Astigmatism & Vision Issues

[Guitarist Panicker]

Hi everybody,

I have been diagnosed as having astymatism in my left eye: my optician said I have no health issues beyond this and I should wear my new glasses for reading, close work and driving.

What's freaking me out a bit (a lot) is that I definitely also evidently need them when walking and driving! He didn't mention this and I'm questioning whether he's missed something.

Completely shattered my confidence, whilst also antangonising my health anxiety/obsessive tendancies. I really can't get to grip with this new onset of vision trouble.

I felt like my left eye was less dominant than my right for 18 months or so, but it felt like it finally 'gave up' 6 weeks ago. I've been unable to accept what the professionals have told me since (doctor waved it away and said the optician would have thoroughly checked and if anything beyond an eye issue there would have been red flags.

Can anybody relate or help me with some advice?

[Catkins]

I think it's your health anxiety/OCD talking. I have astigmatism in one of my eyes. Are your glasses varifocals? You said initially that he said you needed them for driving, then said that you evidently need them for walking and driving and thought he'd missed something.

Initially when I found out I had astigmatism I only needed reading glasses. Then over the years my eyes deteriorated (because of age, not related to the astigmatism) and now I have three different prescriptions, one for reading, one for the computer and one for driving.

Honestly if you needed distance glasses your optician will definitely have given you them. They make money out of selling glasses so they most definitely would have sold you some if they could. With regards to driving when I got my first pair I still could have driven without them (legally) but I took them because if I drive for a long distance my eyes get tired.

I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that if you showed even the slightest sign of clinically needing the glasses the optician would have sold you them.

[Guitarist Panicker]

Hi, thanks for getting in touch. I too have the astigmatism in one eye. The glasses aren't varifocals.

He said to me i needed them for reading, close work and driving (particularly at night). I do need them for all those - but also for walking which he didn't mention. These glasses do seem to work for all four of those things.

I think I've needed them for some time to be honest as I was squinting and rubbing my eyes a lot. These glasses seem to correct things really well - and now if I don't have them I really notice it.

I'm sure this is my HA/OCD driving my crazy, but it's really hard to evaluate it when you're in that loop.