Eyeglasses and vision and stuff

[wing]

No one in my family has ever had to wear contacts or glasses. My old man wears occasional reading glasses, but other than that, we've all had good vision. I'm totally blessed, because a lot of my friends--most of them, it seems--need some form of vision correction and have needed it for years.

Anyway, for the past few years, I've noticed my vision is not the best when it comes to distant objects. Everything up front is crystal sharp, everything within 10-20 is just about as sharp, but once you get about 20 feet away things look a little hazy. I just said a LITTLE, so don't think I mean it's Blurryfest '05 or anything.

The only time this ever seems to be noticable is when there is text off in the distance. I don't mean massive billboards or giant restaurant signs; I'm talking more like small posters, sometimes notes on the blackboard in my classes, any mid-size or smaller text that is over 20 feet away I pretty much have to squint as it looks hazy and unclear.

Normally this doesn't bother me, however. Why? Well because my philosophy is that if I can't focus on it from far back, I should probably just get off my lazy bum and walk up to the item to read it clearly. There is usually never a reason I should not be able to bring the item closer or just walk up to it.

So one time, I asked a friend to look through his glasses to see what it looks like (something I like to do for some reason). Anyway, his sight must be just like mine, because what it did was basically make everything really crystal sharp. I could read distant text and signs really well and everything just looked sharper.

But this wasn't enough for me to actually want to get glasses. The reasons I've refused for so long:

1) Money... the lack of, that is.

2) If you don't really NEED them (ie: you can just walk up closer to the item instead of being lazy) then why bother?

3) I like not having to deal with having eyeglasses. And I don't like how I look in them. Before you suggest contacts, well no, if I absolutely had to correct my vision I would rather wear glasses. Touching my eye and getting those things stuck in there freaks me out too much. I'm a wuss over that.

4) And the MAIN reason for me: I've heard time and time again from people that the more you wear glasses, the more your eyes will depend on them. So in other words, if I begin wearing glasses, after a while my eyes will not be able to focus on the things I once could without the glasses. However, something about this makes me wonder if it is a myth-- I've never heard it from a doctor yet. Is it true?

But a few things that have me wondering if I should reconsider:

1) Sometimes, in classes (even when I sit at the front row) I have to strain to read smaller text written on the board. After a while, in a long class, between looking up at the board and reading the book and notes, my eyes can start to have this slight stinging/burning feeling in them. They feel tired and crappy and make me want to just sleep-- but the last thing I want to do is more things that involve reading or having to use my eyes intently.

2) Computers hurt my eyes. I've been using computers for years. And I do graphic design, so it's sort of what pays the bills. But it's sometimes getting to the point where it hurts to look at a screen (not that I can't focus, but that the display is just too much for my eyes to want to look at-- books are far more pleasant). And this leads me to another quick question: Do you guys think that my extensive use of computers my whole life have had a large impact on my vision and will be destructive in the end?

3) But even then, though I can focus perfectly on text in a book, sometimes after reading for a while my eyes begin to feel that strained stinging pain. This will suck as an english major, if it is consistent. Does this just mean I should take more breaks?

4) Sometimes when driving at night, it wouldn't hurt to be able to see the road signs a bit sharper.

5) I'd like to have good vision in 20 years, so I don't want to do the wrong thing and let them get screwed up.

6) Sometimes, when I focus on something up close for a long time--such as a book or something--as soon as I look up, everything is really hazy and weird. It takes a little bit of time for my eyes to readjust, and things I normally can focus on (even 5-10 feet away) are hazy. This always returns to normal, but it does bother me sometimes. Today, when I was in a bookstore, I was reading some information and as I looked up, the whole store looked really hazy. After just a minute or so of refocusing on the store and walking around, it was back to the way it should be. Is this normal?

7) I look like a distinguished professor when I have glasses on. Not that this one is so important, but hey, why not throw it in.

So my questions are as follows:

Do I even need glasses? I've never used eyedrops-- is that all I need, just a little eyebath every now and then?

Is it true that wearing glasses will force your eyes to depend on them after a while to where your eyes cannot focus without them? If the case is I wear them during night driving, classes, movies (since the screen is a good 50-100 feet away probably), and for other distant things, will my eyes be able to focus just fine as before when I'm not wearing them for normal casual day-to-day things? Is it all really just a myth?

Would it be more destructive to my eyes to not wear glasses if I strain to read distant text? It's pretty much only text that is difficult, because you have to form an understanding out of the blurry shapes. A movie or just distant objects (cars, people), while not totally crystal sharp, I do not have to strain at all, nor does it hurt.

Though I can focus on books and such just fine in front of me, will it make it easier on my eyes if things were even more crystal sharp?

Will glasses that make things sharper help make it easier to look at a computer screen for long periods of time?

Is there an advantage to having things sharper via eyeglasses when it comes to working on detailed work-- like my graphic design work?

How much should I expect to spend? I hate Wal-Mart, but they have the cheapest prices. $45 for an eye exam, $60 for basic prescription + frame price. The local optometry offices I've called around are charging $55/exam and prescriptions starting at $80+. Besides the fact Wal-Mart is sucky corporate crap, is there any other reason I shouldn't trust their vision center? Less expensive is less expensive, especially when you can't exactly spend much on this right now.

Sigh. I'm only 20 and I feel so old... my parents and my brother, they're all older, but still don't have glasses. Am I just maybe being overdramatic about it? Is this totally normal for people with even the best of vision?

[Isolation]

it's not a big deal winglet, just go to a cheap eye doctor (like one in the mall or that fancy-schmancy galleria you have there in houston) and get an eye test done and see what he/she says...

[wing]

it's not a big deal winglet, just go to a cheap eye doctor (like one in the mall or that fancy-schmancy galleria you have there in houston) and get an eye test done and see what he/she says...

but your vision IS a big deal, especially if you're in pain sometimes!

[maz]

from what you're saying, yeah, I'd say you need glasses- but just go to lens crafters and have a doc there tell you for sure. It's not THAT expensive, and they always have sales on the lenses and frames.

Most of all it's worth it to know what your eyesight is. I mean, it's kind of like saying, "sometimes I have this LITTLE pain in my chest, you know like when I run or lift something heavy. Occasionally it spreads to my left arm, but I just figure I can use my right arm. Should I do something about it?" (okay, so you probably won't DIE from bad vision, but you know what I'm saying!)

I don't know about the whole becoming dependent on glasses thing. I've heard of people whose eyesight gets progressively worse with age and I've also known people whose eyesight improves. But I'm pretty sure squinting, straining, and having your eyes stinging is a whole lot worse than anything glasses will do!

Go see a doctor!!!

[MichaelAlan]

I had Laser corrective surgery when I was 18. I had BAD vision, like 20/400. I had glasses since I was in 3rd grade and I was a real nerd bomber. So I went to a doctor, they numbed my eyes, sliced a flap off the lens, shot a laser in there and left me and my flap to heal at home. Now i have better than 20/20...so they say. This doesnt help you, I know, but it is one of my random stories in which I assume everyone else cares about what I have to say. The all too common mistake.



Mike

[Isolation]

what?

[Girl Toes]

Will you wear them when you fly?

[wing]

Will you wear them when you fly?

i already wear goggles normally

[wing]

So seriously, is Wal-Mart okay or are they going to stab me in my eye sockets with a knife so they can steal my eyes and sell them for crack?

[coniferouspine]

In all likelihood, you will probably live through an eye exam at Wal Mart, Wing. Also it's good to keep in mind, that many people with eye problems have not only rocked hard (John Lennon, for one, was apparently blind as a bat), millions of them have led healthy and productive lives, and many of them have even gone on to find females willing to reproduce with them in spite of their vision deficiency...


EDIT: PS even if it seems like a lot of money, it is worth it. Your eyes, like your ears and lungs, are one of those things that they only give you one set of 'em...

[spankenstein]

I have a similar problem. My vision is 20/20 but my eyes get strained and won't hold focus after a while. When I went to the eye doctor after testing me he asked if I worked with computers. I do, all the freaking time... and he said something to the effect of them being tired and not holding focus. I have glasses for reading and working now... I rarely wear them but it's no big deal.

[kcrusher]

1. You SHOULD get glasses, but wear them only when needed. There is some substance to your eyes getting weaker from wearing glasses, but it's such a gradual change that the benefits from at least wearing them when you should (driving, reading from far away, etc) FAR outweigh the detriments.

2. Lenscrafters is cool. I've used them a couple times and they usually have very competent optometrists. Plan on spending $120-$200 for the exam and glasses.

3. You should take a 10 minute break every hour or 2 and focus on distant objects. Eyedrops should ONLY be used when absolutely necessary, as using them too much can compromise your own lacrimal glands.

I'm in pretty much the same position - my vision is great up close, but I just *barely* fail the drivers vision test, so I have to wear glasses at least when I drive. I usually don't wear them otherwise and sometimes, if I'm going out or something, I'll wear contacts. It takes a little getting used to contacts, but once you do and you get the right ones, they're not really noticeable (until they've been in for 12+hrs and your eyes start feeling like glue!).

good luck with all that!
'

[Tim Casey]

Jesus Christ - that's an awful long post to ask whether or not you should get an eye exam.

Of course you should. You have to see things. If you have money for beer/pot/coffee/newspapers/DVDs/CDs or whatever, you have money for your eyes.

[trodden]

Jesus Christ - that's an awful long post to ask whether or not you should get an eye exam.

Of course you should. You have to see things. If you have money for beer/pot/coffee/newspapers/DVDs/CDs or whatever, you have money for your eyes.

my thoughts exactly.

[JohnDavisNYC]

everytime you masturbate, god kills a kitten.

john