I am at that stage in life (late 40s) when my eyes are not what they were. A few years ago I got reading glasses. Last month I went to the optician for an eye test, and was told that my distance vision had deteriorated, too - to the point where it might not be a bad idea to wear driving glasses - though it was fairly marginal. So I agreed to part with my money and get some glasses for driving.
I'm finding the experience hard to get used to. They definitely make things look sharper (I've tested them out when not driving) - especially things between 3 feet and 200 yards. But driving with them is odd. I don't know quite how to describe it. Sometimes it seems as if I don't see things as quickly. And I find that they make my eyes feel tired. Things seem more satisfactory without them.
Is this normal? Should I just persevere? (And yes, I have made an appointment to call in at the optician in a couple of weeks.)
(BTW, I've read through the thread on varifocals - can't imagine what they must be like!)
|
If they make your eyes tired tyro it is possible they have given you two lenses the same when what you really need is different ones. You can check this by closing your eyes in turn. Is the image sharper with one than the other?
That apart, if you don't like wearing them to drive and they don't make a significant difference, then don't wear them. Nearly all spectacles degrade peripheral vision - frame getting in the way, or poorer focus where there's no lens - so if you don't need them they must do more harm than good. When you need them you will quickly get used to them.
|
|
First port of call is always a GOOD independent Optician. Trust me.
|
|
I would second that. Some are just useless window dressing for the sale of overpriced frames. Of course the frames will be overpriced nearly every time, but you need your eyes to be measured properly every which way. The distance between yr pupil centres for example. Lenses have to be properly centred.
|
I'm pretty confident that my optician is good. I was pretty impressed by the whole process.
Independent, no. Works for D&A. Is that really a problem?
|
Now 50 and I've worn galsses since age 11. They were a struggle to get used to at first but I'd endorse the idea of RTB if they're still bad after a week or two.
What sort of frames have you got? Current fashion dictates a world viewed through letterboxes and I'm sure the associated narrow field of view and need for constant head movement make then a royal PITA!!!
|
What sort of frames have you got?
Each lens is about 26mm high and 50mm broad.
When the D&A assistant asked what kind of frames I wanted, I replied "the cheapest ones". So she went off and got some of the cheap ones. We narrowed it down to two - based largely on what she thought was appropriate: the pair I got, and a pair which were rounder. The rounder pair felt rather uncomfortable on the bridge of my nose, while the pair I chose looked less sensible, but felt more comfortable.
|
>>But driving with them is odd. I don't know quite how to describe it. Sometimes it seems as if I don't see things as quickly.
I'm in the same position and finding much the same. I think it's the lack of depth perception that unsettles me the most - and the HIDeous, blue-flashing, glare from over-bright headlights when wearing them.
I also made the mistake of buying my glasses from the optician - £150 and the soldering fell apart in less than 10 uses. [I found a very handy online place that resoldered them properly for £17.50.]
I bought a back-up pair from Glasses Direct for £24 using the same prescription. Much better-made glasses, more comfortable and not such a worry if they get scratched.
Last edited by: Screwloose on Thu 25 Mar 10 at 01:55
|
>> And I find that
>> they make my eyes feel tired.
I had that problem with one particular pair of glasses, and it transpired that they'd had a prismatic correction incorporated into them which I couldn't tolerate. What the prismatic correction does is to pull your eyes closer to being parallel than what they are naturally. Removing the prismatic correction cured the problem. When I get new glasses now I specify "No prismatic correction please".
tinyurl.com/yjh6lfc
|
This reply should appear to be interleaved between L'escargot and pda.
Edit: yes it is.
Last edited by: John H on Thu 25 Mar 10 at 14:21
|
Let's get this into perspective ( no pun!)
You may not want to hear this but if you want to continue to drive and to keep your licence then it is something you have to persevere with.
Eyesight does deteriorate with age and yours won't improve, so far better to persevere now rather than later.
See what the optician says about them and the problems you're having but also ask him about an anti glare coating.
Most drivers have this as standard as it shanges the lights in a distance to loghts and not twinkling starts ( hope you know what I mean by that!)
Varifocals IMHO are great if measured properly. I'm lucky as my optician always makes me sit and hold the steering wheel in the opticians:) I then have to look down at the speedo and at both cab side mirrors, he then makes my lenses specifically to give me the type of vision I need in those positions, and I always have varilux too.
When I first had to wear glasses I had a slightly 'detached' feeling as though it was all going on around me and I wasn't a part of it, but it soon goes.
So much so that I was soaking in the bath the other day and still had them on!
Stick with it Tyro.
Pat
That should have appeared under the OP:(
Last edited by: pda on Thu 25 Mar 10 at 08:52
|
Thanks, all.
I'm in the same position and finding much the same. I think it's the lack of depth perception that unsettles me the most
Yes! Now that you mention it, I had noticed a lack of depth perception.
|
>> Yes! Now that you mention it I had noticed a lack of depth perception.
>>
I would suggest that what might be happening, particularly bearing in mind your age, is the distance lenses in your glasses are improving your long range vision at the expense of your short range vision.
I've worn glasses since I was 9 and but only struggled with reading from my very late 40's. Since then I've had a kind of detached feeling which I think is because I'm looking past, or beyond, a near field area which is unclear.
I too have issues with judging distance - fortunately things tend to look closer that they really are!
|
>> That should have appeared under the OP:(
?
That is where I see it. :0)
www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?t=578&v=t
|
I see it below a post by L'escargot in both threaded and flat view??
Pat
|
>> I see it below a post by L'escargot in both threaded and flat view??
>>
>> Pat
>>
L'escargot replied to the original post one hour plus before you. Therefore he appears in that branch of replies in front of you. Nonetheless, the branch in question originates from the original post.
Wearing glasses for driving L'escargot 25 Mar 10 07:38
Wearing glasses for driving pda 25 Mar 10 08:51
|
So maybe I'll just make life easy then and click on reply to the last post:)
Or is that to be banned too!
Pat
|
Leave me out of it, Paleface. Me Tonto, me just hold horse!
;-)
Last edited by: L'escargot on Thu 25 Mar 10 at 15:16
|
I have become shortsighted with age and have been prescribed glasses primarily for driving to give 20 20 vision. I wear them only occasionally but find that when I take them off my vision deteriorates to a worse state than when I put them on. For that reason I wear them only when I feel the need as I believe they can make your eyes 'lazy'.
Anyway a few years ago I was working in a position that involved two cars working closely together. I drove the second vehicle. When we got a shout during darkness I noticed that the gap with the lead car would increase. (OK I'm a slow driver). I popped my glasses on and the gap decreased.
The rationale was that with slightly impaired vision the hazard scanning process was later and took slightly longer thereby decreasing my speed accordingly to still achieve safe progress.
|
Update: I went back to my optician, who studied the glasses. I got the following replies.
1) My eyes were feeling tired because there was a fault with the lenses. As a result, the glasses have been sent back to the manufacturers to be redone.
2) As regards the lack of depth perception when I wear the glasses, I was told to persist, and the depth perception would return.
3) As regards the frames, the optician told me that smaller / narrower frames should not cause a problem unless they were very small indeed. The exception is sunglasses, for which one needs reasonably large frame / lens.
|
>> 3) As regards the frames the optician told me that smaller / narrower frames should
>> not cause a problem unless they were very small indeed
If they are single vision lenses, this is true. Mind 26mm is a bit letter box for me
>>The exception is sunglasses for
>> which one needs reasonably large frame / lens.
Yes far too much bright light leakage round the edge of a small lens.
|
Agree with Zero. Three zones & transitions in 26mm is going to need you to look through a very specific part of the lens for any given focus.
Mine are all but 40mm and an aviator/fashion "cross"; couldn't find anything better at the time. I still need to use the near bit with care - sometimes easier to take the damn things off!!
|
|
I started wearing aviator style varifocals about a year ago, the large lenses give quite large zones of focus. It took me about a week to be fully comfortable with them, but I still look over the top of them in extreme peripheral situations like junctions where over the shoulder vision is required.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Tue 13 Apr 10 at 11:51
|
I have 35mm frameless, and the varifocal transition is really good for me. I think they were well dispensed.
I have a pair of single vision smaller aviator style glasses with a 50% tint. The 50% is good sunglasses for driving.
|
If you find it irksome to see your spectacle frames in your peripheral vision, you might prefer contact lenses - even if you've never worn them before. I was a late convert to mine - at the age of 33 - and wish I'd discovered them sooner.
Nearly ten years on, my excellent (independent) optician has recently put me on to a new, silicone hydrogel formulation, and they're more comfortable than ever, especially in the evenings when the old ones would have been drying out. I still prefer my glasses for driving at night - when the anti-glare coating, as Pat has mentioned, really helps resolve oncoming lights into pairs so I can judge their distance - but for daylight driving, and everything else, it's contacts all the way for me.
Incidentally, I've not reached the reading glasses stage yet, but a colleague has and simply carries his specs to put on over his contacts during the day when he needs them. I can see myself doing the same thing when the time comes, much as I do with sunglasses now.
Which is another thing: contacts allow you to wear polarizing sunglasses, which make all the difference to cutting out those reflections in the windscreen, or making safe progress when the sun is glaring off a wet road surface.
And finally, hello again. I've not been far away, just waiting for the moment to re-enter.
|
>>>> And finally hello again.
Welcome to C4P. Feel free to add your name to the introduce yourself area.
Vx.
|
Wearing glasses for driving - Armel Coussine
