Glasses/Contacts/Lasik advice, please!

[Irishgrrrl]

DH is getting an eye exam tomorrow night, and he''s dragging me with him to get my eyes examined too. I''ve never had my eyes checked, and I''m 31 years old. (I know, I know . . . I''m horrible!) I think I must be nearsighted, because I do have trouble reading things that are far away (like some fast food restaurant menus with smallish print that are posted on the wall behind the counter, street signs while I''m driving, etc.). However, my near vision is great. I''m fine when working on the computer or reading a book. So, I''m pretty sure that the eye doctor is going to tell me that I need glasses/contacts for driving and any situation where I need to be able to clearly see/read things that are far away.

The doctor that we''re going to see is able to evaluate whether I would be a good candidate for Lasik. I would DEFINITELY like to explore that option, but from what I understand, I would need to wear glasses/contacts for a period of time first to make sure my prescription is staying the same and not changing over time.

So, for those of you who are nearsighted, I have a few questions:

1. Do you have glasses, contacts or both? I guess I''m wondering, if you choose to wear contacts, do you need to have a back-up pair of glasses too?

2. Do you have to wear your glasses/contacts all the time, or do you only wear them when you know you''ll need to see things at a distance?

3. If you do wear them all the time, do they have any negative effect on your near vision (like do they make it harder to see things up close)?

4. Is it hard to get used to wearing contacts? (I think I would prefer contacts over glasses, but I''m not sure.)

5. What can I expect the eye exam to be like? Does it hurt?

I''m a little weirded out by all this . . . I''m really not looking forward to some guy poking around at my eyes and then telling me I need to wear glasses for the rest of my life.

 

[SapphireLover]

Date: 2/17/2010 11:30:59 AM
Author:Irishgrrrl
So, for those of you who are nearsighted, I have a few questions:


1. Do you have glasses, contacts or both? I guess I''m wondering, if you choose to wear contacts, do you need to have a back-up pair of glasses too? Yes. I have both. Rubbish glasses that I can fall asleep in and it doesn''t matter if I bend the arms, a nicer pair of glasses for wearing out the house and contacts. You do need glasses as a back up, if you have an eye infection, are flying etc.


2. Do you have to wear your glasses/contacts all the time, or do you only wear them when you know you''ll need to see things at a distance?Wear them all the time, from when I wake up to going to bed. Even need glasses to watch tv in bed.


3. If you do wear them all the time, do they have any negative effect on your near vision (like do they make it harder to see things up close)? Nope, my vision close up is perfect. I can read the teeniest tiniest of writing


4. Is it hard to get used to wearing contacts? (I think I would prefer contacts over glasses, but I''m not sure.)Nope, they are easy to get used to. It took me a while to find the right type for me. I don''t like daily disposables. I use a monthly disposable that holds a higher water content so they feel fresher for longer, called Optix


5. What can I expect the eye exam to be like? Does it hurt?Nope. The only weird thing is when they blow a jet of cold air onto your eye to test the pressure. Apart from that there is no contact with your eye at all. Its just shining lights into the back of it, putting lenses on and reading letters out loud.


I''m a little weirded out by all this . . . I''m really not looking forward to some guy poking around at my eyes and then telling me I need to wear glasses for the rest of my life.

 

[stephbolt]

Date: 2/17/2010 11:30:59 AM
Author:Irishgrrrl
DH is getting an eye exam tomorrow night, and he''s dragging me with him to get my eyes examined too. I''ve never had my eyes checked, and I''m 31 years old. (I know, I know . . . I''m horrible!) I think I must be nearsighted, because I do have trouble reading things that are far away (like some fast food restaurant menus with smallish print that are posted on the wall behind the counter, street signs while I''m driving, etc.). However, my near vision is great. I''m fine when working on the computer or reading a book. So, I''m pretty sure that the eye doctor is going to tell me that I need glasses/contacts for driving and any situation where I need to be able to clearly see/read things that are far away.

The doctor that we''re going to see is able to evaluate whether I would be a good candidate for Lasik. I would DEFINITELY like to explore that option, but from what I understand, I would need to wear glasses/contacts for a period of time first to make sure my prescription is staying the same and not changing over time.

So, for those of you who are nearsighted, I have a few questions:

1. Do you have glasses, contacts or both? I guess I''m wondering, if you choose to wear contacts, do you need to have a back-up pair of glasses too?

2. Do you have to wear your glasses/contacts all the time, or do you only wear them when you know you''ll need to see things at a distance?

3. If you do wear them all the time, do they have any negative effect on your near vision (like do they make it harder to see things up close)?

4. Is it hard to get used to wearing contacts? (I think I would prefer contacts over glasses, but I''m not sure.)

5. What can I expect the eye exam to be like? Does it hurt?

I''m a little weirded out by all this . . . I''m really not looking forward to some guy poking around at my eyes and then telling me I need to wear glasses for the rest of my life.

I have worn glasses or contacts most of the time since I was 9 years old. From 13 to 22, I wore contacts. Had LASIK at 22. Now five years out from that, I wear glasses again all the time.

Before my LASIK, my eyes were bad enough that I needed the glasses all the time - I couldn''t even see my fingernails if I held my hand out in front of me. Even though I preferred contacts, I had a pair of glasses as well, nice for when you are falling asleep watching TV, or you don''t feel well and are just vegging out.

A few years after my LASIK, when my eyes were first getting a little bit bad again, I only wore my glasses during grad school classes or while driving at night. Over time I found myself wearing them more and more. I did have contacts that I would wear some days, but I ran out of them and haven''t refilled it, because I am hopefully having a LASIK touchup in the near future.

I''ve never noticed any effect on my near vision from wearing glasses. I know this can be an issue as you get older though.

In my opinion, soft contacts are very easy to get used to. Learning to put them in and out can be tricky but your doctor should be used to teaching people to do it.

The exam shouldn''t hurt at all. Some of the eye drops that they will use may cause a little discomfort, stinging, light sensitivity, etc. Basically they will evaluate your vision by having you read letters on the wall to check vision, have you follow a light to check tracking, look at the surface of your eye and into it with lights and lenses. They will dialate your pupil with drops before doing this part of it. They may blow a puff of air into your eye to check the pressure. They also may use a tool that touches the surface of your eye which tests...something...i forget what. If they do it they will numb your eye first with drops.

Now that I''ve written a novel, I''ll stop. Good luck, let me know if you have questions on LASIK, I could write another novel on my experiences with that.

 

[Lorelei]

The exam shouldn't hurt at all. Some of the eye drops that they will use may cause a little discomfort, stinging, light sensitivity, etc. Basically they will evaluate your vision by having you read letters on the wall to check vision, have you follow a light to check tracking, look at the surface of your eye and into it with lights and lenses. They will dialate your pupil with drops before doing this part of it. They may blow a puff of air into your eye to check the pressure. They also may use a tool that touches the surface of your eye which tests...something...i forget what. If they do it they will numb your eye first with drops.

Now that I've written a novel, I'll stop. Good luck, let me know if you have questions on LASIK, I could write another novel on my experiences with that.

That part is " fun" as you end up with coal black eyes as your pupils are so dilated! This is what ladies in olden days used to do to make their eyes look bigger for " beauty," I think it was arsenicum drops they used for this purpose.

Last time I had this done I couldn't see properly for hours and I certainly couldn't see well enough to drive so if you have this done, make sure you have a DD with you. This is the worst part of the exam if they do it. Also they puff a little air into the eyes to check the ocular pressure ( I think this checks for glaucoma), its a ' surprise' when it happens but it doesn't hurt.

Emm, my close up vision isn't great and my distance isn't superb either, I have recently been fitted with some glasses which have varifocal lenses ( close up bottom of lens/ distance upper part). They took a little getting used to but I am fine with them now.

I will see if I can find my buddy Lestat, he works in this field so might have some good advice for you!

 

[OUpearlgirl]

1. Do you have glasses, contacts or both? I guess I''m wondering, if you choose to wear contacts, do you need to have a back-up pair of glasses too?
I have both. I wore glasses for a few years before I got contacts, but I was also pretty young. I need a backup pair of glasses because I have pretty bad allergies and there are some days I just can''t get my contacts in.

2. Do you have to wear your glasses/contacts all the time, or do you only wear them when you know you''ll need to see things at a distance?
I wear them all of the time. You may be surprised what you can see once you have glasses or contacts. I remember the first time I ever had glasses on I was AMAZED at the detail I could see. If you have never been to an eye doctor, who knows! Your vision could be worse than you think.

3. If you do wear them all the time, do they have any negative effect on your near vision (like do they make it harder to see things up close)?
No, I actually can see things up close better as well (and I thought I could see all of those things just fine!)

4. Is it hard to get used to wearing contacts? (I think I would prefer contacts over glasses, but I''m not sure.)
It was hard for the first couple of days. The first five minutes they kind of hurt, like as if you have an eyelash in your eye. But once you are used to them you don''t feel them unless they are dirty or dry.

5. What can I expect the eye exam to be like? Does it hurt?
You will look through a lot of lenses and choose which is clearer between the two of them. Some eye doctors do the exam differently. You will probably be tested for glaucoma, and they puff a little bit of air into your eye to do so. It doesn''t hurt. I think some parts of the exam can be slightly uncomfortable, but no, it''s never hurt.

You''ll be okay, I promise! I''d rather go to the optometrist than the dentist!

 

[karpouzi]

Date: 2/17/2010 11:30:59 AM
Author:Irishgrrrl
DH is getting an eye exam tomorrow night, and he''s dragging me with him to get my eyes examined too. I''ve never had my eyes checked, and I''m 31 years old. (I know, I know . . . I''m horrible!) I think I must be nearsighted, because I do have trouble reading things that are far away (like some fast food restaurant menus with smallish print that are posted on the wall behind the counter, street signs while I''m driving, etc.). However, my near vision is great. I''m fine when working on the computer or reading a book. So, I''m pretty sure that the eye doctor is going to tell me that I need glasses/contacts for driving and any situation where I need to be able to clearly see/read things that are far away.

The doctor that we''re going to see is able to evaluate whether I would be a good candidate for Lasik. I would DEFINITELY like to explore that option, but from what I understand, I would need to wear glasses/contacts for a period of time first to make sure my prescription is staying the same and not changing over time.

So, for those of you who are nearsighted, I have a few questions:

1. Do you have glasses, contacts or both? I guess I''m wondering, if you choose to wear contacts, do you need to have a back-up pair of glasses too? Both. I wear contacts out, but around the house I wear glasses if I need to. I''m nearsighted like you--I need glasses to watch TV or do anything that requires farther-away vision than that, but not to read.

2. Do you have to wear your glasses/contacts all the time, or do you only wear them when you know you''ll need to see things at a distance? I only need to wear them to see at a distance, but of course I wear contacts all day--I don''t take them out to read.

3. If you do wear them all the time, do they have any negative effect on your near vision (like do they make it harder to see things up close)? The contacts don''t have any negative effect at all. Glasses, I do take off when I read. It isn''t harder to read with them on; it''s just more comfortable without them, since I don''t need them.

4. Is it hard to get used to wearing contacts? (I think I would prefer contacts over glasses, but I''m not sure.) Nope, it''s easy and disposables make this even more comfortable. I use monthlies, but you could use weeklies or even dailies!

5. What can I expect the eye exam to be like? Does it hurt? No.

I''m a little weirded out by all this . . . I''m really not looking forward to some guy poking around at my eyes and then telling me I need to wear glasses for the rest of my life.

Now for my opinion on LASIK. I would have considered it if my vision were really bad. But my vision isn''t terrible--and it sounds like yours is even better than mine--so glasses/contacts are just a minor inconvenience. Personally, I thought about LASIK but I didn''t want to get totally elective surgery on my eyes.

 

[somethingshiny]

I've worn glasses since 8, contacts since 14 and worked in eye dr offices for several years.

1. I wear both. However, if you don't have a "necessary RX" meaning you HAVE to wear them to drive legally, you don't need a back-up pair of glasses.

2. I HAVE to wear corrective lenses all the time.

3. The negative impact on near vision (if you're nearsighted) increases with the Rx. For example: My glasses are around -6.5. But, for reading I only require about a -5.5. So I need plus one to give me perfect near vision. I could wear bifocals to create the correction, but I just compensate by where I hold my book. If you only require a -1.0 most likely you'll take them off to read if they annoy you.

4. Contacts are only hard to get used to if you have a bad fit. The downfall with contacts for a slight Rx is that they may interfere with your close reading because you won't take them out. The easiest and quickest way to get used to contacts is to wear them for 2-4 hrs the first day and then increase your wearing time by an hour or two a day. At the end of a week you should be able to wear them all day comfortably.

5. An eye exam doesn't hurt. The puff of air is only done in some offices. More often is a device that actually touches your eye after it's been numbed. It sounds creepy, but if your dr does it that way, you really won't even know it. You'll be prescreened before the exam. This is usually when you give a verbal history of diseases in your family and any eye injuries you've sustained. If the office uses a puff of air to check your pressure, the tech will most likely do it during the prescreening. Then you'll look at the eye chart and see how far you can read. After the dr comes in he/she will introduce his/herself and sit down (usually popping a tic tac because they get VERY close). They will use a device to look into your eye to check your optic nerve, retina, etc. The entire health of your eye will be checked. There may be a few other tests depending on what is "normal" for that office. A visual field may be done to check your peripheral and central vision. An autorefraction may be done to get a starting point for an Rx. If you're interested in contacts, additional measuring tests will be performed. The tech will often perform most of these tests. Then the dr will refract you. You will sit in a chair with a giant pair of "glasses" in front of you. The dr will flip around the lenses asking you which is better. As you answer, he/she will continue to change the lenses. When you notice no more change, your Rx is found. The dr will talk to you about glasses vs contacts. A tech will teach you to put in contacts and how to take care of them. And/or you'll choose glasses to be made. If you go with contacts, you'll be asked to come back in a week or so to check the fit and function of the lenses. If everything is good, you'll order your supply at that appt. If anything is uncomfortable or not working properly, you'll have options to try different lenses.


Lasik is generally not considered until your eyes have stabilized. You won't know for at least a year or two. I'm 30 and my eyes are still changing.

Sorry for the huge post!!

Good luck, you'll be fine!

eta~ If your office does dilate your eyes, your vision will be blurry and you'll be light sensitive for a few hours. Bring sunglasses and a driver if you're nervous. The dilation is done to increase the size of your pupil so the dr can see in clearly. Some offices don't dilate at every exam.

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Thank you for the info, everyone! This is all very helpful!

I did think of another question, though: I think I''ve heard of a type of contacts where you put them in and then just leave them in for days at a time (maybe like a week?) and you don''t have to take them out to sleep or anything. Do these really exist, or am I just confused? LOL! I think something like this might be a good option for me, since I''m a "set it and forget it" type of person.

 

[somethingshiny]

yes, there are weekly, biweekly and monthly lenses that you do not take out. You may need to drop some saline in your eyes to refresh the lens in the morning. Most dr''s will not start with these lenses because your eyes aren''t used to anything in them yet. If it is your goal to wear those lenses, tell your dr and he/she will start you on the path.

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Date: 2/17/2010 12:17:28 PM
Author: somethingshiny
yes, there are weekly, biweekly and monthly lenses that you do not take out. You may need to drop some saline in your eyes to refresh the lens in the morning. Most dr''s will not start with these lenses because your eyes aren''t used to anything in them yet. If it is your goal to wear those lenses, tell your dr and he/she will start you on the path.

Thank you, Shiny! I think I would like to get to a point eventually where I can wear contacts like this, so I''ll definitely mention it to the doctor. I think this would really be the easiest option for me, at least until I can get LASIK done.

 

[lyra]

If you''re nearsighted, I would think glasses would be the first option you should try. You won''t have to wear them all the time if that''s your only issue. You might only wear them to watch TV and drive, so I don''t know that I would choose contacts that are left in for long periods of time. I would save LASIK for the future too. Start with the least invasive approach and see how often you actually need and use that option.

 

[Arcadian]

Date: 2/17/2010 11:30:59 AM
Author:Irishgrrrl
DH is getting an eye exam tomorrow night, and he''s dragging me with him to get my eyes examined too. I''ve never had my eyes checked, and I''m 31 years old. (I know, I know . . . I''m horrible!) I think I must be nearsighted, because I do have trouble reading things that are far away (like some fast food restaurant menus with smallish print that are posted on the wall behind the counter, street signs while I''m driving, etc.). However, my near vision is great. I''m fine when working on the computer or reading a book. So, I''m pretty sure that the eye doctor is going to tell me that I need glasses/contacts for driving and any situation where I need to be able to clearly see/read things that are far away.

The doctor that we''re going to see is able to evaluate whether I would be a good candidate for Lasik. I would DEFINITELY like to explore that option, but from what I understand, I would need to wear glasses/contacts for a period of time first to make sure my prescription is staying the same and not changing over time.

So, for those of you who are nearsighted, I have a few questions:

1. Do you have glasses, contacts or both? I guess I''m wondering, if you choose to wear contacts, do you need to have a back-up pair of glasses too?

2. Do you have to wear your glasses/contacts all the time, or do you only wear them when you know you''ll need to see things at a distance?

3. If you do wear them all the time, do they have any negative effect on your near vision (like do they make it harder to see things up close)?

4. Is it hard to get used to wearing contacts? (I think I would prefer contacts over glasses, but I''m not sure.)

5. What can I expect the eye exam to be like? Does it hurt?

I''m a little weirded out by all this . . . I''m really not looking forward to some guy poking around at my eyes and then telling me I need to wear glasses for the rest of my life.

I''m farsighted mostly. My script keeps changing the older I get and the glasses continue to get weaker (yay!)

I''ve had glasses since I was 6 because I had horrible eyesight. Back in those days my glasses were -3.50 each eye. I still wear my glasses every day, but take them off when I read books.

I HAVE to use corrective lenses at night when driving, I don''t necessarily need them when I drive during the day anymore my script is so light. But, I do wear them out of habit...its more or less a security blanket.

I have contacts, pretty much hate them. They''re not hard to get used to and they serve a purpose, but glasses are just easier for me. I also look good in glasses which helps.

at my last eye exam I was told I''m a great candidate for lasik. For me its a no go because I really do love my glasses. They''ve never hindered me in anything I want to do.

I hate eye exams, have never liked them, hate the puff of air they do and I HATE the drops URUGH!!!!

Good luck!


-A

 

[LilyKat]

I was nearsighted for years before I got Lasik - which worked brilliantly for me and I love it! But as you rightly say, you need a stable prescription first, which by definition you won't have if you haven't had an eye test before, so forget that for now (but something to consider for the future).

When I was nearsighted, I wore contacts (soft, silicon hydrogel - much better than the old soft type) most of the time when I went out of the house, and glasses when I was around the house. You should definitely get both as there is a limit to how much you can wear most contacts each day. Don't rush to choose a pair of glasses, take your time and try on lots of different styles.

You don't NEED to wear glasses or contacts all the time - only when you feel it is a strain to see without them. For example, if you're watching TV on a large screen and are happy with what you can see, that's fine. I found soft contacts really easy to tolerate, although it does take a few weeks to get the hang of putting them in and taking them out! Gas permeable are pretty uncomfortable at first though, so I'd probably steer clear unless they are strongly recommended to you.

 

[cara]

My coworker''s daughter wears contacts at night that reshape her eyes, and then nothing during the day! I hadn''t heard of that, and thought it was really interesting. Apparently the correction lasts about 1.5 days so she can kind of make it through the second day if she doesn''t wear them one night, but mostly she wears them every night to give her eyes a squeeze back into shape. Apparently she really likes it for sports and giving her better peripheral vision.

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Date: 2/17/2010 2:06:36 PM
Author: cara
My coworker''s daughter wears contacts at night that reshape her eyes, and then nothing during the day! I hadn''t heard of that, and thought it was really interesting. Apparently the correction lasts about 1.5 days so she can kind of make it through the second day if she doesn''t wear them one night, but mostly she wears them every night to give her eyes a squeeze back into shape. Apparently she really likes it for sports and giving her better peripheral vision.

Cara, I think I''ve heard of this. It does sound like a great option, if it would work for me! I''ll definitely ask the doctor about it tomorrow!

Thanks again for all your help, everyone. You''ve answered most of my questions, and I''ll let you know how it goes tomorrow.

 

[elrohwen]

My eyes sound similar to yours. I can read and use the computer without glasses, and actually prefer this as wearing my glasses to do things up close can give me a headache (especially with the computer). I do have some problems reading road signs and things, so I wear my glasses while driving (I take them off and put them in my purse when I arrive). I also wear them for watching tv - I can see the tv fine, but I tend to squint to see just a little better, so it''s better to wear glasses than squint.

I also have contacts, the daily wear kind, and I''ll wear them once and a while if I go to a party, or go into NYC, on vacation, or something where I''d like to be able to see all day and I know I won''t be staring at a computer screen. I just hate wearing my glasses out in public for some reason if I don''t have to.

This part glasses/part contacts system has worked for me a long time. I''ll admit that I''d love to get Lasik, but my money is going towards a house and I can''t justify spending it on my eyes at the moment. If it''s an option for you, I''d definitely look into it! You don''t want to wait too long - my mom tried to get it once she was wearing bifocals, and they can''t totally fix you at that point. So I think it''s best to get it while you''re young and have years to enjoy your perfect vision.

 

[somethingshiny]

The reshaping lenses are called CRT. You can find lots of info about it online. I tried them myself several years ago. Unfortunately, my Rx was just too high to correct this way. The lens flattens your cornea to achieve normal vision. They are definitely uncomfortable. It feels like something is in your eye. You sleep in them nightly for a few nights, get checked, and then alter the wearing schedule as necessary. One of the drs I worked for used this as his permanent method. He was able to pop them in once every few days for the night and the correction would keep for several days. He would use them as a "touch-up" for a couple hours every now and then. As soon as you quit wearing them, your eye will begin to go back to its normal shape so it is not a permanent correction although for suitable candidates it''s an awesome alternative to the invasive Lasik.

 

[sctsbride09]

I have not read all the other posts, so I apologize if Im repeating anyone.

1. I wear contacts or glasses everyday. Usually I wear my contacts during the day, and my glasses at night. If I have a headache, I go for glasses all day, because for some reason contacts can irritate it. You dont NEED to have glasses, (I didnt for years) but if you can afford them easily, I would get them. Your eyes will thank you for the break.

2.I need my glasses/contacts all the time. Im almost legally blind without them.

3.Honestly, Ive never noticed having any vision problems with contacts because im so happy to see. (see above

)

4. For some people contacts are easy to get in and used to. Others, not so much. Example, I started wearing contacts at 11, no problems at all. My mom (who wanted to try them for eye color, not vision) needed my help for over an hour to get them in, the minute they got in, she blinked and they popped right out. I think the only way you will know which category you fall in is by trying some on.

5. An eye exam is completely painless. The only thing that is slightly uncomfortable for me is the way my eyes feel after a glaucoma(sp?) test. Which, btw, if you are getting one done, will need someone to drive you. They dialate your eyes and your eyes are pretty sensitive for a few hours after.

Sorry about the novel, I hope your appointment goes well.

 

[perry]

I''ve had glasses since age 7.

I wear them all the time - except when sleeping, swimming, etc.

I have severe enough astigmatism that normal contact lenses won''t work - and the special ones were too expensive to consider.

The story about lasix (and other) surguries where people need glasses again down the road are in fact fairly common. Do not consider it a permanent solution.

Many peoples eyes naturally get worse with age - and never truely stabilize. Near vision deteriorates on a very predictable curve above age 45.

Because of how bad my vision is... I had considered surgury many years ago. I was told 2 things:

1) they would not guarantee that I would not need glasses when done - only that I would need less strong glasses.

2) They would not guarantee that I could see as well as I could see with my glasses. That was very important as I naturally correct to 20/15 with glasses - which is one reason I''m a good whitewater slalam canoe/kayak judge. Those were the years when I was working world championships and aiming for the Olympics (which I did judge in 1996) - and I wasn''t going to mess that up.

3) That it was likely that I would need glasses again in the future (or stronger glasses).

Needless to say - I skipped on it.

I have a brother with similar vision who did Lasix a few years ago - and was wearing glasses again within a year. But much less strong than before.

At some point I will give up on judging kayak racing - and may consider at that time. Even if not perfect - it would be a huge improvement over what I can do now without glasses.


I personally believe that Lasix is oversold. Be sure you really understand the pro''s and con''s - and the limitations.

Glasses and contacts are not that hard to get used to.


Hope this helps,

Perry

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 2/17/2010 11:30:59 AM
Author:Irishgrrrl
DH is getting an eye exam tomorrow night, and he''s dragging me with him to get my eyes examined too. I''ve never had my eyes checked, and I''m 31 years old. (I know, I know . . . I''m horrible!) I think I must be nearsighted, because I do have trouble reading things that are far away (like some fast food restaurant menus with smallish print that are posted on the wall behind the counter, street signs while I''m driving, etc.). However, my near vision is great. I''m fine when working on the computer or reading a book. So, I''m pretty sure that the eye doctor is going to tell me that I need glasses/contacts for driving and any situation where I need to be able to clearly see/read things that are far away.


The doctor that we''re going to see is able to evaluate whether I would be a good candidate for Lasik. I would DEFINITELY like to explore that option, but from what I understand, I would need to wear glasses/contacts for a period of time first to make sure my prescription is staying the same and not changing over time.


So, for those of you who are nearsighted, I have a few questions:


1. Do you have glasses, contacts or both? I guess I''m wondering, if you choose to wear contacts, do you need to have a back-up pair of glasses too?

I used to have both glasses and contacts, and I got LASIK done last spring (Feb. or March). When I did have glasses/contacts, I wore contacts all the time except to sleep, and I had a back-up pair of glasses. There are days when my eyes would be irritated (from dryness, or lack of sleep, or whatever, but I was so near-sighted that I really needed the glasses if I weren''t wearing contacts). Unless your eyes aren''t that bad, I would recommend having both - mine were pretty bad so visual aids were a must almost all the time

2. Do you have to wear your glasses/contacts all the time, or do you only wear them when you know you''ll need to see things at a distance?

I needed mine for almost everything. I also have astigmatism in one eye, which didn''t help. Basically I can read without them fairly comfortably since I was near-sighted but for anything else, I used glasses or contacts. I''ve been wearing glasses since 4th grade so it''s just uncomfortable not wearing them b/c the blurriness is so bad.


3. If you do wear them all the time, do they have any negative effect on your near vision (like do they make it harder to see things up close)?

Nope. Never had a problem while wearing my contacts/glasses with near vision


4. Is it hard to get used to wearing contacts? (I think I would prefer contacts over glasses, but I''m not sure.)

Not with soft. It''ll be a bit uncomfortable putting them in and taking them out for a while since you''re not used to it (and some people are more sensitive with their eyes than others - not me though, I can touch my eyeball, no problem). I actually started with hard contacts in 7th grade. I do NOT recommend those. Those are uncomfortable, and when even the slightest mote of dust gets in or on them, it is excruciating. Not to mention I was terrified that it would get stuck in the back of my eyeball or something. Soft contacts are totally different and super comfy as long as you take good care of them (even with non-rubbing solution, it''s still good to clean/rub the contacts to get the proteins off) and replacing them regularly.


5. What can I expect the eye exam to be like? Does it hurt?

Shouldn''t hurt. I don''t like the part where they blow air into your eyes to test pressure, I think, but it''s a very short and minor discomfort. Everything else - can''t think of anything else that''s painful.


I''m a little weirded out by all this . . . I''m really not looking forward to some guy poking around at my eyes and then telling me I need to wear glasses for the rest of my life.

Finally, I did get LASIK as soon as I was able (I was 23 when I got it last year). It changed my life

Contacts and glasses are great and for me was a good stopgap but LASIK was the permanent way to go for me. Not all people are good candidates for LASIK though (depends on how bad your vision is and how thick/thin your cornea is since they reshape it). If your vision problem is something that you can remedy by wearing glasses part of the time, I would try that first.

Good luck!

 

[Haven]

Hey Irishgrrrl! I'm nearsighted, and I've been wearing glasses or contacts since the 8th grade.

1. Do you have glasses, contacts or both? I guess I'm wondering, if you choose to wear contacts, do you need to have a back-up pair of glasses too?
I have both glasses and contacts. I prefer to wear contacts, and I typically only wear my glasses at night while I'm puttering around the house.

2. Do you have to wear your glasses/contacts all the time, or do you only wear them when you know you'll need to see things at a distance?
I have to wear either glasses or contacts whenever I'm awake because my eyes have very different prescriptions. My left eye is -4.75 and my right is only -0.75 so I get very dizzy if I don't wear my contacts.

3. If you do wear them all the time, do they have any negative effect on your near vision (like do they make it harder to see things up close)?
I don't think so, no.

4. Is it hard to get used to wearing contacts? (I think I would prefer contacts over glasses, but I'm not sure.)
I started out wearing hard contacts and those were difficult to wear. However, I've been wearing soft contacts for years and they are super easy to wear, in my opinion.

5. What can I expect the eye exam to be like? Does it hurt?
No, don't worry! It doesn't hurt at all. I sometimes leave with a bit of a headache from concentrating so hard on the tiny letters, but that's the worst of it. They don't even do the glaucoma puff-of-air anymore, it's something else (can't remember what) that doesn't include puffing air into your eye, so yay!

 

[Amandine]

Date: 2/17/2010 11:30:59 AM
Author:Irishgrrrl
DH is getting an eye exam tomorrow night, and he''s dragging me with him to get my eyes examined too. I''ve never had my eyes checked, and I''m 31 years old. (I know, I know . . . I''m horrible!) I think I must be nearsighted, because I do have trouble reading things that are far away (like some fast food restaurant menus with smallish print that are posted on the wall behind the counter, street signs while I''m driving, etc.). However, my near vision is great. I''m fine when working on the computer or reading a book. So, I''m pretty sure that the eye doctor is going to tell me that I need glasses/contacts for driving and any situation where I need to be able to clearly see/read things that are far away.


The doctor that we''re going to see is able to evaluate whether I would be a good candidate for Lasik. I would DEFINITELY like to explore that option, but from what I understand, I would need to wear glasses/contacts for a period of time first to make sure my prescription is staying the same and not changing over time.


So, for those of you who are nearsighted, I have a few questions:


1. Do you have glasses, contacts or both? I guess I''m wondering, if you choose to wear contacts, do you need to have a back-up pair of glasses too?
I have both. My vision is terrible, and I couldn''t function without something to correct it. I wear contacts all day, and glasses right before bed and when I wake up. Part of the reason I don''t wear the glasses more is that the one thing I am self conscious about is how thick the lenses are.


2. Do you have to wear your glasses/contacts all the time, or do you only wear them when you know you''ll need to see things at a distance?
All the time.

3. If you do wear them all the time, do they have any negative effect on your near vision (like do they make it harder to see things up close)?
Don''t know, can barely see my hand a foot in front of my face without it being fuzzy.

4. Is it hard to get used to wearing contacts? (I think I would prefer contacts over glasses, but I''m not sure.)
I have been wearing them since my freshman year of high school, so I don''t really remember the adjustment period. I wear dailies, as I have dry eye and a rather quick protein build up. I find them very comfortable, no complaints. In fact, I like them better then my glasses as I actually have peripheral vision while wearing them. I don''t have that with my glasses, due to my really strong prescription.

5. What can I expect the eye exam to be like? Does it hurt?
No, it doesn''t hurt. I don''t need the dilation drops anymore, either. My doctor uses this machine that you press you face up to, and it basically takes a digital picture of the inside of your eye. What is nice about this is that he can compare the picture to ones from previous years. I really like this, as I have a family history of macular degeneration and cataracts. It costs more, but for me, it is totally worth it.

I''m a little weirded out by all this . . . I''m really not looking forward to some guy poking around at my eyes and then telling me I need to wear glasses for the rest of my life.

 

[pennquaker09]

1. Do you have glasses, contacts or both? I guess I''m wondering, if you choose to wear contacts, do you need to have a back-up pair of glasses too?

Both. I''ve had glasses since I was around 8. I don''t recall who said it, but I have more than one pair. I have those that I can fall asleep in and I have nice ones (Paul Smith probably are the nicest ones I have and if I broke those, I would cry. I''m serious.). I''ve worn contacts since high school.

2. Do you have to wear your glasses/contacts all the time, or do you only wear them when you know you''ll need to see things at a distance?

I have to wear them all the time. However, I can''t really read in my contacts, unless I''m reading on my Kindle. But I would say I have a 5 minute window before everything starts going blurry.

3. If you do wear them all the time, do they have any negative effect on your near vision (like do they make it harder to see things up close)?

I don''t think so.

4. Is it hard to get used to wearing contacts? (I think I would prefer contacts over glasses, but I''m not sure.)

My first contacts were Acuvue Advance and they sucked ROYALLY. They would dry out constantly. Now, I wear Acuvue Oasys and they are AMAZING. Generally, if you elect to wear contacts Oasys is the first one your doctor will try. I think the next brand would be the O2 Optix. I don''t think they''re hard to get used to at all. With the Oasys, I don''t even think you''ll know they''re in.

5. What can I expect the eye exam to be like? Does it hurt?

It''s relatively uneventful. Some doctors check pressure with a puff of air, but it doesn''t hurt.

 

[Haven]

Penn--I recently switch from Acuvue Advanced to O2 Optix and I really love them. They are wonderful.

 

[yssie]

Nearsighted - not too badly (though I guess I don''t personally have a standard of comparison/>)


I wear my glasses while driving and I used to need them to see the board in classes. I have two pairs at two different prescriptions, one is too mild but it clears things up just enough to drive and I can wear them comfortably for hours. The other is a bit too strong, I believe - half an hour and I''ve got a throbbing headache (I can see ants across the road with them, though).


I have contacts for tennis and riding but they bother my eyes, so I try to avoid them. I''ve heard that they stop irritating you the more you wear them, I just can''t stomach it

Parts can be a bit uncomfy like sctsbride said, but it won''t hurt

Good luck!! Some clinics have these really cool photo thingies that take pictures of the insides of your eyes and let you keep them - that''s always fun

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Thanks, guys!

I am getting less nervous, since I''ve read everyone''s replies here. It seems like the exam won''t be a big deal, and there are a lot of options out there for me other than just wearing glasses 24/7 (which I really want to avoid if possible). I''ll definitely be glad when tonight''s appointment is over with, though!

 

[Allison D.]

1. Do you have glasses, contacts or both? I guess I''m wondering, if you choose to wear contacts, do you need to have a back-up pair of glasses too?

I have both, as does everyone I know who wears contacts. There are some conditions that aren''t contacts-friendly (i.e. eye irritation due to allergies, sustained crying, eye fatigue, sinus ailments, etc.) where glasses make more sense. Also, your eyes need oxygen to maintain good eye health, so it''s a good idea to give your eyes a break for a day or two and glasses are a must then.

2. Do you have to wear your glasses/contacts all the time, or do you only wear them when you know you''ll need to see things at a distance?

For practical purposes, yes. If they fit properly, you don''t feel them at all, so it really doesn''t make sense to wear them only occasionally. You''ll find that once you can see all the fine details you''ve been missing, you won''t WANT to sacrifice any vision by not wearing corrective lenses (whether glasses or contacts).
3. If you do wear them all the time, do they have any negative effect on your near vision (like do they make it harder to see things up close)?

No, they don''t affect short-range vision. I''ve worn them since I was 21 and only now at almost 45 is short-range loss of vision creeping up, and it''s the result of age, not a deterioration from contact lens use.
4. Is it hard to get used to wearing contacts? (I think I would prefer contacts over glasses, but I''m not sure.)

I wouldn''t say it''s ''hard'', per se; the key to ease in wearing them is desensitizing your eye to being touched. When most people touch their eyes, the natural reaction is to blink. It''s almost like being ticklish. For me, a week of practicing putting them in/taking them out helped to speed the process of overcoming the blink instinct. Once you''re by that, contact lens use is a breeze. I''ve never considered lasik surgery because I don''t feel the benefits are worth the potential risk. I only have one pair of eyes, and I''m unwilling to put them at risk for unwanted side effects when wearing contacts is just SO easy.
5. What can I expect the eye exam to be like? Does it hurt?

No, it doesn''t hurt. Most of it is measuring your eye with a light (almost like cartography, the instruments maps your eye shape), etc. It''s a breeze.

 

[Irishgrrrl]

OK, as I expected, it was mostly bad news.

The only good news is, my near vision is very good and I don''t really need corrective lenses for that at all. The bad news is, my far vision sucks. I''m near-sighted, and I have a mild case of astigmatism which will probably worsen as I get older. The vision in my left eye is slightly worse than my right. He told me that I don''t have to wear corrective lenses 24/7, and my vision is juuuust good enough that I don''t need a flag on my driver''s license (yet). He recommends corrective lenses while I''m driving (not because I legally need them, but because it would make life easier for me) and anytime I need to see something at a distance (like reading subtitles while watching a movie for example). Since I don''t really NEED corrective lenses 24/7, he recommended glasses. However, I know how I am, and I just don''t think I can get into the habit of wearing glasses. I really don''t like the way they feel on my face . . . even sunglasses bother me and I rarely wear them. If I were to get glasses, I could see me forgetting to put them on when I need to, or possibly losing them. With contacts, I can just put them in and forget about it until I need to take them out.

When he had me look through the test lenses during the exam, he found me a prescription that will correct my vision to 20/20. I noticed that those lenses made my near vision even better, while correcting my far vision problems. So, for that reason and for the reason that I don''t think I could stand to wear glasses, I''m getting contacts. Grrr.

Which, of course, brings up a whole new set of questions for all you contact-wearers out there! LOL! The doctor is ordering me a set of contact lenses to try out. They''re the 30-day wear variety, where you can wear them overnight and just throw them out at the end of a month and replace them with a new pair. I understand that you can also get weekly ones, daily ones, or the permanent kind that you just keep forever or until you need a new prescription. Which variety do you all use and why? How often do you clean yours? Do you wear them while you sleep? Would I need to clean the monthly ones at all, or can I just wear them non-stop for 30 days straight? Maybe the daily ones would be better, since I would never have to clean them . . . just throw them out at the end of the day and put a new pair in the next morning. I''m SO clueless about this stuff! I don''t know what I''d do without you guys!

 

[LilyKat]

I used to use the 30-day daily wear ones, that I took out at night. It takes about a minute to clean them at the end of the day - just rub and rinse in the all-in-one solution and keep in the case overnight. Make sure you get silicone hydrogel ones as they allow much more oxygen into the eye, so are healthier.

My friend uses the constant-wear 30-day variety and gets on fine with it, but there is a higher risk of eye infections and running into low-oxygen complications. You don't have to touch them or clean them at all for 30 days, but you might want to give your eyes a short break (a couple of days) inbetween.

Honestly, if you don't need vision correction all the time, I would re-consider getting glasses for as-needed wear. Contact lenses do carry risks that I'm not sure I would take if I hadn't been so nearsighted - as well as the whole comfort factor (I could always feel them in my eyes at the end of the day). In your position, I would get glasses in a cute case to keep in your bag, and a stash of single-use contacts for special occasions - but of course it's up to you

I would at least keep one pair of glasses as a back-up, as there will be times when you just can't wear contacts (eg with an eye infection, if your eyes are dry etc) and you may need to drive.

 

[elrohwen]

Well, that''s not so bad!

I use daily contacts - I still use my glasses off and on and the contacts give me a headache when I read. I like them because if they start bothering me while away from home, I can just chuck them in the trash. However, they''re expensive if you actually want to wear them every day, so I don''t recommend them for that reason.

DH wears ones he''s supposed to take out every night and replace once every 2 weeks. He usually wears them for at least a month though before getting out a new pair

Cleaning really isn''t a big deal - you just put them in the case with solution and done. You don''t have to scrub and clean like the old contacts.

I''d love to try the ones you can leave in and forget about! One problem to look out for is that if you get something in your eye with contacts, it can be harder to get out again. I tend to get stuff in my eyes while working with animals (hay, hair, etc) and if I have contacts in it causes a big problem. If I don''t have contacts in, my eyes just flush it out again. Not sure if everybody has this problem, but I found I couldn''t wear contacts to the barn. Just keep in it mind and maybe bring a case and some solution to the barn in case you need to take them out or rinse them off.