Non diabetic eye tests and issues with eyesight

[Briarrose]

Dear All

I am seeking a bit of advice please. I have attended for my diabetic eye test in 2020 and was told everything was ok. In November 2021 I went for a "normal" eye test but since then I have not been able to get my prescription correct, especially for my right eye. I have varifocals but its the intermediate level that seems to be the issue in that when I look through the right lens things are very slightly blurry especially when reading - so much so that I have to move my head a fraction to the right to be able to see the words clearly mainly using my left eye vision. I have had the prescription adjusted twice already and now my optician has told me to wait three months for blood sugar levels to even off as they suspect it could be this that is causing the issue. I have just had bloods done but cannot get the results for another two weeks. I have had a diabetic eye test recently too, but not yet received the results of that yet either.

I was just wondering if any one had similar issues with their diabetes affecting only one eye slightly as I would have thought that if diabetes was going to affect my eyes it would do both not just one ? I'd be interested to hear what people might think. Thanks.

 

[Leadinglights]

I also have varifocals and found problems when blood glucose levels came down, I can only describe it as my eyes felt as if they were in different heads but if your glasses don't sit correctly on your nose that can have the same effect so maybe you could just get the optician to check if they have become twisted or bent.
They are wise in suggesting waiting until the eyes have settled down as you don't want to be paying for yet another prescription, mine certainly cost mega bucks.

 

[Briarrose]

I also have varifocals and found problems when blood glucose levels came down, I can only describe it as my eyes felt as if they were in different heads but if your glasses don't sit correctly on your nose that can have the same effect so maybe you could just get the optician to check if they have become twisted or bent.
They are wise in suggesting waiting until the eyes have settled down as you don't want to be paying for yet another prescription, mine certainly cost mega bucks.

We have done all the positioning of the glasses on my head etc and been retested twice already. I am not sure if it is me or if it is a fault with the glasses. I had heard that when they adjust the arms with the heat - that sometimes affects the lens! Trouble is I have paid for two pairs of glasses but can only use one set even if quite awkwardly and waiting for 3 more months will be a nightmare. I am beginning to think that because my opticians is one of those big chains, that they have just opted for the easy option ie send me away for a few months and deal with me then charging me more, rather than trying to sort it out now, that I might go to an independent and see if they come up with same thing - as waiting almost 6 months to be able to see properly is not really acceptable. I could understand if both eyes were affected but because it is just one is making me doubt things right now.

 

[Leadinglights]

We have done all the positioning of the glasses on my head etc and been retested twice already. I am not sure if it is me or if it is a fault with the glasses. I had heard that when they adjust the arms with the heat - that sometimes affects the lens! Trouble is I have paid for two pairs of glasses but can only use one set even if quite awkwardly and waiting for 3 more months will be a nightmare. I am beginning to think that because my opticians is one of those big chains, that they have just opted for the easy option ie send me away for a few months and deal with me then charging me more, rather than trying to sort it out now, that I might go to an independent and see if they come up with same thing - as waiting almost 6 months to be able to see properly is not really acceptable. I could understand if both eyes were affected but because it is just one is making me doubt things right now.

The problem often is that when your blood glucose is going up the changes in your eyes can be very slow, so you do not notice, the environment in the eye becomes more 'sugary' and the shape changes so altering the focal length but if your blood glucose comes down quite quickly by going low carb and /or meds then there is a more rapid change in the eye to more normal salty (tears are normally very salty) and the shape and focal length changes quickly so you notice it.
My eyes took about 7 months to return to more normal but I still needed a prescription change. Most people seems to get back to normal more quickly than that. My distance vision was fine, it was the close vision that was awful.
I do go to a independent optician which is probably why my glasses cost a lot, ultra thin, reaction lenses, frameless.
Why frameless glasses should cost more than ones with frames puzzles me, as there is less there.
Some people suggest getting some cheap reading glasses but I don't know if that would work if you wear varifocals.

 

[AndBreathe]

Your Optician could be right, if your blood glucose had gone up or down by any decent amount.

Some people find their vision goes "off" around the time they are diagnosed, and it can also happen as a person gets their blood glucose numbers into a better place.

Frustratingly, if this is the case, waiting for things to settle down can e the best thing to do - else the prescription could need to be changed again.

It's good you have just had your diabetes screening done. Hopefully your results will come in soon.

I had mine recently too and the results came through quickly this time.

 

[Briarrose]

Your Optician could be right, if your blood glucose had gone up or down by any decent amount.

Some people find their vision goes "off" around the time they are diagnosed, and it can also happen as a person gets their blood glucose numbers into a better place.

Frustratingly, if this is the case, waiting for things to settle down can e the best thing to do - else the prescription could need to be changed again.

It's good you have just had your diabetes screening done. Hopefully your results will come in soon.

I had mine recently too and the results came through quickly this time.

Last time I had the diabetes screening the results came through quite quickly - am hoping there is nothing wrong but would have though that if there was I would have heard by now, as it is coming up to two weeks since the test or am I just impatient 🙂

 

[grovesy]

I have waited up up to 3 weeks for results.

 

[JimG]

When I was first diagnosed I already used "seeing" glasses and "reading" glasses. I changed to varifocals but, for a while, although I used varifocals for general use, any extended reading required the reading glasses. Matters did settle down and I now use varifocals only.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I have varifocals but its the intermediate level that seems to be the issue in that when I look through the right lens things are very slightly blurry especially when reading - so much so that I have to move my head a fraction to the right to be able to see the words clearly mainly using my left eye vision.

Is this Specsavers?

I had exactly the same when switching to varifocals - particularly with the distance / midrange / reading pattern that they recommended to begin with.

They ended up recognising that it was a problem with the way the lenses had been made, and the locations of the various sectors compared to my gaze.

Actually in the end I had far more success with the ‘driving’ pattern, which has fewer sections, and allows for much wider zones, especially with distance vision.

Can you find a sweet spot in the right lens if you shut your left eye and move your head around a bit? And does this then defocus the left lens when you open that eye?

I think varifocals can be quite tricky to get right. Took them a few goes with mine, but the ‘driving’ pattern suits me really well 🙂

 

[Leadinglights]

My OH could not get on with a pair on specs from Specsavers and reverted to an old pair of glasses but then tried the 2nd pair he had had at the same time and they were perfect and when we compared them the lenses were on the wrong side or course it was too late to take them back. So they do get it wrong sometimes.

 

[Proud to be erratic]

Before I became diabetic, I had an expensive pr of lt wt specs, which just didn't do the job. I returned to the optician several times, had my eyes retested and various checks made. No extra charges were levied and business was conducted very civilly on both sides.
At the 12 month point I returned one further time and the dispensing lady went through the various checks, having read the notes on my repeated visits and discovered that the lenses were correct but NOT centred on my eyes. A remeasure established that the correct eye spacing requirement had been sought but the lenses provided were incorrect from the outset. A small error but made a big difference to me! The frame and lenses were replaced at no charge to me. So as said above, things can be wrong sometimes.

 

[Briarrose]

Is this Specsavers?

I had exactly the same when switching to varifocals - particularly with the distance / midrange / reading pattern that they recommended to begin with.

They ended up recognising that it was a problem with the way the lenses had been made, and the locations of the various sectors compared to my gaze.

Actually in the end I had far more success with the ‘driving’ pattern, which has fewer sections, and allows for much wider zones, especially with distance vision.

Can you find a sweet spot in the right lens if you shut your left eye and move your head around a bit? And does this then defocus the left lens when you open that eye?

I think varifocals can be quite tricky to get right. Took them a few goes with mine, but the ‘driving’ pattern suits me really well 🙂

Yes it is specsavers ! I had another retest last week and they have decided that I have anisometropia which means that my right eye needs a massively larger prescription than my left ! I have been told that I should be wearing the glasses all the time from now one rather than just for reading etc, but I just cannot seem to "see" very well when walking lol..... So it will be interesting to see if the new prescription that I will pick this week will make a difference. I had varifocals before, my prescription from 2019 and apart from a loss of sharpness due to time they have been perfect with no issues whatsoever, and in fact I use them for driving as they seem just right for that. Fingers crossed for a good result with the new prescription.

 

[Mrs Mimoo]

The problem often is that when your blood glucose is going up the changes in your eyes can be very slow, so you do not notice, the environment in the eye becomes more 'sugary' and the shape changes so altering the focal length but if your blood glucose comes down quite quickly by going low carb and /or meds then there is a more rapid change in the eye to more normal salty (tears are normally very salty) and the shape and focal length changes quickly so you notice it.
My eyes took about 7 months to return to more normal but I still needed a prescription change. Most people seems to get back to normal more quickly than that. My distance vision was fine, it was the close vision that was awful.
I do go to a independent optician which is probably why my glasses cost a lot, ultra thin, reaction lenses, frameless.
Why frameless glasses should cost more than ones with frames puzzles me, as there is less there.
Some people suggest getting some cheap reading glasses but I don't know if that would work if you wear varifocals.

I also wear varifocals and am having issues with close work. Your advice to wait sounds good - I will see if the lower hba1c is stable before spending another £400 on lenses...

 

[JimG]

I changed opticians during lockdown, or rather in one of the relaxations last year. I had very heavy floaters and my own opticians could not fit me in. I phoned a local optician and they could see me within a couple of days. They arranged for me to go to A&E on the Saturday afternoon. During one of the clear spells the optician checked my prescription and I had new varifocals. The optician decided that my eyes were not perfectly spherical and because of where the eye flattened out, it was difficult to measure for the varifocals. The new glasses are so much better than the old ones and I can wear them all the time - no need for reading glasses even for extended periods. As Specsavers have been mentioned in a couple of these posts, I have to say that neither optician was Specsavers although the first one was part of a chain. The optician I landed with is a small local practice. I've just had a vitrectomy following a few further bleeds and when my prescription comes due to be checked again I will go back there.