AIBU to think this can't happen to everyone in their mid 40's?! Surely?

[ThisMustBeMyDream]

Went for my regular eye test today. Regretting that already. I've literally just turned 40. Been blind as a bat since age 10. Wearer of contact lenses since age 12. Sight is -6 in both eyes.
Why is it only today that the optician gleefully told me that by 42, mid 40s at the lastest I will need fucking reading glasses. I'll need some sort of varifocal contact lenses and glasses. Apparently. It happens to EVERYONE. ABSOLUTELY EVERYONE!
Give me some hope. Have you made it to 50 without needing reading glasses?! Especially if you were short sighted already.
Also! Why is this news to me now?! Why has this dreadful secret been kept from me?! I can not stand the thought of my sight being affected and having to mess around with my bloody contact lenses prescription (glasses look awful on me. Every single pair. Trust me, I've tried them all). I only asked the guy about laser eye surgery as now I'm older, I can finally afford it. Only to be told it is basically pointless to have unless in your 20s as its a waste of money due to the long sightedness developing in your 40s!
Ugh.

I am almost 45. I have had terrible vision since my teens, now -7.50 in both eyes, with with no glasses or lenses I only see blobs of colour. Have worn lenses all day every day until March of this year when my eyes just suddenly went bone dry and can no longer tolerate lenses ☹️ so I have had to resort to glasses, which I HATE, but I am too scared for laser, plus my vision still deteriorates at every appt, so hardly worth it... BUT... just wondering, do you have fantastic close up vision without glasses or lenses? Since I've reverted to glasses I've realised that my close up vision if I take my glasses off is bloody fantastic! I have to bring everything really close to my face, which everyone finds hilarious! But I can read teeny tiny text, thread needles etc! It's amazing! This time last year the optician recommended some type of varifocal to me, but I flat out refused to mess around with my straightforward prescription, and said I would use reading glasses from the pound shop over my lenses if absolutely necessary, but it must be the massive correction of our shortsightedness that stops us being able to see things close up I think. Anyway, was half sympathising, and half wondering if anyone else has this amazing close-up superpower if they are massively shortsighted for distance?!

Pretty normal. It's hit me. My mum too at a similar age. Not my dad though!

Happened to me. It’s not that bad!!

I don't think these stupid energy light bulbs we've been forced to use help much either.

It's all such a pain isn't it!

That's rubbish. I'm 55 my eyesight is dreadful I get a free eye test because it's complex case, it's probably about -9 or - 10 in each eye and I have a stigmatism. but I do not have varifocals and a5 my latest eye test that optician confirmed it wasn't necessary

I've worn glasses since age 5 - short-sightedness runs in my Mum's family - but did wear contact lenses for around 25 years from age 18. I went back to glasses in my md-40's because with a young child and unemployed spouse the monthly cost of the cleaning and disinfecting solutions for contacts was working out rather epensive.
Modern spectacle frames are quite stylish compared to the horrible NHS frames I had to have as a child and young teenager in the 1950's and 60's, so going back to glasses isn't as bad as you're thinking. When I worked out the length of time a pair of glasses would last before I would need new prescription lenses (2 years between eye tests) it worked out cheaper to get a pair mof modern stylish frames than to have to spend out on cleaning and disinfectin solutions over that same time period.
I now have to wear varifocalswhich took a while to get used to, but I don't find them a problem. Although some folk can't get on with varifocals so need to have two pairs of glasses; one pair for close work ie reading and compuer use, and another pair for long distance ie driving.

I'm 45 and have got increasingly short-sighted since my teens (now at -8). I've found in the past year that I can read small print just fine when I have no glasses/lenses in, but struggle to read the back of packets etc if I have my contacts in. I haven't bought reading glasses yet, I take a picture in my phone and enlarge it!

I always wanted to get eye surgery but I read that it needs a stable prescription for 2+ years and mine has just got worse with every optician visit. And now life is too busy anyway, but I wanted to look into alternatives like lens replacement.

So I'm currently wearing my glasses. I tested your theory. I put my phone up super close about 2 inches away from my face, and it was all blurry. I then removed my glasses. Could read perfectly.

The funniest thing is being out for dinner and a pair of reading glasses being passed about because people have forgotten theirs, or people using an app on their phone to enlarge it.

Thankfully my close up vision is ok, my distance vision isn't too bad but I need glasses for driving, watching tv etc. varifocals are just more convenient

Yep, reading glasses required at 47, 2 years later and I’ve just got varifiocals 😩

My eyesight isn't great and I have always had to wear glasses/lenses but I don't need reading glasses!

@iwishiwasonacruise very similar story here, suddenly couldn't wear contacts (menopause dries everything out including eyes) and can see very well if you hold things up to within 2 inches of your nose, otherwise life is a blur.

I can't have laser or replacement lenses either, so it's glasses or nothing however much I wish it was different. Glasses do hide the wrinkles, though, to some extent.

I have some reading glasses, I only need them for labels and ingredient type things.
I do have some glasses for driving.

I don’t need anything during the day, but noticed it was harder to focus and the lights were blurry at night.
During the day, no problem at all, something to do with lights and cones ( I have no idea)
These glasses from the Opticians are a godsend, and I have no issues at all, driving at night.
Everything is clear, and there is no glare. They are clear glasses, issue under prescription
I wish more people had them, as women I know, are repeatedly telling me that they have problems driving at night, so give up.

Oh, and another great eye procedure I had was a laser iridotomy procedure to help me prevent sudden damage from high intraocular pressure. I discovered about 5 years ago that I also have narrow angles in my eyes which means that the fluid in each eye doesn't drain out properly, and can build up dangerously high intraocular pressure in the eye (similar to glaucoma)

This can cause a massive amount of pressure build up suddenly, and extreme damage to the optic nerve, literally overnight, resulting in blindness. Without the laser iridotomy procedure, I'd have probably gone blind at some point. 😕😫😳 Yep, my next trick is how many things wrong with my body can I actually achieve in the next few weeks... 🤣

Happened to me at 27

Think I was into my 50s before needed varifocal contacts. Then developed cataracts, had surgery. Now no need for contacts or specs. Every cloud ....,,,

@bradypuss Yes, I first got glasses for short sightedness at age 22, very slight prescription to start with, gradually increasing to my current minus 3. At about age 45 it started to get less comfortable to read with glasses on, but for some years could still manage. Now 60 and have had a decade of having to take them off to read. Don't see it as a problem at all and so glad not to need reading glasses 😁.

48 and no glasses here. Not even for reading.

I was very short sighted. I had lazer surgery and eye sight was great until about 50. Distance is still great, but reading in dim light is poor. Fine in normal light. I've had reading glasses,for dim light, for 2 years. I'm nearly 56.

I am 52. Had glasses for distance since aged 28. Never needed reading glasses. I got told the same by my optician at 40. Wrong

Mid-sixties and more shortsighted than you. I can read perfectly with my single-vision glasses. When I wear contact lenses I need to use reading glasses, but my distance vision is amazing.

I decide between them based on what I’ll be doing that day, plus vanity.

Alright show off 🤪

Varifocals here for husband and me in 40s….only downside is they are extortionate

glasses are gorgeous

@ThisMustBeMyDream glasses look awful on me and hurt one side of my head (typical). So monovision contact lens prescription has been a godsend for me