# Optical Forums > General Optics and Eyecare Discussion Forum >  Do i need glasses? Advice greatly appreciated..

## magic_hat

Hi All

New poster here - stumbled across this forum doing an internet search looking for some advice about my recent eye test results.  Thought i'd post my problem and see if some kind soul replies! ;) 

I recently had a check-up at my local optician.  I don't have a problem with my eyesight but thought i should have a check.

After the sight test, the optician said i should have glasses for distance.  I went home with the prescription, but am not sure i do need glasses - i have no problem seeing anything that i need to.

The presciption i have is this:

*Right Eye:*
Sphere -0.25
Cylinder -0.5
Axis 80

*Left Eye:*
Sphere Plano (which i think means 0.00)
Cylinder -1
Axis 85

Is this bad?  I was under the impression that sphere of 0.00 meant good vision, so surely i have pretty good vision (spheres of -0.25 and 0.00)??

But the optician is saying i need glasses?  I'm not sure if she is saying that just to get the sale..  I can't really afford to buy glasses unless my eyes really need them.

Many Thanks for any advice. 

Sarah

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## chip anderson

If you need glasses you don't  need them very much.  Did it make an apprecible difference when you looked at the eye chart with and without the Rx?

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## hcjilson

Hi Sarah,

Your Rx is not a group of numbers pulled from the air.Your prescription is what * you*told the refracting optician that you saw better with.(pardon preposition) While the Rx may not be that strong,it should provide beter vision than without.The fact that you have been able to accomadate for this refractive error without spectacles may influence your decision to purchase them, however don't shoot the messenger! :) My suggestion would be to fill the Rx. Purchase lenses that you will get some good use from, ie.transitions which adapt to all lighting conditions.If you do that, you will soon adapt to them.

Welcome to Optiboard and keep posting

hj

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## Joann Raytar

magic_hat, you are only taking the spheres into consideration.  You also have a correction for astigmatism.

If you have questions about what that means, ask your Optician to explain your prescription to you.

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## grace angel

Hi Sarah!  Glad to see your posting to get some professional advice as to whether or not you need glasses.  It is very confusing to the layman as to what these numbers mean and the terms used to desribe your refractive condition can be downright scary!!  

You probably don't have much of a problem seeing up close but where you will see some difference is in your distance viewing.  You are an astigmat which means your eye is shaped more like a football than a sphere.  Approximately 80% of the population has astigmatism so don't feel alone.  Basically what happens when you have astigmia is that the light rays do not focus properly onto the retina and by using lenses to bend light we can make the the light rays focus where they need to be.  

I see by the RX you gave us that in your right eye you have compound myopic astigmatism where as the two principal meridians of light rays are focusing before the retina.  A minus lens will redirect both principal meridian light rays onto the retina by diverging the light to the back of the eye.  With regards to your left eye you are considered to have simple myopic astigmatism because in one major meridian the light rays fall perfectly onto the retina but in the other meridian it falls before the retina.  That is why there is plano power at axis 85 but 9o degrees away you need a -1.00 sphere power.  Your left eye has twice the cylinder component as the right.  At some points on the lens you will have more power in the left side than the right although to look at the RX you wouldn't see that unless you understand optics and the way that light bends through lenses.  My advice to you would be to get single vision glasses and be sure to add UV protection and if your pocketbook allows put a good antireflective coating on them.  Use a good AR coating or you may have problems with it coming off and getting dirty real easy.  Many folks have had great success with Crizal coatings (more expensive but downright worth it!!)  Good luck and let us know if you do get glasses how much better you'll be seeing.  Thanks, Grace Angel:)

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## Stopper

Ditto what others have said. When the RX is low like yours, it can sometimes be tough to decided " do I need these glasses" . I try to keep it simple. If you feel like you are having trouble seeing in certain situations, get them and wear them when you need them. If you don't feel like you have trouble seeing things, Don't need them. Hope that helps

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## eyeneedspecs

Sarah,I was in a similar situation, and I did get the 'weak" glasses prescribed for me.  Did I "need" them?  In retrospect, yes I did.....and like you, I did not believe that I did ( also why did you get your eyes checked if you did not think something was wrong).  I rationalized by saying "I only needed them for reading", but the reality is that with proper glasses, I do see better and it has made life easier and some of the things that I do more enjoyable....

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## Chris Ryser

With a prescription like yours you can live forever without it because you do not know the difference with it.

It is minimal but with glasses you would have a better binocular vision and would see the difference when taking them off.

However because o0f your financial situation you can just leave it as it is. If you decide to have it done, dont listen to all the sales pitches tyhey are going to give you in order to sell you something pricey.

Get yourself a basic frame and a pair of regular CR39 stocklenses and start seing clear. When the finances are improved and you think its worth the wile you can let yourself being talked into some fancy expensive pair.

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## Spexvet

Your uncorrected vision is probably 20/30 or 20/40. Not bad, but not perfect. Fill the Rx if you would like to see the best you can.

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## Jacqui

I think you should get the glasses. I have about the same correction on distance and I can tell the difference. I think Chris is right about the CR-39 lenses and an inexpensive frame.

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## ziggy

But dont forget the anti-reflective coating. With your Rx, you have trouble seeing at night, while driving? If so make sure you get the coating. Good luck and welcome.:D

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## magic_hat

Wow - what a response!

I wasn't expecting anywhere near that many replies.  Thank you to everyone that took the time to reply to me and offer their advice/thoughts.

It really is much appreciated.

After reading (and re-reading!) all your comments I have decided i should probably get myself some glasses.  Many of the comments made a lot of sense, and how can i know i don't need glasses if i've never seen the world with them!! 

I'm going to wait til after the big Christmas spend and then get myself back to the opticians!

Thanks again to everyone that replied - you made the decision much easier and clearer.

Sarah

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## chip anderson

This is just another example of why the precriber and the provider should not be ecconomicly connected.  This young lady wondered if she needed the Rx or was the Rx being given just so the precriber could make another sale.

Of course now that we have high tech add-ons like ARC, etc. even the independent providers motives could be questioned.

Please do not respond with stuff like education and license make the prescriber immune to greed.  We all know better.

Chip

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## magic_hat

Chip...

I live in the UK where our health system works somewhat differently to the US; we have a 'Public' health system (mostly free, but slow) and a 'Private' Health system (expensive, but quick)

Without going into the boring details, I (and most other people in this country) have learnt the hard way that you can't always believe what 'private' health professionals tell you as their income relies entirely on what you spend with them.  

This has made me somewhat cautious, so i came on this board to seek the thoughts of people who would give 'independant' advice on whether my particular Rx indicated a need for glasses.

To me (a complete layman where eye prescriptions are concerned) the Rx seemed almost negligible and yet the optician was telling me i needed glasses.

After reading peoples comments about the need for correction for the astigmatism, I now have a better informed opinion about why she advised me to get glasses.

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