New lenses

Well I can't say that I worried about getting GCA but it was time for me to get my eyes checked and there was a pretty significant change in my vision. The eye doctor said that it was probably because of the prednisone that I had such a big change in my vision and he felt it would probably go back once I got off the prednisone. So I went for months not getting a new prescription. But then I realized that this was ridiculous because I'm going to be on Prednisone for years and I can't see now so I went ahead and got the lenses. I think that it's a personal choice that you just have to decide whether you want to make the investment now or not. I think it also matters on how bad your eyesight is right now.

Hi Margaret, I have both GCA and PMR, started on 50mg pred May this year, now reducing slowly but still only down to 20. Have a few more drops over the next few months to go to get to 10, then we'll see. I've been told whatever my lowest dose is that can still control my symptoms will be what I stay in for the next 12-18 months minimum, then reasses. I have the vision change, the permanent blurry vision, but no longer the silver streaks or loss of peripheral vision...that has cleared up, and I have no permanent eye damage. I did opt for new lenses though, because I'm an avid reader  and the blurry vision wasn't improving. I used my old frames and just got new lenses. It's a personal choice, but I'm glad I did because with everything else this journey will throw at us, at least I can see. Also helps in not falling over if I watch the ground when I walk 😜 

Can't really help because I have never had variofocal lenses - I have stuck to single vision because of the difference in price. I just move my specs up and down my nose when I have problems! 

But it isn't because of a fear of GCA - you can't live your life scared of that. Only a small number of patients with PMR go on to develop GCA and it is impossible to say who will. If you need new specs you need new specs.

Margaret, think positive, you want to enjoy life, you want to see, get the lenses!

Smile life is good! 🙂

Margaret, I agree wholeheartedly with EileenH..well, I always do anyway. As I said in my earlier post, I opted to get new lenses. These ones are single "focal", mainly for reading and short distance  and I move them up and down my nose. My vision in both eyes are different, and in the past have tried multifocal, but ended up with a bad neck as I bobbed up and down trying to see between the ranges. Then I opted for bifocal and didn't mind this at all, but just went with the single lense this time as I do expect a change further down the track. I would still recommend getting something....you want to see! 

margaret i am in 5 years pmr.   and have had varifocal      lenses.    i couldnt  imagin  going through the  last 5 years without them,    i wouldnt care if after a couple  of years  my sight went up or  down, and have to have  new lenses.   i still wouldnt suffer,not having clear vision. its bad enough have the occasional  blurry eye.    without them i wouldnt be able to use my lap top without them and that would be a sin  lol xx

My wife and I visited Beijing in 2010 and we went out for a walk. My wife walked away and I tried to catch up but slipped on something that was put across the walking path. I didn´t get hurt, but my variofocal glasses were ripped off my face and travelled 3 feet away. Next morning, when watching BBC News i the hotel room, they happened to have a story about research on variofocal glasses for older people  in Australia (I was then 73) and they had found out that it was more dangerous for older people to fall if they wore variofocal glasses. If you Google  BBC variofocal you can read the article. Despite this, I have continued to wear variofocals but I take it especially easy when I go down stairs and I look at the stairs. I don´t need glasses when I read a paper or a book or when I use my laptop, so I take my glasses of then.