To get glasses or not...

[Smitters]

Had an eye test yesterday and was given +1.00 in each eye and suggested I get glasses to help with screen work and reading. Now there's no doubt I can't read as close to my face as ten years ago, but I don't struggle at all with a normal book, get headaches, or feel as though my eyes are tired.

My question is this: will glasses actually improve life, or will my eyes simply get weaker more quickly due to the assistance. Anyone feel qualified to comment?

Cheers.

[jfdi]

I'd hold off as long as you can, I had to give in and get glasses for close up work about 2 years ago aged 45, Now need them to read anything. Might be just my eyes still slowly deteriorating but you're not doing any harm by not having them.

[dirtbiker]

I'd counter that - I've got a very mild prescription (-0.5 and -1.0) but find that wearing glasses for work and driving makes me less tired and headachey.

You can get some very cheaply online (I think my first pair were about £40) and use them as 'proof of concept'

I don't wear mine at weekends or for watching TV/reading but they do help.

[V8covin]

Get a pair from Poundland and try them

[omniflow]

As above, get a cheap pair of +1

I have a pair, and whilst I don't wear them for normal reading / screen work, I do find them very useful for:

Reading restaurant menus when the lighting is less than perfect
Reading the cooking instructions on various products - is that 135ml of water or 185ml of water?
Reading part numbers on electronic products

All specific examples, but you should get the general idea.

I'm fairly sure they're not contributing to my eyesight getting weaker because I wear them for a lot less than 1% of the day, but they are definitely making life easier.

[anonymous-user]

I only use my Glasses for screens, otherwise I get headaches. Other than that, I can drive and do everything else without. No harm in getting some.

[Wacky Racer]

V8covin said:

Get a pair from Poundland and try them

This. They are actually not too bad.

[Hashtaggggg]

jfdi said:

I'd hold off as long as you can, I had to give in and get glasses for close up work about 2 years ago aged 45, Now need them to read anything. Might be just my eyes still slowly deteriorating but you're not doing any harm by not having them.

Is this a reply from a professional optician or a forum poster who thinks he is..

Call the optical and have another chat with them to help in your decision making.

Personally, and I am not a professional, would be to do as others have suggested and try some cheap glasses and see how you get on.

It cannot do any harm?

Edited by Hashtaggggg on Thursday 24th September 20:00

[anonymous-user]

Our eyesight becomes worse as we get older because the lens becomes less flexible and unable to adjust focus. Reading glasses will not make your eyes worse, they simply compensate for the fact you are getting older and don’t work like you once did.

[Carbon Sasquatch]

As above - cheap pairs - mine came from Amazon & wear when needed.

It's been about 4 years for me & I still only use them first thing & last thing - and sometimes for small print.

I can generally get through the middle of the day without using them

[lemansky]

Smitters said:

Had an eye test yesterday and was given +1.00 in each eye and suggested I get glasses to help with screen work and reading.

Difficult to give constructive comment because "given +1.00 in each eye" is a bit vague.

Is this +1.00 your reading add?
If so, what is your distance prescription?
What is your uncorrected vision like? Any idea of your corrected visual acuity and what your expected reading ability should be with the necessary correction?
How old are you?
Do you currently wear specs for any other reason?
What working distance is your screen at? 40cm? 50cm? Maybe 90cm?

Loads of questions! Okay, I'm just making a point but there's no simple "one-size-fits-all" answer with these kind of spectacle-wearing queries.

I'm sure everyone means well, but (correct and up-to-date) reading specs are no good to you if your screen is 90cm away from you, for example.

Smitters said:

Now there's no doubt I can't read as close to my face as ten years ago, but I don't struggle at all with a normal book, get headaches, or feel as though my eyes are tired.

If you're not having any particular struggles, then maybe hold back for the time being (knowing that reading specs are going to become part of your normal life at some stage).

Smitters said:

My question is this: will glasses actually improve life, or will my eyes simply get weaker more quickly due to the assistance. Anyone feel qualified to comment?

If you're not having any difficulties with the near/concentrated work that you do, then you'll likely not see any particular improvement to everyday life and will resent buying/wearing specs for no appreciable gain.

What was the reason you had your sight test done, out of interest? Were you having any problems or was it just routine?

Wearing correctly dispensed glasses will not make your eyes weaken or deteriorate. Once you hit the age (40's usually) when you start needing help with near work, your near spectacle prescription is almost certainly going to keep increasing as the years roll on, to correct the power that your eyes are naturally losing.
It's not the wearing of specs that makes your eyes worse.



Disclaimer: all the specs I'm talking about above are of the ophthalmic-quality frame and lens-prescription variety.
Not the PoundStretcher ones or the tat you get out of a Christmas Cracker.

[Polite M135 driver]

glasses - wear them, they will help you see better.

'weakening your eyes' - this does not happen.

cheapy ones - I wear glasses all day long. when you're wearing them, they're part of your face. worth spending on. and you also are going to look through them - you want the best quality (precise, hard wearing, light) lens you can get in them for that reason.

[Smitters]

Thanks for all the opinions.

The eye tests come through work and I was simply due one after two years. Good to know that wearing a prescription will not accelerate the inevitable slide of eyesight with age. I think I'll leave it for now - I'm fine with a book and work a good 60+cm from my screens without issue - and the prospect of dropping money onto proper glasses I'll get less than £/hour of use from before my prescription changes enough to render them pointless isn't appealing. I've got cars to run, after all!



Edited for speeling

Edited by Smitters on Friday 25th September 13:39

[Dr Jekyll]

Smitters said:

Thanks for all the opinions.

The eye tests come through work and I was imply due one after two years. Good to know that wearing a prescription will not accelerate the inevitable slide of eyesight with age. I think I'll leave it for now - I'm fine with a book and work a good 60+cm from my screens without issue - and the prospect of dropping money onto proper glasses I'll get less than £/hour of use from before my prescription changes enough to render them pointless isn't appealing. I've got cars to run, after all!

They'll never be pointless, even when you would benefit from stronger lenses you will still see better with them than without.