Aching Eyes - bi focal contacts or glasses?

[Jannor]

Hi all

I'm pre-diabetic and currently trying to sort with diet, which has helped a lot.

I'm a secretary so on a screen all day. In the afternoons my eyesballs have started to ache - there is a word for it that optician used but I've forgotten it. I thought I needed new glasses (despite only getting new ones last Jan 2013 so saw optician yesterday.

Optician said he would give me a slightly higher prescription but that I should wait a while as it could be blood sugar causing it and that I could be OK with my old prescription again in a couple of weeks.

So I guess I'll have to wait anyway before I do anything. Just wondered has this happened to anyone else?

Other thing is I wear varifocal glasses but was thinking about changing to contacts. Optician says there is only bi-focal contacts so I might struggle to see middle distance. anyone else tried these? He said the cost is £100 initial then around £20 a month for the contacts. so I don't want to pay the £100 then find I hate them. Although I do need to check other opticians yet to see if there any deals about.

And is it sensible at all to change to contacts when nurse said that even if manage to fend off the diabetes now with diet, eventually I will get it?


Thanks
Jannor

 

[Lazybones]

Unless you can be sure that your current problem isn't the result of raised Blood/Glucose I would think think that you would be waisting money purchasing new glasses or contact lenses. Measuring you B/G level on a meter at this stage might if you are lucky ony show a part of the picture as B/G levels recorded this way will vary considerably from day to day, & hour to hour, it might be better to get a HbA1c blood test done by your Dr. which then show you what your 'average' B/G levels have been in the preceeding 120 days prior to the blood test being undertaken.
As for the nurse saying that you will eventually get diabetes, well it's up to you to prove her wrong on that point. There are many pre-diabetic indivuals who by a simple change in diet, lifestyle and sensible regular exercise can surely testify.

 

[Jannor]

I haven't got a meter. I'm due to have bloods done Tues morning so I'm waiting to see what that says.

 

[collectingrocks]

Hi Jannor

Get your bloods done and once you know your levels, you can decide how to approach this. As Lazybones says, don't believe what your nurse says - you WONT get diabetes if you change your diet/lifestyle NOW. And there's no point throwing money away at new glasses/contacts if you don't need them. How long have you worn glasses for (and what for...reading?)

How much are you drinking? Dehydration pulls water away from the eyes changing their shape and therefore causing blurry vision. You should aim to drink at least 8-10 glasses of water a day.

I too work on a VDU all day and often late into the evening every day. VDUs put extra strain on the eyes and you need to take regular breaks (such as getting up to get a glass of water :lol: If your eyes ache...they're telling you something

 

[Jannor]

Thanks both of you Nurse did say that ... but I've done quite well with diet as I can see some differences already. And I don't really know what I'm doing yet either :? So hopefully I can fend it off forever ...

You may have a point about the water .. I do get busy and don't drink much at work. I'll try that, see if it helps. I do get blurry too, always trying to clean glasses and it doesn't clear!

I just assumed I needed new glasses - but usually I get headaches when that's the case.

Been wearing glasses since being 16 for reading. Distance vision isn't that bad but do need them for driving. Got to the stage when I can't see prices in supermarkets without them now though, so that's why I wanted contacts. I'm always taking glasses on and off and its only a matter of time before I lose/break them and varifocals are expensive.

 

[annew]

Hi Jannor!

I've worn glasses since childhood - and suspect that I'm loads older than you are! But did find that problems I was having with my vision - tired eyes, getting very dry etc. improved tremendously after I was diagnosed, went low carbing and controlled my blood glucose levels. So I think it is worth waiting to see what happens - but you'll probably need a meter to test your eating and find out what suits you and hopefully not develop T2.
I now wear contact lenses - I've been using varifocal lenses and you can get what they call multifocal lenses. Good thing is you can leave them in for a month - sleep in them etc. downside is it can be tricky for them to get the prescription just right and they are not cheap. I pay £35 per month but that does include a regular 3 monthly eye check, expect it could be cheaper elsewhere but you do need a really good practitioner and they vary a lot.
Hope this helps.
Ann

 

[ShellyC23]

Try using eyedrops a few times a day if your eyes are sore. There are various types available from most pharmacies so you should find one suitable for your symptoms

 

[Jannor]

Hi Jannor!

I've worn glasses since childhood - and suspect that I'm loads older than you are! But did find that problems I was having with my vision - tired eyes, getting very dry etc. improved tremendously after I was diagnosed, went low carbing and controlled my blood glucose levels. So I think it is worth waiting to see what happens - but you'll probably need a meter to test your eating and find out what suits you and hopefully not develop T2.
I now wear contact lenses - I've been using varifocal lenses and you can get what they call multifocal lenses. Good thing is you can leave them in for a month - sleep in them etc. downside is it can be tricky for them to get the prescription just right and they are not cheap. I pay £35 per month but that does include a regular 3 monthly eye check, expect it could be cheaper elsewhere but you do need a really good practitioner and they vary a lot.
Hope this helps.
Ann

Thanks - yes it helps! My optician said they only do bi focal lens - I'll have to try one of the bigger chains. £35 isn't cheap but I paid £400 for my last varifocal glasses so its not that bad - especially if I get to the stage where my prescription changes regularly.

I've been thinking about a meter to see what agrees with me - seems to be all guesswork otherwise! Even when I get symptoms, I don't know if its hi or low blood sugar so I could do the wrong thing.

I had 2 years where my eyes were itchy and watering. I blamed it on allergies despite it being all year round and took allergy eye drops that seemed to help it ... maybe it was the pre-diabetes. Although only the allergy eyedrops stopped it, the ones with 2% chrom-stuff! Dry eyes stuff did nothing.

Its such a minefield this isn't it? I didn't even know what hypo meant until I googled it.