Those amongst the population who have normal vision have no idea how debilitating it can be if you are very short or long sighted. While most visual defects can be corrected with specs or contact lenses, none of the options is perfect, and then you have the problem of your sight without your correction in place. What if you wake up in the night and can’t find your specs? What if you break your only pair? What if you get an eye infection and can’t wear your contact lenses? Most patients with high prescriptions will at some point have had the heart stopping experience of having to manage without their glasses. So what are the other solutions?

A first step for many is contact lenses, and within that long term wear lenses. Disposable lenses that can be worn overnight are not new, but as new materials are developed they are available for more patients and with many different options. The joy of waking up in the morning and being able to see is the gateway to a whole new world if your sight is very bad, and extended wear lenses are an excellent choice for more and more patients. Speak to your optician, but always adhere strictly to their wear guidelines and keep up to date with check-ups.

A more permanent option is surgery, either Laser surgery that changes the shape of your eye to correct sight, or an implanted lens that goes inside your eye to give you the correction you need. Neither is for the faint hearted, but with clinics springing up all over the country and prices coming down, the surgical route is one that is becoming more popular. Today society is generally more accepting of elective surgery, and compared to Botox or a Boob job this is a necessity! Either type of surgery does have  limitations, and you have to go through examination and counselling before you can go ahead. The shape of your eye, thickness of your cornea and prescription may limit your choices, and a good surgeon will discuss all of this with you before you commit yourself. You also need to know recovery time, expected results, and cost before signing your sight into their hands! For some patients full correction cannot be guaranteed, and you may still need glasses at certain times. A reduced prescription or specs just for close work may however make a massive difference to your lifestyle, so don’t dismiss this idea without thinking about it. If your poor sight is a disability then maybe it’s time to look at more drastic measures than new specs!