I recently went to see an ophthalmologist, Dr Sara, at Netcare Linksfield Clinic.  It was quite interesting for me, particularly when I was told that I am farsighted in my right eye, where I think I have a +1 rating and short-sighted in my left eye, where I think I have a -1 rating.  He checked the pressure on my eyes and told me that the normal score is 20 and anything below that is good and mine is 14.  He did confirm my suspicions however that I was going to need reading glasses.  What I found of interest, for most people, is that he said that generally when you get to the age of 40 you should have your eyes checked because there are certain conditions that you could develop around then and thereafter, which if treated early, never become as serious.  Prevention is the best cure.  

I did not realise either that once you got reading glasses that basically every year you have to get a stronger pair of reading glasses than the year before and he said typically most people start reading glasses at about the age of 40 and that once they get to about 55 they would then move on to bifocal lenses and at about 70 you normally have cataracts.  I am at that point when I hold books and newspapers quite far away from my eyes to read them, and eventually you get to a point where your arms cannot hold them far away enough and you need reading glasses.  I am not there yet, and I told the doctor that I will only be using them at night when I read.  He reassured me that that is how everybody starts, but eventually you are wearing them all day and even have to wear them when watching TV!  The joys of getting older – but there are far worse things that can happen in life, and one cannot complain about all the ailments with getting older.