I saw my ophthalmologist on Tuesday because my vision has taken a plunge over the last 6 months.

He said I have the retinas of a 65 year old. I have researched the web for countless hours and can't find anyone who has experienced this. I know I am not creating medical history here. I just want to know what might cause this, and what those other patients experienced.

I had the laser surgery to correct near-sightedness in one eye and far-sightedness in the other in 2001. The doc said that one answer is that I may have been born with this, but beyond that he had no answers yet. One thing that troubled him was that he could not get my vision corrected using different strength lenses.

Anyone with suggestions or familiar with a similar situation?

It all comes down to genetics. Your doctor should have told you that.

I know someone who at the age of 42 was diagnosed with the beginnings of cataracts. She thought that was something that started occurring in your 60's. Family history includes detached retinas, glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration. That person was born out of a gene pool that had the odds stacked against her. She was diagnosed as near sighted at the age of 7 and has worn glasses since then. At 42, needed bifocals. Never opted for the Lasik surgery at a younger age as a result of being told that her vision was so bad that there in all probability would still require glasses. Her mother started wearing trifocals by the time she was 60.

So, it is unfortunate, but there are many people who have yours and this person's problem. We blame her parents for not mating with someone who had superior genetics in this area.:)