Do you remember when you could see everything clearly? All the edges were sharp and you could read the bus number when it was way up the road? Is it me or are all the words on food packets getting smaller? Are you counting the calories but can’t see what it says on the packet? Sound familiar? Perhaps it’s time to get an eye test.
It’s important to get checked
It comes to us all eventually, although you’ve had a lifetime of clear vision you hit middle age and find yourself squinting at everything. There is no point in putting it off, you need glasses even if it’s just for reading. So, you visit a High Street optician and find out that you really can’t see as well as you used to. Another issue that you will be told about is glaucoma. This is a condition that causes pressure behind the eye that can eventually blind you if it’s not treated. It is hereditary, so if either of your parents had glaucoma it is wise to get your eyes checked even if you can still see perfectly well. Currently the NHS doesn’t charge for eye tests for people aged over forty with a history of glaucoma in their family, so it’s well worth getting it done. You’re eye health shouldn’t be ignored. Try putting on a blindfold and seeing how you cope with your everyday tasks – I expect there will be some bruises.
So you’ve got new glasses
Now that you have your new specs the world looks a different place! The things you have avoided -like not doing that little sewing job in the evening because ‘the lights not good’ or reading articles in the paper (not just the headlines) – become part of your life again. You start wondering how you ever managed without your glasses. Your optician will have recommended that you have your eyes tested every couple of years or more frequently if there is a history of glaucoma.
Time passes quickly
No sooner than you’ve got used to wearing your glasses it’s time for another check-up. The optician tells you your prescription has changed and they invite you to choose some new glasses. If you splashed out a bit last time and had the latest designer glasses you might want to hang on to them but your High Street optician might be reluctant to reglaze your glasses. More often than not they will want you to choose a new pair; after all, they make money on them.
There is an alternative
If you’re happy with your frames and just want new prescription lenses put into them for a fraction of the cost, speak to the experts at Reglaze My Glasses or a similar on-line optician. The process is very easy – you just send your glasses by post in a special pack, have a chat with the on-line optician about the lenses you want and they’re soon back with you in the post. It only takes a few days, costs a lot less and you still have you’re designer glasses!
Nick Davison is a freelance writer with a special interest in consumer affairs and accessibility. He has written many blog posts in this area and is glad to have found valuable information from the experts at Reglaze My Glasses
