Eyesight deteriorated since being in OZ?
 

Hi, I know this sounds a silly question but I have noticed that all of a sudden my eyesight has got really bad. Now, I'm not saying it is to do with Australia but it seems to have deteriorated really quick. Cant see close up anymore. I have been in Adelaide for 2 years and mentioned it to a friend the other day and she said that she had noticed the same. I know eyesight changes as you get older but I had mine lasered a few ago and this shouldn't happen that quick. I know the sun is strong here, I always wear good sunglasses, well nearly almost........... but has anyone else noticed this so quick?

Re: Eyesight deteriorated since being in OZ?
 

The TV definitely looks a lot worse.

Re: Eyesight deteriorated since being in OZ?
 

With the programs on terristrial tv, that's not hard.;)

Re: Eyesight deteriorated since being in OZ?
 

Definitely due to all the eye candy out there:D

Re: Eyesight deteriorated since being in OZ?
 

Both myself and hubby have had a massive deteriation (sp?) in our eyesight since being here.

Re: Eyesight deteriorated since being in OZ?
 

and me.........just had to buy my 1st pair of reading glasses..........i just put it down to age !!!!

Re: Eyesight deteriorated since being in OZ?
 

Since I noticed how quickly my eyes had got bad I mentioned it to friends and it seems to be more than coincidence. My friends daughter who is 18 has never had any problems with her eyes, now needs reading glasses. She has been here a year. My mum is in her 60's and her eyes have not changed prescription for years, now she is here she need new ones. (Glasses that is, not eyes)! I am an area manager and drive a lot, so have bought some darker sunglasses now. I have read up on the internet a there is a lot of worries about damage to eyes from the Ozzie sun. Just another thing to worry about in Australia!

Re: Eyesight deteriorated since being in OZ?
 

You can't just blame Australia for poor eyesight since many Australians who've lived here all their live have perfect eyesight. Would be good to see data on migrants to see how quickly they adapt to increased sun exposure specifically. Commonsense says the longer your here, the easier it will be, the less you'll be affected. First year is definitely going to test you physically more than normal, so increased eyesight deterioration doesn't surprise me. Doctor told me you have increased chances of picking up all sorts and immigration books tell you its important to keep particularly fit to counter effects of a new environment.

Apparently light builds up as protein in eye and disperses while we sleep. Coming from the UK to Oz I'd imagine our eyes are all of the sudden working overtime without rest. Hopefully it takes just a short period of time to adjust, I'd imagine so. The sun is stronger, there's less cloud cover, even the cloudy days are brighter, sand and white pavements don't particularly help either. I'm not sure whether to wear sunglasses on cloudy days or just say bring it on, so I can possibly adapt slightly quicker. I thought my eyesight was getting worse, went for test yesterday, no need to upgrade strength, so very little change at in 11 months of Oz.

I'm looking to put glare free coating on my glasses and change the lens shape since light catches in corner of its designer shape. Keep sun off monitor / TV, and adjust settings to compensate, to help reduce eyestrain. Most people use computers way more now than two years ago. http://www.ehow.com/how_12767_avoid-...n-working.html
o ye, I'd get check by professional since it could not be related to anything above.

Re: Eyesight deteriorated since being in OZ?
 

Google "presbyopia"...

Re: Eyesight deteriorated since being in OZ?
 

I think once you notice a deterioration in your eyesight it doesn't necessarily accelerate but you become more aware of it so it seems like it!

We've been here nearly 3 years and my short sightedness is the same but now I'm finding that I do need reading glasses but only when I have my contacts in! Old age me dears.....:D

I have a great optician over here who is very thorough and very happy with the health of my eyes.

I always wear my sunnies even on a cloudy day as soon as I start to squint and I've got a good brand which covers the eyes well.

Also if you've had your eyes lasered there could be a link? As it's still relatively new no one can know the long term effects of it. Plus also the eye is a living thing so will change over time in any case.

Get yourself off to a good optician to get it checked out. Fortunately an eye test is one of the few free things here!

Re: Eyesight deteriorated since being in OZ?
 

this seems sensible, i'm guessing most of the people who have suddenly needed reading glasses are between 40 and 50 so as posted previously it's called presbyopia and gets everyone and i mean everyone.

uv damage will be minimal (the majority of uv damage is before you're 18) and if it is a factor it won't effect you needing glasses, it's cataracts and age related macular degeneration that are the more common related problems.

wear sunglasses if you can but don't lose any sleep over it.

Re: Eyesight deteriorated since being in OZ?
 

Just a suggestion but get yourself tested for diabetes if you haven't had it done recently.

Not trying to be alarmist but it is a simple test and can eliminate that as a cause.

Re: Eyesight deteriorated since being in OZ?
 

i guess you were shortsighted before the laser, what they don't tell you is that the laser will correct distance vision but the near vision (that would most probably still have been good had you still been shortsighted) will become a problem and quite possibly earlier than for your average 40 something.

the deterioration isn't (directly) related to the laser or the uv, it's just that you've had too many birthdays:)

Re: Eyesight deteriorated since being in OZ?
 

My eyesight started going bad 2 years before I left the UK. And once it started it went downhill pretty fast.

Since being in Australia it has levelled out.

I put it down to age, and natural effect. :D

Re: Eyesight deteriorated since being in OZ?
 

Well I've been here almost 2 and a half years and mine have rapidly gone down hill. Never needed reading glasses before I came here but now can't read a thing without them.

Ok maybe an age thing - I'll post an update when I move back to Scotland later this month.