Fighting aging with technology

[Fritzo]

So, I turned 50 this month. ::sad face:: Exactly 3 months ago something just popped and I was no longer able to read anything up close---my watch, my phone, books...everything has to be at least 2 ft away to read it.

I started wearing reading glasses like an old fart, but I'm not ready to admit defeat. I HATE wearing glasses. I have a strong prescription and glasses tend to be heavy + make my eyes look like an owl. I've worn extended wear contacts since I was 16 with great success. This reading thing was a setback.

I did some looking around and it turns out Baush + Lomb have developed extended wear contacts presbyopia (issues with close vision): https://www.bausch.com/ecp/our-prod...byopia/ultra-for-presbyopia-design-technology


Supposedly these contacts have multiple lenses built in, allowing you to see close and far depending on your point of focus. PERFECT!!! I ordered a set to try them out- has anyone had any experience with them?

 

[kt]

Cool, I may try these out. Mine are not as bad because I can still read things close up but taking longer to focus.

 

[zinfamous]

I stopped wearing contacts years ago because my eyes just got too sensitive and I guess I was tired of the hassle. ...I might try some again if they have significantly improved in terms of comfort--I also have terrible vision which makes it difficult to find glasses that fit well.

...but I've also (barely) considered lens surgery to get those things permanently shoved into my eyes, to just completely eliminate any of the hassle of glasses or contacts.

 

[Fritzo]

I stopped wearing contacts years ago because my eyes just got too sensitive and I guess I was tired of the hassle. ...I might try some again if they have significantly improved in terms of comfort--I also have terrible vision which makes it difficult to find glasses that fit well.

...but I've also (barely) considered lens surgery to get those things permanently shoved into my eyes, to just completely eliminate any of the hassle of glasses or contacts.

I can't do surgery because my lenses are very thin on one side, so they wouldn't be able to correct my vision completely. Honestly, new 30 day lenses feel like I've had surgery though- I take them out once a week for cleaning, and otherwise I can sleep in them, swim, shower...don't even know I'm wearing them.

The only time they're an issue is if I have really bad allergies and my eyes get inflamed. Usually happens for a few weeks in the spring.

 

[sdifox]

I would have to wear an oxygenating full face mask if I wear contacts. I'll stick with glasses.

 

[MrSquished]

Follow up here with your experience. I'm 45 and wear disposables myself that I love. But am starting to see that reading up close is trending down. Would be curious to see how these work for you

 

[ponyo]

I hate getting old and not being able to see. I can't read small print on labels with my glasses anymore. So I have to remove glasses and bring the item up close to my face or move closer in order to read it. Real pain in the butt. I'm only in my mid 40s. I wondering how much worse it will get in my 50s, 60s, and 70s.

 

[nakedfrog]

I hate getting old and not being able to see. I can't read small print on labels with my glasses anymore. So I have to remove glasses and bring the item up close to my face or move closer in order to read it. Real pain in the butt. I'm only in my mid 40s. I wondering how much worse it will get in my 50s, 60s, and 70s.

I just started noticing that in the past year myself

 

[ponyo]

I just started noticing that in the past year myself

I even bought expensive $1k glasses that's supposed to help. It helped little but not enough. Now I'm wondering if getting something like Lasik will help. I kind of want to get rid of glasses now so I'm considering Lasik for the first time.

 

[Captante]

So, I turned 50 this month. ::sad face::

Certainly beats the other option .... NOT turning 50 !!!

I hate getting old and not being able to see. I can't read small print on labels with my glasses anymore. So I have to remove glasses and bring the item up close to my face or move closer in order to read it. Real pain in the butt. I'm only in my mid 40s. I wondering how much worse it will get in my 50s, 60s, and 70s.

I'm 56 and have the same problem ... bad news is that I'm reaching the point where I have to hold stuff uncomfortably close to my face to see fine text clearly with both eyes.

I'm fine reading a label or even skimming a short article on the phone during a bathroom-break but sitting down for a good multi-hour read gets uncomfortable and can lead to a headache.

Due for some new glasses soon ... sadly bifocals ARE in my future.

 

[sdifox]

I even bought expensive $1k glasses that's supposed to help. It helped little but not enough. Now I'm wondering if getting something like Lasik will help. I kind of want to get rid of glasses now so I'm considering Lasik for the first time.

No way I am letting someone laser my eyes.

 

[Captante]

I even bought expensive $1k glasses that's supposed to help. It helped little but not enough. Now I'm wondering if getting something like Lasik will help. I kind of want to get rid of glasses now so I'm considering Lasik for the first time.

Normally I don't worry about medical complications too much but in the case of Lasik thinking twice isn't cautious enough.

Make sure to read up on the potential side-effects of having your eyeballs sliced with a laser. (use a source that doesn't profit from it) Also note that failed Lasik is often not fixable if things don't go well.

Considering the guy who invented the surgery thinks he made a huge mistake and would not have it done on himself I would rather deal with the nuisance of glasses!


Lasik Complications

FDA Superviser Lasik article

Web MD on Lasik

 

[MrSquished]

I'm in the never Lasik camp myself

 

[repoman0]

I'm in the never Lasik camp myself

Same, would never trust something like that. I won’t even wear contacts if I ever need them because I don’t like touching my eyes and glasses seem like a really small inconvenience. Of course I have about as close to perfect 20:10-20:15 vision as you can get so who knows.

 

[sdifox]

Same, would never trust something like that. I won’t even wear contacts if I ever need them because I don’t like touching my eyes and glasses seem like a really small inconvenience. Of course I have about as close to perfect 20:10-20:15 vision as you can get so who knows.

I have been wearing glasses since Grade 6. Only tried contacts for one year.

 

[ponyo]

Normally I don't worry about medical complications too much but in the case of Lasik thinking twice isn't cautious enough.

Make sure to read up on the potential side-effects of having your eyeballs sliced with a laser. (use a source that doesn't profit from it) Also note that failed Lasik is often not fixable if things don't go well.

Considering the guy who invented the surgery thinks he made a huge mistake and would not have it done on himself I would rather deal with the nuisance of glasses!


Lasik Complications

FDA Superviser Lasik article

Web MD on Lasik

You're scaring me from considering Lasik. I have really bad astigmatism so contacts don't work really well. And contacts bother my eyes so I rarely wear it. I've worn glasses since like 4th grade. It would be nice not have to wear glasses.

 

[Captante]

You're scaring me from considering Lasik. I have really bad astigmatism so contacts don't work really well. And contacts bother my eyes so I rarely wear it. I've worn glasses since like 4th grade. It would be nice not have to wear glasses.

You know fear is what keeps us from running out into traffic or putting our hands on the stove (or letting some dude slice your eyeball with a laser!) ... embrace it lol. Not saying to be irrational or anything but going in with all the information seems smart to me.

Seriously I was wearing glasses even younger than you so I completely understand, but after doing research on the subject I decided to go with if it ain't broke don't fix it. Glasses are not perfect BUT I can see just fine when I put them on and if my vision changes I can get a new RX.

The only way I'm getting eye-surgery of any kind is if its a medical requirement.

 

[ponyo]

You know fear is what keeps us from running out into traffic or putting our hands on the stove (or letting some dude slice your eyeball with a laser!) ... embrace it lol. Not saying to be irrational or anything but going in with all the information seems smart to me.

Seriously I was wearing glasses even younger than you so I completely understand, but after doing research on the subject I decided to go with if it ain't broke don't fix it. Glasses are not perfect BUT I can see just fine when I put them on and if my vision changes I can get a new RX.

Fear and if it ain't broke don't fix it has been my philosophy as well. And I figured the longer I wait, the greater chances for better and safer eye surgery tech. But now I kind of want the freedom and feel like my time to get it done is now or never. I'm so conflicted.

 

[PowerEngineer]

Oh great... bifocal contact lenses. 😵

Yes, getting old is not for the faint of heart. I used to have better than 20/20 vision, but noticed I was losing my close-up vision as I entered my 50's. The eye doctor tells me: "yeah, that's common" and there's nothing he can do about it. All I can do is get some low power reading glasses and be prepared to get stronger ones over time. If I'm lucky, it'll stop getting worse in a decade or so. I was "lucky"...

I did try bifocals when my distance vision also declined some, but the narrowness of the area in focus really bothered me. I just use cheap reading glasses for the computer and reading now.

 

[gorobei]

i looked into radialkeratotomy and lasik back in the 90s and decided to play it safe by going orthokeratology (contact lens reshaping of cornea). orthoK is temporary so if you stop wearing them you go back to what your vision was before.

i was near sighted so it worked ok. today i have some minor astigmatism from it but nothing that bothers me. i've been getting some presbyopia with the lenses in but if i take them out im good for anything 3-4 inches from my face.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I'm way too squeemish for contacts, the idea of touching my eyes just makes me cringe. I also hated wearing glasses, so I got LASIK. I really hope it lasts me. Good so far... but I was told once I turn 40 I might need reading glasses, I really hope I get lucky and I don't.

The worse thing about glasses I find is how they are making them smaller and smaller now, so you lose so much field of vision. That and they stick out on the sides too much, so they pickup reflections from behind you. I used to hate that so much when wearing glasses if there was any light sources behind me.

If I ever do end up needing glasses again I really hope those style trends change and it goes back to bigger lenses that wrap around the head more. Like sun glasses.

 

[MrSquished]

I'm way too squeemish for contacts, the idea of touching my eyes just makes me cringe. I also hated wearing glasses, so I got LASIK. I really hope it lasts me. Good so far... but I was told once I turn 40 I might need reading glasses, I really hope I get lucky and I don't.

The worse thing about glasses I find is how they are making them smaller and smaller now, so you lose so much field of vision. That and they stick out on the sides too much, so they pickup reflections from behind you. I used to hate that so much when wearing glasses if there was any light sources behind me.

If I ever do end up needing glasses again I really hope those style trends change and it goes back to bigger lenses that wrap around the head more. Like sun glasses.

There has to be somewhere in the world that likes bigger glasses - find them and shop online. The glasses I got 3 years ago at a Sterling Optical in the mall in NJ are pretty big, and I have a big head. Just large classic looking black rimmed glasses. They were in the section of their cheapest frames. They looked better than any of their designer shit. Not wraparound, that's kinda goofy, but big. I also had a pair of large Ray Ban aviator prescription shades made. There is a brand I saw online that is made for big dudes. Some ex football player did some promo for them, maybe it was Howie Long, I can't remember.

 

[BarkingGhostar]

So, I turned 50 this month. ::sad face:: Exactly 3 months ago something just popped and I was no longer able to read anything up close---my watch, my phone, books...everything has to be at least 2 ft away to read it.

Did you go see a doctor or did you just say "pop away"?

 

[Fritzo]

Did you go see a doctor or did you just say "pop away"?

I went to the doctor right before the read-o-pocalypse and he asked if I was having a problem reading yet. I said "no", and then he gave me a Yoda "You will....you will..." line.

 

[dullard]

I make fun of her for it, but I know someone who wears contacts, then adds glasses on top of the contacts to read. It lets her use contacts most of the day and lightweight, thin glasses to read (since the contacts do most of the vision correction the glasses don't need to do much more). That contacts + glasses approach might get you around the need for heavy, thick glasses.