Acuity and Prescription

Wurm 12 Jan 2002, 20:49

I have started a new thread, "Acuity and Prescription II". Please continue to post there, instead of here. This large page is eating up a lot of my bandwidth.

http://eyescene.net/bbs/threads/47.html

Also, there is a general "Vision" topic available at:

http://eyescene.net/bbs/threads/45.html

Emily 12 Jan 2002, 18:23

Dave,

That's what I thought, it is a scleral buckle (done to fix retinal detachments). That would definitely make him myopic, but only by a few diopters. One thing's for sure though, you wouldn't want to go through one of those operations just to increase your myopia! :)

Lazysiow 12 Jan 2002, 17:36

I've found some fascinating articles about astigmatism that go far beyond the 2 line description at most sites

http://contactsandmore.com/IBall/4acccyl.htm - Astigmatic versus the spherical refractive error. Translation : this is actually how they apply the astigmatism correction to the lenses.

http://www.eyetec.net/group2/M6S3.htm - Neutralizing astigmatism with a minus-cylinder phoropter. Translation : how they test and work out astigmatism correction. This is actually part 3 of a module, I suggest you read from part 1 as that covers retinoscopy and the auto-refractor :) part 2 will walk you through the terms that will prepare you for part 3 and there's even a test at the end. Oooh :)

Dave 12 Jan 2002, 15:37

Emily,

I looked it up. That is what he had to treat a retina problem.

tinyeyes 12 Jan 2002, 14:58

Forgot to mention I am in my mid-thirties and I've worn contacts for over 20 years.

tinyeyes 12 Jan 2002, 14:57

Alan--

Thanks for your reply about getting accurate contact lens and glasses prescriptions. I think it makes sense to basically do as I would normally do before getting tested, because that will be the way I will use the glasses later. Maybe you're right about different doctors having different philosophies. I know the one I used to go to never said much of anything about wearing schedules, or about refraining from contact lens wear before the test. He would have me take them out when I got to the office and have my eyes "mellow out" for a few minutes beforehand.

I think what's important to me is having good vision with glasses when I get up in the morning, so I think refraining from wearing contacts the morning of the test (and getting tested in the morning) would probably be sufficient.

I do have astigmatism (here is the old RX for glasses:R -8.75-2.00 X 001, L -9.00 -.75 X 178) I really have never understood exactly what that means. But the eye doctors have always said that it is hard to correct my vision with glasses. I would say that, yes, with glasses, I feel a little nearsighted. It is more difficult to see faraway signs and faces with the glasses on. And often in the morning when I wear them, I have noticed my vision being significantly worse in one eye than the other..usually the right eye but not always. I never experience an effect like that with contacts. I suppose I should tell all this to the eye doctor when I go. Thanks again.

Emily 12 Jan 2002, 13:20

Dave,

What do you mean by a "band" wrapped around his eye? A scleral buckle?

Dave 12 Jan 2002, 12:28

Filthy, Julian

Thanks for the heads-up about JJH. I'm disappointed and I must admit I took his fiction as fact. Perhaps I will eventually learn to spot these things. I trust that most of the respondents were on the up-and-up.

To all: I've once heard that an eye has three diopters of myopia per millimetre that it is "overly long". Has anyone else heard that? If it's true, an Rx like JJH claimed to have (say -44) would equate to an extra 1.5 centimetres in axial length. Do eyeballs come in egg shapes? Seems to me there was an "Anna" ID on the old site who had an Rx in that neighborhood.

One more thought (thank you all for indulging). I once coached hockey with a guy who wore fairly strong glasses on one lens only. He had good vision but there was a band wrapped around his eye that changed the shape and created the myopia (by lengthening the eye). Perhaps this is a new alternative to GOC - just kidding.

 12 Jan 2002, 12:03

Christy 12 Jan 2002, 07:50

Bruno - I got my glasses over a dozen years ago and my prescription hasn't really changed more than half a diopter. However - when I take my glasses off - things look a whole lot blurrier than they ever did before I got glasses. Maybe the truth lies somewhere in between "it doesn't" and "it does".

Emily 12 Jan 2002, 07:44

Bruno,

There's a lot of contraversy surrounding this topic. Some optometrists or ophthalmologists feel that wearing glasses fulltime DOES play a role in the increase of ones Rx... I think most don't, however (or at least most that I've spoken to and read about). If you do some research, you'll find that no one really knows how or why axial myopia progresses, only speculations exist (the whole nature vs. nurture debate). I believe that if you wear an Rx that is a higher than the one prescribed for you, you can induce myopia through ciliary spasm (pseudo myopia)... but that doesn't happen if you wear an Rx that was prescribed just for you. The point is, if you feel you need glasses, just wear them- what happens, happens. Oh, by the way, to make things more confusing :).. one of my friends has worn glasses since she was eight (she's now 17)... and she still has basically the same Rx she had back then- around -1 or -2, so it just goes to show you... ? I don't know how common that occurrence would be (probably not very), but I guess that's part of the confusion surrounding the topic. :) Sorry for blabbing on!

Bruno 12 Jan 2002, 05:27

Christy, I think you're not wright because i weared my glasses direct fulltime my eyes increased quick. When I was 15 I had RX -1.5 and now at the age of 27 it inceased untill RX -5. And my doctor told that it wouldn't be so bad when I did n't wear my glasses from the start.

Hervé when i was you, wear them only when you need them.

Christy 12 Jan 2002, 04:55

Hervé - No it's not true - it just feels like that because your eyes get used to relaxing while you're wearing glasses.

Hervé 12 Jan 2002, 04:31

Is it true when you wear your glasses fulltime, that your RX will increase?

Julian 11 Jan 2002, 22:57

I always thought John XXX was into GOC at both extremes...that's irrespective of whether he's real or not. He used to appear on the original EyeScene at monthly intervals I think, though not under that name.

Filthy McNasty 11 Jan 2002, 18:30

John XXX was a persona created by a sometime Eyescene regular (who admitted as much to me in private communication). I also found a post on some other site (perhaps a pediatric ophthalmology ste, I cannot remember) where JJH claimed to be a high hyperope. Nonetheless, you are right that the exchange was interesting.

Dave 11 Jan 2002, 18:24

Here is a link (to an old discussion that took place in the sci.med.vision newsgroup a number of years ago) that may interest many of you here at Eyescene. I followed the discussion as it took place but now that I've been made aware of the raw power of google, I was able to find it again.

If you read the complete thread you'll find that John (the extremely nearsighted one) makes several interesting posts. I believe that one post is by an optometrist (William Stacy).

http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&selm;=51s469%24dbo%40elaine33.Stanford.EDU

Rudeman 11 Jan 2002, 17:36

It doesn't matter to me whether Larissa is a fake or not.

I just thoroughly enjoy reading her posts.

They throw a little moreexcitement into my already exciting life.

Keep up the good work girl.

Alan 11 Jan 2002, 06:47

Let's move all the discussion with and "about" Larissa to the new "Vision" thread.

(Larissa, I'm sorry there is discussion "about" you. We really have no right.)

Alan

Specs4ever 11 Jan 2002, 05:48

Hey Spexfan, our posts crossed. In the event of base out prism, a person can overcome it much easier than base in. And, a person who needs base in has been forcing their eyes to overcome the base in. When they do get the base in, the prism is a bit hard to adapt to. And, i do know people that wear prism who have a minor prescription that can't go without their prism correction at all. Once you do get used to prism, it is like having double vision all the time without it.

specs4ever 11 Jan 2002, 05:44

Well, I went way back to where Larrissa first started to post. Her original postings made sense to me, and I read where she had seen 2 doctors, one of which prescribed her a minor minus increase, and a 2 degree base in prism. The second doctor prescribed a little more minus than the first doctor, but went with a 3 degree base in. This to me is consistent, as quite often the more you make a base in prism, the more minus you need. So, then I followed her story, and unless I am terribly gullible(which I know can be)I found her tale to be quite possible, and very logical. The funny stuff was thrown in by others, and while she did say that her optician told her that she could eventually jump to a 7 degree base in prism, this is not a given, nor was it prescribed.

But, all I am trying to say here is that if she is indeed a real person, instead of an internet faker, we are doing her an injustice. I respect everybodys comments here, but I do wonder why some folks seem so determined to weed out anything that is maybe not real.

spexfan 11 Jan 2002, 05:36

Larissa, I don't think you're necessarily faking these posts, but I have to agree that you're following a familiar pattern of 'fake' postings. How much prism was prescribed for you?

My girlfriend was given a few diopters of prism in her rx once. She certainly didn't have any of the trauma you're describing (and no mention of radical double vision). Her current rx has no prism at all.

I suggest you wear your old rx and get another independent exam. Ask the optometrist for little bit of correction for astigmatism - everything should be fine.

Don 11 Jan 2002, 05:03

Larissa,

I think you're a fake.

Rudeman 11 Jan 2002, 03:42

Larissa, what is a "looser"??

I think you meant to say loser.

Lazysiow 11 Jan 2002, 01:29

If you want to go on wearing them, its not our business to force you not to, but we care about your health too that's why we're getting so worked up. Did they tell you what would happen if you didnt get prisms? would your eyes later drift outwards or anything major like that? when you said 2 months, did he mean you only need them for 2 months to correct the Strabismus (I think I spelled it right).

After all, if you are going through this to fix a potentially debilitating eye condition later on then it's worth it, but otherwise if your eyes are wrecked just for the sake of a little extra clarity and minor headaches then it's not worth it! From what you're saying you're basically blind without them now. I still haven't broken the news to my parents to my folks about my glasses either, my mom has a real thing about eyes and glasses and would literally have a heart attack if she found out and I dont even need them full time. I can't imagine what you'd have to go through when you break the news to the parents, boyfriend, colleagues etc. That's why you should proceed slowly and get all the info before its really too late (have you tried spending as much effort to get used to your old glasses as your new ones?). My heart goes out to you :(

Specs4Me 10 Jan 2002, 21:40

Larissa,

Boy have you gotten a lot of stuff thrown at you over your situation. I have held back from kicking in any further comments but I really thing that the stuff is getting pretty deap.

I would offer the following for what it's worth:

1. You have gotten two opinions that were essentially the same indicating that you need these new glasses.

2. It is entierely possible that they saw something that your eyes were accomodating for that needed to be dealt with, hence the pirsm Rx.

3. If they did in deed see something that you are accomodating for, then is is just a matter of time before your eyes will no longer be able to accomodate and you would need the glasses anyway. So why not get them now and give your eyes a break.

4. If you still don't know what to do, then get references for a good "Opthamologist" and go see him/her for another corroborating opinion.

My gut feeling is that you probably need the Rx in your new glasses, that once you have allowed your eye muscles to relax from the extra work they have been doing to accomodate that you will see great, your eyes will be relaxed and rested and you won't have all the problems you have now. I suspect that this also includes being able to take off your glasses without having all the problems you have been having the last couple of days.

Anyway, follow your consceince, you seem to be a smart young lady who takes her health seriously. I'm sure you will do the right thing.

Larissa 10 Jan 2002, 17:35

Dear Guest....

You are a #anker. It's Larissa not Clarissa. Hey maybe everyone here is a fake and it's all one person! Have you ever though about that?

Sorry people, that person who is to chicken to own up who they are really got to me. What do we or I have to do to prove myself? Why do you think I'm fake? What a looser.

Thank you Geoff for you explanation. That's along the lines of what I've been told by the eyedoc. But just because I don't write every single detail of every conversation and type it down does not mean I'm a fake *guest*. What I refer to my 'normal' sight is the 'former' sight I had, which I thought was normal.

I will let you know how I come along later in the day or tomorrow. If you all think I'm fake, then let me know and I'll go away. OK.

Gee do I have to prove that I'm genuine. I think I'll ignore that comment.

email me "Guest" and we can sort out the differences there OK. larissaveldt@yahoo.com

Geoff 10 Jan 2002, 16:45

Larissa,

Sorry youve been having such a hard time with your glasses and I am certainly not a professional but for what its worth heres my $0.02. Your eye/brain combination can compensate for a whole range of things that are not “normal” with your eyes, like when I first started wearing glasses, it seemed like the glasses made my vision worse, but actually its just that they let my eyes relax and function “normally” without having to try and compensate for the fact that I couldn’t focus right, and then once they got used to relaxing, it seemed like my vision without the glasses was worse than before I got them, but it didn’t really change, it was just because then my eyes had gotten so used to not having to compensate any more and it was much harder to make them go back to doing that again. So that’s what happened to me anyways.

I don’t really know very much about this prism thing from a vision point of view but using a bit of physics and the way you described whats happening, it sounds like your brain decided that your eyes weren’t lining up right so it told your eye muscles to pull your eyes in more to the middle so they line up but you were not even aware of it cause you’ve been like that for so long it feels totally natural, but theyre always straining and I’m guessing maybe that might have been what was causing your headaches. So now when you put on your new glasses, the prisms do the compensating instead and then your muscles don’t have to do the work so it feels like your eyes are pushing out because you are so used to feeling them being pulled in. So its like your muscles (and your brain) are so used to working in a certain way, now you change that and it takes some time for them to adjust but after they adjust to being more relaxed its way harder for things to back the way they were, what you called their “natural” state. But really it was the old state that was unnatural and their natural state is really the way they are with the prism lenses. Its almost like you have to retrain your eyes and brain. But it sounds like wearing for that time yesterday has already started the process of relaxing cause when you got up this morning they were still the way they were when you went to bed last night.

I agree with you that you pretty much have to trust what the professionals say, theres always a bad apple or 2 in every basket but like you had two different docs tell you the same thing. I know its disappointing for you cause it means you probably are going to be wearing them full time and I remember what it was like when I got so I had to wear mine full time, but in my opinion, if wearing glasses all the time means you can see better and/or with less strain then its worth it.

This is getting pretty long but I just want to say when people want to try on my glasses I let them, (Im in the –6 to 7 range) and they always say things like you must be blind or I cant see a thing with these and my standard reply is well then it’s a good thing I wear them and not you or my other line is there must be something wrong with your eyes cause I can see really great with them. But based on my experience and a lot of other people as well, you will still be conscious of them long after everybody else has totally forgetten about it. So good luck and keep us up to date with how your getting along.

Guest 10 Jan 2002, 16:39

Clarissa - You GO girl!! Go back to the eye doc and tell him you think you need MORE prism! Let's say...10 Diopters Base In each eye. That should be great! Nice and thick on the inside of the lenses! Also, tell him you want some trifocals with some Base Up prism in one eye! (This IS fiction, right!?) Are you guys buying this one?! No Dr. would put you into that much prism unless they were sure you needed it!

Larissa 10 Jan 2002, 15:02

Clare:

I didn't "feel" I needed glasses in the first instance. I don't think feeling a certain way about something inclines me to think otherwise. Like say for instance someone that dosn't know of feel like they have cancer and the doc says you do. Do they walk away from it or go along with the diagnosis? I know this example is way over the top, but that's how I think.

I get a physical done once every year. Eyes, hearing and all the rest. Incidently, my hearing is down due to loud rave parties and dances but nothing to be concerned about they said. About 2% down was the figure. But I go every year because I am concerned about my health and well being. If there is a problem, i want it detected and rectified as soon as possible. I had these physicals since age 2, and I will keep doing them and my children too when the time comes to get married and have them. I think it's important. Sorry Clare if I sound rude, it's not my intent nor am I that type of person. Just wanted to let you know (and the rest) what type of person I am.

Larissa 10 Jan 2002, 14:47

Hello all,

I think it's already too late. I wore my new glasses for the most part of yesterday, about 6 or 7 hours. While everything still seemed weird, i could see one image clearly. Every now and then the image would double and then go back. I took them off when I got into bed, with the light off so I wouldn't see anything. I was hoping thatby morning that My eyes would rest and go back to their 'natural' state.

When I woke up, everything was a little blurry and double. I had to strain to see one image. I felt as if i was going cross-eyed just to look at everything. I tried going without for about half hour and no good. I tried putting my old glasses on and wore them for about half hour and still no good. I was seeing double, and if I wasn't i had to really try hard and concentrate. So I gave up. I went for my 'new' glasses.

I put them on and the strain on my eyes seemed to go away after about 5 minutes. The image was double for about 10 minutes and then went to one. I guess the eyedoc and the lady at the optical store were right. I would have to wear my glasses full time without really having a choice. Everything still looks weird, but i can see very clearly and sharply...I guess that is because of the distance part of the lenses. I tried to take them off just to see what happens. I tell you, i don't have them off for more than 30 seconds, I put them on straight away.

I guess I finally am coming to terms that I 'need' these for the rest of my life. I don't like the thought but I will cope I guess. I just don't know what I will tell everyone. Only few people saw me wearing glasses before and i didn't care or worry me because i could use them when "I" wanted to. I told my boyfriend and parents that I went to get some new glasses the otherday. They all asked why...I just told them that i wanted a variation from my old pair and have another pair. I did not tell them about my vision or that I will be wearing them full-time. They will just see me wearing them and I'll tell them that I choose to wear them and leave me alone.

One thing that does worry me a little is that people will ask to try them on. Everyone does. When I got my first pair, everyone wanted to try them on. I let them. Some would say that they saw clearer while others just said that it wasn't strong. Now, I wouldn't dare take them off to let them see through them. They will call be crosseyed or blind. I guess i will have to respond to them and say 'No'. I hope that no-one notices the new Rx that it is different from the last pair.

OK...some answers to questions and comments...

I tried to go without them this morning but it didn't work, I felt I had to put them on to see clearly and feel better, I think the damage has been done and it's too late. I wore them for 7 hours yesterday and virtually 3 hours this morning already. I can't go without them. My eyes strain and feel like they cross (even though they don't...I looked in the mirror).

Please, no offence to anyone (love you all) but I don't think any of you are professionals by trade. You can tell me from your experience, but if a an eyedoc who is a professional says to do something for your own benefit, I always went along with it. I will not change that because I believe something different. I know all about my job and I expect people to take me seriously when I say something, I do the same. Like I've said before, I already had two opinions which were nearly the same. That was good enough for me. Yeah I hate the thought of needing the glasses from morning to bed. I even wore them in the shower as I could not focus on the soap and hair gel, who'd think that I would come to this.

I'll post something later today as this ones getting long, to let you know how I'm going physically and emotionally. Thanx again for you toughts and comments, they are really encouraging.

Clare 10 Jan 2002, 12:25

Larissa - if you don't feel you needed prism before the optician recommended them don't wear them! Seems to me that you're not convinced that you need them, and there's a danger you might be coersed into wearing them because you think that's right.

If your optician can't give you a valid reason what makes him think you need them, don't do it. If you can see better with your new rx that's fine, but very different to something that's going to give you double vision when you take your glasses off.

Wurm 10 Jan 2002, 11:16

I've created a new thread called "Vision" for those who care to use it. Might be a good place to carry on with chit-chat from this thread, which some may feel is growing overlong:

http://eyescene.net/bbs/threads/45.html

Alan 10 Jan 2002, 11:14

Larissa,

Julian is right, beyond almost all doubt; if you are willing to be patient, you will be able to stop wearing the glasses if you decide to do that, even after wearing them all the time for a couple months. (Though it might be really difficult for a while.) I personally would absolutely not stand for the complete lack of explanation you've been given, but whatever. Prism up to 7D would be quite thick in regular plastic lenses; with high index lenses, they would still be somewhat thick, though not tremendously. Are your new glasses regular plastic, or high index?

Lazysiow 10 Jan 2002, 01:27

Actually antecdotal evidence suggests that glasses CAN "wreck" your eyes forever once you get used to them by wearing them all the time your eyes can just get "stuck" in that cilary spasm (at least thats what I think its called) and not come out of it, at least from what I've read here anyway.

I dont think I was very clear in my last post either, I meant to use your old glasses and ease your eyes back into the way they were, if you go bare eyed I suspect they'll start bugging you for the strongest correction you've tried (the prisms) so with your old glasses I think you'll be able to ease'em back with the correction in those. Please keep us posted and PLEASE don't wear the prisms anymore! sleep off the double vision or dizziness if you have to but at least try!

Lazysiow 10 Jan 2002, 01:18

:( dont give up yet. Eyes have a degree of "flexibility", and they also take a bit of time to forget about adjusting to any lenses remotely close to the prescription you need. You still have your old glasses, I think its just a habitual thing. Call in sick,take a few days off and wear your old glasses full time and see if you can force your eyes to go back to the way they were. You said that when you had them off things were a bit doubled but not completely. That tells me at least that you're not beyond hope. Also try some eye exercises like rolling your eyeballs around and rinsing them out every now and then. I found I had to do that in order to get rid of my glasses induced astigmatism :P Don't give up yet!

P.S. I got my new lenses today and finally I have proper correction, my new script is L: +50 (NO astig.), R. +50 cyl x180 -.25 . Just a minor bump up on the right eye. My left eye is adjusting fine, initially it tried to auto adjust itself to the missing astig. correction and still does every now and then (what the eye muscle is used to) but that's already becoming a bygone memory. I'm also seeing better when I take them off than before. Its kind of the same way your eyes adjust to lenses for the first time. Say you only need -.65 of correction, they can only make lenses in powers of +/-.25 say you get prescribed -.75 and your eyes just end up weakening a little more to adjust to those.

Julian 10 Jan 2002, 01:15

Larissa, don't worry - or at least don't worry so much. GLASSES CAN'T WRECK YOUR EYES FOR EVER! (Sorry for shouting but it is important to get that fixed in your mind). They may inconvenience you for a while, but if the Rx is wrong things will *eventually* go back to normal. I suggest you

EITHER follow your eye doc's instructions and wear your new glasses full time; give him (and them) a chance.

OR if you don't trust him, get another opinion as soon as you can.

Taking them off and putting them on again for short times is causing you the maximum discomfort and confusion. Maybe there's somebody around who knows enough to confirm that I'm right (or shoot me down in flames!)

Love and kisses, Jules.

Fathom 10 Jan 2002, 01:09

Larissa - If you're still having that much difficulty after giving the new glasses a good ole try for about a week, I strongly go with some of the suggestions here -- get a second, or if necessary a third, opinion. Some doctors 'get' our condition at once while others don't, and these ARE your eyes were talking about.

Hope things start rolling uphill for you from here....

Larissa 09 Jan 2002, 21:55

:(( It seems as though it's already late.

I'm comming to terms that I will maybe have to wear them full time.

I have come back from visiting my eyedoc. He checked out the lenses and said that they are perfectly made to his Rx istructions. So now comes the bad news...

He asked me my problems and I told him how I feel. He smiled and said that there is nothing to worry about. Everything about me and my eyes are healthy, they just need a little help. He put them on my face and done some testing. I could see everything very clearly when I'm looking through one lens at a time (the other being covered). I could see perfectly. But when he uncovered the other, I saw double. He told me that this may persist for a while until my eyes get used to them. I'm not to worry he said.

He also said that if I put them on, not to remove them as this will agrevate the problem and confuse my eyes/brain, and make me feel dizzy and see double.

He also said that the prism may have to go up later, that if he introduced a great big change straight away i would never be able to cope. He said that it may go to about 7D. Shit, how thick will that be? But that can wait (forever if you ask me). Sorry, just upset.

So, when i left the eyedoc, I had the glasses on (under his instructions)even though they made me see double and dizzy. I tried taking them off out of the store (contrary to his instructions) and immediatly saw double and got even dizzier. So I put them back on because I felt they made me less dizzier. I managed to get to the bus stop. I waited there for 30 min. Lucky I was sitting. As I sat there, the images started comming together, then out again, untill finally they were one. I still felt dizzy, but at least I could see clear and one image. My eyes felt weird, like they are being pulled apart. I needed a mirror to see if my eyes are actually pointing outwards because they felt that way. But none around.

The bus arrived and i got on. It seemed difficult to walk as things seemed to be a little further away than usuall, but i managed. When i got off the bus, i had about 10 minute walk to home. I felt really dizzy. I took the glasses off and bang...Everything was double, imediate headache. I quickly put them back on and it took about a minute for the image to go back to one. I then realized that this is finally it. My eyes are not normal anymore. These glasses wrecked my eyes forever.

I think that the 2 hours I wore them yesterday was enough to do it. All morning and on the way to the eyedoc the images were little doubled and i felt dizzy. Now, I'm not dizzy. I have them on while typing. I feel dizzy when I get up and walk around. I can't even look through the tops of the glasses frame everything looks double. I have to look straight on. My glasses are a smallish frame and I can see double from under them quite a lot.

I'm really upset now that I ever did this. I wish I never had gone to the eyedoc in the first place. The other glasses were fine. Now I've tried to take them off and forget it, double everything and headache. It takes about a minute for things to look clear and normal after i remove my glasses for even 5 seconds. So I guess it's too late. I will have to wear them for the rest of the day/night. Maybe tomorrow my eyes will go back to normal in the morning. :( :( Sorry for the long post.

Lazysiow 09 Jan 2002, 18:00

Larissa, I really hope everything's okay and that you haven't wrecked your eyes. Wishing you all the best

Alan 09 Jan 2002, 15:09

Emily - BCVA = Best Corrected Visual Acuity (judged by which line on the eye chart you can read with correction, unless you are legally blind)

Clare - Emily is right; people can frequently get accustomed to monovision...many people find that after a while they can suppress the blurry image enough that they don't notice it. You actually *could* have driven home like that -- I'm pretty sure your problem was not with acuity, but rather the fact that you were distracted by having an eye with blurry vision. Anyway, the benefits (for people with presbyopia) is that it's possible to both see clearly in the distance and up close without bifocals. For people who can learn to tolerate the blurriness in one eye, this works better than bifocal contacts which (I've heard) give slightly sub-par vision in both eyes for both distance and up-close vision. Certainly, having an eye that can accomodate both near and far is a considerably easier situation. But for people who need an add for reading, basically, different people prefer different things.

Larissa: I couldn't find if you ever said what the prescription was in your old glasses. But if the spherical part is different by -0.25 or -0.5, that would account for the crisper vision...and you could get that by getting glasses in the same prescription as your new ones but without the prism. I said quite a while back that questioning experts really is a good idea, and seriously, there is NO reason you should have to go through this without someone giving you a satisfactory explanation of WHY it is necessary. If you can't get a satisfying explanation, and you honestly feel like you have no problems with double vision, binocular vision (using both eyes to see), or eye strain, then you just need to find an eye doctor who gives you an updated prescription with no prism.

Alan

Emily 09 Jan 2002, 14:53

Best corrected visual acuity

Do we have two Emilys here? :)

Larissa 09 Jan 2002, 14:21

:( another day. I woke up this morning with a headache and my eye seemed to not focus together. I think the 2 hours yesterday was enough to wreck what I thought were good eyes. I had a bit of a dizzy spell getting up. I thought that i would put them on and see whethter they helped. The clarity and sharpness was there (covering one eye and looking through the other), but the double vision was still there.

I took them of after couple minutes. I couldn't make up my mind which was better. After about 30 minutes, the dizzy sensation went away and the doubling effect (without the glasses).

Some questions and comments to answer;

1) I already had 2 opinions in Rx before i got them from two different towns. They were both very similar, that is why I went to get them done. 2) My eyes are not crossed. They both look normal to me and the opinion of my boyfriend ( I asked him before i got the new glasses to make sure since some of you seemed concerned about it).

I think I will go and see the eyedoc today with my new glasses. I rang him to let him know that I don't know what's going on. He suggested to me to see him straight away, not to wear them, he wants to check that the Rx in the glasses are what Rx he prescribed. So I'm off to see him. I will catch the bus this time as I may not feel to good or he might tell me to wear them there for the test. I will be unable to drive then I feel. SO I will let you know what happens. Maybe the Rx is wrongly put on! (I hope).

Thanx for your support people. I didn't think i would need it.

Daffy- how come you want to experiment with prism lenses? I can't understand why anyone would experiment with this sort of thing or any lenses. I thought they were a correctional devise that was made popular. I don't know that much about lenses and Rx's but maybe you could do some permanent damage.

Emily 09 Jan 2002, 13:33

BCVA, what's that!

Emily 09 Jan 2002, 12:13

I think it would just take some time to adjust to it... from what I've heard, eventually your vision seems pretty much normal because your eyes naturally learn to function like that. I imagine that it's kinda the same for people who have a different BCVA for each eye... eventually you don't really notice it.

Clare 09 Jan 2002, 11:16

... but the weirdest thing is, with one contact lens it really gives you an idea of how good your uncorrected vision is! When else can you compare so directly? (only if course if your prescription's the same for both!)

Clare 09 Jan 2002, 11:14

What are the real benefits of mono vision? Today I lost a contact lens which wasn't traumatic. It was a bit odd seeing well out of one eye but not the other, and I could always shut one completely! Then I got in the car to drive home and I didn't know what to do - it was dark and my vision was obviously a bit odd. I put on a pair of glasses that I keep in the car and that was the opposite of what I'd just experienced - remember I now had one eye doubly corrected!

I don't understand how anyone can choose that! I see that, later in life, it could be useful not to need reading glasses - but I couldn't have driven home like it, so what do people do!!!

Lazysiow 08 Jan 2002, 23:50

Oh and do this as soon as possible, hopefully you might be able to get your money back too if they were wrongly prescribed if they weren't covered by insurance or a health fund.

Lazysiow 08 Jan 2002, 23:48

I really dont suggest you put them on anymore, especially after you said that you end up not being able to focus with or without them. My prescription was quite minor about one diopter but even then my eyes got "stuck" as well. Seek further help before you put them on anymore! Portia's suggestion to go to a university or opthalmic college is quite good too.

Portia 08 Jan 2002, 22:53

To Larissa:

Yet another inexpert opinion:

Wear them for a full weekend or sometime when you are at home for a bit. Test them out. If being at home makes you focus on them too much , go to your local shopping area or mall.

Shops are good for testing our new glasses (or any new hairdressing look); your mind is on the looking for merchandise (but the mirrors are available) and it is usually an non-threatening area unless you live in a small town.

If a couple of serious weekend tests (but please don't drive with them on, in the interests of public health), then get another opinion. You may have proplems that require the attention of an optometry school or and opthomologic clinic at a medical school. Anyone here with unresolved vision issues or just plain non-ordinary problems should seek care at a university-affiliated clinic. They love patients with interesting problems and charge very moderate fees.

Clare 08 Jan 2002, 22:33

Looking back at your original posts you said that the increase in your prescription varied by -.25 and -.50. If you went for the stronger increase in your prescription for your glasses that might be what's making everything clearer.

Meaning that you might be benefitting from the marginal increase in your prescription - and would anyway without the new glasses - rather than the correction for crossed eyes?

And I agree, get another opinion quickly!!

Lazysiow 08 Jan 2002, 22:09

Actually Larissa, try washing your eyes out. I found it helps since it takes my left eye (the one with the stronger astigmatism prescription) quite some time to get used to my current glasses (new ones in two days), then when I take them off the portion I have blurry vision around the area where the astigmatism correction is. Normally it took my eyes some time to "unstick" after that but I've found it helps if I wash my eyes out afterwards.

I'm actually a bit mad at my first eye doc because my current one said that he didnt find the smallest trace of astimatism in my left eye, and neither did the auto refractor. Just from reading ES I'm now pretty familiar with the eye exam process, basically the auto refractor can only tell if you're far or short sighted, they then stick the lenses the machines says you need in the phropter and if you say its still a bit unclear then they start putting down extra lenses for astigmatism and its basically trial and error until they get it right.

You have a very minor prescription just like me to the point where with correction and without are both very similar so its really hard to pick which is better between "1 and 2", I asked the eye doc if it was possible that I just picked the wrong ones between 1 and 2 and he said that might be what happened.

Anyway I looked at your original post and I find it quite suspicious that you'd have such different results from two different eye docs, and now that you know how inexact the whole process can be I'd really suggest you get more information while your eyes are still normal. I'd hate to suggest it, especially here but I wouldn't be surprised if there were some unscrupulous eye docs out there who try to get patients dependent on glasses whether they need to or not just for financial gain.

Clare 08 Jan 2002, 21:57

Larissa

If you can see with your old glasses, stick with them. If you never had any problems with your eyes crossing before you had the eye exam and got these glasses, then you can probably cope. Why don't you wear your 'old' ones instead for a bit, and see if they give you the clarity that you have with the new ones after you've worn them a while.

Be careful, if your eyes get used to the fix for crossing you may never get them out of it. Good luck.

Lazysiow 08 Jan 2002, 21:42

*hug* Larissa, I kind of understand how you feel because I went through sort of the same thing, though my eyes aren't nearly as bad as yours. I went in to get glasses for distance and ended up with glasses for farsightedness and minor astigmatism. Initially I couldn't get used to them so I had seperate ones made up just for the astigmatism but it was already too late.

Once my eyes had had a "taste" of the stronger prescription it wasn't long before I was wearing the original ones. Now my distance vision is only a little better but I've become a bit farsighted and my eyes begin to complain after awhile without them. My most recent eyetest about a week ago (six months after the original one) told me that my left eye astigmatism had gone and the right eye had diminished too but I'd basically become more farsighted. He also said my left eye had "a bit of a turn" and I think he tried some prism but I was not only seeing double, everything was unclear. I hope I don't develop the same thing.

I really dont think you should go on wearing them, it wont be worth it just for a little clearer vision but having useless eyes afterwards. Just from the way they were fudging around looking for astigmatism in the exam, I had already noticed how inexact the "science" all was. Dont wear them unless you need them, maybe you should get a second opinion..

Larissa 08 Jan 2002, 19:08

:( yep, I'm sad and feeling a little down :(

I went and got the glasses. They aren't exactly ugly, but the inside part of the lenses (part closest to the nose) is, to my liking, thick. I was disapointed from the moment she took them out of they tray and i saw them. My heart was then pumping loudly.

I sat there thinking "I shouldn't have done this". The lady then took them out and was about to put them on my face. She said that since this is my first experience with these lenses, I may feel dizzy and may see double. She told me not to wear them untill i get home. She would just adjust them for me. Then the horror began...

She put them on and, you guessed, I saw everything double and started to feel dizzy. My heart sank to my feet. I thought that these glasses were not mine. I'm supposed to see clearly when I put them on, like my current ones. Anyway, she adjusted them and put them in the case. Gave me the instuctions of "wear them when you get home, and leave them on, no matter that I see double. Under no circumstances am I to drive untill I get used to them." Of course she added that I will need to wear them full-time. She said that I will know myself that I will need to have them on.

I paid the difference and left to get in the car. I sat in the car for about an hour, looking at my new glasses. The whole emotional experince got to me I think and started to cry. When I composed myself, I went home.

I was alone at home. I put them on in front of a mirror to see myself. I saw two of me. It was difficult so i just went to the backyard porch. I was feeling dizzy and sat down just looking into the abyss. I could see clearly (no blurriness). It felt i could see sharper. But this double thing. I felt as if my eyes were pulling apart from each other. At times i could see single then when i focus on another object, the image doubled.

I should have taken them off then and said forget about it. But I left them on for about 2 hours. The dizziness seemed to go away. The double image became one. I got up and went inside. Everything seemed to look different. I felt like I was looking into a tunnell. I then went to take them off since i was about to cook and I don't like the glasses fogging up. Opps...All of a sudden, everything was double and I felt like my eyes were going cross-eyed. I felt dizzy now without them. I put them on again and the process started again. I sat down and cries some more as i now realized there was no turning back. I couldn't focus with or without them.

I left them on since it seemed easier and the dizziness went away. I started to cook something to eat. I think it was then that I realized, "this is it".

My parents came over to visit just as I finished eating. I took the glasses off and bared the strain and double image. I didn't say anything as I wanted to keep it to myself. I noticed that after about 45 minutes, my eyesight went back to where it was. I felt OK. I said to my parents that my eyes felt tired and went to put on my 'old' glasses. Yep everything was clearer, but not as sharp as the 'new' ones did. My parents left as they thought i was tired. I went to put on the 'new' glasses again. The same thing as the first time, double vision, dizziness. I then took them off and am here on this computer typing to ES, ready for bed.

Sorry for being long winded, just had to let it out. What should I do? Should I wear them tommorrow? Or forget about the whole thing?

Alan 08 Jan 2002, 15:07

Tinyeyes -

What is your glasses wearing schedule likely to be? I would think that if you are only going to be wearing glasses in the morning or in the evening (after taking contacts out), then there is no reason to go a significant period of time without the contacts before an exam. Rigid contacts do seem to have an effect (though no one knows how to describe it in precise terms) on the shape of the cornea. I would not think this effect would be terribly dramatic, and I think it's probably more likely that you get better vision in the RGP's because they correct some irregular astigmatism you may have, which glasses don't correct real well. (Plus there's no minification with contacts, which may make a marginal difference, though not much.) Point is, I doubt it will matter all that much whether you go without contacts for some length of time before your exam.

Counterpoint: there's a school of thought that believes in orthokeratology (or something like that), which basically attempts to mold the cornea using rigid contact lenses. I think the people who believe in it say that it can work pretty well but that the corneas tend to go to a more natural shape if wearing the lenses is discontinued for a period of a couple months -- in other words, a slow change. This is a pretty nebulous thing to talk about though, since I don't know anyone with experience with it.

This is a long speculative message. Maybe it would help if you could describe the vision problems you seem to have with the glasses you get -- do you end up nearsighted? Or is your vision blurry (or non-crisp) at all distances? Or something else? Also, how old are you?

anyway, good luck.

Alan

ehpc 08 Jan 2002, 14:52

In fact,it all rather proves my point(well,hardly 'my' point,it is everyone's knowlege)about the competitiveness of women.Perhaps they are envious because they think you are more attractive than they are,and thus all matters such as whether or not you wear glasses is of the greatest interest.

Peter

ehpc 08 Jan 2002, 14:45

Clare-yes I can see that might be an aspect of it.............."well,she never told us..........mutter!.mutter!"

Peter

Christy 08 Jan 2002, 14:42

Clare - you and the girls should have a big specs-swap and see the world as each other sees it! Would be an absolute howl!

tinyeyes 08 Jan 2002, 14:03

Hi, I have a question I hope someone can answer. I am really in need of an eye exam....it's been a couple of years. I am a high myope (around -9 with astigmatism) and I wear RGP contacts full-time, and glasses occasionally. My question is, how much do those contacts distort my vision as applies to an eye exam? I tend to not get very good vision with glasses, and I wonder if this is because of the effects of the contacts. How can I get an accurate prescription for glasses so I can see well with them when I need to wear them? Obviously, I want good vision with my contacts as well. I asked an optometrist recently before having an exam (which I later had to cancel for work reasons) and he said I should not wear my contacts for 2 days prior to the exam. But, I wonder...wouldn't that make the exam inaccurate too? Because I'm never going to go that long without contacts under normal circumstances. I figure taking out the contacts the night before, and then wearing glasses to the exam the next morning would be a good compromise. Any thoughts?

Clare 08 Jan 2002, 13:56

Peter - you know the funniest thing is that I think they felt cheated, that there was something they felt I'd 'hidden' from them!! Not the response I'd have expected.

ehpc 08 Jan 2002, 13:39

Apologies Clare for my misapprehension!The reason I imagined that there must have been quite a bit of male input into this discussion was because I remember you saying in an earlier post that your financial enviroment was rather male-dominated.But if they were all women.............well the answer is so straightforward it doesn't need explaining.Women,I think, are fascinated by other womens' appearances,and subjects like new glasses,or even new shoes,seem to be endlessly fascinating,and fodder for innumerable discussions!

Peter

Clare 08 Jan 2002, 12:27

Actually Peter's wrong - all those taking part in the bizarre discussion yesterday were female! Like there was some odd competition about who had the worst eyesight - only a couple of them had perfect vision. Of course if it was a competition I had the edge because no-one knows what my prescription is, how enigmatic I am! I'm still maintaining my dignified distance over this whole thing and quite enjoying it!! I suspect that's not the last of it, the one going for the eye test was at pains today to highlight how awful her vision is.

Hurrah when she goes for the test, maybe it'll all start again! Considering I was so nervous about this whole issue I can't believe what fun this bit is!

boringeyes 08 Jan 2002, 07:19

I've lost track of the post and author, but somebody asked something about eyes being weaker or more near-sighted at night or when tired. I think two things:

1.) As somebody already stated, if you has astigmatism to any degree, pupil dilation caused by dim light will make it more problematic. I'm not sure whether that applies to myopia or not. It doesn't mean you need stronger glasses, but that you are less able to go without them.

2.) This is totally unscientific. But, for example, I know two foreign languages. I enjoy traveling and using them, but late at night all I want is for the hotel clerk to just speak English. That doesn't mean that I have suddenly forgotten my French or German, but that I just don't have the patience threshold. I have a very mild prescription, and I wear them more when I am tired just because I have no patience with things not being clear.

I hope everybody had good holidays.

Laura

Christy 08 Jan 2002, 02:48

Peter - I'm sure you're exactly right - and life in Clare's office will never be the same again!

ehpc 08 Jan 2002, 02:10

Clare..the way I would interpret your experience is that (assuming many of them are blokes) they all fancy you,and,being rather shy,this was an obvious cue to them to jump in and talk about something that is personal to you.When they say 'it's really interesting' that is code for 'I am really pleased to have the opportunity of talking to you about something that is personal to you'.Mind you,if I am right,it shows a fairly pathological lack of personal confidence on their part!

Peter

Clare 07 Jan 2002, 21:57

Yes I was pretty taken aback at the response too! But I also feel mildly triumphant - I did it, without any embarrassment or giving them anything to 'see'. I know they can mull this over and get used to the idea.

What shocked me most was that they were even interested! After a while when they were still musing about it I just got back to work and let them get on with it on their own, as if it really wasn't that interested. Quiet detachment, that's what I showed!

"That's *really* interesting ..." one of them kept saying. "No, it's not interesting at all" I replied.

Whatever next? They're actually a nice bunch of people a fair few of whom wear glasses, perhaps that explains their interest, but one in particular - they one getting the re-test - an a bareyed colleague were certainly the most interested. Will let you know if it hasn't all calmed down - and no, Alan, it doesn't actually bother me, they obviously think I'm more interesting (!) because they learnt something new about me!!

Larissa 07 Jan 2002, 18:39

OK people...I'm back from my vacation. I did not have time to go and get my new glasses. I did call them and they are definately ready, waiting for me.

The last 10 days i spent I think 5 days wearing my current glasses for most of the day/night. I still can go without them. I chose to wear them so that people will get used to seeing me with glasses on. They don't seem to make a difference on my vision all too much especially during the day. But, for the sake of getting used to having them on, i did it. My boyfriend kept asking me questions about me wearing them. I just kept telling him that I wanted to wear them. He was always asking me 'do i want my sunnies' during the day, i think he doesn't want me to wear them. He even said that if i wear them too much i will depend on them. So I'm thinking that he does not like me wearing glasses. I will have to confront him about this before it gets out of hand.

Anyway, he does not know about my new ones that are comming. I don't know how I feel about it either. It's one thing having the "choice" or "forced too". I'll see tomorrow what happens. I still have another week from work to go, so I guess i can try them out (after all i already paid for them). If they are ugly and thick, I think I will not wear them, I'll just remain status quo. Whatever.

leelee 07 Jan 2002, 17:54

Sheesh is right!

So Clare, no wonder you are feeling apprehensive about wearing your glasses at work - your colleagues are way too focused on you! Either that or you are smack in a nest of OO people! Oh well, I think you played it right - you wear them whenever you feel like!

Me - I put mine on this morning at work (mine are weak plus and I wear my sun glasses or nothing if it's overcast in the morning) and got this weird sensation that my head was on wrong - that the lenses were swapped - it felt like the stronger right one was in the right eye - I took them off, looked at them, couldn't figure it out put them back on - still weird - checked them again - the right lens was gone!

So I went without - of course my day was spent reading specs - The 3 hour technical meeting was a slight of a relief, but not much. (ok, I'll land this plane ...

) at any rate - no body said a word - doubt they noticed, or cared. Me, I just spent the day rubbing my poor stinging eyes.

And I still can't find the #$%*$lens! And yet, here I am online ...

Now what?

Nikki 07 Jan 2002, 17:02

...sat Clare?.....Daffy, are you having a bad day!!!

Daffy 07 Jan 2002, 16:45

That was meant to sat CLARE, not Christy...sheesh

Alan 07 Jan 2002, 15:18

Clare,

I am pretty shocked by this report. I've never had anyone say a word about my wearing glasses or contacts. Are you OK with it? I mean, I think it does lay the groundwork for a smoother reception to your wearing glasses at work (at least among these colleagues)...but I'm sure it was a shock to your system. Does it bother you?

I guess it does mean that at some emotional level contact-lens wearing means something to these people, at least when they think about it (though I doubt they could articulate exactly what it means). And perhaps I underestimated the significance of contact-wearing in people's minds. Still, I doubt anyone is trying to get HR to increase your insurance rates due to your life threatening condition! :)

Daffy 07 Jan 2002, 13:45

Well Christy,

I think that the worst part is over, don't you think people?!?!? Its always that first moment.

Anyway, you said that some others were commenting on their own eyesight? Well, you can do one of two things here, be a pioneer in your group and watch them get theirs soon after (that way the focus will turn on them in a short while). OR, you can wait when they get their glasses and you turn up the next day wearing yours. Then you all can have a chat at how good your eyesight is with glasses. You will have a new 'in-crowd'! These opportunities don't come too often! I still say, go for it!

Clare 07 Jan 2002, 13:28

This is for everyone who wanted me to believe that just appearing bespectacled would hardly merit a grunt from my unobservant colleagues. Sorry guys, you were wrong!!

Today, it appears, I made a stunning revelation! One of those conversations was going on amongst a couple of people about how awful their eyesight was and how one in particular needing a test. The next bit revolved around where there was a certain optician. I usually keep quiet in these types of conversation, but this time I offered an answer which, when digested, encouraged more questions than I bargained for!!

The next question was directed straight at me - "Clare, do you wear glasses?". Without a moment to be stunned, I replied casually, yet confidently: "Yes, I do, but I often wear contacts ..." I waited for response and when it came it was like a whirlwind!! Suddenly several people, who must have been surrepticiously earwigging, exploded - amazed, astonished that I'd been so secretive. I was (momentarily) bewildered, it was absolutely extraordinary how they reacted. As if I'd been reporting a medical condition that limited my life expectancy, one of my closest colleagues was still saying many minutes later "... I can't believe that you wear contact lenses..." ??? A more serious colleague reacted by saying "... well I feel I've learnt something more about you today ...".

Is it such a big deal? I'm so glad now I didn't just appear one day wearing glasses - I think we'd have had to call the emergency services!!!

Christy 07 Jan 2002, 00:31

Nothing wrong with asking questions. Reminds me of a little story I once heard - about a kid who was asking his dad lots of questions.

"Dad, do you know anything about algebra?"

"No son, I'm afraid I don't."

"Dad, do you know how photosynthesis works in plants?"

"No son, I'm afraid I don't."

"Dad, sorry to keep pestering you with all these questions."

"Oh that's OK son, you have to ask questions if you want to learn!"

Clare 06 Jan 2002, 22:24

A questioning person, yes that's me! I often question, especially if there are two different sides to something, I think it makes us all think about our point of view!

That's obviously not why I'm often question here! It's because I'm geniuinely interested in what you say and want you to expand on it. Does that get me off the hook!!

Daffy 06 Jan 2002, 19:38

Good to see you're still around Larissa. Keep us posted. We are interested to know about your developments. Happy Holidays (Vacation for you non-Aussies)

Daffy 06 Jan 2002, 19:36

Well, I predominantly wear contacts almost 24-7. Some people know I wear contacts, others don't know. I don't hide it, i tell others that i do and they respond "ohh...i didn't know" and that's it. A few weeks later if i say it, they say "ohh...i didn't know". So I guess that by wearing contacts, people generally take it as though you don't wear anything! I think you're right there Alan.

Alan 06 Jan 2002, 18:01

Clare - wearing sometimes and sometimes not...I guess what I had in mind was anything up to taking glasses on and off a few times per day. This is totally personal to me - I don't claim that other people would feel the same way - but I figure that if someone sees you take glasses off and put them away (ie not just to clean them or have them off for a few seconds) more than once within a couple days, they are somewhat likely to notice. The more off-on-off-on there is, the more attention it draws. But I think a few times per day isn't likely to drive anyone crazy, nor make them think that you're crazy. As for wearing all day one day and not at all the next...if someone thought about it, they would probably think this meant you were wearing contacts when you weren't wearing glasses. But as we always way, most people probably don't notice.

Credibility...I'm not certain, but if how seriously people take you depends on exactly when or how often you're wearing glasses, I think full-time wear would maximize how seriously you're taken. One thing about this: I *think* that people don't glasses-wearers seriously because they're nearsighted; I think people take them seriously because they're wearing *glasses*. If someone *knows* (or thinks) you are wearing contacts, I don't think this has the same impact at all as wearing glasses; wearing contacts is more like wearing nothing at all, regardless of the prescription.

If I'm right about this, I think it's interesting that it's really not rational. Nearsightedness is associated with education, and therefore how "smart" a person is, in some sense. Wearing glasses, versus wearing contacts, really isn't associated with how smart a person is, I don't think...certainly not in my experience.

Clare, it seems you are quite the questioning person. (That's a big compliment, as far as I'm concerned.) Just curious why this is so -- would you chalk it up to your personality, or where you went to school, or something else?

Alan

Larissa 06 Jan 2002, 17:51

Hello Everyone,

I still did not get the new glasses with the new Rx. Why? I'm away on vacation. I found a compter in a mall with internet access. I haven't read any posting as these places tend to be quite expensive. Opp..I just realised...I'm a ES junky! I went away and still wanted to read and post!

Anyway, I know some of you would be interested to know where and what happened to me. I guess that the glasses are already ready, waiting for me in the store. I'm still aprahensive about the whole double vision thing and having to wear them full-time. I have been wearing my current ones more often now that I'm away (have them on now). My boyfriend has started to ask me why I'm wearing them more since both of us thinks I don't need them all the time. I have not told him about my new Rx and that i was told i will need to wear those full-time. I don't know how he feels about it...hell..neither do I!

I saw those pics of prism glasses on that site from PRISM. Some of them looked ugly (no offence to you people). They are too thick. I hope mine don't look like that.

Anyway, gotta go. I will let you know when I get back and catch up on the postings.

Christy 06 Jan 2002, 15:24

Clare - I'm very consistent about how I wear my specs. Every day - all the time!

Nikki 06 Jan 2002, 13:38

Christy - Gotta admire that enthusiasm!

Nikki 06 Jan 2002, 13:32

Clare - Thanks for your response, right now it all comes down to $$$, my next pay goes in at the end of this month, I currently have relics...ooops, relatives over from England at the moment and travelling around with them is a bit expensive straight after xmas, they are here until the second week in Feb, so I promise to get an eye exam when they have gone....and yes, I do drive and passed the eye test for that one! I am away again at the end of this week for another week, then I think things start getting back to normal (whatever that is) for me. Will keep you posted...

Nikki

Clare 06 Jan 2002, 12:22

Looks like I'm alone out here today!!

Alan - in your last helpful-as-ever post you said, and I quote

"I don't think there's anything wrong with taking glasses off occasionally, or wearing them sometimes and sometimes not"

Interested in how you would define 'wearing sometimes and sometimes not' - do you mean, for example, wearing them all day at work one day then not at all the next (on the basis that colleagues' presumption would be that 'whoever' was wearing contacts?).

For ultimate credibility, don't we have to be consistent about when we wear them - at least those of us who don't absolutely have to all the time!

Clare 06 Jan 2002, 09:20

Okay Nikki, before I take yours I want to give you some advice! I think you *know* that you could see better with glasses, you've virtually admitted as much. If that's the case, I really hope you don't drive! You needn't be afraid of getting stuck in an ever decreasing circle of dependency - I got my first glasses 9 years ago and the prescription was within a fraction of what it is now. I was in my 20s which probably made a difference. If you can manage now, and your earlier posts suggested that you can, then your prescription probably won't be that strong. You'll maybe end up with something like mine - I reckon you wouldn't need to wear them at home at all, and you'd only need to when you were out if you wanted to see something/everything. So the choice would be yours entirely. Having a prescription like mine really isn't hugely debillitating it just makes you realise that, at times, you really could see better with correction.

And anyway, just because you have glasses doesn't mean you have to wear them does it! You might be doing yourself a favour - I started wearing glasses because I knew I could see better to drive in them and I wasn't prepared to compromise safety, mine or anyone else's. Then I realised that there were other things that they helped with, but I haven't reached the stage where my prescription has advanced to a state where I can't go without them.

Come on Nikki, you know you should go!

And thanks for your advice to follow Alan's about wearing my glasses all the time for a couple of weeks! As to being confident enough to do that, I don't think I am, I wouldn't want the comments so will gradually introduce them. I'm really sorry I can't be a bit more like Christy and say to hell with what people think, guess I'm a bit soft really!!! Good luck. Let us know how it goes - and promise you'll do it soon.

Clare 06 Jan 2002, 09:09

Christy 06 Jan 2002, 01:42

Nikki - C'mon now - it's January - time for you to get down to the opticians for your eye test and first pair of specs! Oh my - it's so exciting that first time!

Christy 06 Jan 2002, 01:24

Those titanium frames (my Flexon frames are titanium) are so expensive that you just HAVE to wear them all the time just to get you money's worth out of them! I had a couple of cheap frames once upon a time - but I think it's worth spending a bit more on frames if you're going to wear them all the time. I don't think anyone's seen me in years without my specs!

Nikki 05 Jan 2002, 23:40

Clare - They sound really nice and just the sort I think I would go for, I have read a number of your posts and your thoughts are exactly the same as mine on every subject...I also agree with Alan in that you should wear them all the time for a while, I know this is a bit rich coming from someone who is still yet to get some but you sound confident enough to go through with it...I enjoyed your story too. As far as taking glasses on and off every few seconds I would think that would draw far more attention than if they were left alone...anyway...Happy New Year everyone, a bit late I know but I have been out of action until now!

Clare 05 Jan 2002, 23:21

Christy & Alan ... you both echo my thoughts about repeated removal of glasses! Mine are titanium so slim frame, bronze, slightly unusual shape based on a rectangle and rather stylish!

I ought to be confident that they looked good didn't I?

Klaus 05 Jan 2002, 21:25

Hey Christine,

if was in your Situation I would fake a Prescription again and would try if it works again with even stronger glasses (like-7)

I tried the same thing but unfortunately it doesn't work with me.

I will try GOC soon

Alan 05 Jan 2002, 21:08

Clare - about putting glasses on and taking them off -- I think a situation like Christy described, where a person only leaves their glasses on for a couple seconds then takes them back off again, would be pretty annoying to me. And a real turn-off, too, because it would scream "SELF CONSCIOUS!!!" -- if not neurotic. But that's a pretty extreme case. I don't think there's anything wrong with taking glasses off occasionally, or wearing them sometimes and sometimes not.

I'd really encourage you to wear your glasses all the time for a while - maybe a week or so - because after that you would probably feel really comfortable with them, which would really make you free to make your choice (about when to wear them) however you want.

What style are you glasses? What do you think of how they look on you?

Alan

HalimM 05 Jan 2002, 15:56

<b>Hi all,</b>

this is my first post to ES BBS, I've found it few days and I was surprised how many people is interested in wide range of optic and glasses topics. Let me join this gorgous communitty : )

I'am 25 years old male phD student at University and all my world turns about glasses.

<b>At first</b>, I wear specs myself down to shortsightness.I was told to have vision problems when I was 10 and I couldn't read clearly the blackboard at school in all cases.Parents took me to eye doc and I was prescribed first specs -1.0D.I was so excited and frightned and I resist wearing glasses becouse of other kids reactions.I used to wear it only for lessons. When I grew up I understood matter of myopia and I stopped take care about other oppinions. Step by step I was impressed by those pices of glass that made my world clear and sharp.When I was 15 I became full time wearer with -2,5D, I realized to myself that I like watching other people with glasses.It was great time because I noticed that my younger sister (she was 10) also had vision problems.Once when I came back from school I saw her sitting very close to TV set and watching some movie.I knew what was going on and I gave her my old specs.She could see better. As you can imagine I told about it to my mom and, three days gone and my little sister appear to me wearing beautifull -2.0 glasses.she adjusted it quickly and wore all yhe time from the beginning.We used to talk about our specs and try it each other time to time, but I've never reveald my fascination about vision.Years went and our eyes have worsened sistematicall, we went to eye doc together usually and I put down all the moments. So our story was :

Age(Me,Lena) Me Lena

10,5 -1,00L;-1.00R ------

13,8 -1,75L;-1,50R ------

15,10 -2,50L;-2,25R -2,00L;-2,00R

16,11 -3,50L;-3,25R -2,25L;-2,00R

17,12 -3,75L;-3,25R -3,75L;-3,50R

18,13 -3,75L;-3,25R -4,50L;-4,25R

19,14 -3,75L;-3,50R -5,25L;-5,00R

20,15 -4,00L;-3,50R -6,00L;-5,50R

My myopia stoped then, and this is my current one

16 -6,50L;-6,25R

17 -7,00L;-6,75R

And when I was 22 I left my parents home so I stoped to collect detailed data, but Lena's myopia stopped about her 20 with about -8 lenses.

It was really amazing to grew up and watch how her prescription change.

<b>Second:</b>I am totally crazy about girls with glasses, to be honest I am hundred percent glasses fetishist : )

There is nothing more sexy and attractive then preety, sensual girl with minus lenses.I love watching women touch glasses, put it better on nose if sllip down, clean lenses.Women can do it on very sensual and sexy way.well choosen specs make woman so hot, and eyes covered begind minus lenses are so mysterious.DELICIOUS :)

My favorites are: long black hair, brown eyes, metal frames choosen according to face and normal minus lenses from -3 to -10. I could jump into fire for that girl :)

So, it is a bit long as first post and I don't wont to be boring.

Apologize for all mistakes, but englids id not my first language( but I'am still working to make it more fluent and I hope to express all what I fell soon)

<b>BEST WISHES</b>

Christy 05 Jan 2002, 15:18

Clare - If I was going to meet someone I'd never met before - I'd probably tell them to look for someone who looked as though they'd been dragged backwards through a hedge - wearing mostly blue (or brown, or green, or whatever) and wearing glasses. Oh yes - most definitely wearing glasses! I'm not too concerned about looks when I've just trekked down the mountain back to so-called civilisation!

If I ever catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror - like when I wash my face - and see myself without glasses - I'm afraid it just ain't me. Nope - without the glasses the reflection in the mirror is something of a stranger.

And yes - I knew that when I first got glasses they'd alter my appearance. But the crazy thing is - even though I always wanted glasses - I did hesitate before getting them. Stalled for a few years in fact! I knew they'd alter my appearance - sure - but I also knew that if I got glasses I'd instantly switch from being bare-eyed to being a full-time wearer. That's a big step for anyone - when they KNOW that's what's going to happen. I always wanted to wear glasses full-time - and knew that once I got them it would be a one-way trip with no turning back! I really totally hooked on wearing glasses - or should that be that the glasses are totally hooked on me?

If you want to save space on the Bulletin Board - you can always email me at krisdea@yahoo.co.uk

Clare 05 Jan 2002, 13:33

Yes Christy, you ARE a confident person! That's obvious from your comments that even if people said your glasses didn't suit you, you'd still wear them. Brilliant!

But what you didn't say is how much they affect your feelings about your own attractiveness. We all have a feeling about whether we're good looking or not I guess, how much would your feeling about your own attractiveness be affected if you couldn't wear your glasses - never mind that you always would if you could!!

Did you love your first pair so much when you first started wearing them, didn't you even have the slightest doubt that they might alter your appearance and maybe not for the better!!

Haven't you ever caught a glance of yourself in a shop window and thought do these glasses really look great?

I don't think you have - that's why I want to hear what you say!!

Christy 05 Jan 2002, 12:58

Me & My Glasses by Me!

I can never be sure if my frames really suit me or not. It takes me ages to agonise over a choice of frames and I prefer not to do it - but every two years when I have my eye test I've always got new frames too. I always used to get silver frames for some reason - aviator at the beginning - but not the last pair. The current frames are gold Flexon and I really do like them. I may just settle for a change of lenses if my prescription changes next time. I'm the only one who has any say in my choice of frames - so there's never anyone there to contradict me.

Now - if my frames really didn't suit me at all - like - if people said that I looked a complete dork - I'd still wear them because I'm just not swayed in the slightest by what other people think. I don't mind comments - I'm quite open to them - but when I make a choice I'm usually happy to stick with it.

As for being without glasses - that just wouldn't be me. I was without glasses for 30 years and now that I can wear them all the time - that's just what I choose to do. As for being 'forced' to wear contacts - you couldn't have picked a better word. You'd need a dozen people to hold me down and two on each eye to prise open my eyelids before you could get me to wear contacts! No way - it's glasses forever!

As for how it feels when glasses are so much a part of me - well - it feels great! I can't imagine ever being without them. I like the crisp vision - but I also like the feel of glasses on my face - and I like the way they frame my view of the world. I think they do give me confidence. I've worn them for the past dozen years and I think those have been the most confident and productive years of my life. I like to think that me and my glasses make a great team!

Clare 05 Jan 2002, 12:44

Christy - it's great you LOVE wearing glasses! You must be a really confident person - about how you look and in *yourself*

Do you love wearing glasses so much because you have fantastic frames that really suit you?

Would you love wearing glasses so much if you weren't sure that they made you look great?

Do you still feel attractive without glasses? I know they're part of *you* because you've said so before, but if you forced yourself to wear contacts, would you still feel 'attractive'??

How does it feel when glasses are just so much part of you - do they give you confidence?

Clare 05 Jan 2002, 12:33

Hey Puffin, that's female vanity!!

Puffin 05 Jan 2002, 12:28

This is even sillier than the one below that Chris mentioned.

It was on a school trip to see the museums of London, and there was this girl, she must have been almost eighteen (I was just a few younger then).

All I can say is she HAD glasses. She kept them in their case, except (as below) every five minutes she'd take them out and look through them at street signs, because she was guiding us around. But she never actually put them on, they just got within no less than about four inches of her face.

Well, of all the silly things I've seen that has to be the silliest and most irritating. Mind you I didn't think much of her, I prefered her younger sister who happily wore glasses full time!

:)

Puffin

Christy 05 Jan 2002, 10:06

I just LOVE wearing glasses! Just thought I'd throw that one in.

Clare 05 Jan 2002, 00:27

No, I meant "well said, Christy"!!!

Clare 05 Jan 2002, 00:26

We said Christy!

Christy 04 Jan 2002, 23:51

Clare - I once spent all day with a woman who kept putting her glasses on and taking them off again. She was showing me round an area where there were lots of projects to look at. Whenever I asked 'what's that' - out would come the specs for a brief look - then they'd be put away again. It was so annoying! By the end of the day I was ready to scream! She looked real cute in her specs but never used them for more than a fleeting glimpse at anything.

When it comes to 'needing' to wear glasses - my 'need' isn't directly related to my uncorrected vision of a mere -2. I wear my glasses full-time because that's what I want to do - and no-one's ever going to stop me!

Clare 04 Jan 2002, 15:06

Alan - in all my witterings I haven't been trying to convince anyone, myself included, that I don't *need* glasses. On the contrary, there are some things that I wouldn't/couldn't do without them for - for a start I wouldn't get far driving at night without them.

Like you when you were first prescribed them, I've always worn them for seeing things at a distance as you did in school, and I'd say I find them *helpful* in certain situations like presentations, airports, theatre, tv ...

The real issue I've been wrestling with is how much to wear them beyond the activities that I would indisputably say I need them for, rather than whether I really need them.

So, I'm not a purely 'cosmetic' glasses wearer but just an existing wearer thinking of broadening when and what I wear them for. Even my puny -1.25 prescription does look as though it has some strength, but to you guys with seriously stronger it might appear not!

After all, isn't all that putting on/ taking off glasses a bit of a turn-off? I always feel silly putting them on, taking a look at something and taking them off again. Or I am I just ridiculously self-conscious about it all ....? Polite replies please!!

Christy 04 Jan 2002, 12:30

Pip - If you're tired - then one assumes that the lens muscles relax - and therefore give you the optimum benefit for seeing into the distance. Hence the saying 'miles away'. However - I guess that when you're head is lolling and eyelids are drooping with tiredness - the muscles controlling the position of the eyeball are probably going to be less than effective. In that case - you'd expect minor convergence problems - and along with the drooping eyelids - you're not going to get the best view of the far distance.

Alan 04 Jan 2002, 12:29

Clare - I was skiing in Utah for about 11 days, and right before that I was extremely busy.

Pip - Being tired probably doesn't amplify shortsightedness normally. But it probably happens for some people. Also, some people have 'nocturnal myopia', which has to do with difficulty focusing properly at night, and a person is probably more likely to be tired at night. And I've never heard this discussed, but irregularities in a person's cornea -- which normally cause astigmatism -- might cause more problems in the dark when the pupil is dilated...and people are more likely to feel tired when it's dark than when it's light. But what about being tired, just by itself? I wouldn't think that would make shortsightedness worse -- the eye doesn't have a way to "work" at accomodating myopia, so I wouldn't think it would be worse when you're tired. (Unless you're tired because of eyestrain, say from reading; then it might be worse.)

Pip 04 Jan 2002, 11:20

Fact or fiction? If you are tired does it amplify your shortsightedness!

Clare 03 Jan 2002, 12:48

Hi Alan - where've you been?

Nice to see you back again!

Tammy 03 Jan 2002, 12:18

Alan,

I really like how my glasses turned out. I wouldn't want to have blended myodiscs, although regular myodiscs would be fine.

Alan 03 Jan 2002, 10:54

Tammy,

How do you like your glasses? Is the vision good? I suppose 9 mm is fairly thick for high-index, but I don't think that is a really shocking thickness for lenses. Do you like how they look, or would you have preferred myodiscs?

Question for anyone:

How does the "tilting" of the glasses help someone to see more clearly when their (minus) prescription is too weak? It's been mentioned a lot of times on this site, but I never experienced it myself until very recently. I would have thought that this would simulate a cylinder prescription, which seems like it should make one's vision worse unless they had astigmatism that wasn't being corrected by their glasses. But apparently I'm wrong. Can someone experienced in the tricks of the glass-tilting trade tell me more about this? Any theories on why it works?

Alan

Marsilli 03 Jan 2002, 10:29

Hallo to everyone!

I just saw the movie "Stigmata" with Patricia Arquette,- there is a scene there she gets an eye exam. Have anyone seen the movie,- i wanted to know what kind of exam this is and what is done here, it looks for me like an eye pressure exam but i´m not sure. If anyone wants to geht this scene let me know, it´s about 2 MB in a very good quality (DivX) i could mail it to everyone who is interested.

Hope somebody knows a answer. :)

Bye!

corndog 02 Jan 2002, 19:24

my girlfriend's glasses are so thick that when she held them up to the sun they were like a goddamn LASER beam. she once set the school bleachers on fire!!!

Tammy 02 Jan 2002, 18:12

Alan,

Instead of being made as myodiscs of any type, my new glasses are made with hi index plastic lenses. My lenses are a whopping 9 millimeters thick on the outer edges. I think that that's still pretty thick for hi index lenses.

annonymous 02 Jan 2002, 16:41

Laetitia,

Sorry for your *BAD* english? Where do you get phrases like "I have an inferiority complex because of my strong glasses". That really sounds like *BAD* english. I usually ignore these type of postings as they are obvious as sh#t. There are other ways that I can tell which ones are cr#p.

Alan 02 Jan 2002, 16:29

Clare,

I just saw a recent posting you put on Post Your Prescription...I think part of my post below is a bit out of date; sorry about that.

Anyway, happy new year! I hope you continue to stick around here -- I am we'll keep the postings coming, and I definitely hope to hear from you how things go with your glasses, contacts, or nothing.

Alan 02 Jan 2002, 16:10

A bunch of thoughts, since it's been a while...

First, two requests: Please do *not* post fake claims on this site -- all these discussions mean a lot more when they are real, plus some of us are trying to learn about how eyes (and brains) work and lies really get in the way of that. Furthermore, can we please discuss vision and glasses and our feelings about it...and keep the discussions about who is real to a minimum?

Anyway, moving on...

Greg, how old are you?

Tammy, what are your glasses like, if not blended myodiscs? Just myodiscs in a plano base, or full-frame lenses?

Chino... I, too, would love to meet someone from eyescene. Unfortunately, in this case, I do not live in Florida. I was just visiting Busch Gardens, and in fact, I was actually visiting the park in Williamsburg, VA, and not the one in Florida. (I *was* in Orlando a bit over a year ago...where I had a pretty neat sighting: there was a 14-year old girl from Britain who I talked with for a while, wearing one of the stronger pairs of plus-lenses I've seen. I really don't know how to estimate plus-Rx's, though, but for the sake of imagining, they must have been about +8 or so.) Anyway, I actually live in Philadelphia. Anyone else live near there? I remember someone from the old Eyescene once posted something about a shop in Center City that had glasses, maybe a second-hand store or something like that.

Larissa - sorry if I asked this before, but do you feel like you use both of your eyes equally when you see? If you cover one eye at a time, do you notice much difference either in how clear things are or how "comfortable" you are looking around at things? (I mean, without your glasses.) Anyway, contacts won't normally include prism correction...though it really sounds like you might not need it.

Clare - you said something about glasses prescriptions being stronger than contacts prescriptions. This is true for strong minus prescriptions...but for anything less than about -4, the prescriptions are about the same - maybe different by 0.25 for the -3 to -4 range.

Why would an eye doctor encourage teenagers with prescriptions like -1 to wear correction? Well, in my case, I went to the eye doctor with a problem -- namely, that I couldn't read the board from the back of the class. The first eye doctor (a behavioral optometrist, actually) I had told me to wear the glasses when I needed/wanted them, but that I didn't need to wear them if I could see fine. I ended up switching to a different guy (an ophthalmologist) about a year later. I don't think he ever said a word about when or how much or why to wear my glasses/contacts...I just wanted contacts and not glasses, and it was easier to put them in than to think about whether I was going to really need them that day.

Clare, I've noticed from several of your postings that you really do "need" your glasses, even though you say otherwise. I mean, you mentioned poor night vision, and "ignoring" people at the market. The vast majority of glasses wearers could more or less get by without their glasses...I definitely could, but it would be a pain at times, and I wouldn't recognize people or notice their expressions. You know, they call 20/20 "normal" vision and I don't know whether that really makes sense, but one reason it sort of does make sense is that I think it is *normal* to expect to see that well. Not everyone can (with correction), but there is nothing at all wrong with wanting to see that way more or less all the time. I do think it's great to go without correction, though, because of the great appreciation of crisp vision that creates.

Alan

corndog 02 Jan 2002, 11:14

I too like french fries with ketchup on top. my glasses are so thick you can goddamn see the moon with them!!!!

Nancy 02 Jan 2002, 10:42

I've been suspicious of Laetitia for some time as I've gotten several e-mails from her (him?) all asking the same questions. Even when I replied, the same questions returned, so I just erase them when they arrive.

Gullibabe 02 Jan 2002, 10:33

Hi Laetitia. I m also a Frnch young woman of 20 years old. Syrangely enough I too am very myopic. I wore my first pair of glasses at three years old and my myopia increased steadily, and the astigmatism too. I have a pathological myopia and here is my last prescription, less 1 year ago : -19,75 (-3,50x110)OD & -19,50 (-7,00x30)OG. Let's steam up our thick glasses by having hot, perverse, lesbian clam slurping sex.

another_guest 02 Jan 2002, 10:07

better yet, let's add his email address to spam lists!

guest 02 Jan 2002, 10:02

Don't email to Laetitia, I can tell you that it's a fake GWG. In fact, it's a man, this person is well know under several email address, all at the same provider voila.fr

laetitia 02 Jan 2002, 09:17

Hi, and an happy new year for everybody !

My name is Laetitia. I m a fench young woman of 20 years old. Like a lot of men and women on this site, i m very myopic. I wore my first pair of glasses at 4 years old and my myopia increased steadily, and the astigmatism too. I have a pathological myopia and here is my last prescription, less 1 year ago : -18,25 (-2,50x110)OD & -16,50 (-3,00x30)OG. Infortunately, my eyesight continue to fail, and faster since 2 years, it s a real nightmare ! I have an inferiority complex because of my strong glasses (I m feeling so unattractive with my horribles lenses !), and i m so frightened because i can t see enough with them : actually, beyond 3 or 4 meters, the things, the people, around me become more and more fuzziness ; another thing scare me, it s more and more difficult, for me, to read closely, i can t see the small prints ! I m afraid to become blind if my myopia don t stop her increasin. I must go to my eyedoctor in few days for a new exam of my eyes... I want to share my experience with others, preferably women. You can write me to : moulin.lae@voila.fr. I m waiting for your replies with impatience... And excuse me for my bad english...

Laetitia

Daffy 01 Jan 2002, 19:41

Thanx Prism for the info. I think I will try sometime soon, when I get some money together.

Where's Larissa? How did it go? Did you get your "new" glasses yet? I'm intrigued by your story (if I can call it that). Please let us what eventuated.

Bernard 29 Dec 2001, 07:19

Christina,

I just came back from LA, found an agent very interested in getting me a publisher in the US.

I really want to use your story in my us book.

Here is the message I sent you a few weeks ago.

Could you get in touch with me via e-mail?

""

I am the author of the book:

"Les hommes préfèrent les myopes"

I am presently working on the us version "Men do make passes at girls with glasses "

You story is very interesting and I would like to interview you for the

english version of the book. Could you sent me an e-mail at " blg@dial.oleane.com "

so we could get in touch?

By the way were do you live ?

I will be in LA next week

Warmest regards

Bernard

Tammy 28 Dec 2001, 22:44

Hi. I just wanted to let you know that i'm having some pictures processed right now, and i will be getting them back on Monday or Tuesday of this coming week. I do have plans to post a pic of me wearing my new glasses, sometime in the near future.

Christina 28 Dec 2001, 22:04

I feel fine wearing them. Although I can't for the life of me get me vision to even come close to clear like it used to be. However, I must admit that trying to walk around without them is a lot of fun. I am debating wearing them 247 again to maintain the vision blur, as this week I am enjoying my glasses again.

Christy 28 Dec 2001, 00:44

Sometimes when you gently shake the page with that combination of coloured lettering - the letters all seem to jiggle about.

Filthy McNasty 27 Dec 2001, 15:35

Red and blue are at the opposite ends of the visible spectrum. The two colors are actually refracted differently enough through a lens that the lens has a different effective focal length for each, making it possible to focus on either the blue or the red, but not both, perfectly at the same time. Your eye shifts focus constantly. With large letters it's nota problem, but with small ones, it can me a real nightmare.

Jack 27 Dec 2001, 15:10

I posted to this topic earlier about my rx.

For some reason I struggle and find it difficult to read red writing like on blue backgrounds.

Why is this?

Christy 25 Dec 2001, 12:25

Greg - I don't wish I had perfect eyesight. I'm glad I'm nearsighted and astigmatic coz there's nothing I want more than to be able to wear glasses all the time. I never tried to wear glasses when I had perfect eyesight - coz it just wouldn't have felt right - but fortunately I can wear them because I need them - and I'm happy to do it full-time.

-14 25 Dec 2001, 07:31

Greg

hey guy, yeah it would have been better if you'd been straight with us right from the beginning but no big deal! Don't worry about it. I'm just happy to hear you love wearing and are becoming dependant on them. Forget the regrets and just enjoy!!! Hope to see you on the chat to find out how you're doing. 8-)

Greg 24 Dec 2001, 22:41

Hi,

Sorry for any misunderstandings on the chat. The truth of the matter is I have been wearing my glasses for the past month. I did not want to come straight up and tell you all because i am very embarassed about what i have done and partially I feel guilty because I imagine many people wearing glasses wish they had near perfect vision like I had before. Never did i want to mislead any of you. I just wanted to wear glasses desperately. LOOKING BACK I SHOULD HAVE JUST BEEN STRAIGHT WITH ALL OF YOU. I will admit I wanted to get reactions about what I was currently doing. And to no surprise you were all very helpful in soothing the shock of gradually having to get up in the morning and reach for my glasses to put on so I could go about my day. I was away at school and now i am at home for the holidays. I didn't know what to do wear the glasses or don't wear them. I chose to wear them and I like Cristina feel trapped into my glasses now. Christina we are not crazy for doing what we did. By the way Christina how do you feel about wearing glasses now and how is your vision? I like wearing glasses but still some regrets linger about what I have done. In closing i wish all of you at eyescene a Merry Christmas!

boringeyes 24 Dec 2001, 11:37

Hi, I was using this site to find out some information, and I thought I would "give back" my stats.

I'm 32 with a very mild Rx. To be honest, I'm not sure what it is. I THINK it is -.75 in one and -1.5 in the other, and there's a correction for astigmatism but I'm not sure how much.

For those of you dreading filling your low prescriptions for fear of becoming dependent, I filled mine when I was a teenager and there has been no significant change. I religiously wear thenm for driving because I feel like that's no place to play around, and when I go to theater or something like that and I want to be able to see clearly as possible something far away. I also wear them if my eyes "feel tired."

I also don't worry about what people think about my "need" to wear glasses, or whether they think I'm vain to go without them. I certainly want perfect vision when I drive, and whether I have to wear very weak lenses or huge goggles to achieve that, that's what I'm going to do. I absolutely cannot read street signs well enough at night to feel safe without them. And if I choose to leave them off in less critical circumstances, I certainly have a right to decide I don't want to become dependent on them. My eyes + my glasses = my decision.

Also, for those of you who may feel nervous about your first glasses, I was completely terrified when I first wore mine to school. I was under the impression then that I had to wear them all waking hours, but nobody seemed to care that I had them at all. Most people are too caught up with their own issues to notice if someone has glasses, unless they happen to be a very close friend. Some people do an excellent job picking frames to suit them and it either blends with their whole look or somehow enhances their appearance.

Lenzie 24 Dec 2001, 09:00

This is known as Accommodation Myopia or Hysterical Myopia. In any case it is temporary myopia.

specs4ever 24 Dec 2001, 07:21

Christina, I honestly don't think that what you did deliberately ruined your eyes. You are fairly young, and I feel that it is quite likely that you had been accommodating for your myopia by forcing your lens power to correct it. By wearing glasses, which you thought was a dummy prescription for the time that you did, your eyes became accustomed to the correction. If you did not have axial myopia, which is the most common, I think that you likely had corneal myopia. This reasoning comes from the fact that when you did go to the eye doctor, your prescription came back even higher than the one you thought you were forcing your eyes to see through. I hope that this makes sense, and I am sure that I will be shot down if no one else agrees with my thoughts, but inall the time I tried to bump my myopia, it would not remain permanantly, nor would it ever go higher than the glasses I was wearing.

Christina 24 Dec 2001, 06:23

Nice to know I am not the only crazy person out there when it comes to deliberately ruining my eyes. Nice going greg!

Christy 23 Dec 2001, 09:29

I think you're excused from 'ignoring' people at this time of year - specs or no specs - coz you can always claim you've got too much tinsel and turkey on your mind. Don't worry - remember - It'll all be over by Christmas!

Clare 23 Dec 2001, 08:33

... what like me - who "ignored" two people in the supermarket today!

Christy 23 Dec 2001, 03:10

Clare - When I was 15, if someone had given me planos I'd have worn them all the time!

Seriously though - some people just like to have the sharpest visual clarity possible - and if -1 does the job - then they'll happily wear them rather than suffer even the slightest bit of fuzziness. Other people, of course, are quite happy to go round clunking into lamp-posts.

Clare 23 Dec 2001, 02:07

Does anyone have any idea why opticians encourage people in the mid-teens to wear a mild prescription like -1 or less. Surely it makes their vision worse as their eyes haven't finished developing. I was in my mid-20s when I got my first prescription of -1 but wouldn't have thought of wearing it full time. My reason for asking - a conversation with someone whose 15 yr old wears a minus 1 prescription all the time. Thanks!

Christy 23 Dec 2001, 01:15

Wurm - speaking from the outer orbits of the industry - I can tell you that these artists are all in the habit of nicking each others work anyway!

Wurm 22 Dec 2001, 17:44

The famous dog-on-the-internet cartoon wasn't a "Dilbert". It originally appeared in the New Yorker magazine. I can't recall the artist offhand.

-14 22 Dec 2001, 11:51

specs4ever

Point well taken - I shouldn't have so quickly rushed to judgement. I guess I was just a little ticked at discovering that someone may not have been totally honest with me.

Christy 22 Dec 2001, 09:33

Clare - A prescription that contains a value for cylinder is intended to correct astigmatism. The sphere value is intended to correct near or farsightedness. It gets interesting when you have both cylinder and sphere corrections - and we've thrashed all this out many times on the BBS - but at the end of the day you either follow the explanations - or they just leave you mystified!

specs4ever 22 Dec 2001, 09:06

While it is always possible that a poster is a wannabee, I don't think we should always jump to conclusions. A poster is real, until proven otherwise, as far as I am concerned, and if I have a thought, as well as time to post, I will.

-14 22 Dec 2001, 08:36

Christy

Thanks for the Dilbert clarification! It's always funnier when you get the quote correct. I guess I should have added "or something like that!"

Your joke? MOAN!!! That said - I loved it - very funny!!

Merry Cristmas!

Clare 22 Dec 2001, 08:30

Please can someone explain how this cylinder thing works? From reading people's posts it seems that cyl is interchangable with, or an alternative to a stronger prescription. I'd like to understand how that can be.

When I last went to the optician he decreased the prescription in in my right eye to -1.25 and increased the cyl by -.25. I know -.25 isn't much of a change, but is cyl the same value as sphere or is it more (as it sounds from some of these posts)? If it has no prescription value and just relates to the amount of astigmatism, why didn't he just add a cyl value - I don't understand why increasing the cyl meant he could reduce the sphere! Thanks if anyone can help.

Christy 22 Dec 2001, 07:51

-14 - I think the Dilbert character was a dog called Dogbert - sitting at a computer thinking "On the Internet, no-one knows you're a dog!"

Incidentally - have you heard the one about the dyslexic insomniac agnostic - who lay awake all night wondering if there was a Dog?

Please feel free to groan if you heard that one before. Ah well - it'll soon be Christmas and I can collect some new jokes out of the Christmas crackers 8-)

-14 22 Dec 2001, 07:37

NN

Interesting! Time does fly. I also thought it was only last weekend that GREG (he used caps) was in the chat room looking for advice. I suggested he wear his older brother's -3s (too dorkey) or try the faked RX route. He even asked if he should keep the astig numbers to which RR answered yes. He told us he would let us know what happened. Appears to be a little time problem.

I remember a similar scenario 6/8 months ago. Could have been the same name; a trip to the optom, unhappy with the results, older brother with -3s, want to be nearsighted, will it be permanent. Sound familiar?

Like a Dilbert character says, "When you're chatting on the net the guy on the other end could be a dog".

NN 22 Dec 2001, 05:49

Greg

Weren't you just on eyescene chat a week ago asking how to get glasses with a stronger prescription than the one given you by the eye doctor. If i remember, people offered all kinds of suggestions and now you tell us you've have glasses for a month. In the chat room you acted as though you had no idea at all on how to go about it. What's up with that! Hmmmm - do i smell another fake?

specs4ever 22 Dec 2001, 05:28

I don't know how old Greg is Dom., but if he is in his 20's, i think it is quite possible that he can induce a permanant form of myopia by wearing the 2.5D specs all the time. I started in my early 40's with a script of -2.75/plano, and in about 7 or 8 years I had bumped myself to -10.25 and -8.00. I was quite comfortable with these glasses, but as i reached the ripe old age of 48, my myopia regressed to the point where now i am almost where I was when i started took about 8 years to drop right back though. I feel that if i had started in my early 20's, and had not tried to jump my prescription so rapidly, I probably could have maintained mild myopia in both eyes.

That is only my thought though.

dominic 22 Dec 2001, 02:42

Greg – I don't think you're ever going to produce myopia in the range of -2.5 just by wearing specs that strong; what you're probably experiencing now is pseudo-myopia, where the muscles contract — the blurriness will pass after a time. And you won't be able to keep up the strain of focusing at -2.5 for ever; it's like spending all your time with your eyes at reading distance.

However, all is not lost, because you do have a *real* Rx; not a high one, but it's a start. If you were to wear those specs all the time, includign for reading, you could well find that your minor but genuine degree of myopia begins to grow - I've seen it happen several times with friends who get specs that are "almost plain glass", then swtich to something stronger within a year or two.

Greg 22 Dec 2001, 00:56

I am new to this sight but i love it. What i am here to say is i need advice. Many of you doubt that stories like Christina's are possible. I recently went for an eye exam, like her my vision was near perfect. I tried to do bad enough to get an Rx for myopia. I got an Rx but it was -0.5R, -0.25L. I have always wanted glasses just because i like how they look on other people. Well i took that Rx slip and forged myself a new Rx of -2.5R, -2.75L. I went to an optical department at a Sears and had the Rx filled. My experience choosing frames was unbelievable due to the young girl working that day who also wore a blue pair of glasses.I could tell she was fairly nearsighted. My being a GWG lover made this a heavenly moment for me. I was nervous that i would have a mistake on the slip. But an hour and a half later i had my glasses. She adjusted and fit them nicely for me. I told her that they were great and i could see everything so clearly. I even began to joke with her about our poor vision. That day i wore them til i went to bed. My eyes seemed able to adjust to them. But i have been wearing them for a month already and i am noticing alot of blurriness when i take them off. Does neone know for sure if what i am doing is creating a permanent condition of myopia???? Please reply i am curious to know...i am too embarrassed to ask an optometrist b/c of what i did.

Clare 21 Dec 2001, 10:32

This must be very difficult for you, I hope my thoughts help you.

Before you went for your eye exam you only had a prescription for mild shortsightedness, which makes me wonder whether you ever thought that there might be any other problem with your eyes before that appointment.

If you didn't, and you think that you can see fine with your current prescription, why don't you just stick with what you currently have. Or do you have other problems like headaches, double vision etc?

Hope it all goes well for you.

Chino 21 Dec 2001, 05:34

Ooops, looks like I put my foot in my mouth. Sorry about that Larissa (my bad). Thanks for setting me straight on that.

Honestly, I don't know how your eyes will react to the prism lenses...there's really only one way to find out. I don't know if contacts will work either. As you can probably tell, I'm pretty ignorant when it comes to prism prescriptions.

Anyways, I hope your worry and anxiety wear off soon. Whatever your RX ends up as, just know this. You'll STILL be a very pretty girl, just with glasses.

Prism 20 Dec 2001, 21:02

If you get the #$%@ message "web site you are trying to access has exceeded its allocated data transfer", here's an alternate (older) site to access: http://members.fortunecity.com/prism10/

Prism 20 Dec 2001, 20:51

Larissa: Normally, for nearsighted prescriptions the lens is a little thicker on the outside of the lens. With the prism in your prescription, your lenses will be a little thicker on the inside than the outside. Probably won't be noticable by most people. Take a look on my website at the prism glasses that are 10 Base In in each eye. THIS prism prescription is noticable! Write me if you have any questions. Base In link: http://www.geocities.com/minus30glasses/Prism/Base_In/base_in.html

Prism 20 Dec 2001, 20:36

Daffy: Glad it helped some. My opinion on the amount of D's you can handle... Base Out is the easiest to train your eyes to accomodate the prism. Basically, anyone can cross (or learn to cross) their eyes and train their eyes to see thru base out prism. Base In is a little more difficult. It's harder for your eyes to point outward. When I first got glasses with Base In prism (about 3D in each lens), I could only focus on up close images (which is what they were prescribed for). Eventually I trained my eyes to focus with them at a distance. Long story short...I can now adjust my eyes to see out of my prism glasses with 10 Diopters Base In in each lens at any distance. I'm working on getting to 15D in each eye, and can focus clearly up to about 4 feet away (or closer). The last type of prism correction is the hardest to train your eyes for. Base Up/Down. Usually prescribed Base Up in one lens and Base Down in the other. The eyes don't natuarally point up in one and down in the other, so it's REALLY hard to adjust. I have been able to train my eyes to see about 8D Base Up in the left eye, and 8D Base Down in the right eye. It takes about 3-4 minutes for my eyes to adjust with this prism. And if I wear them for more than 30-45 minutes, it takes about 2-3 minutes for them to go back to normal - which is REALLY strange (cool) when I put on my regular glasses and see double images above/below. When you first start out, it will take time/training to get your eyes to adjust. Starting out, don't go over 5D base In in each lens, 3D Base Out in each, or 2D up/2D down. And then, you can combine the types of prism. For example, (R) 5 Base In, 3 Base Up, and (L) 5 Base In, 3 Base Down...

Daffy 20 Dec 2001, 20:12

PRISM...

Thanx...helped me out some. But still have one question though. How many D's (say 2 or 3 or more) can one accomodate? I'm thinking of getting a set with base in. I know everyone is different. Any suggestions?

Larissa, take a look and you might get some idea on how your lenses will look. Remember that the distance Rx my be different and the size/style of your frame will play a big part of how it will look.

Prism 20 Dec 2001, 20:00

Emma/Larissa (and all): For some "different" info on prism lenses, take a look at my website. I hope to update it soon - it's been a while. Also, you can email with any comments or questions about Prism lenses, or Glasses over Contacts, etc. Minus30Glasses@yahoo.com website: http://www.geocities.com/minus30glasses/ Hope to hear from you soon...

Tammy 20 Dec 2001, 18:02

Hi folks!

Well, i got my new glasses today. They are supposed to be blended myodiscs, but i don't see any characteristics of those in my new specs. I also was in error when i said that my new glasses had round lenses. The truth of the matter is that the lenses are oval shaped. The outer edges of the lenses are approximately 9 mm thick. I like them better than i originally thought i would.

Larissa 20 Dec 2001, 15:09

Well, I took a day off work just to turn up first thing in the morning to pick up my new glasses. The anxiety was just killing me. I had to go and see what my new glasses looked like, and how well i'll see out of them.

But, just as quickly my anxiety was going up when the eyedoc was talking about fulltime wearing, it quickly dropped when i was told that they are not ready. The other girl that I spoke to didn't read the Rx correctly and simply made their general statement...'they will be ready this afternoon'.

This lady told me it will take about a week since they don't stock lenses with Rx's like mine. And with Xmas here, I may be waiting up to two weeks.

Now this posed a problem or two with me. I guess that the glasses can wait, but it's my curiousty thats killing me. Also the fact that the lady said that they "don't stock my lens Rx" made me feel abnormal. I wish that these people at these chain stores would be a bit more sensitive with their comments. I consider myself as a very pretty girl, and my looks are important to me. I hope these glasses don't detract that from me.

Chino - my eyes are NOT crossed. They are normal. That's why he didn't really push for vision therapy. He 'mentioned' it, not recommended it. That's why Im worried that are the prism lenses going to make my eye point outwards or inwards? Can contact lenses do with my Rx?

On another slight off topic, I wore my current glasses all day yesterday. Had no problems at all. I did notice that when i took them off, things looked a little blurrier than usual, but i soon adjusted back. They didn't bother me at all. They are so comfy. The nose pads actually made an indentation on my nose which i didn't like. The makeup and foundation comes off on the nose pad area when i remove the glasses, so I had to re-apply makeup on my nose. Funny thing happened this morming though... I left my glasses on the bedside last night, and this morning I reached out to get them and put them on first thing. I thought for a second, "what am I doing?" so I put them in the case and into my handbag. Didn't want to do two days in a row. Anyway, I was going to pick up my 'new' glasses this morning anyway. So that takes mr back to the top of this post.

Merry Xmas peoples...I will let you know what happens when I get them or sooner. Thanks for you replies to a worried and anxious girl.

Wurm 20 Dec 2001, 09:45

The optical places always tell you your lenses are thick, so they can 'upsell' you to high index. It's just a ploy. My current lenses are only about 5mm in thickness yet I hear it every time.

Clare 20 Dec 2001, 09:44

Alan - thanks for the history! How often do I wear contacts? No regular pattern really, just as I said before when I know I've got a reason that I need to see really well. Maybe because I don't wear them every day I'm always thrilled with the clarity they give me and though I wouldn't want to wear them all the time because they can be a tiny bit uncomfortable (otherwise it would be easy to take advantage of that fantastic clear vision!), I'm always amazed by the difference. I probably wear them a couple of times a week - and its great!

I think my eyesight is pretty grim in the dark and when I wear my lenses its great to be able to walk outside and read signs, see people's faces and not get that 'buzz' from street lighting. I can see how it easy it could be to get trapped into wearing some corrective lenses (either glasses or lenses) even with a low prescription - I think I've probably got used to what I see but still every time I wear lenses the world looks brighter and clearer. I originally got them because I did alot of sailing and couldn't see the markers without my glasses - back then I didn't realise I'd use them for day-to-day wear. But its only because, in nearly 2 years, none of my work colleagues even know I wear glasses part-time. I think we've already done that discussion!

What I've learnt from this site is that a minus contact lens prescription should be less than a prescription for glasses, but mine's the same. Still I'm running out of disposables, they've last 2 years, so I guess I'll find out next time I have to have a check up to get some more. Your random thoughts always welcome!

-14 20 Dec 2001, 07:15

Dan

Are you sure your RX isn't -13.50 instead of -3.50? I can see needing them but blind without and thick? Even with regular plastic -3.50 shouldn't be that thick - a couple of MM maybe.

dan 20 Dec 2001, 06:32

myhopeinhere how can you possibly get around with that rx im blind without them in a mall cant see nothing or at night

dan 20 Dec 2001, 06:27

i also need bifocals the optician talked me out of progrresives because she said they would be too thick at my rx would it be much thicker

Chino 20 Dec 2001, 05:39

Larissa, there's nothing wrong with vision therapy. The only reason I think the doc recommended it is because you have a pretty low prism RX. With vision therapy, you'll do exercises that will help coordinate your eye muscles. I think the doc is hoping that, with vision therapy, your eyes won't cross as much. Eventually, the doc might be able to reduce or get rid of your prism prescription.

Alan, were you just on vacation while at Busch Gardens, or do you live close to the Orlando area? I'm stationed at Camp Lejeune, NC right now, but I'm from Brandon, FL (near Tampa) and I'm flying down there this Sunday. If you live relatively close, it would be sooo cool to finally meet someone from ES in person. If you do indeed live pretty close, shoot me an e-mail at rodriguezl@lejeune.usmc.mil

myhopeinhere 20 Dec 2001, 05:39

Dan,I'm about the same,it's easy to function without them,but at -3 or 4 gets a neccesity,they should'nt be thick thougth,with -3 in a hi-index,it's not noticeable.

nubbins 20 Dec 2001, 05:31

Dave,

Yes, I have noticed the color difference. I mentioned my prescription in an earlier post...One eye is fine, the other +2.75. When I go bare-eyed, my right eye takes over and my left eye is not used so much... When I put my contact in or specs on, my left eye gets kicked into action again and everything is so much brighter!

dan 20 Dec 2001, 04:46

I HAVE -3.50 LENSES WITH-.75 ASTIG THE OPTICIAN SAID THESE ARE STRONG SEEMS ON EYESCENE THESE ARE WEAK THEY ARE ALSO QUITE THICK HARD TO SEE MUCH WITHOUT THEM ANYONE ELSE WITH THIS RX CAN YOU SEE WITHOUT THEM

Alan 19 Dec 2001, 22:39

Clare,

To answer your question -- It was my choice to wear contacts. I had had glasses for about 8 months and had worn them part time. I could still see pretty well without the glasses for most of that time, though things were a little blurry. That was a problem in school occasionally, when I was sitting far back in class and the writing on the board was small. And I played baseball...which is a sport you REALLY don't want to play with poor vision. My getting contacts was partially spurred on by my getting hit by a pitch (in the face, and it was close to 80 miles per hour...not something I recommend). I really was seeing pretty clearly when I was hit, but after that I was really nervous about playing without corrected vision, and I really didn't want to even think about playing in glasses. Anyway, my vision was starting to get worse and I wanted correction more of the time, and glasses were really not cool at all at my high school. So I asked about contacts and there wasn't a problem getting them. I wore them all the time from then on. I guess for about a year after that I could have gone without them pretty easily. After that, my vision got worse and most situations away from home were uncomfortable without either glasses or contacts. I wasn't excited about my glasses at all, so I always wore contacts. I think I was self conscious about wearing glasses, not because I didn't "need" them but because it just wasn't cool to wear glasses. I never even thought about whether I really "needed" to wear contacts...I wasn't inclinded to try to get through life with vision that was kind of blurry, when that wasn't at all necessary. Contacts were easy, and I didn't feel self-conscious wearing them.

It's funny...most of this year, my eyes have had a hard time tolerating contacts, and I finally got myself to do a lot of searching for the 'right' pair of glasses. I really wanted to find a pair that I could wear without feeling like they made me less attractive. The ones I ended up getting cost a fortune, but I really love them. I think I hope my eyes will make a recovery and I'll be able to wear contacts some of the time; I really like how it feels to wear contacts and complete peripheral vision, etc. But I really like my glasses too.

As for whether "guys make passes..." -- it's seriously not just eyescene people who will find a woman attractive in glasses. One scene that sticks out in my mind is when I was at Busch Gardens and I saw a very cute girl on the staff there, about 20 years old, wearing a nice looking pair of glasses, and two guys came up and started talking to her. They were flirting with wreckless abandon. I really think this girl was somehow more remarkable because of her glasses...I mean, she was cute anyway, but I know the glasses added something, not just in my eyes but in the eyes of these flirters too (whether they would admit it or not). Glasses really *are* a fashion accessory, perhaps an accessory that's only acceptable for use by people who 'need' them (whatever that means), but definitely an accessory...not just something people are stuck with.

Clare - another question: how often do you wear your contacts?

Alan

KK 19 Dec 2001, 21:49

Well week 1 as a glasses wearer has gone pretty well - I got some good comments from female colleagues like I hoped, they *loved* my frames a real smart pair of titatium in a fairly narrow rectangular shape. I think they give me a kinda intelligent look!

Been experimenting about how much I need them too and decided I don't need them for my pc-work, but then putting them on and taking them off's a bit naff, reminds me of my grandmother with her reading glasses! So maybe I'll keep them on. Guess I must've been pretty blind in the dark before - am still amazed at how clear I can see how at night! Never knew I was out driving at night as blind as a bat, what a worry to think lots of people out there are tho'.

Keep sending great posts to this site, I love it!

Tammy 19 Dec 2001, 19:29

Hi Folks!

I got home from work to good news! The optician left a message on my answering machine and said that my new glasses have finally come in. I am going to go to pick them up tommorrow. I can hardly wait!

Larissa 19 Dec 2001, 19:09

Hi Emma,

I know I will get used to them (my eyes that is). But will I really need them all the time (after the two months)?? Can you see anything when you take your glasses off? Can you see or do anything without them?

I noticed that you said that you were cross eyed and that your lenses were opposite to mine. Did the glasses make your eyes cross eyed? So that means that my eye are or will point outwards? They don't now. They look normal. Now I'm worried.

So the bigger the number the thicker the lenses is? How thick will mine be? (guess i will see tommorow). My heart is pounding now. I don't want my glasses to be the focal point of me. Maybe i should have gone for the prescription with the smaller numbers.

Dave 19 Dec 2001, 17:50

dominic,

I just had the right lens for my glasses changed today. I've known for about a month that I needed a new prescription because that eye wasn't seeing as clearly. I too have been experiencing a pressure sensation which I described to the eyedoc as a puffy feeling (in my right eye). The eyedoc said that the sensation could have come from the change in the power of the cylinder. Time will tell if it makes that sensation go away, but as a precaution I will be having my pupils dilated for further examination later in January.

Here is the new 'script.

+.75 -2.0 x 161

+.50 -1.0 x 067

the old one was:

+.75 -1.5 x 160

+.50 -1.0 x 061

When I compare the two eyes, I still see better with the left eye even though the right eye has the "newer" correction.

I wouldn't begin to offer advice, but perhaps the info will help...

A question to anyone now... I've noticed for many years there is a definite difference in the way each of my eyes perceive color. It's a weird sensation when alternating each eye as I look at a colored object. I don't notice it at all when looking at something with both eyes. Anyone else notice this?

Emma 19 Dec 2001, 16:06

Hi Larissa,

I have prism lenses in my glasses and you'll get used to them I'm sure. With your prescription the inside edges (nearest to your nose) may be a little bit thick, but nothing to worry about, and the edges anybody can see will be just like your present glasses. My prisms are the other way round (with the base part on the outside of the lenses) which makes them look quite thick (I'm badly cross-eyed and have a pretty strong prism correction, base 10 out for each eye) though with the right sort of frames even that doesn't look too bad. Good luck with your new glasses.

nubbins 19 Dec 2001, 15:17

Clare,

I completely understand about feeling somewhat of a "fake." My right eye has no prescription, while my left has +2.75 (for CL, not sure about specs). If I go without correction, my right eye takes over and I can pretty much see perfectly fine. The only problem is that I have a limited field of vision and I tend to bump into things... i have really crappy depth perception... so basically my contact (or specs) widen my field of vision and help me not to bump into things as much... they also make colors a lot more vibrant! So basically... I dont really need them, but life is more comfortable with them. I have had a couple people ask me why I wear them because they figure it out for themselves that my right eye would take over and my left eye would be useless... So I often feel like a fake. Just thought I would throw my two cents in!

Clare 19 Dec 2001, 14:44

Alan, final point.

Whose idea, at 15 with a mild prescription, was it for you to wear contacts - optician's recommendation or your own choice? When my optician suggested I get contacts a couple of years ago I thought he was crazy prescribing for my -1.25, but then I wear them don't I!!

Larissa 19 Dec 2001, 14:43

Hi everyone :(

As said yesterday, I went to see the other eyedoc. He was a nice guy that explained a lot. So much so that it all confused me. I was just nodding my head and saying "ahha" when all i understood was you'll need to wear them fulltime. My heart was pounding at that thought. He did mention something about vision therapy (that sounds so bad!). I didn't think my eyes needed therapy! I feel somewhat dissabled (no offence to anyone please, just expressing my feelings). He gave me the choice, i chose glasses as vision therapy sounds bad (to me anyway). I don't want to tell people that I'm having therapy-for my eyes. I don't feel that they are bad.

I already wear glasses and most people already know that I have them, so it won't be that bad. It's just me. I can't think of myself being dependant on a pair of glasses. Like I said before, I see fine without glasses and better with the current ones. I can't help but think that I have maybe brought this on myself by not wearing my current glasses more or fulltime. So from today I started wearing my current ones from the morning. I'll see how long I will last. They are comfy, but are bothering me a little because I know i will "need" them.

Anyway, i know you are all interested...I decided to get the new prescription filled in new frames. That way I have two pairs.I guess that I will need to replace these lenses. But i wanted to keep these ones for now, just to compare the two. I had a slight problem though. The numbers were a different to the other eyedoc. I don't know if these are better or worse! All I see are numbers and letters. So which one do I go for? I'll write them down for you to compare, but I have already decided and ordered them. So if you have an opinion, please share, but it won't influence anything since it's already done.

The first one is:

R: Sph: -1.00 Cyl: -0.5 Ax: 153 Prism: 2D Base In

L: Sph: -1.00 Cyl: -0.5 Ax: 62 Prism: 2D Base In

The second one is:

R: Sph: -1.25 Cyl: -0.5 Ax: 155 Prism: 3D Base In

L: Sph: -1.25 Cyl: -0.5 Ax: 61 Prism: 3D Base In

My current Rx is R: -0.75/-0.5/153 and L: -0.75/-0.5/62

I don't know if any of this helps anyone. I went with the second eyedoc as he took time to explain things (even though I didn't fully understand). I didn't try on one of those testing glasses to see what i see because he said that i wouldn't be able to see thru them staight away. It would make me see double. He did say the same thing as the other lady did...wear them fulltime for 2 months, from when you get up till bed time. After the 2 months, my choice, but I won't be able to see clearly and 'may' have double vision without them. So he's basically saying that my eyes will get use to them in the two month period and I will need them forever i guess.

Anyone I know that needs glasses fulltime has rather thickish glasses. Will mine be thick? I hope not. I love my current glasses. They are nice, thin, sexy. I'm scared of what they will look like when I get them tomorrow. They could have been ready today, but I was a little scared and hesitant (and ran out of time). Should I wear them from the store straight away? The eyedoc said I will see double for a few minutes, up to about maximum half day, but I need to have them on regardless.

Sorry for being long winded today. Just a little anxious and had to get something off my chest. I'll let you know tomorrow what happens, if i can see the screen without seeing double. I'm so worried when I say that. :(

Clare 19 Dec 2001, 14:40

Alan - thanks for your random thoughts they're helping me get myself together. On your first point about what I do I when I see someone wearing a weak prescription, I think that its probably 'want to' not 'need to' and because my stance (at the moment) is that glasses are for people who really need them I suppose I think these people are posing! I haven't got used to glasses being a fashion accessory, and so I'd want people to at least think I was wearing them for more than cosmetic purposes!

You're right - today I wore my contacts and I had gloriously sharp vision ALL DAY! I'm happy to get that effect wearing contact lenses because its a private choice - no-one knows or cares, but to choose great vision with glasses rather than contacts is very different for me. I suppose I also find it hard to shake off that 'guys don't make passes ...' feeling. When I really 'need' them is things like being able to read the display so I get on the right train, seeing people in the street as well as driving (obviously) but its also great to see (clearly) people across the office, although its not essential. Perhaps I'm scared of seeing myself as having given in to wearing glasses without really needing to ... wow, this is weird!

Alan 19 Dec 2001, 14:29

Clare,

I have a question for you: What do you think of people you see wearing a weak prescription and you think "I wonder if they really need those"? I mean, suppose they don't really need them...do you think that it's bad for them to wear them? Why or why not?

I wonder what my answer would be to these questions. I guess I feel slightly uncomfortable when someone is wearing planos (no prescription at all), but I think I admire them for having the nerve to do it. When I see someone with a weak minus prescription (like yours), I guess I remember that when my prescription was like that (I was about 15), I wore contacts ALL the time...so it was the same as if I'd worn glasses all the time, except I was the only one who knew. I also know that I wouldn't have wanted to go without my contacts then...my vision wasn't terrible, but I was used to seeing clearly and didn't want it otherwise if I was going to be around a lot of people. So I don't really question people wearing a weak minus prescription. Strong prescriptions...sometimes I wonder why they don't wear contacts. This is not because I think the glasses look bad (I like the way glasses look, regardless of the prescription, as long as they fit the wearer well); I think it's because I assume most people don't think thick glasses look good, and I think most people with strong prescriptions do wear contacts (unfortunately). ...just a bunch of random thoughts...

Alan

Christy 19 Dec 2001, 14:09

Clare - I can guarantee (even speaking as someone who's nuts about wearing glasses) that not even I look at someone in specs and think "Does s/he really need those." Unless they were obviously wearing planos - and even then I'd have to look three or four times to be sure - that's the only time I'd wonder what they were playing at. I think there are thousands of low Rx wearers out there who quite happily wander round all the time in their specs - and no-one gives them a second thought.

Clare 19 Dec 2001, 13:48

Chino - my story began on 15 December on the Post Your Prescription thread (think I posted to the wrong one today!). It mostly concerned how I felt I would be taken more seriously in my job (I hold a senior position in a financial organisation) and how I could overcome my awe of wearing glasses. If I want to see well for something at work - a presentation or something - I wear contact lenses. My eyesight isn't dreadful which is why, with -1.25 as my prescription, I feel uneasy about wearing them more often than I need to even if it is to be taken more seriously! So being an anonymous glasses wearer amongst people I don't know is how I plan to build my confidence .. although I feel it will take ages, after all if I just couldn't see I wouldn't have the choice. It's the choice that makes it so difficult!

Chino 19 Dec 2001, 13:39

Hi Clare!! Wow, sounds exciting. For some reason, I don't remember how this all started for you. I'd love to hear about it from the beginning.

Clare 19 Dec 2001, 13:33

Just wanted to update about my bravery! Wore the glasses yesterday all the way to work! Then chickened out and took them off! I liked it that I didn't know anyone on the train when I got on 'bespectacled', but weirdly I still felt they were all looking at me thinking "with a -1.25 prescription does she really need those glasses?". Then the glasses steamed up so I took them off anyway. I quite like my glasses, they're Danish and an interesting shape, yet instead of thinking all those people must be admiring my glasses I still feel inclined to think they're thinking 'what a shame to ruin her looks with glasses' or 'does she really need to wear those' ... you all know the rest.

Incidentally I did that too - an attractive guy on the train tonight wearing nice glasses but with not much prescription, probably the same as mine, but I still thought 'does he really need to wear those, or does he just WANT to wear them'!!

Am I getting better? I don't know - I didn't really look the newspaper vendor in the eye yesterday when I was wearing my glasses ... see what it does, it makes me all shy and self-conscious!

ps. wore my contacts today!

Julian 19 Dec 2001, 13:23

A thing about glasses? Surely, Dom, there's nothing like that about YOU of all people ::)

Love and kisses, Jules.

dominic 19 Dec 2001, 06:46

I could do with some advice.

I first got glasses when I was 19, 20 years ago, to correct mild astigmatism in my right eye; the vision in my left eye is effectively perfect, though from time to time opticians have given me Rxs for it ranging from +.5 to -.5. In my 20s I always wanted to wear specs very regularly, but I found that the experience of having my right eye totally corrected upset the balance between my eyes, or just gave me odd pressure sensations around my nose.

So, the other day, I decided to give it another go. I got my eyes tested, and had a long chat with the very nice young woman optometrist. Whichever Rx we tried, it seemed that she could always make my astigmatic right eye just a tiny bit sharper than the normal left eye. She was ging to prescribe +.5/-1.25 for the right eye, but decided that if it was just -1 cyl that might be better.

So the final Rx was:

L: +.25

R: +.5/-1 x 110.

Well, I bought some cheap specs with this Rx, and I have to say that, for the first time, the improvement in my sight is really noticeable. The computer screen is distinctly clearer, and the .25 plus prescription in the right eye seems ideal. However, as usual, the corrected astigmatic eye is pin-sharp while the other is not quite so sharp (and the eye doctor said that was normal). Once again, there is a very slight suggestion of pressure aroud the nose, and when I take the specs off I can tell that I've been seeing equally with both eyes for a change and so the balance has shifted a bit.

What I'm wondering is: should I carry on with the specs? I think the sensaton of pressure may be psychosomatic. Any advice?

My goodness, I have devoted a lot of space to this... I wonder if I might have a thing about glasses?

Fathom 19 Dec 2001, 05:55

I totally agree with Alan. Quite a few times I've gotten conflicting opinions from medical doctors (i.e. "experts"). Once a doctor diagnosed me with an eye infection and gave me the appropriate drops. I was suspicious -- I'd done extensive research on various eye conditions in the past and personally didn't think I had conjunctivitis -- but since I didn't want to seem like I was questioning someone who went through med school, I said nothing. After a day and a half of the stinging drops, though, I went to see another doctor. Doc #2 said that there was not even a sign of recovering from an infection, never mind that there was one in the first place.

I'd go with Alan in saying that most doctors wouldn't harm anyone on purpose, but they are human and operate on time constraints. Plus, until the human race becomes telepathic, no instrument in the world is good enough to let the doctor know EXACTLY how you're feeling. Only you can know precisely how you feel.

Let us know what the second doc says, Larissa. :) I for one feel somewhat better when there's at least a consensus between two different doctors.

something 19 Dec 2001, 02:18

thought someone might b interested :

http://www.scirus.com/

a scientific search engine.

Alan 19 Dec 2001, 01:47

Larissa,

Just one other comment: Question experts. I think this is really important. First of all, they never have all the answers. Secondly, they may have the answers you need, but they might not know enough about you to know what the right question is. Doctors' time is very expensive and they learn to make very quick decisions; this is good because it means there are enough doctors to see everyone, but it's bad because it means sometimes they determine things without being very careful. They would (generally) never do something that's bad for you, but they can make mistakes, and they will never care about you as much as you do.

leelee 18 Dec 2001, 20:35

Hi Larissa,

If you were prescribed a Base-In prism, then they are trying to correct a condition where your eyes tend to turn out - your eyes have trouble converging, or tend to drift out when you relax.

From what I have read about this, and in my own experience, vision therapy is the preferred treatment for this over prism lenses, because your eyes may tend to "get used" to the prisms, causing the same amount of convergence error with the prisms than you had before - so then it is even worse without them than before, requiring more and more prism.

Conversely, this condition is considered the most treatable convergence problem with vision therapy, which is sort of a training program for your eye muscles.

Here is a rather dry but useful source of info: http://www.nova.edu/hpd/otm/mba/index.html

Check out the different "Exo" categories.

I think you are right to get a second opinion - some of this is quite subjective and you should really be sure before you getinvolved with prism lenses.

How old are you, and what is your current prescription?

Let us know how it goes!

Larissa 18 Dec 2001, 16:15

Thanks Alan,

Well people like me don't question experts. If docs say take this twice a day for 2 weeks, I do it. So if my eye doc says wear them, I do. It's for my own good. The only reason I asked here is because I stumbled accross this site a while back when I first got glasses and was bored on the net. I looked up something that was new to me and discovered miriades of stuff on glasses. I then became hooked on more info.

I only asked because I only got the glasses 6 months ago (not cheap) and now need new ones. I don't wear them all the time, only driving (sometimes) Movies and TV. Things are a little blurry when I go out without them (at night especially), but I'm OK. I originally went to a normal doctor complaining of headaches when reading and concentrating on close work. He refered to eye doc. I went in to see them and they discovered that i was a little shortsighted. I thought i would need readding glasses. But, it turned out i didn't notice that my distance vision was out of whack. I tried wearing them doing close work, but it didn't make a difference. So i waited for the six months and this now.

I didn't know what it meant (prism) so i was wondering. I just didn't want to become a full-time wearer, only when i really needed them.

So the verdict is that if I do get them, I will become dependant on them to not see double (even though I don't see double now like you asked). Weird. So will my eye's go cross-eyed?

I'm sure that professionals will not give you something that is not good for you. But, I did make an appointment to see another eyedoc yesterday. I will see him this afternoon. I will see what his verdict is. I won't tell him I saw someone else. I want to see what he says. If it's the same, I will have to get them even though I'm hesitant to worsen my unaided vision and become a dependant spectacled woman. I'm not worried or concernered about how I look (in glasses-I know i look good or better-depending on my mood), I just didn't think that I would need glasses all the time so soon in my young adult life! Oh..the Rx said 2.5 BASE IN whatever that meant. Is that a lot? Numbers here don't mean nothing to me.

Don 18 Dec 2001, 16:07

CZski,

That was a very good story, and well told.

I hope you got your newfound albino friends' address and can inform her about ES.

She (and you) probably have more vision stories to tell, from which all of us can benefit.

Thanks again.

Alan 18 Dec 2001, 15:18

Larissa,

Someone else might have more to say about your question, but I would at least say that you should get some more information before you get the glasses made. Do you get headaches when reading? Do you ever have double vision? (You'd probably notice that more when reading things, either near or far, probably both.)

What were the prism numbers? "Base in" or "base out"?

Prism helps align the images from your two eyes, if you have a problem doing that normally. Usually, I think, people who are prescribed prism experience some double vision or else must strain their eyes to see with both eyes at once. What may be happening if you don't experience these symptoms (and if the doctor was at all justified in prescribing the prism) is that your brain may be suppressing the image from one of your eyes. How would you rate your depth perception? (If one eye's vision is being suppressed, your depth perception wouldn't be as good.)

As for seeing another doctor, if your current doctor didn't explain why the prism was prescribed then maybe you should ask her/him. If she/he doesn't give a satisfying explanation, then go see someone else. You might want to just go somewhere else anyway, since a doctor who prescribes glasses to be worn "all the time" really should justify the prescription.

It's true that glasses with prism could take a little getting used to, giving you double vision at first...but if you actually need them, this should go away pretty quickly. If you don't need them, it might still go away eventually, and your vision may then be 'double' without them, but you would probably be able to make that go away if you went without them for a long time.

Anyway, I think you need to find out why it was prescribed, and decide for yourself whether this was a good reason.

Alan

Christy 18 Dec 2001, 07:11

CZSki - on the subject of albinism - I sometimes see an albino guy in my area - and his eyes must be very sensitive to light. He always wears black plano lenses - with leather edgings round the frames to make sure light doesn't get round the sides. As the lenses are plano - I guess he doesn't need any correction and his eyes are otherwise OK.

Wurm 18 Dec 2001, 07:04

CZski,

Thanks for your articulate, thoughtful and interesting post. I enjoyed reading it and there are a lot of good points to ponder.

Nancy 18 Dec 2001, 04:48

I agree with everything that Chino said. As my prescription advances, I notice the minimization more and more. I had the last increase in May, and now need another, I think. I have two appts (low vision guy and retina guy) on Thursday (out of school for Christmas break, now). Of course, with the RP, my retina is bad anyway. Most times, with text books mostly, I am using a magnifying glass, and I'm enlarging print fonts on the PC.

CZski 18 Dec 2001, 01:35

BEING A SEVERE MYOPE – THE PERSPECTIVE OF TWO WOMEN

Yesterday afternoon, on my way home from doing some last-minute Christmas shopping, I stopped into a small rural Post Office just to get a few postage stamps. I walked up to the window and waited behind an older girl who was wearing her high school soccer jacket. The girl initially got my attention because of the extremely pale blonde color of her hair and the equally pale color of her skin. And I also noticed that she was wearing glasses that had a very thin, silver-colored, metal frame. When she turned to her right and rummaged through the pocket of her jacket, I immediately noticed that the lenses of her glasses were definitely myodiscs. Her myodisc lenses were rather round in shape and more than 50mm wide, but the unpolished edges of her lenses were no thicker than just about 3mm because the bowls of her lenses were exceptionally small – they were less than 20mm in diameter. As she concluded her transactions with the clerk at the window and turned around to leave, I remarked to her that I thought that her glasses were really very attractive. When the girl faced me, I estimated that her myodisc lenses had base curves that were about +2.00d, and that they had carrier curves that were also about the same +2.00d because the carrier areas of her lenses had absolutely no Rx at all. Speaking with a decidedly English accent, she thanked me for my nice compliment, and then she studied my glasses for a moment. She acted rather surprised when she noticed that I was wearing glasses that had a very thin titanium frame and with large lenses that were also myodiscs. (My glasses have CR39 plastic regular myodisc lenses that are rather round in shape and are 56mm wide with large 38mm diameter bowls, so the unpolished edges of my lenses are about 15mm thick.) I asked her if she was from England, and then I very quickly gave the clerk a $10.00 bill and asked him for twenty first-class stamps. The girl smiled at me and replied that she indeed had been born in and that she still lived in “Great Britain” – apparently, only Americans ever refer to the Great Britain as England. Then she added that she was completing her senior year in here the United States as an A. F. S. student – a “foreign exchange” student. As I took a little more time to get a really good look at the myodisc lenses of her glasses, I could easily tell by the amount of minification of her very pale blue eyes that she was just about as severely myopic as I am. (My Rx is: O.D. –16.00d –1.25d ax180 and O.S. –16.50d –1.25d ax180.)

I hurriedly collected my stamps and my change, and then I remarked to the girl that even as severely nearsighted as I was, I’d successfully played varsity soccer in high school and also in college, and that I was now a teacher as well as the girl’s soccer coach at a junior high school. Then I introduced myself to the girl, and I asked her if she enjoyed playing soccer at her American high school. She told me that her name was Meaghan – she even spelled it out for me, M-e-a-g-h-a-n – and that she was also quite shortsighted – which apparently is the British term for what Americans commonly refer to as nearsighted or myopic. Meaghan further explained that she’d been one of the starting halfbacks on the girls’ varsity “football” – the sport that Americans commonly refer to as soccer – team at her host high school, and that she was also going to try out for her host school’s tennis team this coming spring. As we both walked out of the Post Office together, I sensed that Meaghan might have wanted to ask me about my glasses and my vision, but I also sensed that Meaghan most probably thought that it was not the “proper British” thing for a girl her age to ask a perfect stranger such very personal questions.

As Meaghan and I headed for the parking lot, I told her that I also had a spare pair of glasses with myodisc lenses that were very similar to the ones that she had in her glasses. (My “emergency” glasses have CR39 plastic regular myodisc lenses that are also rather round in shape and are also 56mm wide but with unusually small 20mm diameter bowls, so the unpolished edges of my lenses are only about 5mm thick.) I then asked her if she experienced any problems playing football and/or tennis while she was wearing glasses with myodisc lenses that limited her peripheral vision as much as hers so obviously did. Meaghan replied to me that, except when she played sports, she had no problems at all wearing the glasses that she was now wearing, and that she regularly wore them all of the time. Meaghan also explained that she’d long ago become quite accustomed to the very limited peripheral vision that the very small bowls – which were actually only 15mm in diameter – of her myodisc lenses provided her, but that she very much preferred to wear glasses that had thin lenses. Meaghan then told me that she had a special pair of Uvex sports goggles that she wore when she played both football and tennis, and that those goggles had very thick myodisc lenses with much larger 30mm bowls. I didn’t feel that I should ask Meaghan anything further about her glasses or her sports goggles, so I told her that I’d enjoyed talking to her, and I wished her the best of luck trying out for her high school tennis team and for the rest of her stay here in the United States.

Just as I started to get into my dad’s truck – which I’d just washed prior to my stopping at the Post Office – Meaghan asked me if I knew of a good place for her to take her host family’s car to get it washed. I told her that I’d be glad to show her where I got my dad’s truck washed, so I left my stamps in the truck and went over to the Impala that Meaghan was driving – it was a loaded 2001 model, so apparently her host family was rather well off. Then we both got into her Chevy, and Meaghan drove off, following the directions that I gave her. I was really impressed with Meaghan’s driving skills, and as she drove along, I told her a little more about my severe nearsightedness as well as how it hadn’t prevented me from participating in any of my favorite sports. In turn, Meaghan told me that she was an Albino – as I’d thought she was – and that she’d inherited her Albinism along with her severe shortsightedness from her mother. Meaghan informed me that her Rx was slightly more than –15.00d in each of her eyes – which was quite a bit stronger than her mother’s Rx – and that she had just a slight amount of astigmatism in each of her eyes. After we got to the car wash, I helped Meaghan hand wash the Chevy, and we both openly talked about some of the really important “girl” things that interested both of us: our boyfriends, “American” guys, clothes, music, cars, and yes – glasses, contact lenses, and even eye surgery. We both spent much more time talking than we did working, so it took us more than an hour – and almost $5.00 – to complete what should have been a fifteen minute – and a $2.00 – car wash! I won’t bore you with the details of a lot of the things that Meaghan and I both talked about, but I will relate most of the details about the information concerning our both being so severely myopic and our both wearing glasses with myodisc lenses. I quickly learned that Meaghan was very knowledgeable about her eyes and also about her vision, and I was somewhat surprised that she was especially knowledgeable about her glasses. It was a very pleasant and rewarding experience for me to talk to someone like Meaghan who really knew and understood so much about her own severe myopia.

When she was younger, Meaghan initially disliked having to wear glasses with lenses that were very thick and that distorted her eyes and the area of her face directly around her eyes. She’d tried in vain to wear any kind of contact lenses that would enable her to have 20/20 vision without having to wear any glasses, but she eventually gave up after several years of continual failures. Meaghan explained that because she’s an Albino, the corneas of her eyes are extremely sensitive, and that fact makes it virtually impossible for her to tolerate almost any contact lenses for any significant length of time. And Meaghan said that she’d never found any contact lenses that she could wear for even a very short length of time that gave her vision as good as she had when she was wearing glasses. When I was younger, I was very much like Meaghan, except that I’m not an Albino, so the corneas of my eyes have never been nearly as sensitive as the corneas of her eyes are. I know that my eyes could tolerate wearing some kind of contact lenses – that is, if I really wanted to wear them. However, I definitely don’t like the idea of having foreign objects directly in contact with my eyes, I also definitely don’t like all of the hassles involved with wearing contact lenses, and I’ve always experienced much better vision when I was wearing glasses with CR39 plastic lenses. So by the time she’d become a teenager, Meaghan – just like me – decided that she’d never make a big deal about being severely myopic or about having to wear glasses with extremely strong myodisc lenses. However, as a result of our similar decisions, each of us has had to endure – and each of us will always have to endure – other people’s stares, comments, and questions related to our vision and to our glasses. And each of us has also had to overcome – and each of us will always have to overcome – the stereotype that most other people have of us because we happen to have been born with what is considered to be extremely “abnormal” vision. Almost universally, the stereotype that most other people have of Meaghan and me is that we’ll never live “normal” lives just because we’ll never have “normal” vision! As totally wrong as that stereotype is, it has made both Meaghan and I much stronger and much better athletes as well as much stronger and much better individuals. Meaghan has never forgotten one of her mother’s favorite quotations – “Success is not measured by heights attained, but by obstacles overcome.” Both of us can honestly say that our severe myopia has helped us to learn that very important lesson of life!

We probably could’ve talked for another hour or two, but it was starting to get dark, so Meaghan and I finally finished washing and drying the Impala, we said our good-byes, and then we went our separate ways. I’ve talked to quite a few women – and even a few guys – who are as severely myopic as both Meaghan and I are, and Meaghan was one of the very few of them who didn’t consider her poor vision to be any kind of a “handicap” or “disability” at all. Obviously, both Meaghan and I know that most people can’t really tell just by looking at her glasses – or even by watching her do everything that she’s able to do – that she’s so severely nearsighted. But we also know that just as soon as most people look at her sports goggles or look at my glasses, they immediately think that we’re both “handicapped” or “disabled” – even though both Meaghan and I will always totally disagree with them. Similarly, Meaghan has never considered her being an Albino as being any kind of a “handicap” or “disability” either because she has always liked the distinctive pale color of her hair and her skin, but most people consider her Albinism as a “handicap” or a “disability” too. Meaghan told me that her being an Albino is only a minor inconvenience because she has to be quite careful about limiting her exposure to sunlight, which has never really been that much of a problem for her living in Great Britain. And Meaghan – just exactly like me – is very much aware of the fact that her severe myopia is completely correctable to 20/20 and most likely won’t cause her any other problems throughout her life. So we’re both very thankful that neither one of us has any other of the other very serious visual problems that so often go along with being severely myopic. Of course, Meaghan and I are fully aware of the fact that our severe myopia – and also her Albinism – will most likely be passed along to all of our children, and there’s not really anything that we can do to prevent that, unless we choose to not have children or chose to adopt any children that we want to have. But since Meaghan and I both want to become mothers, we understand that we can pass on to any and all of our children our attitudes of not letting anything – physical and/or mental – be any kind of a “handicap” or any kind of a “disability” at all.

I must make one final comment for all of you guys who frequent EYESCENE and who might be interested in getting to know either one of us. Both Meaghan and I thank you very much for your interest in us, but we must honestly tell you that neither one of us is “available” – not at the present time, and not in the forseeable future either. But there certainly must be more severely myopic women around – not only here in the United States, but also in Great Britain and elsewhere too – who are like Meaghan and me!

CZski 18 Dec 2001, 01:18

Hi everyone! I’ve posted before on the “old” EYESCENE, but I’ve never posted on this “new” EYESCENE, so this message is simply a “test” post to see if I’m doing everything correctly. I hope that I’ve selected the most appropriate category to share an extremely unusual chance meeting that I just experienced yesterday. Here goes!

Larissa 17 Dec 2001, 15:58

Hi all.

I am a recent (6 months) glasses wearer. I only wear them part-time, basically when I need to. I no nothing about glasses and prescriptions, not like all you people.

However, my eye doctor asked to see me 6 months after my first visit. I did that. She (being a glasses wearer herself) gave me a new script and said that i have to get them filled. I still see fine (I guess) with my current pair. I compared the numbers between the old and new. No change. The only difference is that a new component has been added to the script. It says "prism" with some numbers. What does this mean?

I noticed that "Daffy" asked something about that too. That is why I decided to write and find out more. Can anyone tell me more infomation please?

Will this make a difference in me seeing better? I still see fine in my currently new glasses whenever i put them on. Should I get the new script filled? I will use my existing frames as they are relatively new.

She said that I will need to wear them full time for two months, then if i chose to. But she did say that after the two months I will get used to them and couldn't be without them, so I'll end up being full-time anyway because i may see double without them. If I don't wear them full-time for the two months, my eyes will not get used to them And i will have headaches. Also she said that for the first few minutes I may see double. What's wrong with my sight? I think that my current ones are OK and I don't wear them full time.

Please Help. I want info on the word prism on my script before i do it. I may even go to another eye doctor for a second opinion. Should I?

Chino 17 Dec 2001, 08:03

Going along with what Alan said, it seems that if the severe myopia is degenerative (progresses rapidly over the years to a very high degree), then there are degenerative changes in the retina - it kinda loses its resolution. Like Alan said, it's usually common in progressive myopes who have prescriptions in the -20s and above. If the high myopia is present from birth, detected early, and really doesn't increase that much, the person can usually see pretty well with glasses.

Another factor in visual acuity is the minimization from the lenses. With high RXs, the glasses minimize things so much that everything looks tiny, making it difficult to see small objects or to read fine print.

Alan 17 Dec 2001, 07:47

SyntaX,

About which part were you asking if it was normal? Having a -24 Rx, or having poor corrected vision given that kind of Rx?

Having a -24 prescription is pretty uncommon...I don't know statistics, but I'd guess probably less than one in thousands of people, maybe many thousands. Given such a strong Rx, having "low vision" seems to be pretty common; the cause of the strong prescription usually also causes problems with the retina so it doesn't function as well as normal. Maybe someone else knows some statistics on this, but I'd guess the majority of people with -20 or more also have significantly poorer visual acuity than normal.

<<SyntaX>> 17 Dec 2001, 05:57

Hi, I wear -6.0 and 6.25 contacts, and a friend of mine is very shortsighted (about minus 24 i think) and she has very limited vision even with her glasses on (she cant drive or go to the cinema), i was just wandering whether

this is normal

Julian 16 Dec 2001, 23:55

kk: yes, for my money you'll be sexy if you're spexy. I don't think you need to make any decision about whether to wear your specs full time: I predict than within a week - two at the most - you'll be so used to seeing well that you'll forget they're there and forget to take them off! Keep in touch, tell us if I'm right.

Love and kisses, Jules.

Tammy 16 Dec 2001, 22:04

Don,

I remember your posts too. As far as shaving is concerned, one time i decided to shave my legs without my glasses, and do i need to say that i didn't do a very good job on them? I've decided that i'm never going to do that again!

Don 16 Dec 2001, 21:08

Tammy,

I know you've been around ES for a couple of years, because I remember your posting as I also posted regularly a couple of years ago. I know that you and Nancy were regulars at one time.

We're in the same boat when it comes to doing things close to a mirror. As for shaving, I DID try to shave many times WITH my glasses, but it was too inconvenient, with water and shaving cream getting on my glasses; it was more difficult when I got trifocals a number of years ago.

I pretty much know my facial hair and where the razor needs to be, so total focus isn't exactly necessary. With my nose touching the mirror, at least I can s guide my razor where it needs to be.

Tammy, I agree that most of us like wearing glasses as we've been on these threads for quite some time. So we're thinking alike.

Hard to relate to the new folks getting glasses with mild prescriptions at age 18. I first got glasses around 3 years old with a fairly decent power to start (around -2.50, if I can remember that far back).

Wearing glasses really wasn't an optional thing when I started. Guess I HAD to wear them to see, so once I started with them, I simply didn't take them off----or really didn't want to go without glasses, since I couldn't see without them.

Daffy 16 Dec 2001, 20:36

Don't know where to post this question. I am looking for the web site where there is a lot of info and pictures of glasses with different strengths of PRISM lenses in all base positions. I saw it once and want to experiment with PRISM lenses but need more info. Thanx in advance.

Russell 16 Dec 2001, 15:10

KK--Yes, yes, yes, you'll be a sexier guy in glasses. Wear them all the time...you will enjoy it, people will get used to seeing you in them, and best of all, you will have good vision! Congratulations!!

Tammy 16 Dec 2001, 15:09

Myopic Wannabe,

If i didn't like glasses, i wouldn't have hung around ES for as long as i have. Yes, my uncorrected vision is very limited; so much in fact, that i have to have my nose practically touching the mirror when i put on eye shadow.

Nikki 16 Dec 2001, 14:53

No, ask me in about a months time!

Nikki

kk 16 Dec 2001, 14:34

hey nikki, are you a full time spex wearer too?

KK 16 Dec 2001, 14:28

hmm, interesting nikki - so -1.75 and working in computers, i'll definately wear them all the time then?

tommorrow heer i come wearing spex!

Nikki 16 Dec 2001, 14:25

...ooops....didn't mean to post under your name, sorry, maybe I had better get my eyes tested !

Nikki

kk 16 Dec 2001, 14:23

I think a speccy guy in computers is quite the normal thing...good on you!

Nikki

kk 16 Dec 2001, 14:14

hi guys, I don't know if i need to wear my glasses all the time, i just got them! My prescripion says -1.75, so you tell me! I sure notice a difference since I had them (only last week) and then I found this site on the web, wow! I'm a guy, 18 and working in computers, guess a speccy guy in computers is a bit nerdy too eh? Will i be a more sexy guy in glasses then?

-14 16 Dec 2001, 12:11

Larry

Shave without my glasses? No way! I'd probably end up cutting my nose off. With my nose touching the mirror things are barely in focus.

Myopic Wannabe

If you want thick try some -14s in regular plastic. Hope you are able to wear some high-minus someday!

Julian 16 Dec 2001, 10:59

Hi kk, welcome to EyeScene and the spexy clan. Nice to hear from somebody who's so pleased to have got them. Tell us more. Are you long or short sighted? What's your prescription? Do you need them full time? regardless of whether you need them, DO you wear them full time? How did you discover you needed them? Are you a student? Male or female?

And, yes, I was 18 when I got my first glasses. As I've just said in another thread, they were and are low plus and for the first few years I wore them part time - but I'd always wanted to wear glasses and was over the moon to have my own, even though my mother (who was paying) insisted on National Health plastic frames that made me look a nerd. But then, I was a nerd.

Love and kisses, Jules.

Christy 16 Dec 2001, 10:33

KK - I wish I'd got glasses when I was 18 - but I waited for another dozen years before taking the plunge - even though I always wanted to wear glasses! I clearly remember going for my test - but it suddenly hit me when I got the phone call - "Your spectacles are ready" - and I'm sure my heart missed a beat. I almost had to do controlled breathing exercises on the way to the opticians - and I'm sure I tried really hard to appear "normal" as I walked into the place on jelly legs! The girl simply put the glasses on my face and made a few adjustments - then folded them up and gave them to me in a case. I set off home with the case in my pocket - then opened it up and took the glasses out. I was shaking so much it's a wonder I didn't drop them! When I put them on I finally realised how desperately I'd wanted to wear glasses - and feel them on my face - and the best part of it was - these were MY glasses - made just for ME! I wore them all the way home - even though it was starting to rain and the drops of water on my lenses made it difficult to see as it was getting dark and all the lights looked really weird with reflections and refractions. I knew right from the start that I'd always want to wear them all the time.

There was really only one person who made any comment - and that was a good friend who'd worn glasses since the beginning of time - though he never had any great love for them. He came over to me with undisguised glee and looked me straight in the face and asked - "What's all this?" - and even as I started offering an explanation - he said "The fact that you couldn't see me clearly before is of course irrelevant!" These days - another dozen years down the road - I don't think he'd recognise me without my glasses!

Larry 16 Dec 2001, 10:29

I'm only -3.75 both eyes and I do wear my glasses to shave. Sometimes they get shaving cream on them, but this way I can stand a little bit away from the mirror and see. Don't forget the image in the mirror is twice as far away as the mirror. How about other guys? Do you need glasses to shave?

kk 16 Dec 2001, 09:48

I'm 18 and I just got glasses- its so cool. Who can remember what it was like to get their first ones? Can you remember what your friends said? I can't wait to show mine to my friends, they'll just be sooooo jealous!

Don 15 Dec 2001, 17:18

Myopic Wannabe,

Yes, you're right on the money....I guess I'm pretty much similar to Tammy when it comes to what I can see (or not see) without my glasses.

Nothing clearly more than that 6 inches away. As Tammy would likely agree, it's not really a problem, because we're wearing our glasses all the time anyway.

My biggest inconvenience is shaving. With my face wet and lathered with shaving cream, it's nearly impossible to wear glasses while shaving. So I have to put my nose within inches of the mirror to see while I shave. But after all these years, you just get through it everyday.

Otherwise, I enjoy wearing glasses.

Myopic Wannabe 15 Dec 2001, 09:33

Tammy,

6 inches away - must be wonderfuly limiting. I've followed a few of your posts but I don't remember if you've said you enjoy having glasses? Certainly getting them made has been a problem for you.

I remember reading a newsgroup post) quite some time ago) from someone with a prescription in the middle -40's. He said that if his glasses slid down his nose too far he couldn't see. Sounded cool initially but he said other things about the effect the myopia was having on his retinas. Made me think of the old proverb about being careful what you wish for...

I did mean Don's -8.5, -9.5 on my first post but your -12's would be just as awesome. The glasses would be thicker, but I don't imagine there would be much difference in the way you and Don would see without your glasses.

Tammy 15 Dec 2001, 00:59

Don,

I am glad you like my prescription!

Myopic Wannabe,

I don't know if you meant the last statement for me or for Don. Maybe you meant it for both of us. At any rate, i'll answer. Without my glasses, anything further than 6 inches....forget it!

Myopic Wannabe 15 Dec 2001, 00:16

Don,

And I would give anything for your prescription...

If the myopia simulators are accurate, you don't see much of anything without your glasses.

Don 14 Dec 2001, 21:43

Tammy,

Yours is the type of prescription I wish I had.

I'm not there yet, and probably won't get there. Latest current combined Rx is R -8.50 and L -9.50. Also wear trifocals. Glasses, no contacts.

Tammy 14 Dec 2001, 20:56

Nancy,

Thanks for the encouragement. It will help keep me waiting patiently for my new glasses to come in. I am beginning to lose patience with the optical place though.

ehpc 14 Dec 2001, 11:48

Equal apologies Nikki, I did not mean to suggest any abruptness...I was just amused:)))))))))))))

All good wishes Peter

Nikki 13 Dec 2001, 18:49

ehpc

Sorry, didn't meant to come come across as abrupt as that...I had logged in then realised that I was running late and had to go....I haven't been to the opticians yet and I haven't ruled it out, just lots of end of the year racing out and about, realistically I probably won't get round to it for about a month or so...

ehpc 13 Dec 2001, 11:11

Good brief reply,Nikki! Peter

Nikki 13 Dec 2001, 10:53

No.

ehpc 13 Dec 2001, 07:08

Nikki have you been to the optician yet?Do hope you haven't flunked it after building up the courage..........:))))))))))))))

Peter

Tammy 12 Dec 2001, 09:34

I've got another update for you all. I stopped by the optical place today to see if my new glasses had come in yet. They hadn't, but i was told that they had to order a new lens and it would be at least another week before they came in. However, i did get a copy of my new prescription while i was there. My new combined Rx is R -12.75 and L -12.00.

Wurm 11 Dec 2001, 08:59

Bernard,

We discussed your book (quite favorably) on the previous edition of this site. Nice to hear you will be releasing a version in translation. Keep up the fine work!

Alan 11 Dec 2001, 08:01

Christina,

The "cut in" effect is based on the power of the lenses, and geometry...so you can't change it just by changing the type of lens. It is noticed less often (by you and by others) with smaller frames. And I think it has a tendency to make frames appear bigger. Antireflective coating and high-index lenses make other aspects of lenses more subtle, so the cut-in seems less obtrusive as well (I think). Anyway, cut-in is an indication of glasses having a "real" prescription...I've always thought of it as a good thing, generally.

You said your eye doctor said you didn't have "axial length myopia"...Did she/he call your condition "pseudomyopia"? I've heard of something called that which sounds like your condition, though the name is a misnomer, because the myopia is pretty real anyway, I think.

If you're in the market for new glasses, I think rimless styles work really well for prescriptions in your range. Lenses stop being "invisible" for prescriptions stronger than about -2, so I think the visual effects of the lenses tend to overpower subtle frame styles (like wire-frame) and the lenses are visually distinct enough to stand on their own -- ie rimless -- without looking bad at all for prescriptions in the -4 to -7 range.

Bernard 11 Dec 2001, 07:59

Hi Christina,

I am the author of the book:

"Les hommes préfèrent les myopes"

I am presently working on the us version "Men do make passes at girls with glasses "

You story is very interesting and I would like to interview you for the

english version of the book. Could you sent me an e-mail at " blg@dial.oleane.com "

so we could get in touch?

By the way were do you live ?

I will be in LA next week

Warmest regards

Bernard

Christina 10 Dec 2001, 22:50

Since I had my new prescripion made I can see very clear. There does not seem to be any change anymore, however it has only been less than a week. I have become used to the fact that the glasses may become a permanent thing in my life. I am no longer scared about what I did, but am living with it and learning to have fun with it. I finally gave up on the idea of not wearing them fulltime. I am enjoying them once more but there is one thing that is bothering me a little. When I look in the mirror when I wear them my glasses I notice around the edges of my glasses that my face seems to curve in alot. My old lenses did this too, but not as much. Is there special lenses that I can buy that won't pull my face in so much? I am using small wire frames if that helps.

Alan 10 Dec 2001, 17:51

Stingray, how big are they? And are both lenses about the same strength/thickness, or is one thicker? They look like a fairly large frame; if that's true, and if both lenses are about the same, I'd say they're about -5 or -6 with a pretty narrow PD (which makes them a lot thinner on the inside edge than the outside).

Stingray 10 Dec 2001, 16:02

Anyone care to guess the prescription of these glasses based on this photo?

Both lenses are hi-index lenses and the right one is 7mm thick and the left is 6mm thick. Will probably be putting them on Ebay next week, unless someone here wants to buy them without the ebay hassle.

http://www.pictureat.com/g/55465.jpg

Nikki 10 Dec 2001, 15:06

Christina,

I am a bit confused, if you had perfect vision and wanted to wear glasses why didn't you just start out with a weaker prescription,-4 is alot I would think for normal vision to accommodate, and now it sounds like you don't want to have to wear glasses anymore. Are you eyes any better or worse or have they stayed pretty much the same.

Nikki

Nikki 10 Dec 2001, 14:55

I kinda like wandering aournd in a blurry haze, it has that soft focus, dreamy kinda feel to it.

Andrew 10 Dec 2001, 08:01

However strong our glasses may or may not be, we all wish to be able to see as clearly as possible. Sometimes, it is fun to walk around in a bit of a blur, but there are times when that is not good enough. So, Nikki, go for it! And Christina, if you need the glasses to see clearly, whatever the reason, well why not? Our eyes do not stop changing just because we have reached a certain age, and perhaps it is more important to get our eyes checked regularly than to worry about how fast (if at all) our Rx is changing.

ehpc 07 Dec 2001, 04:12

Cool move Nikki. I knew you would go for it. Do post with all developments:)))))))Your glasses will transform your life for the better. Peter

Nikki 06 Dec 2001, 16:43

Thank you for your comments and advice, I have decided to come out of denial and accept that maybe I could use some glasses from time to time, after all it cannot be more embarassing than admitting to a complete stranger face to face that you could not see what everyone else was seeing quite clearly. A very humbling experience.

Nikki

Trent 06 Dec 2001, 13:21

Tammy,

Thanks for the update I hope your new glasses turn out nice. Please let us know!

Tammy 06 Dec 2001, 11:50

I have another update for you. The optician called me this morning, and said that the big hold up on my new glasses is that while the lab was putting the lenses in my new glasses, they had a lens break, so they had to make up another lens. She said that i should have my new glasses by the end of next week.

Alan 05 Dec 2001, 22:56

Nikki,

I don't think you're doing any harm to your eyes by not getting glasses. Nor do I think you would become dependent on them if you only wore them part of the time; I mean, you might find that with crisp vision being an option, you come to dislike having it be otherwise (this is a really common sentiment)...but I don't think your eyes will get worse by getting glasses, especially if you only wore them part time. I think you said you're 25; your eyes probably aren't changing significantly any more (though they might be).

Alan

leelee 05 Dec 2001, 18:38

Hey look at it this way, glasses are simply a tool that you can choose to use when you need to. Wouldn't it be nice to have this precision equipment available when you need it or want it?

Nikki 05 Dec 2001, 15:31

It is not so much that I am scared, it is more that I don't want to end up being dependant on them and from what I have read that seems to happen pretty quickly with strengths in lenses happening over quite short time spans, I feel that although my eyesight is not as good as it could be it is not so bad that I need to get into the spiral of needing stronger and stronger lenses. My middle vision is quite ok, it is my distance vision that I sometimes have problems with, mostly to do with reading from a distance, It was only when I tried on someones glasses who had a mild prescription that jolted me into realising that my eyesight was not quite what I thought it was, everything was very sharp and crisp in the distance and the detail in the carpet jumped right out at me, but having said that I recently passed the eyesight test for my drivers liscence but noted that my left eye when tested alone was quite blurry but I could still read the letters, when both eyes tested together slightly fuzzy on the smaller print but still able to make out the letters. I don't really have any problems with close up work other than if I have been doing it for a while when I look up it takes quite some time to focus properly...my concern is this....if my eyes aren't that bad off, am I making them worse by having them rely on lenses even if only for certain things, or am I doing more damage by just leaving them be? I don't get headaches and I don't squint (maybe just a little if I am tired.) Any comments appreciated.

Alan 05 Dec 2001, 14:47

Nikki,

Seeing an optometrist doesn't mean you have to wear glasses; it just means you know more about your vision and what you can do about it.

The atropine drops that someone mentioned temporarily paralyze your eye's lens and dilates your pupil, I believe. This will sort of take care of an eyestrain problem for a while...but by making it impossible to see things up close during that time (unless you get some relatively strong reading glasses). If you think eyestrain is your problem, just take some time more frequently to relax your eyes. You can probably find some techniques on the web to help you do that more effectively.

So why don't you want to wear glasses? Are you nervous about what people will think? Or are you afraid to be dependent on them? I don't remember whether you said before, but how old are you? I used to wish I didn't wear glasses, but now I really like them a lot...but it helps that I can wear contacts when I feel like I need to, because sometimes glasses are inconvenient; to me, contacts are not a significant inconvenience.

About the lighting question -- yeah, lighting makes a huge difference in what you can see, and flourescent lighting is pretty dreadful. From your narrative, though, I'd say you definitely have a vision problem that glasses could almost certainly help with. If you had them, you'd be no worse off than your are now (you wouldn't have to wear them all the time), but you'd have the option of seeing clearly when you needed to. This might be too blunt, but I'd say it's VERY silly not to do something about it, just because you're scared.

Alan

ehpc 05 Dec 2001, 13:25

Hi again Nikki I just read your other post................I too find that the type of lighting makes a huge difference to vision.Being almost a whole generation older than you (I am 47)I have got to the geriatric stage where I find it hard to focus close up............I am about minus 7 short sight but guess I have to bite the bullett and acquire different glasses for reading close up.........but with close reading I find the light makes a HUGE difference. Aggressive toplighting (florescent etc) I find very unhelpful, but a lamp or light over my shoulder focussed on the book makes it easy. I imagine that everybody experiences this. In fact come to think of it, I know they do, as I have a friend whose sister is an optician, and she confirmed this. Peter

ehpc 05 Dec 2001, 13:18

Nikki...you need more encouragement:))))))))))You gotta go for wearing glasses....you will love it!You just gotta go for it.......:))))))))

Peter

Nikki 05 Dec 2001, 12:49

..oops, I posted under the wrong thread before I think...anyway this is a very interesting site, I really like the funny stories, I too have a thing for people's glasses and confess to peeking through their lenses, I just don't want me to have to wear them and the thought of having something stuck to your eye just doesn't appeal, I read back about someone mentioning eyedrops for nearsightedness, even though I am not in this category yet where can I get some?!!!

Guest 05 Dec 2001, 10:00

Christina can spin a yarn, eh?

Nancy 05 Dec 2001, 08:11

Tammy: I've had myodisks take at least a month to come in.

Christina  05 Dec 2001, 06:14

Well I finally got the strength to go to a new optomotrist. I just couldnt tell them what I have done for fear of either being laughed at or turned in to some kind of authority for forging a prescription. I just made the appointment and complained that I lost my old glasses and needed a checkup. The doctor seemed to do a complete checkup, my side vision, distance vision, close vision and had my eyes checked for diseases and had my eyes dilated. In the end I was told that I did not have axial length myopia. I forget the term she used but basically my eyes could not fully relax their accomadation. I felt as if I should have told her what I did, however I still felt scared. I asked her if there was any way I could improve my vision and she recommended not to wear my glasses all the time, but that I should wear them all the time if I had a desire to see clearly. The strangest thing of all was the prescription that she wrote me. -4.75 Left and -4.50 Right. What is up with that? I was confused because the glasses that I had made for myself earlier were -4.25 Left and -4.00 Right. Had my eyes actually got worse than the prescription I wrote myself? At any rate I thanked her and left the office with my new prescription. I had a new pair made according to the new prescription while I held on to my old pair. To my amazement when the new ones were ready and I tried them on for the first time everything was even clearer than the previous glasses I had made. I am really confused and I either need to do two things. I need to find a way to improve my vision without the help of doctors or live with my problem. I guess living with it wouldnt be so bad because I recieved a lot of positive comments about how the glasses make me look, and if I ever desire to not want to look at someone in a meeting at work or just having a bad day I can always remove them. Thanks in advance for all your advice. I will stop in from time to time.

Christina.

Christy 04 Dec 2001, 11:10

Nikki - I suspect that I could have gone and had an eye test about 10 years earlier than I actually did. Anyway - in the end I just went and got one - got myself glasses - and have worn them ever since. I just love wearing them!

ehpc 04 Dec 2001, 11:01

Nikki....as I said in my previous post,you gotta do it:))))))))))))You will look stunning,and you will see how silly your 'fear' was. And I think you should post afterwards, and write in your post how it all went.

Peter

Specs4Me 04 Dec 2001, 10:14

Christina,

I can't speak for all situations; however, I wore glasses in about the same strength that you describe for several years, including contacts. I wanted and still want to actually need to wear glasses of that strength or even stronger.

Over time, my eyes ability to accomodate to that strength of glasses has diminished and I can't do it any longer. I'm now wearing GOC with glasses in the -7 range. I would love to rally have to wear glasses in the -14 to -16 range or even higher.

If you really don't want to wear the glasses, then I hope that your eyes correct themselves; however, if they don't, I'm sure that you are a stunning young lady wearing your glasses.

Best of luck and please keep us posted.

Specs4Me

Alan 04 Dec 2001, 09:23

Christina,

I don't know whether your apparent-nearsightedness is permanent...but what if it were? I mean, you wanted to wear glasses in the first place, right? You can probably wear contacts if you want to avoid glasses at certain times. And when you get older, if this were permanent you wouldn't need reading glasses. So it's not all bad.

Keep us updated on what happens. No one knows for sure whether what you did can actually cause permanent nearsightedness.

Alan

Andrew 04 Dec 2001, 08:32

Christina: You could always try leaving the glasses off for a while, and going for an eyetest at a different optician's. Any prescription you get then would be a like a second opinion; you can then let us know what happens, and maybe someone here will have some more sympathetic advice and can explain whether your eyes have got worse or not.

Chino 04 Dec 2001, 07:51

I've got a few web sites you can check out. I'm not sure how you can get them (your best bet is speak with an open-minded optometrist who specializes in controlling myopia, and have him/her prescribe it).

http://www.nb.net/~sparrow/controlmyopia.html

http://www.i-see.org/prevent_myopia.html

http://med-aapos.bu.edu/publicinfo/store1/Myopiaprogression2.33AM.html

From what I understand, atropine only helps slow accomodation-induced myopia. If progressive myopia is due to other unknown causes, the drops won't work. I've never tried them, but if you want to, it's worth a try.

This website lists side-effects.

http://www.cix.co.uk/~cyberville/medizine/atropine.htm

Marijke 04 Dec 2001, 07:20

You posted before about atropine eyedrops,- are they really used to prevent progressive myopie? ...did you ever try such drops,- i would like to try one,- but don´t know from where i could get one.

Have they any side effects,- please tell me everything you know about such drops.

Yours, Marijke

Chino 04 Dec 2001, 04:57

Should've included this in my last post. Nikki, go for it stud. There's nothing to be self-conscious about. This is your vision you're talking about here and you should be seeing as best you can. Besides, you're gonna look absolutely stunning in glasses, so just go for it. Relax, take a deep breath, take the exam, and take your time picking out the right lenses and frames. Just remember, shy or not, you're gonna look great in glasses.

Chino 04 Dec 2001, 04:51

Hi Christina, sounds like what you got is a ciliary spasm. Basically, by forcing your lens to accomodate so much, ya kinda gave your ciliary muscles a lasting cramp, making you temporarily myopic (though it may seem to last). This shouldn't be permanent. My advice, stop using the glasses (or at least use them as little as possible). The more you let your lens relax, the better your vision will get. Go around bare-eyed, do as much as you can without them.

You may also want to try to get ahold of some atropine eye drops. They'll temporarily paralyze the ciliary muscles, and help prevent that cramping (it's normally used to help prevent progressive myopia).

Anyways, give this a try Christina, and let us know how it works for you. Just FYI, it might also be a good idea to let an optometrist or opthalmologist know what happened. He/she may be able to help you out even more.

Good luck and best wishes.

spexfan 04 Dec 2001, 04:37

Christina, your story sound familiar. I'm sure if you discard the glasses you'll find your eyes return to normal, much more quickly than it took to 'corrupt' them with the glasses. People have posted (usually women) with this sort of phenomena here before, and we never hear back from them. What you're describing is 'latent myopia' which technically doesn't exist. If you were a hyperope, or farsighted, and much younger, I think you might have reason to be concerned.

ehpc 04 Dec 2001, 02:52

Go for it Nikki. I am sure you will look stunning in glasses and grow to love them:))))))))))You gotta go for it. Fortune ALWAYS favours the bold:))))))))))))))) Peter

Christina 03 Dec 2001, 21:31

I have done something really stupid and now I dont know what to do. I have always been fascinated by people wearing nearsighted glasses. I myself wanted to know what it was like being nearsighted and to see the world blurry. So I went to an optician were I had my eyes tested (hoping that maybe I had a hint of myopia and would need glasses) and not surprised I had perfect vision. I was disapointed and started researching glasses prescriptions heavily. I finally convinced myself to make a very convincing fake glasses prescription. -4.25 (left eye) and -4 (right eye). I brought the prescription to my local LensCrafters where I handed them the prescription, picked out a cute frame and came back EXACTLY one hour later excited about the glasses. I was very nervous when I went back to pick them up because I was scared that they might find out that the prescription was fake, however they made the glasses for me. They told me to put them on to make sure everything was o.k. When I put them on I could barely see a thing! Everything was very blurry and I could barely make out the person who was helping me just a couple of feet in front of me. I said to the lenscrafters person that they were perfect and that everything was clear. With my new glasses on I figured I better walk out of the store wearing them. I barely made it out the door without falling, it was too hard to see. As soon as I was out of sight I had to take them off so I didnt kill myself by walking out in front of a car or something. I drove home with them off and spent the remainder of my day walking around the neighborhood with them on admiring my newfound blurriness. After about a week of wearing the glasses religiously (except for driving) I became used to them. I could put the glasses on and within a few seconds of focusing really hard I could see clearly through them. I finally became brave enough to go to work with them on and also showed them to my family. After I fed them a story about how I was nearsighted and needed them to see I found myself trapped. I could no longer NOT go out without wearing my glasses because people now believed that I needed them. After the first month I found that I could put the glasses on, and see clearly instantly, and as soon as I took them off I could also see clearly. I thought this was a neat trick. After the second month I began to notice that when I took them off things were a little blurry for a few seconds. After the third month when I took them off things were more blurry and for minutes at a time. So I said to myself, "Well if things are a little blurry when I take them off I better leave them on". That was probally nature telling me that enough was enough and that if I still liked the glasses to get some fake lenses with the same frames. But I continued to wear the negative 4's for another four months. Now it does not matter how long I keep my glasses off for I cant see anything clearly that is more than about 6 inches from my eyes. Everything I see is as blurry as the first time I put on the glasses, which was really blurry. I found that I cant drive at all without them and to read or use the computer I need them. I cant even recognise a persons face that is four feet away from me without them. I don't know what to do? I hope I didnt do any permanent damage to my eyes. I have not worn the glasses full time for a few weeks now except for driving and work so I just walk around in a state of blurriness the rest of the time. The blurriness does not seem to be going away though at all. I know this is a stupid question but does anyone know of someone who has done this seriously wrong thing before? I need to find a way to reverse this because it is no longer fun anymore. I figure there must be a way because I am not a natural myopic person. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Also, I am a 22 year old female if that info helps with determining a reversal proceedure. I am going to try to post this in some other sites to gain some exposure for my problem.

Thanks for your help,

Christina

Alan 03 Dec 2001, 18:19

Hey Nikki,

It's really nice to be able to see clearly...at least when you really need to. So definitely go get your eyes tested. Maybe you can have a supportive friend or family member go with you; that might help keep you more comfortable... but there's really nothing to worry about. The eye doctors are usually pretty nice, and they understand that people going for the first time don't know what to expect. You'll probably get a prescription that will help you a little bit, and you can decide for yourself how often you wear the glasses or contacts.

Alan

Nikki 03 Dec 2001, 15:10

I have just found this site and am amazed at the information contained in it. I am mildly curious as I have been and still am putting off getting my eyes tested, I am ok on close up things although after a while if I look at the tv or in the distance it becomes blurred but otherwise it is ok, I cannot read things from a distance very well and detail is blurred, it is not too much at this stage but I know I could be seeing better. I can read the newspaper ok but after a while if I don't concentrate it starts to blurr in front of me...I am probably making this sound worse than what it is, I am looking out the window at the moment and I can read the number on the letter box over the road ok (it's pretty big!!!), I am basically a very self conscious person and just can't quite bring myself round to doing "the big test!" I am 25 and very shy.

RL 03 Dec 2001, 14:30

Tammy,

Yes, I think the non-blended version look much cooler than the blended and with less edge distortion too. Do you know your new Rx? The other thing I've had are biconcave lenses, the vision is good but they are pretty thick at the edges.

Tammy 03 Dec 2001, 01:26

RL,

No, i haven't ever tried the non blended kind of myodiscs. Do you think that they would be better than the blended ones? I've always had the blended myodiscs. I have been planning to have my new Rx; whatever that might be; put in a pair of frames that i got off of eBay. I just might try the non blended myodiscs in those frames.

RL 02 Dec 2001, 20:24

Tammy,

It seems that the myodiscs always take forever. Mine are -12 and -16 and it always seems to take at least a month. By the way, have you ever tried the non-blended kind? There seems to be less distortion around the edges.

Tammy 02 Dec 2001, 12:59

Trent,

The lenses are speciality lenses in that they are blended myodiscs. I am upset. I also am tired of waiting for my new glasses. I just am hoping that i get them before my Rx changes again. Along with that, i am also hoping that i get them by the end of the year 2001.

Trent 02 Dec 2001, 08:50

Hi Tammy,

It is ridiculous that you have to wait so long for your glasses. If it was me I would be hopping mad! They said they were special lenses, what's so special about them? Given the level of today's technology you would think grinding an Rx would be no problem. Tammy, I hope they get their act together and you get your glasses this week.

Thanks, Trent

Tammy 01 Dec 2001, 20:35

Greetings to All!

I have an update for you. I posted a while back that i was getting new glasses, but didn't have my new Rx yet. Well, here it is a month later, and i still haven't gotten them yet. I did call the local optical place where i had my eye exam and ordered my new glasses from, yesterday, and i was told that my new spex still have not come in yet. In fact, i was told that it looked like their lab was having problems grinding the lenses and getting them right. I was told that this was because my lenses are speciality lenses. The optical place did take my # and said that they would call the lab, and have the lab call me in return. I was told that i might not hear from the lab until Monday or Tuesday. Talk about the royal run around!!! I will keep you posted.

Hearty 24 Nov 2001, 13:44

Hi Puffin!

So good to be back & to see everyone. Sending a one-eyed wink. ;)

Puffin 23 Nov 2001, 23:46

Hello Hearty!

:)

Puffin

Hearty 23 Nov 2001, 20:44

PS...I dont know my uncorrected acuity, but am getting it checked soon. But Wurm mentioned lighting can affect it, I dont really notice that, but I do notice that I get more nearsighted as the day goes on, ending up worse at night. That is strange, since I remember a thread where most said it was the reverse for them! I dont know what would cause it to get worse, I can only guess that the relaxation of sleeping (when I ever do) must help my acuity some. I am only -1.5 left, and Lord only knows right, from trauma/scarring/surgery, I have multi-defects and only use that eye for some added light. I used to have a fun, strong cylinder RX in that eye, but now the retina and other problems have made it so that I can't benefit from a lens.

Hearty 23 Nov 2001, 20:14

Alan,

Do you think they always start with your current RX, then work up, (or down) or do they ever fool us and start with a lesser D?

I want to keep my fragile -1.5 on L. eye!

Hearty

Pete2 22 Nov 2001, 06:59

Thanks Alan that certainly does seem logical. So the first one deals with sphere and the second with cylindrical. It hadn't occured to me that part of the process is to redress astigmatism. I thought in my ignorance that the trial frames were just for sphere, but now I know !

Alan 21 Nov 2001, 16:58

Pete,

I am pretty sure the person is just adding or subtracting 0.25D for the most part. One way I've noticed it done (for myopia w/o much astigmatism): they start by adding -0.25D (sphere) increments until you say the second one is worse. Then they figure out the cylinder prescription (for astigmatism), I think by starting with 0.25D or so of cylinder and asking whether it's better on one axis or another axis that's 90 degrees off the first one...they keep trying different axes until they find the best one, then see whether increasing the cylinder power helps things. When they have the cylinder dialed in, they see whether they can back off the spherical power at all. Like I said, that was just how it was done one time when I was paying attention; it might be done differently, though this seems like a reasonable approach.

Alan

Pete2 21 Nov 2001, 13:31

Hi all. I've been trying to fathom out what actually happens when trial frames are used during the eye test. I know its a standard part of the practise, starting off with a rough lens to match the RX but I get confused by the 'Is it better with or without ?' question. Is this really no more than the optician offering up another 0.25dp over that already in place or ( excuse the pun ) is there more to this than meets the eye ?

Alan 20 Nov 2001, 12:35

Jack,

When they dilate your eyes, it relaxes the muscles for the pupil (allowing the dr. to see your retina easier) but also relaxes the muscles for the lens. So if you're farsighted at all, that would show if they dilate your eyes but not if they dilate them. So your prescription says that you're *not* significantly nearsighted now; but it doesn't say whether you might be slightly farsighted. If you are slightly farsighted, you are considerably less likely to become nearsighted in the near future, I think.

Alan

Jack 20 Nov 2001, 09:46

Hi Alan, theoptician did not dilate my eyes. Why do you ask?

Hard CL 19 Nov 2001, 11:56

Alan

My right eye can be corrected to 20/20 with glasses so I could wear them to some benefit. My left eye however is a different story. I really don't know much about cylinders or axis that said when the doctor puts the machine with all the lens combination in front of me my right eye can see well. My left eye however sees a distorted not quite double vision. I call it phantom vision. I can make out the top line and some of the second line through the machine but it is still very distorted. When the doc put a plano hard lens in my left eye only I could then see clearly . Thus my only option for stereo vision and any depth perception at all are the hard contact lenses. I guess to be more percise hard contact lens. I could wear only a left contact with glasses over it but wearing only one contact is very unconfortable to me. If I wear only one lens I am almost always aware of the lens being less comfortable than the eye without. With a lens in each eye both eyes feel the same and you soon forget all about them. In time you get used to them and they become quite comfortable. Strange but true.

Alan 19 Nov 2001, 11:22

Hard CL,

How good/bad would your corrected acuity be with glasses? I guess it depends how specially-made they are, but I mean, suppose they just refracted you with normal sphere and single-axis cylinder power. Would you still not be able to see the top line of the eye chart, or could you read some of the lines?

Good thing for hard contacts!

Alan

Hard CL 19 Nov 2001, 10:59

Well I suppose I could wear glasses but Ijust wouldn't be able to see with them. Glasses can't correct the defect in my left cornea. Hard contacts do. They provide a new sphereical surface and the tear layer fills the defect.

spexfan 19 Nov 2001, 02:50

Why can't you wear glasses?

Hard CL 18 Nov 2001, 23:31

I'm not sure of my before acuity. I'm nearsighted in both eyes and have a irregular corneal astigmatism on my left eye due to trauma and scarring.

Without the sphereical surface of a hard contact lens I can,t even see the top line of the chart with my left eye. I'm 20/15 wearing -3.00 OU -3.25 OS hard pmma contacts. Can't wear glasses. Contacts are my only option.

Hard Cl

Alan 18 Nov 2001, 13:44

Jack,

Another question -- you mentioned your prescription before (0 R, -.25 L, I think). You went to an eye doctor to get this, I assume...is that right? Did they dilate your eyes (with eye drops that make things close up somewhat blurry for a couple hours)?

Alan

Jack 18 Nov 2001, 10:26

Hi.

I haven't noticed the blurriness you are talking about aln, but have notciceddthat certain colours on on cer artain backgrounds are sumtimes hard to see such as pink in white or red writing.

Christy 18 Nov 2001, 06:55

Julian - I know that - and I'm very grateful for it - coz it means I can enjoy wearing my glasses all the time 8-)

Julian 18 Nov 2001, 05:14

Christy, you reckon to be only a little bit short sighted - but an extra -2.00 of astigmatism is not to be sneezed at!

Christy 17 Nov 2001, 23:47

Cylinder is -2.00 in both eyes.

Alan 17 Nov 2001, 16:25

Christy,

A compass bearing off by two degrees could send an intergalactic traveler to the wrong galaxy, billions of trillions of miles off target.

By the way, what is the cylinder part of you prescription?

Alan

Christy 17 Nov 2001, 07:22

Alan - I'm sensitive to fine detail! A perfectionist! And a compass bearing that was 2º out could send you over a cliff!

Alan 16 Nov 2001, 21:43

Christy,

I guess the best way might be to tell him the truth -- that when you rotate the glasses slightly, it makes a significant difference. That said, I am VERY surprised that you would notice a difference with only a couple degrees of rotation. I think it takes at least 20 degrees for me to notice the difference at all. I wonder if, in the process of rotating by a couple degrees, you aren't also tilting the lens slightly, which would increase the cylinder power slightly. It may be that in the exams, your doctor is somehow skipping over the right balance of sphere and cylinder for you. Though I could certainly be wrong, I am really skeptical that you'd notice a difference from simply rotating the cylinder axis by 2 degrees.

Alan

Christy 16 Nov 2001, 14:13

A technical question - if anyone is up to answering it.

With my current glasses - and with all my previous ones - I suspect that the axis for correcting my astigmatism in my right eye isn't quite perfect. They measure the axis in degrees - but what are the increments? Do they change say 5º at a time? I find that if I rotate my right lens clockwise a degree or two - I get the best possible sharpness. If it is a matter of getting the axis fine-tuned - what's the best way of putting it to my optician the next time I have a test - without sounding like I'm telling him how to do his job?

Russell 16 Nov 2001, 12:03

Herve': If you like wearing glasses and want to wear them full time, then I say NOW is the time when you have to wear them full time. Put them on in the morning and take them off at night. You will enjoy wearing them, your friends will get used to seeing you in them, and everyone will think you need them to see clearly.

Alan 16 Nov 2001, 09:48

Jack,

I think I was 14 when I got glasses. I got them around february, and the previous november I could see fine. Really, when I got them, I only needed them occasionally (to see really small things from quite a distance), but within another year they definitely made a significant difference. It might go something like this for you, or it might be very different. Personally, I think it depends how much you read and study, though not everyone believes this matters. Do you ever notice times, like in class, where it takes you a while to see things across the room clearly, like when you look up from a book? If so, how often, and how blurry is it?

Herve,

Since you're 27 and not in the common age range where people become nearsighted, it's harder to predict what will happen in your case. Your myopia might not progress at all, but it could progress a lot. I think the most likely thing is that it won't change that much, and you won't ever really "need" glasses all the time for distance vision. But your vision could change a lot; it does for some people at your age.

Alan

Jack 16 Nov 2001, 08:43

It was -0.25 alan

Hervé 16 Nov 2001, 04:59

Since today I need glasses.

I have RX -0,5 in both eyes. How long will it takes when i have to wear my glasses fulltime? I'am 27.

Russell 15 Nov 2001, 14:30

Jack, my first prescription was L plano, R -.25. The doctor wrote the prescription and I bought glasses. Within six months, my prescription went to L -.50 R. -1.50. I was 23 years old at the time. So, at age 15, you might have myopia develop or it might not. I would say that if a doctor determined that you have a need for correction in one eye, then get him or her to write a prescription for it and get yourself some glasses.

Alan 15 Nov 2001, 14:24

Jack,

When you said your vision was R 0 L 0.25, what was that based on? Was the 0.25 number "+" or "-"? (no symbol is the same as "+")

Alan

Jack. 15 Nov 2001, 12:02

Sorry,

I meant could read the 20/20 line in both eyes.

I am fifteen.

Jack. 15 Nov 2001, 12:00

Jack 15 Nov 2001, 11:59

My vision at about three months ago was L 0 and R 0.25

Interestingly i could read the 20/220 line in both eyes.

How long will iti be till I get glasses?

Filthy McNasty 13 Nov 2001, 22:06

Why deleted?

Franklein 13 Nov 2001, 19:08

[post deleted by site administrator]

Alan 13 Nov 2001, 16:31

I, Glasses,

Normal distance prescription: -4.5 Normal add: +1.25 Desired distance prescription: -6.

Well, to have the same near-vision with the -6 as with your normal bifocal prescription, I guess the add would have to be +2.75 (-4.5 - (-6) + 1.25). For mid-range, 1.25 or so less -- about +1.5 -- would be my guess; does anyone know what the standard trifocal add is for the mid-range segment?

You'll probably find yourself needing to look through the mid-range segment to see things clearly in the distance, though, if I understand your post correctly.

Alan

I, Glasses 13 Nov 2001, 15:36

My real Rx is -4.50, but I've built up an accommodation, comfortably, for -6.00, which, together with rimless frames of a larger size, gives me the thickness I like in a lens. However, I've just hit the age of presbyopia, and I now have an add of +1.25. At the moment, I'm using my newly-prescribed actual Rx in a progressive, but I'd like to use the -6.00 Rx with adds for near and mid-range vision in a rimless, traditionally-shaped (roughly octagonal)frame done in lined executive trifocals. When I create my own -6.00 Rx with the add, how much of an add should I use to achieve the proper near vision? And how do I handle the issue of mid-range vision?

Christy 13 Nov 2001, 12:17

Julian - Could do with more people like the Chief Constable - but my guess is that the other Chiefs saw the results and decided to keep their heads down!

Puffin - Hit the "refresh" button a few times and you should see all your posts appear as if by magic. It's one of the mysteries of the Net and computers that's quite beyond me!

Julian 13 Nov 2001, 12:06

Ages ago I remember the Chief Constable of Hampshire (the one in England not the New one in new England) got the bit between his teeth and ordered eye tests for the whole force. There was a remarkbale shortage of police cars on the roads of the country for a while and then a profusion of bobbies in glasses ::)

Love and kisses, Jules.

Puffin 13 Nov 2001, 06:04

I am shocked.

These people could kill someone!

Oh, and some of my posts aren't getting into the "recent posts" lists???

Christy 13 Nov 2001, 05:23

Yep - the doctor/patient confidentiality thing is 100% - rather like the priest/confessor and journalist/sources thing. Maybe one day, instead of simply breath-testing motorists by the roadside, the police will stand there with an eye-chart too!

Puffin 13 Nov 2001, 04:39

I was actually talking about someone who was known by an optician/doc to have poor vision (corrected by glasses or whatever) and what happens next.

Surely it cannot be that the only way to catch such a person is to allow them to have a road accident or something first, especially when a professional is well aware they are no longer legal to drive?

Christy 13 Nov 2001, 02:39

Puffin - most people who believe their eyesight is OK simply don't bother going for eye tests. The trouble with believing your eyesight is OK is that you could just as easily kid yourself that everything was fine even though you were squinting like crazy to read road signs!

Some years ago I remember a newspaper team set up an eye test at a motorway service station - and it was really scary how many people failed! Most of them didn't realise how much their eyesight had deteriorated since they passed their driving test with flying colours! One truck driver - when he realised how bad his eyes really were - was quite reluctant to get back into the driving seat - but most others seemed quite happy to drive away - though promising to visit their opticians at the earliest opportunity.

I doubt that an optician or doctor could really force you do do anything - although if they were truly acting in a professional manner then of course they should exert some pressure. As for passing on information to a third party - there's the doctor/patient confidentiality thing that always has to be respected.

Puffin 13 Nov 2001, 01:56

Here's a question:

If you had poor VA but still just about OK to drive a car (the old 20/40 stuff)

and for some reason, your vision got kicked over that line, what would be the procedure for losing your driving licence?

Would the optician/doctor take it from you as soon as he discovered this, or would he let you keep it (although seriously suggesting that you don't drive) until another government/state registered optician tested you independently (I believe this does happen)

Any ideas which is the most likely to happen???

:)

Puffin

Tammy 11 Nov 2001, 20:24

How about this one? Drive up ATM machines with braille.

leelee 11 Nov 2001, 20:08

Christy -

HA!

Here's another:

recently noticed in a parking garage elevator: braile labels next to the floor buttons ...

Alan 10 Nov 2001, 17:32

Wurm,

I think you're right...interesting that it comes out that way. It seems to be rougly correct for everything from -3 to -12 for sure, but I think it breaks down a bit outside that range...does a person with -20 vision have 20/2000 vision? Come to think of it, maybe yes, although I think it might actually be worse than that. And very weak precriptions, -1 or lower, I think do a little better than the formula predicts. Franklein and I "decided" that -1 seems to yield 20/60 or a little better...can someone with -1 confirm or deny that?

Alan

Christy 10 Nov 2001, 14:12

The daftest thing I ever saw on a form:

If blind, tick here... [ ]

Wurm 10 Nov 2001, 07:59

CORRECTION

...two places to the right...

Wurm 10 Nov 2001, 07:58

Based on what I've seen so far, it looks like you can, very very roughly, estimate prescription from acuity and vice versa. At least for moderate prescriptions.

Just move the decimal place two spaces to the left to estimate acuity from prescription, and stick that number under 20.

So my -4.00 becomes 20/400.

Reverse the equation to go the other direction.

Any radical exceptions to this out there? We don't have any real outlier data yet.

Alan 09 Nov 2001, 13:05

Manuelita,

Short Answer: you should see an eye doctor if you can, but I think it's VERY unlikely that you are hurting your eyes by wearing the glasses.

Long Answer: These reading glasses are just plain "plus" lenses; they bend light in a way that makes it easier to see things close-up, and they don't correct astigmatism at all. Is your vision ever blurry when you're wearing the glasses? And do you ever have to strain your eyes when you're wearing them? If the answer to both questions is no, then an eye doctor would most likely prescribe lenses that are very similar to the ones you already have. You can get better quality glasses from professional eyecare places, but if the store-bought ones feel OK, then they are probably fine. Generally, it's a commonly held fallacy that wearing the wrong glasses will hurt your eyes. Really, it won't. It would just be uncomfortable. (There might be an exception to this, but it doesn't have to do with your case.) So, don't worry that you're doing something bad to your eyes. It really IS a good idea to see an eye doctor, because she/he could check for any other eye problems, and could give you a prescription that is 'just right' for your eyes...but you certainly aren't going to go blind because you're wearing these glasses. Oh, and yes, your problem is different from your mother's, but it's also the same. Really, I'd say that it's more "same" than "different"...in both cases, the problem is that the eye can't bend the light rays inward enough to get them focused, and they need "+" lenses to help.

I guess if you wanted to find out if your eyes could really use an even stronger prescription (and my guess would be 'yes'), you could overlap your glasses and your mother's and see whether that helps. Obviously, you can't just wear them like that, but you could at least look through them for a minute and see how things look. The powers of the lenses add to one another, approximately, so if yours are "+3" and your mother's are "+2", overlapping them is about like "+5".

Alan

Manuelita 09 Nov 2001, 12:44

Hello! This is my first posting here and I hope for comments and advise because there are so many people who know so much about glasses and eyes on this website.

About 3 years ago, maybe a little less, my Mom started to complain about trouble she had reading. She held the papers she wanted to read or when she wanted to see the time on her watch further and further from her eyes and I remember her joking that her arms were getting too short. Then my aunt who is quite a few yers older than Mom told her that she had had the same trouble and got herself reading glasses in the drugstore for ten bucks or so and why don't Mom do it too. A few days later we went to Wallgreens and found the rack with reading glasses and it was a good thing I was there because Mom don't speak so much English and I had to figure out for her that each spectacle had a number on it which gave the strength of the lenses, the higher the number the stronger the lens although Im not sure what the numbers mean. Then, of course, she just had to take them one by one and check which was better for reading and she quickly found the right strength. I don't remember what was the strength was but it was one of the weaker ones perhaps the weakest. She could read real good with those glasses and they were quite good looking but of course that didnt matter because she only used for reading.

This summer Mom starts complaining again about her eyes and trouble reading and my aunt told her to go back to Wallgreens and pick a stronger pair. "You're getting older, Juanita, she told he, and you need stronger glasses just like me" Of course she said it in Spanish. So we went back and she picked another one and the problem was ok. I didnt even have to go with her this time around.

But then one day I found her specs when I came home from school because she dont need her specs for work and I try them on. It was just idol curiosity but I had problems with my eyes now. I am a very good student and work real hard and work on my computera lot and i found that my eyes are getting real tired and hard to focus and I had lots of headaches too and took lots of Tylenol. I did some things that helped like I used larger type on my computer and I pushed it further away from me back on the table but I still had trouble. So I try Mom's new glasses and guess what? They work for me too, I see better with them and its easier to read! When mother got home I told her and she said "why don't you go and get reading glasses? They don't cost much!" And I thought she was right and it was good idea and the next day, after school, I went to the Mall and to Wallgreens and started checking out the specs. But it was strange and quite different from Mom. She quickly found hers starting from the low numbers and working her way up but not me. Every time I tried a stronger pair, it was better! I went all the way up to the strongest lenses which was 3.25 and those were the best for me, I could see and read best with them. I don't know if even stronger ones would have been even better because there werent any stronger ones. They were very thick and heavy and looked strange on me but they were just reading glasses and I bought them.

I have now worn them for a few weeks and they help a lot. I went back to the regular, smaller type on my computer and moved it back to its old place. It helps at school too. At first the kids laughed at me and joked a bit because the glasses were so thick and made my eyes so big but my boyfriend thinks they are cool. Now at first I could only see near things well with the specs and distan things were blurred. But after a while as I got used to them I could see well in the distance too. I used them quite a lot between school and at home doing homework and computer and now I find that I need them for far things as well as near things. Even far things are blurred without them. And you know what? No more headaches! Not a single one in several weeks!

But now a girl at school said that I am doing a terrible thing and it will hurt my eyes and go blind maybe. Those specs are only for old people and my eye problem is not the same as my Moms even if the symtoms are the same and I should go and see an eye doctor and get a prescription for glasses. But I hate to do this because it will cost a bunch of money and we are quite poor. My Dad has gone back to Mexico years ago and we don't know nothing about him and Mom works real hard to get us education, my older brother has a scholarship at University and my other brother is a senior at high school and may be valedictorian and I am doing real well too but we don't have extra money for luxuries. Mom works cleaning people's houses and one of her clients gave us the computer which he didn't need no more.

So what do you think do I really need to see a doctor?

Manuelita

nubbins 08 Nov 2001, 19:26

One of my eyes has perfect (so they tell me) vision and the other is farsighted... My optometrist says that I would be considered amblyopic except my eyes work together well and so obviously my brain hasnt shut off the vision from my left eye... anyway, I wear one normal contact lens. Even with the lens things are not at all clear. I have some degree of astigmatism in that eye as well. (I have no idea how much). without the lens things are blurry both near and far. Like I said, the lens helps to some degree even though it is not a bifocal.

Alan 08 Nov 2001, 18:53

Nubbins,

Do you wear reading glasses, bifocal contacts, or have trouble seeing things up close?

Alan

nubbins 08 Nov 2001, 06:37

Hi...

In response to Alan's question... Im a hyperope. I am 22 and my contact lense prescription is +2.75. (I have no idea what that means in terms of glasses). But anyway my acuity is about 20/200 without contacts/glasses. I cant see anything near or far!

Alan 05 Nov 2001, 19:01

To Julian's post - the distance convention being 20 ft/6m is kind of a minimum for distance vision. Yeah, a myopic person with 20/200 vision probably *does* have "1/1" vision (normal vision at 1 foot). For myopia that isn't too strong, the distance involved makes a huge difference if the distance is much less than 20 feet.

Alan

Alan 05 Nov 2001, 18:57

Puffin,

I don't know what 'eye condition A' would be, but certainly different eye conditions are going to result in different acuity at different distances. The effect of myopia is less the shorter the measured distance. The effect of hyperopia is less, up to a point, the further the measured distance. Retina problems, cataracts, and maybe astigmatism affect acuity more or less the same at all distances.

A person with a -28 prescription doesn't have a whole lot of acuity at all, so I'm not sure whether the impact of some other eye condition would make a lot of difference, unless the other condition were very serious.

Speaking of distance-acuity, are there any hyperopes reading this? I'm curious what your distance acuity is without glasses, what your prescription is, and how old you are. ???

Alan

leelee 05 Nov 2001, 18:39

hmmmm,

would someone with minus 28 vision have 20/40 uncorrected vision? seems doubtful to me - but then again maybe my evening glass of wine might be fouling up my understanding of your point.

Puffin 05 Nov 2001, 16:07

Now here's a strange thing.

I read in the instructions to filling out a driving licence application that if you had to achieve the 20/40 vision at 3 metres (or 10 feet I suppose) instead of the normal 6 (20 feet) then there's a special box to tick for this.

Isn't that odd? It suggests that there is a distinction between 20/40 and 10/20 visual acuity. What others have said below supports this, in that saying someone has 20/40 VA cannot always be used to predict their VA at different distances. (ie the correlation between distance and clarity is not always linear)

I wonder if different eye conditions have different amounts of VA at various

distances? For instance if you have minus 28 and eye condition A, your VA-to-distance curve is different to that if you have the same myopia but eye condition B instead?

Or have I just had too much to drink?

:)

Puffin

Julian 05 Nov 2001, 14:39

That's the point Alan, the acuity we're talking about is in the distance. Wurm said the other day that 20/200=6/60=1/10 and that's true up to a point. But for comparability there has to be a benchmarkand by convention that's 20 feet/6 metres. Otherwise a myope who's 20/200 could perfectly well be 1/1 or 3/3, in feet.

Love and kisses, Jules.

Alan 04 Nov 2001, 13:22

Franklein,

Well, as for -1, I think you're probably right, but I would guess that it must be 20/60, not much better than that. And it probably varies from person to person.

About the legally blind thing...actually 20/200 isn't all that bad. It's just bad if you can never do better than that. I'm quite certain that my vision is worse than 20/200 without glasses; I have to be within 6 or 8 feet of an eye chart to see the 20/200 line. But my corrected vision is pretty good. And remember, the acuity we're talking about is only in the distance; for example, your distance vision is much worse than 20/200, right? ...but if something is really close to you you can see it clearly. That makes a big difference. When people are legally blind, they generally can't see things clearly up close either. Anyway, I am functional without my glasses...I often don't wear them at home...but that doesn't mean my distance vision is very clear at all. I just rely on getting close enough to things to see them better. I hope this makes sense.

Alan

Franklein 04 Nov 2001, 07:21

Alan - something isn't right with your numbers! I know for a fact that the official definition for "legally blind" is someone whose vision is 20/200 with glasses. But -3.50 or -4.00 without glasses is NOT equivalent to legally blind. I have a friend with -3.50 and she is pretty functional when she takes off her specs in the swimming pool. Also, a person with -1.00 can drive a car without glasses. In this state you don't get a license if your vision with glasses is worse than 20/60. So -1.00 must be a lot less than 20/100! Fran

Alan 03 Nov 2001, 18:47

Franklein,

Really, your question is the point of this thread. No one seems to know exactly how the strength of one's lenses relates to their acuity. We suspect that it is different for different people, but certainly the prescription and the acuity have to correspond pretty well. Anyway, the answer to your question comes from what people have posted as their prescriptions and uncorrected acuity. I said my prescription was about -3.5 and my was maybe 20/400. Tammy said 20/1200 for her, with about -12 Rx. Elmo said 20/400 for -4.75 and 20/600 for -6.25, and Wurm said 20/250 or 20/300 for Rx of -3.75 in one eye and -4 in the other. So now you have to figure out what yours is, and post it, and we'll have a range of data points for Rx's from -3.5 to -12. As for something like -1, I think my acuity was about 20/80 or 20/120 when I had -1...not totally certain, but that's about right.

I think all the numbers higher than 200 are pretty rough, because the answer will vary by quite a bit depending on lighting, whether you squint, and how precesely you measure the distance -- if someone says they can see at 3 feet what 'normal' vision sees at 120 feet, this is 20/800 by the ratios, but if it was really 2 1/2 feet instead of 3, then the acuity is actually 20/960 (close to 20/1000) - so it's sensitive to error. But it gives an idea.

Alan

Franklein 03 Nov 2001, 08:34

This is interesting but how does it relate to the strength of one's lenses? To use a nice number what would the acuity without glasses be of a person who needs -1.00 or -5.00 or -10.00? Fran

Elmo 02 Nov 2001, 20:33

My Rx is like -6.25/-4.75 ...the eye doc said the right eye was around 20/600 and left just on the chart at 20/400....

Tammy 02 Nov 2001, 17:39

Hi All. Sorry about last night! I am feeling much better. I just had my eyes examined today, so while i don't have my new prescription as of yet, they did test my uncorrected vision, which i thought was strange, considering they never have done that with me before. Anyway, the eye doctor that i saw today told me that my uncorrected visual acuity is 20/1200. My corrected acuity is about 20/40 if i remember correctly. He kept rattling off numbers that i didn't catch. Anyway, i am getting new glasses. I picked out some frames that are small, roundish and bronze colored metal. The lenses that i am getting are standard plastic lenses that are blended myodiscs and they also are going to be standard bifocals.

Wurm 02 Nov 2001, 15:03

If you get the math of the thing, you don't even really need a Snellen chart.

Acuity ratios yield a number which represents the fraction of distance you need to stand near to see an object as compared to a normally sighted person. Thus, either 6/60 or 20/200 can be reduced to 1/10. With thatacuity you would have to stand 10 times closer than the average person to see something!

Most of us can use our 20/20 corrected vision as a baseline and do some informal comparisons using a yardstick or some such on the floor to take measurements. That's how I came up with my estimates.

Willow 02 Nov 2001, 14:25

It could be difficult for some but not impossible to measure one's uncorrected VA. All you need is a Snellen (or equivalent) chart and a tape measure (and perhps grade 5 arithmetic).

1. Measure the distance at which you can read one of the lines.

An example is better than 1000 words:

Suppose you can read the 20/60 line at 5 feet.

You write: 20/60 x 5/20 or 20x5/20x60= 100/1200

2. In the fraction 100/1200 divide both terms (numerator and denominator) by the reading distance,in this case 5, and you obtain 20/240 which is your uncorrected VA.

Another example:

You read the 20/50 line at 3 feet.

You write: 20/50 x 3/20 = 60/1000

Divide both members by 3, The VA is 20/333.

Enjoy Will.

Alan 02 Nov 2001, 10:00

This is a good topic. Everyone seems to answer this question individually, but this could give us a sort of statistical sample...except acuity is pretty hard to measure once you're past -4 or so; they eyechart usually stops at 200.

I am -3.5 and I think my acuity is at best 20/400, probably a little worse.

Alan

Wurm 02 Nov 2001, 06:25

I think it might be interesting for people to post their uncorrected acuity and their prescription so we could see how rough any approximate correlation would be. I don't know what biases this self-selected population would bring, but it would be interesting from an anecdotal point of view 8-)

I don't know my current acuity: I will try to get it tested sometime soon. I suspect it is in the neighborhood of 20/250 or 20/300. My presciption is -4/-3.75.

One confounding factor here is that most people's acuity varies widely under various lighting conditions.