This is going to be the story of how I should have handled vision issues I have had at least since the 6th grade.
In 2nd or 3rd grade I failed the hearing test. My Mom set an appointment on Saturday with a Doctor that did eye, ear, nose and throat. In fact before I started school this Dr. took my tonsils out. My Mom wanted to get my eyes checked while I was there but they didn’t do eye exams on Saturday. I did not know enough about vision then to say it was a good idea. This was about 1967 or 68. During the same time period I complained of headaches while or after reading. I should have complained more and maybe I would have had my eyes checked. Before going back to work full time around 4th grade my mom during the summers would mention getting my eyes checked. I should have said let’s do it.
The first time I remember having trouble with the school eye exam was in 6th grade. I could not see which way the last E pointed and guessed and got it right. I should have said I couldn’t see which way it pointed and would have been sent for an eye exam. You have to remember this was in the mid 60’s to early 70’s and not too many boys and girls in a class of about 30 wore glasses, maybe 2 or 3 at most. I should have went home and told my parents I had trouble with the school eye exam and then I would have had an exam and probably glasses.
Back then 6th grade completed grade school and on to junior high for the next 3 years. We did not have an eye exam in 7th grade but we did have one in 8th grade. I struggled with that exam and was encouraged to try to read the line. Apparently, I read enough not to be sent for the exam. I should h’save went home and told my parents I need a real eye exam that I had never had. During the summer of 73 I got the courage to mention to my mom I felt like needed glasses. Both my grandfather on my dad’s side and my grandmother on my mom’s side would very ill at that time. My mom said after a brief camping trip we had coming up she would get me an appointment. It never happened. I should have pushed it more. My grandmother passed away in August of that year and my grandfather passed away in October of that year. After the last funeral I should have said now can we get the eye exam I asked for in back in the summer?
In 1975 at 15 years old I was picked for driver’s ed during the first semester of my sophomore year. My Dad took me to a special time to get my permit. I struggled but passed the vision screening. I should have told my mom please get me an eye exam because I struggled with the vision screening. I successfully completed both classroom and in car driver’s ed with good grades in both meaning I only had to take the written and vision tests. This time my mom took me and noticed I was struggling with the vision screening and said she was going to get my eyes checked. Later on my mom blamed the vision testing machine. I should have said no it’s really I need glasses. There was practice at night requirements then my mom told me the first time I drove at night I would have no problems as good as my eyes were. I should have said really do you remember me almost failing the vision screening at the DMV?
Life went on and I graduated high school midterm in 78 driving the whole time. I would see adds from time-to-time advertising glasses from Taylor Drug stores for 17.95. During that time I should have asked for and eye exam again but I didn’t
In 1980 I had to renew my license and again struggled with the vision screening while easily passing the written test which was still required in Indiana back then.
In 1982 I finally come up with the money to get an exam and a cheap pair of glasses. Problem was I never told any family or friends I had them I only wore them at night driving by myself and yes they did help but I had to give up on them after they fell apart. I should have told my mom I had an eye exam and yes I need glasses. I didn’t as it still wasn’t all that cool to wear glasses as it is now for a younger person.
In 1984 I had to renew my license again and by this time the written exam had been dropped as long as you didn’t have too many points and I had 0 so I was good there. I again struggled with the vision exam and should have asked for help getting an exam and glasses, but I did not.
In 1986 I finally come up with the money to get another eye exam and came clean about doing it. I borrowed money for glasses, and I actually wore them. I went after a special license for a job I didn’t get but I was happy I didn’t struggle with the vision screening and that for the first time I was restricted to corrective lenses. I didn’t wear them much around the house as I was still living with my parents and my mom wrongly thought wearing glasses too much made your vision worse. Time went on and by the early to mid 90’s I was wearing my glasses some around the house and by the mid 90’s I was wearing my glasses from the time I got up until the time I went to bed.
In 2000 at age 41 already into bifocals with progressive I must have been having a mid-life crisis. I made the foolish decision to have Lasik. It went great or so I thought. The next day the first place I went was to the DMV and had the corrective lenses restriction taken off my license. In fact I had my first ever unrestricted license as I had always had an outside rear view mirror restriction meaning one eye was 20/40 or better and the other eye was worse. I was happy that day. My left or non-dominant eye was left about 20/30 for reading or up close while the right eye was 20/20 and I was even able to read a few letters on the 20/15 line. Seemed great at the time until about 8 or 9 years in when my very good optometrist told me I should get glasses for night driving. I finally did get the glasses and did use them for night driving and wore them some other times too. Backing up just a bit I took and passed the driver’s license vision screening in 2006 again with no restrictions. By 2012 Indiana had internet renewal every other time so there was no worry about passing the vision screening.
I started wearing glasses most of the time again in by 2012 and actually worried about running into my optometrist around town but never did. When I went in for my routine eye exam in 2013 I fessed up I probably was wearing glasses more than prescribed. The Dr. said that was ok as you can go back to full time wear, and I likely wouldn’t pass the DMV screening. My license expired in 2018 and since I did internet renewal in 2012 I had to go in person and take the vision screening, but I wasn’t worried as I was wearing glasses pretty much full time by then. I actually passed with the outside rear view mirror restriction coming back. I kind of wished I had said I couldn’t pass without glasses and had the corrective lenses put back on my license for the first time in 17 years.
In closing I may be getting rid of glasses for distance in the next few years as at 63 years old I have the start of cataracts. I want no part of mono vison as one thing I didn’t like about Lasik was having the difference in my eyes. I will happily wear reading glasses. If my distance vision is good after cataract removal I will probably get progressive from Zenni Optical with the top part clear or a very minor correction.
This story as it happened is 100% true with me adding what I should have done thru the years.
https://vision-and-spex.com/how-i-should-have-handled-my-vision-t2574.html