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Original poster

Has your vision deteriorated as you’ve aged?

67 replies

SinkGirl · 22/02/2019 21:48

Apologies for any typos - I can’t see what I’m typing!

I have been very mildly long sighed since I was a kid and wear glasses if I need to read small text or do anything intricate.

In the last few months I’ve found that if I’m in a low light situation, my vision is really blurry - currently in bed with no light on and cannot read my phone screen at all, it’s just a blurry fuzzy mess!

Going to make an opticians appt but is this just getting old? Haven’t had an eye tests for ages. I’m not sure I’ve ever heard ofjaving blurry vision when light is low - you’d think having a screen that lights up would be enough!

OP posts:
ScreamingValenta · 22/02/2019 21:51

Yes, it's happened to me - I think it's quite common and something to do with weakening of the muscles that allow your eyes to focus close up. I agree an optician's appointment is a good idea.

whitehorsesdonotlie · 22/02/2019 21:51

How old are you? I have an eye test every year and my prescription changes slightly each t8me. It’s totally normal as you age.

And if your vision has been blurry for months, i’d have booked an optician appt when it started...

TowelNumber42 · 22/02/2019 21:52

If you are in the 45-55 age bracket then sadly yes this is completely normal.

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C0untDucku1a · 22/02/2019 21:54

YEs i never needed glasses until i was mid 30s.

I use it as an excuse so much too though. ‘Sorry i dont have my glasses’ is a great excuse.

NorthEndGal · 22/02/2019 21:54

Not yet, knock wood, but too be fair, I am only 41

LBOCS2 · 22/02/2019 21:56

Depends how old you are. I'm extremely short sighted and my eyesight improved in my early thirties, apparently that's a 'thing' - so my optician says. Which is nice. But my eyesight is definitely getting worse as I'm ageing, I'm finding I have to adjust a little bit to find the sweet spot where I can read very small writing...

dubmumof2 · 22/02/2019 21:59

Yes, arrival of my forties meant I experienced exactly that! And the bad news is that they've deteriorated further since my first pair of glasses. I'm assured it's a perfectly normal part of the ageing process....

HirplesWithHaggis · 22/02/2019 21:59

I've been short sighted since childhood. When I discovered that people often get more long-sighted as they age, I had a passing hope that it would balance out and leave me with perfect vision in my old age. Grin Sadly, it doesn't work like that...

tobee · 22/02/2019 22:00

Yes. I'm 50 and my need glasses for reading and seeing my dinner plate. This is age related. Sadly, I think wearing glasses has made me dependant on them. I could be wrong though.

Original poster
SinkGirl · 22/02/2019 22:01

I’m 36 now - I do remember years ago an optician telling me that my eyesight will probably worsen after 30 but it’s been totally manageable until now. Normally if my vision is out of focus and I don’t have my glasses I can strain to focus my eyes briefly before they get tired but everything is so blurry right now unless I’m in a bright room / outside in daylight.

OP posts:
Original poster
SinkGirl · 22/02/2019 22:02

It’s quite fun playing “decipher what people have written when all words are fuzzy blobs” though! I do hope this is legible - thank goodness for auto correct 😂

OP posts:
ArgyMargy · 22/02/2019 22:05

That's very young to be getting deterioration. Average age for becoming long-sighted (ie needing reading glasses) is 47.

Seth · 22/02/2019 22:10

I'm 45 and it took a while for me to make an appt. once I did and was prescribed reading glasses I'm amazed how I carried on so long with everything being so blurry! It's so crystal clear now.

BringOnTheScience · 22/02/2019 22:11

If you know that you need glasses, why in earth aren't you having regular tests?! Changes are totally normal. There is no point you struggling with poor vision.
Also, eye tests can pick up on all sorts of other health issues. Get tested!

TowelNumber42 · 22/02/2019 22:12

36 is young for that much deterioration. I'd get to the optician soon if I were you in case it is early warning of something bad.

FindPrimeLorca · 22/02/2019 22:12

Over 45 it’s not so much normal as inevitable. As a shortsighted person in my 40s I’m finally getting my revenge on DH, who’s always been Mr 20/20 vision but now squints over his smartphone like an octogenarian.

36 does seem young though. Either way, you definitely need an optician’s appointment. Free eye tests are easy to obtain via various offers.

mumwon · 22/02/2019 22:13

varifocals & bright lights - I landed up going to shops & trying to read ingredients with the one eyed squint an inch from one eye until I gave in to using them. be very careful about walking from bright day light into darker places you can trip - seriously its better in those circumstances to shut your eyes & feel ditto going down stairs -

Steamfan · 22/02/2019 22:15

yes - had real difficulty reading. Have always had incredible distance sight, but last week I thought it needed checking - made an extra eye test appointment, and yes, it's well within legal limits, but as I was concerned about night time driving (and I do a lot of that) thought it was worth getting a pair of specs for driving

LaurieFairyCake · 22/02/2019 22:16

My vision is shocking, I think I need varifocal contact lenses (I don't really wear glasses) but I've not made the appointment yet Blush

MorskieOko · 22/02/2019 22:19

When I was 5 I had a turn in my eye and was told it was a matter of time before I needed glasses. All my family wear glasses. In fact I have made it to 50 without and now I definitely do! The last 2 years my eyesight has definitely gone downhill.

dementedpixie · 22/02/2019 22:22

An adult should get their eyes tested every 2 years. Mine are getting more long sighted which is common after the age of 40

Original poster
SinkGirl · 22/02/2019 22:23

I know, I should have regular tests - it’s been a few years since my last one, but I have twin toddlers with disabilities and everything has been on the back burner. I was managing fine so it didn’t feel pressing.

I’ll book a test ASAP - it really does seem to be only in low light so it hasn’t worried me, but today’s the first day I haven’t been able to read text on my screen in a darkened room. I thought it might just generally be getting older but if it’s a bit young for that I will go and get it sorted ASAP.

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 22/02/2019 22:25

If you were long sighted already then that only gets worse with age.

dementedpixie · 22/02/2019 22:26

Do you have glasses already?

Meet0nTheledge · 22/02/2019 22:31

Yes, I've always been very shortsighted but it has got worse by about 2d during my forties and now in my 50s there's definitely a touch of long sightedness too. Weirdly it is far more noticeable in contact lenses than glasses. My single vision glasses are still absolutely fine but I have mono-vision contacts (one under corrected for close work) and while the distance vision and very close vision are spot-on I'm struggling with mid-distance (from about 2 to 10 feet away). My prescription is too strong for varifocal contacts, so I'm putting up with it for now. I have no intention of ever wearing glssses full time but might have to consider reading glasses plus contacts at some point.

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