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superfantastic
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11 Nov 2006, 11:18 am

I had some prescription glasses made two years ago but I never used them. The thing is, I can see things only from close up with my left eye (can't even see the largest letter on eyesight charts, lol), and my right eye sees perfectly, so I use my left eye for reading and my right for everything else (I know I don't use it while reading because if I cover my left eye, it takes a couple of seconds for the right eye to focus).

The eye doctor said I have astigmatism but I can't see vertical lines nor horizontal lines clearly when they're more than a foot away; so I think miopia is more likely.

Also my right eye has faulty muscles or something, and I went to an "eye gym" for some time to exercise them. I'm supposed to continue doing exercises (focusing on a pen while bringing it closer to my face), but when I do them I'm able to cross both eyes, which isn't half as creepy as crossing only one (yeah really childish reason; now I'm starting the exercises again). I don't know if that's relevant.

So, should I wear my glasses? Not for the convenience thing, but will my eyesight improve/not worsen if I use them? Or maybe I'll adjust to using both eyes at once and therefore become dependant on wearing them.

Oh right, when I do wear them my left eye sees perfectly, but things are slightly weird because both eyes aren't coordinated (I think); it's as if what I see with both eyes doesn't overlap exactly.

I'd appreciate it if anyone knew about this.



Emettman
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11 Nov 2006, 4:25 pm

Your Aspie optometrist is IN.
(I'm resigning at Christmas, but that's another story)

"I use my left eye for reading and my right for everything else"

If that works without strain, you are not doing anything wrong and if it's been that way for years you should let it alone.

You are missing out on some degree of binocular stereopsis, which is almost certainly a minor thing compared to the eyestrain likely from trying to make two eyes, unfamiliar with binocular cooperation, work together happily.

"when I do wear them my left eye sees perfectly, but things are slightly weird because both eyes aren't coordinated "

If there is a big difference between the two eyes in terms of strength of glasses,
(technical term "anisometropia") spectacles are always likely to feel odd. A contact lens in one eye to make it close to the other can sometimes make big inroads into this problem. Or a pair of contact lenses, of course, but astigmatism is not always easily handled by these.
(depends on the degreee, its direction, the eyelids...)

To go further, I would need to know your approximate age.
If you are 40+, (younger for certain ethnicities) you might benefit from a pair of spectacles designed to tune the right eye to its best possible distance acuity, and the left eye to its best state for reading. Helping each do its own best job.

That would not mean wearing them all the time, just as much or as little as you found useful.

This is not the conventional idea but is perfectly good practice, in fact the best option, for those particular people whom it suits: those who have been doing it for years anyway.



superfantastic
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11 Nov 2006, 5:28 pm

Thanks a lot, really!

Let's see if I understand. The best thing for my eyes is to do what they've been doing already, although that isn't the best thing for my perception of reality because I can't tell depth so well (not that I've had any problems with that).

I've been doing my reading on this tday; it's really interesting! According to Rembrandt, who didn't have binocular vision, said Art teachers often instruct students to close one eye in order to flatten what they see. Therefore, stereoblindness might not be a handicap -- and might even be an asset -- for some artists.

My main concern was whether wearing/not wearing glasses could bring presbyopia.

Oh, and I'm 15.

Thanks again,
Paula



Musical_Lottie
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11 Nov 2006, 8:00 pm

Please somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but presbyopia (by definition) is most often caused by age. I have worn glasses for ... er ... *counts* 8 and a half years (seven years full-time, as it were) and I certainly do not have presbyopia. And I can't see the top letter on the eye chart with either eye, although with my right I would probably be able to guess that there was some kind of writing on the chart - with my left I can just about make out a large black blob to indicate that there is actually something on the chart ... ;)


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Emettman
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11 Nov 2006, 8:25 pm

Stereopsis only counts as a factor for judging distances out to about 20 ft*, so doesn't really affect things like driving. (It's critical for a few odd things. 3d pictures, viewmaster slides, etc...) beyond that everyone, two-eyed or not, is using all the other depth cues for judging distance.


"My main concern was whether wearing/not wearing glasses could bring presbyopia.
Oh, and I'm 15."

After thirty years reading with one eye using it's natural short-sight, yes, I would expect the accommodation in both eyes to be a bit reduced compared to someone who had spent the same thirty years doing natural exercises with the ciliary muscles 50, 100, 200 times a day.

I'd guess at about a 5 years aging worth lag, so your 40 year-old eyes would accommodate like 45 year-old ones. But people vary. Since, unless you've lost the short sight in the left eye by then, you'd still not need the accommodation to read comfortably, you'd be starting to be better placed than normal, paired, eyes at this point. Presbyopia, even in the case you're presenting, is still 80-90% pure aging.

If you want to avoid that, you will need to get the eyes to be a matched pair if possible, with glasses and or contact lenses worn most of the time, but that's probably going to involve an awful lot of effort for a very limited benefit.

More I probably can't conclude, without doing an actual exam.

Best wishes, Chris.



*most text-books. A few quote longer distances.



superfantastic
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11 Nov 2006, 9:51 pm

Thanks once more, now I can not feel guilty about not using my glasses.

Plus I got to read lots of interesting stuff about the human eye!