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.

Got to mid to 40s before needing to go to varifocals. Didn't get on with them, so next pair were single vision. Current pair are varifocals and get on with them fine. Sometimes take glasses off and put what I am reading up close too though if sat at home. My eyesight is worse that yours though. My lenses have been classed as complex (over -10 for years) and current lenses are about -12.5.

Can never remember the long-short sighted things - I've always had less than great but not terrible eyesight for things far away - glasses for driving.

I'm having no difficulties with reading or close-up things (aged 46) but am aware that a lot of my mates my age have acquired reading glasses, and my sister (44) has just got some.

@ThisMustBeMyDream - does your mum take off her distance glasses for reading?
My problem with reading (I'm 50) is with my contacts in (I'm short sightsighted), without my contacts my reading is fine. So I either use reading glasses with my contacts in, or take the contacts off to read fine, but need glasses for driving etc.

44 and had my first varifocals last week, after a couple of years of needing to take my normal glasses off to read.

Haven't read all comments but I am 64 and very shortsighted. Wear RPG (hard) lenses with different prescriptions, one for distance and one for reading so don't need reading glasses. Had a headache for a few days while I got used to them but work very well.

My partner wears varifocal contact lenses and gets on really well with them.

I've got really dry eyes so have to wear glasses and mine are varifocals as well.

We're 43 and 49.

My mother was 60s before she needed reading glasses , I've needed them from late teens my eyesight is worse everytime I get an eyetest since then . 40s now and cannot see when it's dark/ getting dark without glasses .

I’m 48. Like a PP I had assumed that getting more long sighted with age would simply result in me becoming less shortsighted.

No, after over 15 years of no prescription changes I’ve just recently got more shortsighted (-6 to -7). I don’t have trouble reading yet but I’m horrified to learn that I can be both at the same time!

Hah.
Day after my 40th i had an eye test and started wearing glasses full time.
Moved on to Varifocals at 45.
Sorry OP. It was exactly as predicted for me.

I managed to get to 50, had perfect eyesight until then.

Got to early 50's before needing varifocals, managed by just removing glasses for reading before this.

I (52) have glasses for distance and have since I was 11 - probably needed them long before that as I couldn't read the blackboard and had to sit at the front like a swot.
To see anything close up/read/sew I now have to take them off.

DH (62) is the same.

I (-6.5, 5.25) was 47 when I needed varifocals.
DH (-8, -8) was 49.

It's not a secret, and very common in shortsighted people.

Yep. Got long distance glasses in my 20s and then hit my 40s and it’s the varifocals. Late 40s now and I’ve an extra pair to use on a computer - varifocal should do this but mine don’t. I’ve also found it useful to use them on flights to see the tv screen.

I tried contact lenses ages ago and decided they weren’t for me. My eyes get too dry. Tried various types. Re tried them but was told I’d need separate reading glasses for the up close element. Another option I was told to try was reading prescription in one eye and distance in the other eye. I walked out of the opticians and back in as there was no way I could actually drive home.

On a slightly positive note, my distance prescription improved by one this time around so my old glasses were ever so slightly too strong now.

Edited to add I really struggle with my cross stitching now. I even bought one of those light up magnifying glasses.

I needed glasses for distance when I was in my 30s. I'm now 43 and no longer need them at all. I think I'm the only person in my entire family who doesn't wear them though.

Yeah mid 40's here too and got my first pair of vari vocals this year. Cannot see anything without them!!

Yep. 47 and have reading / computer glasses

I’ve always been long sighted, my right eye is still 20/20 but the left has gone very short sighted. Probably from years of computer work. Started off only slight and deteriorated much more once I hit my 40’s

So I need glasses when reading and using the computer.

I'm in my 40s, -12 in one eye, -10 in thr other, developed a cateract at 40, had replacement surgery amd varifocap lenses implanted in both eyes, have a residual long sight of +1 in both eyes managed with occasional use of amazing readers, totally worth it!

I'm slightly short sighted and have worn glasses for driving etc since my late 20's. I'm now 50 and only a little more short sighted with no need for reading glasses. Maybe I'm just lucky

I made it to nearly 50, my optometrist was frankly amazed I’d made it that long without reading glasses.

No...not everyone. I'm way over 40, been short sighted for ages; still don't need reading glasses. Eye test earlier this month confirmed this. It is not inevitable.

Every single person in my family had 20-20 vision - until mid-40s...... every single one.

I have 20-20 vision.....but likely not for long!

Nothing is 100% of course. But yes, I'm afraid reading glasses at 40 is pretty much a fact of life.

42 here

It's called presbyopia. And, yes, it happens to most.