Going Blind or Getting old?

[Eolin]

Howdy,

My inability to see is getting pretty serious. Currently, reading 12-point font on a 15 inch monitor at 1024 x 768 is painful. And I miss things, like typos. Granted, its a prtty old crappy monitor and might even have refresh problems at the esolution/ true color I've got it at -- but, I think the problem is mostly me.

I wear glasses, and have since my early teens. I've had the same pair for, I think, over five years. I'm pretty sure the lenses have been updated once in that time period. I'd go get myself checked out, but I'm currently desperately poor -- paying rent is a little difficult right now.

I'm 24, and don't know if this is a problem of my eyes, my glasses, the monitor, or some other variable I havn't accounted for.

So, I have come to ask those who more'n likely have some of the same problems I do. Anybody have any good guesses?

 

[jonesy]

How much time per day do you spend in front of the monitor? How close to the monitor do you sit? Do you have a light source behind the monitor (and you) in a way that it reflects directly on to your eyes (I'm told this can be very bad to your eyesight)?

I've never had problems with my eyesight, but I'm slowly losing the hearing in my left ear. I dread the day it starts happening on the right side.

 

[Dakkareth]

It's a genetical problem with eye-sight I'd say. Of course it might also have to do with contrast or brightness - I usually turn brightness way down unless I'm playing games as to spare my eyes the glare.

Interestingly enough of my family I'm the one with the best eye-sight (all the others need glasses, some very strong ones), even though I'm the one to sit in front of my screen for insane amounts of time.

 

[Dagger75]

My vision sucks and gets worse as I get older. I needed to get new lenses every 5 years or so. My last pair where pretty bad compared to my ones. I can see better and have less headaches now.

I know glasses can be expensive and if your work offers a vision jump on it.

 

[Eolin]

How much time per day do you spend in front of the monitor? How close to the monitor do you sit? Do you have a light source behind the monitor (and you) in a way that it reflects directly on to your eyes (I'm told this can be very bad to your eyesight)?

I've never had problems with my eyesight, but I'm slowly losing the hearing in my left ear. I dread the day it starts happening on the right side.

How much time? A day? As I'm currently unemployed, its a stupid amount. Like, ten hours. Maybe less, as i do spend some time out of the house walking. And reading. I read for a couple hours a day, usually.

The distance varies. I like to lean back in my chair, which puts me nearly 3 feet from the screen.

The monitor is up against the wall. Just a little bit from it is the window, but that window is always shut with the miniblinds drawn. Unless its a super nice day out.


I'm pretty sure its just a slight loss of vision, or potentially even that my glasses arn't doing what they arn't supposed to anymore. Can that happen, glasses not working anymore?

Either way, in the Fall I'm supposed to have health insurance. Hopefully that'll cover it, as that's one of the three things I really want from medical insurance. Those three things being eyes, teeth, and emergencies.


Edit: one other thing. Looking at whiteness hurts my eyes. Looking at blackness (like Enworld) is easy on the eyes.

 

[jonesy]

Edit: one other thing. Looking at whiteness hurts my eyes. Looking at blackness (like Enworld) is easy on the eyes.

That makes it sound like too much strain. As in too much time in front of the monitor. I used to get that when doing long coding runs at my previous job.

 

[Nellisir]

How is it with a newspaper or book?

 

[trancejeremy]

Switch to 800x600.

I'm amazed you can read anything at 1024x768 on a 15" monitor.

 

[IronWolf]

I agree with trancejeremy, switch to 800x600 for your resolution. This comes from someone that runs some high resolutions at times. Sometimes a 15" monitor just isn't up for 1024x768. Try switching for a couple of days and see what happens.

 

[Eolin]

I think for the next couple of days I am going to play with the dreamcast my roomate just bought. So if you don't see me, it is unlikely I have gone blind.

And I'll switch.