My First Glasses @ 55

The fifties is when it all starts changing...I am telling this story for those who don't know this about having your eyes dilated at an eye exam.

My vision seemed to be getting a little fuzzy with my distance and I was finally past all the reading glasses they sell over the counter. Past a 3.50 ♫. I decided that I needed to go and have an eye exam and see what needed to be done. 

I went to a local eye doctor who was new to me. He was a very nice doctor. I was not asked anything about glaucoma. If you have glaucoma and have your eyes dilated, it can damage them. It did mine. Within 10 days after my appointment, my eyes started to hurt and I felt pressure. I made an appointment with eye surgeon as my insurance will pay for that.  He did some photo tests and measurements and concluded I needed to use an anti-biotic and a warm compress to reduce the inflammation. I had narrow-angle glaucoma now. It can cause blindness if the pressure gets way too high. I needed to have laser eye surgery on each eye to create a path so my eyes could drain now. They did one eye at a time. It took about 3 months to do both. I do know my eyes will never feel the same again. They are fixed . He did more photos and more measurements after both eyes were done and they are like new. I use a moisturizer (Refresh Eye Moisturizer) and a warm compress at night as it just makes my eyes feel better.

All this just because I went in to get better reading glasses @ 55. 

I also got my prescription filled in Eugene by an optic store. I want to share the information I learned about buying glasses for the first time no matter what your age is.

I did need distance for my new glasses . I thought that buying progressive lenses would be the thing to do for me since I needed both visions corrected. 

Please remember when you select the frames for these glasses, they need to be larger than what you would normally want. It needs more space than just a regular lens. The lenses need to be more rounded, taller, and rounded on the bottom. I had chosen frames more in a rectangle. Without the curves on the top and bottom. Having glaucoma makes a difference too. I was told nothing about any of this at the optical shop.  I selected my frames and gave them the prescription and money. Came back the next day and got my glasses. I could not see out of them, but took them home anyway. I was recovering from laser eye surgery. I kept trying to wear them and see out of them, but I never could. They also made me me have vertigo because the corners were blurry and that made my eyes just spin it felt. I called and they said bring them back and we can exchange the progressive for bi-focals.. I had 30 days so I was ok with changing the lenses. No charge. 

I did go to different sites on the internet to find the information on glasses I needed. I went to optical shops site I used and they had no information about glasses at all. How is one to make an informed decision about glasses if you have no information to offer them. I will not be using this company again. You go to this page and find information about progressives. Since progressives are three visions in one lens  you have to have a lens as I was saying or it won't work for you. The room is not there for it to work properly. They never told me at the optical shop any of this information. They didn't help me pick out my frames or give me any advice. I was on my own with my first pair of prescription eye glasses. 

I had paid $238.00 for my glasses. I thought that was an ok price and with a sun screen too. I had them put bi-focals in and now I can see with them. Who cares what they look like or how old it might make me look. I can see with them.
Benjamin Franklin is the father of the bi-focal.