to think that my daughter doesn't need glasses?

[nippysweetie82]

I took my dd aged 9 to specsavers for an eye test as she hasn't had one for a few years. She's not had any big problems with her eyes but has complained a couple of times that they were hurting a bit after watching tv or using the computer.
The optician has said that she is slightly long sighted and should wear glasses for reading and using the computer. She said she usually wouldn't prescribe but because my daughter had previously complained of eye strain it would be for the best.I paid towards the NHS voucher to get her glasses that she liked but I'm just not convinced that she really needs them. my dd has now said that it's mainly when watching tv that her eyes begin to hurt and the optician had said that the glasses wouldn't be much use for that.
Her prescription reads R +1.50 L+1.50. Does that mean that she's only very slightly long sighted? I've got no idea how to read the prescription.

[43percentburnt]

Try not to encourage her to wear them all the time. I got glasses when I was 5 and only needed them for blackboard and the TV. But it's tempting to wear them all the time as your vision is better.

Check out the bates method on the internet. It contains eye exercises, people claim it works. I have tried it (my sight is still bad, I doubt will ever be near perfect) for a few months prior to an eye test and improved my vision by -1. Maybe get her to do these exercises each day as well, it costs nothing and if it improves her vision then bonus!

[sykadelic]

My post was mis-leading. I don't wear my glasses ALL day every day. Only when on the computer or reading right now. Even then I have to sit them low on my nose so I can look over the top of them for distance stuff (say TV or person talking to me). it's very sexy (such sarcasm implied there).

[sykadelic]

Sorry and again - you can do some reading online for eye exercises to help with the eye strain AND I've read that there are some exercises that will reduce her need for glasses.

[sykadelic]

Also agree with 1.5 actually being a lot... as you can see by my prescription. He probably didn't want to though because kids can grow out of being long-sighted.

[sykadelic]

I'm long sighted and have had glasses since I was 17, I'm 30 now.

My prescription WAS 0.75 but is now 0.25 (was retested a week ago). I also have an astigmatism which is my main problem.

I get wicked eye strain and that's why I went to the optometrist to get new glasses (I rarely wear mine normally but because my eye strain is bad right now I'm having to wear them every day). I am on a computer all the time. From work to home. TV is on (and is far away) and doesn't give me issues as long as a light is on (movie theatres are fine because it's not for long). If I get glare from a window or light that's also bad for my eyes.

At my most recent visit I was told that we blink less when watching the TV and being on the computer so the eyes dry out a bit. He told me to use artificial tears twice a day (morning and after lunch).

Anyway, don't underestimate the need for her to wear glasses. It'll give her eyes a break. She doesn't have to wear them ALL the time, but she should at first (think if she'd been working out and had sore muscles, that's what eye strain is). Once she's feeling a bit better she will be able to skip needing to wear them every time.

Also, I find when I'm stressed (school exams or any exam type situation) I need my glasses.

Reducing glare will be the most help she needs right now (aside from giving her eyes a break: health.howstuffworks.com/human-body/systems/eye/tv-bad-for-eyes2.htm

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

I wouldn't believe anything spec savers told me OP,I would go and see an independent optician for another test and compare the two.

[TequilaMockingbirdy]

nippy I hope she gets on okay with them. I had glasses from being 5, terribly bad eyes from a young age. Was the youngest person Specsavers ever allowed contact lenses too as well (not at five ha)

[Thumbwitch]

Ah thanks for coming back, bluesbaby - it's a very easy mistake to make, lots of people do it. :)

[TequilaMockingbirdy]

+1.50 is quite a lot, so it's not a case of incompetency or mistake - it's the OP's view I thought from the thread?

My prescription was at -8.50. Went to the opticians and they said it had changed by 1.00. The difference with my new glasses and contacts was amazing!

[PersonOfInterest]

If you're at all concerned go and see another optician!

Just in case the one you saw is incompetent or made a mistake.

If they say the same, have a chat with them about your concerns.

[WorraLiberty]

OP, you could have been talking about me a few years ago.

The optician gave me a very mild prescription for reading glasses and said she normally wouldn't if it wasn't for the fact I was getting eye strain.

What they did for me, was give clarity. It was as if the words were suddenly in 'HD' and I could read them without any effort...this eventually took away the strain and headaches.

[bluesbaby]

I did confuse long and short sightedness :-)

Sorry for the confusion!

Would still think that the eye strain would apply to long sightedness, though, possibly. I was told my mild short sighteness was because my eyes were slow to focus between a change of focal distances. Tiredness slows it down more too.

If the op's daughter gets achey eyes it could be similar?

[nippysweetie82]

Tequila, I just wasn't totally convinced because the optician had said she usually wouldn't have prescribed glasses and was only doing so because my daughter had complained of occasional eye pain after using the computer. My daughter later told me that the pain was more when she was watching tv rather than using computer so I wasn't sure if that could be put down to tiredness rather than her eyesight.
Now that I understand how to read the prescription I can see that she does need them. I paid more to get glasses that I'm hoping she will be happy to wear in school if she needs to. I'll be making sure that she wears them at home for reading, homework and using the computer.
Thanks to everyone for the advice.

[Glitterfeet]

I've been long sighted all my life, and need glasses to see number plates and road signs. I'm not even that bad currently. I used to be very Long sighted, got much much better by my 20,s, then went down hill again.

I have astigmatism and currently about a 4 in one eye and slightly worse in the other. If I didn't wear my glasses for a few days my eyes would compensate and, unless asked to read a small menu, most people wouldn't notice that I had a problem. I can get around. I think harder to notice long sightedness, especially in children.

Prescriptions aren't always straightforward. One son has a slightly better prescription as me, same difference between eyes and similar astigmatism. He can't cope without glasses at all for school. We were really surprised when my youngest son got picked up in reception, with a prescription of +8. Even in both eyes, with no other problems. He's improved a little but he can manage better than me, or his brother, or his mildly short sighted dad.

Without his glasses he quickly adjusts to being able to read the lowest levels of the opticians alphabet thing. I struggled with my glasses on! He still needs that strength glasses.

[TequilaMockingbirdy]

I do wonder why people go against informed advice of experts and instead ask mumsnet

Why aren't you convinced? Clearly the 1.50 is an indication that she does need them, and if her eyes are hurting this is even moreso. Get her the glasses, she's old enough to wear them when she needs to.

[Pregnantberry]

This is true for children because the high street opticians lose money on children's glasses. I wouldn't be so sure for adults.

Ha, I worked in an optician for a short and unfortunate time and can confirm that you are right to not be so sure.

Although the NHS usually foots the bill for children's glasses - if OP paid the difference then that went into Specsaver's coffers. The rules and regs are much stricter for children though so it is less likely that OP is being swizzed on purpose.

OP why don't you get her to try them for a while as the optom advised and if they are not helpful after a few weeks then you can either take her back to Specsavers, who should offer to retest her for free, or take her to a different optician - so you know that they are not trying to cover up a mistake - but you will probably have to pay for the test since the NHS already covered you once (this may or may not have changed).

Don't listen to people - unless they live in the same town as you - saying "oh, go to Boots/Vision Express/ an independent" because the actual optometrists employed are what matters if you just want a thorough eye test - whether you get an optometrist who is working his first day or one who has been doing the job for 20 years doesn't have anything to do with which chain they work for!

[lastnightIwenttoManderley]

I've worn glasses since i was 6 months old for a prescription of +9.5 with all sorts of other angular and prismatic corrections.

When i hit my teens i was convinced that my glasses were uncool and unattractive (truth be told, they were actually lovely just too big for my petite features!) so used to go out with them in my handbag... I could see enough not to get hit by a bus but focussing took real effort. I must have been nuts! Thankfully I now have hard lenses.

As pp said, your daughter is probably used to compensating and after a while her eyes will relax. With tv and computer, big one for me is relative brightness and that tires my eyes the most.

[Pipbin]

If she didn't need glasses, the optician wouldn't have given her glasses.

This is true for children because the high street opticians lose money on children's glasses. I wouldn't be so sure for adults.

[Pipbin]

I used to work as a dispenser for opticians.

+1.50 is worth having. Anything over + or - 0.50 and you will notice the difference. At her age she will be doing lots of close and medium range work and will need them for that really.

[differentnameforthis]

If she didn't need glasses, the optician wouldn't have given her glasses.

[wowfudge]

She should wear the glasses and see (no pun intended) whether they make a difference. It is a myth that wearing glasses makes eyesight problems deteriorate further / more rapidly.

[Groovee]

Both my children are long sighted and need the glasses to help with reading and computer work etc.

[BankWadger]

slight eye strain - my post should read!