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I'm getting glasses

6K views 77 replies 27 participants last post by  Joker Eh 
#1 ·
One thing I learned during a barrage of testing over the past couple month, is that I need glasses. :cool:

Was quite an interesting visit to the optometrist, and a day I'll never forget.

I've always had really good vision. Of my immediate family of 7 with my brothers and sisters, I've been the only one not to need glasses for a long time. Out of my own family of 3 kids and my wife, I'm the only one who didn't need glasses as well.

Besides some other problems, I've had really bad headaches, and they were almost always on the right side of my head. So, one of the tests was to get my eyes checked. Thought it had been about a year, but turns out it was almost 3 years ago. I can see really good (Or so I thought) so I didn't think much about it.

I was reading the eye chart, first with my left eye. Could read really far down the list like usual, as well as really small paragraphs. Switch to right eye and whoa... Must be something in my eye. Blink a couple of times.. nope, still can't read it. (I'm looking at the second row from the top of the eye chart at this point)

I ask her if she has any saline or something, because I think I've got goop in my eye or something. She instead flicks a couple lenses and says, "how about this?" WOW, I can read it!

I know it's not a big deal and pretty common place, but for some reason this event just made such a big impact on me. It just totally blew me away that my right eye was that blurry and I hadn't noticed. It was such a funny experience to think I had something stuck in my eye, and then a little flick of the lens made it clear. Reminded me of an old Little House on the Prairie episode I saw as a kid. :eek:

Anyways, glasses are ordered and I can't wait to get them and get rid of the headaches. For the past few days, I find myself every couple hours closing my right eye, then left, then right still in disbelief of the difference I never noticed.

Truth be told, I've always wanted to wear glasses. As proof, refer to this post from 2003! :eek:

I'll post pics when they finally come in. They are sort of ordered. I've picked them out, have gotten fitted and measured, but I'm waiting until Thursday to pay for them. My local optometrist at the grocery store Zehr's is having a half off sale on Thursday.
 
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#6 ·
I have been wearing glasses since the age of 8. Luckily, the "Coke bottle" glasses are a thing of the past, with high-impact thin plastic lenses are worn now.
 
#4 ·
I can see clearly now, the rain has gone… :clap:
 
#5 ·
I just went the opposite route, after 20 years of glasses, I finally got laser eye surgery a couple weeks ago. So glad to finally be free of them.
 
#8 · (Edited)
I got my first pair of glasses when I was four years old, some 63 years ago. (Astigmatism) The last three visits to the optometrist (every three years) has seen no change in my vision which the doc tells me is 20/15 wearing my glasses. (My grandson just got glasses at age 3 and one half), Unlike some others, I have no issues with wearing glasses and have heard far too many horror stories about laser surgery's repercussions as one ages late in life to scare me away from it entirely. (Two friends are dealing with vision loss due to laser work now that they are in their late seventies.)
 
#10 ·
if you know a couple people that could make you nervous about doing the procedure.

One thing I learned though is it makes a big difference where you go. People often cite the great reputation of certain places they get laser eye surgery, and perhaps they do have high success rates, but I went to what I found to be the top place, they are not just laser eye specialists, they are a full eye surgery center with top doctors. Laser surgery is a small part of their eye care. And it was one of their top surgeons who actually performed the surgery. Some people disagreed with me on this and felt that going to the "500 an eye" place with a great reputation was fine.

But you're right, your eyes are important and I would never suggest laser eye to anyone without cautioning them to research heavily before hand. My grandfather made it to 80 with laser eye surgery with zero problems (he often remarked he'd wished it existed decades ago), and my father enjoyed it until he was 69, until I just finished driving him up for cataract surgery.

No surgery is without it's risks, and having a really good eye doctor with informed facts can help either make an informed choice, or talk you out of it if there are rick factors. Too many 'reputable places' perform the surgery when they likely shouldn't.
 
#9 ·
I'm going farsighted and now I have three pairs of reading glasses (work, computer desk at home, coat pocket for when I'm out & about). Over the past few years I've finally come to understand why I hear some people say "my arms aren't long enough!" My eyes aren't as bad as some peoples' I suppose, and my prescription is fairly weak, but it's still somewhat irksome. Not sure if laser surgery works for presbyopia but I wouldn't have it done if you paid me.
 
#11 ·
As a person who wears glasses and has asked my uncle who is a optometrist in Toronto, he has told me on numerous occasions do not get laser eye surgery. I need my glasses for seeing far away, but over the years the more comfortable I get with them I now use them all day even to read books though I don't need them to read. He has told me that unless I want to have to put on my glasses to turn over and see the clock radio time beside my bed by my mid forties stay away from surgery. Make sure you consult a good independant optometrist before you decide on laser surgery or except you wear glasses. He told me my near sight will actually improve and I should be able to sit at my desk and not wear glasses.

I am just so use to them on I even forget that I am wearing them sometimes as I found the numerous times I walked into the shower with them on.
 
#13 ·
he put it to me this way. You need glasses to see distance which is when you are driving, maybe at the movies, or maybe even watching tv. How many hours per day do you do that? I said maybe 2 hours a day. He then replied do you want to have surgery just to fix something that affects you for only 2 hours a day now and then hinder you later in life all the time. It's nonsense he says.
 
#17 ·
I've had glasses since I was 11. Had no idea my eyes were getting worse, except that my teacher at the time used to a) write up a daily morning math quiz on the chalk board, and b) liked to rotate students around the class room, so once I moved to the back of the room my quiz scores dropped pretty dramatically.

Up until a couple of months ago, I didn't have to wear them all the time--just while driving, and while watching a movie or TV. However, I went about 5 years without visiting the eye doctor, and when I finally went to see one again (because, of all things, I had a groupon), my eyes had worsened by a full diopter. (I could tell they were getting worse, but I didn't realize how much worse.) I now wear my glasses all the time.

The things I'm still getting used to are:
1) Instant fog when moving from a cold environment to a warm one.
2) Getting blinded by steam while cooking or baking or even opening the dishwasher before everything is fully dried.
3) Eating while wearing glasses. Never used to, and somehow it feels funny.
4) Not being able to read and watch TV simultaneously. While I can read with my glasses on, it feels awkward. Watching TV, however, is more comfortable with my glasses on. Trying to do both at once is consequently very awkward... I keep taking my glasses on and off.

I'm mildly considering laser (though I believe I need to give my prescription time to stabilize first) for reasons of sheer vanity. Biggest hesitation, however, is that I do not want to risk needing reading glasses.... given the amount of reading I do, that would be the bigger hassle.
 
#18 · (Edited)
Had perfect sight for 45 years. I had to get glasses a couple of years ago and had to go straight to progressives, i.e. I have to wear them all the time.

In addition to some of the downsides Sonal mentions the thing I hate most about having to wear glasses is that it is almost impossible to keep the damn things clean for any longer than what seems a few hours. It pisses me off having to forever be cleaning them... :mad:
 
#23 ·
In addition to some of the downsides Sonal mentions the thing I hate most about having to wear glasses is that it is almost impossible keep the damn things clean for any longer than what seems a few hours. It pisses me off having to forever be cleaning them... :mad:
Yeah, I never worried about keeping them clean when I was only wearing them occasionally.... but now that I wear them all the time, dirty glasses bother me a lot more.
 
#20 ·
I've been wearing glasses since I was in grade 2 (I'm now 26). I don't remember a life without glasses. I'm near-sightened and even then fairly blind without corrective lenses. Like some before me in this thread, I'll be undergoing corrective eye surgery in 2012 at some point.

@groovetube - How did you find the experience at the institute you chose?
 
#24 ·
well i've worn glasses and contacts since grade 8 and I didn't mind them.

until this past year when I started having deeper issues with far sightedness ie. I'm having a hard time seeing stuff up close.

Turning 40 in a few months doesn't bug me, but I can NOT get used to not seeing stuff up close.

it's driving me nuts. bonkers.

it's the first time i've considered eye surgery, but i think i'm screwed b/c of an astigmatism.

grrr!!

i really noticed when hunting a few weeks ago. headaches after constantly looking through my scope then around. my eyes were having to refocus non-stop.

minor in the grand scheme of life, but a problem nonetheless.
 
#34 ·
The astigmatism isn't your only issue - presbyopia, which is the diminished ability to focus on near objects that most of us start to suffer from as we age, isn't fixed with laser surgery.

I'm shortsighted - I need glasses for driving, TV, shopping, movies etc. I've had glasses since I was 13, though didn't wear them all through high school by moving closer to the blackboard! By around age 27 or so, it was a requirement on my driver's license. I still don't wear them in the house, except when I'm vacuuming and need to see the dust bunnies well. ;) I don't wear them while working at the computer and cannot see a darn thing if I try to read with my glasses on. I'm lucky - at 53, I can still read without glasses, though I'm not sure for how much longer. I'm noticing things like threading a needle are getting more difficult, so bifocals may be in my future.

Through my 30s and into my 40s I wore contacts, but I got to the point where I couldn't see the computer monitor with them on, which meant I either had to remove them, or put on reading glasses...which seemed ludicrous (correcting the correction) or consider bifocal contacts or wearing one contact for distance and one for reading (or none at all in one eye) and I decided that it was just a whole lot easier to wear glasses for distance and ditch the contacts. Occasionally I consider bifocal contacts, but so far haven't bothered.

I've considered laser surgery, but am just not willing to take the small risk that something might go wrong. Plus - then I'd almost definitely need reading glasses.
 
#25 ·
I updated my glasses last winter (man, do I hate bifocals...). Need to get another pair for driving, maybe some prescriptions shades. I've been thinking of ordering from Zenni Optical (direct from China or somewhere, ridiculously cheap prices compared to the optometrist). Anyone used 'em?

Still trying to figure out my prescription - to order the right ones... they do eyeglasses prescriptions a bit differently here, it seems...
 
#26 ·
CM, I ordered a pair of specs from Zenni, just to see what I got. I am totally pleased with them. Non tinted progressive bifoculs, total price $53 shipped right to my mailbox in eight days from order and they are as good as any pair I ever paid $600 for in the past. the frames were about $17, the PAIR of lenses $23 and the shipping along with two pair of clip on shades made up the total. LensCrafters and their like with $300 lenses and $400 frames can go to hell in future. beejacon
 
#35 ·
I have two pairs of reading glasses, A pair of bifocals and a pair of farsighted glasses,
Most of the time I avoid wearing them for as long as I can,
But I'll cave for playing games on my iPhone,
That's when I'll pull out my cheapy 1.5x four dollar dollar store glasses.

Have fun Mr. Mayor, You are going to either love glasses or hate them,
Either way, It's really just a matter of getting used to looking through those holes on your head.

:)
 
#36 ·
All I can really speak to is for myself it was definitely the right decision, but I can definitely understand why some people would choose not to do it, as it is certainly not right for everyone.

For myself going from not being able to see much of anything farther than my hand in front of my face to being able to see better than 20/20 has been well worth it. I would also recommend that people stay away from the less reputable places that advertise only $500 per eye, as my doctor friend advised me about one such place... they're like the McDonalds of laser eye surgery... In the end it really is something you've gotta do your homework on before making the decision.
 
#39 ·
About 10 years ago, I experienced the same things as our Mayor. Headaches at the end of the day, and the realization that I needed longer arms to read. My right eye is the slacker, but my distance vision is 20/10 or better (some charts have it at 20/8.5). I just went for a new eye test, and my prescription changed, so I ordered a pair from Clearly Contacts.ca, and they came in less than 48 hours! I'm going to get a new pair (or 2) of Clic glasses, because then I won't mislay them when I take them off. I've been using Clics for the past four years, and really like them.
 
#47 ·
Officially order my glasses tomorrow morning! :cool:

My first pair I'm getting at the actual optometrist. I may get a spare pair from clearlycontacts.ca. A friend told me if you follow them on Facebook, they often have deals on your first pair for practically nothing.
That's where I got my spare pair from, and it's true, they have LOTS of deals all the time.

If you get a comfortable and well-fitting pair from the optometrist, there are numbers on the inner handle that can help you select a pair of well-fitting frames online. (And you will be shocked at the price difference.)
 
#46 ·
Sonal, thanks for the info. I did a bit of searching, and found this:

Sometimes a prescription has two numbers, written such as PD 65/62, usually written on a bi-focal prescriptions. This means that 65 is your distance vision PD, and the one to be entered on our forms. And 62 is the reading or near vision PD, the one to be used only if you are ordering plain reading glasses only.

Occasionally, a PD can be written as for example 32/34.5, which are the measurements from the center of the nose to either eye, and your PD is the sum of the two, 32+34.5=66.5. You would simply enter this in a PD field as 66 or 67, when you are ordering your glasses online, the .5 decimal point is not critical.
(GlassesPoint.com.au)
 
#50 ·
My case is a little different. I have progressives, and the entire range of power from top to bottom, is all for reading. I do not need glasses for normal vision, only for reading. If so, why progressive?

Well, when I read a laptop screen, it is around 2 feet away from my eyes (with the laptop on my lap or on a desk), but when I am reading a book or a wine-bottle or a business card or my iPhone, the reading surface is much closer to my eye, say a foot or so thereabouts.

So, I need progressives, just for reading. :)

And yes, it is a bitch to keep them clean because hey mysteriously seem to develop smudges. Also, I second the posted who mentioned eyelashes and eyebrows - my eyelashes keep smudging the glasses all the time.

I just hang the glasses around my neck when I am not reading. Yeah, I know it does not look cool, but hey, I have stopped caring about looking cool in preference for convenience.

The one thing I hate about progessives - I have to keep nodding my head up and down to find that exact thin line where the words are in perfect focus. The slightest move of my head and I lose the focus and have to start slowly nodding again to find that spot. Very irritating indeed.

Cheers
 
#51 ·
My case is a little different. I have progressives, and the entire range of power from top to bottom, is all for reading. I do not need glasses for normal vision, only for reading. If so, why progressive?

Well, when I read a laptop screen, it is around 2 feet away from my eyes (with the laptop on my lap or on a desk), but when I am reading a book or a wine-bottle or a business card or my iPhone, the reading surface is much closer to my eye, say a foot or so thereabouts.

So, I need progressives, just for reading. :)

And yes, it is a bitch to keep them clean because hey mysteriously seem to develop smudges. Also, I second the posted who mentioned eyelashes and eyebrows - my eyelashes keep smudging the glasses all the time.

I just hang the glasses around my neck when I am not reading. Yeah, I know it does not look cool, but hey, I have stopped caring about looking cool in preference for convenience.

The one thing I hate about progessives - I have to keep nodding my head up and down to find that exact thin line where the words are in perfect focus. The slightest move of my head and I lose the focus and have to start slowly nodding again to find that spot. Very irritating indeed.

Cheers
I hear ya....
 
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