Gransnetters share the difficulties they have experienced as their eyesight has deteriorated

When I was in my twenties the optician suggested I might benefit from a mild prescription for driving and distance. When I tried them on I can remember thinking - gosh I can’t believe how much sharper and clearer everything is. It wasn’t until I was in my fifties that my reading and. Lose up vision started to need attention and I was prescribed varifocals which I took only a couple,of weeks to get used to. I do struggle now at the age of 60 with night driving and have recently been told I have the start of cataracts which makes night driving more uncomfortable. So some time soon so shall need an appointment to see about getting those sorted out.

I have been short sighted for over 50 years and that doesn’t present any problems. However since the age of about 57 I have had to have glasses that are a combination of my normal lenses with bifocal shorter sighted areas. Over the past two years or so I struggle with small writing on instruction labels etc and often take my glasses off to focus better. My eyes also seem to go blurry after I have been using my I-pad although my optician assures me that I am not doing any damage. A bright natural light makes all the difference and at the moment I am managing with a natural standard lamp but may invest in a really good light in the future. Reading is such an important part of my life and who I am.

I've been wearing specs since I was 14 and started wearing varifocals about 10 years ago. However, I found that my last pair of varifocals was difficult to focus on reading. I thought it may be the lenses were too small. Changed them last year for ones with larger lenses but still having the same problem. no idea why my eyesight has changed like that. Now use the computer at work at 150% and no specs and it's great. Think I need to magnify my life!

Really noticed the deterioration in recent years, can't go anywhere without my glasses.

Recent deterioration in one eye. With (new prescription) glasses which I wear all the time I can no longer read tv subtitles unless i sit within a metre of the screen. Nor can I now read the names of tube stops on the linear map above the windows.

No real problems but I do need reading glasses and panic if I've forgotten them

I struggle with varifocals, so I require distance and reading specs, I spend so much time searching for where I have left one pair or the other.

I am 72 and have worn reading glasses since 11 as I have very long sight. over the years I have had glasses for all purpose sight but admit I prefer not to wear them .Over thee last ten years I have had cataracts developing in both eyes and now the left eye has matured enough to be operated on in the new year, Thankfully the right eye is helping to compensate but my love of reading is for short periods at this time as eyes get aching and headaches come from the strain.Looking foreward to better vision in the new year.

I am writing this on behalf of my parents who both are now partially sighted due to glaucoma and macular degeneration, the difficulties they have for instance is seeing the time and mum putting the fabric conditioner in her washing machine.
Reading is another issue altogether if their mail is not in large print then it is a big no no, I am now basically their eyes, they have a one cup bolier for hot drinks its a god send and far safer.

it happened all or a sudden, could read something many feet away, then noticed reading small newspaper or book print was blurry and difficult, got some cheap reader glasses and what a difference, had an eye test and was told just a natural age symptom. Use readers all the time now.

Its amazing from reading the thread how many people remember so much about when they first noticed there eyesight problems. I do not know if my memory is just generally poor but I have no recollection of when I first needed glasses, I have asked family members and it appears the whole family must have memory problems as not one of us can remember. It seems a lifetime I have been wearing glasses, I do remember it must be before my 30's as I remember wearing contacts to go out on a night out. I do not bother with them now became too stressful. I usually have my eyes tested every two years along with my husband for the last ten years I would say my eye sight seems to have stayed pretty much the same. Although this year I bought myself a 50" TV as I was so fed up missing the questions on quiz shows written on screen, hasn't really helped the blur just looks larger! I am sort sighted so it can become so annoying taking my glasses on and off all the time depending how far away I am looking. I have not heard of serious readers until today but will be going online to check it out and see if they can help me in the future.

Started to wear glasses for reading in my 50s shouldnt complain because i know its not a serious thing but it is so annoying when your out and trying to find your glasses for everything.

Blurry when reading any small print, need glasses now for reading anything tiny.

My sight has deteriorated with age. Apart from the usual problems of difficulty reading and a 'fuzzy' view of the world around me, I do have a particular problem night driving - although this can be a good excuse to ask hubby to drive, especially when we're out for a meal (and glass of wine of course!).
Doing eye make-up - now there's a problem!! Can't perform this task with glasses on (obviously) so I use a magnifying mirror, which is fine during daylight, but it's pretty much guess-work under artificial light! One good thing - can't see my wrinkles so clearly! There's always a bright side! ?

Ive worn glasses part time since 13 and full time since about 17. I wore lenses for over 20 years then had a fungal infection that nearly cost me an eye. I now wear varifocals which are fine for everyday use but for anything close I lift them up to read close without them..
I'm amazed how some people get to their 60's without ever having worn glasses - lucky things.
My husband bought a light from serious readers about a year ago - we like it although probably need another one.

My eye sight started to deteriorate at the age of 50 when I had to start wearing glasses to read.

I was diagnosed as short sighted after my first pregnancy and wore glasses then tried contacts. After a number of painful infections and dry eyes (I have astigmatism) I resorted to just wearing glasses (which I hated) and daily contacts for special evenings out...until I got drunk and couldn't remove them! After plucking up the courage to see if I was suitable for laser, found I wasn't, and never likely to be. Now stuck with varifocals and waiting for an advance in science!

I suffer from chronic migraines, which takes its toll on my eyesight as well as age. I find I have to have more appointments with the opticians and my prism needs to be stronger as well. I am blessed with good Doctors and magnifiers help and good lighting.

I always lose my glasses and I can't find my glasses without my glasses!

I was in my mid-forties when I realised I was struggling to see a new case management system on the computer at work. I went to the Opticians and said I don't understand it as I've always had really good eye sight. He looked at my d.o.b. and said its normal for people of your age. I then got reading glasses which made a remarkable difference and have recently purchased varifocal sunglasses which are fantastic when sitting reading in the sun and walking about. I would recommend them to anyone who loves reading in the sun by the pool with a pina colada!

I am short sighted in one eye and long sighted in the other. This has never been a problem but recently my vision has deteriorated and I have been diagnosed with cataracts in both eyes. I struggle to see needlework colours and have been looking at day light lamps as a solution.

This thread has been a real eye opener (pun intended!) highlighting the difficulties so many people have with vision.

My optician stopped me wearing contact lenses about ten years ago - one of the saddest days of my life. My eyes are permanently painfully dry and I've been prescribed thick drops to use hourly. My glasses then get smeary, so keeping them clean feels like a full time occupation!

I really struggle to read or write in the evenings, particularly in winter.

I am 77 and am lucky - only have to wear glasses for reading.

I think a mild symptom of Charles Bonnet syndrome appeared ( "appeared" is apt!) after my retinal drainage vein became thrombosed.

I enjoy there hallucinations when I am cosy in bed and ready for sleep. Sometimes I hallucinate patterns like old fashioned white lace curtain materikal, and sometimes simpler repeat patterns, and more interestingly little people in groups or singly. I think I sometimes hallucinate in colour but I am not sure. The hallucinations are always visual never aural, or smells.

I can't will these pictures and have to lie in bed peacefully with my eyes closed for them to appear.

these. material.