OT: bifocals, reading glasses

PineGroveBully

Redshirt
Nov 13, 2007
8,508
2
0
Those of you that need reading glasses, how old were you when you started noticing that couldn’t see? Here lately I can hardly read my phone. At least I now I have an excuse for all my grammatical errors. I’ve worn contacts since I was 10. Do they make bifocal contacts? I really wasn’t wanting reading glasses for my 39th birthday.
 

Jeffreauxdawg

All-American
Dec 15, 2017
8,871
7,935
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I'm same boat as you. Just go to the drug store and find a bottle shampoo you can't read and take it over to the reading glasses. Find the one that works best. $10 and you will have the eagle eye in every day life from contacts and still be able to read.

Take a few days easing into them though. It's the easiest thing in the world to keep a pair of reading glasses on your desk. Don't 17 with bifocals.
 
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Dawgbite

All-American
Nov 1, 2011
9,136
9,881
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Probably around 45 for me. Once you start using them you can never go back. Your eyes adapt to the reader’s and it seems worse without them. I even have Maui Jim sunglasses with readers in them.
 

patdog

Heisman
May 28, 2007
58,017
27,888
113
I was closer to 50. One thing you can try is dropping the prescription in your contact in one eye by the amount of reading glasses you need and use that eye for reading and the other for distance. Some people swear by that, but it's just never worked for me. I think they do make bifocal contacts, but you'll basically have to train your eye to look through one part of the lens for distance and another for up close. My eye dr. didn't recommend it for me when I had lenses implanted during my cataract surgery. For me, just drug store reading glasses work best. I'd recommend getting the $20-$30 ones instead of the $10 ones though. But try the different contact prescription in one eye too. If it works for you, that's probably the best option.
 

coach66

Junior
Mar 5, 2009
12,695
320
83
I have now evolved to a set of one power readers

That give me great distance vision and I just ordered a pack of the stick on 2.5 bifocal lens
To place on the bottom of my readers that will
Give me near superpower vision near and far. Next step is to order one power transition readers and add the stick on bifocals. I have contacts but they bother me so I’ve settled on this and it works well. I don’t want expensive glasses because I lose them or break them too often.
 

karlchilders.sixpack

All-Conference
Jun 5, 2008
20,465
4,413
113
My eye sight has gone thru several changes

Wore glasses, went to contacts, ...then, later nothing,

Now back to just reading glasses.

Last got some spring hinged (3 pack) from Walmart, (on Line), less that $15., recently,

I recommend them
 
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Maroon Eagle

All-American
May 24, 2006
18,154
7,968
102
I didn't know I needed glasses until I failed the eye exam for my driver's license.

My father said that explained all those sharp left hand turns.
 
Sep 26, 2012
1,292
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Around 50 and it was like turning on a switch. One day I was reading fine, the next day I couldn’t read newsprint. I use progressive lens so I don’t have to fight with readers all the time. My sight is fine beyond arms length.
 

PineGroveBully

Redshirt
Nov 13, 2007
8,508
2
0
Same, I didn’t know I couldn’t see until the Lions club came to my school doing eye tests.I can still remember walking out of the optometrist like it was yesterday and being amazed at what I could see. Broke two pairs the first year then lost a 3rd when I took them off bc they fogged up on the bumper boats at Liberty Land. Parents said enough, you’re trying contacts. Been wearing them 28 years or so.
 

00dog

Redshirt
May 19, 2021
30
0
0
I buy $1 a pair reading glasses from Dollar Tree. They work fine. I keep a pair in different rooms in the house and in my vehicles. Shove a pair in my pants pocket. If they break, no big deal. I do have better quality reading glasses that I got in a 3-pack from Costco and I taken a little better care of them.

Many years ago an optometrist suggested that I wear reading glasses of approx. 1/2 my usual strength when reading computer monitors. The half strength worked great for years. Now 1.5-1.75, are comfortable for computer monitoring - my book reading glasses are 2.5.
 

NTDawg

Senior
Mar 2, 2012
2,272
943
113
I am slightly near sighted that is actually a little better than it was 10 years ago, I know seems weird. So my eye sight is good enough to get by without using glasses or contacts (for distance) most of the time except for hunting, sporting events and driving at night. I started using weak readers in my late forties. I can mostly get by without using readers but it is easier if I have them. The big exception to this is when I'm wearing my contacts my arms aren't long enough to read anything.
 

The Peeper

Heisman
Feb 26, 2008
15,805
11,137
113
For me it was around 45. I tried progressives two different times and hated those 17'ers w/ a passion (wife had the same ****** luck w/ hers too) so now I've got 2 prescriptions, both bifocals.

1 pair I use only at work and leave on my desk nightly. Bottom part is set up for normal reading distance for documents I'm holding or have laying on the desk and the top is set up for the 3-4ft distance to my monitors.

The other pair stays at home and top is for tv distance and bottom is for reading what I'm holding in my hand i.e. tablet, magazine, etc. I'm fine driving except for seeing the radio or speedometer. For that I've got some cheap shades I ordered from Amazon that came w/ a bifocal reader stuck on the bottom and those are ok for driving or ballgames.
 

msstatelp1

All-Conference
Aug 21, 2012
2,034
1,177
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They do make bifocal contacts. Most call themselves "multifocal" or something similar. I've been wearing the Biofinity multifocal by Cooper Vision for the past few years and like them. One catch to them is that you will rarely have great distance and great close vision at the same time. You may have to compromise on one or the other. I go with best distance I can get while having acceptable close.
 

Maroon Eagle

All-American
May 24, 2006
18,154
7,968
102
My eyesight was weird back then. 20/20 right eye; 20/200, left eye. I could see 20/20 without glasses but my depth vision sucked.
 

Villagedawg

All-Conference
Nov 16, 2005
2,150
2,159
113
40

Those of you that need reading glasses, how old were you when you started noticing that couldn’t see? Here lately I can hardly read my phone. At least I now I have an excuse for all my grammatical errors. I’ve worn contacts since I was 10. Do they make bifocal contacts? I really wasn’t wanting reading glasses for my 39th birthday.
40
 

garddog

Sophomore
Dec 10, 2008
793
100
43
I went to progressive lenses in glasses at 43. They are basically tri-focal without the lines. Top part is distance, middle is set for computer screens, bottom for reading distance. It took about 4 months for the adjustment period but love them since.

One thing is if you have two different prescriptions for your eyes, you need glasses or contacts. That causes headaches because your eyes continually refocus. That is what sent me to the eye doctor at 43.
 

Crazy Cotton

All-Conference
Aug 26, 2012
3,717
1,480
113
Hey old man, welcome to the wonderful world of presbyopia, otherwise known as old eye. Your eye lenses are becoming progressively less stretchy, and the little ciliary muscles that control focus by doing the stretching are getting weaker. As that happens your near-point, or the closest point that you can maintain focus, is moving away from you at an ever-increasing clip. Just wait till you're fifty. You're right at the age that most people with normal vision start to experience this at the level that interferes with close vision. My 16 year old can maintain focus on a page of writing held 3 inches from her face. I can just barely focus when i have it held at arm's length. They do make multifocal contact lenses.

Wait till you hear about colonoscopies.


 
Sep 26, 2012
1,292
729
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I wanted to stomp mine in the ground the first week or so. Once you get acclimated to them they are OK.
 
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RocketDawg

All-Conference
Oct 21, 2011
19,138
2,169
113
I was in my early 40s when I noticed the text in a book was getting fuzzy.

I think they do indeed make bifocal contacts. No idea how well they work. You're probalby better off getting some drugstore readers.
 

RocketDawg

All-Conference
Oct 21, 2011
19,138
2,169
113
I've had progressives many years - never had regular bifocals. You're right - they take some getting used to but are great once you get acclimated.
 

RocketDawg

All-Conference
Oct 21, 2011
19,138
2,169
113
For me it was around 45. I tried progressives two different times and hated those 17'ers w/ a passion (wife had the same ****** luck w/ hers too) so now I've got 2 prescriptions, both bifocals.

1 pair I use only at work and leave on my desk nightly. Bottom part is set up for normal reading distance for documents I'm holding or have laying on the desk and the top is set up for the 3-4ft distance to my monitors.

The other pair stays at home and top is for tv distance and bottom is for reading what I'm holding in my hand i.e. tablet, magazine, etc. I'm fine driving except for seeing the radio or speedometer. For that I've got some cheap shades I ordered from Amazon that came w/ a bifocal reader stuck on the bottom and those are ok for driving or ballgames.

Sounds safe enough. **
 
Feb 4, 2015
1,060
66
48
Early forties for me. Started off at 1.25 and now at 2.0 and I’m a young and youthful looking 55 lol. Absolutely get you several pairs of them. I have them all over my house,shop and my truck. I usually buy mine at dollar general but bought a three pack of foster grants on eBay that were pretty cheap.
 

TheGoat.sixpack

Redshirt
Sep 16, 2012
318
0
16
I am still figuring this out. I am 47 and early this year, I couldn't read the ingredients on a can. It was weird...out of the blue. Now I just have glasses all over the place. I like this "progressive" thing y'all speak of though. Time to visit Amazon.
 

idog

Freshman
Aug 17, 2010
589
71
28
go back and see your local eye doc. if you feel like you need readers @ 39 you likely just need to update your Rx and it'll solve your issues for the time being. there a couple of them who are members on this board(including myself). if you need a recommendation find me back channel.
 

The Peeper

Heisman
Feb 26, 2008
15,805
11,137
113
I tried the first pair about 7 or 8 years ago for about 2 weeks and pitched them. The 2nd pair I got last year and wore them for about 6 weeks and threw them in my bedside drawer where they reside until this day
 

woozman

All-Conference
Nov 13, 2004
3,428
2,624
113
I turned 49 last week and have always had 20/15 vision. Well, until last year when I started having issues reading my phone, notes on drawings, medicine bottles, etc.

Went to the eye doctor and in his words “you still have 20/15 so long as what you’re reading is 3-ft away. Unfortunately your arms aren’t 3-ft long.”

He told me to grab a couple cheap pairs of 1.5s at Walgreens. They work well, but I try not to use them unless I absolutely have to…
 

maroonmadman

Senior
Nov 7, 2010
2,530
853
113
I've had glasses since the 4th grade. I'm nearsighted and was having trouble seeing the chalkboard. Cataracts have been my biggest problem but I had the right eye done yesterday and am getting my patch off this afternoon. Looking forward to seeing clear again.
 

fishwater99

Freshman
Jun 4, 2007
14,073
54
48
Welcome to the club!!

It happened to me at 47. I had always had 20/20 or better vision. I still have great vision at long distance, but up close has gone down.
I use readers now 1.25 x and they work great.
 

Jeffreauxdawg

All-American
Dec 15, 2017
8,871
7,935
113
Readers? Would have thought you could have had your team harvest the eyes from a younger man and swapped them out for yours.