NationStates Jolt Archive

I went to the doctor today for my yearly checkup, and I found out that my vision is 20/30 (I guess that's why I have glasses for when I drive). So now I am curious: how is your vision?

Worse than 20/100.

I have a -5.5 and -6.0 prescription.

-2 on my left eye, -4.5 on my right eye.

Last time I went (almost two and a half years ago), I was told it was about 20/17. Actually, I was told it was about 6/5, this being the UK. I haven't noticed any difference in my eyesight since then, so I assume, at worse, it's going to be 20/20.

I have no idea, but for all intents and purposes it's perfect.

I only need glasses for distance and driving, so I honestly forget exactly what my vision is. I think I have astigmatism if I remember correctly.

I can see...

I had a quick test the other day at an opto.
Right eye was -2.25
Left eye -1.25. Last time I got a proper test (5 yrs now) it was -0.25
Which doesn't surprise me as I've noticed I tend to squint a lot more nowadays. But it still depresses me as it's yet another sign of age creep.

I'm seriously considering get Lasik this year. It's pretty cheap over here.

Funny you should ask, I got a call from the eye doctor this morning saying my new glasses are in. My eyesight is pretty poor, not approaching legally blind or anything, but I need - and have needed for many, many years - glasses for anything farther away than the end of my nose. And on top of that, in the last ten years I need them for reading, too! *runs away to weep*

I went to the doctor today for my yearly checkup, and I found out that my vision is 20/30 (I guess that's why I have glasses for when I drive). So now I am curious: how is your vision?

I have no idea.

I claim US poll bias! :p

Yeah, sorry, can't answer the poll, we don't have these measurements here and I have no clue what they mean apart from "20/20" being perfect.

I also can't remember the actual numbers for my eyes but a few years ago I got glasses and my eyes have been ever so slowly getting worse since, I think. :(

But it's still not bad, so eh. I need them for seeing into the distance - never can remember if that makes me near or far sighted... >.<

I claim US poll bias! :p

Yeah, sorry, can't answer the poll, we don't have these measurements here and I have no clue what they mean apart from "20/20" being perfect.

I also can't remember the actual numbers for my eyes but a few years ago I got glasses and my eyes have been ever so slowly getting worse since, I think. :(

But it's still not bad, so eh. I need them for seeing into the distance - never can remember if that makes me near or far sighted... >.<

Seconded. What on earth do those numbers stand for???

I have absolutely no idea of the measurement for it, but I wear glasses all the time, and anything more than about 2m begins to fuzz a little.

i don't know about 20/whatever, but i'm -3 in each eye iirc, so not so great

I know my eyesight is bad, but I have no idea to what extent.

Every morning I go through the same routine as Velma from Scooby Doo does when she gets her glasses knocked off. I always manage to knock my watch or phone onto the floor before finding the damn things

I haven't had an eye test for over a decade, and if I did, they would probably say I could do with some very modest glasses.

But whats the point of getting glasses if they're just going to melt every time I use my eye-beams? Am I right!?

I claim US poll bias! :p

Yeah, sorry, can't answer the poll, we don't have these measurements here and I have no clue what they mean apart from "20/20" being perfect.

I also can't remember the actual numbers for my eyes but a few years ago I got glasses and my eyes have been ever so slowly getting worse since, I think. :(

But it's still not bad, so eh. I need them for seeing into the distance - never can remember if that makes me near or far sighted... >.<

Sorry, I know it is but I don't know any other measurements.:(

20/20 vision means that, from 20 feet away, you can read on the chart what the average "normal" person can read from 20 feet away. 20/10 would mean that you could read from 20 feet away what "normal" people have to be 10 feet away to read, and at 20/30 you can read at 20 feet away what "normal" people can read from 30 feet away.

That would make you nearsighted, I believe.

20/20 means that, at a distance of 20 feet you can see what the average person can see at the same distance. 10/20, for example, means that you need to be 10 feet away from something to see it properly, whereas the average person would need to be 20 feet.

20/10 would mean that you can see things at 20 feet that the average person would need to be 10 feet from to see properly, although the limit of human eyesight is thought to be around 20/12.

20/20 isn't 'perfect', it's average. It's thought that some birds of prey have eyesight better than 20/2.

In countries that use the metric system, it's described as 6/6 being average (as it's done in metres), then using multiples of 3 to go up (so 6/9, 6/12, 6/15, etc) and 1 to go down (6/5, 6/4, etc).

On the Snellen chart (y'know, the one with the big letter at the top and the really titchy ones at the bottom), the eighth line is the 20/20 line.

I haven't had an eye test for over a decade, and if I did, they would probably say I could do with some very modest glasses.

But whats the point of getting glasses if they're just going to melt every time I use my eye-beams? Am I right!?
Have you never watched Superman?! You push your glasses down to use your eye-beams. Duh!

Superman went through a lot of glasses before he realised that one.

I'm short-sighted and have glasses, but I've no idea what my prescription is.

I also have floaters (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floaters), which are quite cool, but I only found out they weren't normal a few months ago!

Sorry, I know it is but I don't know any other measurements.:(

20/20 vision means that, from 20 feet away, you can read on the chart what the average "normal" person can read from 20 feet away. 20/10 would mean that you could read from 20 feet away what "normal" people have to be 10 feet away to read, and at 20/30 you can read at 20 feet away what "normal" people can read from 30 feet away.

That would make you nearsighted, I believe.

How much is 20 feet? Why make things so complicated all the time?
What's wrong with simple, plain dioptrics?

I have to wonder, considering the high proportion of people that require glasses, how humanity actually managed to survive before glasses became common place (particularly in pre-agricultural societies). Has our vision collectively been getting worse since then?

I have to wonder, considering the high proportion of people that require glasses, how humanity actually managed to survive before glasses became common place (particularly in pre-agricultural societies). Has our vision collectively been getting worse since then?

Well, you know how large predatory animals have been steadily becoming less common lately?
Now you know why!

I have to wonder, considering the high proportion of people that require glasses, how humanity actually managed to survive before glasses became common place (particularly in pre-agricultural societies). Has our vision collectively been getting worse since then?
No, it's a scam. Basically, the companies that make glasses are in cahoots (what a word) with the opticians. The more people the opticians can persuade to wear glasses, the more money they, and the companies that make glasses, get.

How much is 20 feet? Why make things so complicated all the time?
What's wrong with simple, plain dioptrics?
It's about 6.5 metres. Not really that complicated. :p

20/20 in my left eye and 20/15 in my right, although from all the screen staring I do, I thought it would be worse.

Don't believe Stalin! He's in an alliance with the tigers!

I also have floaters, which are quite cool, but I only found out they weren't normal a few months ago!

Yeah, me too - but the odd thing is, when I discovered that, I asked about 5 people my age whether or not they got them and they all answered in the affirmative...

good question, I imagine we just go on with it instead of whining! :P

To answer the OP question....i dont know but i have to have an operation on my eyes. I have a very very lazy eye/squint-type thing that I need surgery on to correct. Not just from a cosmetic point of view (ive been living with it for 20 years, i could care less) but the headaches i get are killing me lol

How much is 20 feet? Why make things so complicated all the time?
What's wrong with simple, plain dioptrics?

20 feet is about 6 meters. I don't know about the dioptrics and they didn't tell me what mine are.

What's wrong with simple, plain dioptrics?

they is good :fluffle:

Well, you know how large predatory animals have been steadily becoming less common lately?
Now you know why!

:p

No, it's a scam. Basically, the companies that make glasses are in cahoots (what a word) with the opticians. The more people the opticians can persuade to wear glasses, the more money they, and the companies that make glasses, get.

This might be true in some cases, but I believe most people who require glasses would disagree.

No, it's a scam. Basically, the companies that make glasses are in cahoots (what a word) with the opticians. The more people the opticians can persuade to wear glasses, the more money they, and the companies that make glasses, get.

And us lens makers!

Yeah, me too - but the odd thing is, when I discovered that, I asked about 5 people my age whether or not they got them and they all answered in the affirmative...

Ooh, my sample of one other person just turned up another affirmative.
Obviously they're pretty close to "normal", then.

my left eye is fine, but my right eye is lazy and tottally out of focus and can't be corrected because its too late in life now :(

so what ever that might be on the number scale

How much is 20 feet? Why make things so complicated all the time?
What's wrong with simple, plain dioptrics?

20 feet, 20 meters, whatever. The important bit is not the unit, but the ratio. It's an easier way to understand just how blind you are. I have -5.00 on the left eye and -5.25 on the right. Worse than 20/100.

abysmal and only in the last year.

This might be true in some cases, but I believe most people who require glasses would disagree.
Ok, in that case I'll go for the 'modern lifestyles require better eyesight' argument. Before...let's say the industrial revolution...people could get away with having slightly dodgy eyesight (say up to 20/50) and still live quite happily. As eyesight worse than that generally only comes with old age (obviously that's not solely the case) by the time their sight did get that bad they'd either a) not be working, or b) be dead.

Now, people rely on good eyesight a lot more - if you spend most of your job staring at a computer screen, or reading documents, you'll get headaches if your eyesight isn't good. So people need glasses or they get headaches. (It's hardly a detailed argument, and I'm not saying it covers everything, but it fits for many people).

Don't believe Stalin! He's in an alliance with the tigers!
It's true. So long as you mean Leicester RFC.

Ooh, my sample of one other person just turned up another affirmative.
Obviously they're pretty close to "normal", then.

Yeah, i'd think so.

Mine are only really noticeable (and annoying) on really bright days anyway, because I squint a lot more. Right now, for instance, I only notice if I specifically look for them.

Unfortunately, my eye sight is pretty bad. My right eye is by far, my worse eye (20/Light) which could be classified as legally blind in my right eye. My Good Eye (which is quite funny considering of how bad it is, Thank God for the "Ultra thin" lens...:D ) I don't know off hand the actual prescription but it's worse than 20/180.

I was born with bad eyesight, however, it wasn't discovered until I was 2 1/2 yrs old. :(

I highly suspect the Doctor poked me in the eye as he pulled me from my mother...:p

Ok, in that case I'll go for the 'modern lifestyles require better eyesight' argument. Before...let's say the industrial revolution...people could get away with having slightly dodgy eyesight (say up to 20/50) and still live quite happily. As eyesight worse than that generally only comes with old age (obviously that's not solely the case) by the time their sight did get that bad they'd either a) not be working, or b) be dead.

Now, people rely on good eyesight a lot more - if you spend most of your job staring at a computer screen, or reading documents, you'll get headaches if your eyesight isn't good. So people need glasses or they get headaches. (It's hardly a detailed argument, and I'm not saying it covers everything, but it fits for many people).

Well, i'm thinking more along the lines of hunter gatherer societies, for example. If the proportion of people that require vision assistance is the same now than it was in times past, then people in those societies with some form of visual impairment would probably have had a lot of trouble with physical endeavours such as hunting. For an illiterate working class in a developing industrial society, it probably wouldn't matter so much.

my left eye is fine, but my right eye is lazy and tottally out of focus and can't be corrected because its too late in life now :(

so what ever that might be on the number scaleYeah, I think that's the condition I have in my left eye. The eye works fine, but the problem is with the optic nerve right? Meaning the optician can't do anything about it. Apparently once you're older than 11 your considered too old to have the condition treated. Added into the fact that the conditions is frequently misdiagnosed. Though my optician had heard of a builder who had a lazy eye. He lost his vision in his good eye and was subsequently registered blind. But apparently after 6 months his lazy began to improve and he is no longer legally blind. Nice happy story... kinda...

The prescription for my working right eye is
sph: +1.00
cyl: -0.50
axis: 100
... Whatever that means. I think it means that it does pretty much nothing.

The lens in for my left eye is just a pretty piece of transparent glass.

Well, i'm thinking more along the lines of hunter gatherer societies, for example. If the proportion of people that require vision assistance is the same now than it was in times past, then people in those societies with some form of visual impairment would probably have had a lot of trouble with physical endeavours such as hunting. For an illiterate working class in a developing industrial society, it probably wouldn't matter so much.

It is hypothesized that there were other things they could do, like gather food, skin animals, etc. That would allow those males to spend quite a bit of time with the ladies and that's why the problem is so relatively prevalent still.

It is hypothesized that there were other things they could do, like gather food, skin animals, etc. That would allow those males to spend quite a bit of time with the ladies and that's why the problem is so relatively prevalent still.

Ha! I like that theory.

And the reason that not everyone is vision impaired is because there were a few who said something along the lines of "No..I can't go hunting today...or ever...i'm uh...short sighted...yes...that'll do"

:D

Ha! I like that theory.

And the reason that not everyone is vision impaired is because there were a few who said something along the lines of "No..I can't go hunting today...or ever...i'm uh...short sighted...yes...that'll do"

:D
Well, we know what you'd have been doing in a hunter/gatherer society. Faking myopia! :p

Myopic.

My eyesight is pretty good, I think, but I don't know what they actually are.

Last time I got checked I had 120% vision on both eyes.

I don't know what that would be in the 20/something?

I dont know what my vision is measured at-I havent had any reason to have it checked in a long time.

As far as I know, my vision is perfect.

I do plan to have an eye exam this year, just for the hell of it becuase I'll be turning 40. A good time to start checking everything out.

Well, we know what you'd have been doing in a hunter/gatherer society. Faking myopia! :p

Maybe that's where the "wanking makes you go blind" old wives tale comes from...

:p

Bad, though I'm not sure how bad.

I don't know. I can see things. I can usually avoid running into those things which I have seen. Pretty good eyesight.

Without contacts or glasses, my world becomes one big unidentifiable blur. I have been known to walk into objects such as couches, tables, and walls because I culdn't distinguish them from the rest of the blur.

Luckily, I am never without my contacts or glasses. :)

don't know, and don't really care as long as Nsg is not a blur.

I'm 20/20 in my left eye and 20/40 in my right eye. It only really matters when I'm firing a gun attargets farther away than 300m or so, and I don't do that more than once a week or so. I do sometimes wear a contact, but not often.

I'm not really sure how the 20/20 vision thing works, but I know that I'm shortsighted and am about -6 on each eye. Basically my world is very blurry without glasses. Thank God I'm living in the 21st century.

last checked about 7 years ago and it was better than 20/20 but i know it has deteriorated since then, i just haven't bothered to have it checked.

Haven't had it checked since I was a kid but I think I can see just fine

-9.-


No, it's a scam. Basically, the companies that make glasses are in cahoots (what a word) with the opticians. The more people the opticians can persuade to wear glasses, the more money they, and the companies that make glasses, get.

Guess they didn't have to read much then.