Tag eyeglasses

I Can’t Read That!

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Dealing with the loss of ability to see things up close which comes with the aging process, also known as presbyopia, is one of those frustrating realities that sneaks up on you—and it’s even more maddening if you’ve spent years basking in the glory of perfect vision after Lasik. I had Lasik in October 2007, when I was 41 years old, to correct myopia (nearsightedness) and astigmatism. I loved the freedom I had from glasses or contact lenses for about 8 years. Then when I reached full menopause at the age of 49, me reading vision tanked like the Titanic.

I went from feeling invincible, seeing the world in crisp, vivid detail, to suddenly struggling with menus, ingredient labels, and my phone screen. It feels unfair, doesn’t it? At least I was aware of the distinct possibility that presbyopia would indeed set in at some point, and had many years of crisp, perfect vision. The only thing I wasn’t prepared for was how sly the onset of presbyopia was. One day, I was fine, and then the next, I found myself doing the whole “arm stretch” thing just to read my emails or check a text. I also wasn’t prepared for the emotional toll, basically having to admit defeat by having to carry around reading glasses or magnifiers when I had been free of them my entire life. It suddenly was a nuisance to try reading a restaurant menu or a nutrition label in dim lighting. The way I adapted to the need for reading glasses was to place three prescription pairs in specific places: bedroom nightstand, my desk, my handbag.

It’s not just the practical side of things; there’s also a sense of frustration because it feels like a step backward. After Lasik, I became so accustomed to being free from glasses or contacts—it’s this incredible feeling of independence. Then, when presbyopia hit, I had no choice but to get new glasses. It’s almost insulting to the effort and investment I had devoted to my eyes when I had Lasik.

Suddenly having to wear glasses again can mess with your confidence, too. It’s one of those subtle reminders of aging, even if you don’t feel old. Despite the fact that I have had to wear reading glasses for the last ten years, I still find myself frequently ignoring my presbyopic eyes, squinting to read a text on my phone, even if I have a pair of glasses nearby.

Whaddya Mean, I Need Reading Glasses?

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reading glasses

I have struggled for the past several years with my reading vision. Reading things like menus in dark restaurants, and the small print on supplement bottles, has become extremely challenging. It is very frustrating for me, because I used to be able to read the smallest print better than most other people were able to. Of course, that was because I had myopia and astigmatism which robbed me of crisp distance vision from the time I was a child, up until I got Lasik at the age of 41.

When I had the Lasik procedure done, I went from having 20/400 distance vision to having 20/30 distance vision in my right eye and 20/25 distance vision in my left eye. The reason why the distance vision in my right eye is slightly worse is because the right eye was corrected for reading vision.

For about 4 years after I had Lasik, my reading vision sat at about 20/25, which was a sacrifice for me, since I had enjoyed 20/10 reading vision for decades. However, I have spent the past few years noticing my close-up vision dwindle. At this point I am at a 20/35 on a good day, and 20/40 in dimly lit conditions or first thing in the morning. This is all due to presbyopia, the age-related stiffening of the lens of the eye, which makes it more difficult for the eyes to accommodate the way they need to for crisp reading vision.

You would think that I would wear reading glasses whenever I needed them, but I am SO stubborn that I very rarely reach for them. Part of the reason is that I always hated wearing glasses before I had Lasik (I almost exclusively wore contact lenses whenever I was out and about). The notion of whipping out reading glasses and having them perched on the edge of my nose is not appealing to me at all! In addition, I have a small nose, so reading glasses tend to slip off my nose while I am wearing them. I think I also have a natural resistance to reading glasses because I used to look at people wearing reading glasses, and think, “wow, that person is OLD.” I know that’s terrible and short-sighted (pun intended), but I just can’t help it! I’d rather grab a magnifying lens than my glasses!

For those of you who might be scratching your heads, wondering what all the numbers above mean, read the explanation which the American Optometric Association has on their website:

20/20 vision is a term used to express normal visual acuity (the clarity or sharpness of vision) measured at a distance of 20 feet. If you have 20/20 vision, you can see clearly at 20 feet what should normally be seen at that distance. If you have 20/100 vision, it means that you must be as close as 20 feet to see what a person with normal vision can see at 100 feet.

20/20 does not necessarily mean perfect vision. 20/20 vision only indicates the sharpness or clarity of vision at a distance. There are other important vision skills, including peripheral awareness or side vision, eye coordination, depth perception, focusing ability and color vision that contribute to your overall visual ability.

Some people can see well at a distance, but are unable to bring nearer objects into focus. This condition can be caused by hyperopia (farsightedness) or presbyopia (loss of focusing ability). Others can see items that are close, but cannot see those far away. This condition may be caused by myopia (nearsightedness).

A comprehensive eye examination by a doctor of optometry can diagnose those causes, if any, that are affecting your ability to see well. In most cases, your optometrist can prescribe glasses, contact lenses or a vision therapy program that will help improve your vision. If the reduced vision is due to an eye disease, the use of ocular medication or other treatment may be used.