I've worn glasses since second grade. For distance. I can't read with glasses on and can not drive without glasses. I have prescription sunglasses that are more fashionable. My clear glasses are utilitarian. (Both pair are trifocals so I get the invisible line kind.) Mainly for driving or seeing things more than six feet away.

I'm constantly putting them on and taking them off, so sometimes they get misplaced. My clear glasses kind of look like the ones you have posted here, minus the bubble tops. And they are brown. Same basic shape.

I wear contacts most of the time and glasses when my eyes get tired at night or in the morning. I have had trouble with my vision since 4th grade. I am very near sighted.

All six of us in my family are near-sighted, and I have the worst eyes. My vision is so bad that only contacts offer the best correction. My eye doctor tells me that it will be "tough" to correct my vision when I need reading glasses. My two daughters also have glasses, and they love picking out cool types like you did, auntjen. Contacts are no fun when your eyes are tired or attacked by pollen :(

I should add that I may be in the market for multifocal contacts before too long, because I'm having difficulty seeing well enough to put my eye makeup on in the mornings! I understand that multifocal lenses require skillful "fitting", which makes me worry a bit about the possibility of trial and error. Too, like Deedee, my eyes are also susceptible to pollen/allergy issues, and I know that can be a real PITA for contact wearers. ::sigh:: This getting older business is for the birds!

I have worn glasses since I was about 13 and really should have had them long before that! I'm somewhat nearsighted and my eyes don't line up properly so without prism lenses I have double vision; it took my parents years to realize I always read with one eye closed and my teachers never noticed. I did exercises for a long time and all it accomplished was that if I concentrate really hard I can either stop the doubling for a few minutes or make my brain ignore one of the images but that blows my depth perception. I could have surgery (lasik and tweaking the muscles around my eyes to adjust the focal point) but it's expensive and there are no guarantees that I'd come out of it any better off than when I started so I never even considered it. Most of my family wears glasses so I never had any negative association with them.

The "in" style may be those narrow little frames (mine are sort of slightly rounded rectangles) but I don't really like them even though that's what I've had for the last couple of years. I have to tilt my head down to read because if I just look down I'm looking underneath the glasses frame! One thing I do love about mine though is that there are sunglasses with the same frame that snap onto the front with magnets - WAY cool. I'm looking forward to a better selection of larger-lensed glasses when this fad passes though.

While I don't consider them a fashion accessory in that I have a whole bunch of different pairs that I switch around (with lenses alone costing well over $300 a pair, that's just not realistic since I need a new script about every 3 years), I don't think they need to be ugly either. I have just about always had some variety of tortoiseshell finish because it just looks good with my coloring - this last time I actually found an antique copper (surprise, surprise LOL) finish that looks sharp. The one time I had a frame other than narrow metal it was a disaster, it looked awful and I broke them in fairly short order.

I'm so used to seeing my face with glasses that I do a doubletake when I see myself without them, and DH says he digs the "librarian look" - take THAT, Dorothy Parker! He's worn glasses since he was a toddler and looks better with them than without. He tried contacts for a while but between just not liking how he looked as much and quickly destroying his lenses it didn't last very long; since he's much worse off without his glasses than I am we've discussed lasik surgery but he doesn't consider it necessary at this time (which is good because we can't afford it, insurance does not cover it).

I had lasik for my distance vision about 5 years ago, but need reading glasses for anything close up. I have a tendency to misplace them , so I buy them in bulk at Costco. They have them in packs of 3 for about $20.00. They come in pretty cute styles too.

Worn "coke-bottle" glasses for years. Years and years. Did do contacts -- but not lately.

Lately my face seems to want men's glasses -- currently wearing a frame by Link. Sigh. Seems to suit my face better.

Jan

I'm thinking of trying these for applying makeup.

Here is a link that might be useful: Peepers Makeup Glasses

auntjen, yes, I have multifocal lenses. I go to a real eye doctor, the kind that went to medical school. I was not happy with the way he was planning on focusing my eyes. The multifocal lenses have rings that are either weakest in the center and become stronger as you approach the outer edge of the lens and then conversely, strongest in the middle and weakest at the outer ring. He had one eye with the weak in the center and one eye with the strong in the center. So each eye focused differently. One was for close reading and the other was for driving. To say the least, they drove me crazy. So I ended up wearing two lefts or two rights. Once I get the correct lenses - I need to go soon, I cancelled last appt since I could not afford it, I will still need glasses to wear with the contacts for reading closeup. Generally, I am most comfortable with reading wearing no lenses or glasses. I can see great very close up. It does take some time getting used to the multifocal too. They have to fit perfectly. I tried to save money a few years ago and went to Walmart. My eye was bloodshot and in pain within a few hours of wearing the new contacts. I returned them and got a full refund. Always go to the best eye doctor, a real medical doctor.

I got glasses for distance in my late 20s, but wore them pretty much only for driving, watching a movie, etc. Last year, at 47, I realized I was having some trouble reading tiny newspaper copy while proofreading. Coupled with a decision to go to law school, I figured I'd better get my eyes checked.

Ended up with progressives. Had a tough time getting them right (a long story) but now love them because I can see the professor way up in the front of the classroom and the textbook on my desk without having to change glasses. I still don't wear them around the house or on the computer, because my vision isn't that bad. I also have separate pair of glasses with reading lenses, because for heavy reading, I prefer to have have a wider lens area.

I love different styles of glasses! My reading glasses are plastic tortoise shell with the librarian look, which I love. I have two pair of Oaklies for my progressive lenses - love Oaklies because they're extremely lightweight and comfortable - one is a very thin black wire frame and the other has a frame only across the top. I prefer metal frames for everyday wear because they fit me better. I have a round face and find that a rectangular style looks best on me.

I don't wear much jewelry or have expensive clothes, so I guess glasses are my vice ;)

Oops, realized I was spelling Oakley incorrectly!

BTW, I have to disagree that an MD is always the best for getting the right lenses. As far as the actualy eye exam, yes - I use only an MD. But for lenses, some rely too heavily on the readings from high-tech machines and don't (or refuse to) understand that those readings aren't always perfect. That's why I ended up going to an old-fashioned optometrist, who took the time to really figure out the correct prescription using older methods. The MD tried to make me think I was crazy because I couldn't adjust to progressives, when it turned out that the prescription he insisted was correct wasn't!

I really need bifocals, but can't seem to get a correct prescription. The last one made me walk like a drunk (and caused me to fall several times) because what I saw and what my body's balance system said didn't match. One eye being nearsighted and the other farsighted doesn't help..and astigmatism doesn't help either. And I fell on my head several months ago and that skewed my left-eye vision even further.

I'd like to get a pair of glasses that I could just put on in the morning and wear all day, which would serve all of my needs. Is this possible?

I'm not sure what Medicare covers in the way of glasses. This is a definite issue.

nan, that's what progressives do - they're graduated bifocals without the line. Most people adapt quickly to them, some take longer and a few just never do. But, as I found, the distance and reading prescriptions need to be spot-on, and you need an optician who will guarantee to get it right, even if it takes redoing the glasses. Once I got the prescription right, it only took a couple of days to get used to them.

The first few days, I felt off balance - when looking down, I had to look under the glasses and not through the lens. Eventually, that went away. I recently broke my glasses and wore my old non-progressive distance glasses for a week. When I returned to progressives, it again took me a few days to adjust.

I wear glasses, have since my late teens. I remember I had to argue with my parents about needing them since I "passed" the in-school eye exam (because I memorized the chart). Ah well, so life goes.

One eye has always been more nearsighted than farsighted and the other is the other way around. Nowadays I wear progressives as both eyes have deficiencies in both kinds of vision, compounded by the fact that I stare at a computer screen most of the day meaning I need excellent mid-vision.

I too long for the return of larger frames as the itty bitty ones that are in fashion are useless for progressive lenses.

My biggest issue, though, is the fact that I have really, really long eyelashes. This means that I have to wear my glasses out further than the norm (which really messes with the progressive adjustment) and that the lenses get dirty really, really fast.

I've thought about lasik but I just can't see it working for me. I would need toeither get them corrected for one issue and get glasses for the other (that's what Hubby did) or I could get one eye corrected for far sight and one corrected for near sight. I also can't wear contacts at all.

I gave up on trying to hide the fact that I'm wearing glasses a long time ago. I love to make my frames on the interesting side, but as my lenses are so expensive I'm quite limited as to the number I have.

Yes, I have a bad astigmatism in each eye. I wear these funky titanium ones that are a modified cats eye style, but they're rimless. They're light teal blue outside and more greenish on the inside. They're made by Modo, but I can't find a pic of the model. I get more compliments on these glasses. I use slip overs for my shades.

Had the need for them about 2 years ago. I wear contacts most of the time. The glasses only come out at home in the evenings. Some people look really cute with them but I'd rather wear contacts. IMO I think they take make the eyes disappear! Seriously, if I do wear them I make sure to go heavier on my eye makeup so they can be seen through the glasses. My sister shares the same opinion on this but she can't take wearing contact so she's stuck with the glasses.
I'm due for an eye appointment in August and I might consider getting glasses without the frames. I think some have just no frames around the bottom. I have no idea what I'll do if if I have problems seeing close.

I think the ones you posted are cute!

The first thing I do when I wake up is put on my glasses. The last thing I do before I drift off to sleep is take them off.

This time I went wild and actually got some that had a little bit detail to them. They are linked below, it is a nice little something without being overdone (I did not want rhinestones on my glasses).

I would like to use contacts but I can't get them to fit into my budget right now. At some point I had considered Lasik but the possible side effects worried me and then again, there is also the cost. The only time I don't like the glasses is when I try to look into the telescope, I never can get it work well for me with the glasses on or off. I gave up on sunglasses. If I could find ones with the magnets I would be happy but those that clip on are a pain in the backside.

Here is a link that might be useful: Stylin glasses

I wear em too. Got my first pair in 5th grade,and I find it funny that what was fashionable then is back in style now. I have Anne Klein black frames kinda of thin ovals - the thinnest I could get away with for the Progressive lenses.
I still sometimes look under them instead of thru the very bottom. My close vision is still fairly good. But the distance and middle distance are bad.
So yeah, they must be fashionable and fit my face. These are not your old lady glasses! but not as cool as AJs!

Me, too -- the narrow rectangular frames that are kinda in now, and for sunglasses I got great big Coach frames on Ebay and had very dark prescription lenses put in. (I live in the Southwest, and the sun is unbelievably strong down here, esp in summertime) Can't imagine wearing contacts or getting surgery -- too much messing around with my eyes. I kind of like glasses now, actually. Don't need them to read or look at the computer, so I'm always taking them on and off, but am relatively careful to put them in the same handful of places all the time...

I will be 55 (gasp) in August. I always had 20/20 vision until my late 40s. Correction, I still had 20/20 vision, but needed to push books, etc further away to read the print. A co-worker got glasses and told me to try them on. I told her I had perfect vision, but did anyway...WOW! I could see so much better and was shocked.

Another friend gives me her People mags when she is done with them. I had clipped an article from one that was 2 years old, about 'CK' (conductive keratoplasty' vision correction, using laser.

Long story short, I was a good candidate for it, and had it done. Prior to the surgery, as I was writing the check for it in the office, I had a hard time seeing my check register. The laser treatment took 5 minutes, and was painless. They tell you to go home and nap, so I did. Got up later and went to write some checks. My vision was perfect!

They often do only one eye, and that is what I had done. I have what is called 'blended vision' now. One eye is for distance and one is for close-up. That sounded weird to me, but it works fine! This is a good option for aging eyes that don't have other issues.

tishtoshnm, the ones with the matching magnetic snap-on sunglasses are hard to find. I've only seen them at the Pearle Vision chain here, DH said his optometrist didn't have them (he wanted a pair like mine). The magnets are integrated into the hinge section so you can't really see them unless you look, and the sunglasses have a little metal "nub" on each side that snaps onto the magnet. I've seen some aftermarket magnetic clip-on sunglasses - usually the magnet is in the middle of the sunglasses rather than on the sides, so it's bulkier, and IMO they definitely look like add-ons.

Wow, lots of great input here! It's interesting that so many of us do need vision correction in one form or another. I received an email this morning that the cute little blue glasses I ordered yesterday are out of stock, so my order was canceled. I've now decided that since I'm really due for an eye exam anyway, I'm going to have reading glasses "properly fitted" for me by an optometrist, and am going to invest in some good frames. I may opt for bifocals, with the top portion being clear -- not sure about progressives though, as I've heard from several people that they just couldn't get used to them. Anyway, I'll just wait and see what the experts recommend when I go for my appointment.

I have the magnetic sunglasses, as does Hubby. He's not too fond of them, I love them. They *do* make your glasses heavier, especially with the sunglass part on (which makes perfect sense). The big trick is to make sure the magnets are properly seated. I have the Smart Clip brand. Get them from my optometrist. Only complaint is that the styles are rather limited.

Progressives can be tricky but once you get the hang of them they are great. They *must* be properly adjusted, though. So if you do go progressive and continue to have difficulties, go back to your optometrist and have them checked. They actually had to re-grind my current pair because the gradations were off.

Here is a link that might be useful: here's a few of them

Hmm, I haven't noticed that my glasses are any heavier either because of the magnets or with the sunglass part on. I've already donated my previous pair of glasses to the Lions Club or I'd dig out my scale and compare the two. It's easy for me to attach the sunglasses now that I'm in the habit of them - they live in their own little pocket in my purse so I always know where to find them, and it's become "muscle memory" to get them to the right place. The same way you learn not to stab yourself in the eye when you put on your glasses. :-) If I hear a "click" they're in the right place. I suppose the only way to really judge is to try a pair on with and without the sunglasses part.

I've worn glasses since first grade. I'm frightfully nearsighted and have an astigmatism. I tell folks that I can't hear without my glasses. The funny thing is that my boss is deaf and his hearing aids are attched to his glasses. He says that he can't hear without his glasses, either, and he isn't kidding. We make a good pair!
I have 3 pairs of glasses and a 2 pairs of sunglasses, all lined bifocals, so you could say that I wear my glasses as accessories besides having to wear them. I tried contact lenses a few times, but I actually prefer glasses. My favorite pair are a Norma Kamali black rimmed squared shape with a black and off-white checkerboard pattern on the arms...I call them my Beetlejuice glasses.
I always carry an extra pair with me and a pair of sunglasses, as well.

Oh, a tip DH found about glasses. He couldn't find frames he liked that were covered by our insurance, so he bought some drugstore readers for $10, and had his prescription lens put in them. He's hard on his glasses, so this was perfect for him.

If you find some cute frames you like, they can put lens in them. So check other sources.

I have glasses for distance with the magnetic sunglass attachment - they're very lightweight - I don't notice a difference in the weight of the glasses w/or without the sunglasses.

However, I'm glad to see the trend is towards bigger sunglasses again. I had a pair of large lensed sunglasses for about 20 years - i just kept changing the lenses as needed. Friends(?) would make comments like they weren't stylish anymore - finally gave in and ordered 2 pairs of the smaller ones with the mag sunglasses - they work fine, but my next pair will be larger lenses - better eye coverage - and I won't listen to anyone but myself!!

Helene