I have amblyopia and severe farsight, I have no one around me that has anything similar and feel really isolated.
Up until recently I've been able to hide my visible difference, but my farsight has gotten worse and I can't have my glasses thinned to stop them looking different.
And I'm worried about my own reflection and society judging me negatively.
My amblyopia ( lazy eye) is also turning more and is very noticeable due to aging, I'm losing a lot of vision in this eye also.
Anybody with similar?
Written by
Jmarieee
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
I too have a very high long sighted prescription, since birth, and an amblyopic right eye, although it's better when I'm wearing my spec's and can focus properly. Both conditions inherited directly from my mum.
It's not great is it, it's always made me self conscious. I understand your feelings of isolation. For thirty odd years I wore contact lenses, but my eyes couldn't tolerate them after from over wear. These days wearers are advised to only wear them for a few hours per day.
In terms of thinned lenses, I use Zeiss 1.74 which work well in small acetate frames, which I have bespoke made. The combi' works well. Frame design is absolutely everything for those of us blessed with a high prescription.
The frustrating thing about being highly long sighted is that it's much rarer than high short sightedness, which is very common, so the high street opticians are able to cater for this more. My ophthalmologist tells me my prescription is approx' 1 in 100 of the population.
Going back to your post, may I ask why you are not able to use thinned lenses for your spec's? And are you in touch with an ophthalmologist over your feeling of losing sight in your weaker eye. My sight did deteriorate with age, but later on, in line with how all people's eyes do, as in needing a reading prescription.
It's so nice to actually talk to someone who has similar experiences, I only wore contacts from age 23 until 28. I was told they couldn't source them for me and I needed to protect my stronger eye.
I've been fine wearing glasses up until now, always thinned and was able to have a frame that suited my face, I thought I was just going to have to adjust to a smaller different shape frame after my last eye test in January.
But since then I've not been able to see properly and am having visual pain and strain, I think it's due to the hi index or aspheric lenses and how it's bending light?.
But I know that means thick glasses that don't reduce the bug eye look, I was always told I'd always be able to have them thinned etc.. so I never worried about it, I only worried about my Rx going up and my amblyopic eye getting worse.
I don't like how I look without glasses anymore either due to ageing and the drastic difference, I suffer with body dysmorphophobia overlapping with a medical eyesight condition so it makes everything tricky.
Yes, I was amazed to read your post too, as it's such a similar eye sight issue to my own, and the only other people I know of are my mum and one of my brothers, who like me inherited! It's always helpful to connect with others going through similar, which is the ethos of this lovely online platform.
I'm sorry to read you also experience body dysmorphophobia, such conditions are so emotionally exhausting to live with.
A problem for all of us who are blessed with very high prescriptions is that the current fashion for frames is larger statement style, which don't work for us at all.
The contact lenses I previously wore were hard gas permeable contact lenses. This type can cater for a high plus prescription along with astigmatism. Soft lenses are improving for long sightedness, but maximum +8 with limited astigmatism adjustments. I"m L8.5 and R8.0 distance, with a +2 top up for reading. 😱 I did try soft lenses a couple of years back, but they definitely felt low power, although I apparently measured ok to drive with them. (I never did)
I also had a problem with my new spec's lenses last year, which had been calculated slightly off centre. My eyesight was worse, and I developed headaches and dizziness too. Could be worth taking yours back and having the lenses checked. The re-made mine, which are fine again. It's not the first time I've had problems with the lenses, it's a very unusual prescription, so companies aren't used to making them.
I too feel more comfortable with glasses on my face these days.
Sorry for the lack of response, been struggling with anxiety and had a migraine yesterday due to sight and glasses.
I'm not sure what I use to wear contact lense wise probably was soft toric xr, the new optician said he didn't see why I couldn't trial them on my first visit, when I said surely I'd need GP lenses now or scleral ?, as prescription is complex he just laughed and said no your not that complex.
But on the second visit after the glasses I'd waited 5 weeks for due to complications, he was frustrated and said just thick glasses and I can't make your eye work, so I didn't bring up contact lenses again.
I don't like how I look without glasses now like hate tbh, due to aging.. but I'd rather that with some blue light glasses for day to day, than thick lenses that cause distortion.
I'm on my second pair of glasses from the same company ( 9th day) and still no good these ones are plastic frames, small lenses, pd correct.
So I'm terrified to go back, as to me the only issue left is the hi index and aspheric lenses, and I need these to not look so silly.
I plucked up the courage and called the place, and the manager assured me they wouldn't give me thick glasses that gave me bug eyes.
But she'd said that from day 1, and I found out she's a dispensing optician not an optometrist 😔 so doesn't know the anatomy of eyes/lense material etc the way an optometrist or opthalmologist would.
I almost feel as though I've been given false hope for almost two months now, and had worst news everytime I've visited, my Mum is having issues with her sight now also but she is 60 but she is able to have her distance glasses which are +8.50 thinned still, her reading ones she can't have thinned now due to having an in depth eye test, where she found out she needs yellow tint because of extreme light sensitivity and these are +10.00 so I'm scared to see how they'll look
I thought this would happen for me much later in life...
Could I ask your age?, as I'm only 33 I'm scared of my Rx getting higher and higher.
It stabilized in my mid twenties, but since turning 30 it's been bad. X
Aaah, no problem at all, I hope you're feeling brighter today. 🙏
I'm also sorry to read that your optician sounds so dismissive, that's not very helpful. If you have a complex long sighted prescription, then getting glasses made well can be tricky, as mentioned earlier, as opticians and lens manufacturers have little experience because we're rare patients. Would it be worth getting a second opinion on your sight test and current specs? There are quite a number of thin lens options out there these days.
FYI, I'm 68, I wore contact lenses (hard and latterly GP)from I was 16 until I was 46. I didn't need a reading top up until I was around 50. At least wearing spec's is fashionable these days, they weren't at all back in my youth. These days I have my glasses made to a bespoke fitting, which work very well with Zeiss 1.74 aspheric (I think, they're flat anyway) lenses, both in terms of sight and appearance. I'm don't do old lady glasses at all 😆
A good dispensing optician is trained on advising on lens type in relation to eye sight prescription, in my experience the process works best when s/he and the optometrist work together. What is your current prescription?
You mum's eye sight is similar to mine! I'm sorry she's having trouble. I see an ophthalmologist once per year, thankfully my eyes are healthy. I've had laser surgery in the past, to reduce high ocular pressure, as I was at risk of narrow angle glaucoma.
It was R 7.50/ L 7.25Astigmatism cyl R 2.00 and L 0.75
I had to wait 5 weeks in the wrong prescription, but I was only experiencing strain in my left eye.
The first new pair I had an axis in astigmatism change that was quite drastic in my left eye, and went up to a +7.50 in my left eye, but right eye had no change.
These I had for 3 weeks, metal small frame, but had constant eye strain alternating between eyes and unclear distance vision with road sign wording, any writing really further away I could not see.
Newest pair R 7.75/ L 7.25
Axis changed again
Astigmatism the Same throughout
Plastic frames, small.
Same thing happening after 10 days now, eyes pulling ,but blurring more now with distance writing, and headaches, also sticky eyes when waking up but no sty or infection, think just from the straining to focus.
I'm scared because I've never had this many issues with my vision ever. I have had long covid for two years and it was very bad for the first year and a half, my eyesight got worse after it to be honest.
I'm hoping screens during that time haven't caused issues, as I was unable to get out much or exercise it was an awful time in my life, I did use my phone and TV more than I ever used to, as I enjoyed nature and outdoors a lot before.
I'm at a baseline with the LC now, but now my eyesight isn't okay, I'm very self conscious of how I look and I know there is more to life, but I fear being mocked and stared at if I have silly glasses, and I don't want it to cause a relationship breakdown either due to not being attractive anymore.
So lots going on in my mind, and my daughters eye sight is on my mind as well as she has 3 months check ups.
I totally get all of your anxieties relating to glasses, I really do ❤️ and have been there.
Also, I had similar issues last year with a pair of varifocals, the lenses were off if some way ... I ended up with headaches, sore eyes, nausea, vertigo and exhaustion. Also, like you, my distant vision was bad, and I couldn't focus on a screen either. Coincidentally, the young optometrist had altered the astigmatism cyl reading. (which is similar to yours) It does sound as if there's something wrong with your glasses, especially as the first pair were also off.
So there seems to be two situations going on here, both of which I recognise from experience. Your vision is off, which is causing you anxiety in case your eyes are deteriorating,, and you're anxious about the appearance of your glasses? If so, welcome to my world .... ☺️
In terms of the glasses and vision, you have rights as a patient to have that resolved. It's absolutely draining if your glasses are wrong. Just stick to the facts with the optician. Do you have an old pair you can resort to while you're resolving this? Which is what I did last year. Although, in my own case, the manager was very good and helpful at sorting it out. She also arranged for a second optometrist to re-do the eye test. They returned my astigmatism reading to its original one, changing it can make quite a difference to how light hits/bends on the eye. (Second professional opinion can be a useful tool)
In terms of appearance, us high prescription people are in a bit of a fix at the mo', as the fashion for glasses frames continues to be big and statement, the total opposite of what we can wear successfully. I use Cubitts bespoke service, so they model the frame on any that they have on the shelf, and they reduce it in size to lessen the lens aperture. I have three pairs of the same frame now, distance, varifocals as readers and in case I break my others, and sunnies. All in the same frame but different colours. It works well. Obviously, bespoke is more pricey, but Cubitts aren't extortionate. And the peace of mind is priceless. Not sure where you are, but they have branches all over the London area, if there's not one near to you. The manager told me she has a lady travel from Bath into London, for bespoke frames, who has a prescription just below ours. It's a common problem, you're not alone in it. Bespoke seems to be more available generally these days, so local opticians may offer it too.
Covid is a bit of a nightmare .... its effects linger ... I had it for the first time last October, got over it in a couple of weeks, or so I thought ... but it seems to have left me with very low immunity ... I've been ill with something or other every month since. Most unlike me.
Take care for now, hope the above is helpful to you.
Welcome to the Changing Faces online community. Thank you for your post about your eye condition - that sounds hard for you, especially as you say it is deteriorating as you get older.
There are people here with all sorts of different conditions affecting their appearance and I can see someone has replied to you already, which is great.
Hello Jmarieee, I am sorry to read how you are feeling, about the problems you are having with your eyes, and getting glasses you can feel confident in. Thank-you for sharing and giving me an insight into your eye-condition, something I had no idea or understanding of until now.
People can be so cruel, mostly (i think) because they have their own issues they are deflecting from. But there are some who have been 'blessed' with sailing through life with no apparent struggles, who can end up lacking in empathy, but I think that creates a problem for them in itself. Often they are not well liked and have superficial relationships, whereas, I believe we with our physical differences, have genuine people and connections in our lives, who recognise who we are and the superpowers we have developed in empathy, understanding, and sincerity. Watch-out, because as we become more confident we become a bit of a real people magnet! Pretty cool, I think!
About 15 years ago, I read about eye exercises for strengthening the muscles around our eyes, to slow down the decline in our eye sight as we age. I am long sighted and need reading glasses, which I recognise is completely different to your eye condition, and may not be any use at all. Plus you may also be aware of them, so please fogive me if you find my ignorance of your eye condition frustrating. I thought I would share, just in case it helps in any way. After doing the exercisws for about six months, I was told during a routine eye test that my eyes were ten years younger than my eye test two years previously! My mother, in her 80's began doing them, at her next routine eye test she could ditch her bi-focals. I now have a few more youthful eyed friends too!
I am glad you have found others on here that do understand your condition and really know how it is for you. Thank you again for sharing your story and giving insight into something I had no idea about.
I wish you the best of luck on your journey, and in continuing to explore the power you have to fill your life with the best of people.
I was diagnosed with amblyopia and Strabismus at 3 years old. Had eye surgery for eye turn (esotropia) at around 4 years old on one eye only. I was pretty nearsighted after. No further issues unless really tired with eye turn (turn out). Wore contacts from around 15 on and eventually toric due to astigmatism.
Many decades later I started having what seemed like distorted vision (around 2021) which got progressively worse with more frequent eye turn. Optometrist thought it might be astigmatism causing distortion, but that wasn't it. It actually was a type of double vision (like a fun house).
I corrected my vision with Lasik and have been 20/25 ever since. However, still had eye turn so was evaluated for vision therapy.
I was told prisms would be too heavy and and vision therapy would only fix 1/2 of my particular issues. This optometrist who specializes in vision therapy gave me referral to Pediatric Opthalmologist specializing in Strabismus surgery over last Summer. You have to see Pediatric as they are experts even though you are adult!
In the Fall, I went to multiple appointments for evaluation and to get stable measurements. Vision therapy wouldn't help my type at all. In January, I had surgery on both eyes. Took me nearly 3 months to have significant improvement. Doing pretty well now in almost all gazes.
hi there. I have myopia in my right eye but my left eye is blind and lazy due to a stroke. And it’s constantly red. I use eye drops for the rest of my life. Greetings.
Hi Sami_Alamery Welcome to the Changing Faces online community.
Thanks for sharing a little about your visible difference, it sounds like you have been through a lot.
We know it can be hard opening up to new people so it’s great you felt able to post about your situation. As time goes on hopefully you feel able to tell us a little more about how you are feeling and coping with your visible difference. I am sure lots of our members will be able to relate to particular feelings and challenges you may be navigating.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Whats the point of even trying?
I am an actor whose face was damaged by a doctor friend
I'm new here, not sure how to start but here goes....
Nose job ruined my life
Coping with Trauma
