I Hate Wearing Glasses, But Will Need Them Eventually. Any Tips?

[clhamon]

I have owned a few pairs of glasses, but they have always given me a headache. I went to renew my drivers license, and the lady said that I missed 1 number on each try of the eye exam. I know that I'll eventually have to have glasses, but I don't know if I can wear them comfortably. I know that I can't do contacts. I have heard that a bad perscription will sometimes cause the headaches, but I don't think that was the case with me. Any tips?

[vegaseat]

I usually go for the lightest weight possible.

[Reverend Jim]

Depending on your age, you might want to consider Lasix (laser eye surgery). I had it done in 2000 and it was one of the best decisions I ever made. I had worn glasses since grade four any my vision was 20/200+ in both eyes. I did, however, have to get reading glasses when I turned 55 (ish) due to normal aging of the cornea. My older son had even worse vision (coke bottle glasses) and he had his eyes done in 2010. He has been glasses-free since then.

[mike_2000_17]

How long did you try the glasses you had had before?

I remember that my first glasses also gave quite a ride, in terms of headaches or feeling out of balance. That got progressively better over the course of probably one month or so before it went away entirely. I think that these weird effects are neither due to bad prescription nor the glasses themselves (as opposed to having contacts or a laser surgery), I think that it is just a natural consequence of your brain slowly readjusting. Remember, your brain has spent the better part of your life-time getting used to analysing the blurry images that come from your eyes. This whole system will necessarily be thrown out of wack for at least a little while when all of a sudden it gets crisp, clear images.

[ddanbe]

Are your glasses double sight, like mine? It takes a while to get used to that.
And as Vegaseat said: go for the lightest weight possible.

[happygeek]

Are you sure you can't do contacts? I thought I wouldn't be able to live with them, but for me they have proven to be the ideal solution. I wear contacts for general purpose vision, and then a very light pair of non-prescription readers for close work. As other have said, the trick with being comfortable in your specs is to get the lightest pair you can afford.

[Agilemind]

If you wear glasses continuously the headaches will go away after a few weeks. Also the quality of the glasses is just as important as the quality of the prescription.

[clhamon]

Thanks for the replies. I had never heard anything about getting the lightest pair possible before.

I think that I tried glasses for a few months before giving up, but I remember that in school I didn't wear them all the time. I think I'm going to try glasses again if I have problems. I know if I get put in a meeting and I have to read someone's presentation and I'm on the other side of the room, I will have trouble.

ddanbe - They were just single sight. I am nearsighted (I think). I can read a book much better than I can read a sign.

happygeek - I have never been able to touch my eye. I might try contacts if glasses don't work out. Contacts definitely freak me out less than the idea of laser surgery.

Mike 2000 17 - I didn't know that age really mattered for Lasix. I'm 29. I'll get it if I can't get comfortable with anything else. The idea freaks me out a litte, but I'll do it if I can't get used to contacts or glasses.

[Reverend Jim]

I seem to recall that one of the criteria for Lasix is that your presciption is stable for (I think) two years. The lasers they use now are much more precise than what they used on me. Basically, each "zap" burns a small pit from your cornea. As you can imagine, using a finer laser results in more, but finer, pits. Sort of like using a camera with more megapixels.

There are few experiences like being able to smell your own eyeball burning.

[Reverend Jim]

Perhaps that last sentence was too much information ;-P

[happygeek]

You don't actually touch your eye with contacts, you touch the contact which then just slops into place (and taking them out you are just pinching the lens itself - if you touch your eye you are doing it wring). Seriously, the thought of it is many magnitudes worse than the reality.

I never thought I'd be able to use contacts for the same reason, then I got Wet Macular Degeneration and needed nine injections into the eyeball over the course of a year and my objections to contacts kind of fell into perspective :)

[Reverend Jim]

I once had a friend who was creeped out by anyone touching their eyeball. Unfortunately he also has a friend with a glass eye who would occasionally tap it with a pencil just to freak him out.

[Kenneth_3]

I have worn glasses essentially my whole life. I wear both glasses and contacts and I obviously like the contacts better. But, if your must do glasses I have always enjoyed rimless. They seemed to be lighter and my eyes adjusted to them a little easier.

[almostbob]

wear glasses to read, the lightest ones again,
buy em 4-5 pairs at a time, lose em in the bush, falling out of a plane, run over by a quad, buried in a trench or lawn mowed
havent got used to putting em in POCKETs
am long sighted, or my arms are too short

changed the focus on my laptop to my prescription, it looks like 3d movies to everyone else, my ladylove hates it when she picks up mine instead of hers