13||0|3069|0| 0|0|0|||1||The Grand Reveal %28isn%27t so grand%29|Terminus Est||22:34:41|11/10/2014|[updated:LAST EDITED ON Nov-14-14 AT 03:43 AM (EST)]Not to mince words%2C I found out today I have severe astigmatism and something called keratitis in both eyes%2C which basically means my corneas are pointed %28like a football%29 instead of round %28like a basketball - his terms%2C not mine%29. The doctor expressed amazement that I was able to read %5Bi%5Dat all%5B%2Fi%5D out of my right eye%2C let alone get as far as I did on the chart thingy%2C considering I have 20%2F50 left and 20%2F60 right.%0D%0A%0D%0A...So yeah. Kinda explains why I have so much trouble reading lately%2C huh%3F Especially since I%27ve never worn glasses%2C period%2C and this stuff manifests late teens %28about 12 years ago for me%29. Thankfully Medicaid covers this%2C and I%27ll have my first set in about two to three weeks.%0D%0A%0D%0A...and then I forgot why I was making this post to start with. Derp. Uh%2C what I wanted to ask was%2C does anyone here have any experience with this condition%2C and if so%2C what can I do in the meantime to lessen the headaches and such%3F%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0AEDIT%3A Okay%2C I was wrong - it isn%27t keratitis%2C it%27s %5Blink%3Aen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FKeratoconus%7Ckeratoconus%5D. Which is less pants-shittingly scary%2C but no less disruptive to my ability to see. 1|1|0|||1||RE%3A The Grand Reveal %28isn%27t so grand%29|Gryphon||23:00:16|11/10/2014|[updated:LAST EDITED ON Nov-11-14 AT 02:33 AM (EST)]%3E...and then I forgot why I was making this post to start with. Derp. %0D%0A%3EUh%2C what I wanted to ask was%2C does anyone here have any experience %0D%0A%3Ewith this condition%2C and if so%2C what can I do in the meantime to %0D%0A%3Elessen the headaches and such%3F %0D%0A%0D%0AKeratitis I can%27t speak to%2C but one of my eyes is astigmatic %28and both of them are pretty profoundly myopic%2C which has much the same visual effect you describe without the inflammation and soreness%29. I hate to say it%2C but in my experience%2C there%27s little you can do about the eyestrain headache part without corrective optics%2C short of just not looking at things%2C which isn%27t very practical. If you %5Bi%5Dhave%5B%2Fi%5D to read before your glasses come%2C bright light and big print will probably help at least a bit.%0D%0A%0D%0ABased on a quick readaround%2C though%2C I hope your doctor%27s on top of your case%2C because it looks like keratitis can be a lot more involved than just the misshapen-eyeballs thing that causes bad vision.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D 2|2|1|||1||RE%3A The Grand Reveal %28isn%27t so grand%29|Terminus Est||00:12:27|11/11/2014|Given that this was my first visit to an actual eye doctor in something akin to 12 years%2C saying he%27s on top of things is a bit of a stretch. He does seem to know what the condition can do%2C though%2C so hopefully he%27ll have mine well in hand. 3|3|2|||||RE%3A The Grand Reveal %28isn%27t so grand%29|Croaker||10:40:12|11/11/2014|Good luck%2C dude.%0D%0A%0D%0AMy dad just went for laser surgery on his eyes. He%27s amazed at what they can do these days. Then again%2C he%27s also on the far side of 60%2C so he%27s had plenty of time to watch them develop. 4|1|0|||||RE%3A The Grand Reveal %28isn%27t so grand%29|zwol||10:46:47|11/11/2014|I don%27t know about the keratitis part%2C but I have an absurd degree of astigmatism in both eyes%3B more than one optician has called it the worst case they%27ve ever seen.%0D%0A%0D%0AUntil you get your glasses%2C large type and high contrast are your friend. If you do a lot of reading on a computer screen%2C try switching from light on dark to dark on light%2C or vice versa%3B also try changing up the font. %28This advice applies even after you get the glasses.%29%0D%0A%0D%0AAstigmatism affects vision at all distances more or less equally%2C and the brain is pretty darn good at correcting for it. It may seem%2C therefore%2C when you get your glasses%2C that not much has changed. I recall thinking%2C when I got my first pair%2C that the only difference was someone had turned up the edge definition on the world -- just a little. However%2C wearing the glasses means your brain doesn%27t have to do that extra work%2C so you will notice more and more of a difference as time goes by%2C and the headaches should diminish. You will eventually want to wear them all the time.%0D%0A%0D%0ALenses for correction of astigmatism are asymmetric. When you get your glasses%2C put them on and look through one lens at a time %28close the other eye%29. Both lenses should look about the same. If they don%27t%2C have the optician check the lenses against the prescription. I once received a pair with one lens%27s cylinder axis 90%C2%B0 from what it should have been %28this has the effect of making the astigmatism %5Bi%5Dtwice as bad%5B%2Fi%5D in that eye%29%2C and it took me like ten minutes to figure out what was wrong because I didn%27t think of closing one eye at a time. They will fix this for free%2C but unfortunately%2C it does involve sending the glasses back to the factory.%0D%0A%0D%0AMedicaid probably won%27t pay for the expensive high-refractive-index plastic%2C but if you can afford to shell out for it yourself%2C it%27s worth it%3A it makes the glasses weigh less%2C which means they%27re less likely to give you a headache by pressing on your nose or ears. %28Seriously.%29 It also means you get less chromatic aberration in your peripheral vision. On the topic of pressure on your nose or ears%2C make sure the frames fit you properly. If your head is wider or narrower than average%2C the earpieces may pinch. If your nose is flatter or pointier than average%2C the nose pads will need to be adjusted. Most opticians will make minor adjustments to the fit for free.%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Blink%3Awww.zennioptical.com%7CZenni Optical%5D sells high-quality lenses and frames for a fraction of what you%27d pay for them in a walk-in store. Caveat%3A you probably %5Bi%5Dwill%5B%2Fi%5D need to have the nose pads adjusted. 7|2|4|||1||RE%3A The Grand Reveal %28isn%27t so grand%29|Nova Floresca||15:04:04|11/11/2014|%3EMedicaid probably won%27t pay for the expensive high-refractive-index %0D%0A%3Eplastic%2C but if you can afford to shell out for it yourself%2C it%27s %0D%0A%3Eworth it%3A it makes the glasses weigh less%2C which means they%27re less %0D%0A%3Elikely to give you a headache by pressing on your nose or ears. %0D%0A%3E%28Seriously.%29 It also means you get less chromatic aberration in your %0D%0A%3Eperipheral vision.%0D%0A%0D%0AThis%2C very much this. When you get your glasses%2C take a look at the thickness of the lens at the outside edge%2C and try to shoot for a similar lens shape and thickness in future pairs. I got one set that had a different thickness at the corners%2C and the distortion effect in my peripheral vision was enough to give me massive throw-up-and-then-die headaches after wearing them for any length of time.%0D%0A%0D%0ANot trying to scare you off%2C for sure%3B this has only happened to me once in over 10 years of having corrective lenses for astigmatism%2C but it%27s something to watch for%2C especially since the optometrist and I kept thinking it was a flaw in the center of the lens causing the problem%2C which made troubleshooting an adventure.%0D%0A%0D%0A%22This is probably a stupid question%2C but . . .%22 8|3|7|||1||RE%3A The Grand Reveal %28isn%27t so grand%29|Terminus Est||18:39:35|11/11/2014|I didn%27t even think to ask while I was there whether they would give me glass or plastic lenses%2C sadly. Maybe I can con them into it on the refit... 9|2|4|||||RE%3A The Grand Reveal %28isn%27t so grand%29|goldenfire||18:41:17|11/11/2014|%3ELenses for correction of astigmatism are asymmetric. When you get %0D%0A%3Eyour glasses%2C put them on and look through one lens at a time %28close %0D%0A%3Ethe other eye%29. Both lenses should look about the same. %0D%0A%0D%0Anot...always. I%27m astigmatic%2C but at slightly different axes and to slightly different degrees in each eye - it may only be something like 10 degrees difference %28I don%27t remember exactly%2C offhand%29 but it%27s amazingly significant.%0D%0A%0D%0AThe real fun trick%2C to demonstrate what your eyes do%2C is to have someone look through one lens at something relatively square...then rotate the lens %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0AI usually get a reaction of %22how can you SEE%3F ugh%21%22%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E If they %0D%0A%3Edon%27t%2C have the optician check the lenses against the prescription. I %0D%0A%3Eonce received a pair with one lens%27s cylinder axis 90%C2%B0 from what it %0D%0A%3Eshould have been %28this has the effect of making the astigmatism %0D%0A%3E%5Bi%5Dtwice as bad%5B%2Fi%5D in that eye%29%2C and it took me like ten minutes to %0D%0A%3Efigure out what was wrong because I didn%27t think of closing one eye at %0D%0A%3Ea time. They will fix this for free%2C but unfortunately%2C it does %0D%0A%3Einvolve sending the glasses back to the factory. %0D%0A%0D%0ALensCrafters is actually able to make my lenses in-house%2C even with the high-refractive plastic %28and invisicoat%2C which is ALSO nice to shell out for if you can afford it%2C and spend all day looking at a monitor%29. On the other hand%2C my astigmatism is somewhere in the 2-2.5 range%2C which is mild%2Fmedium %28and I believe the scale on that IS logarithmic%29. My mom%2C on the other hand%2C has one eye at about a 1%2C and one at about an %2A8%2A.%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A 10|3|9|||||RE%3A The Grand Reveal %28isn%27t so grand%29|zwol||19:51:51|11/11/2014|%3E%3EBoth lenses should look about the same. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3Enot...always. I%27m astigmatic%2C but at slightly different axes and to %0D%0A%3Eslightly different degrees in each eye - it may only be something like %0D%0A%3E10 degrees difference %28I don%27t remember exactly%2C offhand%29 but it%27s %0D%0A%3Eamazingly significant. %0D%0A%0D%0ATo clarify%2C I meant %5Bi%5Dwhat you see%5B%2Fi%5D through one eye should be roughly as sharp as what you see through the other eye. Not that the lenses themselves should be the same for both eyes %28indeed%2C they probably won%27t be%29.%0D%0A 5|1|0|||1||RE%3A The Grand Reveal %28isn%27t so grand%29|Terminus Est||13:54:27|11/11/2014|Thanks for all the advice%2C guys.%0D%0A%0D%0AI was %28thankfully%29 able to find a pair of frames in the Medicaid-approved selection on offer that fit%2C if not perfectly%2C then at least reasonably well%2C and they offered to do additional fitting in-office when they get them and me in the same room again. You%27d think they would make something as lifestyle-invasive as glasses frames to order for the individual. Just goes to show mass production isn%27t always the best course%2C I guess.%0D%0A%0D%0AOdds are rather good the lenses will need to be changed at least once - they didn%27t manage perfect clarity with the machine they use for identifying lenses. I%27m not sure what Medicaid covers in that area - all I know is the one pair per three years general rule for Alabama%2C I can%27t remember it saying anything about costs of fitting and the like. 6|2|5|||1||RE%3A The Grand Reveal %28isn%27t so grand%29|Gryphon||14:55:29|11/11/2014|%3EOdds are rather good the lenses will need to be changed at least once %0D%0A%3E- they didn%27t manage perfect clarity with the machine they use for %0D%0A%3Eidentifying lenses.%0D%0A%0D%0AYeah%2C that%27s an astigmatism thing. They can fiddle with the diopters all they want%2C but since each astigmatism is unique %28unlike simple myopia%2Fhypemetropia%29%2C that%27s never going to hit the target exactly. %28This is also why it takes so long to get the damn things%2C when for %22regular%22 bad eyesight they do glasses in mall shops like ordering a pizza.%29%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EI%27m not sure what Medicaid covers in that area - %0D%0A%3Eall I know is the one pair per three years general rule for Alabama%2C I %0D%0A%3Ecan%27t remember it saying anything about costs of fitting and the like. %0D%0A%0D%0AFittings %28frame adjustments and whatnot%29 are a thing most decent opticians won%27t charge for%2C at least around here. It%27s just part of the operational overhead to them%2C particularly as they rarely take very long.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D 11|3|6|||||RE%3A The Grand Reveal %28isn%27t so grand%29|zwol||20:16:29|11/11/2014|%3E%3EOdds are rather good the lenses will need to be changed at least once %0D%0A%3E%3E- they didn%27t manage perfect clarity with the machine they use for %0D%0A%3E%3Eidentifying lenses.%0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EYeah%2C that%27s an astigmatism thing. They can fiddle with the diopters %0D%0A%3Eall they want%2C but since each astigmatism is unique %28unlike simple %0D%0A%3Emyopia%2Fhypemetropia%29%2C that%27s never going to hit the target exactly.%0D%0A%0D%0AAlso%2C as your brain gets used to the notion that it doesn%27t have to correct for the distortion anymore%2C your ability to tell what setting on the optician%27s testing machine makes things sharpest for you will improve.%0D%0A%0D%0AI can%27t find it just now%2C but I read an article a couple months ago about using lasers to measure the exact shape of the cornea and then 3D-printing a lens that corrects for it in detail. The idea is that the simple %22yea many diopters of cylindrical correction on this axis%22 astigmatism prescription can only ever be an approximation%2C but this tech lets you do much better. 12|4|11|||1||RE%3A The Grand Reveal %28isn%27t so grand%29|SpottedKitty||21:01:27|11/11/2014|[updated:LAST EDITED ON Nov-11-14 AT 09:04 PM (EST)]%3EI can%27t find it just now%2C but I read an article a couple months ago %0D%0A%3Eabout using lasers to measure the exact shape of the cornea and then %0D%0A%3E3D-printing a lens that corrects for it in detail.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3Cnod%3E Although only the 3D printing part I think is new%3B the last few times I%27ve had an eye test for new lenses the tech used a machine that went %3Cclunk%3E and fired a few zillion coherent photons at what I felt sure was the middle of my brain. %3B%29%0D%0A%0D%0AWhich reminds me%2C I%27m due to have another test about now. BTW%2C while you%27re there%2C see what offers they have for coatings %E2%80%94 my usual optician has a two-for-one deal%2C so I usually have the second pair tinted for driving in bright sunlight. Makes a big difference.%0D%0A%0D%0AAnd the plastic lenses really do make a difference to the weight %E2%80%94 I need pretty thick ones now %28trifocals%29 and the first time I wore plastic ones%2C I kept forgetting they were there.%0D%0A%0D%0A-- %0D%0AUnable to save the day%3A File is read-only. 13|4|11|||1||RE%3A The Grand Reveal %28isn%27t so grand%29|Terminus Est||22:59:56|11/11/2014|They tried that%2C I think. The machine %5Bi%5Dcould not%5B%2Fi%5D read my eyes %28because of the keratitis%29.