It's very true- I know people in the -1s who happily went fulltime as soon as they got glasses. Whereas I either wore contacts or went without for a long time. I can distinctly remember being -3.50 or so and not having my glasses on, and a friend with a similar rx calling me 'crazy and vain'. If only it were so easy as he found it to just wear them!

Clare 28 Sep 2009, 11:17

Hollie - if it's any consolation, most people, even those with a lower Rx like me, would find they'd need their glasses to see the tv, drinks in a bar (I presume you mean behind the bar), the only thing that probably differs is reading the wine list! I suppose beyond a certain distance, not sure what that would be, anyone above -3 is dependent to some degree.

Phil 28 Sep 2009, 01:45

Hollie, I think that your observation that you "attach something to wearing glasses which most people don't" sums up how I feel perfectly. I think that, if one finds glasses a big thing when it comes to members of the gender to which one is attracted, one overestimates the significance of wearing them oneself. Most "normal" people just put them on and get on with life. Look at Angela here who didn't wear specs until she was 50 and then became a fulltime gwg overnight! What a role model! I wish I could be as rational.

Cactus Jack 27 Sep 2009, 15:22

Obsessed,

Also, your complete Rx and when you got your last eye exam?

Perhaps we can help.

Cactus Jack 27 Sep 2009, 15:20

Obsessed,

Are you seeking permission or justification to wear glasses full time?

May I ask your age and where you live?

And 27 Sep 2009, 15:14

Hollie, what was your fulltime trigger ?

Obsessed 27 Sep 2009, 14:55

Hey guys -

my RX is only -1. I am not a full-time wearer... I want to only be able to see through my glasses...

Hollie 27 Sep 2009, 14:16

Astra- I had some increases at uni and another since finishing 2 years ago. My rx now is -6 and -1 cyl, and -5 and -1.25 cyl in other eye.

Clare- Wearing them on my head only makes me realise how I've become more dependent on them. I had to keep putting them on frequently to see the tv, drinks available in a bar, even to read the wine list! I was quite happy sitting chatting without them but found it uncomfortable/annoying not being able to make out facial expressions. Made me feel depressingly dependent- I want my contact lenses back!

And- She wears glasses or contacts full time. Did wear lenses continually then switched to glasses only. She's been travelling the world for a year and switching between both, but fancies going back to contacts full time now. She has worn full time from -1 or thereabouts, says she decided to wear them all the time when she couldn't recognise someone at the end of a corridor. Funny how people's full time triggers are different. I was walking around with no correction at about -3.50 and couldn't recognize people until they were very close- never occurred to me to wear glasses! Think perhaps both Clare and I attach something to wearing glasses that most people don't. Even now I still hate to think of myself as a 'full time wearer'.

And 27 Sep 2009, 13:04

Hollie, does your -5 friend have the same attitude towards glasses as you ?

Confident/shy, fulltime, contacts ?

Clare 27 Sep 2009, 12:51

Hollie - your comments about wearing glasses on your head make me think about how much my friends would wear glasses if, like you, they had a little while when they couldn't wear contacts. One friend is -4 and was staying last weekend, though did get up to make tea first thing without glasses or contacts. I have a couple of other friends, both around -2.50/-2.75, who wear contacts. I'm not sure how much they'd wear glasses, probably most although maybe not all of the time. Then I have another friend, it's hard to estimate his prescription although I knew it was -1.75 a few years ago, now wears them fulltime - I think they're not that much stronger but he's always been inclined to wear fulltime since he got them around -1.

Astra 27 Sep 2009, 12:41

Re Hollie: You must have got quite rapid rx increase over your college years then...

regarding your hyperopic colleague, certainly he can't accommodate with your prescription lol. Actually most low myopes (below -3) wouldn't be able to accommodate with yours either, unless they have really good accommodation. I assume what he would see with yours would be super-diminished texts, so small that would never be identifiable.

and it is he that should ask how you cope with such "weak" glasses (by his perception), because he heard you finding difficult to read the text, and he probably expected the "weak" glasses would be sufficient to magnify the text for him. In fact, your rx is really far too weak in plus prescription for him. Not only no magnification is provided, but even diminishing the already small text for him.

After trying on your glasses, he may have thought, "no wonder you find it hard to see the text, you must need a stronger (+) rx"

He would find it hard to imagine how myopes struggles with magnified but completely off-focused images if myopes are left without glasses.

Astra 27 Sep 2009, 12:01

Re Angela: As far as I recall, I have very few instances feeling the clear vision "new" to me. When I got new prescription I just thought, the distance things are looking a bit smaller / the close things are looking larger. But rather I find the blur without both "interesting" and "disruptive".

If I can't see an object I would consider the object being too small. Yep, even with glasses when I really see the object I feel, "wow, that's such a tiny object far away, forget about it." But I would feel the blur being disruptive when the object is actually large.

Astra 27 Sep 2009, 11:43

Re Fred: It is more interesting to see gwg have their glasses slided down (whether deliberately or accidentally), then stare over you at a distance with their big eyes, amidst the blur.

I am a gwg, but I have unattractive slit-like eyes. So I won't be interested in seeing myself doing that, or placing glasses on top of my head. I look somehow squinty either with/without. :)

Astra 27 Sep 2009, 10:57

Re Obsessed: If you'd like to be fully dependent with glasses, try induce myopia. There is a thread dedicated to induce myopia on this site.

Hollie 27 Sep 2009, 02:47

And- one of my friends is -5 so just a little less than me. She commented that I was wearing glasses at all- she is used to me in contacts and said the last time she'd seen me in glasses was in the 6th form at school! I only wore them for lessons back then- seem to think I was about -2.25 when I left.

Hollie 27 Sep 2009, 02:44

Obsessed- what's your rx?

And- only a few minutes really, I guess I am a little more dependent than I'd like to be! Not completely useless though- made tea this morning for everyone bare eyed.

And 26 Sep 2009, 15:57

Hollie, ha I'm sure you're not useless without them. What's the longest you kept them on your head ? Did your friends pass comment ?

Obsessed 26 Sep 2009, 13:16

I would like to be fully dependent on my specs :)

Hollie 26 Sep 2009, 10:23

I used to do it a lot more when my rx was lower but not so much now. I like the look of glasses on top of your head : )

fred 26 Sep 2009, 05:10

Hollie, I always love to see gwgs doing exactly that :-)

Hollie 25 Sep 2009, 17:02

I suppose I am odd in my own way too. Currently with friends who are staying and I'm constantly putting the specs on my head and back down again to see stuff. I think I still want to prove to myself I'm not hopeless without them.

Phil 25 Sep 2009, 10:38

Angela, it's a good job that Mr Plod never stopped you and asked you to read a number plate at 25 metres! I bet driving is a lot more comfortable now. Did you ever catch the wrong train or bus? I've done that when I've been bare-eyed and a bit dopey.

Like me you are probably used to sitting very close to the computer monitor. You are right that it's better for one's posture to sit further away. On the other hand you'd probably do best with a somewhat weaker rx for computer work. Why don't you try a pair of specs at the sort of rx that Nostolgic advocates. As it would be a bit in the way of an experiment I wouldn't spend too much. If you are in the UK, Glassesdirect are excellent: a great range of frames (some very daring!) at very reasonable prices. And they'll make them up to any rx.

Angela 25 Sep 2009, 03:39

Phil,

Yes, I was driving, always managed OK with a bit of quinting at road signs or whenever necessary. I've never had an accident but I now realise I should have had glasses for driving at least.

I'm still getting used to wearing them all the time, I just noticed that the house accross the road from my window is made of bricks, not just terracotta paint! Looking at the PC monitor is Ok if I sit well back, I've moved the monitor towards the back of the desk and the keyboard towards me, that helps a lot, I'm no longer hunched over it!

Angela

Phil 25 Sep 2009, 00:04

Hollie, You know me. Still not entirely full-time 30 years later! At Oxford law lectures rarely involved anything written on a board. And, when they did, I managed. I used to wear the hornrims when I was alone, especially in the evenings. I didn't have a car in those days but I did put them on on the odd occasion when I drove. My college friends never saw me in them-most of them haven't seen me in glasses to this day! I know I'm 'odd'. It's all down to what a big thing specs are in my life.

Hollie 24 Sep 2009, 12:40

Nostolgic

He's 27 and still not wearing- been over a month now! Bizarre I think- you would think he'd at least be wearing them for work which is surely very visually-demanding staring at a laptop all day.

We were chatting through some work yesterday and he had printed off some documents in a very small type. I joked it was difficult to see even with my glasses on- he asked to try them- he couldn't see a thing which is obvious, given our different prescriptions. "even worse than with no glasses" was what he said- I had to bite my tongue not to ask how we was coping as thought it would give my knowledge about rxs away!!

Hollie 24 Sep 2009, 12:29

Phil

That seems pretty high to not be wearing any correction at all- I presume you never took the advice to go full time?

Whether you have a real 'need' for them or not I presume depends on your lifestyle. I was about 15 and realised I couldn't see the board properly at school, though I'm sure I could have coped without- my rx was minimal at -0.75 sph with -0.75 cyl.

Did you not find lectures at university an enormous challenge at -2.25?

Phil 24 Sep 2009, 08:59

Angela,

When I first got glasses (at 21) I think I was -2.25. The optician was shocked that I hadn't had any before: he said that I should immediately wear them fulltime. I'd had an eyetest at 18 but the optician had concluded then that the case for correction was marginal and that I'd probably do best without glasses. But the next three years at university sealed my fate!

I can still remember the amazing clarity when I put the specs on. They were brown hornrim! I could read shop signs and numberplates and see leaves. It was astonishing. It must have been the more so for you.

Had you been driving before you got the glasses? That must have been a challenge! And how did you cope at train stations and airports?

angela 24 Sep 2009, 07:44

Phil, I just got a basic frame as I wasn't expecting them to become a permanent fixture or fasion accessory, I didn't see any point in spending a lot of money on a pair of glasses that I wasn't going to wear much! It would seem that I was wrong, maybe I now need to get something more special since I've become a full time wearer. I have had a few comments, like "I never knew you wore glasses" or "I've never seen you wear glasses before", generally nice comments though. I must admit, I don't particularly like wearing them yet, they still seem a bit allien on my face but I do like the fantastic clarity, I just can't imagine being without them now, when I take them off everything is so fuzzy. I never realised my vision was so poor before, now I feel lost without them. I think I only have a weak prescription but it certainly makes a tremendous difference, I should have done this years ago!

Angela

Phil 24 Sep 2009, 06:02

Angela

Now that you are used to being a gwg, do you enjoy wearing glasses? What frames did you choose? Did you get complimented on how you look in them by friends, colleagues and family?

nostolgic 23 Sep 2009, 15:49

guest/Angie:

Check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eyeglass_prescription.

At 50 you pretty much can't focus up close at all. The reason you can is because, being farsignted, seeing close is your eyes' 'unfocused' default.

So with single vision glasses, you don't know half the benefit. Why? Because there is something else wrong with your refraction, 'astigmatism', that causes blur at ALL distances. So the other half of the benefit is actually how much better things will look up close - you'll be able to see the pixels on your monitor!!!

If your current script then is:

-3.50 +1.00 x 40 R -3.50 +1.00 x 175 ADD +2

A single-vision 'computer only' script would be:

-1.50 +1.00 x 40 R -1.50 +1.00 x 175

If you work 1/2 meter away from your computer, or:

-2.00 +1.00 x 40 R -2.00 +1.00 x 175

If you work 2/3 meter away from your computer.

This is for single vision only, you have to take swap your other glasses in for distance.

Also get progressives as the others say; they're good for general purpose use. You MIGHT get used to them at the computer; some of my coworkers have. However, you can't beat a pair of big single vision computer-only glasses to leave at work if you do more than 80% of your job on the computer!

Of course the optician would be able to tell you all the same. Might be worth another trip. But of course if you understand the wikipedia article and what I said, and you plan for 2 pairs, and you have the patience to wait for shipping (the hardest part), you can save a couple hundred bucks and up ordering on line.

If you're anyting like me you'll soon appreciate the beauty of having at least a liter of glasses (although I've never actually tested that...)

guest 23 Sep 2009, 14:00

Yes, the ones i need for distance, they never suggested bifocals only progressives, nor did they really explain that it would be impossible for reading with them. I didn't really understand what the progressives were or why I'd need them. I suppose I was rather negative or off hand with them as I didn't really believe my eyes were bad enough to actually need glasses full time. Anyway it's not too much of a problem, I can just remove them for reading and sit close at the PC like before! The main thing is my distance vision is now just amazing, especially in the poor light in early evening.

I dont actually understand those figures in the prescription that I posted on here earlier, I assume they are the strength of the lens required for me to see at a distance? Anyway they work just fine for me!

Angela

myofan 23 Sep 2009, 13:20

Angela,

When you say "standard ones", do you mean that you did not get either progressive lenses OR bifocals? If not, that would certainly explain your reading difficulty. The "Add" part of your prescription is intended to help you to read with your glasses. If you don't have either progressive lenses or bifocals, then you don't have the "Add" portion at all. No wonder you can't read with your glasses.

guest 23 Sep 2009, 11:28

Yes, they did suggest "progressives" but since I'd never worn glasses before I thought I'd just get standard ones as I never expected to wear them full time or even wear them at all. I didn't realise they'd be no good for close work or even looking at the PC monitor. I really expected to just wear them occasionally when I needed some help with distance but it seems that what I thought was distance is actually anything more than 18" away!

Angela

Curt 23 Sep 2009, 07:36

Given that these were her first pair of glasses at age 50, they may have been made up without the add to make it easier for her to get used to them.

If the problems close up continue, I would go back to the doc and explain the problems that you are having.

Phil 23 Sep 2009, 07:27

Angela, you have a very similar rx to me, though I have a slightly higher add and no astigmatism. Yes, it is amazing for an uncorrected myope to get a first pair of specs. One can see leaves, blades of grass etc! And the difference is particularly astounding at night.

On the other hand, I think that doing close work with correction after years of going bare-eyed takes a bit of getting used to.

I imagined that you had been prescribed progressives. With them you ought in theory to be able to see clearly through the bottom of the lenses to read and through the intermediate portion to see the computer. But progessive lenses can be distorting, especially if they are fashionably small, and opticians are sometimes a bit mean on the add they prescribe. Try getting a pair of single vision lenses with lenses around -1 for reading or -2 for the computer.

Bifocals 23 Sep 2009, 06:09

Angela, I am surprised your optician did not suggest a pair of progressive or bifocal lenses. The computer is a nightmare for mid-range vision problems. With progressive lenses there is some midrange clarity, which sounds like your problem. With multifocal lenses you will have clarity in all ranges, and its a real pleasure not removing glasses, for close work. With multifocals you will be more confident with your glasses, and be a much happier person

guest 23 Sep 2009, 04:57

Hi everyone, this is my first post on here, I found this forum recently by accident after finally giving up and getting some glasses!

I failed a medical for a new job as they found that my eyesight wasn't up to scratch.. I always knew I was a bit short sighted but it never really bothered me, I only considered it to be very mild and not worth having to wear glasses for. So, I finally went and got an eye test and the optician confirmed I was short sighted and that I really should wear glasses all the time, in fact they couldn't understand how I had managed without for so long (I'm 50).

The presicription I received said L -3.50 +1.00 x 40 R -3.50 +1.00 x 175 Add +2.00 both.

I reluctantly got some glasses made up and got the shock of my life when I put them on in the shop, I really couldn't believe how much difference they made, everything became crystal clear and so sharp. I kept them on in the shop and on the way home and have since become a full time wearer, it's been over a week now and I'm still totally amazed.

I still cant beleive the difference they make, the lenses are only quite thin and they don't look very strong but the improvement in my distance vision is absolutely amazing and I keep peeping underneath the lens to remind me of what it was like without them and I really cant beleive how much I cant see and what I've been missing all these years!

I just have one problem now, I cant see to read or to see the computer screen with them on so have to remove them and get close. I noticed though that when wearing them I can see the the small print on the computer screen when sitting back in my chair compared to being hunched up over the screen like when typing this, maybe I'll have to get some different ones for close work?

Angela

Astra 22 Sep 2009, 03:23

Re And:

I never really been a full-time wearer. For most instance I wear them outdoors, but indoors I rarely wear glasses. When I wear them, mostly for looking out of my windows, or simply for fun looking straight through the rooms, which is about 6-10 metres long, so it is impossible for me to identify the object clearly within the room at that end without glasses. I enjoy the contrast of the clarity with glasses and the blur without glasses. After all it could be interesting.

My current script is -2.5, +3.25 add for reading, no astigmatism. So at what prescription would I go wearing fulltime. Hmm, probably about -4, I guess.

So far my distance script have not been changed significantly for 5 years. My first prescription was -2.0 at age 7, so it was 14 years ago. I never wear glasses outdoors until I was age 17.

Astra 22 Sep 2009, 03:04

Modification: Now I found that my bathroom is actually not that small. The actual distance I was looking at that window frame last night was about 2.5 m away from the window frame, instead of 1.5 m.

Under good light conditions, I could figure the window frame at ease at such distance, though a bit blurry.

And 21 Sep 2009, 14:03

Astra, have you experimented outside at all - supermarkets, shops, work etc. At what script did you go fulltime ?

Astra 21 Sep 2009, 12:41

(Please read from my older post on this thread one by one to this post)

So that toy for children is easy to operate. It is used for starting the router (Magenta-colored light), and the air-conditioner (Orange-colored light) respectively. Looks like a red-orange mess (or toy for children?!) for me, 4 metres away. Can't really tell the color: A mix of colors... I can't really tell unless I walk near them.

Walking near the bathroom again, step just 1.5 metres away from the tiny, dimly-lit window.

Somehow blurry. But that's okay, the glass window is in fact decorating glass with a stone-like texture. Hey, the window frame appears missing! It has one, just I can't see the window frame at such distance, under such light conditions particularly. The contrast is enough, but ironically it was the dim ambient light outdoors that was defocused (exactly the same phenomenon as the slit of the door, but this time the narrow part is the dark frame instead of bright slit) , so I can't see the window frame under such conditions. Well, I can if I walk closer to the window frame, or see it through the distance glasses.

This can be the closest experience to visual blindness for me. The window frame itself is about 1 inch thick, so imagine NOT being able to see it just 1.5 metres away under mild, but adequate light outdoors. I can identify the window frame 5 m away with my distance glasses, as far as I recall. (I imagine that sounds more like the experience for -3.5 to -4 under better light conditions)

Now you should have known more about how is it like for me walking around in my house, at night, without glasses.

Astra 21 Sep 2009, 12:16

So I have described 3 of that 6 bright lights. You may guess all of them are due to the reflection of the glass table. 2 of them are indeed reflection of the glass table, but the orange one is not.

The 4th one was the 3 parallel lights from the router, which looks like 3 overlapping fireworks (It looks like one, but I could still identify 3 different sources) for me.

The 5th one was the telephone. That telephone has a vertical red-lit slit. For me over the door, I just see a ring instead of the slit.

Back to the 3rd one. You may wonder why the 3rd one is beneath the table while the others are above. That is because the light source comes from the 6th bright spot, which appears like "magenta? red? orange?" blurry, woolly plastic toys with a light on it for children for my eyes.

Astra 21 Sep 2009, 12:08

I find myself being somehow fetish about blurry eyesights. When I was typing my last post, my nose got excited (and sneezed) when I was typing "myopic eyes". Well, I even got one handle in a game forum named "myopicblur", and another with the same name in an online application.

Back to the trip in my house, in the dark, without glasses. In my bathroom I could see the 3 lights on my router blinking, with huge halos. Then over that door again, I would see an even more interesting scene. There are only 3 bright sources of light in my living room, but they produces 6 bright spots of different colors.

All the 6 bright spots are blurry. There are faint-colored lights over the glass table, one is faint red, and the other is faint yellow-green. Did I have christmas lightings in my living room on my tables? Yes--- according to my eyes. There is another orange colored light under the glass table, but I have no light sources underneath that table.

Astra 21 Sep 2009, 11:56

I just had another walk within my own apartment, without glasses. I rarely wear distance glasses at home anyway. It is 2:30 am here. Under the low light condition I still could wander around my home with ease. Walking between rooms is even more enjoyable than daytime.

The corridor of my apartment is well-lit at night. The door of the living room faces the well-lit corridor. I walked from my bedroom to bathroom, and always get close to that door. Nothing interesting there, just the well-lit gap between the door and the door frame. I stand 50 cm over the door, clearly seeing a slit of about 5 mm.

Then I walked towards the bathroom, which is 4 metres away from that door. I look at the door again. The slit grows into almost one-fifth of the door's width. Can't identify the 5mm slit anymore, but the slit looks WIDE in width, appears more like 15 cm than 5 mm for my myopic eyes. In well-lit conditions, I may just cannot see the slit at all. But at dark conditions, I see a wide, blurry edge.

nostolgic 20 Sep 2009, 21:36

Hollie,

How old is your coworker? That would make a huge difference in how much he could accommodate. Also it depends on what percentage of his accommodative amplitide (AA) he's using to see. Most people can comfortable accommodate up to 50% of their amplitude almost indefinitely; others get eyestrain just accmmodating 20%.

Some, like myself, can handle more; In fact, like to wear lenses with too much minus to force extra accommodation. I can handle about 75% of my AA indefinitely, and almost 100% for about 3-4 hours (although after that I have to take a break for a few days). I also LOVE glasses and an excuse to wear them.

So if your coworker is, say, 24, he may have an AA of 11. Let's say he's a +6 hyperope (officially very thick glasses, his eyes would look strangely large thru them, but extremely rare, I think).

Then for distance viewing he'd need a little over 1/2 his AA, very comfortable, especially for a hyperope, as they are used to it. If he likes accmmodating as much as I do, he could easily stare at a computer screen 1/2 meter away indefinitely. AND he could read very fine print (2pt or less) at 20cm (the remaining 5D of AA).

So if I were him, I'd probably wear -2 lenses part time (and go without other times) just to push it a bit and enjoy both accommodating and glasses! Plus the benefit of not having to bother with glasses when you don't want to.

Unfortunately, due to Adam's teeth on a bad fruit 1000 generations ago, our eyes are programmed to lose that power entirely by the mid 50's. You could be an old marathoner or a weightlifter but your cilliary muscles will be useless! If I were that coworker, I'd enjoy accommodation while it lasts.

Hollie 20 Sep 2009, 10:12

Nope- he wasn't wearing contacts, nothing at all. His lenses are pretty thick too. Conversation came about as I'm not wearing contacts at the moment and showed up at work in glasses. I commented that I'm not very keen on wearing them but had to for a while. He asked if I really needed them badly and then commented about having left his at a hotel and not having worn any correction for 3 weeks. He is away on holiday at the moment so we shall see if he comes back to work wearing specs.

Cactus jack 20 Sep 2009, 08:53

Hollie,

Just because it is possible for a hyperope to accommodate doesn't mean that it is comfortable to do so for long periods. My only purpose was to help you and Astra understand a bit more about how the optics of the eye works and explain how it is possible for a hyperope to see clearly without correction where a myope can only see clearly up close. If he usually wears glasses, he might have been wearing contacts for comfort, but the only way to tell for sure is o ask.

Also, because of the interconnection between the focus mechanism and the convergence mechanism in the brain, SOME hyperopes can have problems with their eyes trying to turn inward when the try to focus without external correction. The strength of the interconnection varies with individuals.

Hollie 20 Sep 2009, 05:24

Thanks cactus jack. I guess I'm just surprised at full time wearers suddenly going without any correction at all. I'd presumed the guy in question was wearing contacts.

Astra 20 Sep 2009, 04:09

Thanks CJ for the explanation of the accommodation.

Astra.

Cactus Jack 19 Sep 2009, 12:35

Astra and Hollie,

The ability of a hyperope (+ glasses) to focus close depends on three things. Their Rx, how much they can accommodate, and the distance of the text or object from their eyes. Typically, the younger a person is, the greater the ability to accommodate. Most babies are born hyperopic because their eyeballs are small for the optical power of their corneas and crystaline lenses. Young children have very flexible crystaline lenses and can accommodate as much as +20 diopters. The ability to accommodate is called Amplitude of Accommodation. There is even a formula for calculating the average ability to accommodate based on a persons age in years. The formula is: 18.5 - age/3 = Amplitude of Accommodation. The actual ability depends to some extent on actual stiffness of the crystaline lenses (it can vary with age and body chemistry) and the condition of the ciliary muscles.

Hyperopes typically have a mismatch between the length of their eyeballs, which did't quite grow enough, and the optical power of their corneas and crystaline lenses and images of distant object focus behind the retina. Images of close objects focus even farther behind. To move the focus of the images up to the retina requires additional internal plus power from the crystaline lenses or external plus power from external lenses. Myopes have the exact opposite problem that their eyeballs grew too much and the images focus in front of the retina. Unfortunately, crystaline lenses can only relax so much and no more. That means that myopia MUST be corrected by external minus lenses to move the focus back to the retina or some form of surgery to reduce the plus power of the cornea (lasik) or crystaline lens (IOLs as in cataract surgery).

Astra 19 Sep 2009, 11:19

Hollie,

I don't know much about + prescription either.

I would not be surprised to know some moderate hyperopes can drive without correction. But moderate hyperopes without correction can stare at computer screen for an hour, able to reading small texts (say 10-12px)... this sounds strange to me.

I can't read such small text (10 px) without approx. +3 add over -2.5. (My add rx is +3.25)

It would be hard for me to imagine a hyperope with say, +3, can read small text comfortably without.

Hollie 19 Sep 2009, 04:48

I don't know much about + prescriptions, but can't children accommodate for a certain amount of farsightedness? My other half's brother, who is 20, has + glasses that look strong to me, and magnify his eyes lots. He wears them all the time. Recently we were talking about going diving and I was wondering whether to get a prescription mask rather than wearing contacts underneath a normal one. I asked what his brother did (thinking as a full time wearer he'd wear them to dive) but apparently he just goes without. I asked him if he could see without them and he said yes, fine, I just need them for the computer and reading really.

A similar thing with guy at work- strong looking + prescription, full time wearer. Left his glasses at a hotel he was staying at, and is now not wearing any correction at all. Given we stare at screens all day, I was surprised. He seems to be able to read very small type without them too.

I find it confusing as for myopes, when you remove your glasses everything beyond a certain point is blurry- and if you need to see something you generally have to put your glasses back on- is it not the same for hyperopes?

Jennifer 18 Sep 2009, 11:34

Dieter, you are right about parents forcing their children to wear glasses full time. I saw a 4 year old come in wearing plus glasses. One lens was stronger than the other. The boy would purposedly let his glasses slide down his nose and preferred to look over the glasses to see distance things. His mother kept pushing his glasses back into place, eventually getting the child angry. He took his glasses off and threw them on the floor. The mother picked them up and put them away. After a while, the grandmother asked for the glasses and forced the child to wear them. It didn't take long before the glasses had slid down and he was looking over them. How awful for the boy that he would have to go through this over and over again.

Dieter 17 Sep 2009, 14:40

Clare,

I think most children are told to wear their glasses by doctors and parents and the assumption is they will miss something at school or damage their eyes if the don't. Sometimes parents almost seem to want to "get their money's worth" so to speak.

designereyez 17 Sep 2009, 14:32

Actually, I think that teens aren't the most reluctant, rather it's adults in their forties (maybe late thirties to early fifties). At that point when you need glasses it's a sign of getting old. I see teens and early twenty-somethings (college age) almost showing off their glasses sometimes. Like now with massively oversized frames with thick lenses falling down the cheeks.

Hollie 17 Sep 2009, 14:16

Clare

I have always thought that part of my reluctance to wear glasses full time even when needed them was due to getting them at the age of 15. I guess teenagers are a lot more self conscious about their looks than younger children. I had an rx of only -0.75 with -0.75 cyl then, so I had no need to wear them constantly, but I only wore them when I absolutely had to see. It doesn't make much sense to me when people get their first, very low minus ex and immediately start wearing it full time, even though they have never worn glasses in their life before. I have seen this happen a number of times with friends and work colleagues.

Clare 17 Sep 2009, 11:50

Dieter - what you say about your colleague having worn her glasses fulltime since 16 makes me think about younger children who wear an obviously weak prescription full time. I've never known if that's because it's presumed the rx will get stronger and they'll need to or whether they're just told they should. A friend of mine, now in her 30s and a -4, has worn glasses fulltime (well contacts since her late teens) since she was about 10 years old. I'd assume at that age she'd only have been about -1 maybe and, again, wonder why you'd have a child wear -1 fulltime ... if not for my theory above. So, perhaps your colleague was instructed to on the basis they expected her rx would progress but it hasn't and she still does. Anyone else have any thoughts, particularly on my kids & glasses comments?

Dieter 16 Sep 2009, 14:33

Puffin,

It wasn't that my co-worker was suffering from the astigmatism, though. She was having difficulties dealing with the correction.

Puffin 16 Sep 2009, 14:21

I seem to remember reading here or elsewhere that some people's experience of astigmatism, at certain angles, can be like viewing things slantwise. If this is at odds with the rest of a person's senses, particularly if they have a sensitive sense of balance (I think) they may well have the problems described. It's not so much the amount but the angle that might cause the trouble.

Dieter 16 Sep 2009, 12:04

Clare,

That�s why nothing added up. From what I�ve seen, she wears fulltime except occasionally working at her desk, and has so since getting glasses in her teens. When she showed me her prescription, I had to really hold back my knowledge to avoid outing my OO�ness. ;)

Hollie,

I have -.50 astig in one eye. I can see the difference at night by the halos around lights but I can�t feel any difference. My co-worker said that with the correction in her lenses everything was bent (with only -.25?), hurt her eyes, and made her seasick. She did get used to it this second time around and seems to be happy now.

Clare 16 Sep 2009, 11:28

Dieter - interesting that her prescription is so low given that she got them at 16. I'd have expected her to be in the upper -2s at least 20 years later ... Isn't that the way it usually goes?

Dieter 16 Sep 2009, 11:28

Katy,

I didn't mean to infer that her lenses were real thick, but since that pair of glasses were rimless, the lenses were not thin either. Anyway, they appeared more stout than -1.50.

Katy 16 Sep 2009, 11:12

Dieter - interesting that her lenses are quite thick - are they very big frames? It does sound like she wants people to think she's more myopic than she is.

Hollie 16 Sep 2009, 10:42

Dieter

I would have thought she'd have got by without for most of the time, especially if she doesn't like them, or get contact lenses? I agree re the astigmatism - I only started getting it in my contact lenses when I got up to -1 or so.

Dieter 16 Sep 2009, 07:11

David/Hollie,

I observed that recently through a co-worker that wears full time. She doesn�t appear to be an OO because she hates glasses on men and has complained about having to get glasses at age sixteen and being forced to wear them for the last twenty years. Her lenses are relatively thick and I would have guessed her prescription to be in the -3 to -4 range. After seeing a neurologist for headaches and dizziness, she was encouraged to get an eye exam and was complaining that she had been diagnosed "with an astigmatism�. She'd had that once before but had her lenses replaced without that correction because she couldn't get used to it. This time she was encouraged to get used to it to help resolve her neurological problems. She showed me her prescription and it was: OD -1.50 -.25, OS -1.50. How could she possibly "feel" a quarter diopter of cylinder in one eye? Why does she wear full time with only -1.50 sphere if she doesn�t want to do so? All I can figure is she is either extremely sensitive to her visual acuity or she is a closet OO.

Hollie 16 Sep 2009, 00:33

And

I have the temptation to take them off quite a bit, but if I do, quickly find I need to see something and put them back on! Can't read without them without getting uncomfortably close.

David, I'm about -6 with astigmatism. I don't get when people with a similar rx say stuff like that either- a girl at work around -6 said she would be run over by a car without them. I think I would struggle, but wouldn't be run over- you'd still see the car,it would just be blurry!

Bob W. 15 Sep 2009, 15:06

Hi Astra,

Thanks for the observation. That appears valid. I assume it was relatively dark outside. It isn't the kind of observation that I expected, but from what I know about physiology, it certainly rings true. It certainly is a very significant effect, too, almost twice the size of blur.

Thank you,

Bob W.

andrea 14 Sep 2009, 17:20

well actually she said i was seeing 20/20 with both eyes! didn't say anything at all about wearing them all the time. this is why i asked what i asked about driving and tv!

Karen X 14 Sep 2009, 15:47

Andrea - Is it just me but it sounds like you've been told in a rather round about way to wear your glasses all the time as what your Dr said covers all distances (Reading - Close up, Computer work - intermediate and Driving + tv + movies - distance)

andrea 14 Sep 2009, 14:49

hi,i am +1.75 in both eyes with a little astigmatism. last month i saw a new doctor, she told me i should wear my glasses for reading, computer work, driving, tv, and movies. so i tried what she said, but i don't understand the driving (daytime) and tv recommendation. during the day in daylight i see a little better without glasses. (though at night it's the opposite.) for tv it makes almost no difference unless i am trying to watch on a really small screen. just wondering why driving with glasses was advised...

Astra 14 Sep 2009, 05:02

Bob W, I haven't replied your older post about vision in "daylight" when compared to "dusk".

"daylight" means high ambient light intensity. "dusk" means low. The effect does not change in artificial conditions. Only ambient light intensity that matters.

The visual acuity in dusk is typically lower than daylight. The pupils dilate more in dusk than in daylight, making images even more off-focus when without correction.

I have tried comparing my acuity under daylight and dusk conditions. I tried to focus distant lights (at night, apart from those lights the ambient light intensity is low enough to cause differences in visual acuity) from 30 m from my apartment. When my room was illuminated by indoor lightings, the off-focused rays appears dilated to a "ring" with a certain radius because of my myopia.

Then I switch off the indoor lightings, and keep focusing on the distant lights. The lights gradually appears more dilated. The radius of "ring" grows until it reaches about 2 times of its size under daylight conditions.

Therefore I assume myopes tend to have much lower visual acuity under dusk than daylight, as the dilation of pupils would dilate the image formed.

Bob W. 13 Sep 2009, 11:48

Hi Astra,

It seems that your attention is on switching glasses to function for what you are doing at the moment, rather than noting how blurry things are, which makes sense.

Best Regards,

Bob W.

Astra 13 Sep 2009, 01:33

Bob W, shopping would never be funny for me.

First off, my distance vision aren't great, but usually I could still managed to navigate around. But, I actually require +3.25 add to read.

I suppose if I managed to get the correct distance vision with -2.5 when I am navigating the shop, then the objects would be minified to the extent that I have to remove the glasses to see.

Some shops have quite narrow aisles, I can't even identify a thing next to me with -2.5 , and I have to remove glasses to simply identify the objects nearby.

Astra 13 Sep 2009, 01:17

Dave, I assume it is sometimes difficult to compare vision with simply the prescription alone. Mild prescription does not mean the acuity without would be great, but strong prescription normally indicate low visual acuity without.

Moreover, some individuals may find more difficult to accommodate the blur than others do even with the same visual acuity.

Imagine when you are driving in an unfamiliar place. I assume a higher visual acuity would be required than when you are walking around familiar places.

Puffin 12 Sep 2009, 16:01

I imagine somewhere less familiar would be harder.

David 12 Sep 2009, 14:17

Hi all, first time poster.

One thing I don't understand is how some people without correction saying they "can't see at all" or "always bump into stuff." I'm only -5 with no astig, but around my own house, I can pretty much do anything - just any detail is blurry. After getting up, there's obviously a dresser there, a wall here, a door there. Even if your sight is quite blurry, why wouldn't you see that there is in fact an obstacle there, even if it is blurred?

And 11 Sep 2009, 00:10

Hollie, do you find yourself taking them off at all or are they comfy enough to forget about ? Have they made any difference to what you do/don't do ?

Hollie 10 Sep 2009, 23:58

And

It's going ok, although can't wait to be back in contacts! Hardly any comments at work to be honest, except a few close friends- a couple of whom wondered if I was dumping the contacts on a permanent basis.

Bob W 10 Sep 2009, 13:22

Hi Astra,

I read my post from yesterday and realized it was a little dumb. First, your vision is probably somewhat indistinct even with your glasses outside because you usually wear your -1.5 glasses. At -2.5, your vision is blurry, and probably hard to quantify if by going ourdoors, you mean walking around your neighborhood. You probably don't go shopping without glasses.

I wanted some description of your experience, but didn't think through the situation very well.

Oh well,

Bob W.

Bob W 09 Sep 2009, 11:44

I meant out in the daylight. Got in a bit of a hurry.

Bob W

Bob W 09 Sep 2009, 11:42

Hi Astra,

What is it like for you going around outside without your glasses? If I recall correctly, you did this briefly, maybe at dusk, around your neighborhood, and things were very blurry. Have you been you in daylight, and was this different? Are things so much blurry as indistinct if you are already used to being without glasses from inside?

Sorry if I'm being too pesky for details. I don't think we hear as much from mild myopes about this.

Best Regards,

Bob W.

Astra 08 Sep 2009, 10:04

Recently I have a habit of going without glasses outdoors, even though my distance vision without glasses aren't great (nor close to blind either).

I used to insist wearing distance glasses outdoors, because I intended to give a false signals to my friends that I really need them to navigate around.

A couple of years ago, I even have a friend commented me having wearing an "inpenetrably thick" eyeglasses. That particular friend has a -1.5 prescription, but apparently she did not realise mine was exactly a -1.5. Perhaps she thought full-time wearers should have quite strong prescriptions.

(I actually need -2.5 for the best distance vision. But when it comes to walking around indoors, the walls/friends are often so close to me that my eyes feel strained)

She once commented my prescription should be around -6. I told her they are not that strong. Then another friend who actually needed around -3 (I knew because she got glasses later that year) by then tried my glasses. She commented she could see much better with them, and she thought her required prescription should be the same as mine. By then it could be true, but her myopia progressed real fast that year.

And 07 Sep 2009, 17:31

Hollie, how's the glasses wearing going ?

JR 02 Sep 2009, 08:58

Lisa J.

For me, I have astigmatism, any time without my glasses gives me at first an eyeache and then a headache. It can be a little as getting up in the night to go to the bathroom.

Without my glasses everything looks like I am looking through a wet glass. Not real blurred but not in focus. My Rx doesn't look like much.

I do GOC and the more plus I go in contacts the less the atigmatism bothers me without glasses. I don't really understand why. I do know that in the old days of hard contacts, they would over correct in the minus to compensate for the astigmatism.

Phil 02 Sep 2009, 07:25

Oh Lisa J, it's a geat pity that someone who wants to be a gwg as much as you obviously do has been denied their wish. Are you sure that you cannot convince an optician that you need just a little correction? If not, have you ever considered wearing plano lenses? Or ordering online specs with very weak minus lenses?

Lisa J. 02 Sep 2009, 06:41

As someone who has always wanted to wear glasses but always had good vision, I would love to hear what it is really like without glasses from people here. Does it make you dizzy? Do you have problems finding your friends? Do you get headaches? What is the longest you have gone without glasses? I understand that the longer you are away from your glasses, your eyes begin to adjust and you see less blur, is that true?

I am fascinated by this subject and would love any insight you can offer.

Hollie 02 Sep 2009, 00:36

And

Yep, it was, but not as difficult as it would have been at my current prescription!

And 31 Aug 2009, 16:19

Hollie, the evening when you were -3.5 must have been difficult wasn't it ? Glad you got a good reaction this time.

Clare 31 Aug 2009, 08:50

Hollie - I can imagine it must feel very odd! Great that you got some compliments though and nice for them to see you looking slightly different yet just as good.

Hollie 30 Aug 2009, 02:56

I went on a night out with glasses last night- first time ever I think! Last time I was forced out of contacts my rx was around -3.5 and I just squinted- can't do that anymore unfortunately! Did feel weird with my specs on dancing in a club- but got a couple of compliments from male friends who liked the look!

Hollie 28 Aug 2009, 00:39

Phil

Surely you must be forced into wearing at work sometimes??

Would really hate to give up contacts- glasses are annoying me already! It's mainly having to move your head to see anything rather than just your eyes! Although I don't mind the way I look in glasses at all, contacts are so much more convenient and I guess make me feel more confident.

Phil 27 Aug 2009, 01:47

Well Hollie! I'm due a test. At the moment I'm -3.75 and I think that's about right. I may need just a little cylinder though. I will report back after I've had the test!

I now wear pretty much fulltime except at work where I find my nose getting closer and closer to the computer!

One change that I have noticed is that, whereas I used to be fine reading bare-eyed, I now find that when I look through the lower portion of my progessives (I have an add of +2.25) the print is so much clearer. I think I may start wearing some -1.5s for close stuff.

Your frames sound nice. Maybe you should give up the evil contacts. Your rx is significant but, with high index lenses, the appearance must be just perfect. Is your rx still inceasing? It must be all those numbers that you have to study! I suspect that you are now at the age where things should slow down or even stop (though I have had a few random increases over the years).

Hollie 26 Aug 2009, 22:53

And- no, I mean I will just go bare eyed. I went yesterday and was fine, except finding my locker afterwards was difficult!!

And 26 Aug 2009, 14:43

Hollie, when you said you'd still swim did you mean you'd wear your glasses ?

Hollie 26 Aug 2009, 10:48

Hey phil, not bad- how are you? Yes- worst eye is -6 with -1 cyl on top! Not great- would like my eyes to stop changing, I can't go without them really now in any situation. Have high index (although not the highest) in this pair at the moment. They have thick sides so you wouldn't notice the thickness in any case.

I take it you are still not wearing fulltime? What's your rx now?

Phil 26 Aug 2009, 03:04

Hi Hollie! How's life among the bean counters? I hadn't realised that you'd crept up to -6. What sort of lenses do you have in your frames?

And 25 Aug 2009, 16:17

Might be a good opportunity to speak to the girl in your office who goes bare-eyed. Wonder if she can see through your glasses ?

And 25 Aug 2009, 16:10

Hollie, as you don't usually automatically put them on when you wake up etc do you think you will wear them non-stop or will they keep coming off.

Hollie 25 Aug 2009, 10:55

And- I do swim but sure I'll be fine without. Won't be able to wear sunglasses unless I don't need to see clearly as I don't have any prescription ones.

Ehpc- brown plastic sides, bronze metal fronts.

Clare- worn for 4 days in the office and only a couple of comments- that I look 'businesslike' and my manager asked me if I was having contacts trouble- she wears them herself.

Hollie 25 Aug 2009, 10:55

And- I do swim but sure I'll be fine without. Won't be able to wear sunglasses unless I don't need to see clearly as I don't have any prescription ones.

Ehpc- brown plastic sides, bronze metal fronts.

Clare- worn for 4 days in the office and only a couple of comments- that I look 'businesslike' and my manager asked me if I was having contacts trouble- she wears them herself.

Clare 24 Aug 2009, 22:15

Hollie - I hope you get lots of compliments (as I did when the same happened to me). Hopefully your occasional wear in the office will mean it won't be too much of a curiosity!

ehpc 24 Aug 2009, 20:45

Don't know where that '2' came from.............it was my post.

ehpc2 24 Aug 2009, 20:44

What frame style do you wear, Hollie? Pete

And 24 Aug 2009, 15:45

Hollie, wear them with pride. Will you do anything bare-eyed ? Will not having contacts mean you have to change anything in your lifestyle ? Swimming, sports, wearing sunglasses etc

Hollie 24 Aug 2009, 14:49

Looks like I'm going to be with glasses for the next month- optician says my left eye is irritated and needs a break from contacts. A month seems a bit extreme though! : (

Puffin 22 Aug 2009, 23:23

Suppose if it the lighting isn't good (likely in bed) you won't see much anyway. Dim light tends to make colour contrasts go muddy and indistinct and blurred vision just adds to it.

Galileo 22 Aug 2009, 23:13

Thanks Melyssa, sorry I spelled your name wrong. I guess it is back to Cactus Jack's saying "vision is in the brain, not just the eyes".

Melyssa 22 Aug 2009, 07:15

Galileo,

Without my -9 glasses, I can't even see these letters 2 feet away from me. But in bed last night, I was able to tell that my husband had his eyes open -- but that was due to the 2+ hours of practically nonstop thunder and lightning. :) Actually, from the distance you mention, I can make out if his eyes are open or closed, unless it's too dark.

Puffin 21 Aug 2009, 13:56

Sounds plausible to me.

Galileo 21 Aug 2009, 09:50

I should have said she was not wearing her glasses!

Galileo 21 Aug 2009, 09:49

I've been dating a woman who is -9 for the last couple of months.

We were laying facing each other no more than 30 cm apart and she had a very intense expression so I asked her what she was looking at. She said she was trying to work out if I had my eyes open or closed.

I didn't think things would be that bad at that distance. Melissa - you have a similar prescription, what is it like for you?

Hollie 20 Aug 2009, 22:58

And

I'd be ok at recognising someone pretty close to me, but not much chance if wandering around the streets bare-eyed.

And 19 Aug 2009, 14:50

Hollie, how would you go on recognising people without your glasses ?

Hollie 19 Aug 2009, 14:27

Clare

I do wear glasses around the house, but have never (even at -6) put them on as soon as I woke up- have seen friends with much lower rxs do this. Exception being if I read the papers in bed, then I put the specs on whilst still in bed : )

To be honest i'm rarely without glasses or lenses long enough to know if I'd get a headache without them. I'm not sure if I would but definitely would struggle with all that blur!

Clare 11 Aug 2009, 22:55

And - I really don't know. I think it's possible to recognise someone even if you can't see all the details. Looking out of the window the other day my -2.5 friend could see enough of someone walking down the street with a dog to say that she didn't know them, yet she'd probably have strugged if asked to describe them. I think we recognise people by different things, shape, walk, clothes, I used to do that if I was shopping with someone.

And 11 Aug 2009, 14:21

I suppose you would have looked pretty blurry rather than invisible, how far would someone have to stand from you for you not to recognise them ?

Puffin 11 Aug 2009, 13:59

I suppose that's possible if the room isn't well lit and the person being seen is well "camoflaged" ie wearing clothes similarly coloured to the background.

Clare 11 Aug 2009, 09:36

Aubrac - I guess there's an element of what I find strange going on here, and that is that even at the same Rx people can have different acuity. I went out with a guy who was -5 and apparently he couldn't even see me across a 12' room.

Aubrac 11 Aug 2009, 09:02

At -5.00 I find it ok going about the house without glasses, and looking out of the window can see cars, people etc.

Think it is easier if in a familiar place although in the swimming pool the other day I didn't seem to have too many problems.

Clare 11 Aug 2009, 08:21

Hollie - I'm guessing that it's only at home that you'd wander about the house without correction? It's not a problem for me generally, I'd find it a bit irritating if I had to take out my lenses in the evening though. Last week it was fine but had I had problems with my contacts I'd have worn my glasses around the house. Does it give you a headache if you go too long without contacts/glasses?

Hollie 10 Aug 2009, 22:51

I don't put my glasses on first thing, usually go to bathroom and make a cup of tea without them. Then I will put my lenses in if it's a weekday or I'm off out. If I'm just in the house, I'll put glasses on to see the tv. Still never reached for specs as I'm getting out of bed!

Clare 09 Aug 2009, 22:38

And - no I didn't. I generally wander around the house bare-eyed anyway till either I need to see something or go out.

Millhouse - I guess that's quite difficult for you so presume you don't do it that often.

And 09 Aug 2009, 14:53

Clare, did you put your lenses in the minute you got up on both occasions ? I've never yet seen my gf for even one minute bare-eyed but of course her rx is far higher than you or your friends.

Millhouse 09 Aug 2009, 09:18

-Clare,

I often go around my flat (apartment) first thing in the morning bare eyed , I'm ok with most things,avoid furniture etc,just no detail though,cus I know where everything is it feels safe to do that. At my rex of -7.00/ -6.5 seeing anything out the window, tv etc is a no- hoper.

Taking a shower is ok though.

When I have a gf though I keep my glasses on as much as I can cus I dont like to be seen with that kind of vacant eye gaze that comes with no correction with a high rx. Funny I know but thats me!

Clare 08 Aug 2009, 21:59

Last post was from me ...

08 Aug 2009, 21:58

Like Lenses comment got me thinking. I was away with a friend this week, she's minus 4 and used to wear RGPs but now she's got soft contacts is never seen wearing glasses. On the first morning we were peering out of the window to see if it was raining and she said she couldn't see if it was raining or not because she didn't have her contacts in. She wandered around like that for a while, long enough for tea and to read the newspaper. I'm guessing at minus 4 it was a bit of a challenge but she didn't seem to mind.

Then yesterday I stayed over at another friend's who's about -2.5 and always wears contacts or glasses. Again, to my surprise, she didn't put her glasses on to come downstairs first thing which urprised me as I'd expected she would.

People's attitudes to wearing glasses at home are fascinating!

Like Lenses 08 Aug 2009, 14:26

I am wondering if anyone else here has the habit that I have. When ever I change from one pair of glasses to another, wheather it be Rx sunglasses, or just a different pair with my same Rx, I automatically close my eyes prior to removing the one pair, and open them when the other pair are on.

If I make a conscious effort to keep them open, I have an uneasy feeling with the blur.

Thinking back on this,I believe that I began this with my first pair of glasses.

Another thing that I do is always wear another pair of glasses when I as cleaning the pair that I usually wear.

I guess that I am uncomfortable being uncorrected. I wear glasses from the moment I awake, until I go to bed.

Like Lenses 08 Aug 2009, 13:55

Clare

The unfocused, or dead eye look is not there with contacts in, only with no contacts ,or glasses.

I am sure you have it ,as I have it with -2.50, and I know of several with -1.75 that have it and many around -3.00.

I think it is an alluring look on women.

Clare 06 Aug 2009, 22:36

Hollie - the girl in your office probably knows the train routine so well she can get by without great vision. She may only come unstuck if there's a problem on the concourse!

Clare 06 Aug 2009, 22:34

Hollie - I'd always wear contacts to go out, even if I have to take them out on the way home!

Clare 06 Aug 2009, 22:18

Like Lenses - no-one's ever mentioned that my eyes look unfocussed but I'd only really associated that with much stronger minus Rxs than mine. I presume people don't notice if I'm wearing contacts but may be wrong!

Hollie 02 Aug 2009, 03:24

I usually wear contacts, and so the other week when I was wearing glasses and someone went to take a picture, I whipped them off. I see what you mean about the unfocused look- I don't quite look as if I'm looking at the camera lense, which you don't notice with contact lenses.

Chris 02 Aug 2009, 01:19

Like Lenses, I know exactly what you mean when you write about the "dead look" of people's eyes when they are not wearing correction. There was a phase when I refused to accept the need to use correction, even though a combination of myopia and astigmatism meant that my vision was quite poor. For years I had a passport picture which had the look you described. I wasn't exactly squinting, but my eyes looked a bit glazed over. I guess it came about from not being able to focus properly on the camera in the booth.

Astra 01 Aug 2009, 10:36

It is now 1:10 am here, and I was walking around my house without glasses, and without lighting, cause I was supposed to sleep. I woke up and walk around, and I discovered a bright object. I thought, what could that be? I gotta have a closer look at it.

I didn't aware of my myopic eyes (around -3 both eyes), so I expected something interesting (or perhaps scary) over there.

The bright, roundish object suddenly became 2 thin pointers of a clock, showing 1:10 am-ish as I walk closer to the object, which is located behind a cupboard at reading distance from me when I recognised it. Now I realised how bad my current eyesight are without glasses!

Anyone had similar experience?

Galileo 01 Aug 2009, 07:45

Hi Like lenses, I love that look you describe, it is very sexy, soft focus, vulnerable.

You've given me the opportunity to brag - I met a high myope a couple of months ago and had dinner with her a couple of times. Today we went a lot further than dinner and I had that look for my personal attention for several hours, after the -9 glasses came off! Best day I've had for a long time. :)

Like Lenses 31 Jul 2009, 14:30

Clare

Hollie's post reminded me of something when she spoke of squinting when not wearing correction.

Something I have observed is that if someone is myopic,and not wearing glasses or contacts,and not in the habit of squinting,that their eyes have a kind of dead look. It is probably due to not being able to focus.Their eyes seem to come alive when thy put their glasses on.

I can recognize an uncorrected myope,by this look,even if I do not know them.

I am wondering if anyone has called this to your attention,since you are signifigantly myopic when you are going about uncorrected.

I even see it in the mirror on myself when I remove my glasses, but usually I have to squint to see myself in the mirror.

Clare 30 Jul 2009, 00:37

Hollie 29 Jul 2009, 10:11

Clare

If you don't wear glasses in the office and can only wear contacts for 12 hours, do you wear specs if you are socislising in the evenings or go bare eyed?

The girl in our office who is bare eyed when not wearing contacts was without them again today. Much squinting! She catches the train to work- no idea how she reads the boards. Maybe she has glasses in her handbag!

Clare 24 Jul 2009, 07:59

And - your girlfriend is really lucky that she can wear her contacts for so long. I can tolerate up to around 12 hours but I have friends who can wear theirs for 16+.

Hollie 22 Jul 2009, 01:30

And

Not so bothered, but still feel less self confident than wearing contacts. I don't really ever wear glasses for social things but I do sometimes to work, the air con tends to dry out contacts and make your eyes sore so about once a month I end up wearing specs for a day!

And 19 Jul 2009, 15:17

Good, I'm sure you will have picked out frames that suit you so shouldn't be surprised that people say nice things. I hope my gf thinks the same if she ever has to wear hers. Of course she looks fab in her contacts but glasses don't make folk ugly, far from it, as people on here report, they are a great fashion accessory too.

Clare 19 Jul 2009, 11:29

And - possibly but less so than a few years ago. Five years ago I had conjunctivitis and had to admit that I needed to wear my glasses at least for some things. When I wore them at work I got some compliments which really surprised me and, of course, gave me some confidence. If it happened now I wouldn't be so proud or vain as to go without glasses when I needed them. I think I've also become a bit more used to the idea too.

And 19 Jul 2009, 10:51

Hollie, how do you feel now if you have to wear your glasses ?

And 19 Jul 2009, 10:47

Clare, I bet if you couldn't wear contacts you'd still be a part-time glasses wearer now ! Not a criticism, as I've said before it's a personal thing if you can manage ok.

Clare 19 Jul 2009, 10:10

Hollie - you're right, that's about the time people migrate to contacts I think. One thing that made me realise I might be missing something was being out on a scenic walk with a good friend of mine. A few things she pointed out I couldn't see and she, having worn glasses since childhood, was surprised that I didn't wear my glasses as I obviously couldn't see things in the distance. I was probably only about -2 then but I felt so foolish that I always made sure I wore my contacts when we met up. It was easy from then on just to accept it was easier to wear them more.

If I hadn't had contacts at that time I'm not sure if I might have hung on till I got to nearer my current prescription before admitting openly that I kind of needed them.

Hollie 19 Jul 2009, 04:42

Clare

I thought similarly to you when I was about -2.5 or -3. I could see to walk around streets without being run over but it's annoying being out with friends and having to try and make excuses for not being able to see stuff, like signs etc. It's part of what made me get contacts- a couple of times I had to put my glasses on just when walking about. Perhaps most people would start wearing them all the time at that point so must be a common time to get contacts if you don't fancy being a full time glasses wearer.

And 19 Jul 2009, 02:38

Clare, yes she got glasses and would put them on in class and then automatically put them back in their case at the end of lessons so she still probably missed all sorts in between but as you say she could easily function without them so never got used to wearing full-time.

Clare 18 Jul 2009, 23:19

And - I used to hate discussions about eyesight too but I seem to have got over that. Children are so unkind aren't they? What happened, did the girl get glasses while she was still in your class?

I got sort of fed up with people pointing things out and not being able to see them and I guess even as adults many people go through that if they are, like I was, in a situation where they start wearing glasses relatively late (ie in their 20s). That's the dilemma really - if you can see alot but not some of the detail, should you wear your glasses fulltime? I have a friend whos -2 max and he always does.

As to whether I feel okay in public if I'm not wearing my glasses, well yes because I'd never do anything like drive without them, and though finding my way in somewhere large like an airport would be difficult, most other things would be possible. Having said I always wear my contacts out so don't do it that often

And 18 Jul 2009, 15:59

Ben, asking her if she could see the clock on the wall, headlines on a magazine, posters around the classroom, that kind of thing. When our class were in the library we would hold notes up to each other and that was a game she couldn't play !

ben 18 Jul 2009, 03:55

And - as a side note, please tell us more about how people 'tested' your nearsighted fellow at school.

And 18 Jul 2009, 03:07

I remember a friend at school who began to struggle a bit and as soon as others realised, they were always 'testing' her. My gf tends to squirm at the mention of eyesight and I'm guessing she'd not be able to see anything bare-eyed anyway. Do you still feel comfortable in public Clare ?

Clare 17 Jul 2009, 22:03

And - it depends on the environment. I think most people of my rx would be able to manage getting themselves from the car to the shop without their glasses. If you put them on the concourse of Victoria Station or Gatwick Airport then they'd have difficulty. And as to whether my friends would notice, I don't think so as I don't tend to squint alot, the only time they'd know is if they pointed something out that I couldn't see. This used to happen a few years back and that's quite embarrassing!

And 17 Jul 2009, 12:49

Clare, sure you're right, it's how you feel as an individual. My gf would surely have to wear her glasses but I suppose if you can manage ok without then you choose. Would your friends notice you were bare-eyed I wonder ?

Clare 17 Jul 2009, 12:22

And - yes of course! But given no real requirement to see well at distance, why not? I met a good friend on the train recently - same rx as me - complaining she couldn't see anything (slight exaggeration maybe) because she didn't have her contacts in, so I'm not alone. The reason is that I feel more attractive and confident without glasses - a bit like your girlfriend I suppose.

And 17 Jul 2009, 12:14

Clare, ha not stupid just a bit quirky perhaps. Is it not quite strange going bare-eyed in public when you are so used to contacts though ?

Aubrac 17 Jul 2009, 08:05

And

Soft lenses if properly fitted cause little or no pressure on the eyeball. In the old days of hard lenses and has been said with rigid gp lenses, it is necessary to take them out in order the eyeball, which tends to be flattened by them, can resume it's normal shape.

I must admit I've always had contact and lens check-ups done at the same time.

Clare 16 Jul 2009, 22:34

And - I've done both but being me I'd probably wear my glasses to drive into town then put them in my bag. I'm not so blind that I can't walk down to the shop without them. Stupid I know!

And 16 Jul 2009, 12:50

So Clare, do you wear your glasses to go in or do you take your contacts out when you arrive ?

Clare 15 Jul 2009, 23:15

And - yes, unless its a contact lense check up. Sometimes they're done in the same test but mine never seem to coincide!

ric 15 Jul 2009, 16:14

Hi And, well, we have to take the contacts off 24 hours if the contacts are soft, but last time, the doc told me i should have to go 3-4 days or better a week cause now i wear rgid permeable lenses. Of course we can wear the glasses.

And 15 Jul 2009, 15:19

Do contact lens wearers have to be bare-eyed for their eye test ?

Rachel 12 Jul 2009, 23:47

Chrissi. Lets go st the Strong Glasses Thread the.

Chrissi 12 Jul 2009, 14:47

Rachel, same, I hate it when doctors only bump you little by little and it makes me feel so embarrassed because I end up feeling like I should have been able to see those letters by these many clicks. And yes, we are on the wrong thread probably. Lol!

Plus, I also hate it when I can't distinguish letters that look somewhat alike. Very annoying.

Rachel 12 Jul 2009, 11:25

Melyssa. Yeah it really depends how much your eyes have changed between check-ups. Like sometimes with me at the moment its really embarrassing, cos even with my current rx in, some of the letters are indistinguishable after the first 3 lines. Then she starts increasing the rx gradually and I feel like saying for goodness sake bump me up a lot and give me a break. She seems scared of giving me too much somehow, I just can't undersatnd why when it's really obvious I need it. I feel so embarrassed.

Melyssa 12 Jul 2009, 07:53

Rachel,

I know what you mean. It used to be that way for me. Nowadays, they tell me to read the last line I can see with my current glasses and go from there. Of course, there can still be problems with letters or numbers that look basically the same (such as 6, 8, 9).

Rachel 11 Jul 2009, 09:52

Melyssa. It's not good at all without when i go for my check-ups now. Just nothing until she puts some minus in front of my eyes. i can usually get down to the fourth line with my old rx then its all a blur after that. The she starts "screwing" me up until i can get down the the third line from the bottom.

Melyssa 11 Jul 2009, 07:22

And,

That's exactly what I do. I don't take my glasses off until the [fill in job title here] tells me to. And they usually keep the lights off by the chart so I can't memorize it, not that I would ever want to.

ehpc 11 Jul 2009, 05:56

You are so cool Rachel :) Pete

Rachel 11 Jul 2009, 04:09

Pete. You really are a naughty guy. LOL

Rachel 11 Jul 2009, 04:07

Chrissi. I think we're on the wrong thread. We should be on Post Your Prescription not Going Without Glasses!! Anyway I suppose you will keep increasing quite a bit yet at only 14. It's inevitable really. But like you say you just have to accept it and take what comes with myopia. I think by September I'll definitely need my prescription increasing before we go back to school for the Autumn Term. Maybe another -1.00 or so which isn't all that much really considering where I am now. I think you may need that too Chrissi.

And 10 Jul 2009, 15:31

Melyssa, I guess now you leave your glasses on until you're sat down in the chair and then can't see anything much bare-eyed, is that the case

ehpc 10 Jul 2009, 14:40

Tell us all what happens in early September Rachel :) Pete

Melyssa 10 Jul 2009, 12:47

Generally when I have an eye exam, the prescription of my current glasses is checked, then my reading of the eye chart starts with that amount on the phoropter. But I always try to see the chart without my glasses when I first park it in the chair.

Chrissi 10 Jul 2009, 12:25

Rachel: Yes, I need a new rx for the new school year, so I will be probably getting an increase.

I don't mind if it's too much higher or if it's a small jump--I know that my eyes will get a lot worse eventually anyway! I'll just let nature take its course, accept the myopia that may come my way. lol. What do you think your new rx will be?

Rachel 10 Jul 2009, 02:10

Chrissi. I've not heard of that be4. Sounds weird. Is your next test for a prescription or not? Or will that be at the end of August. I go again at the beginning of September. By then I think my eyes will have deteriorated again hopefully! Yes I think I'll need a fairly big increase all being well. And you Chrissi? Do you want one too?

And 09 Jul 2009, 13:22

When you are already really shortsighted does the eye exam start at your current script ? As Melyssa says, bare-eyed I assume looking at the chart would be pointless.

Melyssa 09 Jul 2009, 13:01

I think that without glasses I saw the big "E" once during an eye exam in the last couple of decades.

Chrissi 09 Jul 2009, 12:29

Rachel, with my eye doctor, the lines show up on the screen individually, so I don't know which is the second or fourth or something. lol sorry.

My eye exam is next Friday. Time passes so quickly hm? And soon it will be time to see my regular ophthalmologist at the end of August and then it's school again!

Do you want a large increase?

Rachel 09 Jul 2009, 11:18

Chrissie. I could see right down to the 4th line last time I went so i was really pleased. I can never get the really bottom one though can you? I hope your check up goes well in 2 months. I go again in September, so fingers crossed.

Chrissi 09 Jul 2009, 09:47

Rachel: I go to the ophthalmologist twice a year because I'm at risk for an eye disease called "uveitis." But I only get a new script once a year. Usually at my six-month check-up, I'm at 20/30 or better so the doctor doesn't give me a new rx. Oh, and this year, my check-up is two months late because of disrupting school and all that lol.

Rachel 09 Jul 2009, 05:59

Chrissi. At least -12.50 I should think, but it depends how long it is since your last check up. Do you go every six months now, like I do? At least going so often, helps to keep you reasonable well corrected. Like my auntie once told me, once you start on the slippery slope there is no going back.

Chrissi 08 Jul 2009, 13:20

Andrew, my friend's roommate had a similar experience at a training camp.

At 3 AM my friend her name's Candy, awoke to hear the fire alarm ringing and the intercom blaring to go down to the first floor immediately.

She attempted to shake her roommate awake but the other girl was already on the floor.

In the commotion, the roommate had knocked her own glasses down from the nightstand and was on the ground patting the ground for them.

How scary that must be--to know that there's a fire (on another floor, but still) and not being able to find your glasses to leave the room!

Andrew 08 Jul 2009, 12:24

I guess it's everyone's nightmare when the 'phone rings at 1.20 a.m., which is what happened to me this morning. You know it's never going to be good news. On this occasion, it was my wife, whose car had broken down, and she had not got her AA card with her.

"It's in my handbag" was the message, and the handbag was somewhere downstairs. Why I did not stop to put my glasses on, I do not know, but I ended up having to identify it by the feel from among the other black bags stored in the same place. I was just grateful it was where I thought it would be...

Chrissi 08 Jul 2009, 11:43

Rachel, yes, I am undoubtedly still increasing. My eye exam is next week!

I wonder what my new rx will be.

Rachel 08 Jul 2009, 07:50

Chrissi. -11.75 is a really high rx for only 14 I reckon. I was only -7.75 and -8.50 at that age I everyone thought I was very high. I suppose its a silly question to ask if you are still increasing?

JP 07 Jul 2009, 23:49

Oops.... I missed my link!

And here's another case "without glasses", although using orthokeratology to "Wake up to 20/20 vision": http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/jul/07/contact-lenses-vision

ehpc 07 Jul 2009, 13:58

However, Tanya, you will understand I needed some consolation and relaxation after that absurd experience. And the curry was free.

ehpc 07 Jul 2009, 13:56

Curry very calorific. And I am 12-14 pounds over my proper BM1 weight.................

ehpc 07 Jul 2009, 13:55

Hey Tanya :) XXXXXX How are you?

Tanya 07 Jul 2009, 13:06

ehpc,

That's a really fun story!! You managed to compose your thoughts without resorting to your usual trademark stereotypes in wide black frames, although for one split second I did expect the police woman would be wearing a pair.

Do you know the saturated fat content in a typical curry, or it's calorific value?

JP 07 Jul 2009, 12:15

And here's another case "without glasses", although using orthokeratology to "Wake up to 20/20 vision".

fred 07 Jul 2009, 09:49

Perhaps an interesting case of going without glasses here. Nicky Hambleton Jones seems to go without glasses in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAbUdu9-Qco. I wonder if she's really going bare eyed. She is said not to be able to wear contacts, but I wonder if she really went uncorrected in this case.

ehpc 06 Jul 2009, 16:12

Chrissi - I own a lovely home in my 'home country' of Scotland although I am not in fact living there at the moment. Pete

ehpc 06 Jul 2009, 16:10

In fact I would have liked it best of all, Jennifer, if the blonde Policewoman had been wearing black rectangular plastic frames with wide sides and minus lenses and it had been me checking out her chest ha ha

ehpc 06 Jul 2009, 16:07

Thank you Jennifer. The Policewoman was not GWG but I think I had probably already blown my chances on that occasion :) Pete

Chrissi 06 Jul 2009, 15:16

And. Yes, that's true...

And 06 Jul 2009, 14:21

No need to apologise, I suppose your rx increased rather quicker than some who would try and manage bare-eyed.

Chrissi 06 Jul 2009, 13:52

And. I actually can't remember the last time I was bare-eyed. Maybe that one elementary school play I talked about earlier...sorry, I don't have very many interesting stories about going without glasses...

And 06 Jul 2009, 12:52

Chrissie, what rx were you when you did last go bare-eyed, do you remember ?

Chrissi 06 Jul 2009, 12:12

Omigosh Pete, you must have had a crazy time there...lol.

Do you live near Scotland?

And: It was a fourth grade class production for the elementary school! lol. And I don't have a job yet, seeing as I'm only 14. And I can't go bare-eyed anymore...it's been a while since I have been able to go bare-eyed, seeing as I'm -11.25.

All4Eyes: That is exactly how I feel when people ask me to try my glasses. I feel helpless and nervous...

Jennifer 06 Jul 2009, 09:27

Pete, thanks for sharing such a story with us. You are so courageous to go swimming in the ocean without any correction. I recall you telling me about you love of swimming in the ocean. I can see that you have a desire to stay physically fit. Had no idea that you had heart surgery, but glad to see that you have recovered well. You were left without your glasses for quite a long time. At least your eyesight is good enough to see the the blonde policewoman checking out your chest. I'm sure you would have liked it more if she wore black framed glasses with wide sides.

Dieter 06 Jul 2009, 08:12

Pete,

That is the most amazing "going without glasses" story. I have experienced the difficulties of swimming with the blur at -3.25 but can't imagine how you can even find an ocean at -7.00. Worse yet, being forced to explain yourself to the police. Outstanding!

ehpc 04 Jul 2009, 10:45

.........................that she was staring at the massive scar which runs right down my chest which is a legacy from quadruple heart bypass surgery 10 years ago - NOT a sob story,as I never tire of telling people - Glasgow Royal Infirmary gave me a 100% physical recovery and although I am not in any sense a religious person it really is like having a New Life, being re-born. I am 54 now and feel better than I did when I was 30 - indeed better than I have at any time in my Life.Anyway, the blonde Policewoman evidently clocked that I must have had heart surgery, and her incredulity that I could have gone swimming far from the shore' in the quickly-advancing dusk, not being able to see, evidently conveyed itself to the three chaps.They nodded to each other, as the Police do, and in order to get the truth out of me one of the chaps said 'That's quite a scar you have there, sir. Did you get that seaswwimming?' Of course he knew that was complete bollocks, but he just wanted to get the truth out of me. So I volunteered the information that I had had quadruple heart bypass surgery some years previously. The four of them looked at each other in disbelief. Eventually, one of the chaps said 'I think you'd better come with us,sir.' They then got me to sit in a locked Police car, wearing only tiny swimming trunks and no glasses, whilst I made a statement.When this was all finished I had of course to ask them where my car was, as naturally I was unable to see it. They took me there,and I unlocked the car with the key which I had tied to my swimming trunks. I got dressed, and then went into the nearby curry house, from which people had been watching this event with hilarity. I was greeted with a round of applause and got a free curry. Pete

ehpc 04 Jul 2009, 10:31

Previous post from me. Continued above.................. Pete

04 Jul 2009, 10:31

I am about minus 7 and I go for long seaswims all the time with no glasses. I have had several pairs of prescription goggles made but I can never got used to them from the swimming angle. Frequently it takes me for ever to find my clothes when I eventualy wade ashore.On one occasion I was swimming off the West Coast of Scotland in the deepening gloom and I could vaguely hear voices on the shore calling me in. Naturally I just waved vaguely i their direction and ignored them. When I swam into the shore about half-an-hour later I realised (when I was about two feet away from them) that they were four members of the Strathclyde Police Force. Three men and one very attractive blonde woman. I learnt that some idiot and panicky member of the public had telephoned 999 thinking I was intent on committing suicide!!!!!!!!!!!!! How can people be so stupid???? The Police asked me why I didn't swim ashore when they asked me to half an hour previously. I said I was shortsighted and couldn't see them. They looked at each other with increasing despair. 'Not only does this chap go swimming in the dark, he can't see either' sort of looks.By this time there was a large audience streaming out from a nearby curry house pissing themselves laughing. I had no clothes on, obviously except for my trunks. I was however delighted that the very attractive blonde Policewoman was staring intently at my chest. being a chap, I naturally thought 'Wow, I'm in there!!!!' However, in due course I realised....................

All4Eyes 04 Jul 2009, 10:23

On this subject of "handing one's glasses over" I love it when people let me play with their glasses for a minute, and I especially loved it when I didn't have any of my own to play with. But now I'm not particularly interested unless the rx is at least as strong as my own, and since I'm -4 it's a bit hard to find such people, let alone convince them to "hand 'em over". But I understand too that people are nervous when they're standing there blind and you're holding their precious, fragile "eyes" in your hands, I even get a little nervous when people hold my glasses, but I enjoy it.

On the subject of "At what rx is going bare-eyed no fun anymore?" I've been wondering this myself. I went bare-eyed half of last Saturday, but it wasn't much fun this time, and then I had to do something on the computer and of course it was a blur. I could have squinted my way through it, but I broke down and got my glasses instead. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood for it that day, but I wonder if I may be starting to cross that "this isn't fun anymore line". It's a shame, I used to have so much fun in the blur, as I've documented here. But then sometimes I just get in moods where I just want to wear my glasses all the time.

I know I've brought this up before without replies, so maybe I'm the only weird person who experiences this, but have any of you other bare-eyed myopes noticed "reverse accomodation", where you can make your vision clearer by what feels like sort of pushing your eyeballs out of your head? I can but it hurts and I can't hold the focus more than a few seconds before things go blurry again. And I know I'm "accomodating" for my myopia because I don't have any astigmatism or prism or anything else.

Melyssa 04 Jul 2009, 10:20

They're jealous. Well, at least in my case, they're jealous of my big, bold, and beautiful frames, not so much the thickness of my lenses.

And 04 Jul 2009, 07:52

Lol, Rachel, I just know that many folk who don't wear glasses are fascinated by how they work and perhaps your friends like to try them.

happy 04 Jul 2009, 07:34

I agree Rachel, -7/8 really is no fun going bare eyed. I have recently learned to SCUBA dive. The pool sessions were fine, as everyone in the small group knew to leave my glasses where I left them at the side of the pool. The first dive in the big out doors, we kitted up & walked to the waters edge, I swapped my glasses for my prescription mask, and we did the dive. When we got out, no glasses! I had visions of me having to wear my dive mask to the cafe for lunch, and on the way home! Imagine the looks! Thankfully my friend located my glasses that some kind person had moved!

Melyssa 04 Jul 2009, 07:28

If I were ever to hand over my glasses to anyone, it would be to my husband, or someone at the ophthalmologist's office who has to check the glasses, or at the optician's to fix them. And outside the home, I would naturally have another pair or three with me.

Rachel 04 Jul 2009, 06:33

And. Around the -7/-8 mark probably. That's when it gets a bit scary without. No I don't hand my glasses over to other people. Don't make silly suggestions.

And 04 Jul 2009, 05:45

Rachel, was there a prescription when things as you say became 'scary' ? If someone now asks to see your glasses do you hand them over ?

Rachel 04 Jul 2009, 04:25

Hollie. We should be on this thread.

And 04 Jul 2009, 03:04

Chrissie, did you often do things bare-eyed ? How about now ?

And 03 Jul 2009, 15:39

Chrissie, ha don't give up your day job ! How did you find your way onto stage ?

Chrissi 03 Jul 2009, 10:57

Wow, that was a long post...sorry...

Chrissi 03 Jul 2009, 10:48

Hey everybody, I know this will sound absolutely incredulous, but it's true.

Once, when my rx was -6, my class had a drama production of Oliver Twist, and for both performances, I went on stage bare-eyed. (I didn't have a big part at all--no speaking parts, lol) Of course, it wasn't as bad since we had been rehearsing for almost three months, but now that I think back on it, I wonder why I ever performed without my glasses! What difference did it make...it's not like I looked any better without them but at least I could have seen better!

Hey, that reminds me of a joke, if you don't mind me telling it...

Man 1: So are you sure this horse does good field work?

Man 2: Yes, I am sure, but he don't look good.

Man 1: I don't care what he looks like, as long as he's a good worker. I'll take him.(Gives $$ to Man 2)

later....

Man 1 discovers that the horse is blind

and is at court suing Man 2.

Man 2: But Judge, I told him that the horse no look good.

Can you figure it out from there?

lol I'm so bad at explaining jokes.

Rachel 03 Jul 2009, 05:59

Brian -16 you should try and talk to Emily in Lenschat. She is now approaching -16.00, according to her own calculations, and seems perfectly happy with her single vision lenses despite the minification. In fact she much prefers them to bifocals. Also she has virtually 20/20 vision when she is fully corrected.

Cactus Jack 26 Jun 2009, 06:46

Brian- 16,

Sometime, as an experiment, you might try a form of GOC by wearing a significant portion of your minus correction in sphere only contact lenses and the balance - cylinder, prism and add - in glasses. The reduced minus in your glasses would minimize the reduced image size caused by high minus lenses and vertex distance.

With your complex Rx, you would want to work with your ECP and do a refraction with the CLs in place and stable. It might get you closer to 20/20.

Brian-16 26 Jun 2009, 04:32

Like Lenses

I have 20/25 overall with my specs.More correction makes things smaller.I have an rx of -15 and prism correction.

Like Lenses 25 Jun 2009, 23:49

I only have 20/25 vision with glasses. The optometrist tried stronger lenses, but the minification made it worse,could only read the 20/30 line.

Like Lenses 25 Jun 2009, 00:57

Even though my glasses are not that strong -2.50 both eyes, I wear them constantly ,for distance, and reading.They go on even before I get out of bed, and stay on until I go to bed. Even with my previous -1.25 I was very uncomfortable with out them. Vision without is 20/350. And my eyes do get red and irritated if I take them off , especially for near work.

I always carry a back up pair.Even if I take them off for cleaning, I put the back up pair on .

Rachel J 24 Jun 2009, 05:05

It's not me with them Carlos junior. It's the other Rachel that posts here.

Carlos, Jr 24 Jun 2009, 03:56

Rachel, how are the new bifocals?

Rachel 24 Jun 2009, 01:52

And. She's probably something like -9.00 or -10.00 but it's difficult to say exactly

And 23 Jun 2009, 11:10

Ha, no I meant my gf's.

Rachel J 23 Jun 2009, 10:55

And. Whose scrip? mine? Yeah mine are, especially my pair with CR39 lenses.

And 23 Jun 2009, 10:06

Rachel, with her script they will be thick won't they ?

Carlos, Jr 23 Jun 2009, 03:38

Rachel, did you pick up your bifocals yesterday? How do you like them?

Rachel 22 Jun 2009, 22:31

And. I've heard contacts can be addictive especially if you are quite myopic. Like your gf was dead keen to get another contact in her eye as soon as she could. She was probably pretty blind in that eye I reckon. She would probably let you see her in glasses if they were not very thick. have you thought of that?

And 22 Jun 2009, 15:10

Rachel, my gf had to replace a contact as a speck of something was irritating it so I took the opportunity to ask her about her vision. I think she played it down a bit as she did say she would feel vunerable without correction but talked about not really being able to watch tv rather than the whole world being a blur. I didn't want to push it & she inserted a new contact immediatly.

Rachel 22 Jun 2009, 12:00

Clare. That's quite low really.

Clare 22 Jun 2009, 08:20

Rachel - I'm -2.75 & -3. Small amount of cyl.

Rachel 22 Jun 2009, 06:51

Clare, What rx are you now?

Clare 21 Jun 2009, 07:00

Adalle - I'm pretty close to your girlfriend's Rx. It's not difficult to go without glasses/contacts if it's a bright day but a gloomy day makes it much worse. That would explain why she absolutely needed them as soon as dusk came. If I don't have my contacts in I'm happy enough to wander around the house with no correction, but if I need to see the TV or someone/something across the room obviously I can't.

Rachel 21 Jun 2009, 06:59

Galileo. What rx was she?

Galileo 19 Jun 2009, 22:16

Adalle - your girlfriend would see better in bright sunlight without glasses since her iris would close down to a smaller aperture increasing the natural depth of field of her eye and therefore improving her vision. Once out of the sunshine her iris would open up and she would experience the full blur of her prescription.

rachel J 19 Jun 2009, 11:30

I can't remember who she was but she was talking about skin tans on breakfast TV

Adalle 19 Jun 2009, 11:23

eyespy : -3 in both eyes

Rachel J 18 Jun 2009, 23:14

Melyssa.

It feels like we are in the wrong thread for this topic of conversation.

Rachel J 18 Jun 2009, 23:13

Melyssa.

I must admit they did look pretty cool and I could see there were some power rings showing down the outside edges. I reckon they must be on the cards to come into fashion again. When was it they were fashionable before? 1960s or something??

18 Jun 2009, 13:36

who was this fashion expert and what show was this on, i am in uk too

eyespy 18 Jun 2009, 13:25

Adalle

How low minus are your girlfriend's glasses? She seems do well with and without them ;)

Melyssa 18 Jun 2009, 12:53

Rachel J,

Send that fashion expert to the U.S. And if she can throw a baseball, the Phillies need some pitchers. LOL

I wouldn't mind having a butterfly-shaped frame if it were big enough, regardless of color. And when I have interest in someone's glasses, it's the frame, not the lenses, as not too many women have prescriptions like ours.

Adalle 18 Jun 2009, 11:21

I was on vacation with my girlfriend during last weekend. She has a low minus prescription and she wears her glasses constantly. But this weekend, it was very sunny, so during the day she wore her sunglasses, which have no prescription. I was amazed at how well she could function without them. Until sunset she never felt the need to wear her glasses. Whenever she couldn�t see something, she was just asking me.

During the night it was totally different. She switched to her red-pink plastic frames, which I had bought to her last week, and she was never taking them off. At one moment I got curious and using the pretext of a romantic and passionate kiss I slowly removed her glasses. After the kiss, I kept them for a while (asking for more kisses to give them back ;-) ), but she kept asking for them. She said she couldn�t cope without them because the lights of the street seemed blurry and were making her feel dizzy. Of course I gave them back, but it was a bit weird.

And a small �going-with-glasses-without-needing-them� story. Last night I was at her place watching a movie. During the movie she started kissing me and quite intentionally she smudged her glasses on my face and asked me to clean them. Of course it was the perfect chance for her to stop the movie, saying she couldn�t see a thing without them and as I was cleaning the glasses, she � started the foreplay. When I tried her glasses on, she laughed and teased me but urged me to keep them on as we were having sex. She even got up later and put her old glasses on, so that we would both be bespectacled.

All4Eyes 18 Jun 2009, 10:59

Oh, Susanne, it is so good to see you again! Or barely see you again, as the case may be. You have been such an inspiration to me in my own bare-eyed adventures. I'm spexy at the moment, but in your honor I may just do another bare-eyed Saturday (who knows, maybe I'll even hold out till Sunday this time?).

Susanne DK 18 Jun 2009, 02:17

Thanks for encouraging me to write about my bareeyed experiences. (FYI I'm around -3,75).

I remember having exchanged glasses with my friend for fun, she is around -8,00, so none of could see very well. But we always enjoyed playing around with our glasses. As it so happened, we were going to meet with some other friends and go away for the weekend. One of the guys were quite hooked on my -8 friend wearing my glasses, and as we were sitting on the train for our tour, she asked to have her glasses back whilst the 2 boys were gone to the restaurant car for a moment. When they came back with sandwiches, her new friend (they only met the weekend before, I think) told her to put her own glasses on again. I.e. mine... And so the whole weekend went on as he was very insiting, and she wanted to obey. We both were blind as bats, but decided to keep the show going. But by Sunday before lunch we gave in. We both had horrific headaches, and simply couldn't cope any longer. As if this was not bad enough, when I took my friends glasses off, and wanted to give them back to her, she missed grapping them because she couldn't see, and her glasses fell on the ground and broke on the middle.

She had to keep my glasses for the rest of the weekend, and I was forced to try to function without any glasses on. We still talk about this episode, and in the back mirror it is quite funny. But trust me, our eyes were so sore and red for days after.

Rachel J 18 Jun 2009, 01:34

Melyssa. I'm just slightly worse than you, so i have to get nearer the screen. On TV in the UK this morning a fashion expert came on wearing big plastc framed glasses like butterflies. You would have loved them, except her lenses didn't look all that thick.

Melyssa 17 Jun 2009, 12:46

Rachel J,

I can see the letters properly when I'm within about 6 inches of the screen, not exactly very comfy.

In my case, my world is contained within two thick BIG pieces of plastic. LOL

Melyssa 17 Jun 2009, 12:44

Susanne,

Other than when sleeping, the longest I'm ever without my glasses is about 20 minutes or so when I shower and then dry my face first so I can put my glasses back on. Since becoming a fulltime wearer I don't recall having had my eyes hurt or redden.

Rachel J 17 Jun 2009, 01:49

Susanne DK. My eyes feel really dry and weak if I go without glasses for any length of time. It's like they want some really strong lenses to look through. I think with wearing glasses permanently for almost ten years, they just feel like spare parts without them.

Rachel J 17 Jun 2009, 01:45

Melyssa. Yes I know what you mean. To see the computer screen properly and actually read the letters, I more or less have to put my nose on it. It's pathetic I know, but that's how bad I am now. It's like my whole world is contained in two thick little pieces of plastic. You never think it will come to that when you first start with glasses do you?

sum1wholovesgirlswithglasses 16 Jun 2009, 15:10

I agree with R Ed.Susanne DK it would be great to read something about your bareeyed related experiences,i and many others really loved enjoyed your older entries

R Ed 16 Jun 2009, 14:11

Susanne DK,

Some time ago you posted amazing "going without glasses" stories. In one, didn't you and some friends fly from the UK to Denmark for some going without glasses adventures?

Have you had any more recent experiences you'd like to share?

Thanks for posting today.

Susanne DK 16 Jun 2009, 10:08

Melyssa and Rachel,

Do your eyes hurt and get red when you don't wear your glasses for a little while?

And 16 Jun 2009, 09:59

That's kinda what I meant - if you were sat together bare-eyed and someone approached would M be able to see them before R ?

Melyssa 16 Jun 2009, 07:50

Rachel J,

Sitting about 2 feet from the computer screen, looking over my glasses (when not typing), I see colors and blurred text. And it's not something I would want to do for more than a few seconds.

Rachel 16 Jun 2009, 07:12

Melyssa. You are dead right, to be honest. If I try to putting on my old -9.00 glasses, everything looks pretty blurry now. But what I meant was that without glasses, both you and I would barely be able to recognize anything unless it was really close. If you see what I mean. lol

Melyssa 16 Jun 2009, 06:53

I'm sure there's a big difference between -9.00 and -12.00, even though Rachel and I both struggle to see bare-eyed. I've tried wearing 2 pairs at once, which should theoretically make me -18.00, but I can't see anything, much less twice the distance.

Rachel j 15 Jun 2009, 22:21

And.

I'm not sure if Melyssa's are as strong as mine. I think she's around the -9.00 mark, whereas I'm around -12.00 now which is obviously three dioptres more myopic. Usually by the time people reach -3.00 they definitley start fulltime wear, as things have got pretty blurred without glasses. I have heard of some people holding out until they reach -4.00 but most have given in by -3.00. That should give you an idea of the the differnece between Melyssa's helplessness and mine.

Glenn 15 Jun 2009, 16:53

Hi And, No she does not like to take them off and let others try them on. Many people have asked because her glasses are so thick

And 15 Jun 2009, 14:21

Is there much difference between your script Rachel J and Melyssa's. You both describe the world as being a blur without your specs, is there a point when being bare-eyed is kinda the same ?

Rachel 15 Jun 2009, 11:12

And.

Not really no. My mum would have had to have come and picked me up, if they had been totally smashed. It's easy to forget to take spare glasses with you. I know I should, but I still don't very often. Except when we go away on holiday, then I have my tinted prescription sun glasses.

And 15 Jun 2009, 08:56

Rachel J, you were lucky they weren't rendered useless, could you have coped ? Carry some spares !

Glenn, does your gf ever let anyone try hers / take them off anytime etc

Glenn 15 Jun 2009, 01:40

Hi Rachel, My girlfriend has to wear thick glasses to see.When her glasses fall off she cannot see enough to find them.She usually has to grop for them or call ut for someone to help find themif no one helps right away.One time sking they came off and got crushed .She was helpless and the ski patrol had to help her down to get her spare pair from her car.

Rachel J 14 Jun 2009, 22:54

And.

I did once actually. About 3 years ago playing hockey at school my glasses got knocked off in a tackle. Well I couldn't find them could I. Then this other girl said are these your glasses Rachel? Oh my God you should have seen them. Someone had actaully todden on them and they were all bent. Fortunately the lenses were ok but I looked so ridiculous in them I could have cried. I couldn't ait to get home and dig my old pair out for the next few days until I got some new ones.

And 14 Jun 2009, 11:32

Rachel J, I assume you've never had an incident when you wish you had spare glasses. My gf wears contacts and always carries spare cl and glasses

Melyssa 14 Jun 2009, 07:18

Rachel J,

I have been "stuck on" -9.00 since 1992, which is fortunate in that I don't have to spend zillions of dollars to update all of my lenses. You should always carry a spare pair with you, even if it's your glasses from your previous RX. Maybe you can find a 2-pair deal next time you need new glasses.

Rachel J 13 Jun 2009, 22:57

Melyssa. Is -9.00 your current rx? I never bother carrying spair glasses most of the time. Maybe I should.

Melyssa 13 Jun 2009, 08:06

And, Rachel J,

I used to have prescription sunglasses, but it would be a slight problem having to change from/to regular glasses while driving. I was eventually able to get those big wraparound shades that fit over regular glasses, those sunglasses being easier to put on and take off.

I always carry a spare pair or three of regular glasses in my pocketbook, and one day at work, I swatted at an insect, my big black-framed glasses fell off and hit the asphalt of the parking lot, so I just put on another pair. That black pair was broken and could not be repaired.

Melyssa 13 Jun 2009, 08:02

And,

For p.e., I did not want to wear my old plastic frames, due to them being likely to fall off following a prolonged period of perspiring -- or having a volley ball or field hockey ball smack right into it. As for lunch, I always sat at the same table with my cl'osest friends, so we'd know where we were.

Melyssa 13 Jun 2009, 07:58

Rachel J,

Whether you wear your glasses a lot or hardly at all when starting out doesn't really affect how nearsighted you'll be. I've known some people who wore glasses right away and their RXs are less than mine. It's mostly genetics and what you use your eyes for (such as lots of reading, etc.).

And 13 Jun 2009, 04:44

Melyssa / Rachel(s) do you have prescription sunglasses and have you ever had any incidents when you've had to call on your spare glasses ?

Rachel J 12 Jun 2009, 23:22

Melyssa. I went fulltime form the start Melyssa. I really wanted them on, and my mother used to do everything she could to persuade me not to wear them a lot. Now she says that's why my eyes are so bad. lol I don't reckon it is though, do you?

And 12 Jun 2009, 14:24

I would think p.e. would be difficult enough at -3, not to mention trying to spot your friends in the dining room.

Melyssa 12 Jun 2009, 12:37

And,

I would guess that my prescription was somewhere in the -3 range or so. I knew I would have to wear glasses fulltime in order to be able to learn to drive, and in the last few months of 11th grade I was wearing my brown hexagon glasses between classes, just taking them off for physical education and lunch (which fortunately were consecutive that year).

And 11 Jun 2009, 14:14

Thanks Melyssa, do you remember your rx when you went full-time. Was it a difficult decision at 16 ?

Melyssa 11 Jun 2009, 12:56

And,

I did everything bare-eyed for about the first 8 years of my life. LOL Seriously though, since going fulltime with glasses (and fortunately, plastic lenses by then) at 16, shoveling snow and mowing the lawn are/were about all I do/did bare-eyed.

Melyssa 11 Jun 2009, 12:54

Rachel,

You can say that again. Besides, if I wore my glasses during the nighttime activity, I'd see too well and be too awake. To see the moon, maybe. To see my husband sawing wood in bed, probably. Other than that, I'll keep my referee-like vision at night.

And 11 Jun 2009, 09:54

Rachel, have you ever been in a position that you describe - bare-eyed and having to get around ?

Phil 11 Jun 2009, 09:12

Rachel, I'd love to see you try!! Do you squint or are you beyond squinting?

Astra 11 Jun 2009, 08:39

Rachel, can you read texts without glasses within a very short distance, say, 10 cm ?

Danbert 11 Jun 2009, 01:37

Astra, that simulator isn't mine - I just found it. Thanks for the comments though.

Rachel 11 Jun 2009, 00:42

Astra. All I know is when I take my glasses off everything is a total blur now. The colours are really of no consequence at all. It's the images that are important when you are trying to find your ay around in a strange place. Like a chair or something, you might end up walking in to. Even a glass door is a pain to see. Going without glasses is hardly an option for me now.

Astra 11 Jun 2009, 00:01

Danbert, thanks for making the "simulation". But the simulation looks a bit awkward, especially at the lower end. I suppose the distant images for -2 to -3.5 is slightly more blurry, brighter and less grayish. I suppose -4 is about right, but slightly brighter, and I am not sure about -4.5 and beyond.

Your simulation appears like a simulation of fog... and kind of similar to a simulation of cataract instead of myopia. For myopia, I suppose with your original image, light just diffuses from 0 to -4. I am not sure about high myopes, though.

Rachel 10 Jun 2009, 23:39

Melyssa.

Well I'm the same. Who can be bothered groping for glasses in the night when you are deperate for the loo and then want to get back to sleep again. Some of these guys here have no consideration when they ask questions like they do. lol

Rachel 10 Jun 2009, 23:38

And. Surely if get to you know her pretty well (your gf I mean) she will take you into her confidence about how bad her eyes really are. She may be quite worried about how bad her myopia is going to get and not want you to see how helpless she is without glasses. Kind of a pride thing. We not just try introducing the subject now and then sympathetically and see how she re-acts?

And 10 Jun 2009, 16:49

Oops sorry my last was directed to Melyssa

And 10 Jun 2009, 16:48

When your rx was less did you do anything bare-eyed ?

And 10 Jun 2009, 16:11

Rachel, yes when I first realised my gf wore contacts I asked about her vision and realised she wasn't comfortable talking about it. She said she was 'blind as a bat'. Her myopia started in college and she began wearing contacts straight away, perhaps that's why she doesn't like glasses now.

Melyssa 10 Jun 2009, 12:47

Rachel,

I've never paid any attention to gray patterns or any other color(s) while going for "office visits" during the night. I did see a blurry, white, almost-full moon last night. If I wasn't so tired then, I would have put on my last glasses from the evening and looked at it better.

Melyssa 10 Jun 2009, 12:45

And,

Since way back then, the closest I've come to swimming was when my husband's family lived by the beach in the Carolinas, and he and I would walk along the ocean's edge. I wore glasses for those escapades, matching my swimsuit whenever possible.

Rachel 10 Jun 2009, 10:42

Danbert. Yeah, it sounds like you've got the correct explanation for the greyish forms I see without my glasses. It's like all the bright colours have just got washed out kind of. Obviously my retina is not receiving a perfect coloured image when it is not corrected by a concave lens. Yeah, if there is no cloud or anything in the sky and it's all blue, without glasses it does look blueish like. It's dead weird without glasses to be honest and I don't really like being without them now.

Puffin 10 Jun 2009, 07:57

It has to be said there's a lot of grey in that photo to start with. To me it's more muddy than grey, a bit like an impressionist painting gone mad.

Danbert 10 Jun 2009, 07:50

According to the simulation, -3D is about the limit of being able to appreciate objects in the far distance. Even at -4D they look pretty grey and shapeless.

It would be lovely if people of varying prescriptions were able to tell us what their actual distance vision is like without glasses.

Bart 10 Jun 2009, 07:32

isn't the -6/-9 simulated vision too bad?

The binoculars just in front cannot even be seen... Someone with this rx can tell something about?

Danbert 10 Jun 2009, 07:13

Rachel, the grey phenomenon you mention makes perfect sense, although I haven't found a concise explanation / interpretation on the web.

This is my understanding. Feel free to point out any problems with it:

1. Light entering the myopic eye refracts in such a way that it does not converge to the correct point on the retina.

2. For someone with low myopia, light hitting the retina "misses the mark" by a small amount. The result is that colours are slightly misplaced and a blurry image results.

3. For someone with high myopia, light hitting the retina "misses the mark" by a large amount. This effectively randomises the colours (wavelengths) of light which hit the retina. The result is a view of the world more or less in blurry shades of grey

4. If the light entering the eye in an extremely high myope was of an even distribution of all colours (wavelengths) in the visible spectrum, then that person would simply see white and not grey at all. In reality, there is not an even distribution and so the person is likely to see grey.

I found a little simulator written in Flash which ranges from 0 to -9D. It wouldn't be accurate at all I'm sure but hopefully gives a basic idea of the effect that one would expect in the myopic eye:

http://www.muldenblick.de/lif/swf/nymyopia.swf

Rachel, if you look up at a completely clear blue sky without your glasses, I assume that it appears somewhat blue and not too grey to you :)

Rachel 09 Jun 2009, 23:20

And. I dunno really. It's just that all the colours seem greyish lind of. I'm sure your gf will experience that too. It's not a problem really, cos like Melyssa says when you have lived in a house a long time and everything stays where its always been you can cope to find you way around more or less. It's just the stairs that are the worst, cos you can't actually see them, and if someone has moved soem furnoture around or something stupid like that. Then you tend to walk into it and bang you legs kind of. Why don't you ask your gf about these things. is she very self-conscious or something?

And 09 Jun 2009, 15:54

Rachel, what did you mean about not seeing colours ? Would that be the same for my gf ?

And 09 Jun 2009, 14:13

Oops excuse the mis-spelling of your name

And 09 Jun 2009, 14:13

Malyssa, thanks. Do you still swim now ?

Melyssa 09 Jun 2009, 13:51

And,

I don't squint with my current prescription, and I can't recall the last time I'd done it. I am able to find my way to a very important place during the night sans glasses, because I know where everything is after many years in my house.

Rachel 09 Jun 2009, 11:36

And. Sometimes. lol. Most of them can't see a thing with them. Wow Rachel, they say, you must be so blind. Actually last time I had my eyes tested, when the optician had finished testing me, he forgot to give me my glasses back and I had to ask him for them before I could move an inch. Oh I am sorry Rachel, he said, that was most unthinking of me. It's ok, I said as he put me them on, It's just that I'm pretty blind without them.

And 09 Jun 2009, 11:08

Thanks Rachel, do your friends still like trying your glasses and 'testing' your eyes ? When you go to the opticians are you ever left bare-eyed ? There were some intersting posts on that subject a while ago.

Rachel 09 Jun 2009, 10:50

And. To be honest I can barely make anything out now without my glasses. Only sort of blurred grey shapes and outlines and stuff. No colours. Sometimes if I waken up early in the morning in the summer and it's daylight I try squinting to see if it still make things any clearer, but really and truthfully its barely noticeable now. In the end I just thankfully reach for my glasses. No I manage the loo ok in the night if I need to go, really because I don't want to waken up properly. Luckily it's just next to my bedroom so I can feel my way ok.

And 09 Jun 2009, 10:27

Rachel/Melyssa, is there a point when your prescription means that you don't bother squinting when without your glasses ? If you get up in the night do you put them on ?

Rachel 08 Jun 2009, 21:57

And. I have actually still got 7 pairs of old glasses in the bottom drawer of my bedside table. Yes like you say, when I take my glasses off before going to sleep, I just stick them still opened on top of my bedside table, ready for putting straight back on, more or less as soon as I waken up next morning. Sometimes I lie in bed and try looking around my bedroom for a few moments without them but I soon reach out for them and stick them on because everything looks so ridiculously blurred. If someone were to secretly move them during the night, I would definitely have a big problem finding them. lol

And 08 Jun 2009, 14:39

Rachel, stick to glasses if you're happy, that's what counts. How many pairs do you have ? Ages ago a few people commented on their glasses bedtime/morning routines, do yours sit on the bedside table ? I know my gf keeps hers firmly in the bottom of her bag but perhaps one day I'll see them.

And 08 Jun 2009, 14:30

Your rx at that time would be similar to my gf's so it's interesting to know what her vision is like. Did you do anything else bare-eyed ?

Melyssa 08 Jun 2009, 12:42

And,

Having made that trip hundreds of times from the table (or even a beach chair) to the pool and back (not more than 10 feet, I'd say), and looking down most of the time so as not to step on an uneven surface the wrong way, it wasn't too bad. My mother was always there with me (it was her first cousin's place, so my mother always went along and drove), and on rare occasions she'd say, "Melyssa, this way." Naturally I would start to turn "that way" just for fun.

Rachel 08 Jun 2009, 11:45

And. I don't know. I've never heard of them actually. Well like I said before if I'm being honest I like wearing glasses best. It's only my mother that keeps nattering about me trying contacts because my lenses have got so thick now. Like last time when I came home in my new glasses she said to me "Oh no rachel, not thicker again!" So I just replied, "Well Mum I really need." What else could I say.

And 08 Jun 2009, 08:57

Rachel, there are lenses you can keep in overnight aren't there ? Perhaps you could just have them as an alternative but hey specs are brill. I often wonder what my gf will look like in hers.

ehpc 08 Jun 2009, 08:45

Stick with your hot glasses, Rachel :) Pete

Rachel 08 Jun 2009, 06:59

JC. Well she couldn't because she could hardly see a thing. Although she's not as bad as me she's pretty myopic.

JC 08 Jun 2009, 06:50

If I ever had a doctor get "really mad" with me I'd leave the office immediately and find a professional to help me.

Rachel 07 Jun 2009, 23:23

And. Yeah, I bet she has daily disposables. It's just that I hate the thought of having to put them in and pull them out before I go to sleep at night. A girl I know at school has some and she once went to bed and forgot to take them out and fell asleep with them in. When she woke up next morning her eyes were in a terrible state. All dry and red and they felt so sore she daren't get them out. So she had to go to the opticians for them to do it. They were really mad with her and told her if she did it again she would have to go back to wearing her glasses fulltime like me. That's why I think contacts are a bit scarry.

And 07 Jun 2009, 15:48

Melyssa, was it a bit scary, did you have company, was it not difficult to even find your way back to the table ?

And 07 Jun 2009, 15:32

Rachel, she has said that she gets better vision from lenses than glasses and that she hates ever having to wear them, although I know she owns a pair -personal preference I suppose but in the time I've known her I've not known her have any problems, I think she changes them daily.

Melyssa 07 Jun 2009, 08:07

The last time I went swimming in a pool (as opposed to my car during Hurricane Floyd's 7-inch rainstorm, ha, ha), my prescription was -8.50. It was the pool at my cousin's house. I would change into my swimsuit inside, and walk out to poolside, put my glasses in my pocketbook on a table, and alternate swimming and catching some rays, all without glasses, but using little oval items on my eyes to keep the sun out from there. When I was done swimming for the day, I'd dry my face off and put my sexy glasses back on.

Rachel 07 Jun 2009, 07:39

And. BTW is your gf comfortable wearing contacts? My mother keeps wanting me to try them and so far I have resisted, being a glasses fan. But with my eyes getting so much worse recently, I wonder if they would help me to see things better. I hate it when my distance vision gets blurry and simply long for stronger glasses again. There's nothing like it when you look through thicker lenses for the first time, everything becomes so crisp and clear.

Rachel 07 Jun 2009, 03:44

And. Oh my God no! At -7.50 she would be really struggling and feel very vulnerable. It's one thing groping around home without correction at that rx, but quite another when you are in strange surroundings. Please watch out for her and don't let anything like that happen to her. Also she should keep her glasses handy in case it does and she needs to wear them in an emergency.

And 07 Jun 2009, 02:30

Someone joked to my gf about pushing her in the pool on holiday and she said she'd be really worried her lenses might pop out.At -7.50 would she be ok to find her way back to her sunbed ?

Rachel 06 Jun 2009, 22:45

Galileo. I'm not at all surprised at -8.50. She must have been unable to see hardly anything clearly at all. I hated swimming at school by the time I had reached -6 to -7 so I can understand what she was going through. And if she had kept her glasses on all the splashes make it a pain etc.

Galileo 06 Jun 2009, 22:11

My ex girlfriend regularly went swimming without correction. Her Rx was -8.5. She had worked out the big landmarks between the corner of the pool which had a ladder into the water and the doors to the changing rooms. She always took a locker just inside the door on the end row and the first thing inside the locker door was her glasses. However the first time I went with her I realised she was breaking all the pool rules because she didn't realise there were any - she couldn't see any of the signs by the pool.

And 06 Jun 2009, 18:24

Chat on another thread about swimming - what's the strongest script anyone has had and still gone swimming bare-eyed ?

14 Apr 2009, 02:11

http://tirol.orf.at/stories/347603/ google.com/translate With glasses and fall orientation verlorenIm Zillertaler has Lanersbach Tuesday morning a young woman initiated a search. The 19-year-old highly myopic locals had a walk in the woods completely the orientation verloren.Junge woman has four diopter is a strange story, which Tuesday morning officials of the police in Mayrhofen represents. The 19-year-old was referred to its own data against a clock early visit by a local come home. Shortly before four clock was then one more round left. In the forest they had lost their way and fallen. In so doing, they lost their glasses. With four diopter is the wife severely short-sighted and it has obviously after the fall of the orientation is lost. On all fours she crawls toward Tal.Unterk�hlt but unverletztNachbarn have fortunately the cries of the girl, and the police. When four mountain rescuers arrived, the young woman was already found. She was unhurt, but had to be subdued and hospitalized after Schwaz treatment.

marsh 13 Apr 2009, 04:01

ASTRA, Yes, I have many other interesting things to share. More of same and ...... Look at some of my other posts in SG, GWG etc.many more, what do you want to talk about. Come to Lenschat 11:30am EDT or 430pm edt. If not, you say when and we'll discuss it. ciao

Astra 13 Apr 2009, 01:55

marsh, that's interesting. do you have more to share?

13 Apr 2009, 01:35

babelfish translation In the case of fall eyeglasses and orientation verlorenIm Zillertaler Lanersbach released Tuesday-early a young Mrs. a search action. The 19-j�hrige strongly short-sighted native ones had lost orientation with a walk in the forest completely. Young woman has four DioptrienEs is a strange history, which presents itself Tuesday-early to the official of the police in Mayrhofen. The 19-J�hrige had home come to own data against clock early from a restaurant visit. Shortly before four o'clock went it then again a round. In the forest it got then off the way and fell. It lost its eyeglasses. With four diopters the woman is with difficulty short-sighted and her obviously after the fall orientation lost. On all four she crawled toward valley-undercooled however uninjured neighbours then fortunately the cries of the girl finally heard and the police informed. When four mountain rescuers arrived, the young woman was already found. It was undercooled uninjured, but and had to be admitted in the hospital after Schwaz.

13 Apr 2009, 01:28

a very nearsighted girl who lost her glasses in the forest http://tirol.orf.at/stories/347603/

marsh 28 Feb 2009, 04:25

lets do it

I had a gf, -8 herself, who would not wear glasses in her house, she made me leave my -8's (or -11 by then, forgot long ago) by the door and she had tv close to everything and tables high to see to read and eat etc.. she would get mad if i went to put my coke bottles on. maybe there is something to it ??

marsh 27 Feb 2009, 12:09

I did not know this was a thread. I POSTED A CHALLENGE TO HIGH MYOPES TO GO WITHOUT ON STRONG GLASSES SITE. IM NEW HERE. I had coke bottles since 7 and until jr hi and -5.5 did not wear them, things were different when i was kid. as my eyes stretched (became more myopic) i could not get around anymore. lenses were v e r y thick then - even -8's by 11th grade. Now I have lenses -11 and -4.5 that is combination where I can get to 20/40 with correction. I had retina ops too and scar tissue.. any others, ciao marsh

IC 27 Feb 2009, 11:22

Why not tell us about your experiences, "And" ?

It'd make a change from the usual tedious questioning that typifies your contribution to ES.

And 27 Feb 2009, 10:39

Ages since anyone posted to this thread - is there no-one out there who has glasses but still goes without sometimes ?

MJ 28 Jan 2009, 14:51

Dan

Are you still wearing full time and if so what's the reaction been? Good I hope.

Cactus Jack 28 Jan 2009, 07:07

Eye Tri,

Apparently, I can't do math early in the morning or late at night for that matter. For 40 mm the numbers should have been -25 glasses and +25 readers. Not considering vertex distance effects.

Cactus Jack 28 Jan 2009, 05:36

Eye Tri,

If you can read something at 40 mm (about 1.6 inches) you either have incredible accommodation, you should be wearing -22 glasses, or you are wearing +22 reading glasses. I meant 40 cm (about 16 inches) measured from the eye. Lens power in diopters = 100 cm divided by distance in cm or = 39.37 inches divided by distance in inches.

Like Lenses 28 Jan 2009, 03:22

5 - Rx is -1.50 with -1.50 cyl. each eye. Vision without glasses is 20/300 each eye, and blurring at all distances due to the astigmatism.

Wear glasses full time, and always have a back up pair.

EyeTri 28 Jan 2009, 02:38

Cactus Jack:

I'm assuming you mean 40mm (not cm) reading distance for an "add" of + 2.50. Is that 40mm measured from the eye or the surface of the lens?

27 Jan 2009, 22:01

typo should read +2.50 not _2.50

Cactus Jack 27 Jan 2009, 22:00

Astra,

Normal is what you prefer. Typical is 40 cm which requires _2.50 to focus, thus an add of +2.50 is very common in bifocals, but some people like to read closer. I like to read in bed with a +3.00 add to my distance Rx.

eyespy, it depends on the quality of the image from the best eye for the situation. The brain will choose the best image and use information from the blurrier image to supplement if possible. That is why monovision works for some people, One eye is set for distance and the other is set for close. The brain selects the best image for the situation.

The key word there is SOME. Some people can't tolerate monovision, others love it.

eyespy 27 Jan 2009, 20:54

Cactus

You mention that people without a big difference between their eyes or significant astigmatism can happily read without their glasses. How much difference does there need to be (eg I diopter or more) before reading without glasses with a low prescription becomes uncomfortable? Ditto astigmatism, is it 1D or more and does + or - cyl make any difference?

Astra 27 Jan 2009, 20:30

Re Cactus: I do think so... But I would like to ask, what's the normal reading distance for normal eyes? I think it's around 60 cm?

More about my roommate: She almost never squint for distance, with or without her glasses.

Is it true that given the same amount of blur, there are slightly different tolerance of blur between individuals in their brain? I have seen an individual with just -1 squints a lot for distance without glasses, while another individual with more than -7 (very strong minus... not sure about his script) doesn't squint at all without. (Cleaning his own glasses but looking around...)

JC 27 Jan 2009, 19:57

I'm -4.00... 4th category but even some things at home would be difficult.

Astra 27 Jan 2009, 19:52

My prescription is -2.50. No significant astigmatism.

Astra 27 Jan 2009, 19:49

I'm probably at category 2.

Dan 27 Jan 2009, 17:52

I'd fall in category 1...my entire family has bad vision and I end up with only a mild prescription...weird haha

Wurm 27 Jan 2009, 17:15

At around -3.75, I'd fall in the 3rd category, although a number of my regular activities would be quite problematic.

new GOC 27 Jan 2009, 16:53

I just tried GOC, increasing my usual -2.00 or so to -6.50. WOW! I had no idea how bad some people's vision could be! Which made me think, if you lost your only pair of glasses and had no contacts, which of the following would apply to you. Please state your prescription with your choice.

1. wouldn't make that much difference

2. only wear them part-time, so would make some activities tough

3. wear them full time, so it would be very annoying but I'd be OK

4. would be ok at home, going anywhere would be a problem

5. Would be an extreme hardship, but I guess I'd survive - I'd squint my way around

6. would not be able to function, might as well just stay in bed

If you want, make up your own description.

At my usual -2.00, number 3 would apply to me but at -6.50 I'd say number 6!

Cactus Jack 27 Jan 2009, 04:11

Astra.

People with myopia, like your roommate, have permanent, natural, built-in reading glasses that they wear all the time. You just can't see them. If they do not have much astigmatism or too much myopia and their eyes have about the same degree of myopia, it is very comfortable to read without any correction.

However, reading at 15 cm would actually indicate about -6.50 to -6.75 of myopia. 28 - 30 cm would be about right for -3.50. Maybe, there is something more at work here.

Astra 27 Jan 2009, 02:44

Re Cactus: "Young people automatically assume that what ever they see is normal."

I have a roommate who is now around -3.5 for both eyes. She assumed her eyesight normal, as she is practically a book nerd, until she can't even see the pavement bricks just 1.45m below her eyes. Even after she got the glasses, (distant eyesight 20/20), she feel it's more comfortable to read books without them--- but at circa 15 cm from her eyes for several hours.

Cactus Jack 24 Jan 2009, 18:30

concerned,

I would like to suggest that wearing both contacts and glasses would not be appropriate. She might have sharper vision, but the additional accommodative stress could lead to a more rapid increase in her myopia than will naturally occur. If you want to discuss this aspect further, please contact me at cactusjack1928@hotmail.com

shakes 24 Jan 2009, 17:59

Dear Concerned, your daughter can also try wearing her glasses over her contacts when she wants really sharp vision like driving at night. The sphere power will be easily be accomadatef and the cylinder will correct the astgmatism without having to take her contacts out.

shakes 24 Jan 2009, 17:59

Cactus Jack 24 Jan 2009, 12:57

concerned,

With her Rx, I would have been surprised if the glasses were NOT better. If her contacts are sphere only, they are a compromise and likely do not fully correct her astigmaism. If they are torics, they may have the cylinder needed, but torics are notorious for moving around on the eyeball as you blink and if they don't maintain the correct axis, they can be worse than no correction. The cylinder axis in glasses is fixed by the mounting of the lenses correctly in the frames, so they can't move around.

concerned 24 Jan 2009, 11:40

My daughter picked up her glasses today and is wearing them around the house claiming that she can see even better with the glasses than the contacts. Is this unusual?

concerned 21 Jan 2009, 21:46

Thanks CJ, I live in the southern suburbs of Chicago, IL. My daughter seems to have adjusted well to her reliance on correction for proper vision. She has accepted the fact that she should wear her glasses when she takes her contacts out. I'm sure it's going to cost me for some stylish frames, but if that's what is necessary for her to feel comfortable wearing her glasses in public than it's definitely money well-spent from a concerned parent's perception.

Cactus Jack 21 Jan 2009, 21:21

concerned,

Genetics plays a big role in high myopia, but visual environment has an effect also. I suspect genetics didn't play a big role in her mild myopia, more likely it was the eye's response to a lot of reading and close work.

There is some evidence that some peoples eyes respond to a lot of close focusing by producing a growth hormone that causes the eye to grow a little and become longer. The optical effect of this elongation of the eye is to make close work easier at the expense of distance vision. If you do the math, -1.25 diopters of myopia means that the eyeball is about 1.25 mm longer than it should be for the optical power of the cornea and relaxed crystaline lens. In her case, the cornea and crystaline have a little too much plus power for the length. The result is that distant images actually focus in front of the retina. The minus lenses neutralize the excess plus power and cause the distant images to focus clearly on the retina.

Astigmatism is caused by irregularities in the curvature of the corneal. Instead of being a perfect section of a sphere, it has a cylindrical component where the curvature is greater (more plus power) in one axis than it is in the other, We do not know the reason this occurs and there is no known way to prevent it from occurring. The problem with astigmatism is that images with lines that go in several directions (letters for example) focus at different distances on the retina. If you looked at a E for example, the vertical line might be in focus while the horizontal lines would be fuzzy and the diagonal lines of a W might all be fuzzy. It would depend on the axis of the astigmatism and the orientation of the letter. Of the two, astigmatism causes the most vision problems, because nothing fixes it except a corrective lens.

I hope this explanation helps a little. The important thing is that you should not feel guilty. Mild myopia does not usually have overt physical symptoms like headaches. In fact, mild myopia, by itself, makes reading easier and less tiring. There simply was no way for you to experience what she was seeing.

Young people automatically assume that what ever they see is "normal" and it just doesn't get any better. Occasionally, putting on a first pair of glasses reveals that trees have leaves and there really are stars in the sky to great delight. I got -1.50 glasses when I was 14 and was very surprised that you were supposed to see individual bricks in the house across the street from our house. I knew there were bricks, but to be able to see and count them from so far away and recognize people from a distance was delightful.

Please let me know if I can be of additional help.

By the way, may I ask where you live?

Cactus

concerned 21 Jan 2009, 20:35

BTW, isn't it unusual for her to have such bad eyes when my wife and I both see very well?

concerned 21 Jan 2009, 20:33

Wow, I never imagined her eyes could actually be that bad. My wife and I feel very guilty that we let this go on for so long without noticing the problem earlier as I'm sure this didn't happen overnight. Her performance in school has been less than her capabilities up to this point. Maybe the contacts and soon to get glasses will help her become a better student. Thanks for all your help. We're taking her in tomorrow to get fitted for the new glasses. I'll keep you guys updated.

Cactus Jack 21 Jan 2009, 20:00

concerned,

Oops! I meant +1.25 with +1.00 cylinder in the trial lens frame.

Cactus

Cactus Jack 21 Jan 2009, 19:57

concerned,

If you want to get an idea of how she sees without glasses, try on a pair of +1.75 or +2.00 readers and note how distant things look.

A person who is nearsighted (myopic) actually has built in natural reading glasses. In her case, +1.25.

Because of her astigmatism she would actually see a little worse than with +1.25 pure sphere readers, which is why I suggested the stronger readers.

You might ask her Eye Care Professional (ECP)let you see what +1.50 with +1.00 cylinder and the same axis as hers looks like using their trial lens set.

By the way, she absolutely should have glasses in her prescription so she can rest her eyes occasionally from the contacts. The only source of oxygen for the cornea is from the air. Modern contact lenses have excellent oxygen transmission, but the corneas need rest also. She absolutely must care for the lenses properly and should not sleep in them unless the lenses are specifically approved for day/night wear. Your instructions and cautions of your ECP should be followed to avoid infection or discomfort.

Cactus

still 21 Jan 2009, 19:36

I will defer to Cactus Jack, but IMHO she will have a restriction, which will say that she can only drive if she wears corrective eyewear. And of course, for her sake and ours, she should, regardless. Also, she should have glasses as a back up, this should require very little talking about, dear concerned.

concerned 21 Jan 2009, 14:46

Thanks for the insight. I recently stumbled upon this site when I realized the eye problems of my daughter. We will be taking her for her driver's license soon. Do you think she will have a restriction on her license? I'll be talking to my wife about getting my daughter a pair of glasses to go with her contacts. I'll check back in with questions as they come as this is a brand new experience for my wife and I. We are both 20/20 in our late 30s.

guest 21 Jan 2009, 14:37

I think she needs glasses for sure but would only estimate her visual acuity as 20/100, being around -1.75 if converted to sphere. When I say only, I mean that figuratively as that's bad enough of course. Do get her the glasses.

Like Lenses 21 Jan 2009, 12:29

concerned

Your daughter is only mildly nearsighted, but has a fair amount of astigmatism, so things at all distances are blurred without the lenses. Her uncorrected vision is probably about 20/200.

She should have glasses for backup, and wear them to give her eyes a break from the contacts.

Being nearsighted her prescription will certainly increase ,most likely yearly till she reaches early twenties.

dave 20 Jan 2009, 15:31

The previous post reads very much like the "hsparent 20 Jan 2009, 14:35" entry in the Post Your Prescription thread.

concerned 20 Jan 2009, 15:10

My daughter has been squinting her way through life until recently when we "forced" her to go for an eye exam. She was given a perscription of sph-1.25 cyl -1.00 for both eyes. Now that she's wearing her contacts full-time she refers to herself as "blind as a bat without them." How bad are her eyes really? Should we get her glasses for when she's not wearing her contacts? Will this have an effect on her eyes either way? She just turned 16, will her perscription change in the coming years? Anyone with insight please share with my wife and I.

Glasseswearer 20 Jan 2009, 02:34

Louise - try squinting with your glasses on to see if you can see more clearly. or borrow a stronger pair from a friend. from how far off can uou read a car numberplate? i suspect you will get a stronger prescription.

Louise 20 Jan 2009, 02:05

Hi Emily.

Now that I've seen that maybe I need to wear my glasses a bit more I'm going to assess how I see with them because I still think I see well with them. I should get a test as you say as 5 years is probably too long!

j dogg 20 Jan 2009, 01:10

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fE3qZoOuzAk&feature=channel

Simon 18 Jan 2009, 21:19

And what is your new bifocal prescription? I was wondering whether the add portion of your Rx increases as well.

Simon 18 Jan 2009, 21:17

Oh my, Emily, another increase, how well can you see with the maximum amount of correction? How concerned are you about your myopia progression?

Emily 18 Jan 2009, 14:15

Hi Louise. I'm much more myopic than you (-15.50) but I recognize the symptoms you're describing -- I need stronger glasses every year. It sounds as though your eyes have also gotten more myopic and you need a stronger prescription. Besides, it's good eye hygiene to get an eye exam more often than once in five years. I'll bet you need stronger lenses.

Louise 18 Jan 2009, 13:42

I wouldn't consider myself a reluctant glasses wearer - I figured I wore them when I needed them! I think my prescription is still okay since I see well enough with my glasses. I'll be checking it all out now of course ...

Hansel 16 Jan 2009, 11:34

Perhaps after five years your prescription might also have changed.

Phil 16 Jan 2009, 04:06

Louise, the tube's a nightmare for me too: I'm -4 and not a fulltime glasses wearer. I use it only rarely but when I do I'm forced to wear specs. Similarly with roadsigns in strange places. I would have thought that you'd be struggling bare-eyed at -2.5.

Why are you a reluctant glasses wearer?

Louise 16 Jan 2009, 03:40

I have had a prescription of -2.50 and -1.50 for distance vision for the last five years. I�ve never considered my vision to be bad and mostly use my glasses for driving and watching tv. Yesterday I went to London and was surprised that I found it quite difficult to navigate the London Underground and see street signs without my glasses. I guess it�s probably because in familiar areas I don�t need to see so well. First I had to find my way across town from Paddington to Holborn, I could squint to see which line I needed to follow and found it easier to follow the colours rather than the signs. Out in the street I really struggled to see street signs and office numbers, which meant I was late for one appointment. It has really made me think I need my glasses more than I thought. Does this seem sort of normal for this prescription?

Like Lenses 12 Jan 2009, 18:32

My Rx is only -1.50 but also have -1.50 cyl in each eye. My uncorrected vision is 20/300, but vision at all distances is blurred ,so wear the glasses constantly from the time I get up, till I go to bed.

Melyssa 12 Jan 2009, 12:52

Katy,

You're right, it is the -9.00 version that I have. I'm glad your boyfriend didn't set anything on fire with his "experiment." And since my breakfast always consists of cereal from the box, I don't have to worry about making a mess before sunrise. :)

Aubrac 12 Jan 2009, 01:30

All

I'm -5.00 in both eyes get up, make breakfast, etc, bare eyed without any problem. I think however, it is possible if it is your own house and you know where everything is, in a totally strange house I would most likely have problems

Katy 11 Jan 2009, 14:47

Melyssa - lol, that sounds more like the -9 version than the -6! I've watched my -6 boyfriend do it, he squinted non-stop and had real problems trying to grill some muffins, he had to keep getting them right out to see whether they were cooking. I was a bit worried about how close he got to the boiling water from the kettle too! Oh, and then he tripped over the cat :-)

Diane 11 Jan 2009, 08:15

I think the "challanges might be finding things on the top shelf of the cupboard and bottom shelf of the fridge.

Melyssa 11 Jan 2009, 07:52

What's so hard about making breakfast bare-eyed? "That was the sink? I was wondering why the cereal bowl looked so big!" Hmmm. Maybe I should try making my breakfast that way at 5:45 tomorrow morning. LOL

As for clothing, I'll just wear a red blouse, green skirt, purple pumps, and blue glasses to work. No wait, that might be my April Fools Day outfit.

Katy 11 Jan 2009, 04:11

I agree, she could probably go to the bathroom but would struggle to find the right clothes and to make breakfast :-)

Clare 11 Jan 2009, 04:05

And - I doubt it. I went out with a guy who was -5 and he couldn't see me across a 12' room.

And 11 Jan 2009, 03:54

Thanks. How about just getting around the house. I know she has glasses which she doesn't like wearing so if she got up in the morning bare-eyed would she be ok.

Aubrac 10 Jan 2009, 08:16

And

With the -5.95 she would would have her nose about six inches away from a computer screen to read, and would not recognise anyone across the street.

With the -7.50 eye she would need be about three inches from a computer screen or book, and wouldn't recognise anyone on the other side of the room. As for driving, if bare-eyed she probably wouldn't be able find the car!!

Diane 10 Jan 2009, 05:58

And:

Multiple moments and one neighborhood party.

Ric 10 Jan 2009, 00:33

Well, she have a strong prescription, so sure is hard to see for her without her contacts. I mean she cant drive, recognise people in street or read if her nose is not close to prints.

And 09 Jan 2009, 14:23

I would like to know what my friend's eyesight is like uncorrected. She wears contacts with a prescription of

-7.5 and -5.95 but never goes without and I feel uncomfortable quizzing her. Does anyone have a similar rx ?

And 09 Jan 2009, 14:20

Diane, did you go bare-eyed throughout or did you just take your glasses off to enjoy the moment ?

Diane 09 Jan 2009, 11:50

The following quote is from an earlier post: �Christmas Tree lights look fantastic bare eyed.� I am in total agreement and add that I found outdoor displays in the neighborhood to be an equally spectacular bare eyed experience.

Cactus jack 01 Jan 2009, 15:07

Claire,

Happy New Year to You also.

I don't think there is any explanation except personal preference.

Amazingly, some people like sharp vision under all circumstances, even if it involves bravely overcoming their natural VANITY and courageously wearing dreaded GLASSES without apparent regard for the public embarassment!

Remember, even without astigmatism, if he needs -2.50, everything beyond 16 inches or 40 cm is fuzzy.

Clare 01 Jan 2009, 11:36

Hi & a happy new year to everyone.

This is in response to Rick's post - I'm interested in the different motivations that influence how much people wear their glasses. I have a friend, apparently -2.50 but wearing 2-.75 CLs 99% of the time so I suspect a bit of astigmatism, who is never without correction. When not wearing contacts he's rarely without glasses. Even on Christmas morning he wore glasses to undo presents and generally mooch around the house. I'm similar and generally don't.

Cactus - is there anything scientific to explain it?

John L 31 Dec 2008, 09:41

Anyone who drives should keep a spare pair of specs and / or contacts in the car in the event of a glasses mishap.

Two years ago I was out taking photos during high winds.

Wind whipped my almost glasses off my face and blew them into the river!

Fortunately I had a spare pair of glasses and contacts in the car.

I just wouldn't even contemplate trying to drive!

Annoyed Visitor 31 Dec 2008, 08:59

Dave, you're an idiot! What you did is at least the equivalent of and probably worse than drink driving. If you had an accident you would have gone to jail for a long time. Someone with -6 would not even be able to see the speedo to see how fast they are going let alone other cars and people on the road. If you did actually do this, you're an absolute moron.

Dave 30 Dec 2008, 15:39

Later on the morning I recalled a story of a -6 female friend of mine, who broke her glasses at work. She had to drive home with no correction. Incidentally, this scary drive was in the same part of town as my drive from the office home.

She described the experience with: real real slow, concentrating on the car in front of me.

I placed the +2 lenses in on the morning and the drive to work was a real pleasure with the -2 sunglasses.

Dave 30 Dec 2008, 15:34

Listen to this scary experience. A couple of weeks ago, I was working out of town, and decided to do a GOC experiment. I have a set of +2, +4 and +6 CLs. I placed a pair of each in my pocket just before going there.

When I left the office, I put in the +4 contacts, and decided to drive to the hotel with a pair of -2 sunglasses I had. I figured it would not be too bad, with only a partial correction.

It turned out to be very difficult. I could not see a thing, with or without the glasses. I could not stop to take the cls out, so I just drove very slowly. I could not believe how tough this was.

At the hotel, I tried to use my laptop computer, but this was impossible. I could not read a word on the screen unless I put my nose to it.

Only in the morning I found out that I had the +2 and +4 pairs in my pocket untouched. This means I was doing my bare eyed experience with the equivalent of -6 myopia.

I am glad I survived the adventure to tell you about it.

try 30 Dec 2008, 15:26

JR 26 Dec 2008, 13:45

That's funny, my grandmother did a simular thing, said that outdoors the sharpness hurt her eyes.

sourgrapes 26 Dec 2008, 12:54

"For your reference, I have -2.5 for both eyes, but I usually use -1.5 for outdoors, and leave the -2.5 at home."

why?

Astra 26 Dec 2008, 11:01

Sorry, I mean your wife's case could be similar to mine.

Astra 26 Dec 2008, 11:00

Rick- I would say most would agree that one would need full-time wear between with prescription -2 (20/100) to -3 (around 20/200). That's roughly when one cannot see clearly the second row of a typical eye chart at 20 feet away. At indoor environment, one normally focus on objects within 6 feet, so even for -3 it is still manageable. So you are perfectly normal to say the -1.75 difference is little. But you said your wife wears her glasses fulltime with -1.5, perhaps she insists to do so (there are many who insists wearing mild prescription fulltime), or she might not actually having the best correction vision for her eyes. For your reference, I have -2.5 for both eyes, but I usually use -1.5 for outdoors, and leave the -2.5 at home. And your wife could be similar to mine.

All4Eyes 25 Dec 2008, 15:45

Squinty Christmas to all and to all a blurred night!

Melanie 24 Dec 2008, 15:29

Hey John. I am 45 and started having trouble focusing close. When I couldn't read the letters on the Blackberry, I decided to get my first eye exam. He asked if I had any problems and I told him just reading small print. I went through the whole exam and asked him to confirm if I needed readers, and he told me I should wear bifocals because my distance vision wasn't clear enough to drive. I didn't believe it. He thinks that I have needed glasses for years. I got them, and am very surprised at how clear things are, especially at night! When I put them on things are so bright and crisp I don't know how I didn't know what I was missing! Walked in thinking a light reading prescription would be recommended and now find I need glasses full time! Surprise!

Rick 24 Dec 2008, 15:23

I always wondered what my wife's vision is like. She wears -1.50's and NEVER takes them off. I had -1.00's glasses for a while and now have a +2 add, and was told that if I want to try contacts I can go the monovision route. The Dr gave me -.75 for my left eye, and +.75 for my right, and it actually works out pretty well. Yesterday, I made the mistake of putting +.75's in to each eye, and didn't notice the soft blur in the distance till I left the house, so went the whole day just wearing the +.75's. As I understand it, that means my vision all day was the equivalent of -1.75, about the same as the wife. When I drove I wore my distance glasses so I could read signs, but mostly made it ok through the day with the blur. Still can't understand why she can't go 5 minutes without hers.

Clare 22 Dec 2008, 09:44

VFL - yes, bless him if he's totally gorgeous with well-chosen frames ... that you'd really like him to wear more than contacts ;))

VFL 20 Dec 2008, 14:38

You know what is really endearing? When your lover (who wears contacts)and is spending the night at your place, gets out of bed in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and bumps (gently, not enough to get hurt) into the doorframe.

You call out, "You okay?" and he replies sheepishly, "Yeah, I just forgot to pack my glasses. Guess now you know how blind I really am."

Heaven.

Astra 20 Dec 2008, 10:42

I am 19. I first noticed myopia at age 7, and I got my first specs at 10. I did not use the specs often until I was 16, when my prescription was around -2.5 and somehow stable for the recent 3 years. So I may not have experienced anything close to what John said in previous posts, just some sort of blur usual for mild myopes.

Just wake up from sleep, and it's now 3:00 at midnight, so I've just walking around my home without glasses. Out of the windows of the kitchen, there are some sort of rather dim, quite uniform lighting, and a plain wall 2 m away from the kitchen, and I can't really see the frame of the windows until I was around 1 metre away from it. That sort of dim lighting erases those slight details that I can only see them with glasses beyond a metre.

John - L 20 Dec 2008, 05:19

Clare / Phil

I had made excuses about not bothering to learn to drive claiming to be committed to public transport!

But almost as soon as I could see clearly I was off to take driving lessons.

What really amazed me after 9 years was the clarity of things and how much detail I had missed!

The benefits of clear vision overcame any fear of being self concious about wearing glasses.

Though about five years later I did get contacts. However, of late my use of contacts has declined since being given an add for reading at my last eye test.

I just find wearing progressives much more convenient than getting out readers to use with my contacts.

Phil 18 Dec 2008, 08:49

I think John just beats me. I started noticing myopia at about 13 and got specs when I was nearly 22: -2.25 ish I think. Like Clare I only just scraped through the driving test at 17; and, like John, it was a job medical that drove me to the optician. He was horrified that I had not been prescribed specs before: he insisted that I put them on and kept them on. As all here know, I took not the slightest notice and am still not a fulltime wearer 30 years later (despite now being -4)!

Clare 18 Dec 2008, 07:20

John L - no, just about 8 years I think! I managed to pass my driving test at 17 though the signs were there -a couple of gos at reading the number plate from 20m, then moving forward to read it a bit closer. I do remember being concerned that he might fail me but I didn't get glasses till I was 25. In my early driving years I remember not feeling entirely comfortable driving at night in unfamiliar places but it wasn't till I was doing alot of long distance driving that I decided to get it checked out. I came away with a -0.75 for each eye and was told to wear them without fail for driving. Whether I actually needed them at 17 or if it was only years later, I'll never know!

John - L 18 Dec 2008, 03:25

I was wondering just how long people went without glasses after realising they needed them to actually getting their first pair. At school I tended to sit near the front of the class and did not become aware of the usual problem of not seeing the blackboard until the start of the autumn term of 1972 shortly before my 13th Birthday.

A new science teacher decided to allocate seats rather than members of the class to sit where they wished so that she could learn our names. I ended up seated towards to the middle of the room and realised when she started writing on the board I couldn�t see a thing!

Fortunately I managed to get by for a couple of weeks in this lesson copying the notes and work of the person sitting next to me. By now she had learnt everyone�s names and we could sit where we wanted to � therefore my problem was solved and I gravitated back to the front row.

My increasing myopia meant that by the time I was 16 I was starting to have problems seeing the board even from the front. During this time several of my classmates had become spectacle wearers � however I still resisted.

At this stage I discovered that touching the side of an eyelid and resting my head on my hand I could exert a little pressure which would sort of click my eye into focus.

This technique saw me through my remaining two years of school and into a degree course at college.

However, during my final year I decided I would take up a post graduate teacher teaching course. To enter this course a full medical was required and I realised I would not pass any eye exam. Therefore there was no escape � I had to see an optician which I did at the age of 22 in December 1981. I had gone just over 9 years without glasses. My first prescription was -6 right � 5.5 left!

Looking back now � I just don�t know how I managed to go so long parents, family and friends had long suspected a problem � but I had managed to convince them otherwise.

Over the years my prescription has changed a little and now stands for glasses at the age of 49 at Right -5 Cyl -075 Axis 180 and Left -4.75 Cyl -075 Axis 180 with +1.75 for progressive first prescribed almost 2 years ago.

For contacts my prescription is Right -4.75 and Left - 4.5 with a suggested +1.5 for reading specs though I am sure my reading add will increase next time.

I sometimes wonder if I had worn glasses from around the age of 12 when I first needed them would I have now needed a weaker or stronger prescription as there appears to be a suggestion in some quarters that early correction of myopia when younger can induce further deterioration.

One of the first wearers of glasses in my form group who started wearing them around the time I noticed I should have been wearing them had very thick lenses by the time we left the 6th form � I don�t know what his prescription had reached but I recall him saying that he could only see clearly to a range of three inches from his eye.

Is there anyone out there who can break my 9 year 3 month record for going without glasses?

Jose 01 Dec 2008, 14:36

Lucker, it`s obvious you need glasses so much, and the way you tell your story seems you enjoy a lot with the glasses that you found, maybe they haven`t the right correction for you, but, it seems your eyes are so much better,a couple of questions, what`s your age? and since when you notice your vision it`s bad? i passed for your expierience before, and i guess i could help you, if you have hotmail msn feel free to add me , josean_133@hotmail.com , i`ll wait for you.

Me 30 Nov 2008, 16:24

Lurker in the Shadows,

If you're worried about not letting them know how long you've needed glasses, then why don't you just say "I think I need glasses, I have been having a hard time seeing far away the past few months, and it's getting too bad to cope with"?

Lurker in the Shadows 30 Nov 2008, 13:49

I pulled the sick routine so I didn't have to bounce to my grandmother's house! SNAP! So I just spent Thursday, Friday, and Saturday wearing my glasses. Why am I wearing them so much you ask? Because everything looks sooooo much clearer, and I don't have to squint, and I don't get freaking headaches, and I like the dizzyness too. I tried on so many clothes and it was soooo good to be able to see what I look like in the mirror from far away. I can't even remember how long it was before I just became a blur at that distance. Ha.. I work them chatting online with my friends about how sick I was! But it was so clear and crisp. So basically after wearing the glasses for all that time, my parents bust in the door when I am sitting there watching tv wearing glasses. Fortunately I was able to get my glasses off. OMG... they walked in the room and my eyes were trying to adjust and I didn't want to squint but they were SO blurry, I couldn't recognize them if I had to. I kept rubbing my eyes to adjust, but it really wasn't working like it used to. Everything was a mess to me. Look what we brought you back, they said, and held up something very blurry. It could have been a dead rat for all I could tell. I swear if I had to make it in the wild as a hunter with these eyes, I would starve to death. They tried to go on and on about how the trip was, but my mind was wandering. I looked over at the tv set and it had gone so out of focus I couldn't even see what I was watching. They had me staying with them for at least a couple hours and it was so hard to focus on things. Later I went back up to my room where I am now and squinting at my laptop. I had to ditch my glasses under the sofa, and I will get them later when my parents go to bed. OMG... I really need glasses. I know I am saying it online, but I just can't get the courage to tell my parents yet. Any ideas how I could do it and have them not be upset I didn't tell them before this went so long?

Jose 29 Nov 2008, 22:51

Go to lenschat.com and find a lot of people who can help...

Jose 29 Nov 2008, 21:53

Lurker, what i surprise for me to read your story, cause i live a similar situation, years ago i notice my eyesight was so bad, i can`t read the blackboard in school, but no way anybody make me wear glasses, too many years after a girl forget her glasses in my work, i tried them and everything get so clear, i was so nervous cause i didn`t wanna go that blind anymore,so a few weeks later go to the eye doctor and get my own glasses, at first i didn`t like to go in public with glasses, but i get used to them and i needed so much, i learn to wear them, and notice some people like the way i looked with glasses, so my advice to you it`s...

antonio 27 Nov 2008, 10:17

to Guest,

the situation I described was that when my eyes needed -2,75 diopters.

That was the time when I started full time wear.

Before I had glasses with -1,5 that I nearly never wore.

best regards, antonio

Hansel 27 Nov 2008, 08:42

-2.75/-2.75 would be a suggestion.

Perhaps -2.25/-2.75.

Like Lenses 27 Nov 2008, 01:14

Any bets on Lurker's prescription?

Mine would be -5.00

26 Nov 2008, 18:07

Wrong thread.

26 Nov 2008, 18:07

I got a boner reading that.

Guest 26 Nov 2008, 14:42

Antonio

What was your prescription before/when you got the glasses?

antonio 26 Nov 2008, 13:56

Dear Lurker,

does your boyfriend or girlfriend you mentioned and showed "your" glasses wear glasses himself/herself ?

best regards, antonio

antonio 26 Nov 2008, 13:51

Dear Lurker,

I was like you once running around without glasses although I had needed them for years.

Finally I had to squint to see nearly everything and I couldn�t hardly read the board even from the front row after not wearing my glasses for 4 years.

As you I couldn�t tell from a distance someone was a man or a woman, if she hadn�t very long hair or so and I didn�t recognized faces or so from a bit away or on the streets.

That time everyone seemed to find out I couldn�t see, many people told me I squinted all the time and should get glasses and so I decided to put them on finally, as I stated everyone knew I couldn�t see without them.

Naturally I had to get stronger lenses, because my old ones were to weak.

Perhaps you could go to an optician, tell him the glasses you have you got from a friend and you would like to get some lenses in these frames that fit your eyes. The optician would test your eyes [even better an eyedoc would do that] and you would get glasses as an option to wear if you want to that fit to your eyes. Of course only if you like the frame you wear now.

best regards, looking for hearing from you,

Antonio

Lurker in the Shadows 26 Nov 2008, 12:26

Well I stayed home sick today because I did not want to face my BF right now. She knows way tooooooo much, and I should not have told her. I am thinking about telling her haha what a joke, I don't really need glasses. But I think she might test me or something so I would have to be prepared or be discovered. Anyways I stayed home today and have been wearing glasses non-stop all day! I really enjoy how MUCH better I can see. With everyone out of the house, I could go downstairs and watch tv and even maybe even go out on the back porch if it is not too cold. I did alot of putting on and taking off to compare. The downstairs tv has always been hard for me to watch and it just seems to be getting worse. With the glasses, it is clear as day and there is no strain at all. I did not realize that I should be able to see so much from that distance. And I know I am used to blurry people, but when I looked in the living room mirror and stood away as far as I could, maybe 30 feet, I could still see many details with my hair and the glasses, and my clothes. But when I took them off, it was the biggest change. People at that distance are really mostly blurs and I could not even tell that I am a woman from so far away. People always tell me they saw me at the mall and I just saw whatever because I could not see them. Which reminds me of something else my BF said around other friends yesterday when she said she forgot something. She looks over at me and said "I never seem to remember that guy's name, it's just a blur to me. You know what I mean? It's all just a blur, you know?" Bitch. I looked at her and said "NO I DON'T." Sorry I am pissed now, but I will try to write back later about my experiments.

minus 5 who luvs gwgs 25 Nov 2008, 23:38

Lurker go for it I was just like you when I was in my teens I would not wear glasses even though I only dated girls with glasses crazy eh? When I said to myself this is mad and wore them I had virtually no comments and you will find the same and probably attract boy friends who were like I would have been who really fancy girls with glasses.If you do not believe me ask some of your friends who wear glasses Go on have a test and remember glasses make a pretty face lovelier Do let us know what happens and what your prescription is

Cut-in UK 25 Nov 2008, 22:55

Lurker, the reality is, that you cannot function properly without glasses. You also have a psychological barrier to overcome. A walk in the high street with your best friend will show you many women of all ages wearing the most stylish and attractive frames. With the right choice of frame as a fashion accessory, you WILL look a million dollars ( or is it pounds !) Do not settle for someone else's frame OR prescription. Go, with your friend, try on some frames, and get her honest opinion which style suits you best; the choice is endless. Then, as I said in an earlier post, bite the bullet. You really won't be sorry, and you will have more confidence in yourself. Let us know what you think once you've tried on some frames. I dare you to tell me it hasn't changed your view !!!

Lurker in the Shadows 25 Nov 2008, 15:13

Yesterday I decided to let my BF in on my little secret. She came over after school and I locked my bedroom door. I told her I want to show her something and took out the glasses and put them on. So she says snap I am wearing glasses finally, and she knew I had bad eyes forever and so does everyone else! I cannot believe that all these people would know this, and not tell me. She said she everyone sees me squinting, but that cannot be true because I am very good at hiding it. Then I told her the glasses are not really mine so I can't wear them in public, but she wanted to try them on. So she puts them on and like pulls them off real fast saying they are so strong! She tells me I am blinder than she thought. Some friend I have. Well so at school today I made sure I did not squint at anyone or in class, and my so called BF comes by my locker talking about am I missing something. Am I sure? I don't know if I made a mistake telling her, because there is noooo way I can wear glasses in public!!! If they did NOT believe I needed glasses before, I would be telling them YES I DO! How does this ever end?? Am I just doomed to have to give in and wear glasses someday because things are getting really blurry the more I wear the glasses.

ha... antonio, yes I am female. That is part of the reason I cannot wear glasses, because I don't know, I just can't.

antonio 24 Nov 2008, 10:36

Lurker,

you shouldn�t go on to wear those thick glasses you found,

they could make your eyes worse if they are too strong.

Go at least to an optician, get your eyes tested and the glasses too,

and only if they match and aren�t to strong for your eyes, if the optician says so, you can proceed wearing them.

Besides are you male or female ?

Good luck !

and be brave !

antonio

Julian 23 Nov 2008, 18:00

cynic: you are a real cynic ::)

cynic 23 Nov 2008, 17:08

I see some people are as gullible as ever :)

Julian 23 Nov 2008, 13:54

No Lurker, the glasses aren't making your vision any worse, it only seems like that because your poor strained eyes enjoy having the help of the lenses they need, and rebel when you make them strain again. Tell your folks you tried on a pair of glasses and were amazed how much better you could see with them; get tested and get specs that you can wear openly, and WEAR THEM! If you did'nt know before that that makes sense, you do now.

Lurker in the Shadows 23 Nov 2008, 12:48

Okay so all week I tried to get home and go to my bedroom as soon as possible so I could wear my new glasses. I always lock the door and then I can read, play with my laptop, and even try on clothes while seeing clearly!! I have gotten used to the dizzyness and it is almost like a high that the glasses give me, so it's all good. But I have a problem. Yesterday and today I was wearing glasses most of the day, but had to go to church. So we went to church, and OMG everything was SO much blurryer than I have ever seen it. I kept rubbing my eyes and trying to secretly squint, but I felt like I was completely lost. I am not sure what is going on but I think the glasses are making my worst than ever.

Julian 17 Nov 2008, 00:01

Lurker: if these glasses make you dizzy after a while, it could be because they're stronger than you need. You really ought to have an eye test, get a cool pair of specs in your proper prescription, and wear them.

I wonder how the real owner is coping without them.

Like Lenses 16 Nov 2008, 23:27

Lurker in the shadows

Sounds like the glasses that you found are strong myopic, with perhaps some astigmatism correction.

The fact that you can see well with them indicates that you probably require about the same prescription, perhaps without the astigmatism correction, as that part is what is makig you dizzy.

You had better make an appointment for an eye exam, and be prepared for wearing a similar prescription.

Maybe the fact that you are in the shadows is the bad need for glasses.

Lurker in Shadows 16 Nov 2008, 08:30

So the other day I went to the ladie's room and discovered someone had left a glasses case on the counter. My heart was pounding as I reached for the case, unsnapped the rivet, and found some pretty thick glasses inside. No one was around so I wondered what I would look like wearing such strong glasses if I got them. So I put them on, and OMG I couldn't believe the difference it made in my vision. Everything was SO much clearer, but when I looked in the mirror I think the glasses make me look silly. I was so incredibly nervous wearing them that someone could bust in! But I just can't believe how much better I can see with them, so I decided to keep them and buried them in my purse. So to keep this short, I took them home and have been wearing them this weekend in private. They seem to get me dizzy if I wear them too long but they make so much difference taking away the blurryness!!!

Like Lenses 14 Nov 2008, 23:52

Guest

Full time wear is very subjective.

In my case I have induced myopia, and have some astigmatism. The glasses I wear are -1.50 with -1.50 cyl. for each eye.Although this is a pretty weak prescription, my vision without the glasses is 20/300, so going without them is very difficult. They also have a +1.50 add, or bifocal which then gives me the cyl correction for reading, so can't read without them either.

I sometimes wear -2.00 with no cyl. for distance only, and they give me fairly sharp vision, and seem less tiring to my eyes.

Before inducing the myopia, I was formerly farsighted, and wore plus glasses for a number of years. The vision with the many increasing plus prescriptions was never as comfortable, or as crisp as the myopic glasses are.

Cut-in UK 13 Nov 2008, 14:17

Lurker in the shadow, it seems to me that you have reached a fork in the road. You can either retreat from glasses, or bite the bullet and go for them. The stakes appear to be high, as you are putting your education on the line for the sake of vanity. Up to you, but why not suck it and see, as far as glasses are concerned. Have you a lady to guide you in this matter ? I find women are so useful in commonsense matters. Whatever you do, make a decision !

Guest 13 Nov 2008, 12:18

Interesting to read your comments Tom. What prescription do you believe needs to be worn full time?

Like Lenses 12 Nov 2008, 23:34

Lurker in th shadow

Sounds as though you are now very nearsighted. My guess is about -5.00 if you are unable to recognize people.

Better get an eye exam before you flunk school.

Matthew 12 Nov 2008, 21:40

Lurker in the shadow,

Yes, you can definitely get contacts and stand a good chance of no one in high school ever realizing you wear correction. I got contacts in high school and after that wore them every day to school and never (not even once) wore glasses. Not that I'm recommending this -- there's nothing wrong with glasses (you can be cool and wear glasses, seriously). But you can do it and it's far better than going around in a blur because of fear.

Lurker in the shadow 12 Nov 2008, 15:38

I think I probably wrote the book on going without glasses. I have had terrible vision since I was in elementary school. It wasn't very bad then, but I noticed things getting blurry. I passed the eye tests because my friend with good eyes memorized the letters for me. But now time high school is in session, it is not easy. I used to get by squinting secretly but that didn't always work. I don't want to sit in the front row and let everyone know I need glasses so this year I have just succumbed to the blur and my grades dropped since I can't see the assignments or projector. I know I need glasses very badly, I don't even recognize people anymore until they are close. I am hoping I can secretly get contacts or surgery right away and never be forced to wear glasses. Is that possible?

Tom 12 Nov 2008, 06:21

Sophie, I'm afraid you have moved to full time too early. I understand that -2.5 is enouhg to use glasses to see the board, but why using them full time? You have pretty much similar prescription to mine (-5 and -3) and although I use glasses 99% of time, I'v found in several occasions that I can manage most situations without them including train, bus, planes, sport, gym, reading, most activities at home etc... I can also manage the PC, although not so comfortably (need to get quite close to the screen). I suggest you to extend your bareeyed time, you'll have interesting discoveries. Let us know. Myopic greetings.

Dieter 03 Nov 2008, 16:53

Rupert Holmes #1 Hit was "Escape" aka "The Pina Colada Song". A much better song, anyway.

Curt 03 Nov 2008, 13:34

"Short People" was sung by Randy Newman.

Going Without Glasses 03 Nov 2008, 13:16

Rupert Holmes sings his ballad about being nearsighted, and unable to see the world clearly without his glasses. It was set to a very well done video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fb78jjW-0HE

yes, this is the same guy who made "short people" a hit song during the 70s.

And 03 Nov 2008, 10:11

Eli, remind me what's your script ? Do you ever do things bare-eyed ?

Thanks

Eli 03 Nov 2008, 00:48

For me, I could manage daily routine bare-eyed with some squinting. Bare-eyed and without squinting, I am as blind as the proverbial bat. :)

And 31 Oct 2008, 08:29

Thanks Sophie,

Could you manage your daily routine bare-eyeed do you think ?

Sophie 30 Oct 2008, 21:16

I think this prescription has pretty much been stable for 6 years (I'm 21)... I got glasses in second grade and absolutely hated it. I refused to wear them until I was 12 and had reached a -2.5 or so... I still remember straining to see the blackboard as a kid, but refusing to put my glasses. When I was 12, I finally gave in and I've been wearing glasses or contacts full-time ever since (I'm 21). Well, I wore contacts for 4 years in high school although I didn't really find them comfortable, because my eyeballs have a strange shape, they're pretty flat or someting. about a year ago I had an eye infection and had to wear glasses and I got so many compliments- people told me I looked WAY better with them on. I've been wearing glasses ever since.

I never go bare-eyed for longer periods of time. However, when I am going home on the train after a long and stressful day, I tend to take my glasses of and enjoy the blur around me. It looks like an impressionist painting and makes me feel kind of peaceful... weird, I know.

And 30 Oct 2008, 15:08

Sophie, when was the last time you did go bare-eyed ? Have you had your prescription long and was there a time when you didn't wear full-time ?

ric 30 Oct 2008, 03:42

but i cant imagine not wearing glasses with -6!

ric 30 Oct 2008, 03:40

i tried to go without glasses the first times as time as was possible, sure i retarded wearing my glasses full time more than most of people, near to -4

Sophie 29 Oct 2008, 20:21

I remember a friend from school whose prescription was, I think, around -5 or -6. She only wore glasses in class to see the blackboard and apart from that, never (out of vanity, which I really cannot understand.) I still wonder how she got by! (I have -4.50 in my left eye and -3 in my right and I could NEVER imagine going without my glasses.). She also didn't have contacts (I don't know why, actually...)

Anyways, I'm going to meet her again in December for the first time since we graduated 2 yrs ago. I wonder if she still copes without glasses.

Tom 09 Sep 2008, 01:11

Great performance yesterday! I needed a new pipe for my shower and I went to the nearest hardware megastore to buy it. I decided to try bareeyed and I managed perfectly. Pipes as the one I was looking for were distributed on a long line at the bottom of one shelf, so I needed to crouch and move from one item to the other to closely inspect them. There were so many! At the end I selected one, I paid and come back to my motorbike all without glasses. It was quite annoying to come close to each item in the shelf to read the specification (I wonder if someone noticed I could not see well) but at the end I completed the task without any trouble and without any help. This confirm that (at least with my level of nearsightedness) can be of a great help, but are not necessary at all for all tasks. Great day!

All4Eyes 05 Aug 2008, 16:21

Tom: Ah, now THIS sounds like FUN! Hmmm, let me SEE...;-) Here are my responses of what I would do (I'm -4, & just for extra fun, I happen to be bare-eyed right now as I'm replying to your questions!):

Situation 1: I would stop and pretend to be engrosed in pulling my hair back or something, but occassionaly look in the direction of the gesticulator, so if they were addressing me, it would appear that I stoped for them and needed to adjust myself before properly addressing them back, but if they meant someone else, I wouldn't too obviously be paying undue attention to them.

All4Eyes 05 Aug 2008, 16:21

Situation 2: I probably would "cheat" and put my glasses on in this situation, IF I had them with me, because I'm rather bad about cheating in this way, I would probably have left my glasses at the office if I was really serious about spending the rest of the day/night without them. In that case, I would have to ask for help, but while in my imagination the idea of going up to a total stranger and asking them to read something to me, because I'm too nearsighted to do so myself seems to be a real turn-on, I think in reality I would be more discreet, I would simply say "Excuse me, could you tell me what tht screen over there says?" In my mind I'd elaborate on this and add something like "because I don't have my glases and my poor eyes just an't see that far" but really I think I would only say this if the person said something like "Can you not read it yourself?" BTW, I'd think it cool if this happened and they told me "You can't read that? Maybe you need glasses"!

All4Eyes 05 Aug 2008, 16:20

Situation 3: Hmmm, this one would depend on my mood, and the reason why I was sans specs. Let me think about it while I rub my eyes, which are starting to hurt from trying to read this blurry screen (I mean this seriously, I've got water coming out of my "good" (really relative term ;-) ) left eye (the "bad" right one I'm mostly keeping closed, it doesn't contribute anything to the picture but more fuz)!). OK, for the first question "Where are your glasses?", if I lost my glasses and was in a good mood (unlikely, but possible), I'd smile and say "Your guess is as good as mine!" and if I 'd lost them and was in a bad mood (quite likely), I'd look at him very pitifully and say in my most sorrowful voice "I lost them". If I were choosing to go without and feeling timid I'd say something about taking a break from them to rest my nose (which truthfully does get irritated from my glasses sometimes) or some such, but if I felt bold I'd say "I enjoy the blurriness sometimes". As for the other part, I'd have already explained I was without glasses and uncorrected (no CL's), so one would THINK this person would not expect me to recognize our friends across the square, but if he did I would gently remind him "I'm afraid without my glasses I really can't tell people apart from one another at this distance. Or tell them apart from the scenery, for that matter!" (This said in either an amused or a sad tone, again depending on my mood). Then I would be most pleased if he replied "Really? Your eyes are THAT BAD?" And I would say "Yes, my glasses are minus four". Which probably wouldn't mean a thing to him, unless he was an OO and/or a high myope himself (it seems to me high myopes are more likely to know about all this rx stuff then are myopes of my degre or less), which would be awesome!

All4Eyes 05 Aug 2008, 16:19

Situation 4: At the resturant, I would probably just order some trie-and-true thing I'd ordered there before, and if it was a new restaurant for me, I'd just order what omeone else was having (if it was something I hated I'd "not be very hungry" and then raid the kitchen at home later). As for a presentation at work, if I didn't have ,y glasses I might ask for help from whoever was closest to me, just like in school when I couldn't read the board or overhead (yep, I'm just a teensy bit too old to have had power point presentations in school!), but I really think I would put my glasses on for something like this, to me not being seen in glasses by someone just isn't worth screwing up at work (yes, it was worth screwing up in school, but then I was young and stupid, now I'm slightly less young and, I like to think, a lot less stupid)! At the movis, I would just pretend I could see the screen, gathering as much meaning as I could from the sound (which is more than you would think, I should know, as I have probably "heard" more movies in theatres than I have actually "seen"!). Or I might just become too involved in the "extra-curricular activities" to pay any attention to the movie (especially if my date is wearing nice, strong glasses, in which case if I was feeling really bold I might ask to borrow them for a bit)!

All4Eyes 05 Aug 2008, 16:18

Situation 5: Ooooh, the classic bufet dillema! Reminds me of a time I went to a restuarant with a buffet and got what I thought were mashed potatoes, only to realize later that I had actually gotten white rice! Ideally I would probably just explain that I didn't have my glasses nd had pretty lousy eyes, so he couldn't count on me to pick the right sandwich, but in reality I would probably go to the buffet, squint for all I was worth, hope I made the right choice, and if he complained that I made a mistake, then I would explain about my eyes. If I explained that in this case, then I would tell him enough to know he would have to come up tp me in the park, but assuming I luckily brought back the correct sandwich at the party and so didn't have an oppurtunity to explain then, and found myself searching for my fuzzy friend amongst all the other human-shaped blurs attatched to barking dog-shaped blurs, I would try to use the facts I had at my disposal to narrow down the possible suspects-Was he tall or short? Dark hair or blond? I would listen for his voice maybe talking to his dog or someone else in the park (this is what I would hope for, sine my night vision without glasses is VERY bad, so I'd have better luck finding him by sound than by sight). In conversation at the party I would have learned wht kind of dog he had-a small breed with a high-pitched yip, or a large one with a deep, full *WOOF!*? Then I would try to get myself in the general vicinity of everybody who roughly fit the description, close enough that if it were him he would notice and call out to me, but far enough that I wouldn't creep out a stranger who happened to vaugely resemble him and/or whose dog seemed the right size to be his.

All4Eyes 05 Aug 2008, 16:17

Well, I think I have had about as much fun as I can stand for now, time to put my glasses back on and pop some Advil for this headache, I think! You all really should have seen me here, working things out with a clever combination of closing my bad eye and tugging at the side of my good one, and good ol' fashioned squinting (btw, I happened to lay my finger lightly on the outside edge of my eye while I was squinting and felt this little tremor or quiver happening in the muscles around my eye, those of you who go bare-eyed and/or have a SO who indulges you in going bare-eyed for you, try feeling for this quiver on yourself/him/her, it's the weirdest and coolest thing to feel!).

PS: I'd be interested to know how some of you all would have reacted to my behavior in these situations, had you been the person on the other end (the person I'd asked for help with the train tables, the friend at the party, etc.)!

I ALWAYS make passes at guys who wear (or need but don't wear!) glasses, (The Other) Marie --)

And 02 Aug 2008, 05:14

Marie, have you been in the situations that Tom lists ? Would love to hear more of your experiences.

Tom 29 Jul 2008, 03:28

Lucy: If you have a different prescription in the two eyes, without glasses you see basically with the better eye only. The brain does the job of "cancelling" the more blurred image. And -1.5 is definitely a low myopia so you should be able to do almost everything without glasses.

How much use them is up to you. If you want a sharp vision anyway you must wear them, but if you prefer the freedom of not having them in front of yuor eyes, you can easily do the job and go around bareeyed without major troubles.

Remember that glasses are not a treatment for myopia, but just an aid to see when needed. As far as I know vision does not improve neither stop decreasing by wearing glasses more that it does if you don't wear them. also if you are young (BTW how old are you?). At least for nearsightedness, because myopic eyes do not struggle to see. Different could be for hyperopia, because a hyperope eye struggles to focus at any distance without positive glasses. Other members can correct if I'm wrong...

Bye.

And 25 Jul 2008, 15:13

Lucy, you can read in this thread the different experiences people have had without glasses and why some choose to be fulltime and others have little choice. What day to day tasks do you perform with/without your specs and have you any examples of when you wish you had been wearing them ?

Lucy 25 Jul 2008, 15:08

I often go without glasses though I have had them several years. I have two different prescriptions in my eyes which means I can see reasonably okay with one eye and I think maybe it compensates for the other. My prescription card says OS -2.75 -0.50 x 140 and OD -1.50

I generally feel like I experience a general low amout of nearsightedness all the time without my glasses, although my OS eye is really blurry. If I cover each eye the OD eye is just slightly blurry for distance although I certainly couldn�t drive or watch tv comfortably.

How do you decide how much/little to wear glasses? It would be easy enough to wear them all the time although I can get by its more comfortable to wear them. Is there anyone experienced to give me advice here? Thanks.

Puffin 24 Jul 2008, 17:37

Oh, there's some food for thought in those questions.

Diane 24 Jul 2008, 17:21

Tom

Thanks for energizing this thread. I'll have a post soon.

Mickey 24 Jul 2008, 11:30

My wife wears glasses all the time..-1.50 and -1.75. I always wondered what her vision was like bare-eyed, but she never takes them off. I have a weak scrip, -.75 for distance, and +1 for close. I often wear contacts for monovision and they work well. Somehow I messed up the other day, in a rush, and put in two contacts +1's, and ran out of the house. I only had to walk 3 blocks, but realized too late that I had very poor distance vision. Couldn't read street signs, although I could read street numbers. I know I could have driven safely, as long I knew where I was going. I did see some people I know across the street, and even with squinting could not make out who they were. When I got to the store, was amazed how clearly I could read product labels etc, but couldn't make out the aisle signs at the other end of the store. I now better appreciate what wife sees and understand why she wears all day.

Clare 24 Jul 2008, 10:27

Tom - I'll kick this off with a response to question 2. In that case I'd be happy to put my glasses on to see the departure board and its a scene I often see on the concourse of the large London station that I use. I think that's an easy and not embarrassing situation.

Tom 24 Jul 2008, 03:34

I propose to share some experiences and reactions in bareeyed situations (true or fictitious) to understand which is the approach and feeling of everyone of us on the subject:

Situation 1:

You are walking along a street and someone on the other side gesticulate to you and start crossing the street. You are obviously unable to recognise who he/she is, and since there are other people walking on your same side, you are not even sure that the one on the other side is addressing just you. What will you do?

Situation 2:

You are at the station to catch the usual train back home from office, but the train is not waiting at the usual platform. Every screen is by far too small/far to be read. Would you put your glasses on? Would you ask someone for help? In this case, would you explain that you cannot see?

Situation 3:

You meet a friend of yours and as soon as he recognises you, he says: "There is something new on your face, what have you done... oh my god, where are your thick glasses?" Moreover, after a few words, your friend tells you: "there are other mates of ours waiting just there (pointing the other side of the square with his/her finger), it would be nice if you could join us and precede me there while I'm going to buy some cigarettes around the corner?" Obviously you cannot distinguish nothing as far as the other side of the square...

Situation 4:

It happens a situation in which you are expected to read something in distance (e.g. a menu board at a restaurant or a screen board for a presentation, or a movie at the cinema) but you don't want absolutely to be seen with your glasses on by your partner (boy/girl friend, colleague). What would you do? Imagine that you cannot get closer, e.g. because your fiancee have been taken you to the cinema and decided to sit in one of the last rows just in case of some extra-curruclar activities in the darkness...

Situation 5:

You are at a party and meet a very nice boy/girl. After a very pleasant evening together, he/she proposes you to meet again the following day, somewhere in the park where he/she usually walk with his dog after dinner. You are very interested in him/her but there will be tens of people with dogs in the park and without glasses you don't see anything in the darkness. Would you accept? How would you behave the next evening? BTW: during the party your new friend has told you "could you please go to take a ham sandwich for me on the buffet while I'm resting for a while after dancing so much?" Obviously a ham sandwich looks very much like a cheese, salmon or salad sandwhich for you at more than a couple of feets away from the buffet table... How did you manage?

Let's start this game, if you like ;-)

Tom

P.S. Did something similar to what I've described above already happen to you? Other situations happened or come in mind to share?

Diane 09 Jul 2008, 19:54

Starry-eyed's comments are very similiar to my own thoughts. At home, it does not bother me at all to squint, pull or hold things close. But when I am not wearing glasses in public and get into a situation where others know I cannot see very well, I try to change the subject or make some dumb joke about my eyesight.

Clare 06 Jul 2008, 09:52

And - not very often anymore!

And 05 Jul 2008, 07:00

Clare, do you still venture out and about bare-eyed ?

Clare 05 Jul 2008, 04:07

For me it's just missing detail like street signs, signage in shops, people across the road or detail on the tv. Also when I'm bare-eyed at home, having a conversation across the room with someone who's out of focus. At -2.75 and -3 I'm not so bad as some here and happily mooch around the house without any problem, it just seems that when I'm concentrating on something it is more noticeable - particularly the -3 eye which has -.50 of astigmatism.

Starry-eyed 05 Jul 2008, 02:01

In the end the most annoying thing is to let other people see how nearsighted I am. I'm quite happy to do things without glasses at home. In public, though, I always find myself trying to act like I'd see better than I do. With over -5 it's not so easy... I hate putting my face very close to stuff so I try to read from as far as I can (not a big difference anyway). I'm tempted to squint to see people around me but I try to do it only when I think no one will pay attention. I guess being without glasses a lot would get me over this. But with this prescription I guess there's not much point in doing that.

Puffin 03 Jul 2008, 13:59

Don't need glasses myself, but sometimes I have to play guide dog. It depends who it's for.

sourgrapes 03 Jul 2008, 12:33

Not being able to recognize who people are or their facial expressions, and not being able to read anything unless I put my face next to it.

Tom 03 Jul 2008, 06:42

When you go bareeyed, which is the most annoying thing? For me it's the impossibility to identify other GWGs around me... I need to be quite close to see if a girl is wearing glasses (unless she wears a black and bold frame), and a few inch from her face to clearly see the lens thickness or to guess her prescription. However, other activities can be difficult to manage, such as find an item in a shop (e.g. a book or magazine) or look into the shop windows.

And for you?

Phil 13 Jun 2008, 01:46

Text me first and I'll let you have my email address. It's a bit sensitive so I'd rather not post it here! My mobile number is 447783062869.

ehpc 12 Jun 2008, 13:23

Phil's e-mail address is hairymonkey@gwglust.com

Jennifer 12 Jun 2008, 11:29

Phil, I'm still waiting for your email address. Can I have it?

Phil 12 Jun 2008, 10:23

Come on then Jennifer: equal that. You have my number.

ehpc 12 Jun 2008, 10:23

ha:) ha:)

Tanya 12 Jun 2008, 10:12

You never know what's going to happen and when....

ehpc 12 Jun 2008, 06:23

Come on Tanya!!!!!!!!!! Respond!!!!!!!!!!! Pete

Phil 12 Jun 2008, 01:32

Are you sure it's not Jennifer Pete?

ehpc 11 Jun 2008, 15:51

Um..........er............... could this be Tanya? :)

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i82/etsyfeatures/fatzineaction.jpg

Is this a good pic of you Tanya? :)

ehpc 11 Jun 2008, 15:37

Mind you, Tanya, I must say that I am really flattered by your intense desire to see my pic. That's so sweet of you:)

Pete

ehpc 11 Jun 2008, 15:19

Piss off Tanya:) haven't seen your pic either come to that....................:)

Melyssa 11 Jun 2008, 12:37

Phil,

I didn't know you were the reincarnation of George Burns! :)

Tanya 11 Jun 2008, 11:13

Yeah, what a hottie he is!

It seems you forgot to put in your false teeth as well, Phil!?

Sad to see that, thus far, ehpc has failed to reciprocate. However, come to think of it, if he did so the chances of anyone ever emailing of texting him would be even more minimal than they are currently! ;)

Jennifer 11 Jun 2008, 08:44

Phil, you're a lot smaller than I expected and with a lot more hair. I can see that a leash is necessary when walking through the streets. I just love the Harry Potter frames, too bad they don't have lenses!

Phil 11 Jun 2008, 05:25

I couldn't have come up with a better picture myself! Yet not a single gwg has so far declared her undying love for me. I really do wonder for how much true beauty counts nowadays.

ehpc 10 Jun 2008, 13:38

Curiously enough I am a twin. Though not to Phil, I don't need to add:) Pete

Phil 10 Jun 2008, 12:42

Here's my picture, for Jennifer's eyes only:

http://img377.imageshack.us/img377/8039/phillzd3.jpg

It's your turn now.

Hopefully, Pete will also post his.

Jennifer 10 Jun 2008, 10:04

Phil, please post a picture of yourself. We need to see the family resemblence.

Phil 10 Jun 2008, 09:54

Hehe. How's tricks Twin?

ehpc 10 Jun 2008, 09:18

ha ha :)

10 Jun 2008, 09:04

Pete and Phil - separated at birth?

ehpc 10 Jun 2008, 09:03

Wow, Marie, that is sooooooooooooooooooooooo exciting:) I wish you'd text or e-mail me:) Pete XXX

Marie 10 Jun 2008, 05:03

And

Yeah it is, i have problems reading print and computar screens but the real blurcomes at about three feet from my face. From there i�m kind of handicapped.

Marie 10 Jun 2008, 05:01

ehpc, well sometimes i wear them ALL day long. :-)

And 09 Jun 2008, 05:52

Marie,

Driving would surely be positively dangerous without correction, at what distance is everything a blur ?

ehpc 08 Jun 2008, 12:16

Well, I wish you wore your hot hot hot glasses ALL THE TIME, Marie :) Pete XXX

Marie 08 Jun 2008, 06:09

Diane

I�m very comfortable without them. I�ve never been fulltime wearing. Never considered me to be a glasses girl either. :-) So i go several days without and it�s normal for me.

Often friends of mine read signs and tell me if we meet people i know so it�s not a big problem at all really.

The only time i wear glasses "in public" nowadays is when i drive. I wish i could be bareeyed behind the wheel aswell but so far i haven�t managed too good with that. I try sometimes but my eyesight is really poor so it�s hard.

Marie 08 Jun 2008, 06:03

And

It�s a little tricky shopping sometimes but i try to go to stores i know so i�ve managed so far. My friend is a fulltime glasses girl yes. :-)

Marie 08 Jun 2008, 06:01

ehpc, I�m about -5 but i can�t remember exactly

And 04 Jun 2008, 14:20

Marie, how do you find shopping without your specs ? Does your frind with the lesser prescription wear full-time ?

Diane 04 Jun 2008, 08:23

Hi Marie

I have pretty much documented my bare-eyed experiences on this thread. You must be very comfortable without your glasses to regularly leave them at home. Does that mean you might go several days without wearing glasses?

Your friends and co-workers must understand your preference for bare-eyes and don�t expect you to see very well. Do they help you out by identifying approaching people, reading store signs, and not expecting you to find them in malls or restaurants? In my limited experiences, I find people to be very considerate in those ways.

I borrowed a co-workers glasses to attend a presentation only because she insisted. They weren�t strong enough, but did help. When I saw her put on her sunglasses, I tried to return her regular pair but she would not accept them.

ehpc 04 Jun 2008, 06:15

How much minus are you, beautiful blonde Marie? :) You must remember that glasses are for WEARING :)))) XXX Pete

Marie 04 Jun 2008, 04:02

Hi Diane. What kind of things have u tried so far? I think youre great! :-) One bare eyed girl to another.

Marie 04 Jun 2008, 03:59

And

Yeah at a distance i can�t recognize anyone. I�m squinting a lot but so far nobodys asked me why i don�t wear my glasses. It has happened that a girl friend of mine has offered me to use hers but they are waaaay to weak for me. :-)

ehpc 03 Jun 2008, 11:33

I'm cool Marie :) I wish you would e-mail me or text me :) peterseivewright@hotmail.com or 07747 023247. Everything going magnifico!!!!!!! Just back from recording new CD :) XXX Pete

And 03 Jun 2008, 10:35

Marie, are you able to recognise people at work ? I know Diane said she struggled to make out faces.

Marie 03 Jun 2008, 01:17

And

I normally leave my glasses at home so i really don�t have a "plan b" if i run into trouble. Sometimes people at work have asked me if i manage or if i want them to help me. :-) Every now and then i let them.

Marie 03 Jun 2008, 01:13

ehpc

Hi there Pete. I�m fine thx. And you?

Puffin 01 Jun 2008, 11:51

It's just that I know as much as I ever want to about cleaning, enough to know I don't want to do it twice when once would do.

Diane 01 Jun 2008, 11:12

Oops, that last post was mine.

Puffin 01 Jun 2008, 11:11

Puffin is correct.

I've been mostly full-time again.

Puffin 31 May 2008, 08:09

I'd guess the problem with the vacuum cleaner would be you could do it, then put your glasses on and find it needed doing again, because you'd missed the dirt.

And 31 May 2008, 07:36

Diane

So have you been fulltime since 'finding' them ? What was the dilemma with vacuuming ?

Diane 30 May 2008, 17:56

Hi "And"

No, last Saturday I "found" my glasses. I had to add running the vacuum cleaner to the things I cannot do bare-eyed.

And 30 May 2008, 10:25

Diane,

Still bare-eyed ?

And 30 May 2008, 10:24

So who nicked my nickname for the last post ? I don't ask intimate questions, get your own name please !

Maja 30 May 2008, 04:03

hello and,

to be precise if that's what you mean than both. If I stay with my partner I put of my glasses as well as he does it. That depends on the mood. My partner has no fetish of GWG and he never thinks about it that my rx is very high I think he acts really "natural" and he doesn't care for the Rx. Anyway it depends on my mood if I prefer to see everything (I can go in my contacts then) or if I like the feeling of just feeling.

Love Maja

Seeker 30 May 2008, 01:06

I think I can recall a post ages ago from Jey Ping who had a pretty powerful RX mentioning an incident at his college where a friend or might have been girlfriend had borrowed/taken his glasses and he found the stairs especially challenging bare eyed. As many stairwells tend to have less bright light this probably makes things worse. Would this be supported by other bare eyed wanderers. I'm a plussy so my going without glasses incident is getting seriously lost because there was no way I could read the map.

And 30 May 2008, 00:42

So Maja, you do have bare-eyed experiences! Tell us what it is like in the arms of your loved one bare-eyed. Does he remove your glasses or do you?

During your intimate moments do you like to see your lover or experience things blindly?

maja 29 May 2008, 16:30

hello and, of course I can remember, it was not always like now. In my jounger ages at school I went without my glasses.

Btw I startet having glasses at the age of five and I started with moderate -1.75 then and in my early school years I needed my glasses just inside the classroom to see the blackboard. I very often was without my glasses in early times because I hated them and was ashamed because other children laughed at me. But after my mypia went stronger and stronger I needed my glasses hardly more and more and when I was about 20 I started with contacts and loved this a lot. But experience on being bare-eyed israther something. I don't like it any more and I go crazy in the morning when I wake up into my blurry world and I put on my glasses at once the first thing in the morning I walk around bare-eyed at home quite rarely especially I'm afraid of the stairs. To walk them without seeing the steps scares me too much. But as to be honest, being bared eyed staying in the arms of my partner is ok, because then I'm safe :-) and that's the only reason to put off the glasses.

Regards Maja

And 29 May 2008, 15:56

Maja,

Have you always had a strong prescription or can you remember when you could go bare-eyed if you wanted ?

maja 29 May 2008, 15:53

hello everybody, as already met some of you in the lenschat (hello ehpc btw) I just go around a little bit and read the threats. this one here seems quite confusing to me. What the heck is this for, why go bare-eyed.

I think maybe some people can, if they really do not need their glasses or contacts very much.

As for me, I could never share this experience I think. My rx is -17 and -16,25 and like this I couldn't even walk alone without my glasses.

So please explain to me, what this here is for and I'll stay rather interested in the reason.

Regards Maja

still 28 May 2008, 20:48

Yes. That charge is made periodically. Ignore that, and enjoy yourself with us!

R Ed 28 May 2008, 20:46

Dianne,

Please keep posting and forget about Mipsi.

Diane 28 May 2008, 19:00

In a recent post, "Mipsi" stated that I was not a "real one." Did that mean I was not really bare-eyed or did that mean I was a total imposter?

I just completed a simple search of the entire thread index. As far as I can determine, that was the one and only posting by "Mipsi."

Further, there was no response to the challenge from someonewholovesgirlswithglasses.

I was only trying to share my experiences with mutually interested friends.

And 28 May 2008, 16:00

Marie,

Do you take your glasses to work with you ? What strange situations have you been in ?

ehpc 28 May 2008, 10:14

How are you doing Marie ? :) Pete

Marie 28 May 2008, 04:55

And, yes i am bareeyed at work. I�m with a big swedish furniture company?! Hehe, and i don�t really need glasses to be able to do my job, but there can be some strange situations sometimes.

Tom 26 May 2008, 07:14

Diane, I completely agree with Bob. After all if you jave survived and have managed your tasks ok at work in the blur for several days, it means that you don't need to come back to fulltime even if you "find" your glasses. You can alwasy leave them on your desk or in your purse or even take them on your hair, to use them when absolutely needed.

Please tell us more about the other girl's glasses. Does she really put on her sunglasses to let you use her regular eyeglasses? Frankly, I'll do the opposite by borrowing you the sunglasses I don't use at work.

When I was in the high school I broke my glasses and my older ones where of no use to read the board. A girl was sit close to me, who was slightly nearisghted (-1.75) and part time wearer. She let me use her glasses to see the board more than once in those days. It was really funny. Soon later she went to the eyedoctor and discovered she had jump to -3. At that time she never wore glasses out of the classroom and was e.g. unable to recognise people across the street. After a few days to become accustomed to the new prescription she moved to fulltime and soon (unfortunately) to contacts.

Bye.

NEW QUESTION 26 May 2008, 01:52

I have a question to ask everyone who has gone without glasses for awhile that should generate some interesting stories.

What is the most embarrassing moment you experienced during your life in a blurry world? Did you mistake someone for somebody else? An object for a person? A person for an object? ;)

Please share!

sum1wholovesgirlswithglasses 25 May 2008, 06:40

Mipsi do you have any proof that her stories aint real dont jump to conclusions

just because her bareyed experiences may sound exaggerated to some people that cannot be easily convinced by suspicious posts esspecially if the author is female

Mipsi 24 May 2008, 21:06

I'm sorry to inform you that Diane is not a real one. Corn it or with glasses.

Diane 24 May 2008, 19:31

An interesting afternoon yesterday. A girl from across the hall, who has been on maternity leave, brought her baby in for everyone to see. I was trying so hard to see what was going on that I got caught pulling my eyelids. Later, one of the girls in my office asked how much longer I would be without glasses. Before I could answer, the other two joined in and expressed their concerns. I finally explained that I had not given up on finding the lost pair.

After enduring their opinions of my inaction and hearing numerous examples of my obvious struggle to see, I finally agreed to call my optometrist. His office is closed for the holiday and will not reopen until Tuesday.

So, either I find my �lost� glasses or I remain bare-eyed well into next week.

Decisions, decisions

Bob W. 24 May 2008, 15:31

Diane PS, when you 'find' your glasses, that doesn't have to end your fun. You could explain that you got used to seeing without and stick them in your hair, bringing them down when you need them, but try squinting first.

Best Regards,

Bob W.

Bob W 24 May 2008, 14:46

Diane, I hope you don't feel pressured to go bare-eyed to the point that you get yourself into an embarrassing or scary predicament where you lose face and self confidence. For myself, I enjoy hearing your experiences very much, but only to the extent that you enjoy it and it builds your self image without undo risk of tearing it down. I'm probably getting too 'fatherly' here.

I hope others with mild prescriptions feel that their contributions are valued as well. I can only speak for myself, of course, but I believe that experiences of those in the -2 range or less are quite interesting as well, though usually not credited as being nearly as 'bold'. Not being near sighted myself, I am also interested in finding out about what it is like for those who normally don't wear them much as well as those who wear them almost all the time with these mild prescriptions, especially how much squinting actually clears things up. That being said, I'm not at all tired of hearing about Diane's and Claire's experiences.

Best Regards,

Bob W.

And 24 May 2008, 10:05

Marie, with a similar prescription to Diane do you have similar experiences ? Are you bare-eyed at work ?

antonio-o 24 May 2008, 03:11

incredible you really left them at home, Diane, as you are wearing -5 ones normally. You are really brave! Good luck!

antonio

24 May 2008, 03:00

Diane,

Are you bare-eyeed at home too ? Is there anywhere you wouldn't go without your glassses ?

And 24 May 2008, 02:58

Diane, interesting that your friend with a lesser prescription puts on her sunglasses, is she not comfortable being bare-eyeed ?

myopiarules 23 May 2008, 13:33

It seems like those of us who love squinting never see anyone doing it these days.More and more people are getting lasik now.If I worked at Diane's place of employment, I wouldn't get any work done. Remembering back when I was taking a college course and was doing good until this good- looking girl came in at mid-semester, she was obviously myopic and didn't care who saw her screw up her face as she tried to see the writing on the board from the front row. I nearly failed the class after that. But I sure looked forward to classtime. I love all the stories involving squinting. Girls especially. If nearsighted girls/women only understood how their affliction affects some of the guys on this site.

Jennifer 23 May 2008, 12:44

Phil, do you have an email address?

ehpc 23 May 2008, 10:26

I hope you have a great friendship Phil. Most sincerely.

ehpc 23 May 2008, 10:26

Thanks Bronwyn :) Pete XXX

Diane 23 May 2008, 10:18

Tom: I cannot believe that I am so into this bare-eyed experience. I don�t think it would be as much fun if I did not have you guys to share with. On Tuesday, when I began, I left my glasses in my car after lunch hour and when asked, told the fib that I had misplaced my glasses at the gym. Of course I needed my glasses to drive home. For the past three days, I have taken the bus to work. The bus number sign above the windshield is impossible for me to see, but there is another sign near the door that I can see from the curb. On Wednesday and Thursday, I kept my glasses in my purse, even though I was very tempted to get them out several times. Today, I left my glasses at home and am hopelessly bare-eyed!

Everyone at work thinks that I have lost my glasses and sympathizes with me. On Wednesday, one of the girls even went with me to the gym to search for my �lost� glasses. Of course they were not there. We discussed my poor vision and reliance on strong glasses at length. Today, four different people have asked me about finding or replacing my glasses. I find myself squinting constantly. I have borrowed another girl�s glasses a few times to attend presentations. (She wears her prescription sunglasses while I am using her regular glasses.) They aren�t strong enough but do help.

I guess I will have to �find� my glasses soon as it surely could not be normal for a person with eyes like mine to be without glasses for more than a few days.

Phil 23 May 2008, 01:28

Jennifer, I'll take you up on that offer! I dare you: 07783062869. Sorry EHPC, but I think she's rather nice!

Tom 23 May 2008, 01:01

Diane: wow!!! Don't forget to tell us such details on your bareeyed experiences. How brave you are... BTW Where actually were your glasses? Are you really able not to bring them at work? If you go on like this in a few days all people around you could be accustomed to see you bareeyed and not comment anymore even if you squint. Although if I was one of them I'll never stop commenting since I found so intriguing to get into conversation with women about eyesight... Do you have bespectacled colleagues? What do they think of your going bareeyed. It happened to me a couple of times to see a person in trouble due to poor eyesight (e.q squinting) and to offer her to try my eyeglasses. And oviously to try her ones on my nose, if she has.... using other people's glasses is another very intriguing issue, according to my opinion.

Bronwyn 22 May 2008, 15:21

ehpc, I read as far back as 5/13;you will never cease to amaze me! You are the lightning bolt of eyescene!!

Jennifer 22 May 2008, 13:33

ephc - why do you feel that I needed to know that information? Strange man - you are.

Asphodel 22 May 2008, 13:22

ehpc, I'm 24 now. I think we started corresponding when I was 19 (correct me if I'm wrong).

ehpc 22 May 2008, 13:20

How old are you, Asphodel? Just for Jennifer's and Tanya's information:)

Asphodel 22 May 2008, 13:16

About going without specs - today I had to because it was pissing with rain. Not pleasant, not nice, but somehow fun.

ehpc 22 May 2008, 13:14

Hey! Thanks:) I'm glad I have a fan:)Some people are good-natured and some aren't Asphodel. We are:) And we know who isn't :)

Asphodel 22 May 2008, 13:12

Very amusing posts :)

ehpc, how very British you are. Classy. :) And being middle-aged is aprox. 1.000.000+ times better than being a leftie. Go, Tory!

ehpc 22 May 2008, 13:08

PHIL - look at all the humourless ill-natured Leftie frumps ganging up on me :)

ehpc 22 May 2008, 12:48

'smiles'

ehpc 22 May 2008, 12:46

Unfortunately my computer won't seem to send long posts, Tanya. I think other posters have had this problem.I'm always full of similes:) I am a happy person. I don't think I have ever attempted to 'pick someone up' on line. Certainly not here. Appreciation is not the same as trying to pick someone up. I'm surprised you don't recognise the difference. Pete

ehpc 22 May 2008, 12:43

Ha ha :) Why is 'middle-aged' in inverted commas? All I can say is that if I meet a woman,however attractive, who is a leftie, you don't see me for dust. You have a very unattractive personality, for example. Dogmatic and immature.

Jennifer 22 May 2008, 12:40

I believe it's "middle aged" men in glasses with your personality who are not appealing to me. Phil might be a different story. I might just send Phil a text! If he's open to it.

Tanya 22 May 2008, 12:26

Just as well females aren't swayed by your 'looks and appearance' then, ehpc, eh?

If they are not put right off by your pathetic attempts to pick up women, based on whether they wear black frames with wide sides...accompanied by a plethora of 'smiles' a ten year old would be embarrassed to be associated with...you appear to have problems putting together a post any longer than a sentence in length.

I ask you!

ehpc 22 May 2008, 11:25

There's also another good bit of female lack of logic and consistency here. You (Jennifer) reckon, entirely reasonably, that it would be wholly 'inappropriate' (to use that all-purpose modern word:))for guys of my age (53) to seriously chase after young GWGs. You couldn't be more right. On the other hand, you say that you only like MIGs who are young...................

ehpc 22 May 2008, 11:19

Mind you, we chaps can't win. Some women would berate us and say we shouldn't be so swayed by appearance, and the 'person underneath', i.e. philosophical and political outlook, is what matters...............Pete

ehpc 22 May 2008, 11:16

Don't worry Jennifer:)You mean middle-aged MIGs don't appeal to you.I can take that.That seems entirely natural and I don't have problems with that :)

Pete

Jennifer 22 May 2008, 10:54

ephc - why do you have to make this political??? I was speaking of middle aged men with glasses. Posting the same thing over and over seems a little immature. Don't you think?? Or do your political views blind you? Too bad you can't see past someone's political views. I don't ask a man in glasses whether he's a right winger or a lefty! Seems childish to do so!

ehpc 22 May 2008, 10:29

I think I meant lefties are all unattractive PEOPLE - lack of independence and so on. Immature outlook.

Puffin 22 May 2008, 10:17

yeah I've seen Dianne Abbot in glasses, doesn't really make that much difference though.

Phil 22 May 2008, 10:08

I wish you were right EHPC. But what about Dianne Abbot?

ehpc 22 May 2008, 09:30

All lefties are unattractive...............

ehpc 22 May 2008, 09:12

Of course it is. I don't have a problem with that. Your problem is political :)

Jennifer 22 May 2008, 08:45

That's the problem, your middle aged status...........

ehpc 22 May 2008, 07:23

I am sure it was mentioned in jest Phil :) Tanya is taking the piss (not unreasonably:)) of our distinctly middle-aged status:)

Phil 22 May 2008, 06:58

Come, come Tanya. You'd be surprised how many textchum gwgs I've had. Not everyone sees the interest shown by intelligent chaps like EHPC and me as something to be avoided! Luckily there are some good-natured gwgs who enjoy attention out there.

ehpc 22 May 2008, 06:03

Too right Tanya :) Spot on :) Pete

Tanya 22 May 2008, 05:56

Hey ehpc. Maybe you and Phil could get together and exchange emails and texts, cos I don't think there's much likelihood of anyone doing so! ;)

22 May 2008, 05:43

Clair, What happened in the food court ?

22 May 2008, 05:41

Diane,

Do you go bare-eyed in the gym too ?

Diane 21 May 2008, 12:04

Hi Tom

When the boss looked at me and said, �No glasses?� I just sort of mumbled and nodded my head in agreement. I then took a seat by the door, which was dumb because it was the farthest from the flip chart. I tried to sneak a squint but the chart was hopelessly blurred. I intensified my squint but that didn�t work either. After a few minutes, the boss asked if I wanted to move closer. I could have fainted from embarrassment. I did exchange places which helped but I still had to squint. My boss then asked if I wanted to go get my glasses. I told him that I didn�t have my glasses with me.

After the meeting, one of the others asked about my glasses. I lied and told her that I had been to the gym for workout over the lunch hour and had managed to misplace my glasses. (That really happened to someone I know) And of course I complained about my uncorrected vision.

Now, with an explanation for my missing glasses, I have been bare-eyed again today. I have been regularly squinting, even pulled my eyes a couple of times, and thoroughly enjoying the suspense.

ehpc 21 May 2008, 06:27

Hey!Hey! All going well, Phil?

Phil 21 May 2008, 05:58

EHPC, You are getting as bad as me! Calm down! No wonder you can manage only short messages!

ehpc 21 May 2008, 05:22

Although I like you WEARING your hot glasses:)

ehpc 21 May 2008, 05:20

I can still only post very short messages for some reason.

ehpc 21 May 2008, 05:20

In any case I hope everything is going great:)

ehpc 21 May 2008, 05:19

Hi Marie :) It's your big fan Pete here:)You can always e-mail or text if you want:)

Marie 21 May 2008, 04:28

ES-Visitor

Pretty close. I�d say about ten-fifteen inches. It depends too... :-/

I can�t read newspaper print at all without glasses unfortunately.

Tom 21 May 2008, 01:30

Diane, unfortunately I was not attending that working meeting...

Did you have to explain why you were not wearing glasses? Did any of the participants comment on your squinting? Please tell us more about how you relates with your nearsightedness while in public. I go bareeyed often but always when I'm sure I will not have visual demanding relationships with other people because I'm afraid of having to explain that I could not see, or needing some help to see, etc. For example I shop bereeyed only when I'm sure I can select the item I want by myself.

Diane 20 May 2008, 18:22

Hi Anon

You must be new to the thread. How exciting.

I am a -5, I try not to go to unfamiliar places while bare-eyed, I knew all the participants at the meeting - I just could not see their expressions, and I do squint to see better.

anonymous 20 May 2008, 16:45

Diane,

What is your prescription?

Do you go to unknown premisces for meetings while bare-eyed?

Or do you "only" not know the people attending those meetings?

Do you squint a lot and/or do people see you squinting?

Sorry for all the questions.

Thanks,

Diane 20 May 2008, 13:57

A bare-eyed afternoon for me, and an interesting one. My boss called me to a meeting. I knew it would be difficult. I was hardly through the door when he said, "Diane, no glasses?" I was a little embarressed. There was a flip chart I could not see and faces I could not recognize. I really felt nearsighted during that meeting.

ES-Visitor 16 May 2008, 00:48

Hi Marie, thank you for your stories... One question: how close do you need to bring things like a magazine to be able to read them? I personally find this so sexy and hot...

specs4ever 15 May 2008, 18:10

Haven't thought of using a germ as a cause for myopia yet, however it has been documented that viral illnesses can cause myopia, ranging from mild to quite severe.

Diane 15 May 2008, 10:36

Ha, maybe a plot for a specs4ever story, a myopia causing germ.

I am getting quite comfortable with, and enjoying, my bare-eyed walks in the park. I just give a quick tug at the corners of my eyes when I need some momentary correction.

14 May 2008, 17:55

I really enjoyed that story. :)

Clair 14 May 2008, 16:24

The assistant (again I think the same one) came up to me wondering how "you left being you have such a strong prescription". I told her it was fun but have no idea of her expression after that because I could not see her face. She asked me if it was hard to see which told me her strong comment was from someone who knew. I asked for a magazine and showed her how close I had to be to read it. Her reply was "Oh my gosh" and she ran away. It was wonderful. I think she though she could get myopia like a cold.

Clair 14 May 2008, 16:18

Monday was perfect. I went to a well known eyegall provider to get sunglasses lenses put in an older prescription. Leaving my newer glasses in the car, I handed over my glasses to aan assistant and off she went while me bare eyed. I sat there bare eyed enjoying the situation and she (I think it was her-the voice was the same) and she told me they had broken my frames and had to make new lenses in a similar frame at no extra cost to me. I acted sad but was so happy to now be at least an hour before I was seeing things. I left, did really badly in the food court, and returned.

ehpc 14 May 2008, 11:17

You could go even further than that Marie:) You could text or e-mail me:) (E-mail address and mobile number in previous e-mails) Pete. XXX to blonde GWG Marie wearing minus lenses in hot black rectangular plastic frames with wide sides :)

Marie 14 May 2008, 11:05

Bats my eyes to ehpc

ehpc 13 May 2008, 05:38

Blonde, thick minus lenses in black rectangular plastic frames with wide sides..........perfection :) Pete XXX

ehpc 13 May 2008, 05:20

Very popular :) Pete XXX

Marie 13 May 2008, 00:36

Oh dear i�m so popular :-) Imagine that a little nearsighted girl could score so many fans. Hehe.

ehpc 11 May 2008, 12:31

I'd soooooooooooooooo love to hear from you, Marie:) You can e-mail me or text my mobile 07747 023247 (if you are in the United Kingdom). The number is +44 7747 023247 if you are outside the United Kingdom. Pete XXX

ehpc 11 May 2008, 12:29

You sound the most TOP TOP FUN GWG Marie :) XXX Pete

ehpc 11 May 2008, 12:28

For some reason, my computer will only send short posts. And just when I need it!!!!!!

ehpc 11 May 2008, 12:27

I'd love to hear from you Marie:) XXX Pete

Melyssa 11 May 2008, 07:48

Marie,

My sunglasses are very big and fit comfortably over most of my regular glasses, as is the purpose of the type of shades that I use. I need to adjust them a bit at the start when I'm wearing any of my oversized regular frames (whose lenses measure about 3 inches in diameter). You can get the sunglasses in most drugstores or department stores, and they're not expensive (and are not to be used as prescription glasses). Before getting them I had prescription shades and it wasn't easy switching back and forth as needed.

Highmyope 11 May 2008, 05:11

Damnation!

8-)

P.S. Sorry, Pete--but you can't blame a guy for trying!

Marie 11 May 2008, 04:46

Highmyope

I would give u a call but i can�t see good enough to dial...

Marie 11 May 2008, 04:45

ehpc hehehe i know, glasses are originally made for wearing... and of course i�ll do it for you ;-)

ehpc 10 May 2008, 11:11

Nice thick standard lenses..............:) Pete

ehpc 10 May 2008, 11:10

Minus 4 to 5.............sounds lovely:)

ehpc 10 May 2008, 11:08

Mind you,Marie, I like blonde women wearing black rectangular plastic frames and minus lenses to WEAR their glasses like good GWGs.......................:) But I'm sure you'd do that for me:)Pete

ehpc 10 May 2008, 11:06

EXCUSE ME!!!!!! That remark of Marie's was addressed to me:) You are very welcome to e-mail me anytime at peterseivewright@hotmail.com if you wish, Marie:) Pete

Highmyope 10 May 2008, 04:51

>>good you like blondes with plastic frames and quite thick minus lenses coz that�s mee, hehehe

Excellent, Marie! Phone number, please? ;)

Marie 10 May 2008, 00:00

Melyssa ehpc Tom

Tom, i�ve been in different situations where i need to explain to people that i can�t see and need some help. (Which is absolutely true) The only time i wear glasses regularly now is when i drive so i keep my glasses in the car. Although it happens every now and then that i drive without them too.

Melyssa, isn�t it kind of uncomfortable wearing both glasses and sunglasses even if the regular glasses have relatively tiny frames? I absolutely hate prescription shades so i think i�m gonna go for bare eyes instead.

ehpc, good you like blondes with plastic frames and quite thick minus lenses coz that�s mee, hehehe

Tom 09 May 2008, 00:36

Diane is right, pulling eyelids is a very powerful way to improve bareeyed vision. Much more powerful than squinting.

Once I was sit without glasses on a underground train. Above the door opposite to me there was the usual wallpaper with the train path and stop names. And it was obviously no more than a white board. I tried squinting but there was no way to read the labels. I tried pulling my eyelids and

with my great surprise I found it worked! I could read the labels perfectly with my -3 eye and even guess some names with the -5 one.

If you are without glasses and need to see something (usually a sign or writing), try pulling eyelids before putting spectacles on. And you will probably find that this do the job (at least if you are less than, say, -5)!

Take care.

Puffin 08 May 2008, 17:46

I see no harm in it, they are worthwhile questions and nobody's getting insulted or anything.

08 May 2008, 15:03

George

What's it to you?

George 08 May 2008, 12:44

Is anyone else noticing the nameless poster who regularly crops up on here. Asking plenty of questions, (always to women), but tells us nothing about himself?

Melyssa 08 May 2008, 12:40

11:46 PDT, 2:46 EDT poster:

Yes, my prescription is -9.00, so I guess I would see better than Clair sans glasses, although as I type this, I see on the computer a pink box near the upper left, a few black squiggles, and a white background. (Holy socks, I typed it right. LOL)

The last time I did not wear glasses in public was, oh, about 1972, which is when I went fulltime.

Diane 08 May 2008, 12:40

Probably, with the temptation of them being immediately available, often. But then again, it would definately depend on how familiar I would be with my surroundings.

08 May 2008, 12:33

Diane,

If you kept your glasses in your purse all day how often do you think you would need to reach for them ?

Diane 08 May 2008, 11:54

Tom

Regarding my bare-eyed afternoon at work, I was careful to select a time when I had no appointments, conferences, meetings or presentations, in other words, just a quiet afternoon at my desk. I can read, at close range, without glasses and I can see my monitor, although increasing the font is helpful. When I was leaning over the copy machine, I think the comment was: �Diane needs to put her glasses back on,� so I am sure my need for glasses was easily apparent.

The next day (Saturday), I left my glasses at home and went for a walk at a nearby park. I stopped to try and watch some darling, little children play t-ball. I sat in the bleachers, with my elbows on my knees and by pulling my eyelids, I could see well enough to follow the game for a little while.

08 May 2008, 11:46

Melyssa,

Am I right in thinking you've got a -9 prescription ? Does that mean you actually see better than Clair unaided ? When were you last bare-eyed in public ?

08 May 2008, 11:44

ipml,

Tell us more please ?

ipml 08 May 2008, 09:48

Clair,

I am a lot more s/sighted than you and I do mall walks w/o my glasses. I too I find it thrilling. But I have my glasses in my pocket, I don't dare leave them in the car.

Clair 08 May 2008, 01:08

Tom

I picked out the dress without glasses. As to seeing myself in the mirror, that does not work with my powerfull myopia. the most difficult part is the myopic inspection to figure out the zipper or buttons. I have no problem with stairs or carpet without glasses. People are the hardest as everyone is a blur and in a mall I have never been to, as exciting as it is, I would never find a bathroom ever.

Tom 07 May 2008, 05:31

Clair, how did you selected the right dress without glasses? I mean, can you look at your image in a mirror? I don't think so... Did you just collect a dress you have already tried with your glasses on? And can you walk safely in the blur? I mean steps, carpets and things like this...

Bye,

Tom

Tom 07 May 2008, 05:22

Marie, Diane I have a great admiration for your courage to go where no one would go bareyed! :-)

I'm so afraid to receive comments that I never pratise bareeyedness in public. Only time was several years ago when the optician took a couple of days to fix new lenses on my old frame. Although I could wear prescription sunglasses, I decided to go bareyed at work. And I managed perfectly. However I'm not so blind (just -3 in the better eye) and in most occasions I can quite easily pretend to see. On the other hand, I'm afraid with -5 everyone sooner or later will discover that you cannot see properly, as Marie reported at the copy machine.

Did it happen you to need to explain you cannot see something to someone you don't know well and who doesn't know you are nearsighted? Have you ever complained about your poor vision in public? Tell us other stories (and I'll tell you mine!).

Myopic greetings.

BTW Are you comfortable with the PC monitor without your -5 glasses? I can deal quite ok with my -3 eye, but with the other (-5) I have to get so close to the screen that I need to move my head e.g. to read a full line ...

06 May 2008, 13:31

Marie,

Your prescription is similar to Diane's. Have you been in similar positions and situations without your glasses ?

Melyssa 06 May 2008, 12:38

Marie,

When it's necessary for me to wear sunglasses, I wear them with any of my regular glasses, as the shades are those big ones that fit over any normal frame (or bold and beautiful frames like mine).

ehpc 06 May 2008, 11:56

Should be 'rectangular' of course......... (previous post) Pete

ehpc 06 May 2008, 11:53

Hey! Hey! Hey! Black recyangular plastic frames with wide sides and minus lenses are the best glasses there are:) Especially worn by blondes (dream.........:))but by all other women too:)COOLEST OF THE COOL :) Pete

Marie 06 May 2008, 10:45

U think so? :-) I wear black plastic frames... when i wear glasses. I need them coz i�m handicapped without glasses but i feel free when i don�t wear them, heh heh...

ehpc 06 May 2008, 08:48

Go for the glasses, Marie:) Shades are naff. Minus glasses are cool:) What frame style do you wear? Pete

Marie 06 May 2008, 07:31

They are somewhere between -4 and -5 but i can�t remember. It was a while ago since my last check... :-/

Since i can�t wear both glasses AND sunglasses a the same time i go for the shades... :-)

antonio 05 May 2008, 13:02

Hi Marie,

great ti hear that !

How strong are the glasses you sometimes wear ? would you share that secret with us ?

best regards, antonio

05 May 2008, 13:02

Marie,

What's your script please ?

Marie 05 May 2008, 06:28

Hi everybody. I just wanna say that i love this site. (New to me) I regularly go without glasses and it�s nice to see that i�m not alone. :-)

Many great inlays.

Diane 02 May 2008, 18:11

As a -5 myope, I can see well enough without glasses, at close range, to work at my desk. It does help to increase the font.

I made it the entire afternoon without glasses. Leaning over the copy machine to see the number pad, someone across the room laughed and said something about me not wearing glasses. I gave a good squint but could not tell who was speaking.

And Clair, my goodness, leaving your glasses and wandering around an airplane bare-eyed.

Fred 02 May 2008, 15:18

Clair, thank you too for your stories! Keep them coming :-). You're quite courageous I must say that you go bare eyed with your rx :-) Don't you stumble over or walk into things when you go bare eyed? I hope you never ended up in the gents by mistake? ;-). You're right... there's nothing to see in airplane bathrooms.

Clair 02 May 2008, 14:57

Diane's eyes must be better than mine. I cannot see the computer screen or use the keyboard even while squinting. I have taken my glasses off for bathroom breaks and I have also been asked why no glasses. Of course, at that point, unless I really know their voice or I can later match the blurred clothes color, I have no idea who I just talked to. I fly a lot and I will leave my glasses in my under seat bag and use the bathroom. Because I cannot see the seat numbers I count seats or remember my seat is so many from the blurred purple shirt. Besides who wants to really see an airplane bathroom!

Fred 02 May 2008, 13:50

@Diane: first of all thanks for sharing those wonderful stories with us :-). I love these bare eyed stories! But I'm just wondering, given your rx, isn't it difficult to do your job without glasses?

Diane 02 May 2008, 12:00

Like Tom, I have always been reluctant go without glasses when I might meet people who know that I regularly wear glasses. And like Clair, I also enjoy the suspense of it all. So, for the past few weeks, I have been taking my glasses off at work during restroom breaks, to get a drink of water, while talking with my co-workers, etc. I have not been hesitant to squint and if asked why I am not wearing glasses, I reply that I am just giving my eyes a break.

Today, I have taken the plunge. Returning to my office after lunch, I left my glasses in my car and have now been bare-eyed for two hours. I have boldly squinted several times, and I even pulled my eyes in public for the first time since my school days.

I just wanted to share my excitement.

Astra myopicblur 02 May 2008, 02:34

Re Tom: Unless you did one of the following:

1. Squinting

2. Looking at things unusually close. (e.g. less than 10 cm)

3. Unusual blinking of eyes.

4. Verbal complaints of your eyesight.

Otherwise most would not even realise any problems. Marks left on the nose by glasses are usually not a reliable hint since many wear contact lenses nowadays.

Rather I find it curious that anyone finds people with very thick glasses a sign of lower vision than normal? I have heard some of the high myopes (more than -10) could only be corrected up to 20/40.

Clair 30 Apr 2008, 16:16

I am proudly -11 in both eyes. My wierd side is I have done this before and there is excitment about it. Two years ago I did leave by the wrong store door at Dilliards and was paniced by not finding my car. Would have been hard to explain to mall security if I could see them. This time getting my credit card out seemed to amuse the blurred body clerk because she asked only if I needed help and I have no idea what her facial expression was obviously. Luckaly I put the dress on at home then my glasses and it was still beautiful.

R Ed 30 Apr 2008, 10:46

Jen,

Do you know if your Rx is suitable for contacts? If not you might direct a that question to Cactus Jack or John OD on this thread. If you have significant astigmatism (cylinder)or prism contacts may be difficult for you.

If you are a good candidate perhaps a summer job will finance the desired contacts.

I hope all works out to your satisfaction.

Tom 30 Apr 2008, 07:05

Clair,

very good outing, plese don't stop practising bareeyedness and telling us!

When I leave my glasses into my pocket I am always afraid that I could be spotted by someone I know who could ask why I'm not wearing my needed glasses. For this, I do this practice basically only when I'm on business travels, far from home. Only once I did it around my home and I met a young woman I know. She was walking against me so although she was completely in a blur when still ahead of me, it was sufficient to wait for a few seconds (and steps) to recognise her face. It was too late to put my glasses on so I went on pretending that I could see and she didn't ask anything. I'm still wondering if she realised I was in the blur or not...

Clair, do you think people around you realised that you could not see properly?

Bye.

28 Apr 2008, 18:34

Clair

Loved your descriptive term "suspense."

Reviewing your past posts, I wonder if you have been practicing going without glasses.

You apparently enjoyed the outing, can we look forward to more adventures?

28 Apr 2008, 13:48

Clair,

Wow, weren't you a bit worried you might not find your car again ? Have you gone bare-eyed anywhere else ?

Jen 28 Apr 2008, 13:22

I went to the eye doctor, and my eyes did get a bit worse. I am now -16.5 and -15.25 and there were other numbers but I don't remember. I will be getting the new glasses soon!

R Ed

I want contacts but my mom is not agreeing to pay for both contacts and glasses each time I go up. It's hard to get a clear look at how my face looks without glasses because I can only see reaaaally close up. I don't have any pictures of myself without glasses, but that is a good idea!

antonio 28 Apr 2008, 09:54

thanks for sharing this experience. Clair !!!

Please tell us, how myopic your wonderful eyes are ?

Thanks, cu :-)

Clair 27 Apr 2008, 20:06

Usually outings without glasses are with a friend but yesterday I went to the mall by myself, leaving my glasses in the car. (I went back twice to make sure my car was still there.) I went to my store (girls know all the store locations.) I then realized I did not know who worked there and who did not. As myopic as I am, everyone is a blur let alone name tags. After about a hour and a half I finally found the dress I would have found in 10 minutes. Opening my pocketbook, even finding the right credit card was difficult but I did it and found my car afterwards. I really enjoyed the suspense of it all.

R Ed 14 Apr 2008, 07:24

Jen,

You mentioned you�d like to get contacts at some point. What factors influence when that point would be. I�m sure you look lovely in glasses. Currently do you know how you�d look in contacts? Is it a struggle to see your self sufficiently clearly in a mirror when you remove your glasses? If so perhaps a photo without your glasses would help.

Good luck with your upcoming eye test

Jen 12 Apr 2008, 10:43

I have worn glasses since I was 5 years old. :) I don't remember ever trying to "go without glasses" because I just couldn't see very much.. I would like to get contacts at some point...

12 Apr 2008, 02:23

Jen, was there a time when you did 'go without glasses' either because you could manage or because of vanity etc.

Jen 11 Apr 2008, 15:54

Hi, sorry I don't know if I am 20/20. I don't think so because I can't really read most of the 20/20 line but I can sometimes get the letters. But I did do OK in my drivers license eye test when I had new glasses...

I do get the high index lenses but they are thick anyways...

I usually get glasses once a year, it usually goes up by -.50 or .75 but last time I went up -1.00 in one eye. But my eyes are getting worst faster than usual now. My mom has set up an appointment to update my prescription! I will go next week.

Puffin 11 Apr 2008, 14:02

hey Jen, how often do you go to get new glasses? and how much the increase typically?

RL 11 Apr 2008, 11:14

Jen,

How is your vision at your prescription level? I know you said you need new glasses soon, but do you see well when they are new and current? I'm at -11.50 and -15 and can easily read 20/20, probably better when the glasses were new. Do you have high index lenses?

Jen 10 Apr 2008, 16:05

Hello unnamed poster. My glasses are -16 /-14.5 ...

but I think I will have to get new glasses soon, because things are starting to get blurry again. I am having a hard time reading the small writing even sitting in the front in class...

10 Apr 2008, 12:04

Jen, sorry if I missed an earlier post, but what's your prescription please ?

ric 08 Apr 2008, 23:22

Going with contacts i use to wear in pool, beach, etc...but when im with glasses i use to put them off for pool or beach. Of course i start the blurr when i let the glasses off and find dificult to see a thing or recognise people with more than -8. Usually i remember the colours and situation of toilets or friends dresses colours to return.

Jen 08 Apr 2008, 20:08

I would definitely leave my glasses on for swimming or lake, but I never really do that. Maybe I would get some prescription goggles...

For a sauna, they would just get fogged up anyways!

sum1wholovesgirlswithglasses 08 Apr 2008, 15:27

yeah it would be very intersting to know

how nearsighted people deal with rare situations e.g swimming in a lake,pool

sauna do you have your glasses on or take them off?

08 Apr 2008, 14:29

Audrey,at what prescription did you go full-time ? Were you reluctant and have you any incidents you can tell us about please ?

08 Apr 2008, 14:27

Diane, do you swim at a public pool bare-eyed ? Isn't that a bit scary ?

Diane 08 Apr 2008, 13:25

Hi Audry

Ditto on a trusted soul nearby. I don't think I would have managed nearly as well last fall (My January 15 post)without making some new friends.

Audrey 08 Apr 2008, 12:44

Hey folks! A glasses loving friend of mine just asked me to check out this thread and add my thoughts. I hover around a -6 RX and most everything starts to get fuzzy from about a foot away. I couldn't imagine going out without my glasses for an entire evening but I do sometimes take them off for awhile when I'm out, usually if I'm relaxing with a friend or two over a drink or coffee. Usually in those situations it's nice to rest my eyes and I actually enjoy everything being blurry; I can slow down and converse without being distracted by looking at everything around me. I would definitely be nervous to go without them if not in the company of someone I trust though (and who might be able to catch my clumsy self running into stuff!)

Squinting doesn't seem to do much for me to improve my vision in these situations, but tugging on the side of my eye does.

Diane 08 Apr 2008, 11:52

Without my glasses, I don't think I could recognize someone from more than a few feet away if I met them on the sidewalk. Maybe by squinting, five or six feet. Like others here have said, if I know what color of clothes to look for, I can make a good guess.

On my trip last week, I did leave my glasses in my room when I went for a swim. My attempts to resist squinting were pretty half-hearted.

08 Apr 2008, 11:08

Diane,

How are you at recognising people as they approach. Have you experimented elsewhere too ?

Thanks

Diane 08 Apr 2008, 08:42

Tom

As you might expect, I reach for my glasses the first thing each morning. Soon after, I take them off to shower and remain bare-eyed while I dress, do my hair and put on make-up, 30-45 minutes. I use one of those magnification mirrors that extend from a wall bracket. Lately, on lazy weekend mornings, I have remained bare-eyed while I eat breakfast and read for awhile.

I almost always wear my glasses outside of home, the exception being if I work late and have a great deal of reading to accomplish.

I do travel in my job which provides opportunities for bare-eyed experiments such as the grocery store experience that I shared with Bob W. I would have been way too embarrassed to pull my eyelids at my neighborhood store.

And you are correct, I don�t do well in poor lighting.

Sean 07 Apr 2008, 14:28

Tom, on the topic of exchanging glasses: my girlfriend and her mom are both myopic but only need glasses for driving, watching TV,... When we are at my parents in law's place, or they come to our home, it often happens that either my girlfriend or her mom do not have their glasses with them but are in a situation where they need glasses. As both still have their old specs somewhere around in the house, they often end up wearing each other's previous glasses. Which I think is really sexy, especially seeing my girlfriend in her mom's older specs.

eyespy 07 Apr 2008, 13:35

Tom

I agree, at -3 most people would agree that they definately need to wear their glasses for most things except when they get presbyopic and need to read. It must be very uncomfortable for them not to. It's hard to believe that some people will go without glasses because they worry so much about how they look/what people think. I'm sure they look just fine!

Tom 07 Apr 2008, 08:07

Clare: according to my experience -3 is a point where going around without glasses becomes quite discomfortable, although not impossible. I know a few people that prefer -3 blur than appear in public with glasses on. And that's was probably the case of your friend in the train.

Diane: how much time do you spend bare eyed? Just sometime to try, or do you practice regularly? With your -5 it should not be so easy to survive, although you can walk safely in a well lighted place. What about in the night?

Phil: I competely agree with you. A squinting girl/woman is on top of my list, too. Do you still go around bare eyed? Probably there are women who love squinting guys, as we love squinting girls so much...

Bye.

Tom

BTW: another intriguing vision (in addition to squinting girls) are people trying other's people glasses. I saw last Tuesday at the airport two asiatic people (a man and a woman) who were repeatedly exchanging their glasses. Most unfortunately I was too far to hear what they were saying and not alone (couple of colleagues were with me) so to get closer and possibly participate to the trial with my own glasses... have you ever tried (or used to see) other's people glasses? I did, and in a future post I'll tell you.

Bob W. 06 Apr 2008, 14:31

Diane, you're remarkable. Thank you very much. Those details really 'clear up' my understanding of your -5 blurry world. Obviously you want to wear your glasses, but if you want to play around or go without, your squinting is a very significant aid.

Again, thank you very much.

Bob W.

VFL 06 Apr 2008, 09:02

Correction. Make that a shortsighted one-armed bandit.

VFL 06 Apr 2008, 09:01

Going without your spectacles once in a while truly keeps one humble. It also helps to keep in perspective what your cutely bespectacled partner is going through.

I have never been one to come right out and ask my partner what they can see, what their prescription is, etc. That's like the old proverb about squeezing a handful of sand and how it leaks out of your fingers but you can hold more if you keep your hands open.

My experience has been sweeter by standing back, enjoying how my partners behave with their lenses naturally and when circumstances warrant (and they always do at some point)ask the right questions and end up with the greatest experiences. I can't tell you of any man I fancied who didn't eventually payout like a one armed bandit jackpot at some point.

"Blind without them, I really am. Here, try them on. See, I told you."

No. Really. I swear. Be still my beating heart.

06 Apr 2008, 07:11

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Ai2YRbuN5C55U4jKq8zh2dOn.Bd.;_ylv=3?qid=20080406062458AA6hLkO

Julian 06 Apr 2008, 06:58

Tim: pulling may not help hyperopes, but squinting does, a bit. I distinctly remember one day there was some kind of incident in the street, and a youth who was out without his strong plus specs gave a fierce squint to see what was up before going indoors and coming back wearing them. I tried this out this lunch time. I was eating on my own in a pub with a display of between-the-wars artefacts, and while I was waiting for my meal I amused myself by seeing what I could read bareyed. Not much apart from the largest print, and squinting helped just a little. What helped a bit more was peering between a thumb and forefinger pinched together.

In both cases the principle is the same as that of the pinhole camera: a narrow band of light rays gives less opportunity fo blurring.

Diane 06 Apr 2008, 03:24

Bob W

A few everyday experiences that might be of interest to you.

Looking at the calendar on my wall. The numbers are about �� and bold. Without glasses, I can make the numbers out at 12 inches. At four feet, by squinting hard and concentrating, I can figure the numbers out. At ten feet, by pulling, I can read the numbers.

Searching for my earrings on top of my messy dresser. Bare-eyed, I can locate them at six inches. Squinting didn�t really help. Pulling, I could easily find them at 24 inches.

Reading the clock on the wall, I can scrunch out the approximate positions of the hands at 8 feet, at 12 feet, I can pull the hands into focus.

Finding a can of Campbell�s chicken noodle soup at the grocery store: bare-eyed, 6 inches. Squinting: about fourteen inches. Pulling, three feet, assuming those were 12 inch floor tiles at the store. (Bare-eyed grocery shopping is very difficult.)

Reading the aisle signs that are suspended from the ceiling at the grocery store. Bare-eyed: hopeless. Standing right under them, squinting helps. Half the aisle away, by pulling, I was able to read them.

Locating my glasses inside my cluttered purse: Bare-eyed, 3 inches. Squinting and pulling, no data. LOL

Tim 05 Apr 2008, 21:27

Thanks, Specs4ever. I should have thought of that!

specs4ever 05 Apr 2008, 03:38

Hey Tim, pulling makes the eyeball shorter, and too long an eyeball is what causes most myopia. But with prestobia, the eyeball is already too short, so pulling only increases the problem

Tim 04 Apr 2008, 23:12

The onset of presbyopia has revealed some latent hyperopia (about 1.25, I reckon). Now I have difficulty reading text on the TV screen without my original +1.5 readers. The thread on squinting v eyelid-pulling has made interesting reading, but I find that neither makes a scrap of difference if I do not have my old readers to hand.

Is the answer that squinting or pulling only work for myopia and not for hyperopia, or is it that they only work for the young?

Any younger hyperopes out there - your experiences, please?

Bob W. 04 Apr 2008, 14:02

Clare, sorry. I shouldn't be directing you to try different things. You've got good sense to do it right in the first place. As for the fellow in the gym, I recall when much younger making comments such as "You can't see that sign?", or "Can you see that" to the few young myopic women I was lucky enough to get a date with. Probably struck the same raw spot on the ole self esteem for them. Probably many other young women experience the same, and do the same, swear they won't get caught squinting again and switch to contacts.

Could continue with that in Psychology.

Enough,

Bob W.

Guest 04 Apr 2008, 13:45

I'm not sure it's nice to call Clare a rock.

Phil 04 Apr 2008, 11:43

This message is to the rock I saw in a field yesterday. "Hi Rock: My name is Phil. Want to go out? Want to have coffee? Want to text me?"

Rock to Phil: "No."

Clare 04 Apr 2008, 11:31

Phil - I say: no, don't go there ... !

Glad to hear all's well with you, with me too.

Phil 04 Apr 2008, 01:36

Hi Clare. How are you?

I think my daughter is -.25. She's just started at uni so she's at the age when one's rx does increase.

How's yours? I'm nearing the anniversary of my last test so I think I'll get another. I've shot up from around -3 to -4 in the last few years after a long period of stability so I wouldn't be surprised to get an extra -.25. It will certainly be the straw that breaks the camel's back and send me fulltime.

Dare I annoy everyone here by re-issuing that coffee invitation?

Diane 03 Apr 2008, 18:25

At 39, I suppose a few wrinkles are inevitable, without regard to the reason. But, a distinct advantage to bare-eyes; the wrinkles really aren't noticible. LOL

Clare 03 Apr 2008, 13:48

Phil - oh no, your daughter hasn't inherited her dad's myopia has she? How old is she?

Clare 03 Apr 2008, 13:47

Bob W _ I don't do much squinting, at least not out of the house. I only really noticed the difference trying to see a clock. As I posted here a while back, some years ago I was very embarrassed by someone catching me squinting (at the tv) in the gym. He was insensitive enough to suggest that I 'get those contacts in'. Nowadays that's exactly what I do!

Melyssa 03 Apr 2008, 12:39

I always went without glasses -- from birth until 44 years ago today. For the next eight years, I went without glasses whenever possible, until I had to wear them fulltime. I'm celebrating the anniversary by wearing cat's-eyes, which my first pair was. Party on! LOL

Bob W. 02 Apr 2008, 14:59

I'll be brief.

Wrinkles have much more to do with skin losing flexibility too early, like lots of sun exposure.

Clare, I don't know how you managed 1 eye squints, but I think if you closed your -3.00 eye first, then squinted with your -2.75 eye, then reversed, the closing of the eye might affect it for a bit when you first open it again. If so, you might try just repeat your experiment by covering it with your hand each time.

I better get out since I don't have any experience to bring and I see I am dominating things.

Best Regards,

Bob W.

Bob W. 01 Apr 2008, 15:58

Diane, wow, those specifics really help me figure some things out. You mange better than I would have thought. I imagine the muscles around your eyes have exercised quite a bit and get create a lot of tension in front of the eye. That was a little what I meant by the "experience" effect of squinting. Since I haven't had the need to squint, including living in northern latitudes (around 45 deg., same as wurm), I can't get much tension in front of my eyes by scrunching. Likewise, pulling at the corner of my eyelid is like pulling on limp plastic. With my readers, there is only the slightest improvement.

I wouldn't worry about wrinkles much. I saw 1 of my high school aquaintances some time later, beautiful eyes, w/o evidence of surgery.

Astra, you have provided a lot of detail, as have others, too. Was the chart on a pc screen rather than a wall chart? How was the light? An lcd or laptop (flat panel) screen produces much less contrast and light intensity than an older crt (tv) screen, and maybe any pinhole like effect, like just the eyelids drawn into a slit, might cut too much light? I don't know any answer to that, and don't have any myopic eyes around to experiment with. I know that when the light gets too dim, then the retina turns to much less dense (meaning lower resolution image) black/white sensors (rods) instead of the usual color, high resolution cones. That is all I can think of to explain the apparent contradictions you present.

Puffin, it is possible your friend could have had some kind of localized curve in his cornea, maybe from birth. There are other kinds of defects(including localized, if I recall correctly) in the roundness of the cornea besides astigmatism.

Clare, I wonder if your experience might be that even squinting with your -3.00 eye, it seems pretty poor if you compare it right after squinting with your -2.75 eye if you did them with immediately 1 after the other, if there is much difference between them. I suppose you could really only tell if you were looking at something with specific detail to compare, such as signs with different size letters, or something.

Again, this is all speculation without myopic experience on my part, but quite a bit of scientific background. I depend entirely on your experiences.

Best Regards,

Bob W.

still 01 Apr 2008, 10:05

I think I mentioned this years ago - In Hemingway's "The Wayward Bus" there was a character, a young woman, who did the same thing as Diane to see clearly without glasses. Of course Diane, you should be careful about that, because maybe you will create unnecessary wrinkles - Heaven forfend! 8-)

Diane 01 Apr 2008, 08:33

Bob

I think I am also obsessed with this topic.

A regular mattress is 80 inches long, then maybe 18 inches between the foot of the bed and 24� TV. When I sit up and lean toward the TV, I suppose I am in the middle of the bed but might slide closer. So, I would say my eyes are less than 5 feet from the TV. At that range, the screen is quite blurry. But when I pull my eyelids, the image sharpens up sufficiently to make sense of it but not enough to read the guide.

I learned of the �pulling� technique as a school girl and pull my eyelids to improve my uncorrected vision when in private, such as at home or in a motel room. On the rare occasions when I am not wearing my glasses in public, I resist pulling in favor of squinting. And, for Galileo, it does work for me.

Galileo 01 Apr 2008, 08:19

All4eyes:

I'm sure with your attitude you will find a great guy to turn the shower scene into an epic!

On the subject of squinting I did go out with a girl who was -8.5 and who claimed squinting helped her vision without glasses.

Phil 01 Apr 2008, 01:31

Clare, I have found that squinting has ceased to do much good now that I've hit -4. Up till then it certainly helped. And my daughter who has just about -.25 seems to be able to see pretty perfectly by employing the occasional squint.

There's nothing like a squinting woman in my book. It indicates that there is almost certainly a nice pair of specs somewhere in the handbag-or soon will be! And, as with all things, the excitement's in the anticipation!

Bob W. 31 Mar 2008, 19:19

I've been obsessing again and have a hypothesis about squinting. Since the great majority of myopes have increased length of the eye (distance from the back of the lens to the retina at the rear part of the eye) as the cause, could squinting do something to correct this a little? The difference between a -2 eye and a 20/20 eye is about 0.6 mm out of about a little over 26 mm total diameter of an eye. It's not much, but that's how far in front of the retina the image is in focus, instead on the retina where it should be at full distance vision, when the lense is fully relaxed. Everything else about the myopic eye is the same as the 20/20 eye (no such thing as "weak" or "bad" eyes).

Couldn't the facial muscles around the eyeball that force the lids shut exert pressure enough on the front of the eye to press it against the fat pads at the rear of the eye socket to shorten up the length a little? Pulling on the corners of the eyelids, or (less so) the side of the face do this also? Then there is the "pin hole" effect when the eyelids are merely a thin slit as well.

That might be like a polite, or "soft" squint, when only the eyelids are brought together without any scrunching, a little like the involuntary lid fluttering discribed by some when they first take off their glasses.

The pinhole effect would work for astigmatism or myopia, while shortening the length of the eye works only for myopia. In poor light, the pinhole decreases light, making it harder to see.

BTW, this is what really got me obsessing, Clare, how did you manage the 1 eyed squinting?

I could only figure that you on different occasions had 1 contact out and were trying to improve the image by squinting both eyes, but only saw improvement when your -2.75 eye was bare.

In high school, I knew a group of friends that pulled at the corners of their eyes if scrunching didn't work. Diane, how far away is your bedroom tv?

I would love to hear more if anyone is comfortable with it.

Brother, I really went over the top with this one. Then again, I'm obsessed!

Best regards,

Bob W

Diane 31 Mar 2008, 13:56

It is likewise inconvenient but not impossible for me to go without my glasses. A few minutes ago I removed my glasses and walked through our office (three desks, chairs, trashcans, filing cabinets, etc) without stumbling or bumping into anything. I stopped and talked to a co-worker for a couple of minutes and she didn�t seem to notice that I was not wearing glasses. It might be different in an unfamiliar surroundings.

Clare 31 Mar 2008, 13:19

Tom - I have only the tiniest amount of astigmatism (-0.25 x 140). I have just tried squinting at PC range and that did work so it must just be for bigger distances it becomes ineffective.

On the inconvenience of my -2.75/-3 without glasses, it's not impossible. A friend of mine who says he's -2, CL wearer, was concerned when I said I don't carry spare lenses. The fact is that even without them I could find my way from the office to the train. If I was further afield I'd be better prepared. A -2.75 friend on the train without CLs claimed not to be able to see a thing - but not so little that she was tempted to put on her glasses I guess!!

Diane 31 Mar 2008, 13:12

I had plans for a bare-eyed Sunday a few weeks ago but that did not work out. I am in the -5 range in both eyes but have no astigmatism. I do wear no-line bifocals because the distance Rx interferes with my near vision. I really do not need glasses for reading and other near vision tasks, but I need to see both near and far at work.

Without my glasses, squinting does help when I try to focus on things like clocks, calendars and peoples faces at distances as far as 15-20 feet away. Pulling my eyelids works even better, but that technique is a not very glamorous thing to do in public. However, when I go to bed, I often set the sleep timer on the bedroom TV, take off my glasses and listen to a late night talk show. Then if I hear something I want to see, I usually sit up and pull my eyelids rather than retrieve glasses.

Another trick is to curl either index finger to create a tiny hole at the knuckle. Then by holding your hand close to your eye and peering through the hole, you can see pretty good for a moment but that seems to only work with one eye at a time.

Puffin 31 Mar 2008, 04:11

I know someone myopic, they have left eye about -3 with 0.25 of astigmatism, the other -3.5 with 0.5 astigmatism. I've seen him tilt his head forward and look through the uppermost part of the left eye only, he says he can see 20/40 or so. It doesn't work at all with the right eye. Perhaps there's some part of the eye or lens that isn't nearly so bad up there?

oh, and he says it hurts his neck.

Julian 31 Mar 2008, 03:58

An eye chart for 6 feet away - are you sure? Most eye charts are for 6 metres - roughly 20 feet.

Astra 31 Mar 2008, 01:46

Uh-huh... It seems to me that squinting are more powerful for those with no astigmatism and perhaps no bifocal prescriptions (What's that actually called?), some even in -3 range.

I tried an eye chart for 6 feet away and I can see the line 6/24 without glasses. With squinting, I could only see the image darkens and even more blurry than without squinting.

Then I tried pulling the eyelids, and I could see 6/12 line with ease, while barely figure out the line 6/9.

Contrary to my belief, at 3 feet away from the chart, and I tried pulling my eyelids again without glasses, it was even worse. I could still figure out font 16 by 3 feet away without glasses, but with pulling I could not figure out font 24.

Tom 31 Mar 2008, 01:06

Clare, how much astigmatism do you have? Squinting works ok with myopia, but not with astigmatism. This could the explanation why for you it works with one eye only.

You have probably used the right way to describe how the naked eye life is for us in the -3 range: not impossible, but annoying.

Tom

Tom 31 Mar 2008, 01:00

Accodrind to my experience, squinting at -3 is not so helpful, unless the distance of the thing to be obsrved is not so large. I mean, PC screen is quite blurred at normal reading distance, while looks much better squinting at it. I tried glasses of a collegaue of mine (-1.25) and they do help a lot for medium distance as the PC screen. However, objects more that few metres away look almost equally blurred by squinting or not.

On the other hand, pulling my eyelids is a much more efficient way to cope with my nearisghtedness. I tried once reading the undergound map from being sit on the other side of the coach and it worked perfectly! I think that's the most efficient trick for our shortsighted to see.

Bye,

Tom

Bob W 30 Mar 2008, 16:35

Hi Astra, Clare

I wonder if there is a practice effect or something with squinting. Now mind you, I'm not myopic, just very obsessed. With my +2 readers (for presbyopia), things in the distance are blurred. No amount of scrunching up my eyes makes a noticeable difference in different lighting conditions. I meekly asked a young japanese woman who is about -3 and is frequently bare-eyed around school how much squinting helped her. I had known her for a few years, and she had said her prescription was ".7".

We were looking at an average wall clock about 20 feet away and she could tell what time it was with the blurred clock hands. With squinting, she said the numbers were blurred, but she could see the dots between the numbers. What was interesting to me was she wasn't scrunching her eyes closed, but tensing the muscles around her eyes, what I'd call straining.

I explained what I tried with my readers and she was astonished. She asked me to look at the trees out the window and try. She thought everybody experienced distant things "getting much closer" with squinting!

I didn't have nerve enough to ask any more. I had pushed my envelope much further than ever at that point.

I have seen her squinting by scrunching up her eyes to nearly closed before at a distance from her, but didn't dare ask her if that made a further difference.

So much for now.

All4Eyes 30 Mar 2008, 15:16

Glad everyone liked my bare-eyed adventure. Yes, I did wimp out and wear my glasses on Sunday. I'm wearing them now, too, but next weekend...

Galileo: I rather enjoyed the "shower scene" myself! --) (squinting smiley)

I ALWAYS make passes at guys who wear glasses (or need to but like going without!), Marie

sourgrapes 30 Mar 2008, 15:14

(They would have been about 3-4 feet from my face)

sourgrapes 30 Mar 2008, 15:10

Last night I put my glasses bare on the nightstand, instead of in the case. This morning I woke up, and found that I could not see my glasses on the nightstand: I had to grope for them. Although, the room was somewhat dark.

Prescription lies somewhere between -6 and -9.

Clare 30 Mar 2008, 14:29

Astra - I find squinting's pretty helpful for seeing the alarm clock! With a prescription similar to yours (-2.75 + -3) I've discovered that squinting only works with the -2.75 eye, with the other which has a bit of astigmatism it doesn't work at all. It doesn't really matter though because I suppose you'd only squint with both eyes open anyway.

I'm not often outside for any long period of time without any correction - except today, alhtough I have been to the supermarket and found it quite annoying - but find that squinting can be helpful for short periods. Not sure why it only works with one eye.

Is there a threashold does anyone know?

Astra 28 Mar 2008, 22:56

Re Bob: I rarely wear glasses at home, because I cannot focus close up work with both prescription -1.5 or -2.5, while I could see close up without my glasses. It seems to me that many with my distance prescription tends to wear them full-time, but apparently they can focus close up easily, especially so for those around my age. Actually some of them could focus within 10 cm or so... (And some eventually get stronger prescription very quickly, advance of -1 every year... mostly are that kind of person) I could not focus that close even without my glasses.

I seem to be lucky (up till now) that I don't need astigmatism corrections or significant difference between both eyes.

Astra 28 Mar 2008, 22:47

Squinting is my natural habit when I remove my glasses... because the change in vision is too abrupt and I don't really accustomed to that. (vice versa, I am used to enlarge my eyes at the moment I put on my glasses) I have never realised any positive change when squinting... just even worse, as far as I could tell. But some of my friends did notice significant improvement with squinting... (I could only realise improvements when I forcibly pulling my eyelid apart).

Bob W. 28 Mar 2008, 20:54

Thank you Astra. I value the experiences of "mainstream" myopes. I remember in Junior High School, a 'few' decades age, hearing girls complain they couldn't see "anything" without their glasses, but when they squinted really hard, it seemed like they could almost see normally, like 20/30 or 20/40. I remember thinking that their squinting must be very powerful! I guess I was a little optimistic.

I hope you can dwell on what you can see and do bare-eyed, rather than what you can't. I think it would be extrodinary for you to see detail of your friend's face at 20 meters w/o glasses. It depends on the lighting too.

Probably if there were bright colors or colored lights, and you weren't trying to see any details, then the blurring might have an interesting effect compared to auto headlights, if you ever tried.

BTW, do mostly wear glasses inside (as in at home)?

Astra 28 Mar 2008, 03:35

I walked around the neighbourhood without glasses... (hanging them on top of my head). I managed to get around but the blur is quite annoying. Sharp edges are all blurred... although I could figure them out up close. Damn, I must be stupid--- the headlights from the car looked like a lighted mess splited into several pieces... it looked nothing but terrible... I wanted to see them with my glasses. So I did, and realise that lights around me actually looks fantastic. Night came, and the blur looked so unpleasant... What annoys me the most is the lovely lights that used to be dainty and focused split into uncomfortable mess. I used to wear my glasses outdoors so I hardly recognise these problems unless I "play" with my eyes by removing the glasses. So I am back home now, typing without glasses of course.

Astra 28 Mar 2008, 01:43

Damn, I suddenly hate wearing glasses because of the pain... but I could not figure out my friend's face sitting some 20 metres away... squinting desperately but it does not help.

Astra 28 Mar 2008, 01:37

And immediately I feel slight headache and eye pain--- for concentrating small fonts with -1.50.

Now I look through the window, taken off my glasses, trees some 20 m away from me is an utter blur. (My distance prescription is around -2.50)

Astra 28 Mar 2008, 01:35

I could read the posts clearly with font 12 within 50 cm from my screen, but can't read anything of font 12 from some 60 cm from the screen, apart from blur. With -1.5 I cannot read font 12 closely, but I could read them from 50- 110 cm away from the screen.

Tom 20 Mar 2008, 08:04

Clair, Diane: please tell us more about your bare eyed experiences. My own ones are much less significant although intriguing... only time in real trouble was trying to find my way walking in an unknown city at night. I could not distinguish what I had more than say 50 metres ahead of me so I had to put my glasses on. Apart this time, I'm able to function ok, although any kind of detail is out of my range.

Bye,

Tom

sum1wholovesgirlswithglasses 19 Mar 2008, 16:43

oops

the last post has been written by me

oh dear

19 Mar 2008, 16:41

All4Eyes

i really enjoyed your bareeyed weekend story,well done^^

its quite rare hearing from a girl

who makes passes on guys with glasses

sum1wholovesgirlswithglasses 19 Mar 2008, 16:38

Diane how was your weekend without glasses on?

Clair 19 Mar 2008, 15:38

It depends. Sitting next to me is difficult. At a round table with someone across from me, I cannot tell eye color and usually whether their eyes are even open or not. I don't see people. I see blurry faces wearing say a red top. If I know someone is wearing a red top, I can probably find them if I were to leave the table. If they put a sweater on over the top and I did not know the sweather color, I would never find them bare eyed.

19 Mar 2008, 15:28

Clair,

Could you manage to get around ok without your glasses, could you actually see your friend at the table ?

Clair 19 Mar 2008, 15:17

At -11 and although the season is over, Christmas Tree lights look fantastic bare eyed. A few weeks ago we were out and me in prescription sun glasses not realizing my glasses were in the car. Someone suggested a dimly lit restaurant which made dark glasses usless so I read the menu bare eyed which was a shock to one friend who knew I was "blind" but "not that blind". That's okay as I like myopia and my bust is far larger than hers.

19 Mar 2008, 13:51

Diane,

How did you get along bare-eyed ?

ES-Visitor 19 Mar 2008, 05:06

All4eyes thank you very much indeed for those moments you allowed us to spend with you while you were bare eyed... A real treat! I'd definitely ask for more...

Thomas 17 Mar 2008, 16:22

HI Sue. so sorry to hear you need bifocals at an age when its almost unheard off, still at least you have much more comfortable vision, which is wonderful. I hope this will now allow your eyes tosettle down and maybe stay at their present RX for a few years to come. I know lots of people in here say they like ladies in high rx glasses I,m sure you would rather have 20/20 vision, than bifocals.

Take care Thomas.

Bethanne 17 Mar 2008, 12:46

Sue:

I have a prescription similar to yours, plus base out prisms and a stronger add. I'm 21, so know what you are talking about with early bifocals. My eye doctor pretty much insists over -10. If you want to e-mail me I'm bethanne_lupinski @ hotmail .com

Bobby 16 Mar 2008, 06:21

Oh, All4Eyes I missed that mail in which the bare eyed story was. However I have found it. It will be included in the next update.

Diane 15 Mar 2008, 20:23

All4Eyes - I have re-read your diary and just realized your bare-eyed weekend is a work in progress. I am inspired and have just tucked my -5's away in my dresser drawer. I intend to complete the weekend bare-eyed. My day tomorrow will include a two block walk to church. Let us know if you can sustain your resolve and I will likewise report my experiences.

Galileo 15 Mar 2008, 20:04

All4eyes - I really enjoyed your bared eyed Saturday and the insights (pun) it provided. The shower scene was very erotic :)

Diane 15 Mar 2008, 19:53

All4Eyes - Great diary. I can definately relate to your "observations." I assume your Sunday was with glasses. Thanks for sharing.

Puffin 15 Mar 2008, 17:29

perhaps we could have a sort of "glasses diary" thread or section?

All4Eyes 15 Mar 2008, 15:48

(Scroll down to first post, please)

12:04 AM Having said all that, I must also admit that after 14 hours and 9 minutes (the last hour and 9 minutes of that on the computer) without correction, my eyes are definitely angry with me. I think they (quite apart from the rest of me) are even beginning to fantasize about looking through some nice, strong -10 lenses. I figure since it's after midnight, it's technically Sunday, therefore I've technically made it a whole day without glasses, therefore it is Ok if I put them on again. I pick them up, careful not to smudge the fresh, clean lenses, slide them up my nose...Ahhhhhh! YES!!!! I cannot tell you how good it feels to put your glasses on after 14 hours and 9 minutes without them! The feeling of them sitting on my face again, the way my eyes feel looking through them again, not to mention how wonderfully clear everything seems. And for a few moments everything really does seem breath-takingly sharp, even though I had previously been noticing the famous beginnings of blur in the distance that signals the need for a new rx. And, soon enough I do begin to notice it again, but I look forward to recapturing that feeling of amazing clarity when I do get new glasses. It truly is one of the greatest feelings of joy I've ever known and I feel very sorry for everyone who isn't myopic. I really feel that this is one of many special gifts (along with the joy of the blur and the gorgeous glasses we get to wear) given to us lucky myopes.

All4Eyes 15 Mar 2008, 15:47

10:45 PM I turn on my computer and start rereading some of the old posts about going bare-eyed. I'm squinting like crazy and have to bump the font size up to 12 to really be able to see it and 14 to be anywhere close to comfortable and all the way up to 18 to make it out without squinting at all. And I still make tons of typos (what you're reading now has been edited with glasses on). Neck and back are starting to hurt again from bending over the blurry keyboard. Since my uncorrected acuity is worse than 20/200, I am "legally blind without glasses", as my mother is fond of reminding me and which seems to be a big deal to her. But I wonder if this is really what it's like to be truly legally blind? Somehow I doubt it, because although there has been some definite discomfort, in practical terms I've been able to do just about everything. If my vision was uncorrectable like this, yes, I would be classified as legally blind due to my poor distance vision, but practically speaking I'd hardly consider myself "blind". I would still be able to get around without bumping into anything (no white cane or guide dog required), although I'd have a problem if I was in a strange place and had to find my way around by following signs, and of course, I couldn't drive. If I were in school, I might need some help, not being able to see the board or overhead, but I wouldn't need to have printed materials transcribed into Braille or even large print (the latter would be appreciated for comfort reasons, but not necessary). If I was in a situation like I am now where using computers is a big part of my day, that might get tricky. I'd definitely have to use a larger font size and I'd probably have to stop and rest my eyes a lot, but I could manage.

All4Eyes 15 Mar 2008, 15:46

9:00 PM In my bathroom, brushing and flossing, and washing my face. I normally clean my glasses at the same time while I'm doing all this, and I decide to go on and get them and clean them now, so they'll be all nice and clean when I put them back on tomorrow morning (yes, I have figured out that realistically I probably won't be able to make it all weekend. Wish I had some place I could lock them away from myself and be forced to, like someone on the old ES polls did leaving hers at work over the weekend). Next I brush my hair, which I usually do bare-eyed (it takes awhile just to get all the knots out, since my hair is pretty long), only putting them on to look as I'm finishing up to be sure it looks OK and I'm reminded of a day when I had a friend over and he was watching as I brushed my hair (sans specs). "Wow, you're blind without your glasses, aren't you?" he asked, almost in a whisper, sounding strangely awe-struck and I said "Yes (of course, I'm not really, but I decided to humor him), how did you know?" and he said "Because you're doing this" and I looked at him, couldn't see what he was doing at first, then gave a hard squint and realized he was squinting at me! Now I realize he could have been an OO and I probably should have offered to let him try my glasses on. I'm trying to be more vigilant now for opportunities to let others try my glasses (and vice versa!).

All4Eyes 15 Mar 2008, 15:45

4:00 PM OK, now what do I do? I still have several bare-eyed hours to get through before bedtime. I give a quick, squinty glance towards my bedside table, where my specs still forlornly lie. I think about how good it would feel to pick them up and put them on, feeling their cold weight pressing against my face as the world snaps into brilliant, beautiful clarity. Oooooo, I am tempted! But, I promised myself I'd AT LEAST make it through this day, if not the whole weekend. I figure since I'm nearsighted, reading might be a nice, comfy thing to do. Well, that's what I figured, anyway. I was lucky enough to find both "Arthur and George" and "The Chosen" at my local library (thank you, Thomas and Emily, for the recommendations on the Literary References thread). I tried "A and G' first, but soon found that "The Chosen", being a smaller, lighter book, was best, considering that I had 4 options for reading the book, none of which was wholly satisfactory: 1)Put the book down on my lap (with the book in this position and my head and eyes in the normal position for reading this way, the pages looked blank, I couldn't even make out fuzzy gray smears, so to read with the book in my lap required bending my head down over it and squinting, which made me hurt pretty much from my lower back up 2)Hold the book up close to my face, which tired my arms, and I still had a tendency to twist my neck and squint, anyway 3)Put the book down on a table, but even with a good, high table that brought the book pretty close to my eyes, I still found myself bending down over the table, thus causing the same pain as the first 2 methods and 4)Lay down on my stomach with the book spread on the floor. This was the best option, neck- and eye-wise, but it made my elbows sore from rubbing against the carpet. I suppose I could have gotten into bed and been more comfortable that way, but by then it was suppertime.

6:30 PM Supper with Mom, grilled cheese and soup. Looking into my soup bowl, I see a very strange and frankly somewhat unappetizing-looking mish-mash of browns, reds and greens. Once I taste it of course, I realize it is ground beef chunks, tomato bits and green beans, but I'm reminded of the comment someone made on Eyescene about how without glasses, all food looks like Chinese food. I don't make as much of an attempt at watching the TV as before, I just listen, and apparently miss a couple jokes (the laugh track is going and I don't have a clue what the "audience" thinks is so funny) because of this.

All4Eyes 15 Mar 2008, 15:44

12:30 PM Went to my mother's room and sat and talked with her for awhile. She didn't seem to notice that I wasn't wearing my glasses, although she had the television on in her room, also and I was (off and on) making the same awkward (and painful) attempt to watch it as I had been in the den. But then again, she's about -3 w/astigmatism and wasn't wearing her glasses, either (she's also got cataracts, but she could read some of the text on the TV I didn't even see was there).

2:45 PM By now this hardcore specsaholic is going through some serious withdrawal (not to mention my neck and head are killing me), so I decide a long, hot shower is in order, both to give my eyes a rest since it's something I really don't need good vision for and usually go bare-eyed for anyway, and because I'm hoping the hot water will soothe my neck a bit. The hot water does feel nice on this cold day, though I'm dreading the chill when I get out. As I stand (or rather, kneel, since I can't actually stand on my own 2 feet, literally, due to my C.P., though I tend to refer to kneeling and knee-walking as "standing" and "walking") there with the hot water pouring over me, surrounded by steam and fragrant soap and fuzzy shampoo bottles in a stall made of what I know are individual tiles, but which looks to me now like just a blurry white box, and with the strain and pain largely gone, the excited/melty feelings build up to full force. Without going into too much detail, let me just say my shower was long because I took a little more time washing certain parts than was perhaps strictly necessary, and it was hot in more ways than one. Anyway, after that I was in a decidedly good mood, as one might imagine, and really didn't mind the brief blast of cold air as I exited the shower, dried off, dusted on some perfumed powder and got dressed.

All4Eyes 15 Mar 2008, 15:43

10:30 AM: I settle down in the den to eat and watch some TV. OK, now we have a bit of a problem. I'm sitting about 4 feet away from the set (about where I usually sit. I tend to like to sit close even when I have my glasses on. Maybe an old habit from the years when I didn't have glasses, I dunno). I bring up the on-screen channel guide and believe it or not, I can actually make out what it says. Not clearly, mind you, and not without an intense degree of effort and a very strong urge to go and get my glasses. I really can only make it out sort of for a few seconds at a time, though if that makes sense. I squint and try different patterns of blinking and contorting my neck into all manner of painful positions and I can make out a few words, then I lose it and it all goes to a complete blur again. Even while I can read the text, it is not only blurred but also sort of double. I try closing each eye alternately, but I still see double with my left eye. Now with just my right eye I cannot make out the screen at all, everything is very fuzzy and it almost feels like what my right eye tends to do without glasses (I've noticed now however that it is decidedly unclear even with them. If I cover the left eye lots of little details go away and it's almost like everything sort of goes a little dark, then when I uncover it everything seems to snap into focus and get brighter. I'm fearing an increase in discrepancy between OD and OS rxs is looming *sigh*) is to pull its focus in even closer, like some sort of ocular version of giving up and curling into the fetal position. This is all quite uncomfortable and yet, when I really start thinking about it, I get really excited and can't help smiling, and something deep within me sort of melts, there's this wondrous, hot liquid feeling that just pours over and through me that is highly erotic. Finally I settle on a show to "watch" but mostly I just listen, not even really trying to see the show (maybe it just hurts too much), just pretty much staring at my plate, which isn't perfectly clear, either, but better than the TV. Definitely wanted my glasses badly and had to resist.

All4Eyes 15 Mar 2008, 15:42

10:20 AM: I decide to make some breakfast taquitos. It's easy enough finding them in the freezer (like most freezers, ours has its share of "UFOs" (Unidentified Frozen Objects), but the taquitos come in a bright orange box. Funny how aware I become of bright, striking colors when I'm bare-eyed). I put some on a plate and put it in the microwave. I punch the buttons to set the time and only after doing so do I realize that I can't actually see the numbers on the microwave buttons from the distance I am at (would have to bend down close), I have apparently learned the buttons by their positions. Going to get a glass of milk I pass by the stove and realize that I must also lean close to the stove to read its clock. I think to myself that bare-eyed cooking would probably be difficult, if not dangerous, as I certainly cannot see the dials for oven temperature and working the stovetop without bending quite close (I can just imagine leaning down and cooking my long hair in a pot of spaghetti!). If it weren't for my glasses, I'd have to learn to work the dials by touch, as blind people do. Actually, this is all theoretical, since I don't know how to cook anyway, glasses or no glasses.

All4Eyes 15 Mar 2008, 15:41

A Day in the Life of a Bare-Eyed Minus 4 (or possibly a bit more, pending examination):

Saturday, January 5, 2008

9:45 AM: I wake up, yawn and stretch, and squint at the little Baby Ben alarm clock on my bedside table (I already know it's utterly useless to try and make out the time on the clock on the wall opposite my bed (my room is about 12' by 12'), but just for kicks I make an attempt. Not only can I not make out that the numbers are even there, I can just barely even see that the clock is there, the pink rim is close to completely blending in with the white wall it hangs on). Seeing it isn't terribly late, knowing this is a Saturday and having spent the previous evening staying up late on the computer listening to music and reading old Specs4Ever stories, I consider going back to sleep. Then I happen to spot my glasses laying on the bedside table and I think "Why don't I make this a bare-eyed weekend?" That gets me excited, so I'm up out of bed.

10:00 AM: I let the dog outside to go potty. It's chilly out (for me that is. Being in Florida it was in the low 40's (Fahrenheit), but that's cold enough for me!), so I open the door, open the screen door and let Teddy (my dog) run out, then close the screen door on his leash and pull the inside door close around me, leaving just enough of an opening to peek out but not enough to let the cold air in. Teddy likes this cooler weather, so as usual he takes his time sniffing and looking around and I try to watch him through the screen door, but I notice that because the screen is closer to my eyes and therefore much clearer than the world outside, I have to make a very conscious effort to force my eyes to "focus" (to the extent that they can, anyway) out into the yard instead of just staying fixated on the screen door. Our yard is basically a large green blur interrupted by the white blur which is the front walk, and the tree in our yard (having dropped its leaves for the winter) is just sort of a vague, gray vertical shadow. Looking across the street, I can still see the two houses there (kinda hard to miss, one being pink, the other being bright yellow. The house on the corner, btw, was purple until they repainted it-lime green!) and can even make out the white trim on them, which enables me to see where the doors and windows are. However, I can't see the shutters (on both houses they are painted a shade lighter than the house itself) at all and the mailboxes likewise have disappeared completely. Teddy barks at something and I try to see what it is. I can't see anything and for just a moment I panic, but then he calms down and I feel silly for it.

All4Eyes 15 Mar 2008, 15:40

I'm sorry for taking up so much space here, I'm really not trying to flood the board, but I thought this newer thread could use some posts to keep it going so I wrote this. I had sent it to Bobby because it's so long, not sure what happened there, but anyway, I was shocked to see I had to break it into 8 posts (9 if you count this 1) to fit the 600 word limit. If this bothers anyone, feel free to tell me so, but I figured since I don't post that often and this is a new thread that could use some support, it wasn't too terrible to do. Also on the topic of going bare-eyed, from what I've read here at ES it seems most people don't put their glasses on when they get up at night, for instance to use the bathroom. I always have, I guess just out of habit of always putting my glasses on when I get out of bed, I really don't need them to see my way to the bathroom and back. I had a friend who use to make fun of me for this (she was a hyperope, around +4 I'd guess, who always wore her glasses, except to get up at night, of course and had had surgery for crossed eyes, BTW), but I didn't realize what a weird habit it is until I came on here and read about people with much higher rxs who get up at night bare-eyed.

I ALWAYS make passes at guys who wear glasses (unless I can't tell they're wearing them because I'm not wearing mine --( ), Marie

12 Mar 2008, 16:56

Clair,

What do you see without your glasses and was there a time when you did try and manage without them ?

Clair 12 Mar 2008, 16:46

I am the only myope in the family and my mom saved every pair. I would guess around -8 (late middle school-early high school) was my point where glasses were everything. My frames are usually selected by a friend and I am very happy with the results. To anoyjer post, I enjoy being out without glasses however I would never do it alone on a street which could be realllllly dangerous.

ehpc 08 Mar 2008, 08:05

If you want to be alert and not miss opportunities that are going on in the world, anyone would be daft not to wear glasses all the time beyond a extremely low level of minus. I am minus 7 and have a minus 6 pair which I very occasionally use for reading/computer etc. So wearing those glasses I am effectively minus 1. The horrible manky blurred view of the world even with a minus 1 deficiency is intolerable to anyone who wants to be 'on top of things' and alert for all the wonderful opportunities the world puts in our way.

Sue 08 Mar 2008, 00:40

Tom, i am 25 now, and i had my first pair of glasses when i was nearly 4 yrs old. My mother had noticed i kept bumpting into things, and the hospital found out i was very short sighted, they think i could have been born like that. Myfirst pair which i still haver were -3/-2.75 which i had to wear all the time. My eyes got worse as i grew up, by the time i was 7 i was wearing in the -6 region. It got worse as i grew up, with a big jump in my teens, into double figures. I have not had the reading add long, but find it a great help for work, takes all the strain out of close work. I did not want bifocals at my age, but my optician said it was quite common with very high myopic people to need them

Tom 07 Mar 2008, 07:24

Sue, how old are you and which was the history of your nearsightedness? When did you start wearing glasses and how fast did you need to increase your presription?

Bye, thanks.

Tom

Sue 07 Mar 2008, 05:22

I think i was around the -8 mark when it became impossible to go without my glasses, even to leave them off for a short while. And to go out without them would have been foolhardy and dangerous, i could not see traffic if i wanted to cross the road. As for picking frames, my opticion has a camera, so you put the frames on you picked out, a photo is taken, then you put your own glasses back on to see what the frame looks like. This works for me, i think lots of eyewear outlets are starting this now. For us very shortsighted folk, its a godsend.

Sue 07 Mar 2008, 05:18

Spexy, my Rx is R-13.50 L-16.00 and i have a -2.50 to help me with close work.

Tom 07 Mar 2008, 04:12

Sue, Shawn, Clair and other high myopes, it is really interesting for me to hear from you high short-sighted how you see and feel without glasses. My worst eye is -5, but with this degree I can still function quite ok without glasses. I can read, safely move around a room, localise most objects, walk (troubles only at night) and probably if I�d loose or break my glasses I could be able to come back home (without driving, obviously). Unfortunately the other eye is �only� -3, so it is not easy for me to experience my full nearsightedness in the -5 eye even if I remove my glasses. I have to close one eye and this is not so comfortable for more than a few minutes. According to your experience, which is the prescription beyond what this is no more possible? When one looses visual perception of what is around him and can only stay helpless without glasses? Perhaps something around -8 or so? Please tell us more.

Tom

BTW: How can you choose new frames? Is your vision clear enough to see if a frame well suites your face?

Spexy 07 Mar 2008, 03:51

What is you RX Sue?

Charles 07 Mar 2008, 02:52

After an uncomfortable experience many years ago, I learned the hard way never to be without a spare pair wherever I go.

Sue 07 Mar 2008, 00:06

Yes shawn i also carry a spare pair of glasses with me where ever i go, in my handbag along with spare tights and all the other bits and pieces we carry in our bags.

shawn 06 Mar 2008, 20:53

yes i get eye strain and just take them off and close my eyes sometimes. I also play with my glasses to.

shawn 06 Mar 2008, 20:50

yes i get eye strain and just take them off and close my eyes sometimes. I also play with my glasses to.

03 Mar 2008, 08:28

Clair, Are you ever bare-eyed ? If not now can you remember a time when you did not wear full-time ?

shawn 02 Mar 2008, 17:33

i can't see a thing without my glasses. And i keep a sair pair in a case in the glove compartment of my car. Does anyone else do that? My rx are minus 18.

Patrick B 22 Feb 2008, 08:37

Hi Jen: You've still got a long way to go myopically before you might have a problem geting a driver's license. Some highly-myopic people have sharper correction than others with the same prescription. It's very individual. That said, there comes a point when "minification" comes into play and effectively eliminates the ability to correct to 20/20. Charles and I wear myodiscs -- which you may have heard of -- and these lenses provide greater acuity, albeit in a small lens area known as the "bowl". The overall lens is much thinner and more cosmetically attractive than conventinal lenses. Recently I had a prescription increase which helped some but still left me around 20/50 or 60, depending on the ambient lighting conditions. No longer good enough to drive legally, although I get great vision with contacts. You really need to try contact lenses at some near point. At your level of myopia, you will be impressed by just how much better you see with them on.

Clair 22 Feb 2008, 07:25

My left eye is -11.75 and my really good right eye is -11.25. Having powerful myopia my eye doc told me my eyes were +11 which meant I needed -11 correction. That is why I assumed in my last post that putting on my Dad's reading glasses made me -13. If that is true I really see no change in my distance vision. No more helpless at that power.

ehpc 22 Feb 2008, 04:07

How much minus are you now Clair? Pete

Clair 21 Feb 2008, 17:15

I started wearing glasses at age 6 and my eyes continued to get worse until about age 22. I was a full time wearer years before that. Growing up my eye doctor told my mother I had "galloping myopia". My dad using reading glasses marked "+1.50" and I tried them once without glasses. Really no change as everything was still a blur and not really worse.

Jen 21 Feb 2008, 09:34

Wow you guys! Luckily I managed to pass my vision test for my drivers license. I think it would be really dreadful to not see well enough to not be able to drive, even with glasses. I suppose you're right, in that there's a point where your vision is pretty much useless without glasses... I don't see much without my glasses. I hope my myopia does not keep on getting worse, especially to the point where I can no longer see well enough to drive.

Charles 21 Feb 2008, 08:30

Sorry, the last post was inadvertently show as from PatrickB. I named it incorrectly!

PatrickB 21 Feb 2008, 08:20

My experience was very similar to yours as far as shaving, reading etc without glasses were concerned and at a similar age. Like you, I find myodiscs superior to conventional lenses but, sadly, still not good enough to enable me to drive legally.

Patrick B 21 Feb 2008, 07:59

Craig: I totally agree with your that there is no real dfference btween, say, -20 and -25. I always wore contacts and remember --sometime in my mid-twenties -- the surprise I had when I realized that I had lost any meaningful vision without correction when I could no longer see to read without glasses unless I held the material to within one or two inches of my face and closed one eye. An earlier milestone was not being able to see to shave. The major difference between having no useful uncorrected vision at -20 and -27/27 where I am today is in the ability of glasses (not contacts) to provide adequate correction. Myodiscs are a great help but my acuity with them is such that I no longer can drive legally when I'm wearing them. C'est la vie.

Charles 21 Feb 2008, 00:14

My own experience is that once I reached the stage where I could see virtually nothing without glasses, there was no practical difference between say -25.00 and -30.00 dioptres of myopia. My myopia has increased throughout my life but my ability to see without glasses seems no worse now than years ago. Everything was a blur of vague shapes then just as it is now.

mari 20 Feb 2008, 15:46

-7 start being serious to see. do you know the chat room?

20 Feb 2008, 15:42

is it true that someone uncorrected with -5D is bad as -7D?

mari 20 Feb 2008, 15:03

and really nots much diferent between -9 and upper prescriptions

Puffin 20 Feb 2008, 14:58

yes, it's generally accepted hereabouts that about -4 you need glasses for most things and by about -8/-9 its pretty pointless going without.

mari 20 Feb 2008, 14:54

i think having about -4 is difficult to go withouth glasses but i remember the years when i start to feel absolutely helpless were about -8 and up

20 Feb 2008, 14:22

Just wondering at what prescription everything becomes a blur ? Clair and Emily's scripts are a little less than yours Jen but when you had their prescriptions could you see better without your glasses than you do now ?

Jen 18 Feb 2008, 15:44

Anonymous poster, I am really blind without them. It's just a total blur. I don't get along without them, even if I have to get up at night to go the bathroom. I probably could, but I like wearing them as it feels safer. I also don't like being caught not wearing my glasses, I don't like talking to people without my glasses. I guess the only time I take them off is in the shower, but even then I put them back on after I've done my hair so I can see properly.

18 Feb 2008, 14:46

Jen, no need to apologise for the rant, it must have been an awful experience. What do you see without your glasses ?

Jen 18 Feb 2008, 14:32

On the whole I think people are pretty nice. Most people don't even mention them although when they do it is not to be mean. Ex. Some of my other glasses wearing friends have tried on my glasses and as usually I can't see with theirs and they say mine are too strong, hehe. My friends are all pretty nice although I guess we are the "geeks" group and a lot of us wear glasses.. I don't really get comments about my glasses from strangers

Jen 18 Feb 2008, 14:14

By the way, this was a few years ago, and I think I was only around -10 then. Not as bad as I am now, I don't know what I would do if that happened to me again...

Jen 18 Feb 2008, 14:11

Well.. I did have this very unpleasent experience in middle school where this girl who didn't like me (and it was mutual) got into a bit of physical conflict with me over something stupid.

During her little fit, she pulled off my glasses and flung them away. I was instantly blinded and I just got into a ball position and started crying, feeling completely humiliated, scared and helpless. It seems she went away after she did this, and someone guided me to the office where I sat for around 30 minutes. Someone eventually found my glasses and brought them to me, luckily they were unharmed.

This was a really traumatic experience for me, and I think I have disliked having to wear glasses more so, since then. There is always a feeling of vulnerability with glasses, and I think I would feel safer with contact lenses. Sorry for the stupid childish rant.. :)

18 Feb 2008, 13:48

Jen, wearing full-time so young have you had any experiences when you were tempted to take off your glasses or when someone else suggested you remove them ?

Jen 18 Feb 2008, 10:37

I have been wearing glasses since I was five... I never resisted wearing them since I didn't really have a choice

Adalle 18 Feb 2008, 09:14

This is more a "going with glasses while not needing them" story.

Yesterday I was at my girlfriend's home all day and in the evening she had to go out for about an hour for some errands. Instead of going back to my place, I stayed there to wait for her to come back. When she left, as I had nothing else to do, I tried on her spare pair of glasses. At the beginning it was just to see how I looked like, but I decided to keep them on for a while. They are low minus (-2.5) and so in the first few minutes it wasn't much of a difference. As the minutes passed and I watched tv, I started getting dizzier and the dizziness became stronger when I went out at the balcony and tried to look far away. One hour later I couldn't cope with them any longer so I took them off. It took my eyes a while to get to normal sight again. But it was absolutely amazing to wear them for a whole hour.

17 Feb 2008, 14:13

Jen / Clair. Did you go through a stage when you resisted wearing full-time ?

Jen 17 Feb 2008, 10:17

Mari, cut-in, highmyope, as I mentioned last night, I already "solved" the problem but now I have a little blur, but I will have to manage... at least I don't have to clean my glasses constantly!

I think I like these boards, it seems like a nice place to talk to other high myopes.. Glad to meet you all. I think at this rate I might end up well over -20.

17 Feb 2008, 09:17

who's the "person"?

Clair 17 Feb 2008, 06:44

I am -11 in both eyes and and about two years ago I went in to one of the mall glasses stores and asked if my glasses could be made into sun glasses. The young women asked if she could take my glasses back to the lab and I agreed. The first time since an eye exam I ever let anyone take them. I (and I am afraid to say) enjoyed those few minutes being helpless. Since then I met a very nice person who appreciates my desire. Also Christmas lights on a tree look fantastic without glasses!

mari 17 Feb 2008, 02:19

Hi Jen, sure you dont are the only with such degree of myopia, im very near too. As a glasses-contacts wearing since 8 years old, i nottice beter vision with contacts, that havnt the vertex distance problems. With glasses, mostly now with very strong prescription is much more noticeable the lenses distance. If you have to put your glasses near is cause the prescription is weaker than you need.

In other way, you can try on contacts. Focus visitint are available to -15 d, and coast about 25 euros six lenses.

cut-in UK 17 Feb 2008, 01:16

Sorry; I should have added in my second paragraph, the 'or' to go with the 'either'. That is, to choose a frame with adjustable nosepads. It also means, for high myope/thicker lenses, that these must be allowed for in the fitting as the 'plano' lenses in the frames in the shop will probably not be as thick as your own.

cut-in UK 17 Feb 2008, 01:09

Jen/Highmyope,

Emily's advice is absolutely correct but the problem must be addressed at the time of a new prescription. Moving your existing lenses farther down your nose will give a myope undercorrection to an otherwise correct lens, so you will get a distance 'blur'

The other problem is that you have to have a frame that 'fits' your nose, to allow a vertex distance for the eyelashes to miss the lens surface. This means, either a suitably narrow bridge on one-piece plastic frames which don't permit any adjustment to nosepads as they are 'fixed'. You must mention your problem at the next visit to the optometrist, and they will be able to advise you as to exactly how best to overcome the problem, while making the lenses for a suitable vertex distance.

Highmyope 17 Feb 2008, 00:28

Hi Jen,

I have over -20 (now you've met someone with worse eyes!) and have the same eyelash problem. If my lenses are too far away, even by a few mm, I can't see much.

If you think of a solution, let me know! 8)

Jen 16 Feb 2008, 23:14

Emily, I just tried adjusting them myself.. I pulled out metal part that holds the nosepads out. Now I can put the glasses all the way up my nose and the lenses don't touch my eyelashes! I think I am used to wearing them as close as possible and with these new ones the lenses would touch my lashes. The pointy edge of the pads are poking my nose a little but I will see if I can get used to it.

Things aren't quite as sharp anymore.. but I just got these glasses so I can't get new ones.. I'm not sure what to do.. hmm.

Thanks for the advice emily. And I am glad to meet someone (almost) as blind as I am .. I have not met anyone with glasses as strong as mine

Emily 16 Feb 2008, 21:44

Jen

There's a way to deal with your lashes hitting the lenses. Ask your doctor to adjust your vertex. That's the distance between your lens and your eye. You might need an extra 1 or 2 mm for the lashes to clear. He can adjust the power of the lenses so that you can see clearly with the lenses further from your eyes. Let me know how it goes.

As for me, I have -13.25 and -13.75. I'm 22 and my glasses still are getting stronger each year.

Jen 16 Feb 2008, 20:41

Hi emily, how bad are you? I'm 17 , in high school. As far as my prescription, my left eye has been getting a lot worse a lot faster than my right eye. I think it increased by like -1.00 but my right only -.5 (I think).. Things usually start getting blurry in the middle of the year but I hold out as long as possible because the glasses are very expensive ... I guess -.5 to -1.00 is normal for me

P.S.:

Another reason I really hate wearing glasses is because they rub against my eyelashes, and if I pull them far I can't see as well and it is not comfortable. Does someone have suggestions for dealing with this, other than getting contacts? I like wearing them as close to my eyes as possible and lately I just ignore the smudges.... for some reason it's more of a problem with my latest pair

Emily 16 Feb 2008, 20:25

Jen,

How old are you? How much change do you get each year? I've very myopic too!

Jen 16 Feb 2008, 19:38

I just read through my post, I meant buy my own contacts!

Cheers!

Jen 16 Feb 2008, 19:35

Hi! I've been reading through the threads , and just thought I would try posting :)

I don't usually go without glasses if I can help it, but sometimes for hair cuts and eye exams I have to. I have -16 /-14.5 glasses so I just have to sit there helpless , I really hate it it's so embarassing. I don't like people knowing how blind I am..

I can't wear contacts because my mum says she won't pay for both because I usually get new glasses every year before school starts.. I can't wait until I have a job so I can buy my own glasses!

mari 15 Feb 2008, 01:10

Tom:

I got my first glasses in the same way, but at 8-9 years old. Remember the surprise of the doctor and my mum when she discovered i couldnt see neither of the charts.

Tom 13 Feb 2008, 07:08

I met that girl on a forum devoted to eyes and myopia (not in English.)... Few days ago a woman posted on the same forum that she took her daughter (15 y.o.) to an eyedoctor just for a test and discovered she is -3.5! And even more amazing the mother hadn't noticed how poor her dughter's vision was. Now she (mother) is complaining because her daughter does not want to use glasses at all. I can't imagine how she can survive e.g. at school or at a party with that degree of blur! Especially if I think that until few weeks ago she did'nt have glasses at all, so no chance e.g. to read the board or the time table at a station, or to recognise a friend on the other side of the street, etc... Probably she has never met a glasses lover such those here around eyescene, because she would have been discovered soon as a shortsighted going around in the blur. Or perhaps she was by someone and didn't mind. Unfortunately I've not been (still) able to speak directly with the girl.

Tom

12 Feb 2008, 06:29

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AvK4cLmfrRpRpUm..lDy822n.Bd.;_ylv=3?qid=20080210134045AAeS42X

Karen 10 Feb 2008, 10:38

Hi Tom

I'm amazed at your friend with a prescription of -3 who regularly goes without her glasses! I can't imagine why she'd do that, especially since you say she often has problems and has to ask her friends to see for her. I think it's crazy not to keep our glasses with us so we can see when we need to (and drive safely!).

I think it's crazy, or just vain, not to wear them when they can help. But I can understand that some people don't wear them all the time till they absolutely have to.

08 Feb 2008, 08:59

Here we go again...

Phil 08 Feb 2008, 06:03

Good to have some decent conversation here about moderate myopes going bare-eyed.

I think it's about more than "looks". I'm just embarrassed in my glasses. It's so odd because I think that girls look amazing in specs: I only ever fancy gwgs.

I wonder whether it's because specs are such a big thing for me that I've got such a hang-up.

Puffin 08 Feb 2008, 05:58

From what myopic friends say, it seems it is dependent on what you have to do and whether the myopia can be "worked around" (basically, by getting closer!)

and of course whether the person is willing to trade blur for (percieved) better looks. Basically, going without glasses means more thought about how to work out alternatives, more time and effort spent finding things out, especially when things are unfamiliar or subject to change.

Some will try to do without glasses just about altogether, saving them for "vital jobs" or if there is no-one friendly around to help (sometimes that's me)

Tom 08 Feb 2008, 05:38

Karen: there are people who do not keep glasses with them despite of a much lower vision than you have. I know a girl with -3 who never takes her glasses with her unless she knows she will have something to read (e.g. going at a station or airport). She reports a lot of troubles even in doing simple things, such as walk on stairs or recognize friends' car, nevertheless she always leaves her glasse at home. Is is clear that as more one makes use of glasses, as more dependent he becomes on them. So if you don't want to feel blind when you remove your glasses, do not use them fulltime. Or at least remove them sometimes to check that you can still function without.

I love to do so sometimes and I always discover that life in the blur is still possible at -3, and probably even beyond. Some years ago I brokwe my glasses and spent two or three full days in the blur (including underground, work, social occasions....) without major troubles. BTW, after a short time a very nice GWG joined us at work and she has exactly my same prescription, although was not using glasses full time. It would have been very interesting to stay in the blur together or to ask using her glasses... but unfortunately mine had been already fixed in the meantime.

Tom

Diane 05 Feb 2008, 13:38

I refer you to my post of Jan 15. I do have bifocals but that is because my distance Rx interferes with my near vision. I can read without glasses, thread a needle and remove a splinter. I often do read in bed without glasses and occassionally lounge around the house on a weekend morning without glasses. I am rarely bare-eyed in public with the exception of working at my desk at the end of a long day.

05 Feb 2008, 10:21

Diane, what about now ? Are you comfortable without your glasses at all, what's your unaided vision like ?

Diane 05 Feb 2008, 09:12

To answer the question from a couple of days ago.

I am 38 now, so my vanity era was about 25 years ago. While I am certain there must have been funny or embarrassing moments, I can't exactly recall any specifically. I do know that I was a burden on my friends. I couldn't recognize anyone across the street, driving by or approching. I had to borrow classroom notes. I could not identify the players or see the ball at sports events. I did not even keep my glasses with me, instead hiding them in a dresser drawer.

lazysiow 05 Feb 2008, 01:54

Jersey Girl, do you still need to take them off to read?

Guest 04 Feb 2008, 22:30

Jersey Girl

Great that you're a new addition to the world of GWGs. What was the reaction from friends and family when you first got them, I presume you went from no glasses to fulltime glasses? What frames do you wear?

Jersey Girl 04 Feb 2008, 19:54

Karen,

Our prescriptions are similar but I feel addicted to wearing my glasses full time. I really like the intensity of vision the glasses give me. Without them everything looks hazy and grayer. With them on everything has intenser colors and clarity. I get a tingly feeling wearing them.

I definately feel addicted to them my -1.75's and even to pairs slightly stronger then my prescription the -2.25's that my boyfriends mother gave to me. However I cannot tolerate my friends glasses which are probably over -3.50 for more then a few minutes.

You maybe luckier to be able to go without them all the time. As I said at this point I do not feel good or function well not wearing them. I can't believe that I have only had glasses the last 7 months. It has become a real dependency for me.

Karen 01 Feb 2008, 11:42

Jersey Girl, hi

Reading some posts here I wonder if I'm better at putting up with it because I don't have my glasses on all the time?

From friends of mine I know that my prescription isn't far off that.

To posted

Yes I do keep my glasses with me. It's been about 10 years since i first got them but I have no idea what the first prescription was. I wasn't curious then like I am now.

01 Feb 2008, 08:29

Diane, during your part-time and denial phases did you have any funny or embarrassing moments ?

Jersey Girl 31 Jan 2008, 20:38

Karen,

I must have a poor blur tolerance. I have a -1.75 prescription and I pretty much wear them or some -2.25's full time. I really love the intense sharp vision that I get with the glasses.

Diane 31 Jan 2008, 17:46

I first began wearing glasses in elementary school. Was full time during middle school. I suffered from vanity during 9th and 10th grade and went from part time to denial back to part time until drivers education. The need for mobility overcame vanity. I don't know my Rx during those phases, but I recall being a miserable failure on the eyetest during my first application for a learner's permit. I have worn glasses on a full time basis since then.

31 Jan 2008, 14:44

Karen,

How long have you been wearing...what was your first prescription?

31 Jan 2008, 13:24

Karen,

Do you always have your glasses with you ?

31 Jan 2008, 13:23

Diane, at what point did you go full-time ?

Karen 31 Jan 2008, 11:28

No I�m not �full time� although my optician says I must have very good �blur tolerance�, whatever that means! I tend to put my glasses on and off a lot, one optician a few years ago said I should wear them even if I am just walking along the street. I don�t feel so much that I need to see well all the time, if I�m with someone who can see what we need to somewhere like an airport I probably wouldn�t put my glasses on but I would to shop in the supermarket and if I�m walking around at night. I know I don�t see as well as people with normal sight but wondered how usual it is to go without glasses (after my optician�s comments) at this level.

Diane 30 Jan 2008, 19:37

Karen - At -2.25, if you aren't full time, I'd think you'd keep your glasses handy. At -5, I am definately full time and only am without glasses occassionally at home or in extreme circumstances outside of home.

30 Jan 2008, 10:49

Karen, your post suggests you are not 'full-time'. Is that the case and are there specific times when you prefer to wear or not wear your glasses ?

Thanks

Mirek 30 Jan 2008, 01:09

Karen. I was -1.00 and I wearing my glasses all the time. When I was without glasses I can't see so well as with glasses. You are -2.25 and I suppose you have to wear your glasses all the time.

The "real" Phil 30 Jan 2008, 00:53

Around your rx I guess Karen. I think that, at -4, I am very unusual!

Karen 29 Jan 2008, 22:23

At what point does it become unusual to go without glasses? I'm -2.25

Phil 29 Jan 2008, 08:40

. . . or better yet . . .

Phil 29 Jan 2008, 07:10

That latest contribution was not from me. I would be grateful if people did not impersonate me.

Poptician 29 Jan 2008, 05:22

Here we go again.... it must be Groundhog Day.

Phil 29 Jan 2008, 04:31

By the way... Kate. Would you like to have coffee with me? How about texting me?

Phil 29 Jan 2008, 01:57

Wow Kate! Are you a gwg yourself?

Puffin 28 Jan 2008, 17:09

I remember at my first job some years ago, there was this older woman who wore glasses most of the time, I suppose about minus 4 or minus 5, nice and big and chunky (like late-eighties styles were) I remember one day she came to work not wearing glasses and walked straight past! She soon realised her mistake and told me about it on entering, saying she ought to wear her glasses more!

Kate 28 Jan 2008, 14:11

We have two secretaries at our office, the younger being a glasses wearer. I always thought she was strongly myopic, as she doesn't recognize me when I enter her office and she is without her glasses. Such happens only when she on the phone with one of her friends over lunch time and then takes off her glasses to play with them while chatting.

Today I went into her office and asked her for a new stapler. She put down her glasses onto her desk, walked to the office supplies cupboard but couldn't locate the big staplers stock! She apologetically smiled back to me, walked back to her desk, reached for her specs while continuing her call, and then of course immediately found the staplers! When I left her office her glasses were off again.

Mirek 28 Jan 2008, 04:07

For Mirek. Thank you for your advice, for your help.

For Mirek 28 Jan 2008, 00:35

Hi Mirek, I do not want to criticize you. What I want is to help:

http://www.helpforenglish.cz/

Mirek 27 Jan 2008, 17:49

I don't want going "bare-eyed" because I want increase my myopia. By few days I will be order new overcorrected glasses, and I wearing my regular and overcorrected glasses as long as I can. I'm "bare-eyed" when I sleep and under shower, all the time I'm wearing my glasses. Is anybody here who is doing like me? Sorry, I lay, I'm bare-eyed in the morning, when I check if my myopia increase or not.

Melyssa 27 Jan 2008, 07:39

Martyn,

I hope you're enjoying your weekend as well. Yes, I am the lady with 30 pairs of rather noticeable glasses, wearing 4 pairs on weekdays (including 2 at work) and 5 a day on weekends.

When I was single, and when I would try that "flirting" thing with my glasses that you mentioned, I wouldn't be able to see who I was flirting at. :) Actually, I learned that routine from an eyewear commercial, and the young woman doing it at the end of the ad was wearing drop-temples.

Mirek 26 Jan 2008, 01:38

Anaalisa .I'm 46, my prescription is similar to your right eye -2.00 -1.00 cyl., and left eye -2.50 cyl. -0.50. Over the last 2 years my prescription increased like your about -0.5 in both eyes, but I'm completely dependent on my glasses. I usually wearing my -4.00 overcorrected glasses. Like you I don't like to go "bare eyed". Sorry for my English.

Smudge 25 Jan 2008, 00:22

Not drop temples, but Joan Collins in some nice frames on her own website:

http://www.joancollins.net/Dear_Friends/Site_Highlights/glass.jpg

Martyn 24 Jan 2008, 13:36

Melyssa, you have a nice sense of humour. Like you I like nice big bold frames on a lady, think the fact she can wear bold frames tell she has confidence in herself, sometimes glasses maketh a woman. Are you the lady with 30odd pairs of glasses and wears a different pair each day, very fashionable. The drop temple glasses looked great on women shame they don,t bring them back. Guys will have to rake notice of you if you change your glasses daily I suppose your also a good flirt, drop your glasses down your nose look over the top of them and look very sensuous.

LOve your posts Melyssa.Have a lovely weekend Martyn

Melyssa 24 Jan 2008, 12:47

Smudge, those frames in your link might fit on my ring finger. LOL Actually, I prefer large plastic frames. Joan Collins used to have a lot of them in her business.

Cut-in UK, the USA hasn't gotten the hint about bringing back successfully-selling big frames, drop-temple or top-temple. Even the place I deal with regularly has maybe two pairs in my size any time I'm there.

Puffin, I'm 5'9" (and sinking ever so slowly). Is that enough height for frames that go down? :)

Tom 24 Jan 2008, 01:24

Thanks Guest.

I had forgotten the silly girl's name. She'll regret trying to make fools of us.

Guest 24 Jan 2008, 00:12

Tom, you are correct in what you say, is the same person. Also posts as Gemma from time to time in lenchat

Puffin 23 Jan 2008, 14:25

you really need a bit of height for drop frames to work. otherwise they just look silly. modern skinny styles don't work right.

cut-in UK 23 Jan 2008, 13:23

Well spotted Smudge; however they are incomparable to the big, bold, colourful 60's plastic drop-temples that were ultra-glamourous. The women who wore them could take your breath away. Why don't the makers try and market them again. After all, we are in the age of bolder frames. I feel that the girls who went off into contacts, have now returned to the more attractive new-style frames. The small thin metal frames had become a little passe, don't you think ?

Tom 23 Jan 2008, 07:50

And I know who it is. A silly girl who used to spend all day on eyescene with her sister and imagined all sorts of nonsense. I assure her that I will root her out. She'll be sorry that she crossed me.

Michael 23 Jan 2008, 07:48

Alicia--I think the reason is that this is the thread where we started. And yes, we've moved away from the "going without glasses" topic just as you have moved away from actually going without glasses, but it seems to me that finding it unpleasant to go without glasses is a topic that belongs in the "going without glasses" thread. And I've kept writing because I enjoy your spirit and your mind and your voice and enjoy reading you.

But there is something I'm curious about: aside from the people you correspond with on eyescene and of course your sister, are there people in your daily life--classmates at school, boyfriend, etc.--who are fascinated by or attracted to your nearsightedness?

23 Jan 2008, 07:46

Yeah, ES really only consists of like 8 old men who troll each other.

eyescenesleuth 23 Jan 2008, 07:35

and don't think it has gone unnoticed that they all 3 have names that start and end with the same letter!

Tom 23 Jan 2008, 07:26

Are emma, annalisa and alicia all the same (silly) person? They write in the same way and bang on about their sisters and their dad. I'm tired of imposters here. Why don't people just grow up?

Annalisa 23 Jan 2008, 02:50

I'm 15 and my rx is:

Left -2.25 cyl -0.5

Right -2.50 cyl -0.75

The sph increased by -0.5 a year over the last two years but did not get worse when I went full time although I do say I rely on my glasses now and do not like to go "bare eyed" at all.

Alicia 23 Jan 2008, 02:32

Melyssa. I suppose I'd never actually thought of it until you posted about all your different pairs of glasses, but I would be pretty stuck now if anything were to happen to the ones I'm wearing at present. It's amazing how dependent you get on them once you start wearing fulltime. In fact (and I never thought I'd say this) I quite enjoy looking at all the various frames opticians have on display these days, when I'm in town with my sister, and trying them on. I can't see myself all that well now in frames without lenses but she is good at giving her opinion. It's great when you have a sister you can swap feeling with once you both start wearing glasses.

Smudge 22 Jan 2008, 15:53

Hi Melyssa

These drop temples are still available from Frames Direct in the USA

http://www.framesdirect.com/framesfp/Joan_Collins-ldmgtg/r.html

Melyssa 22 Jan 2008, 12:47

Alicia,

I'm glad you're going to use a backup pair in your current prescription. When I was first in college, I used my previous pair in the physical education class I took (soccer), so as not to damage my then-only regular pair.

It took me a lot of years to amass my current collection once I began it, sometimes buying 4 or 5 pairs in a "good" year.

Specman 22 Jan 2008, 10:16

Annalisa,

What is your prescription now? At what rate has it been increasing? How old are you?

Annalisa 22 Jan 2008, 10:03

My myopia didn't seem to get worse after I went full time about a year ago. At my recent test my eyesight had only got worse by the same amount as it did in late 2006 -0.5 in both cases.

Alicia 22 Jan 2008, 08:32

Hi Michael, I don't really know why are posting under this thread "Going without glasses" cos I never do now! Perhaps we should go onto something else. Yeah I'm fine, nothing much new's happened really.

Michael 21 Jan 2008, 08:31

Alicia--Hi, after an I hope nice weekend! I suppose one of the many things in which people are so different is the ways in which they live wirh blur. At one time, when I was teaching at a big music school, I had two students, both singers, who were apartment mates and who were both nearsighted with exactly the same prescription, about -3.5 (maybe just 3) I think I was. The difference was that I never saw one of the women without her glasses (except when she wore contacts for a performance, which she disliked) and that I had known the other for about a year before I knew that she was nearighted and had glasses. It reminds me of my two sisters, one of whom has to have long pants but is happy in an undershirt, while the other wears shorts but has to have a heavy turtleneck wool sweater. Thermostat in a different place. I'm on the shorts/heavy sweater team.

ric 21 Jan 2008, 06:47

I remember i was not fulltime wearer for long time, but when my eyes went about to -3.50 i start to wear my glases more and more until wearing them full time. One time i was full time in glasses, my nearsighted worsened much more fast.

Alicia 21 Jan 2008, 03:48

Melyssa. You have given me the idea to have my new rx put in the glasses I'm wearing now and also get some new ones as well. Then at least I will have two pairs to choose from to wear. Not quite as many as you though!

Alicia 21 Jan 2008, 03:45

Steve. Yes, I did try and go out bare eyed occasionally right up to the beginning of December, but it was getting absolutely ridiculous, because I was walking around in a total blur when I did. Then when I got new glasses I decided to give in and swallow my pride. And yes, I am also convinced that going fulltime make your eyes go a lot worse and I am very disappointed that my glasses have lost their intial clarity so quickly. I keep wondering now whether I got a few things wrong when I was being tested. My sister has been wearing -1.50 & -1.75 since the summer holidays and she says the clarity has gone from her glasses as well. My present rx is -3.00 and -3.50. Both of us intend to hang on though for a while yet before going for our next check up

aviator -oo- 20 Jan 2008, 15:55

Melyssa: do you know this supplier?

http://www.retrospecs.co.uk/

Maybe they have some drop temples? If not, they have to come back into fashion one day, but I don't want to have to wait!

Smudge 20 Jan 2008, 15:19

So when are you going to treat us to some pics of your favourite frames then Melyssa?

Melyssa 20 Jan 2008, 12:14

Martyn, Cut-in UK, Smudge, et al.,

I've told other women (and some men who liked my frames) about drop-temples and I've worn them to show employees of several optical stores (one even said he had never seen a pair before), but no store seems to want to get any, and I guess other people don't mention it. Maybe they remember when old women snapped up almost every pair in the 1980s.

I didn't even know my favorite style existed in the 1960s, as I definitely would have wanted a pair. I never even saw anyone wear it until 1976. And as much as they mean to me, I would never spend hundreds of dollars on a pair of glasses of any style.

There was a picture on the web of my most recent drop-temples (which I bought in 1998), brown with silver metal connectors, but like the letter of mine that had been printed in the local newspaper 15 months ago, that too disappeared. I bet a little metal or rimless frame with quarter- (or dime-) sized lenses would have stayed on. LOL

Steve 20 Jan 2008, 09:02

Alicia...you got along bare eyed in Dec, and now need yet stronger glasses since going FT? And your sis too? How strong are hers? Think wearing them FT made your eyes worse?

Alicia 20 Jan 2008, 07:23

Sorry a few spelling mistakes. I should have checked before I posted

Alicia 20 Jan 2008, 07:22

Hi Michael, Thanks for the information on you friends. I think I'm heading for -4.00 now, because since I went fulltime, my eyes seem to be getting more and more myopic. I think my sister feels the same because she asked me the other day if she could try on my second pair of glasses and she found she could see really clearly with them! I wonder when it will stop! It's funny but since I accepted I need to wear fulltime I feel really funny when I'm without my glasses. Like having a bath and things. I just wnat to reach out for them and put them back on.

Cut-in UK 20 Jan 2008, 00:25

Melyssa, I must add that I am all admiration. You have really got the supreme confidence of a committed O-O. It was, in fact, as an adolosecent in the early 60's that I 'fell in love' with the sight of a girl in her late teens, wearing .... Yes you've guessed it, drop temples with large lenses, perched on her nose. She was blonde, pretty, about size 20 (UK) and probably feeling very sophisticated as they were then quite an avant garde style of frame. The whole look of her electified me and I think it was that moment that crystallised my future as an O-O. We all have had that unforgettable 'magic moment' and 45 years later it is still clear in my mind! I sincerely wish there were more excellent and admirable women who thought like you. I hope your posting inspires others to follow.

Martyn 19 Jan 2008, 16:10

Hi Melyssa, drop temple spcs wish they could come back into fashion, love the boldness of those glasses, the little silly frames nowadays make wearers look like owls, I like ladies who wear glasses boldly and proudly and tell guys I just as attractive as ladies who don,t wear glasses. One up for you Melyssa. Martyn

Smudge 19 Jan 2008, 11:35

Would love to see some pics of your collection Melyssa. Drop temples are my favourite!

Melyssa 19 Jan 2008, 09:42

Alicia,

Yes, all 30 pairs are in the same prescription so I can wear them all. I wear each pair once a week, 4 pairs on weekdays (2 at work), plus 5 pairs on weekends. Sometimes I will wear one color one day, some days one pattern (e.g. drop-temples or cat's-eyes), etc. It's definitely a lot of fun matching glasses with outfits, too.

Melyssa 19 Jan 2008, 09:40

Diane,

I've gotten used to wearing strong glasses over the years, and even the oversized frames, whose lenses measure up to 1/2 inch, don't feel too heavy. That also applies to the large top-temple glasses I have too.

Fritz 19 Jan 2008, 07:51

glassesforeverone - so you've gone from not even knowing if you really needed glasses last summer and not wearing them to golf last November to fulltime wear, even in the rain. Wow! It wouldn't surprise me if your prescription has increased a bit since last summer. Most people go fulltime once they have crossed -2. There was a guy named Nick who used to post here who suddenly felt a need to go fulltime when his prescription went from -1.5 to slightly over -2. The next year it went over -3. Maybe that's what has happened to you.

Diane 18 Jan 2008, 14:01

I thought Dieter's experience was both reminiscent and interesting. Particularly, the comments of his classmates, after he got his glasses repaired and their assumption that he had new glasses.

Michael 18 Jan 2008, 09:04

Hi, Alicia--when I knew those girls they were all young enough for their myopia to be still progressing, nothing very dramatic, though. At that time I was very ignorant, maybe didn't even know the word "diopter," but putting together emory with what I know now, I'd guess that the two older girls were around -3.5, maybe -4. I do remember when my friend needed new, i.e. stronger glasses, wanting terribly for her to invite me to go along when she chose new frames, wanting to see her bare-eyed and squinting in a public place, but she and her Mom didn't invite me along and I was too shy or embarrassed to ask. My incipient OO was something she sensed, but we didn't really talk about it. Probably because she also noticed that I liked looking at her older sister, there were more barefoot minutes as well.

glassesforeveryone 18 Jan 2008, 06:00

Thanks annonymous poster. Much appreciated. I feel the way you do when I see a good looking woman without glasses.

I guess vanity is a stubborn trait! I think women look much nicer wearing glasses, whereas on a man, glasses are just a necessity. Maybe that's because I'm hetrosexual!

Thanks though, much appreciated.

18 Jan 2008, 05:26

Rather, I am a woman, not am am woman.

18 Jan 2008, 05:25

Glassesforeveryone,

If it's any encouragement to you, I am am woman and there are times when I see a nice looking man and wish he *was* wearing glasses.

Alicia 18 Jan 2008, 03:23

I was going around "bared eyed," as you call it, most of the time before I finally gave in just before Christmas and decided to wear my glasses fulltime. But because my rx is not quite as high as Diane's, I probably coped slightly better than she did when she broke her glasses at the conference. All the same I had lots of embarrassing moments especially when I was walking around in town. For instance not recognising people I knew until they were right in front of me, missing my bus on several occassions because the number on the front was blurred, and nearly getting run over a few times crossing the road especially when it was coming dark. In the end it had got so scarry I just had to to be sensible and go fulltime especially after I got these stronger glasses.

Alicia 18 Jan 2008, 03:11

You have thirty pairs Melyssa? All the same rx? I can hardly believe it. You must have fun with them.

glassesforeveryone 18 Jan 2008, 02:43

Not that brave Phil, nobody cares apart from me.

My rx is on -2.00 -0.75 175 left -

-1.75 -0.5 10 right (or thereabouts, don't quote me!)

So, not that strong, but strong enough to make a big enough difference to me. The only issue is this inseccant rain, as I wouldn't normally wear glasses outside, this is a real pain in the neck.

Phil 18 Jan 2008, 01:58

brave man Glassesforeveryone. What's your rx?

glassesforeveryone 18 Jan 2008, 01:22

I decided to go fulltime this week. I think Phil prompted me to do this as I realised I was being a bit silly by wearing my glasses to work and at work with colleagues and yet whipping them off to go to the canteen for lunch or to have a meeting with people outside my company.

So, I thought I'd let you know how I got on. On the first day I went to the canteen and the chef said 'I didn't realise you wore glasses', fair enough, why would he?

I then had an off-site meeting with a customer who I have met about half a dozen times. I met a colleague at the site, the customer embraced my colleague and gave me a formal handshake. A little strange I thought. Then it transpired she hadn't recognised me as she apologised when we went through to the meeting room. Maybe the glasses were a good disguise for Clark Kent afterall.

I couldn't believe it, but it goes to prove that people see you differently if you wear glasses, which is ironic becuase we see differently through our glasses too.

So, apart from a couple of comments it has been easy. In fact I am enjoying myself. I have to admit though that there are times when I see a nice looking woman and wish I wasn't wearing glasses... just for flirting purposes! I do feel I look worse with my glasses on than without, I hope that feeling disapates soon.

Yours myopically - glassesforeveryone

Diane 17 Jan 2008, 18:43

Melyssa - Comprehend steamy lenses. But don't -9 drop temples weigh a ton?

17 Jan 2008, 14:37

Melyssa/Alicia

Do you ladies have any experiences like Dianes that you can share, times when either through choice or necessity you have gone bare-eyed ?

Melyssa 17 Jan 2008, 12:49

Diane,

You listed "sleeping and shoveling snow" twice. That means I don't wear 2 pairs of glasses for that combination. And shoveling snow while sleeping is much easier than while awake. LOL

I have not had to shovel any snow since I got my "Mrs." degree -- that's what husbands are for. It used to be a hassle when I moved the snow around, as I would perspire so much that the lenses of my beautiful drop-temples would get wet and steamed up.

Comprenez?

Glasses Luva 16 Jan 2008, 17:30

I'm very curious. I wonder what percentage of people wear glasses when they have sex?

Puffin 16 Jan 2008, 16:50

I've had snow shoveled into my face before (I was very young) and thus perhaps wearing glasses might not be so good when shoveling.

Diane 16 Jan 2008, 16:45

Hi Willy - I think I hand on to the old pairs cause they are like old friends.

Diane 16 Jan 2008, 16:43

Melyssa - Hey, wait a minute. You do not wear glasses when:

sleeping in the shower

sleeping and shoveling snow

showering and shoveling snow

sleeping and shoveling snow

Interesting scenarios.

Cletty 16 Jan 2008, 16:36

Do you eat with your glasses on or off?

Diane 16 Jan 2008, 16:34

Hi Melyssa. Why not when shovelling snow?

Melyssa 16 Jan 2008, 12:51

Anonymous poster from this time yesterday:

I do not wear glasses while sleeping, taking a shower, or shoveling snow, or a combination thereof.

Melyssa 16 Jan 2008, 12:49

Alicia,

I have 30 pairs, all plastic, and my vision has been stable (except for the add) for the past 15 years or so. And until the alleged designers bring back the big, bold, and beautiful frames (especially drop-temples), I will keep mine until they break. Granted, I can buy regular sunglasses and have them made into clear plastic lenses in my RX.

Also, I always carry 1 or 2 pairs in my pocketbook wherever I go. A couple times it came in handy.

Willy 16 Jan 2008, 08:25

Diane -- thank you for changing the topic on this thread! I don't have too much to contribute to it as I have not had to go without glasses since I went full-time a year ago; if my glasses broke I could at least quickly get my hands on a pair of readers so I could function, which is one advantage the hyperopes have over the myopes. But like you I still have an old (late 80s) pair of glasses that would not do me much good if I had to use them and are horribly ugly, yet I don't get rid of them. Why do so many of us (not) do that?

Diane 16 Jan 2008, 08:04

Alicia - That is for sure, the pair from the car now resides in the purse. The old klunkers from the purse, now are in a dresser drawer. I just can't bring myself to toss them.

Alicia 16 Jan 2008, 07:55

Diane.

Poor you! I bet you've rembembered to take a pair since!

Diane 16 Jan 2008, 07:28

The below should have been from me.

Alicia 16 Jan 2008, 07:27

Hi Alicia. At the time, I had two other pair, both reliable. One pair in the glove box of my car and the other in my desk drawer at work, and both hundreds of miles away.

observer 16 Jan 2008, 06:23

I'm done here lol you guys have made my day.Oh and i did not go to college I'm wondering though if we have all turned in to psychics like bekkah here. Ethier way i wont be bothering anyone else on this forum have a good one guys

Bekka 16 Jan 2008, 06:17

Observer: Please do us a favor and take that tripe to Oprah. Let me guess....psychology major at a third rate college.

observer 16 Jan 2008, 06:07

And im sure you would just love to post something back observeing how i posted point wrong. Save it already know that its spelt wrong or maybe you were not ethier way please do quit while your ahead.

observer 16 Jan 2008, 06:03

(observer of the observer) You just proved my original pioint that people have nothing better to do than be miserable. Thank you so very much :). Oh and actually i had a half of bottle of jamesons last night. You should try it sometimes might loosen you up.

Dieter 16 Jan 2008, 05:07

Diane, I had an experience similar to yours many years ago when I went on a 10-day training trip. On the first morning of class I was cleaning my -3.25 glasses in the hotel room. They were the old style rimless where the lenses were held in place with a piece of nylon "fishing line". It broke on one lens. I was left with the option of wearing glasses with one lens, wearing prescription sunglasses indoors (Jack Nicholson?), or going bare eyed. I chose the latter, sat on the front row, strained my eyes constantly, and felt exhausted by the end of the day. Even sitting on the front row, I could not read overhead projections or anything on the white board. I did the best I could by following along in the class manual and using handouts. As soon as I got back to the hotel that evening I walked to a nearby mall, found an optical shop in a department store, and they fixed my glasses. That evening, I met my classmates at a predetermined restaurant and surprisingly got several compliments on my �nice looking� glasses. In one day they had already got to know me without glasses and liked my �new look�. I was just glad to be able to see without effort or embarrassment. I had never realized how dependent I was until that incident.

Alicia 16 Jan 2008, 02:20

Melyssa. How many pairs of glasses have you got? It sounds as though you have lots. I suppose they build up as you need stronger and stronger ones, because you can never bring yourself to throw the old ones out.

I only have two pairs languishing in my bedside drawer at the moment, which I know I shall never wear again, only in an emergency.

Alicia 16 Jan 2008, 02:14

Diane. Your experience at the seminar was quite something, and I hope it never happens to me. You must have felt so embarrassed most of the time. Gosh at -5.00 I really don't know how you coped. You definitely need to keep a spare pair of glasses on you in future. Maybe when you get new ones, you should have your up to date rx put into your old frames, which should look too dated if ever you have to resort to them.

I must admit I never carry my old glasses around with me. Perhaps I will in future even though they aren't really strong enough now. I think next time I have an increase I'll choose new frames and have my new rx put into the ones I'm wearing now. I agree, squinting does help up to a point, but only up to a point, I find.

Alicia 16 Jan 2008, 02:05

Hi Michael, You really seem to have been taken up with those three myopic sisters you used to know. Have you any idea what their rx's were and if all three girls' myopia was progressing at a similar pace? I just wondered now my own sister has started with glasses.

I sometimes used to stick my glasses up into my hair between lessons at school. I used to think it gave the impression that I was not very dependent upon them. I never think of doing it now though since I went fulltime. In fact my glasses on my face just seem natural, especially since my sister started wearing hers fulltime. I prefer Alicia actually. It's my sister that calls me Ali.

Phil 16 Jan 2008, 01:04

Thanks for your support Bong and Jennifer. But Lemur wins: I'm going to shut up as I hate to be thought of as a bore. I'd really like to chat with those who want to, but the fascists who run my computer system at work deny me access to Lenschat and other chatrooms. If Ali (or anyone else)wants to text me, I'm on 07783062869. Otherwise I'll lie low for a while. By the way, I've got my new rimless single vision -4.25s on today, though I can't guarantee I'll not whip them off before any colleagues appear.

Diane 15 Jan 2008, 20:33

How about a new discussion, I offer my experience for your consideration.

I recently traveled to attend a training seminar. Shortly after checking into my room, I managed to break my -5, no-line bifocals. I was in shock. How in earth could I have been so careless? The only spares I had with me were an old pair of single vision glasses with a dated distance prescription. The frames were at least ten years old, ugly and didn�t fit very well.

The next morning, I was both embarrassed and uncomfortable wearing those old glasses. I found the projected power point slides to be annoyingly blurry and the prescription interfered with my near vision. I spent the first hour squinting at the slides and constantly lifting my glasses to take notes. During the break, I found handouts on a back table. When I returned to my seat, I whipped those glasses off and for the rest of the morning I was able to follow the presentations by holding the handouts at eye level.

I skipped lunch and retreated to my room to search the yellow pages for an optical shop. But, since the conference center was in a rural setting, there were no nearby businesses.

As a desperate experiment, I left my room bare-eyed and made it back to the conference room without incident. For the remainder of the afternoon, I remained mostly bare-eyed, to include a trip to the restroom. I felt weird and vulnerable without glasses, but not enough to put those old things on. During the second break, while giving my poor eyes a long massage, the girl next to me asked if something was wrong with my eyes. I briefly shared my broken glasses situation. She expressed sympathy and offered to assist me any way she could. After class, she invited me to join her and two associates in the lounge.

Having someone to walk with allowed me to continue to avoid wearing glasses. I found that for me, squinting does help, at least enough to escape trip hazards and make out the expressions of people across the table. My broken glasses were mentioned, but thankfully not belabored. After a couple of drinks, we all went to dinner together. I found my new friends to be very considerate. One of them walked to the restroom with me and another accompanied me back to my room. I couldn�t see very well that evening, but I had fun and did not have to endure those awful glasses.

I chose to be bare-eyed the entire next day. I was careful to avoid doing anything stupid and found myself constantly scrunching up my eyes. I just hated those old glasses so much that I somehow managed the inconveniences of poor vision as I made it through the day. Later that afternoon, at the lounge, it occurred to me that this particular group of people had never seen me with glasses. That was an interesting thought.

The seminar was over at noon on the third day. I remained bare-eyed until it was time to board the limo. I just had to force myself to wear my old glasses as navigating the terminals would have been very difficult without them. But once seated on the airplanes or in the departure lounges, off they came.

I have new glasses now, but still recall that seminar trip with a sense of accomplishment.

observer of the observer 15 Jan 2008, 19:56

I'm not going to mindlessly ramble about how much you've contributed. I'm not going to suggest you are Phil. I'm not going to prey on anyone's weaknesses or point out flaws. I'm simply going to ask you how much alcohol you have consumed tonight and suggest in that in the future you might want to consider using punctuation.

observer 15 Jan 2008, 19:19

oh and one more thing i might add and i sure im going to get some mindless ramble about how much ive contributed think before you speak you make think that you sound adult preying on someones weaknesses and pointing out there flaws but what its really doing is makeing you sound like you are an adult or maybe your not even adult stuck in a junior high school like thought process

observer 15 Jan 2008, 19:08

on another note i know some snappy reply like this is phil is going to arise no im not phil i just understand how he feels and i have said what i said becuase i used to be a person who passed judgements on other people in the end i found out i was the looser not them

observer 15 Jan 2008, 19:03

why cant we all just get along and what gives anyone the right to judge anyone else for how they feel these people come on to this site and look to us for advice and really all people can do is make them feel even worse maybe that this is possibly becuase there lives are shit so they have to make everyone else feel like crap ethier way no one has any right to judge anyone else on anything especially over the internet

Jennifer 15 Jan 2008, 15:27

I think Phil needs to tell us the real truth. Who is he hiding his glasses from? At his age and in his profession, a man looks very good in glasses. I would rather read about a young man, who just got glasses, and refuses to wear them. Phil's not in school anymore, where classmates can be mean and cruel about a boy wearing glasses. I'd like to know what scares Phil so much about wearing his glasses in front of his co workers??? Be honest with us. If you're looking for female sympathy, well, it gets old very fast.

Luke 15 Jan 2008, 13:56

Phil - I don't share the need to be harsh toward you like some other posters, but I too find that your "I can't" stance is so old that it's baffling.

You say/admit that you're a weakling or a wuss...but I REALLY don't think that's it. Most everyone is "weak" when it comes to things they are afraid of.

The perplexing thing here is *why* you sense there is something to be afraid of. I mean, when I was a kid, I thought it wasn't really "normal" to wear glasses. Mostly just the 'nerds' wore them, most people didn't need glasses, I thought. And you could get teased for wearing glasses. Now I know I was just flat wrong. The fact is, *not* wearing glasses or contacts is the abnormal thing...everyone over 40 or 50 needs reading glasses (unless they're nearsighted), and a solid majority of the people I know my own age (about 30) are nearsighted. At my work, it's 70-80% myopes. Looking back, I realize that of all the people in high school who I thought had "normal" (emmetropic) vision were just wearing contacts. Anyway, it's sort of funny to look back and think that as a kid there was some reason for me to avoid wearing my glasses. That's just so absurd. There are reasons a person might prefer contacts over glasses, but to wear neither one and go around in a fog seems unbelievable to me now. So what I'm saying is this: the problem isn't that you're weak. It's that you imagine some awful aspect of wearing glasses that simply is not there. People often do this sort of thing; I'm not saying it's unusual. But it is neurotic. There are people whose job it is to help with things like this. It's worth the trouble, because one thing that's very clear from every story I've heard from someone who was anxious to start wearing glasses (including myself): the fear passes quickly once you wear glasses full-time for a while.

Bong 15 Jan 2008, 13:51

I for one find Phil's reports very interesting. Admittedly, he's stingy with details while he's eager to share the same old basic situation again and again. But not too many people on the board write about going without glasses and it's best not to complain when somebody actually does. So Phil, please don't shut up.

Lemur 15 Jan 2008, 13:05

I'm 100% with Bekka on this one. How anyone can manage to witter ON and ON and ON about their inability to wear their glasses beats me. I wouldn't mind but the same tripe turns up in thread after thread so we don't even have the option of avoiding it.

Personally I'm bored to tears by this "I'm an Oxford-educated lawyer who wears his glasses - but not to work, oh by the way Clare will you meet up with me for a cup of coffee, please, please please" nonsense.

Why don't we just have a thread devoted solely to Phil's ongoing "Will I/Won't I" fake agonising, allowing us to decide whether we want to read it or not - in return for not polluting all the other threads.

15 Jan 2008, 13:00

Melyssa,

What are your experiences of going without glasses please ?

Melyssa 15 Jan 2008, 12:42

Alicia,

My current prescription is -9.00, which I keep in all of my glasses, plus I have a +2.50 add for which I use reading glasses (for reading in bad light) along with whatever regular glasses I'm wearing.

Michael 15 Jan 2008, 08:30

Hi, do you like Ali better than Alicia? Yes, it was nice, those three sisters I wrote about. They got it from their dad too, along with musicality, red hair, and crooked teeth. The oldest sister was very playful and flirtatious, used her glasses to flirt with, liked going without. I remember her mostly with her glasses on top of her head in her hair. She was also almost always barefoot, which somehow went together with going without glasses, and I remember that she was sometimes in trouble at school because of going barefoot. The youngest, about 13 when I knew her, was a good pianist and always took her glasses off when she played a piece she had memorized. My friend, the middle one, always took her glasses off if we were just slone having an ice cream or something, and she liked to read with no glasses and I think knew it was a turn-on for me though we never really talked about it. I was too shy to bring it up and confess my being excited.

Phil 15 Jan 2008, 08:26

Thank you unnamed poster. While I might well respond to the sort of treatment dished out by Ali, I don't take to the Bekkas of this world. Ok, I am a wuss; but a gwg is meant to be nice to a chap and not launch straight at his proverbials. I bet Ms B sports ugly round wire frames, has cropped red hair and wears Doc Martens. Give me feminine guile and girly charm any day.

Alicia 15 Jan 2008, 08:25

Hi Carl. Yes I suppose I am being "sensible" now I'm getting really old. Mid-teens if you really must know and my sister is three years younger!

Alicia 15 Jan 2008, 08:21

Jersey Girl.

Yes I definitely know what you mean. You get that sharp intensity each time you get new glasses and its great while it lasts. I appreciate it all the more now I've gone fulltime. The problem is at my age my eyes are changing quite rapidly and unfortunately it disappears after a couple of months. Maybe this is why some people get addicted to wanting more minus!

15 Jan 2008, 08:12

Phil is having a glasses crisis. We should be kind to Phil.

Carl 15 Jan 2008, 08:09

Well, Alicia, that was then, but I was responding to "now" and all your recent posts. It's not only "sensible" but with warmth and humor. If you don't mind my asking, how old are you now?

glassesforeveryone (Phil too) 15 Jan 2008, 08:09

You go Bekka!

If you look like a stern school teacher with your hair tied up, glasses and sensible outfit then you are my new eyescene hereo!

Phil, I should do as Bekka says if I were you.

You've cheered me up on a dull dark day Bekka.

Bekka 15 Jan 2008, 07:16

Phil: Maybe we should call you Pill, since you are being such a wuss. You just seem to like all this coddling you are getting about wearing your glasses. It is getting old. Wear them, don't wear them, but just stop whining about it. "I really want to, but I just can't." God almighty. You sound like a 12 year old girl. Shut up.

Jersey Girl 15 Jan 2008, 05:30

Alicia,

I started wearing -1.75 in both eyes as a first pair last summer after trying on my boyfriend's mother's glasses which were left in his car. I loved the intensity and clarity of vision. I have been wearing this prescription or a pair of -2.25 glasses full time since then. Without the glasses the vision is fuzzy and dull so I prefer full time use as I love the intensity of the prescription.

Poptician 15 Jan 2008, 03:45

Phil, for Pete's sake just go for full time wear NOW. With your rx, I just don't see how you can manage without your specs. It may be quite a hurdle to cross having to wear your glasses at work, but it's not as if you are at school where there would probably be a whole army of kids prepared to undertake merciless and never ending piss-taking. You're a mature guy, if anyone makes snide remarks either laugh it off or tell them to get stuffed.

I went full-time at 30 and at work no-one made any remarks at all (apart from ones of mild interest) except one plonker who thought it SO funny to say "it's Joe 90" every time he saw me. This lasted about 2 weeks until the day he came to work sporting a new hairstyle - a very tight perm. My immediate reaction was to say "have you had a hair transplant from somewhere around your balls?" whoch stopped him dead in his tracks. Fight fire with fire, as they say.

Phil 15 Jan 2008, 03:28

Gosh, you are persuasive Ali! It's almost a case of me thinking that if I can't do it for you I can't do it at all. Can I have until tomorrow?

Alicia 15 Jan 2008, 01:56

Melyssa.

To be honest I think my sister was actually quite relieved when she finally got her first glasses. I reckon she'd been kidding herself that she didn't really need them for some time, because of me persisting in walking around without mine. Being older I reckon I was her role model, though Heaven knows why when I was walking around half blind a lot of the time.

By the way, what rx are you now, if you don't mind me asking.

Alicia 15 Jan 2008, 01:48

Phil, I like to keep thinking that not ALL men are alike, pure wimps!! Proved me wrong and just go for it!! Love Ali.

Melyssa 14 Jan 2008, 12:43

Alicia,

Your sister's glasses have the same prescription as the first pair I ever had, although I can't remember which eye was which number. I had no idea at the time that there was anything wrong with my vision, as I sure saw the darkening sky quite clearly during the last recess before spring break of 3rd grade (a Thursday). The following Monday I found out during my long-before scheduled eye exam, and by Friday I had my first pair of glasses, which I then wore only for watching TV or movies, and seeing the blackboard.

So even if everyone had that prescription for his/her first glasses, some people would notice that things looked fuzzy, and some would not. Or were traffic lights not supposed to have 100 circles in each color? LOL

Phil 14 Jan 2008, 03:51

Alicia, how did you guess? You are right of course. Sounds like you may have encountered weak males like me before!!

Alicia 14 Jan 2008, 02:52

Hi Phil, what you doing about wearing your glasses with confidence? Have you taken the plunge and walked in to work wearing them yet? I bet you haven't!!

Phil 14 Jan 2008, 02:16

He's right though Alicia. You are one of the most level-headed gwgs I've come across here. I suspect you are now wearing your glasses with confidence: and gaining all the more (positive) attention for doing so. You are a lesson to us all!

Alicia 14 Jan 2008, 01:25

Carl, I don't know all that much about me being sensible! If you call going around for nearly three years without my glasses on most of the time when I should have had, being sensible, then I am sensible!! If you know what I mean. I'm joking naturally.

Alicia 14 Jan 2008, 01:21

Thanks for that Michael. Wow three myopic bespectacled sisters! I suppose thats what happens in families where the parents are short sighted. Our myopia comes from my Dad.

Alicia 14 Jan 2008, 01:15

Guest,

My sister's glasses are RE-1.50 and LE-1.75, which I supose is quite strong for a first prescription. Naughty girl she didn't tell anyone for a long time that she was having problems. This was probably because she knew I had reached the stage where I was walking around in a fuzz all the time and she thought it was OK for her to do the same. But I do remember telling her a bit before I got my present glasses that I couldn't go on doing it for much longer. I think that's when she admitted to us that she needed her eyes testing.

Alicia 14 Jan 2008, 01:07

Thanks Clare, I'll give my friend all your information on contacts, which she will definitely appreciate I know, cos she's what I call a contact addict! We are in the UK, as I guess you are. Thanks once again.

Guest 12 Jan 2008, 10:43

Alicia

How strong is your sister's prescription? Is this her first pair?

I'm sure she looks fine in them!

Clare 12 Jan 2008, 08:18

Alicia

Luckily I don't have too many problems although my eyes were getting dry so a while ago I changed from dailies to silicon hydrogels. You might want to suggest that your friend checks them out as they make a big difference.

I don't know which country you're in, but my optician also recommended a gel called Lacrilube to help hydrate the eyes overnight. It really works.

Michael 12 Jan 2008, 07:42

Alicia, not exactly an answer to your question, but the first girl I dated seriously was one of three nearsighted sisters.

Carl 12 Jan 2008, 07:34

Alicia, you are such a sensible, clear-headed, simpatica person! Very refreshing--thank you!

Alicia 12 Jan 2008, 07:27

Clare, I know exactly how you feel when no one you are with a lot of the time has seen you in glasses before. You just can't face wearing them in front of them. I suppose if you get wearing contacts reguarly this doesn't really matter, providing you don't have any mishaps.

There is a girl I know quite well who wears contacts most of the time, but occasionally her eyes get very dry and she has to go back wearing glasses. When this happens she feels extremely self-conscious and often stays at home for a couple of days until her eyes have recovered. It seems a bit silly really when all her friends know she's very short sighted and wouldn't say anything if she turned up in her glasses.

Clare 12 Jan 2008, 07:03

VFl

I know what you mean by contacts making you feel comfortable, me too. That's how people know me and that's how they think I look - without glasses. After nearly 3 years in this job no-one has seen me with glasses, I think the longer that people don't see someone with glasses the more difficult it becomes to introduce them.

When the subject came up in a previous job my colleagues behaved as though I'd kept a big secret from them.

I have a friend whose like me, a ain and dedicated contacts wearer. He's -2.75 and I wonder if he had a problem with his contacts if he could face his colleagues wearing glasses. Still that's just hypothetical but it proves we're not alone!

Alicia 12 Jan 2008, 03:25

Actually another positive thing that has come out of me deciding to wear my glasses fulltime is that my younger sister, who only started with glasses just over six months ago, has started wearing hers most of the time as well. Admittedly she used to keep them on a lot more than I kept my first glasses on, but this may be due to them being quite a bit stronger. But she never used to wear them when she was with her boyfriend until just before Christmas when I went full-time. Now she wears them all the time when she is with him, so he must be quite happy seeing her in them. Also I quite like going around with my sister now that we both wear glasses all the time. Are there anymore bespectacled sisters who come into this site?

VFL 11 Jan 2008, 11:17

Oh, I know what you mean. I do not leave the house without glasses, or really if truth be told, never walk around without them. The fuzzy world I see without them gives me an instant headach (astigmatism is probably the culprit) and nothing close or far is clear.

I wear glasses when I have to, but contacts (RGP's) make me feel "normal." Like I'm where I need to be visionwise. Does that make sense to anyone but me?

Alicia 11 Jan 2008, 10:15

Jennifer,

Like you, since I went fulltime, there is no way now I would even contemplate going without my glasses. Even before, I had reached the stage where I was missing seeing a lot that was going on around me because of not wearing them! That's why I finally took the plunge to go fulltime, come what may. How ever your friend coped without glasses if she was -5.00 I simply cannot imagine.

I suppose contacts are an option for me at some future date, but for now I'm perfectly happy wearing glasses all the time and I don't really know why its taken me so long to accept my dependence upon them.

Jennifer 11 Jan 2008, 09:04

My friend, who refused to wear her -5 glasses, had never worn them full time. I believe she just got used to the blurry vision without them (probably similiar to Phil, who goes around without glasses at -4). For me, when I went full time, I could never go back to going without. It was obvious she could hardly see and needed a lot of help. I remember her father complaining about his daughter being so against wearing glasses. The only time she put her glasses on was in class, to drive, and at the movies. We went to see football games, and had me describe to her what had taken place in the game. She was convinced that she looked "ugly" in glasses and woundn't dare wear them. Since boys were always around us, she wouldn't dare wear her glasses. The interesting thing is that I felt the same as she did at the time, but I wore contacts to hide the fact that I wore glasses. She told me her eye doctor was strongly against her wearing contacts. I convinced her to switch doctors and the new doctor finally prescribed her contacts. From that point on, I never saw her in glasses again (at least not in public).

mari 11 Jan 2008, 04:57

This was excatly the way i started wearing glasses full time. At this years i had to hear my mum grumbling me forcing me to wearing glasses at home.

Alicia 11 Jan 2008, 02:42

Hi Nicola,

Your situation sounds almost exactly like mine! At 13 I had to get glasses to read the blackboard at school and I used to meticulously take them off at the end of each lesson and then have to put them back on at the start of the next! After a while I began leaving them on until break, then right through break until dinner time, then right through dinner time until it was time to go home! But for a good three years I persistently resisted wearing them on the way home, even though my distance vision was getting worse and worse. Then of course my glasses went back on to do my homework and watch TV at night until it was time to go to bed. Finally the "linking up" extended to wearing my glasses on the way home from school and then actually going to school in them each a morning until I was virtually fulltime.

It was at this stage, when I got my third pair of stronger glasses, that I had to face out of school activities and then all the relatives who had never seen me in glasses! Anyway now I've done it I feel totally relaxed about wearing glasses and I'm for ever looking in opticians at all the new styles of frames that come out. I know my rx will increase quite a bit yet, but if it stops in my twenties like your has done, I feel now I'll be quite happy wearing glasses all the time. Thanks for swapping experiences.

Phil 11 Jan 2008, 01:33

Wow Nicola, you coped well. It must have been hard at school: I didn't get glasses till I was at university (though I'd wanted them ever since I can remember!).

I'm glad your rx has stabilised: its a good rx at which you "need" glasses but do not have lenses which distort your eyes. What frames do you wear?

To most of us chaps here you are a perfect gwg!!

Puffin 10 Jan 2008, 18:32

I remember someone I used to know who was about -5, when they took their glasses off, they told me that their vision was really fuzzy for a few seconds, then suddenly things would snap into some sort of better focus. Does this happen a lot?

10 Jan 2008, 16:54

Jennifer

How did your friend function at -5 without her glasses ?

10 Jan 2008, 16:51

Nicola, What's your unaided vision like now ? Do you do anything bare-eyed ?

ric 10 Jan 2008, 11:21

Alicia: whats your age?

Nicola 10 Jan 2008, 07:33

Alicia, I know exactly what you mean about the "order" in which people, friends and relatives discover that you wear glasses.

I was first prescribed glasses at 11, when they were about -1.5 or maybe a little stronger (never paid attention to the prescription). I refused to wear them except during school lessons for almost four or five years, even as the prescription got stronger and stronger. I still took them off to and from school and even between classes!

It was only when I was 15 and my glasses reached about -3.00 in each eye that I started wearing them more often. For me it was a case of after-school sports practice or homework club; then wearing them more and more often round the house; then gradually "linking up" all the periods when I wore them into one whole day.

But it took about a year before I was wearing them full time and I still remember a fairly traumatic Christmas period - and also a cousin's wedding - when I had to make a conscious decision to wear them in front of all our family and relations. By then I was up to -4.00.

Today, as a 28-year-old, I never give wearing glasses any thought and they're just part of me and who I am. They go on first thing and come off last thing. Luckily, my eyesight has stabilised at about -6.5 in both eyes for the last year or two, so they don't look too bad on me.

Take care and good luck with your glasses.

Alicia 10 Jan 2008, 06:53

Hi Phil,

Actually I'm not at work yet but still at school, so its the reverse with me to you. All my school friends have been used to seeing me in glasses in class for years and never comment about it even though now I've now gone fulltime.

It was other people, like at Youth Club etc., where I never ever wore them until recently, and all my relatives, who had never seen me in glasses until Christmas, that I felt really self-conscious about. Now I've taken the plunge I don't feel embarrassed at all about my glasses and I'm quite looking forwards to my next check-up, as I've seen some trendy frames I fancy.

Have your eyes stabalised yet, or not? Because if not, I don't see how you can hold out for much longer not going full-time with your rx. That was one of the factors that decided me in the end, because obviously I'm gonna be over -4.00 next time.

Phil 10 Jan 2008, 04:27

I'm ok with family and most friends. So it's really just work. Do you work? If so, what sort of reaction did you get from colleagues?

I once put my specs on at a conference which I attended with one of my former assistants. She remarked that she didn't know that I wore glasses and, when I tried to make light of it, she kept on and on so that I got quite jittery. That hasn't helped.

I know it all sounds daft, even pathetic. But specs have always been a big thing for me. I want them but I don't, if you know what I mean. It's particularly odd because on others I see them as invariably appearance-enhancing. In a girl they are the icing on the cake if she's otherwise attractive and they can make a plain girl desirable.

Alicia 10 Jan 2008, 01:54

Phil,

You disappoint me. Surely if I can do it you can!

It sounds to me that you feel OK wearing your glasses full-time when there is no one around who knows you (i.e in The Canaries) but that you can't face up to wearing them when you are with people you are in regular contact with. I used to be a like that I must admit. I'd sit at home watching TV glued to the screen with my glasses on, but as soon as I got into town I'd whip them off in case I bumped into some one I knew. The problem was I'd got to the stage where I couldn't even recognize them until I got right up to them! The only way for you is to be really daring and just turn up at work wearing them one day (like I did all over Christmas) and by the end of the week no one will think any more about it. Like I say, get some nice frames you feel great in and just go for it!

Yeah, I think once you do go full-time, your eyes naturally get to depend more and more on glasses and therefore it's a lot more blurry when you take them off. But that doesn't really matter at the the end of the day, because once you've taken the plunge, you're never gonna be without them anyway. Keep me posted with what you decide.

Phil 09 Jan 2008, 06:24

Thanks Alicia! But it's easier said than done in my case. You sound just more "sorted" than me! I'm just a confirmed weakling.

Your frames sound nice: good choice. And you have a good rx-enough to make your lenses look serious without being too distorting.

Do you find that, after an extended period of wearing yoiur glasses, you feel you can see almost nothing when you take them off? I wore my specs all through last week when I was in the Canaries on holiday. I kept them on until Monday when I only took them off as I approached the office. And I was almost immediately at risk of being run down by a bendy bus: I had trouble seeing any of it, let alone the destination sign on the front!

Alicia 09 Jan 2008, 04:39

Hi Phil,

I didn't expect such a quick respose! I'm amazed you haven't given in to full-time wear already if your rx has got to -4.00! Mine has only reached RE-3.25 & LE-3.75 and I'd got to the stage where I felt extremely vulnerable whenever I was out alone. In fact I missed my bus a couple of times in town not long ago because I couldn't make out the numbers on the front!

All you have to do is accept the fact that you need go full-time and stick to it and the rest is easy. Choose some glasses you feel really good in (my new ones are semi-rimless with black plastic tops and sides and look quite sophisticated) and you will find that people you come into regular contact with will soon get used to seeing you in glasses and never mention it again. That's why I purposely decided to wear mine all through Christmas so as many people as possible would see me in them. You never know you mind find a girl who like you better in glasses. Good luck.

Phil 09 Jan 2008, 03:48

Well done Alicia! What's your rx now? And what frames do you wear?

I've had glasses for 30 years and am at -4 (or probably by now a little more as my rx has started creeping up again in recent years) and I still don't wear fulltime. I envy the way you have confronted things and just "gone for it". It's what I need to do but can't.

I wear glasses pretty much fulltime at weekends and on holidays and I often wear them travelling to and from work. But I can't bear to wear them at work. I think it's that I know I'd face comments that I wouldn't know how to respond to. Maybe I just need to accept that in a short time everyone will just not notice or care!

I think this is a problem for those of us for whom glasses-wearing is a big thing because of their attraction to other glasses wearers (whether of the same or the other gender). I've always been attracted to gwgs!

Alicia 09 Jan 2008, 02:33

Hi guys,

I battled with not wearing glasses full-time for over two years and after my third increase I simply had to admit defeat and give in. Now I'm quite conditioned to full-time wear and I was determined to let all my relatives see me in my new glasses over Christmas and get it over with. Surprisingly most of them said glasses really suited me so now I've become quite a glasses fanatic.

4eyes 31 Dec 2007, 12:54

Last Thursday and Friday as I said I�d stayed at the hands (more their eyes, I should say) of Moorefield Hospital and QMUL doctors. And at the end they said nothing that I already knew, but fail to understand. They said they are more concerned about my strabismus and the �not so latent� nystagmus, but they are unsure about surgery for now� I�ve over 100 DP Esotropia and Hypo and Hypertropia.

At Moorefield Eye Hospital, I played most of the morning without m�glasses for scans and MRI�s etc. and for the first time in my life I felt it different. It felt really like I was playing the guinea pig, there were a huge TV set at Moorefield, were every kid was watching� well I was not at all. Also I�d the distict feeling THAT I WAS being intensely watched and followed. I don�t mind staying without m�glassses when I am at known environment such as home or open wide places and things, but inside a room full of people and nurses and stuffs, these things really get into my nerves. I�d have that feeling comfirmed when I tried to find some water or anything to drink�

I asked a lady sitting next me and she pointed to place and I couldn�t even see clearly where she was pointing at�.

�Over there� she said. I tried so hard to see something or some different color.

�Thank you�� I politely said and shamefull I got up and walked in the direction she pointed out, I think.

I felt the PSP in my pocket and felt some happeness over me, at least I have that as companion. But as soon as I sat and took it up to play I nearly cried as I realised I was without my glasses� Those Son of Bitches I thought again and again. A kid beside me asked me if I could let him see it, I said nothing and tucked it deep into my pocket. I tried for the tenth time see around the place where I was to no avail.

Soon came a nurse and asked me if I wanted anything. I said I wanted back my glasses and a glass of water.

By the time I left Hospital I could manage to wander around like a �zombi�, but it was really kind of funny because I was already groogy and with a very bad headaching. One thing that stroke me is that they even leave me with my PSP. But the thing was tottaly useless and I thought maybe that was intentionally� those sadists creeps.

Then at Queen Mary University of London I played the guinea pig again, but somehow it didn�t feel as weird as at the Hospital, thou they left me without m�glasses most of the time I spent there� That zombi feeling returned later by lunch time, but since I was never alone it didn�t bothers me also, at lunchtime I couldn�t see clearly what I was eating but the food at that University is very good, wish I could study there not being studyed�

Now I have to say, it truly feels very uncomfortable for me to stay without my glasses for too long and I�d never felt that bad before. The feeling of drunkness and sickness comes slowly and at easy, so when you realize it, it is already there. By the end of those testings and Scan�s and MRI�s and Lord knows whatelse, I was feeling really like drunk, (thou I never drinked in my life), I couldn�t even walk straight and had to be administred with painkillers.

Have anybody felt like that? Please let know. Thanks�

PS.: I tried my first bifocals at 09, I think... today I am 17ys hehe.

CraigB 31 Dec 2007, 07:51

4 eyes

I know how you feel when they take your glasses during an exam. I always hate sitting around while the drops take effect. At least being super nearsighted I can at always read a magazine if I hold it up to my nose while I wait. Do you have any usable close vision at all without your glasses? I have an exam next week and am not sure how much to tell the Dr. as I am having trouble with small print when I am wearing my contacts. No problem with my glasses but they are my older rx and I am not too anxious to hear about bifocals at 15. I shouldn't complain compared to what you have to deal with.

4eyes 28 Dec 2007, 14:10

Hi you guys... I posted this earlier, so here is the final part.

Those doctors at Moorefield Hospital and Queen Mary University here in London must have enjoyed seeing me enormously, least to say.

Yesterday and today I�d really stayed at their hands (more their eyes, I should say). And at the end they said nothing that I already knew. They said they were more concerned about my strabismus and the �not so latent� nystagmus, but they�ll need to be doing some more checking tests tomorrow, because they are unsure about surgery� �I�m very cold� thanks Lord� I�ve almost 110 DP Esotropia and something over 20 DP Hypotropia and 35 DP Hypertropia. They say that�s too much. Now that I can rest, I think I�ll enjoy this trip in England for couple days, before my trip to USA, sniff...

Yesterday at Moorefield Eye Hospital, I played most of the morning without m�glasses for scans and Mir�s etc. and for the first time in my life I felt it different. It felt really like I was playing the guinea pig. I don�t mind staying without m�glassses when I am at known environment such as home or open wide place as squares and things, but inside a room full of people and nurses and stuffs, these things really get into my nerves. Yesterday, by the time I left Hospital I could manage to wander around like a �zombi�, but it was really kind of funny because I was already groogy and with a very bad headaching. One thing that stroke me is that they even leave me with my PSP. But the thing was tottaly useless and I thought maybe that was intentionally� those creeps.

Today at Queen Mary, University of London (QMUL as they say it), I�ll be played the guinea pig again, but somehow it didn�t feel as weird as yesterday, thou they left me without m�glasses most of the time I spent there� that zombi feeling returned later by lunch time, but since I was never alone it didn�t bothers me also, at lunchtime I couldn�t see clearly what I was eating but the food at that University is very good, wish I could study there., not being studyed� hehe.

Now, it feels very uncomfortable for me to stay without my glasses for too long and I�d never felt that before. The feeling of drunkness and sickness comes slowly and at easy, so when you realize it, it is already there. By the end of those testings and Scan�s and MRI�s and Lord knows what, I was feeling really like drunk, (thou I never drinked in my life, can you believe it?), I couldn�t even walk straight and had to be administred with painkillers.

Have anybody felt like that? Please let know. Thanks�

Oh� BTW, my prescription remained the same they gave to my Daddy yesterday.

Thanks again for your kind attention.

lazysiow 27 Dec 2007, 19:40

It's been posted before but thanks for posting it again, it's been a few years and it seems he's still going :) The updates can be months apart

Len 27 Dec 2007, 06:49

I can't believe no one has posted about this before, or maybe I just have not seen it. I found a blog about some guy who is having an affair with two nearsighted girlfriends and now he's into the whole glasses OO thing. It goes back quite a few years and I am not sure if it is all truth or just this guy's fantasy, but it definitely is stimulating. Here it is: http://attractionandobsession.blog-city.com

24 Dec 2007, 06:01

http://sockpixie.blogspot.com/2007/12/world-of-colors.html

Ivan 19 Dec 2007, 00:51

-lurker,

Try it in the dark after 4 beers!

longtime lurker 18 Dec 2007, 21:00

I just did a "blind walk" without my glasses. I'm R -4.25 L -4.75, and the experience was far less exciting than I thought it would be.

Bong 17 Dec 2007, 06:12

I had a friend in high shool who seemed to have a hard time accepting her bad eyesight. I think she was about -4, though she would never say anything about her prescription. She wore glasses only when necessary and was keen to prove that she could do well without them. For example, sometimes she'd watch tv from a distance and pretend that she could see it. I don't know if she really fooled anyone because on the other hand she often had to get very close to stuff to see them.

R Ed 14 Dec 2007, 16:36

Another girl friend who avoided wearing glasses as much as possible was - 3, and worked as a bank teller. She could do the close work without a problem. She didn't wear a watch; the best way to learn the time was to look at a large clock on the wall. Of coarse she couldn't see it, so she'd ask certain customers- "�'d only ask customers who wear wearing glasses because I knew they could see; I'd never consider asking customers who weren't wearing, they might be refusing to wear like me and it would be very embarrasing for them".

She had a co-worker friend also - 3, who did the same. It must have been contagious!

14 Dec 2007, 13:18

Jennifer,

Do you go bare-eyed now at all ?

Jennifer 14 Dec 2007, 10:09

Tom, I wasn't into prescriptions back then and couldn't give you an accurate estimate of her rx. I started wearing contacts at around -3. She must have been -5. We exchanged glasses one time. We went to the movies and I didn't wear my contacts. She wanted to see what my eyesight was like. She asked to try on my glasses and made the comment - "your glasses are not as strong as mine." That comment bothered me because I wanted stronger glasses. She wouldn't put her glasses on until the lights went out. It was interesting to see her keep her glasses in her lap and when everything became dark, the glasses went on.

Tom 13 Dec 2007, 23:43

Jennifer: which was your prescription and that of your friend when she used to refuse wearing her glasses? Case I found on that forum is even more interesting. There are two friends with -3 always without glasses (the one I'm in contact with says she never take her glasses unless she knows she is going to a cinema or a station) so they cannot help each other. Sometime she admit they ask to the only other friend who knows how short sighted they are for description of nice guys.

R Ed: what you reported is an interesting trick to pretend to see even if you don't. Look at one's dress the first time you see it closely helps a lot in recognizing him/her later on during the day. With -5 I'd say this is the only way to recognise a peole from more than a few metres. In addition to dress, height, haircut and way of walk are good ways to recognise people without figuring out their face.

Although I have a real attraction for glasses, I think woman without them are even more interested than bespectacled ones. And this is true for a woman squinting in her shortsightedness, as well as for one extending her arms in her farsightedness. Unfortunately, the latter happens very rarely to young people...

Tom

Patrick B 13 Dec 2007, 13:02

Interesting posts, especially that from Charles last month. Didn't realize that I was the only one who found wearing such a high prescription tiring at times. I, too, take my glasses off when I'm tired and don't need to see anything in particular. There is always a subtle strain to be able to see through myodiscs and the slightest movement of my glasses causes an instant change in acuity which can be disconcerting. Therefore, it's sometimes just easier to sit in a total blur

Charles, I can see where you got your myopia! Your mother's prescription is nearly off the charts. I've just got a new prescription which brings my left eye to -27 x .75 and my right to -26.50 x .50. Still only correctible to 20/40 ish during daylight hours.

R Ed 13 Dec 2007, 12:43

A friends wife, at least - 5, hated to wear her glasses and did so only when absolutely necessary. A few days prior a formal dance she instructed her girl friends how to help her at the dance. "Come close to me when you first see me, let me see the shape and color of your gown. Then when I see you later on the floor I'll be able to tell who you are even though I won't be able to recognize your face. If you don't do this I won't be able to talk to you and you'll think I'm stuckup"

lazysiow 13 Dec 2007, 10:03

Sexy is when they have them in front of their eyes ;)

sourgrapes 13 Dec 2007, 08:50

Another possibility is that they are trying to appear "sexy"

sourgrapes 13 Dec 2007, 08:50

It's always interesting to see people with minus lenses wearing them down and pearing over them. The only think I can figure is they don't want to seem dependent on them.

Thomas 13 Dec 2007, 07:05

Yes, Patricia would mostly wear her glasses pulled down on her nose. But this must have caused her glasses to get out of shape or break. Then she stopped wearing them altogether for a time and depended on her girlfriends to "see for her".

Jennifer 12 Dec 2007, 15:39

Her name is Denise. Did you meet a Patricia who did the same?

Thomas 12 Dec 2007, 15:29

Jennifer, you best friend's name wasn't Patricia by any chance, was it?

Thomas 12 Dec 2007, 15:28

Jennifer, you best friend's name wasn't Patricia by any chance, as it?

Jennifer 12 Dec 2007, 15:03

When I was in high school my best friend refused to wear her glasses. She was told she couldn't wear contacts by her eye dr. Her eyesight was worse than mine. When we went dancing, she always asked me to tell her if a guy was looking at her. I would have to describe the boy to her. I didn't want to wear my glasses either, but wore contacts. Otherwise, we would have two nearsighted girls with no idea that a guy was looking our way...

Clare 12 Dec 2007, 14:00

Interesting to hear Tom's accounts of different attitudes to glasses. I've been away with colleagues in Frankfurt this week, a city I don't know. I was fine not to wear my contacts out to dinner as I was with people who knew where to go. It would have been difficult to be in an unknown city in the dark though so I don't know how others cope with that at higher prescriptions. For my early starts I generally find it too early to wear contacts.

Tom 12 Dec 2007, 06:12

Most of the conversation with the nearsighted girls I'm having with private messages and not on the forum.

The -1.75/-2.75 girl seems to be quite dependent on her glasses, just remove them when not absolutely needed (e.g. on the train).

Other two (-3 and -3.5) never use glasses except for drive and movies or TV. They say they are completely unable to recognise people, read screens or tables, and sometime have troubles to watch their steps.

In particular one reported to have a friend with the same prescription (and no glasses, too) and when they go around together in the night, they can barely see their steps and sometimes (e.g. if there are stairs in the darkness as in a disco) need to stoop down to see exactly where to put their feet! She reported also that once she get on the wrong car!

Both girls rarely squint because it does not help so much with their prescription.

They don't have any hesitation admitting they don't see if needed. However one (those that took the wrong car, don't see stairs, etc...) said that only a couple of friends knows exactly her prescription. And in case she ask them to see something for her (to be honest, to one of them, the other being the second blind girl...). All the other friends of him knows just the sheis a little bit nearsighted, but don't know exactly how poor her vision is!

I'll keep you update. And I hope to find similar experiences here on eyescene.

Bye.

Phil 03 Dec 2007, 08:03

I'm -4 and I do it. I'd love to find a gwg who does the same!

Bong 03 Dec 2007, 07:43

Tom, that's great. Any chance to get a link to that forum in case somebody here knows the language...?

What would be the reason for someone in the -3.5 range to go around bare eyed? Well, I'd probably do it myself if my eyesight was that good. It's rare to hear of people who actually do it!

Tom 30 Nov 2007, 07:21

Wow, finally a thread on going bare eyed!

That is exactly the way I'd like to see all the shortsighted (as well as farsighted) people. On my own side, I love to go around bareyed from time to time and each time I discover how many functions I can perform despite the blur. By the way: I have been away from Eyescene for a while, since I found a site (not in English...) dedicated to girls/womans with a forum about nearsightedness. I got in contact with a few girls with prescription in the -1.75 to -3.5 range who usually goes bareeyed. Sounds really cool, doesnt'it?

Bye,

Tom

glassesforeveryone 26 Nov 2007, 00:18

I went without glasses yesterday whilst playing golf. (I usually go without as my prescription is only -2 ish).

However, yesterday would have been a good day to wear my glasses. First of all, I could hardly see my golf ball in the air when I hit it, which meant I spent most of the day searching for my ball.

Secondly, on the last hole I hit a shot and when my club brushed through the grass a small stone flew up and hit me in the left eye. It really hurt, in fact it still does.

So, I have learned that I should wear my glasses when I play golf. I still wont though...

Lauren 26 Nov 2007, 00:07

I used to prefer to wear my glasses to bed, or try to at least. It was a turn on when my girlfriend would tell me to take them off or take them off for me. Sometimes we would "argue" for quite some time about the topic. Since I got new glasses now, I don't wear them to bed for fear of breaking them.

Adalle 24 Nov 2007, 10:28

@Emily

About your "incident" with your cousins you mentioned on your "20 Nov 2007, 20:05" post, I imagine it must have been very frustrating. I wish I was there to retrieve them for you and rest them in their rightful place, in front of your eyes.

What did you do when they took off your glasses? Did you try to take them back or did you wait until they gave them back to you? Were you afraid they would break them? What did you first do when you took them back?

ehpc 24 Nov 2007, 09:06

Do tell us about your glasses and about you, Clair:)Pete

Clair 23 Nov 2007, 23:51

What a wonderful topic. At -12 I can relate to Gwen's post at the eye doc. I had a very similar experience getting a frame updated. You think you can actually function then sit next to someone and have no idea even if they have eyes. When the young guy said "I guess you will not be leaving" I did just because. I went to my favorite store (can find that in the dark) and bought a dress even trying it on. I really enjoyed the experience. The only down side was the dress looked aweful when I could actually see it. Three days ago I did the same thing leaving my glasses in the car. The dress looked great this time.

Aubrac 23 Nov 2007, 00:16

Seeker

Not really unusual. Some people may need a +3/+4 for reading but are ok for distance withiout glasses. Others, like my wife, need +1.75 to see really clearly at distance and for reading.

Julian 22 Nov 2007, 20:05

Chinese food only looks like puke if you're not wearing your glasses.

Stingray 22 Nov 2007, 19:30

Chinese food looks like stuff all mixed together...sort of like puke!

Seeker 22 Nov 2007, 18:34

One occasion working with a youth group a boy lost a screw from his mildly plus glasses that he wore all the time. He asked me to fix them. I was'nt wearing my glasses which are basically for reading and close up work so asked him to get them from my bag. He tried them on and said they were 'too strong' for him which seemed a bit unusual to me.

ping ping ping 22 Nov 2007, 17:48

LaChoi makes Chinese food

Gwen 22 Nov 2007, 12:59

So what does Chinese food look like?

Stingray 21 Nov 2007, 17:44

I find that when I eat without my glasses, everything looks like Chinese food.

R Ed 21 Nov 2007, 16:58

Emily,

That must have been horrible for you. The comment "You could use them to eat a bowl of soup." reminds me of a comment my niece ( ~ -3)about her older brother ( ~ -10)-he can't eat cereal without his glasses. My sister-in-law as a teen commented "I can't see the near side of a barn withour my glasses" (she was exagerating). But these are all pretty creative comments better than "Blind as a bat"

Anders 21 Nov 2007, 08:16

This will seem laughable to a lot of you, but yesterday I decided just quickly to wash my face before going out, then put my jacket on, went downstairs to the garage, got in the car, drove out onto the street and half way down the block before I realized I didn't have my glasses on (they're by most of your standards pretty mild, something like +2.5 for presbyopia and some astigmatism).

sourgrapes 21 Nov 2007, 06:48

That's terrible, Emily. :(

I'm surpised non optic obsessives speak of 'rings'

Emily 20 Nov 2007, 20:05

I was at my aunt and uncle's house the other day -- they live near me and I visit often. My aunt and uncle were out but their three teen boys (my cousins) were home. When they spotted that i had new glasses, one of the boys pulled them off my face. As my RX is -13, I couldn't see much. They passed the glasses around amongst themselves for 10 to 15 minutes, making fun of them, before they gave them back. For instance: (1) "Wow, let me count how many rings there are: 1, 2, 3 ... 11, 12 ... more than I know how to count." (2) Hey guys, feel how thick they are!" (fingerprints all over them). (3) "You could use them to eat a bowl of soup." etc. It was pretty frustrating and pretty frightening.

Minnie 20 Nov 2007, 08:38

My glasses were crushed two nights ago, and I am trying to find a pair via the on-line route because I cannot afford to pay an arm and a leg for new ones from a store. Needless to say, the headaches are back, I'm seeing double more often than before and I find myself closing one eye to cope. I was given a contact to try, but for some reason I get better vision out my glasses. In addition, my husband is not a fan of contacts, and prefers seeing me in glasses. I could go either way, but I do feel prettier without them on my face. Sounds vain, but the clarity of vision outweighs the vanity so it's only niggling issue at the back of my mind.

I find it amazing how quickly my eye has raised the white flag in surrender. I wish I had a spare pair to hand.

Fun Times 19 Nov 2007, 09:31

Ok then, not to break her neck but only her ego!

Feel better?

Sue 19 Nov 2007, 00:54

Gwen, it seems your habits are very similar to mine, which is not surprising since we are both pretty handicapped without glasses on. Like yourself, I grope for mine as soon as I wake up, its an automatic reaction now, out goes my arm and I feel for the glasses. And as you say, its easy to find the specs first than try to see the clock about 3 inches from my face. Unlike you, I also put mine on for the bathroom, I could make my way there unaided but I have a terrible hatred of spiders and the like, and would be frightened there would be one on the floor or in the bathroom which I would not see unless I had my glasses on. The only other time they come off is in the shower.

And they are only sitting outside on a shelf, not far away for me to feel for.at bedtime, seconds before

the light goes off, then the glasses come off, that�s the way its been for years now, and I cannot see this routine changing.

Tim 18 Nov 2007, 20:34

I always thought the dreaded Hillary had been lasiked.

dixie guest 18 Nov 2007, 17:56

To Funtimes:

What a mean spirited comment! Go away!

fun times 18 Nov 2007, 15:48

WHAT I WOULD LIKE IS TO SEE HILLARY LOSE HER CONTACT LENSES AT THE DEBATES AND GO WALKING OFF THE STAGE INTO ORCHESTRA PIT AND BREAK HER STUPID NECK.

4eyes 18 Nov 2007, 12:49

Hi... hehe. Here is me, again.

From Sao Paulo, taking a break from studies.

I can understand your comments about not using glasses. My Add Rx is above +35 and by the time I arrive home from school every night night, I feel like comfortable when I those heavy glasses out. My daddy seems not understand that but since I have some big screen I can play and deal with computer on my plasma TV. I won�t say my dad I can't see very well without the glasses but I can put my eyes to rest a little. On sunny days things goes really weird because I see colors everywhere and my glasses seems to be falling over and over again. And I use straps on them. But then I realize that I am always sleeping with them and by the morning they are resting at my bedside, thanks to my dad. Because of that every week my daddy takes two of my three glasses to be adjusted.

I do understand CVI or/and sensorial strabismus thing play a big part in my eyes glasses but I really feel great with them at all, but I only do that at home. Hehehe.

4eyes, out.

Melyssa 18 Nov 2007, 08:05

Gwen,

Before bedtime I always put a pair of glasses from my large collection (in its case, of course) on the nightstand by my bed so it will be ready for me to put on when I wake up for the "final time" in the morning. I can make out the clock (barely) sans glasses. When I get ready to go to bed, the last thing I do in the bathroom is take off whatever frame I'm wearing and leave it in its case to clean the next day. On those rare occasions when I have to take a trip to the bathroom during the night, I am able to find my way there and back, as there's a night light near the door. Coming back to my side of the bed, I put my hand on it to navigate back. Other than that, or when taking a shower, or when shoveling snow, I always wear my lovely -9.00/RX glasses.

lazysiow 18 Nov 2007, 06:02

Well I am back home with parents for the holidays and they don't know that I wear glasses even after all these years (another topic in itself!). My plus prescription is not significant and has been getting reduced so I've been going without but I noticed that my astigmatism is getting worse (and has been), especially in my left eye. I can't read much at a distance on an axis different to my current rx and maybe finally now that it is noticeable they might get the axis right for good.

On the other hand it is kind of exciting to finally be kinda myopic, except no amount of squinting helps! My right eye is definitely becoming my "good eye" nowadays.

Ivan 18 Nov 2007, 05:59

-gwen.My "ritual" so to speak is to park mine right next to me on my bedside cabinet with one arm closed so as to make room for my little bedside light and trusted glass of lemonade for when I get a dry throat.That way,should I need to get up in the night,or when I have the radio alarm go off when I get up for work they are to hand easily.Sometimes though,If I have had too many beers say,I leave them somewhere in my living room by mistake and that can be a problem as I have to sort of peer and squint about near all the furniture close up till I can find them.this can sometimes look a bit odd to a guest with me though!as has happend before.I also have to have an alarm clock with large digital letters so I can check the time,but still need it quite close to even do that without my glasses.

Gwen 18 Nov 2007, 05:48

I was wondering what other people's habits regarding putting glasses on in the morning and taking them off at night are. I've for as long as I can remember been a grope for my glasses before I even get out of bed kind of girl. I need them to see my clock for one thing and I might as well grab the specs rather then the clock and bring it up to my face. I do on occasions get up and go to the bathroom without glasses though. I'm not sure why, just to prove to myself I can and that I'm not completely helpless, I think. I never venture downstairs to make coffee without glasses however. As for the last thing at night, being a woman of a certain age I tend to cover my face in rejuvenating creams in the bathroom, then put the glasses back on to go to bed. Sometimes I'll read in which case I wear my reading specs. Either way, removing the glasses is the very last thing I do after switching my bedside light off.

charles 16 Nov 2007, 00:05

Oscar,

I can understand your friend sometimes not using her glasses. Like her, my rx is a little above -30 (my eyes are far from beautiful, though) and I find, particularly in the morning and late at night, that my eyes feel more comfortable without them. Naturally, I can't see anything at all but it does allow my eyes to relax for a while. My mother's myopia is in the mid -40's and when I visit she often takes them off for the same reason. Some of us find it quite hard to tolerate a very high rx all the time.

Gwen 15 Nov 2007, 14:27

Sue. By the way my prescription is R -12.75 -4.25 110 +2.25 add

and L -14.00 -3.75 90 +2.25 add. So comparable to yours

Adalle 15 Nov 2007, 10:32

About 3 years ago, my girlfriend at that time used to go to work wearing her contacts. She had a prescription of -3 on both eyes and she refused to wear her glasses to work because they wear of older prescription and always postponed purchasing new ones. One day she called me and asked me to go pick her up, as she had to take her contacts off cause they were itching her and couldn't see anything.

Of course I rushed out there, and found her at our meeting point, seating on a bench and squinting towards the road trying to see if I was coming. I admit I may have stared at her squinting face for a few more seconds than I should before going towards her to lead her to the car...

Of course after that incident I convinced her to purchase a new pair of glasses to be able to wear them at work too.

Oscar 14 Nov 2007, 19:17

The most interesting person I know who goes without her glasses for most of the time has such an extreme prescription (and complications) that she only uses her glasses for very close work. She has a very severe form of degenerative myopia and is way beyond legally blind even with correction. Still, it's strange seeing someone whose best correction (in theory at least) is with very strong myodiscs (-30 approx.) preferring to go without her glasses for a lot of the time. But beyond about six inches in front of her, even those glasses don't do a lot of good. Since she has the most beautiful blue eyes, I'm always happy to see her either with or without her glasses. The cool thing is that she knows she looks good in them, and does still get some use from them for reading (large print) and working at the computer.

Lynn 14 Nov 2007, 14:51

I also keep 3 older pairs (though with unsufficient prescription for me today) in "easy" places: glove box, handbag, and bedside table. My bedside table pair is often used as in the evenings I tend to take off my current glasses downstairs, in the kitchen... before going to bed and forget to take them with me.

Jennifer 14 Nov 2007, 12:41

I know what I would have done if I heard those words!

VFL 14 Nov 2007, 12:29

Reminds me of a time I went with my guy to the one hour shop to get new lenses installed in the frames he already had. Poor dear didn't count on having to walk around without specs for that long and in the nearby bookstore looked around with that blank myopic gaze we all so love and asked in a very quiet tone, "God, when did my eyes get this bad?"

Can you imagine what that did to me?

Sorry, but I loved it.

Sue 14 Nov 2007, 10:14

You sound as bad as me Gwen, i am R-12.50 L-15.25 but need stronger soon.

I must admit, mine have been in my car at times when i am out without a bag, but i am lucky that whenever i have needed them, they were to hand,

Gwen 14 Nov 2007, 09:30

Sue. I have spare pairs distributed all over, I even keep a pair at my best friend's house in case of emergencies. I'm fully aware of the consequences of being without glasses for whatever reason. This time my nearest spares were in my car and I just didn't think it through that I was actually going to be blind for the whole time they were installing my new lenses and so never really thought to take them to the opticians with me. It wasn't distressing in any way, I mean I knew where my glasses were. It was just boring.

OttO 14 Nov 2007, 08:40

Good idea Sue. Having a spare pair at hand is also a good idea for anyone required to have glasses for driving. Always a good idea to keep a spare/older pair of glasses in the glove box. You never know...

Sue 14 Nov 2007, 07:14

Gwen, Like you i have very bad eyesight and would have been in the same position without mine. However, I always carry a spair pair of glasses in my handbag, which i think is a must for any girl who is lost once they come off, or anyone for that matter. I got into the habit years ago of always making sure a spare pair was in my handbag, its one of the last things i check before going out.

Emily 12 Nov 2007, 09:35

Gwen

Sounds like me. How nearsighted are you?

Gwen 12 Nov 2007, 08:05

A couple of years ago I had a frame that I really liked and so when it came to the time for my eye exam and my presription changed, I decided to get new lenses put into the old frame. The lenses were duly ordered and a few days later I went to have them installed. The assistant at the optical place took one look at me and said "oh you won't want to walk anywhere without those will you?" She then duly led me over to a customers' seating area and took my glasses saying the glazing would take 45 minutes or so. So there I sat, uncorrected unable to see a thing. People came and went and sat oppostite me, I couldn't see if they were looking at me or smiling, in fact I couldn't really even if they were male or female. It was quite a frustrating time all in all because there really isn't anything to do, ordinarily in such circumstances I like to people watch but this small pleasure was denied me as the only thing I could see were blurred blobs walking to and fro. There were magazines on a table and out of desperation I even picked one of them up to read but gave up as it was almost impossible to read with it pressed against my nose and anyway I felt quite self conscious displaying my visual handicap in this way. After what seemed like an eternity, the assistant brought me my glasses and put them on my nose saying they looked "fantastic" on me. It was wonderful to be suddenly given crystal clear vision again, it's incredible what one misses without correction.

Phil 12 Nov 2007, 05:06

Clare. I had a brilliant thought. Why don't we meet for that coffee without specs or contacts? Wouldn't that be cool? We could just squint.

Phil 12 Nov 2007, 01:43

I'm -4 and I'm bare-eyed today, as I am every day at work. Last week I went to a meeting in a very dark room and I couldn't see a thing. It was so scary.

Ivan 11 Nov 2007, 11:50

-Emily, I know how you feel.I have had my optician and a sales lady forget for a few minutes that I cant actually see anything while one wandered off to see a new customer and the other took ages to adjust my new frames.I just sat there staring at the wall while people walked past me.Also One lady forgot to give my glasses back.I had to ask-to which she sort of joked it away with a "oh yes-you need these don't you" (she wasnt a wearer) and I wasnt amused.Most are very good at the practioners here though in general and seem to have good empathy for customers. Good training I expect.

Emily 11 Nov 2007, 11:19

I'm very nearsighted (around -13) and never go without glasses. However, when I go for an eye exam, the optometrist takes the glasses off my face to check the power, and then sets them down. Then it takes a while for him to put my prescription into the phoropter. All this time, I'm sitting there helpless. I can;t tell there's a chart on the wall. I can't see any letters. I can't even tell that the chart has any letters. It looks like an oval grey blob. I can't wait for the phoropter to move in front of my face so I can see something again.

The other time I'm bare-eyed is when I need to have my frames adjusted. I can't even she what s/he is doing with my glasses while they're off my face. I can't wait hor him/her to put them back on my nose!

Guest 11 Nov 2007, 09:53

To Claire

I'm not surprised you can go without glasses as your prescription is pretty insiginficant

Fred 11 Nov 2007, 08:01

In one of the past versions of ES there was a thread about this. I remember especially Susanne DK writing about her experiences. Looking forward to many nice stories here!

Clare 11 Nov 2007, 04:49

Ivan - is it that or just a case of getting used to it I wonder? Enjoy your afternoon.

Ivan 11 Nov 2007, 04:27

-Clare,and why not! I might have a bare eye afternoon here-prob show me just how dependant I am on them though