Eyes

conaero

Forum Owner
Messages
34,594
Well there’s no denying it I coming up to 47 in a few months I have been trying to ignore that my eyesight is getting progressively worse.

I’ve been noticing it’s decline now for about 5 years and it’s getting to a stage where I am having to admit defeat.

It’s the classic stage of I can’t read close up and need reading glasses but I would rather look at a surgical solution.

I know little about laser surgery but if it gives me my eye sight back I am happy to pay as I don’t want to wear glasses.

Your collective knowledge welcomed.
 

mjheathcote

Centenary Club
Messages
9,033
I'm also at that annoying stage at 50.
Can still read okay books/laptop etc but smaller text on bottles etc no chance, and 'threading a needle' type stuff just can't focus anymore.
So really need a pair of reading glasses for such stuff but not for actual normal reading.
 

safrane

Member
Messages
16,749
Matt.
You know what happened to me so please be careful with any consideration with on surgery.

As we age our lens harden and struggle to adjust to close up vision. We compensate for that by squinting which in turn furrows our brows and accelerates wrinkles in that area and around your eyes...so you age your face whilst trying to ignore the real problem.

All surgery carries risk and remember this is a degenerative issue so what fixes it today will not be a permanent answer.

For me I now use bi focal contacts. The difference is remarkable however even though they are bi focal they do impact on distance vision which for me is still 100%. Again if you have surgery it can improve close up vision but will impact o long distance.

I only use mine for work and reading at the office and home...I go without for driving and every day activities.

Boots do a free trials scheme so you have little to use...OK it takes some time to master putting them in...but you will get there.
 

Trev Latter

Member
Messages
1,213
Not had it done myself, but a couple of friends had it done about ten years ago and they're still going strong. Daniel (who you met at one of the Ace meets last year) has just got to the point where he is now starting to need reading glasses. Recovery time was minimal, as was pain afterwards. Daniel likened it to a mild dose of arc-eye. Toni was going to get hers done some years ago to make life easier when scuba diving to save messing about getting prescription lens' for her mask, but we had a diving holiday booked and she wouldn't have had enough recovery time to go diving (needed six weeks), so she cancelled with the view to getting it done when we got back and she never bothered in the end. I guess it depends exactly what's wrong with your eyesight, but certainly in my circle of friends, it's been worthwhile.
 

allandwf

Member
Messages
10,958
I'm the opposite, I can read the smallest of details, but can see past the end of my arm!
 

D Walker

Member
Messages
9,827
I'm the opposite, I can read the smallest of details, but can see past the end of my arm!

Me too.
Caution on surgery, I no someone who has had multiple corrective visits after gone wrong, if it goes really wrong, blind for the sake of not wearing specs, not a gamble I would be happy with.
 

2b1ask1

Special case
Messages
20,223
The regeneration rate is astonishing Matt, 12 months ago I didn’t need anything, I got x 1 glasses as per a prescription to reading last summer and already I’m up to x 1,5 to achieve the same result, if I need to do some really fine or close work like soldering LED’s or removing a splinter I’ll grab Jeanette’s x 3 but more than a few second of these I feel sick! Jeanette is about 2 years down the road from me so I expect I’ll get there some time. I wouldn’t consider surgery until it settles down. However my optition did say he expected I would end up being very difficult to provide a single solution for as it develops and that variofocals were unlikely to work for me. So based upon that information it looks like I will end up needing some sort of driving glasses.
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,557
I know several people that had surgery. Some had no issues. One had several, however the after care was superb and he was mostly sorted.

Personally I have only one pair of eyes, and I'm rather attached to them so anyone going near them with cutting implements unless it's totally necessary is something I'm not keen on.

For about 15 years (at a guess) I've been wearing silicon-hydrogel contact lenses. I put them in on Sunday morning, and they stay in (night and day) until Saturday night. Great vision, cheap (£20 a month includes as many checks as I need, plus the very limited solutions and new lenses every month)

I can honestly say I sometimes have to check they are actually in my eyes, they are they comfortable. Care is simple. Takes about 5 minutes on a Saturday night to pinch them out, 40 seconds rubbing in solution each and pop them in the case.

Just throwing another option out there

C
 

mjheathcote

Centenary Club
Messages
9,033
I always thought corrective surgery was for when you where young, and degenerative for age you are stuffed as it continues to get worse!!
 

conaero

Forum Owner
Messages
34,594
Lots of opinions good and bad, fore and against.

Suppose I need to start the ball rolling with an eye test.

Where should I go where I won’t get forced sold a temp solution I don’t want?

If it’s a question of paying over free I’d rather pay.
 

allandwf

Member
Messages
10,958
If it's purely for reading, I would use glasses. Mine are a distance issue, and like C have been wearing lenses for many years. I also have the luxury of being able to take them out and see tiny details, handy for reading fuse sizes, soldering etc. I am pretty sure if I had surgery for distance vision it would be to the detriment of my close up vision. Also after a detached retina op a year ago I'd rather not risk my eyesight, ( or lack of,) any more.
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,557
Lots of opinions good and bad, fore and against.

Suppose I need to start the ball rolling with an eye test.

Where should I go where I won’t get forced sold a temp solution I don’t want?

If it’s a question of paying over free I’d rather pay.

*Personally* we use an independant. The last set of tests I happened to see said most of the chains (Boots, Specsavers etc) were rubbish. But I'm sure there's loads of people that have had great experiences. We love our little lot, but they are in Waltham Abbey, which isn't going to be a whole load of good to you.

C
 

Mattp

Member
Messages
501
I've worn glasses my whole life, surgery and contacts have been considered many times...

I've friends that have had both contacts are easy and safe, but I never really got on with them after several trials.

Surgery, most people that have had it have been fine, but my brother needed glasses again after only a year and one other friend went back to contacts after a couple of years - they were both late 30's early 40's

Eyes are so sensitive and so important, my view ended up being, why risk it. I kept with glasses.

If your eyesight is a little iffy, then head to boots... they will do the whole test and retinal photography for about a tenner with a voucher from their site... buy some cheap glasses from an online opticians... you can then take your time and figure out what direction you really wish to head in.
 

2b1ask1

Special case
Messages
20,223
Regarding welding and contacts, when welding there is a very high level of UV in the flash (I regularly get flash burns on my arms and neck) and even indirectly the eyes are super sensitive arc eye is painful and serious. True modern self darkening masks reduce the risk considerably but there are many documented cases of contact lenses getting burned onto the cornea!!! One of the things I have to be so careful of welding in public places as I do is getting an audience!!! Francly however assembling a set of welding screens around every job is just totally impractical but I am supposed to and have to on construction sites if the numpties have their way!
 
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Ewan

Member
Messages
6,757
Get a check at a decent local opticians, then buy a pack of the appropriate strength cheapy reading glasses off Amazon. 10 pairs for £20 or so. That means you can leave a pair in the kitchen, the sitting room, your office, your cars, the bedroom, etc, as opposed to having to carry a pair around. You can always treat yourself to a designer pair for "best" if you are so inclined.

Like you, I succumbed to reading glasses when aged 47.
 

redsonnylee

Member
Messages
1,540
I’ve worn glasses since I was six, used contact lenses for about 5 years when I was 24 but stopped when travelling as it’s a pain to quickly shut your eyes. Since the last 20 years I’ve only used specs as my prescription kept changing. Two years ago I had to switch to bifocals, I paid a bit to get them light and extra thin so I’d not look like a psycho and happy so far.

About 15 years ago I talked about surgery but was told at the time it was not an option. My eyes have always had a very high prescription & can’t read print more than six iinches away.

Now that technology has improved I’m too old so I just keep a few spares one in eg each car in case of any damage.

Ask the specialist how many with your prescription have had success and not needed any further surgery as I remember back then it was not always permanent.
 
Messages
6,001
Very interesting thread as I know my sight is getting worse - but I ignore it which I also know is wrong.
On the surgery front I do not think I would risk it and would choose glasses, the thought of a possible permanent catastrophe just does not make sense to me
 

Trev Latter

Member
Messages
1,213
Should I be worried that there’s a number of folk driving around in circa 400bhp cars with dodgy eyesight :laugh: