Gransnetters share the difficulties they have experienced as their eyesight has deteriorated

I have been lucky with my eyesight, I was short sighted in one eye and long sighted in the other and they seemed to work together so I didn't need glasses. However when I turned 70 it was like I began to fall apart and I now need reading glasses. I really believe that the more you wear glasses the worse your eye sight gets, after 8 months of using them for reading I struggle to see any print without them! I still think I am lucky though as both my siblings have glaucoma and I do not have that yet.

Only need glasses for reading, can't walk about in them so find that I am constantly putting them on and off especially when out shopping.

I have worn glasses since my mid 40s (now mid 60s). I do find it more difficult to read in artificial light these days. I wear varifocals all the time. Yes, I have seen adverts for Serious Readers - leaflets in newspapers - they must spend a small fortune on advertising. I haven't tried their lights, as they seem incredibly expensive!

I’m 72 and had no eye trouble until my mid forties when stated needing glasses. Then a few years ago I was referred to an eye specialist as I had a kind of double vision whereby lines would seem to merge together. Have macular degeneration and it was explained to me that each eye has 6 muscles that work in conjunction with each other. Problem is mine don’t hence the blurred lines. Was wearing varifocals which I’d switched to while still at work. I had prisms in the lenses to correct vision but started having problems again about a year ago. More glasses which are pretty expensive that only lasted 10 months before I again needed new ones. This time the reading was not improved so I now have reading glasses that are also for reading in the sun. Such a faff keep changing glasses if I am on the internet while watching tv. They are not perfect either but am resigned to not having good eyesight again. Also have the start of cataracts. Can’t keep forking out for new glasses. I’d have them lasered but, because of my condition it’s not an option

I've been wearing reading glasses since my 30's. Now 61 I have vitreous posterior detachment in both eyes which I can only describe as like a windscreen wiper going across the eye. I wear varifocal glasses all day but at night I find my old reading glasses better to use. No idea why this is. I also find I can see better in the far distance in daylight without any glasses. I recently had a horrendous 3 hour drive in the dark and pouring rain which quite unnerved me as I couldn't see very well at all, am hoping it was just that weather conditions were really bad, and not that my eyes are worsening

I needed glasses at age 8 years. As I couldn't see the blackboard from the back of the class. Once I got my first job after college I saved up and purchased contact lenses. They suited me until at my first pregnancy then couldn't get on with them. Now I an 62 and diabetic Boots the chemist ask me every 6 months for a free eye check up as I has issue they though I has glucoma. But after 18 months if the "dot" test at the eye hospital have now been discharged.

I had perfect vision until about my early 50’s. Now I’m 64 I still hate wearing glasses for reading. I find now that I can’t read the prices on anything in shops, and saying to everyone I’m sure the writing on the packets is getting smaller. I’ve noticed when on holiday in a bright country I am able to see much clearer. I may consider lazer surgery if they do get any worse

I'm in my early 60s and first started wearing glasses for reading when I was 20 and at university. In the last few years, I've noticed I can't see small print at all in books, on labels and such like, so have to reach for my glasses, and my long-distance vision, which was always excellent, has deteriorated, albeit slowly. My peripheral vision is always good, though, when tested.

I have trouble reading small print and reading in poor light.I do wear glasses for reading which are fine but I hate the fact that when I am shopping I have to get my glasses out to read the prices or sizes on clothes.It makes me feel old and I am only 57 but I feel old and embarrassed when I have to keep getting glasses out.I do find I can see so much better in bright daylight. I would love to be able to read again with perfect sight.

I first started noticing my eyesight wasn't as clear was in my mid-forties, and was prescribed bifocal glasses. They made everything look so sharp and clear, I was delighted.

Since then I have had two-yearly eye tests, and occasionally need a new prescription of varifocal lenses. I mainly need the glasses for reading, distances aren't much of a problem luckily.

I do tend to use my laptop frequently, which doesn't help and I have noticed that text can become blurry after a while.
I hadn't heart of 'Serious Readers', but intend to look at the website.

The number of times I search for my distance glasses, only to find them on top of my head while wearing my reading glasses ?. I should try bifocals!

Have reluctantly worn glasses for short sight since 8 when after discovering I was short sighted not a dunce did very well at school. Always wore them in class , for TV and catching buses but after being teased by a friend in the classroom not a lot. My mother gave me her old winged glasses even tho much more short sighted than me and then went to round National Health glasses which once having had the plastic cover taken off the frame were gold rimmed and vaguely reminiscent of John Lennon specs. Tried and failed miserably with little hard contacts which end in the bin- they hurt. Realised had to wear them at work constantly as as a student nurse served up tomatoes instead of plums for pudding -such polite patients in those days and when a nursing officer asked me the name of a patient right at the bottom of the ward only knew her name by remembering she had a red dressing gown on. Eventually got really expensive contact lenses supposed to last a year but I stretched to 2 years -luckily as a nurse had to have short nails which helped not to rip them. Then it was monthly use followed and still used by me daily use lenses. An older lady optician advised , like herself, to try short sighted contact in dominant right eye and more long sighted contact in left, when became long sighted. After persisting with the discomfort of headaches for 3 weeks it worked and still does for me. This cuts out wearing ready specs over them for close up stuff. Always have back up glasses -giving the last but one pair to charity. Recently the left eye became much less short sighted so tho vision had improved had to buy new glasses. Very expensive and no help apart from free sight test. I enquired and was told that it would cost more to replace the lense in old glasses then get new pair. This time decided to get all singing and dancing glasses which are varifocal, transitional(for sun protection ) and anti glare coating for driving at night. I can see better still with no glasses or contacts for reading small print even today. ?

I am 64 and have always had issues since a child having a lazy eye I was mimicked for having a, large plaster of one lens of my glasses but learnt to cope and adapt. Now I am facing new challenges having been diagnosed with cataracts but not badly enough to warrant removal but I find it impacts n my reading pleasure. Everything now appears blurred after a while and have to stop for a few hours before trying again upto now no one has come up with solutions to make things any easier.

I first noticed I couldn't see very well when I was studying for exams aged about 21. Eventually I was told I had Keratconus and had to wear hard contact lenses to correct this. The contact lenses irritated my eyes greatly. I gave up with the contact lenses and later developed Blephaospasm. The Blepharospasm did not respond to botox injections so I can no longer drive. I have not heard about Serious Readers and how their lights can help with eye strain, although I suspect the light would be too bright for my eyes .

I suffer with dry ichy eyes and use eye drops daily, the blower in the car makes them worse which is a nuisance when it needs to be on. I also need glasses for reading but I don't always carry them with me hence sometimes I struggle when out and about shopping and I can't read the small print...

I am long sighted which seems to get worse with age.
The biggest problem for me is grocery shopping. I can not read the price labels without my glasses so I am continually putting on and taking off my glasses. No more quick trips to the supermarket.

It's quite amazing the number of people on here who've had eye problems from a young age!
I was 8 when I started wearing glasses due to astigmatism in both my eyes; this I continued to do up to the present day. However, at my last eye exam, (now aged 70), I was told of bad cataracts developing in both of my eyes and I was referred to a specialist. The outcome of this was the removal of the cataracts over an 12 week period; a quick and non-painful procedure, which made the most enormous difference to my sight. Colours became much brighter, I could drive at night with no problem and my glasses prescription had to be adjusted.
So much of my daily work takes place on a computer, plus I love to read, so I value my sight every day.

i am awaiting an appointment because eye centr(no names) thinks i have glaucoma in my left eye. i must say i cannot see things clearly now.things are a lot more fuzzy... i do wear glasses for long sight. and glasses for reading which do help. but my eyes are always sore from reading too much..am not sure a bright light would help as i have mild epilespsy....but would be willing to explore more ,as my eyes are important in the voluntary work that i do. and i really love reading....

I have struggled with my eyesight since I was two years old, I had a squint and had too wear strong glasses and patches to strengthen each eye. I am shortsighted with astigmatism and my glasses are a very strong prescription, the difficulties I have had over the years has been awful. When I was 21 I was diagnosed with Ocular Melanoma which is cancer of the eye it started as a freckle on my right eye and eventually grew and developed into cancer, I had surgery to remove half of my iris then when I was 24 there was a recurrence and this time the melanoma had wrapped itself around the globe and I developed glaucoma and a cataract too I then had to have my whole eye removed and now have a artificial eye. This has really been difficult having too adjust to having one eye and having poor eyesight in the remaining eye, I now have no depth perception and fall or trip quite regular which is horrible so life can be a struggle at times.

Left eye, not lady eye!!

I have had wet AMD for about 4 years now.
It is just in my lady eye at present.
I was then diagnosed with something else which I can't remember the name of.
I had lazer treatment for that and it was successful but the AMD is worse now.
I have stopped the injections as thte can go on for life and still don't cure, only contain.
Ifit starts in my right eye I will resume them to keep as much sight as I can.
My life is definitely restricted now, I trip more and often miss the cup/glass when pouring.

I was short sighted and used wear contact lenses / glasses. In the last few years I find it hard to read small writing on the labels. My prescription changed significantly. I no longer need glasses to drive but I do for reading small writings.

I also have glaucoma since a eyesight test at 40 , but since the n the last two yrs the doctors are always getting back me back to hospital for more tests! Which I feel frustrated with . Some drops in eye have caused I irertation to one eye , and have been told another op , ! Very distressing , cataract done in one one , but still can’t drive , and will not anymore .sorry about incorrect words spelt wrong !

I had good eyesight up until I hit 40.After that I was was struggling to read.Had to give in and get glasses for close up things...reading,phone,computer etc.My distance sight is still pretty good.I am 64 now.

i have had to wear glasses since i was at school, i have to wear them all the time now , but i am not sure if its getting worse as i get older or not.