Question for you coin-guys... How are your eyes?

[AHFreak]

So, I wanted some insight from other who might be able to relate.

 

I am 31 years old, I would consider myself in "good-health", I have always been very active, and as far as I know, had problem-free health. My vision has always been one of my strong-points. More than once at the eye doctor, I was able to read the bottom line and got comments like, "wow, in 20+ years Ive never seen anyone who could do that" type of thing. Well, about 3 years ago, give or take... I quickly transitioned from a small level coin "dabbler" to believing that I could actually make a living in coins, with the right knowledge. When that happened, my lifestyle changed dramatically... I spent 4-5, sometimes, 8-10+ hours a day studying... most of that "studying" was done sitting at a desk staring at a computer screen, (although I actually use a LED TV for my PC monitor). by studying, I was doing a lot of reading, basically anything I thought would possibly benefit, and if I wasn't reading about coins, I was scrolling through as many pictures as I could look at before my eyes would feel like they were going to bleed. (mostly HA pics of MS Morgan dollars.. I would see the pics, and then guess the grade, after a year of that I got pretty consistent with being dead on, or no more than a point off...).

 

So, the first year, to year and a half, I was mostly burning my eyes with the coin pics, and computer screen when studying and learning.. once I started to apply some of this stuff with practical application, well I got myself a 100 Watt halogen lamp, and there was more time spent on actually handling coins (with a coin, my loupe and the light) than time spent online studying. I didn't think much of it at the time, but I remember countless times when that light would hit the coin just right and my loupe would intensify it by 10X's and that bright light would pretty much blind me for at least a couple/few minutes but as soon as the white spots were gone, I would be right back it. I had been using the halo lamp for about a year when I found out what light the graders use, and so at this point I use the incandescent majority of the time. I had probably been doing the coin thing full-time, daily, for roughly 2+ years when I started noticing that my vision seemed fuzzy/blurry/etc. It seemed like more often than not it was off again, on again... and not just crappy all the time like it seems now.

 

Looking back, and considering how long I have known something was up with my vision, I can say with confidence that I have been/still am in denial about it.. as I would tell myself, "31 is too young for this, you probably just strained your eyes, and after a rest they will be just fine", etc..

 

Here is my question can anyone offer any insight? I would like to know if any of you have noticed changes in your vision after a period of relying on your eyes for coin-stuff.... (countless hours staring at computer screens, loupes, coins, lights, all the different lighting scenarios, etc...).?

 

I know the obvious thing is to see an eye doctor, and before you fire off about that, I am making an appointment for this week. Like I said I have been in denial about it, and I have been telling myself it will be fine once I give my eyes a break.

 

 

Any advice, insight, personal experience, etc is greatly appreciated.

 

Thank you all. -sorry this is so long.

[James_OldeTowne]

I wore mildly corrective prescription glasses until I was about 20, then my vision actually improved on its own. It was very good literally until about two years ago. I'm just starting to notice some fuzziness, and it takes longer to focus now. Mid-40s isn't all it's cracked up to be !

[MorganMan]

I can relate. I was one of those "My vision is so good I will never need glasses" guys. Then the 40's hit....

 

I think it is more an age thing than a strain thing.

 

MM

[RWB]

Light emitting screens are more difficult for the eyes because they are made of three colors and lots of tiny spots. The visual system is constantly fighting these, because the real world is analog....according to my optical MD person.

[copper toning]

I had 20/20

 

but then I read an essay on a coin forum

[wdrob]

Happy Birthday CT!!!!

 

Bifocals here, and they make it difficult at times to see the coins well.

[Nutmeg Coin]

Last time I had prescription eye glasses, all I needed were .75 reading types. I didn't want to spend another $200, so I have been using dollar store 1.0 reading glasses. Nutrition is quite important for eye health and exercise like anything. I have known major dealers with some very problematic eye problems. You always wonder whether preventative and nutritional options may have avoided some of the very expensive surgery and down time.

[mtnstyne]

A co-worker (mid 40s) and my wife (mid 40s) both were told they needed reading glasses about 6 months ago. Both got them and what they have both said is that now that they use them they can't read without them.

 

What was maybe a little challenging before has become impossible...they are dependent on them now. I will fight it off as long as possible, but I think strain has a lot to do with it and there are muscles in the eye. I imagine it is possible to strain them.

[Raisethis2]

I had 20/20 as a kid when I began collecting in the 1980's. It was fun because I could see well. I took about 20 years off to raise a family and was really doubtful about returning because my vision had deteriorated with age.

 

I now wear tri-focals which suck looking down (in Dealer cases and at auctions) but when I have a coin in hand everything is about as it was.

 

Getting old isn't all it's cracked up to be.

 

[thebeav]

I've been extremely lucky.....I'm nearsighted and have worn glasses since the fourth grade.

My close-up vision is almost magnifying .....At my age, 59, I'm blessed. Especially in this business......

 

Paul

[Conder101]

Like thebear I'm nearsighted and I have had to wear glasses since I was five. The problem with the glasses is they correct the distance vision but they interfere with the really close work.

 

I'm needing bifocals now but I found them very difficult to use. The upper lenses are good for anything over about 6 feet away and the lower len is good for about 2 to 6 feet. that meant that the computer screen is too close for the upper lens, and having to tip my head way back to see through the screen through the lower lens caused eye and neck strain (And I spend 8 to 12 hours a day at the computer.). So I switched back to two sets of glasses.

 

For anything closer than 2 feet though (reading, working with coins etc) the "close up" glasses don't work and I find it easier to just take them off. Without them I can read comfortably at a distance of about 8 inches, and I can still read the dates and mintmarks on the coins. I'm 53.

[coinman_23885]

With corrective lenses: 20/20

Without corrective lenses (last time I remember - my vision has worsened a bit since then): 20/400

 

(I am in my 20s).

[Afterword]

At sixty years of age, without glasses, I see reasonably well beyond arm's reach. To examine coins, my glasses are a necessity.

[BillJones]

I've been near-sighted since I was in my 20s. Although I need glasses for distance I can see more on a coin with my naked eyes that most people can see with a glass. I generally use a 10X for the close up job of looking for cleaning and counterfeits, but don't use the low magnification glass that much.

 

Of late my distance vision has been getting better and my glasses prescription weaker without much change in my close up vision. Getting old generally sucks, but that is one of the things that has gotten better.

[AHFreak]

Thank you all for replying, and sharing.... Oh, and thanks for setting me straight... nothing like facing the cold-hard-facts and being able to see past my own denial... seriously though, I just thought, (and have been told by many) that 31 is a little young to be experiencing age-related vision issues. I was really thinking it could be due to "straining" from the coin-stuff. But, it doesn't seem there is anyone who can confirm...

 

 

Off to the eye doctor. I need a solution by end of month, I figure I need to be able to "see" when I am finally learning how to grade (officially) at summer-seminar, grading 1... this has been a long time coming, and instead of being excited out of my mind, I am actually nervous, mostly because of my gershdorn eye-sight.

[Walkerfan]

Just had my vision checked today.......I've been glaucoma suspect for years. Last time the doc didn't like the way my optic nerve looked, so he gave me a visual field test and he said there was no damage. That was five years ago. He looked at it today and said that the degeneration is enough that he diagnosed me with glaucoma and put me on medicinal drops. I am scheduled for another visual field test, to see if there has been any damage this time (peripheral vision).

 

I am a life long insomniac, as I have always been prone to ANXIETY and stress and I am also a Type A personality----that (insomnia) accelerates glaucoma.

 

I plan to live to be an OLD Walker collector, so I don't want to go blind along the way----I went to the pharmacy and picked up the drops today.

 

He did say that my retina looks healthy and there is no macro damage, though.

 

I used to be myopic (nearsighted---about 20/60) but that has improved with age, although I still need my glasses when driving and such. I can still see close up and don't need bifocals yet.