When do glasses stop being just useful and become 'necessary'?

Question

I just read Pedestal's response to the poster with 20/30 vision who asked if they need glasses.

Pedestal you said - 'But none of this is "need", only "could be useful."

My question is - at what level does it become 'need' rather than 'useful'?

Answer 1

When you can't function without them, or get headaches without them ,  it becomes a need.

There is no actual preset level, it can differ from person to person.

Some people with a -2.00 won't go anywhere without them , but some at - 3.00 feel they see just fine and only use them for driving.

Answer 2

when u cant recognize your own family and friends without them....it sux

Answer 3

When the person feels he or she needs them.

Some people are very intolerant of even a little blur and will wear -0.25 full time, other people will only use -4.00 part time.

This is a totally a personal decision, no one can declare that any particular level of unaided acuity or prescription is "needed" or "unneeded".

Answer 4

One part of "necessary" is "legally required." For example, in my home state, if your distance vision is 20/40 or worse, you are required to wear corrective lenses when you drive. Your driver's license will have a note in the Restrictions section that indicates you're restricted to corrective lenses. If you get stopped by the police and you're not wearing your glasses, you will get charged with operating beyond license restriction.

When I had an eye exam at age 10 or so and my vision was 20/30, nobody worried about it. But by the time I took driver's ed at age 16, my vision had gotten worse and the driver's ed instructor told me I'd better get some glasses before we started the driving part of the class. :-)

The thoroughly personal part of "necessary" does vary from person to person. For the first few years I had glasses, I only wore them to drive or to see the board in large lecture halls. But as my vision continued to change, I found I didn't particularly enjoy not being able to recognize faces or watch TV or read signs, and so glasses became more necessary for me.

Answer 5

it becames necessary when you can't see much when driving and when I find your self in a place where you can't read the signs unless you get very close.