My eyesight appears to be improving...?!?! But its not perfect, please don't tell me varifocals are in order!!!

[pavlovthecat]

I have been short sighted since I was around 11 or so. Have alternated between not wearing glasses when I should (until I went to uni), wearing glasses and wearing contacts. Currently I am wearing glasses as I fancied a change.

I can't really see without correction, although the strength needed to correct it is not horrendous (-2.75 in each eye - both the same). I am not long sighted, as in I can read a book in bed without my glasses on/contacts in, I can read with them on too. For anything further away than a book in bed or very close up work, I do need my glasses. I cannot see writing on the computer, or laptop even well without correction. If I am in a meeting I need my glasses on to be able to see people and the paperwork in front of me, which is just a little too far to focus on. Therefore, I always wear my glasses from getting out of bed.

That is, up to now. I am currently sat in bed with the laptop, and no glasses on. I put them on and they were too strong, everything was out of focus. This has been happening more and more over the last few months, and is very noticeable how quickly it is changing.

At work, if I need to look down at work, I now have to take my glasses off as I am no longer able to see anything well close up with them on. I still wear them for PC work, but could manage without if I needed to, but find that I look down, have to look over my nose at the work, then back up through the glasses for PC work. In meetings, I have conversations with people with glasses on, take them off to concentrate on work, then back on to look at them!

AND, where before I would have to put them back on to have a conversation with some-one, I can now talk to some-one without them on. I still can't see well, but if I am just glancing up from close up work, I can see well enough, I could not before. I can focus well enough on the tv if I can't be bothered to go and get my glasses from another room, although cannot read writing, and I know often go all day at home without wearing them, although I could not leave the house without them.

I thought eyesight was meant to get worse as we got older? If I have to chop and change between wearing and not wearing, does that mean varifocals ! Or should I get some of those half moon glasses, like professor and headteacher stereotypes?!

Have you had an eye test? - it is not that uncommon to get a shift the other way in your vision so your prescription may have reduced.

You may need varifocals. Are you [hush] near/past 40.This has just started happening to me and I fall in this category.

You would need upside down 1/2 moons as they are for reading and you look over for the distance.You'd have to look below them to read so the opposite.So no new stern image

Pavlov - I am very shortsighted (-5.00 or so) and have also noticed improvements recently. My optician said not to worry and that it is one of the few advantages of getting older: basically, shortsightedness improves with age as the eye tends towards longsightedness as it gets older.

I hope he wasn't just trying to console me about having just turned 40 ....!

Ah yes, upside down moons would look daft right? .

I am 32, so, closer to 40 than 20! I had my vision tested about 6 months ago, and all was the same, but I do not recall her checking my reading sight? Maybe she did. This all seems to have changed rapidly in the last 3-4 months?

Varifocals sound like what I need but they are just so uncool aren't they? Or have they moved on from when my mother had a pair with the visible lines in them? When I was an adolescent I refused to wear my glasses out of the house, as mum could not afford 'cool' glasses, and when I became a goth, the ones I had just were not the image I wished to portray. When I went to Uni, I got a fab pair of thick brown orange glasses and finally felt I had a fashion accessory as well as practicality! Not that I am vain, but I am not the most attractive woman in the world (not ugly, but you get what I mean), so I would like any facial adornments to enhance me, not make me look old/boring etc.

But, on the other hand, glasses on and off constantly is also not a good look, nor is squinting at people!

So, theredqueen do you think I should hold off the whole laser treatment for my shortsightedness for now and see how it goes (not that its imminent given the talk of redundancies at work and DH out of work!!).

-5! Wow, that is very shortsighted...DH is -4.25 in one, -4.75 in the other, has to pay a fortune to get them thinned.

To have laser treatment you have to have a stable prescription for a couple of years.

I would go back and tell them you have noticed changes in your sight.

Definitely! You may well turn out to be a medical wonder and have 20/20 vision by Christmas!

Go on then, I admit it: my reading is actually -5.75! Luckily though, I am only shortsighted (no astigmatism etc.), so with glasses I have near perfect sight. But yes, my glasses do cost a pretty penny.

Wings - I should do that really...
Other than this, my prescription has been the same for about 5 years, it got worse in my 20s, then settled down in my late 20's.

If you've got the money then see (pardon the pun) about laser treatment. Best thing I did a year in June. I was really short sighted.

Wings - right now I don't have the money, but I expect over the next year or so it will be possible. Will also give this whole improvement of eyesight to sort itself out a bit. And like Red said, don't want to pay money if I become a medical wonder !

A friend of mine had it done and she loves the results.

Definately get an eye test even though you only went 6 months ago it definately sounds like you have changed.

You are about 10 years too young for varifocals in the normal scheme of things so should just need your prescription reducing.

Might be worth getting a diabetic check done as this can occasionally cause a change in vision if it seems to have been rapid.

They won't do laser until you have been stable for a year at least and if your prescription is reducing you will just get rid of distance spectacles to hit 40ish and need reading spectacles - the headteacher 1/2 moon look.

Oh! So I might end up headteacher glasses ? .

I have actually had a diabetes check, not for that in particular but I had a full blood count for other reasons just before christmas and my glucose levels are fine (4.3 or something) luckily.

Glad I wont be getting varifocals for a while yet!! Will get my eyes tested, shame as I will have to pay. Normally work pays, but I beleive that is only once every 2 years. I might ask them though, they can only say no right?!!

Message withdrawn