Eye test - long and short sighted! Surgery?

[dealmaker]

So had an eye test for the for the first time yesterday. (Not because I had any sight issues - but because I had a slight "floater" in one eye - common as we get older I'm now informed! Urgh!)

It seems one eye is good at close up work - and one is good at distance (so they are coping for each other) - but neither are perfect. The Optician (Boots) suggested I needed either a pair of long distance Glasses AND a pair of reading glasses ...OR...a pair of varifocals?

As I've never worn glasses before I'm obviously not too keen on this concept - especially as I have no issues reading, watching TV, or driving - but according to the optician once I try them I will see how good it CAN be??

I'm wondering if any of this was brought on by a severe case of labyrinthitis I had a few years ago - which screwed-up my depth perception - but maybe that just a co-incidence - but I do seem to think I had virtually perfect vision before that...or maybe I'm just getting older!!

Anyway - I'm wondering if there are any alternate ways to sort his out?....making a patch to make the other eye work "harder" for instance.....or should I be considering laser eye surgery to correct each eye of the bit that its not very good at?? i.e make the left eye see better at distance and the right eye see better at close up stuff...if thats even possible??

Just keen to avoid having to cart glasses around everywhere!! Any suggestions?

Edited by dealmaker on Thursday 10th December 09:37

[Monty Python]

IIRC you can't get laser surgery until your eyes have been stable for at least 2 years.

[HelenT]

Without having your prescription it is difficult to give a 100% definitive answer but normally if a patient was coping well without specs I would probably leave well alone and have another look in 12 months to see if the prescription was changing.
Certain tasks such as night driving or prolonged computer use maybe easier with the appropriate specs but it depends on what you are doing.
I have a few patients in their 70's who have coped very well using one eye for distance and one for close work and don't wear specs(and it is a common way to deal with contact lens wearers who need distance and near prescriptions)

[anonymous-user]

I was very myopic and couldn't have laser, eventually I had replacement lens cataract surgery with one eye distance one eye close, works great, no problems, my daughter (25) has just had in planted contact lenses as she could not have laser, brilliant, and removable/repeatable, that the way I'd go every time.

[blondini]

Did they not suggest contact lenses?

[oilandwater]

blondini said:

Did they not suggest contact lenses?

^^^ ^^^ ^^^
My first thought. Different strengths work.

[blondini]

oilandwater said:

blondini said:

Did they not suggest contact lenses?

^^^ ^^^ ^^^
My first thought. Different strengths work.

I have multifocal lenses which can correct both distance and near vision. I say can because they may not suit everyone but you can get a free trial.