I have joined the Bergh herd.
Well, I lasted until almost 27 before I finally needed corrective glasses.
I've had Rx computer glasses since 2006 for eye strain, but they did nothing but make my eyes relax while I was working at my computer or drawing close-up. I was diligent about wearing them for my classes, then eventually I started getting headaches again. At that check-up my vision had actually improved since initially getting the first set of glasses, so I had the lenses changed and gradually used them less and less until I stopped completely because I wasn't having any problems at all.
About a month ago I started getting headaches every night after I'd been at my desk for a while. They started getting progressively worse over the last few weeks to the point that they were splitting by this past Friday whether I was at my computer, watching TV, or just... awake. The pain was concentrated behind and around my eyes and forehead, so I figured I'd better high-tail it to the optometrist to get my neglected eyes checked again. My glasses had a layer of dust on the lenses by then.
The soonest I could get in to see the doctor was yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon, and even during the pre-screening I could tell a difference. I've always had 20/20 vision but this time, even though I could still read the 20/20 line, I couldn't read it instantly. It had to focus. The same thing happened during my actual exam when the letters were projected on the wall. I could read the 20/20 line on the up-close card immediately. The lens swaps were also much more apparent during the exam than I ever remembered them being before.
The verdict: it's not catastrophic by any means, but I am slightly far-sighted now. I can still see far away but my eyes have to work to "focus through the correction" so they were exhausted and thus giving me the splitting headaches every day. The Rx on my computer lenses changed just enough to make big difference, too.
I still used the same frames that I've always had since they're still in perfect condition and I wanted to save as much money as possible. The doctor said I need to wear them while working at my computer and doing up-close things like reading and drawing and while it won't hurt anything if I want to wear them all the time day to day, I don't have to if I don't want to. For the time being I'm going to wear them all day to let my eyes get adjusted to the lenses, then I'll try just wearing them while I'm at home. I still have a light headache right now but I know that's from my eyes doing the aforementioned adjusting. When I do eventually get to the point that I need glasses all the time (it's going to inevitably happen just as it has for everyone in my family except Nanny... she could still read the ingredients on a soup can at 90 years old without glasses) I'll probably get contacts. For now, though, the glasses are fine.
Next time I get new frames I would like to get the kind that the stems just screw right into the lenses. Part of the reason I got the little blue frames I have now is because I got the glasses made while I was home on winter break from Ringling, thus I couldn't wait two weeks for lenses to come in. Next time I won't have that problem, so the waiting for two weeks won't matter.
My mom teased me today that "Hah, you're old now." and that everyone in the immediate family now has Rx corrective glasses of some sort. I guess we're not exactly gifted in the ocular department. Bree had to get her first pair of corrective glasses at 14 so I'm doing pretty good with just barely needing them at 26. My mom said she was 28 when she first got corrective glasses, so I'm right on par with her. This means I'll probably have to wear them all the time by the time I'm 40. Not terribly surprising, but still an "aw, man..." moment when you've never had any semblance of vision problems for your entire life.
At this point I don't really care. My main thought now is "YAY, no more headaches!" because seriously, they were a bitch.
I've had Rx computer glasses since 2006 for eye strain, but they did nothing but make my eyes relax while I was working at my computer or drawing close-up. I was diligent about wearing them for my classes, then eventually I started getting headaches again. At that check-up my vision had actually improved since initially getting the first set of glasses, so I had the lenses changed and gradually used them less and less until I stopped completely because I wasn't having any problems at all.
About a month ago I started getting headaches every night after I'd been at my desk for a while. They started getting progressively worse over the last few weeks to the point that they were splitting by this past Friday whether I was at my computer, watching TV, or just... awake. The pain was concentrated behind and around my eyes and forehead, so I figured I'd better high-tail it to the optometrist to get my neglected eyes checked again. My glasses had a layer of dust on the lenses by then.
The soonest I could get in to see the doctor was yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon, and even during the pre-screening I could tell a difference. I've always had 20/20 vision but this time, even though I could still read the 20/20 line, I couldn't read it instantly. It had to focus. The same thing happened during my actual exam when the letters were projected on the wall. I could read the 20/20 line on the up-close card immediately. The lens swaps were also much more apparent during the exam than I ever remembered them being before.
The verdict: it's not catastrophic by any means, but I am slightly far-sighted now. I can still see far away but my eyes have to work to "focus through the correction" so they were exhausted and thus giving me the splitting headaches every day. The Rx on my computer lenses changed just enough to make big difference, too.
I still used the same frames that I've always had since they're still in perfect condition and I wanted to save as much money as possible. The doctor said I need to wear them while working at my computer and doing up-close things like reading and drawing and while it won't hurt anything if I want to wear them all the time day to day, I don't have to if I don't want to. For the time being I'm going to wear them all day to let my eyes get adjusted to the lenses, then I'll try just wearing them while I'm at home. I still have a light headache right now but I know that's from my eyes doing the aforementioned adjusting. When I do eventually get to the point that I need glasses all the time (it's going to inevitably happen just as it has for everyone in my family except Nanny... she could still read the ingredients on a soup can at 90 years old without glasses) I'll probably get contacts. For now, though, the glasses are fine.
Next time I get new frames I would like to get the kind that the stems just screw right into the lenses. Part of the reason I got the little blue frames I have now is because I got the glasses made while I was home on winter break from Ringling, thus I couldn't wait two weeks for lenses to come in. Next time I won't have that problem, so the waiting for two weeks won't matter.
My mom teased me today that "Hah, you're old now." and that everyone in the immediate family now has Rx corrective glasses of some sort. I guess we're not exactly gifted in the ocular department. Bree had to get her first pair of corrective glasses at 14 so I'm doing pretty good with just barely needing them at 26. My mom said she was 28 when she first got corrective glasses, so I'm right on par with her. This means I'll probably have to wear them all the time by the time I'm 40. Not terribly surprising, but still an "aw, man..." moment when you've never had any semblance of vision problems for your entire life.
At this point I don't really care. My main thought now is "YAY, no more headaches!" because seriously, they were a bitch.