<p>So…I’ve worn corrective lenses since I was about 8, first eyeglasses (aka “coke-bottles” they were so thick), then contacts (first hard back in the stone age, then soft) always with eyeglasses as back up. </p>
<p>Then came middle-age: Contacts adjusted to monovision + drugstore readers, and eyeglasses changed to progressive bifocals. This has been fine, but gradually over the last 3-5 years or so, I find I’ve been wearing glasses more, and contacts w/readers less. And very recently, I have been finding it incredibly annoying to read a book for long periods (hour or more) with my bi-focals. I find I’m always moving my head to get the right sweet spot for the lenses, reading in bed is a pain, etc etc…</p>
<p>So I’ve been thinking about popping into the optician, buying some cheap frames and getting a pair of prescription reading glasses. I remember back in the day older relatives trying to keep track of several different pairs of eyewear for different purposes and I thought it was ridiculous (oh callow youth). And now here I am contemplating the same thing. How many eyeglass cases can one woman carry in her purse?</p>
<p>I have 4 pair of glasses (progressives). One pair stays upstairs on my desk, I take the other 2 pairs of regular as well as the sunglasses in my purse. I have no idea why I think that I need to do that, but I do. The funny thing is that my vision is really not that bad. I’m only slightly nearsighted and can read most things without the glasses. Must be a “security blanket” thing.</p>
<p>Just this year I finally decided to get a pair of dedicated prescription readers along with my bifocals, and they are worth every penny. I can’t believe I didn’t do it before. It does feel a little silly to tote two pairs of glasses around, but I generally leave the readers at home. But on the bright side, I think all that tipping my head around to find the right spot with the bifocals has really tightened up my neck :)</p>
<p>I have three pair of readers…one pair for the second floor, one pair for the first floor, and one pair in my purse. I could use a fourth pair for the basement, since I ship packages for my business from that location, but thus far I’ve just been suffering.</p>
<p>I have at least 10 pairs of readers (I only need readers) – in my purse, by my bed, at my desk, in the “reading room,” in the kitchen. They are so cheap at Costco, etc., why not??</p>
<p>1 reading (on bureau)
2 computer (one at the office, one at my home office)
1 bifocal distance/reading (usually in the car as a backup)
1 trifocal distance/computer/reading (I usually carry this around with me)
1 night distance for driving (always in the car)</p>
<p>I can get another pair this week and am trying to decide on what to get. The trifocals are the most convenient but they aren’t very good for computer work because the computer section is so small. I was thinking of getting trifocals with a bigger computer section. Another option would be night-driving trifocals. At the moment, I switch between the night-glasses and my tri-focals if I need to go into a place where I need to see things.</p>
<p>The bifocals/trifocals are good enough for moderate reading but I prefer full readers if I will be reading or watching a movie on a mobile device for a while.</p>
<p>For what it’s worth, my eye doc told me I should not be using the drug store readers. I’ve been gathering them from all over the house to donate somewhere.</p>
<p>I get headaches with the readers if I use them for too long. I think that this varies from person to person depending on what their prescription glasses are correcting for.</p>
<p>I’ve worn progressives for years, and while they’re fine for distance, computer, and reading sitting at a desk, they are truly terrible for reading in bed. I find myself reading without glasses at all, but that’s slow since I have astigmatisms and therefore my eyes don’t really focus well on the same point. I’m intrigued by the idea of getting prescription reading glasses, though, and just keeping them on my bedside!</p>
<p>For reading, I have a Kindle and upped the font size.</p>
<p>For the newspaper I use discount store reading glasses. I’ve actually been thinking of getting a tablet just so I can subscribe to the things I used to read before my reading vision deteriorated.</p>
<p>I only need reading glasses … and have for several years. I splurge regularly on a great frame for prescription readers. I have only have two pair at the moment (having lost my third pair). I keep one in my purse (my newest … and according to my kids … “hipster” pair) and I have a pair for around the house. I keep them atop my head to be lowered at will. I have found a ton of difference between the ones picked up at a drugstore and my prescription ones. I don’t think I can ever go back to just picking up a pair at the store. I’m tiny though and most frames don’t fit my face well so that may have something to do with it. Regardless, I love my prescription readers. (My last pair cost more than my husband’s glasses and he has all sorts of this and that corrections on his lenses. But the frames are so cute and came in two sizes, allowing me to get a smaller pair. I may even call back and request a second pair because I like them so much. ;))</p>
<p>I have several sets and even jumped and bought an adorable eyeglass chain for my readers for when I’m at work - it was driving me crazy to take them on and off and lose track of them. Thanks to a CC’er I found cute glasses and chain at BrightonCollectibles. </p>
<p>My eyes can’t read hardly anything without my readers!</p>
<p>A long time ago, I went through a bunch of catalogs to try to find something that fit well. I have very wide temples and most glasses don’t fit.</p>
<p>I managed to find something and all of my current glasses use the same frame. The frame was discontinued several years ago so I just recycled older frames. I think that I only have one or two left. It’s easier to pick something out in the store - or at least more convenient as you can try them on there but I like shopping out of catalogs for the best fit.</p>
<p>I have two pairs of progressive lens glasses, one that I leave on my desk at work and one in my purse. I really only need the reading part of the lens but having progressives allows me to keep them on all the time while working. I wear only sunglasses to drive, no correction. At home I have numerous pairs of OTC readers in various strengths - for newspapers, computer, books, needlepoint. I dip the temple arms in brightly colored acryic paint so I can identify them by strength. I do have one pair of very strong prescription full size glasses specifically for reading in bed.</p>
I wonder why? DH and I just visited our eye doctor last week and I was pleasantly surprised when he told me I still do not need prescription lenses. I’ve been using +1.25 readers for the past couple of years and he told me it’s probably time to switch to +1.5. After my exam, he asked if I’d taken any steroids since my last exam. Apparently the prednisone I’ve had to take for my asthma has affected my eyes a bit; he said I have the beginning signs of cataracts. He did tell me if I noticed an increase in use of my readers, he could prescribe some progressive lenses, but said at this time it would probably be a waste of money.</p>
<p>I am extremely grateful that readers are so cheap! For this reason, I own several pairs (1 in my bedroom, 1 in my sewing room, 1 in my purse, and 2 downstairs). I can’t read without them, so I need to have them handy. I’ve not yet taken to the idea of wearing them around my neck with a string (I did look at the Brighton Collectibles that a CCer recommended and I may get something from them) so I need to have several handy. </p>
<p>They are a pain to deal with but them I remember to be grateful that I have easy assess to them. We had a person from a third world county come visit us last summer. To give you a quick idea of his situation, his home has a dirt floor. Anyway, it was discovered that he didn’t read because he needed glasses. I quickly supplied him with a pair of reading glasses and he began reading everything! Can you imagine not being able to read for lack of reading glasses? Made me cry.</p>
<p>My eye doctor also told me that the drug store readers were my best option. </p>
<p>I’m struggling with the contacts and readers thing too though. When I wear my actual glasses, I read “under” them. After I do that for a period of time though (and I do tend to read for hours on end), I can’t see distance hardly at all when looking through my glasses. This is getting frustrating.</p>
<p>My eye doctor also told me to get cheap readers (I wear contacts). There’s a dollar store in NYC that has them, so I have a pair everywhere I need it: purse, sewing machine, bedroom, office desk, etc. I just upped from +1.25 to +1.50 in the past year.</p>
<p>I think my doctor said not to use them because one of my eyes is so much worse than the other. It was definitely a luxury to get a prescription pair, but wow they are awesome. I still keep a pair of the foldable ones on me for emergencies since the time one of my kids accidentally sent me a fairly rude text message meant for one of their friends and I asked someone to read it for me. Ughhh.</p>