To absolutely HATE wearing glasses?

I've been wearing glasses for over 50 years and I have never yet found any that I like or that suit me. I've tried every shape, colour and size and not 1 of them has made me think "ooh I like those". I just go for plain metal ones now.

I hate them. I’m resigned to walk around blind as I hate contacts too. Very interesting life saying hello to people I don’t know all day and thinking everyone is gorgeous in soft focus. 🤓

Just had my eyes lasered (after many years of reading up about it and getting the courage to do it!). I had really bad astigmatism and -5 to -6 prescription. I've worn glasses or contacts for 34yrs (and they're not cheap!!). Got assessed for it at Moorfields and they said that I could have Trans PRK as corneas were too thin for the other types of laser.

I got it done 3 weeks ago. Very quick (and painless) procedure. Slight discomfort for 24hrs after but then fine. I am still using drops and things get a little blurry at times but I'm told this can take a few weeks to subside, whilst everything heals. It's amazing though! I sometimes forget and worry that I haven't taken out contact lenses or that I've lost my glasses!

I also feel weirdly vulnerable in my glasses. The thought they could fall off (never actually happened) or be snatched off my face (also never happened) and be almost blind makes me nervous.

I've worn glasses since I was 2, they used to be like milk bottle bottoms they were so thick and heavy, I was the only child in my class with glasses for most of primary school. Now there are so many different types of frame and they weigh next to nothing, you need to make sure you try lots of different frames on and find the ones that are right for you.

Personally I found contact lenses are a pain when you still need glasses for reading/distance, but I used to have them for going to concerts or out out when I was younger.

I know I'm biased on the matter, because without them I would never have been independent, but they are one of the most amazing inventions. Can you imagine what society would be like if people had to stop driving at 30? Had to stop working with computers by 40?

Oh 🫣. I had no idea.

I hated them too. All of the things you mention - all the tiny inconveniences (them steaming up opening the dishwasher or wearing a mask), not being able to see my legs to shave them. I hated them slipping down my face, I hated the feel on my nose and behind my ears. I just didn't feel as fully awake and alert when I was wearing them as well.

Getting laser eye surgery probably goes down as the single best thing I ever did for myself. When I think back on it I'm just awed by how it worked for me. I can't explain how odd it is for poor eyesight, which has been something I have 'struggled with' since I was a child and was just so a part of the experience of being me, to be gone in a flash and to never look back. They did me at 10am - it was a bit unpleasant for a couple of hours, I had a long nap and at 6pm I went out for a walk and could just see perfectly.

I don't think I could ever be comfortable fully 'recommending' surgery to another person - as it's so personal and as PPs have said there is a risk of complication. But as I say, for me it has been so transformative. I put it off for years because of the expense and feeling worried about complications and I regret living with poor eyesight for so many years.

I have similar eyes, I get the prescription and then source online for a tenth of the price.

I don't mind my glasses but a absolutely hate wearing my hearing aids, they make my ears feel itchy. Unfortunately my hearing is dreadful without them.

Wore them since I was a teenager for decades and then got cataracts. Best thing ever as after operation I have 20.20 vision albeit still need glasses for reading.

I hate glasses as well. I have been wearing contact lenses since I was 18 and just have glasses for immediately before going to bed.

I don't mind sunglasses on my face when out, but my prescription glasses are very thick due to the strong prescription. I hate the lack of peripheral vision, not being able to see when it rains and when they get steamed up, for example if coming into a warm room from outside. I think my eyes have got used to lenses as I get a headache when I wear glasses, and don't feel like I've properly got up until I have my lenses in.

Being short-sighted must have cost me thousands of pounds over the years - my sister has perfect vision!

I think you get used to them. I have varifocals niw. I've been wearing them for over 30 years and they just feel like part of me, I feel lost without them. It is important to find frames that fit well and are comfortable. I only like soft silicone nose pads as they are so much more comfortable than the hard ones. I've also found really lightweight titanium frames to be very comfortable in the past.

It's less successful when you need varifocal type glasses.

@JustFrustrated the complication rate is very, very low. But it's a surgical procedure and occasionally things don't go to plan.

I've had glasses since age 6.
Contacts from 16 to about mid 50s then my eyes got too dry post menopause and the fag of remembering readers etc when I needed varificals and they weren't then a contact thing.
I have a complex prescription, -7.5 plus in both eyes, plus long sight plus astigmatism. My glasses are eyewateringly expensive but perfectly comfortable and aren't heavy and don't slip.

Have yours perhaps not been properly adjusted? Or perhaps not thinned enough?

Now I am old, I like the fact that they cover up some of the little lines. They were an utter nuisance when we had to wear masks.

I hate them, really annoying and I keep getting distracted by the edges of the frames...never had to wear glasses until about a year ago when my very slow growing cataracts began to cause vision problems. Have the first op in 2 weeks then the second a few weeks later, then I should have perfect distance vision and just need cheapo OTC reading glasses. Can't wait!

Yes this for me too! But in my case my prescription is so bad glasses actually look shit too because the lenses are so thick. I pay for the thinnest you can get and they still stick out past the frame.
I’m contact lenses alll the way. I’d pay a lot to make sure I can keep wearing them forever!

I suspect you'll get cataracts soon, so I'd wait. Short-sighted people tend to get them earlier.

(Although you could just pay for a lens replacement now).

I had my first distance glasses in late 30’s, they drive me mad. I find them painful after a couple of hours, fog up, Vision apparently not bad enough for laser treatment…I’m wondering if lens replacement in my 50’s is going to be possible. My relative had it done in the 1990’s, one eye was fixed for reading, the other for distance. They could still read the tiniest of print at 97yrs and never needed glasses for distance again. It’s a scary thought though, someone chopping about at your eyeball!

There was a big thing about this the other week weirdly. STBXDH was looking into having it done and cancelled at the last minute after hearing about it/reading about it.

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/apr/18/lasik-laser-eye-surgery

No idea if it's just the USA but it's worth doing a proper dig around. As PP said, I've had an "unofficial" chat with my opthalmologist friend and she said it's something she advises against when she can.

I’d try the contact lenses and see how you get on with them. Yes, they’re expensive, but if you get on with them and tolerate them, it’s better than having something you hate all the time. Lenses have changed and improved so much. I think it might be Toric lenses that are top notch, but they might have been superseded now. I had varifocal lenses and I wore lenses for many years.

I always hated glasses, never ever found a pair I was happy with and because of the prescription and changes, I was spending £500 or so every year.

It was a while ago but I’m -10.5, astigmatism and unusually thin corneas. Guess I could ask again.

Have the eye surgery if you can afford it.
You don't need to wear glasses at all then. No worrying, no falling around, no lost glasses.

Did you get told that fairly recently or a while ago @DanielaDressen? Only wondering because I was able to get mine lasered a few years ago with -9 shortsightedness and astigmatism. I know there are different reasons that it can't always be done though.

I’m with you! I wear contacts and my astigmatism has got worse recently and I now need reading glasses too. So I have had to upgrade to the special contacts (£66 a month 😭) and also now have reading glasses that only work with my contacts in.

I also got new glasses and thought I’d give it a go having a contact-free day. I spent the day almost falling down stairs and feeling sick with vertigo due to the adjustment.

Seriously contemplating laser eye surgery.

I do wear mine in the shower. If you spray them with the hot water it stops them fogging up. Try it!