Confused About Glasses Prescription

[Purist]

A family member who has worn glasses for years recently had an eye test, they were told that they will need just reading glasses, their distance vision was fine aside from an astigmatism. They have been not wearing glasses for a while and complaining of eye strain and watery eyes, they complained to the optician who again said they stood by the results and that they do not need glasses other than for reading. Should I encourage her to push for another eye test?

her reading was: right-sph-plano cyl -0.25 Axis 105
Left sph- plano cyl -0.50 Axis 40

There was also a reading on "near" sight as +2.5 which I assume is the reading glasses strength, it says "My recommendations are Single vision near, anti reflection with easy clean"

[Buenchico]

I doubt that there's anything wrong with the eye test, per se. However the optician seems to think that astigmatism only needs correcting if there's another problem (e.g. short-sightedness) associated with it, whereas astigmatism on its own can be the cause of the problems your family member has been experiencing.
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/astigmatism/

So I'd suggest that the eye test is correct but the optician isn't. Try another optician.

[gingejbee]

....you are perfectly entitled to take the prescription you've been given to a different optician....and ask their opinion.

[hc4361]

I looked in to having laser surgery to correct my eyesight but was told I'd still need to wear glasses to correct my astigmatism so that I didn't get eye strain, blurred vision and water eyes.

[gingejbee]

yes, just reminded me...I had to start wearing specs at 12 years old, just to correct a badly astigmatic right eye...the left lens was plain . For many years after, the only thing that was "corrected" by my specs was that astigmatism.

[bhg481]

I think the optician might be trying to save you money in that he believes the eye problems are caused whilst reading and the astigmatism, being slight, will not be causing problems with distant viewing. Single-vision lenses are cheap compared with bifocals or varifocals, so he might think that you won't get value for money out of a full prescription. On top of that if the specs are just for reading they will not be worn continuously nor will you need/want to have photochromic lenses, so you will end up with a much cheaper pair of specs. I think it's worth going with a cheap pair of single-vision specs as the optician recommends. If it works, fine; if not go for the full monty and be prepared to pay a few hundred pounds.

[ummmm]

Never heard of astigmatism.

I would go to a different opticians.

My kids are all classed as blind in one eye and they had numerous tests.

[jno]

sure, get another test from somewhere else. I had one at Costco but wasn't happy with the glasses I got, so I went to Specsavers, and their test was more accurate and the glasses were better.

[ummmm]

I always use Specsavers.

[dunnitall]

Ummmm it's real, astigmatism I've had it written on my eyes test results for years x

[237SJ]

At -.25 and -.5 I doubt glasses would be needed to be honest. I`m -6.5 and I wear -5.5 lenses and it's not a problem

[whiskeryron]

ALSO TRY SPECSAVERS IF YOU ARE HAVING PROBS WITH YOUR HEARING.

[ummmm]

Dunnital.....I don't doubt it for a second.

I have dodgy eyesight but because I was quite young I have no clue what was on my original prescription.

[Peter Pedant]

I agree with 237 - your prescription is under one dioptre ( the thing they measure corrections in) which is peanuts in the grand scheme of things

So I eckon the one who said you need reading glasses only is correct.

She can press for another eye test - bu may have to pay.
Nowsadays it is a clicky thing that does it automatically

I agree with the recommendations I think they accuately reflect the refraction ( results of the eye test)

[jno]

you can get cheap reading glasses at chemists. If they don't do the trick, take the matter further.

[Purist]

Interesting, Thank you for the replies. She wears reading glasses for reading but seems to struggle doing anything distant, she has complained of watery eyes, headaches and blurry vision, this cannot be normal if her astigmatism is so insignificant surely? When I visited her last she was wearing a cold compress on her eyes because of eyestrain/pain.

[bhg481]

If the reading glasses she is using are over-the-counter ones from the chemist they will do nothing for her astigmatism; she will need prescription lenses for that. As others have said, the astigmatism is slight but the optician seems to think that is the likely cause of the problem. I'd be tempted to buy the cheapest prescription specs she can find and see how that goes. If no joy ask for a referral to hospital; the eye-checks there are much more comprehensive than the high street opticians.

[Purist]

The reading glasses are from the optician , they have been made from the prescription so include the astigmatism. She did have lots of eye health checks which came out clear.

[bhg481]

Maybe seeing her GP is the next option and getting referred to hospital.

[fullrimglasses]

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https://www.eyeweb.com/wileyx-compass