| User | Comment |
|---|
| ausfox | | posted 10-Sep-2008 3:51am |
Yes, it got worse in my early 20's but has been ok since then |
Enheduanna  | | posted 10-Sep-2008 7:58am |
Yes, but it wouldn't say it sucks. It's not that it's fabulous, but I don't particularly mind it. It's just what happens, especially in my family. I don't mind wearing glasses. I've had them since I was pretty young, although for a long time I didn't need to wear them all the time. It wasn't until I was in graduate school that my eyesight got so that I always have to wear glasses. All that poring over cuneiform texts. |
bill   | | posted 10-Sep-2008 8:09am |
Yes, though as I understand it, it's not so much that it changed as I slowly lost the ability to compensate for the problem I've had all my life. I was far-sighted, but my vision was fine up until my late 30s when I started having trouble reading. Basically, I got early presbyopia because of it. But, far-sightedness can affect distance vision too. I was always compensating +2 or so with my eye muscles. Anyway, I got LASIK about 10 months ago and now my vision is just about perfect. I'll still get presbyopia in a few years, but it wont be as bad. |
Matty   | | posted 10-Sep-2008 8:12am |
Yup, it keeps getting worse. However, the rate of decline has slowed down dramatically. My prescription has been almost the same for the last three years. I haven't even bought new glasses the change has been so slight. |
| Matty | | (reply to bill) posted 10-Sep-2008 8:13am |
LASIK scares the crap out of me. Did you have any reservations? What allayed your fears? |
| bill | | (reply to Matty) posted 10-Sep-2008 8:22am |
Several of my friends had done it (or similar LASIK-like eye surgery). All had a good experience and recommended it. Generally, success rates are very high. I really disliked having to wear glasses all the time. I basically just tried not to think about the actual procedure much. They give you Valium too. To be honest, I almost wigged out at one point when I suddenly felt my eye being cut. It wasn't painful, just freaky. But, I kept it together, it went fairly smoothly, and I had a very good result.
For a week or two after I got it, my eyes were kind of reversed (I could see up-close but not distance).. but, it just turned out that my eyes were so used to compensating that it took them a while to give it up. Once they did, it was great. The dry eyes thing is kind of a pain (you have to use drops a lot for the first few weeks/months), but not really that bad either. At this point, I see great and it all seems like it was well worth it. |
| Matty | | (reply to bill) posted 10-Sep-2008 8:34am |
Hmmm, I may give it another "look," but I have profound reservations about it. Thanks for the info. |
| romkey | | posted 10-Sep-2008 8:38am |
I always needed glasses until a few years back when I had PRK (an earlier surgery similar to LASIK; I wasn't a good LASIK candidate because my corneas are too thin) to correct my near-sightedness. My eyesight is 20-20 now. PRK and LASIK generally hasten the onset of presbyopia, which is caused by aging - it usually sets in between ages 40 and 60 and is the reason that many near-sighted people end up needing bifocals. Thankfully my near sight hasn't gotten worse yet, so I don't need any correction for it. |
| romkey | | (reply to Matty) posted 10-Sep-2008 9:00am |
I watched my partner go through LASIK before I did PRK and it looked like some kind of torture. I won't go into details, but if you haven't seen the procedure close up and think you may want to do it - don't watch it close up. It looks much worse than it is.
My understanding is that there are two reasons for bad results with LASIK.
The first is improper screening - doctors who let patients have the procedure when the patients really shouldn't have. Conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure can interfere with proper healing. And because LASIK involves cutting a flap, which is cut straight across the curvature of the eye rather than following the curve, if the eye is too curved or if the cornea is too thin, the cut can cause problems. A good clinic will do a really in-depth screening and medical history and quite a few eye tests to check your retina and ocular structure before accepting you. That's why I had to do PRK - no flap, so it takes much longer to heal and stabilize - my corneas were too thin.
The second is bad equipment. LASIK used to be done using an actual knife to cut the flap; there were some defective knives on the market at one point. These days any modern LASIK should have a laser cutting the flap and another doing the reshaping. I can't give stats but I believe that malfunctions with that kind of equipment are extremely rare. It's also designed to track your eye and track itself and shut down immediately if something unexpected happens.
If you consider LASIK, the best thing you can do is find a clinic that does a really thorough screening; make sure they use a laser to make the flap; and look into their background and find out what kind of success/failure rate they have.
There are a couple of downsides to successful LASIK, even successful LASIK. Night vision may decrease (I don't really understand why that happens but it does), and some people have halos or stars due to scarring around the edge of the flap. This can be a problem particularly for people who use telescopes, and I've read that there are variations on the procedure that astronomers may use. And presbyopia may set in earlier. True presbyopia can't be corrected by LASIK. Also, people who undergo LASIK may have a higher incidence of problems with their eyes drying out (I believe that nerve endings in the cornea may cause the eye to moisten, and they may be damaged). I had a lot of problems with dry eyes for the first year after I had PRK, so I used a lot of eyedrops for a while. That cleared up years ago.
LASIK also can't guarantee you'll get 20/20 vision or not need glasses afterwards, and it may not be able to correct severe astigmatism.
I was never able to put up with contact lenses, so there was a big upside for me. PRK's lack of flap also meant I haven't had any problems with stars or halos.
There was also another procedure called ENTACTS I think - I don't have time to look it up right now - it involved implanting small pieces of plastic to reshape the cornea rather than using a laser to permanently change its shape. It was supposed to be fully reversible. I don't know if they're still doing that. |
| Matty | | (reply to romkey) posted 10-Sep-2008 9:04am |
Wow, thanks for the info. I don't think I would do this. I have a pretty bad astigmatism, so I would have to wear glasses even after this surgery. |
| Cain | | posted 10-Sep-2008 9:10am |
Yes, there has been definite deterioration. I can't read small print or text on TV anymore. Sucks. |
| romkey | | (reply to Matty) posted 10-Sep-2008 10:12am |
You might be able to get away with very lightweight glasses post-surgery. My left eye had pretty bad astigmatism and I'm doing well without glasses. I'm not sure what the limits are; it may be worth asking a (reputable) doctor about it. A good optometrist can give you good advice on what's correctable and what's not, and won't be trying to sell you on getting surgery.
|
Joanne   | | (reply to Cain) posted 10-Sep-2008 10:48am |
You mean you can't see close (small print) OR far enough for the text on TV? How far away do you sit from the TV? |
| Matty | | (reply to romkey) posted 10-Sep-2008 10:52am |
I'll take another look at it. Thanks, you and Bill have given me some food for thought. |
Galomorro  | | posted 10-Sep-2008 10:57am |
Yes, it's worse now and I have glaucoma and have to take eyedrops. |
| paulyw | | posted 10-Sep-2008 11:22am |
Yes, and I feel my glasses are getting stronger every few years |
| Cain | | (reply to Joanne) posted 10-Sep-2008 11:50am |
Not that far - two or three metres, depending on which seat I'm in. |
| gambler | | posted 10-Sep-2008 12:06pm |
Not yet, but I'm sure it will.,.............I have and have had pretty good eyesight |
| LJD | | posted 10-Sep-2008 12:49pm |
My eyes started downhill in my late forties. Since I've had diabetes, my sight is getting worse.
Bottom line, we should learn to know what causes bad eyesight. Get at the root of the problem. The liver controls the health of the eye. Of the eye problems, 95% of eye problems is caused by stress, emotionally, such as anger or lack of love, or eye strain because of staring at something for long periods of time, such as computer, video games, etc. The liver is involved with 500 functions every day. It is a part of our digestive system. If we do not have a good digestive system, we're in deep trouble. The digestive system is our first line of defense to our immunity, to health.
My daughter had lastik, but I see her straining her eyes again. From what I understand, lastik only lasts for a period of time. My daughter has near sightedness, which is inherited. I often wonder if lastik worked better on people with far sightedness or near sightedness. Personally, I will not have lastik, I'll train myself out of glasses. I know it can be done.
|
| Otter | | posted 10-Sep-2008 1:25pm |
I can still get the DOT & FAA medicals without glasses, but I'm sure that will change. |
| JessicaWoman99 | | posted 10-Sep-2008 1:39pm |
Yes and it sucks " i am getting old |
| JessicaWoman99 | | (reply to LJD) posted 10-Sep-2008 1:49pm |
> My eyes started downhill in my late forties. Since I've had diabetes,
> my sight is getting worse.
>
> Bottom line, we should learn to know what causes bad eyesight. Get
> at the root of the problem. The liver controls the health of the
> eye. Of the eye problems, 95% of eye problems is caused by stress,
> emotionally, such as anger or lack of love, or eye strain because
> of staring at something for long periods of time, such as computer,
> video games, etc. The liver is involved with 500 functions every
> day. It is a part of our digestive system. If we do not have a good
> digestive system, we're in deep trouble. The digestive system is
> our first line of defense to our immunity, to health.
>
> My daughter had lastik, but I see her straining her eyes again.
> From what I understand, lastik only lasts for a period of time. My
> daughter has near sightedness, which is inherited. I often wonder
> if lastik worked better on people with far sightedness or near sightedness.
> Personally, I will not have lastik, I'll train myself out of glasses.
> I know it can be done.
>
>
Oh yes Jean so very true our liver our kidneys play a crucial role in our health and good luck in training yourself out of glasses i just give it all to God and let God ! worry about my eyesight and after all he created Jean just as she is in the image of our Lord and Saviour and we can use the eyes of God ! to guide us on our Spiritual Journey even if we lose our
own eyesight God will provide sight to those who ask him help me find the way through this darkness ? |
Melf  | | posted 10-Sep-2008 3:30pm |
Yes. I ought to get new glasses soon. It's a little struggle being sat at the back of the class (the reason I got glasses in the first place, about ten years ago). I probably couldn't pass a driving test with my current glasses. But I really like them. They're the first pair of glasses I got which I liked, so I'm very fond of them. I know I don't need to change the frame, but these are £90 and I'm almost certain I can't just change the lenses. I'm bothered but not too bothered by my eyesight being poor. It frustrates me that I can't mosh or swim with good vision, but I don't do those things all that often.
My eyesight is such that it's better for me to take my glasses off when I'm reading. If it wasn't, I'd be meh about it, because I read in bed so much. |
| judgescratch | | posted 10-Sep-2008 3:42pm |
I believe so. I'm thinking of going and getting my eyes checked because they don't seem to be like they used to. |
| LJD |
In this world of trouble, all we can do is to live the best we can, keep the faith. |
| JessicaWoman99 | | (reply to LJD) posted 10-Sep-2008 6:18pm |
> In this world of trouble, all we can do is to live the best we can,
> keep the faith.
Oh thank you so much and what a week it has been pretty good so far. |
| LindaH | | posted 10-Sep-2008 7:44pm |
Dunno. |
| LJD |
|
| cloudhugger | | posted 12-Sep-2008 11:34am |
Other. It has been declining slowly since I was about 11 or 12. BUT it has improved the last few years. I cannot see far away, but I do not/have never needed them to read. I'd say my eyesight is as good as it was maybe 15 years ago. Which would make it several prescriptions better. |
| aquawolfy | | posted 12-Sep-2008 3:20pm |
yup! my left eye is blinder than heck!! |
| jettles | | posted 14-Sep-2008 10:03am |
yes, i have distance problems and now reading. i have a pair of progressive lens for work and distance for driving |
| LindaH | | posted 14-Sep-2008 9:35pm |
Nope, just my hindsight. |
| JohnCD | | posted 15-Sep-2008 8:32pm |
I do have glasses with a weak prescription that I wear occasionally when I do a lot of reading if my eyes bother me. I've been fortunate and my eyes haven't changed hardly at all in over twenty five years. |
| starrpickle | | posted 2-Oct-2008 11:25am |
when I was little I had to wear glasses know I don't? |
