Glasses? (All the better to see with...)

I recently had an eye exam. I've worn glasses for years. Well, to be honest, after the first year, I stopped wearing them as my prescription had changed and my glasses no longer worked as they should. But, due to cost, I've been without glasses and a proper eye exam since 2003 (I had my first and, until a week ago, only eye exam in 2002). However, a new business opened up semi-locally that offered a free exam and really inexpensive frames and lenses. I was skeptical at first, but it really was a good deal. And, I walked away with two pairs of glasses including a free eye exam, glasses cases, and microfiber cloths for $82.95. Not bad, huh?

So, this all has me thinking. How many members here wear glasses or contacts? Have you always worn glasses? Are you near-sighted, far-sighted, both? What kind of frames do you have? Do you like wearing glasses or do you feel as though they make you seem or appear less attractive? For me, I'm near-sighted, but have trouble with reading when my eyes are tired. I decided, since I have a heart-shaped, semi-rounded face, to go with chunkier frames this time around (last time I had wire frames). My frames now are plastic -- one pair is a simple black frame and the other is black with a pink inside along with cream and beige accents. The latter pair is my fun pair while my simple black glasses are more business-like. I used to think glasses made me look unattractive, but I like wearing them now. But, even more than that, I like being able to see!

But, enough about me...how about you?

I've been wearing glasses since the 2nd grade...so I guess for 21 years!! I'm near-sighted (that's where you can't see far away right?) but I wear them all the time. When I was a kid I wouldn't take my glasses off to do my reading at school; which I didn't need them for. That made my vision worse to the point where now I have to wear my glasses all the time! I was just commenting to DH that I can tell the prescription for my left eye needs adjusting. The glasses that I am wearing now are about 4 years old or so.

I used to wear contacts a lot. Then in the summer of 2007 I got an infection in the cornea of my right eye due to "over-wear" of my contacts. My vision was blurry in that eye for a whole month!! I was at the eye doctors every few days; I had MRI's and other neurological tests just to be sure it wasn't something else. It wasn't really painful unless I tried to use the computer; mostly it was tiring; but it was SOOO scary! Ever since contacts haven't been as comfortable. I can wear them; but not all day. My vision hasn't really changed much so I haven't bothered with new glasses. Because of my script I always go for the featherweight lenses and I'm so picky about my frames. So it always ends up expensive! But I get my wear out of em!

When you are pregnant they won't do a real eye exam unless you are having a problem. I didn't know this till I was about 35 weeks pregnant and drove over icy, unplowed roads to get to my eye exam to be told they wouldn't see me because I wasn't having a problem. Did I mention I nearly got stuck in the frozen junk all over the road in the middle of downtown traffic? Yeah....they nearly had an angry, very pregnant lady blow up on em.... hehe.... Since it takes a full year for some things to "go back to normal" I didn't want to bother making an appt. So I need to now.

I've always done wire frames (since elementary school anyway...) and usually in a dark brown color. Because I have dark brown hair it seems to blend better. If I am dressed up I prefer to wear contacts; but otherwise I don't mind my glasses so much. Except when my child won't leave them alone... lol It's nice when you want to lay down for a nap and also you can just fall into bed instead of cleaning your contacts! I wish I could do cool, trendy frames; but it's just not me. (There...did I answer all your questions... hehehe)

Contacts and glasses here. My vision has needed help since the 3rd grade, or was it 2nd? I cannot go without something on my eyes, as I can't see things in detail unless they are right in my face. Always contacts for many years, but I have been wearing glasses for months straight now.

When I was in elementary school and early middle school I used to think eyeglasses were so cute, and I was mad I didn't need them.
So I'm chiming in to say I own a pair of glasses I use to thread needles and such sometimes, but I don't really need.

I am nearsighted, and have astigmatism. I've worn glasses since first grade. I am blind without them. I can see clearly for only 6 - 8 inches without them.

I get my glasses from zennioptical.com. They're $7 a pair, plus 5 for shipping. Frames and lenses. I have plastic frames (lots of them).

My siblings and I got our dad's eyes... My mom has had to wear glasses since she was in her 20's, but my dad never needed them until he was close to 60 - and that was only for reading. He was very reluctant about wearing reading glasses, too... I'm almost 40, and I do notice that my vision is not what it used to be, but I still don't have to wear glasses or contacts. Yet...

Just like you, I went without glasses for many years, mostly because of the cost. My eyes got so bad that I could no longer read paperbacks, because the type was too small, and I sometimes couldn't recognize people on TV, because the images were doubled and blurry.

Then one night while driving, I turned onto a highway access road and accelerated to go up the ramp -- and at the last possible moment, I realized that what I was looking at was not a ramp, but a 30-foot-high retaining wall.

So last year, I finally broke down and got glasses again. It was miraculous! Being able to see clearly is such a joy! And even though they're trifocals, I was able to get them at Sears for about $200... half the price I'd paid years before at Lenscrafters.

They're cheap frames, in plain dark red plastic, but I like them fine. And y'know, I think I actually look better with them!

I was about 43 when i first started wearing them. I had to go when my arms couldn't get any longer to read with

I'm 52 now and had them tested again last year and there was no real change, so for my age it's not bad at all!

I have glasses, I've had them since I was about 15 but over the years my eyesight has changed considerably (both me and my brother gained my dad's eyesight as we got older).
I used to be 'interesting' and have one long sighted and one short sighted eye, just me being awkward I guess but now it's evened out to being short sighted. It's amazing what a difference glasses make, a few years ago I went for a while without them and then when I put them back on I realised what I had been missing and also that I felt less dizzy so now they live on my nose and bug me when I change temperature or fall off when I sneeze (I also gained that from my dad *ACHOOOOOO!*).
I have never encountered anything exciting whilst not wearing them but have managed to get me and my partner lost and stuck on roundabouts as I've frantically squinted at the roadsigns

I have glasses for reading that I have had different prescriptions for since elementary school, but I very rarely wear them. I just usually forget truthfully.

I've worn glasses since I was 3 years old. Mom has pictures of me, a wee little girl with curly black hair, a big smile, and little glasses with blue frames.

Used to wear contacts years ago, but now I can't. I had these gorgeous bright green contacts! With my auburn hair and the green contacts, it all fit beautifully. I even had people stop in the middle of a conversation with me, look at me, and say, "You have gorgeous eyes!" I loved those contacts. They were so comfortable, I'd forget I even had them in. Between the astigmatism and the fact that I now use bifocals, it's virtually impossible.

I probably wear my sunglasses (also prescription) more than my regular glasses because I always wear them to walk and when I'm driving. I need glasses to drive and like my sunglasses more than my regular glasses.

I'm finding that it's starting to become difficult to read the fine print of many books now.

I've been wearing glasses since I've been about 10 yrs old. I have an unusual astigmatism that prevents me from having 20/20 vision with contacts and once you have been wearing glasses to see clearly and seitch to contacts with 20/25 vision at best-well thats not an option. Also because I'm so near sighted vision corection surgery can not be guaranteed to give me 20/20 vision either so why after paying that amount of $$ would I still want to wear glasses?

I currently am due for a eye exam! Must schedule. A couple of years ago when I had my last one got a couple new pairs. One just plain no line bi-focal which I didn't have to much difficulty getting used to from wearing the lined bi-focal for over 20 years.
The second pair was also no line bi-focal with the transition lenses. The cost was cost a bit for these lenses.

I think though I would not get another pair of transition lenses again. I had just a pair of prescription sunglasses before and I think I will go back to them. The transition lense glasses I have are more indoor frames so when I'm outside with these I would rather have a larger eye coverage if that makes sense. I like the frames though I think I'll just get new lenses in them.

I started going nearsighted in my 20s. I hated wearing glasses, and still hate it, but wear them!

I also have an astigmatism.

When I hit my 40s my close up vision started to suffer. I resisted for a long time, fearful bifocals would make me sea sick. Finally about 3 years ago I went. Instead of bifocals I got Progressive lenses. I LOVE them. I adjusted to them immediately and they are wonderful.

I worried so about adjusting to them that I delayed picking the new lenses up for months.

I'd heard so many horror stories about Progressives . But I guess a lot depends on the quality of the lenses. The place I go to uses top of the line.

My prescription is $450. This does not include frames, I have not bought new frames in 10 years. $450 includes the prescription progressive lenses, anti glare and anti scratch. It's worth it.

I've worn glasses since I was 15. I cannot wear contacts because they just bother me too much. My glasses are now bi-focals and of course with the invisible ones my glasses cost me around $450 a pair and I don't choose expensive frames so most of the cost is for the lenses.

I wear glasses all the time now. I wore contact lenses at first. I got glasses when I was in high school, and there was no way I was going to go to school wearing glasses. I drove my mother so nuts, that she made sure I got contact lenses right away. Now I don't really care. Later on I did have problems with contacts lenses with my allergies, that's another reason I don't really wear them. I did find I see better with the contacts lenses, than I do with glasses.

I just stared wearing glasses 2 yrs ago when one of my friends pointed out to me that what I see is not what's really there

I wear contacts and glasses, usually contacts in the summer so I can do sunglasses and prescription glasses in the winter...
I don't like how glasses look on me, I just feel like my eyes are hidden under them...But, I can't go without wearing them, I am near sighted and I have astigmatism, and I will not risk getting premature wrinkles from squinting all the time! That's the same reason why I will always wear sunglasses in the summer... Contacts are just not very comfortable to me, I only wear them because prescription sunglasses are too expensive, and sometimes if I'm going out or have an event where I want to look nicer I will wear them.
But for some reason, even though I've started wearing contacts since I was in high school, they always bother my eyes just a tiny bit, but i focus on it and I can't forget they're there...

I have had vision problems my whole life, but didn't have to start wearing glasses until I was in 7th grade. I started off wearing them just for reading, but eventually ended up wearing them all the time since I liked seeing clearly! I currently wear contacts most of the time, but my allergies have been so bad recently that I've not been able to wear my contacts as much as I would like.

Last year, when I went for my annual exam, the doctor told me that my vision had shifted and had improved dramatically. She attributed it to my hormones changing since I'm in my 40s. She encouraged me to come back in 6 mos to have my eyes rechecked. I think I'm going to go because I've noticed I'm not seeing clearly again.

My myopia was going on for a while before I finally did something about it. I remember right after I finally got glasses going for a hike with my mother. As we drove to the state park I kept saying "Wow, look at that! Hey mom, look at that!" She said she'd ahd no idea how bad my vision had gotten, since I'd been missing all those things before.

it was a rreal revelation, getting glasses. And here I am 25 years later and I still hate wearing them.

The hardest part is when I need new frames. I am clinging to these, though they are 10 years old, because I can't find anything new I like. And trying new ones on, I can't really see what they look like, can I. If I could find another pair of these frames, I would buy them.

I wear both. I look so much different with glasses than without, and not in a good way.

For those who can't afford glasses, if you have Facebook and friend Coastal Contacts, they often have awesome specials. Frequently they give away 10,000 pairs for the shipping cost only. Other times they have frames and lenses for $38.00 plus shipping. The frames are nice ones, not the icky $38.00 frames that Wal-Mart has. I just got some really cute Guess frames for $50.00 including shipping.