# Glasses that magnify the eye. Are they Nearsighted or Farsighted?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glasses-that-magnify-the-eye-are-they-nearsighted-or-farsighted/565110>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 22, 2010, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glasses-that-magnify-the-eye-are-they-nearsighted-or-farsighted/565110 "2010-12-22T20:06:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\
**Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glasses-that-magnify-the-eye-are-they-nearsighted-or-farsighted/565110/1 "2010-12-22T20:06:37Z")

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Pretty straight forward question.

I always feel a little sorry for young people with glasses that exaggerate & magnify their eyes. Gov. Palin is a typical example. How strong of a perscription do you need to do this? I always figured these people are nearly blind without glasses.  
[http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.topnews.in/files/Sarah-Palin\_5.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.topnews.in/people/sarah-palin&usg=\_\_OXLXhX6h36vI3qzKY6VUvuROY3E=&h=512&w=311&sz=24&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=LogrNELA2oWc-M:&tbnh=112&tbnw=67&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dsarah%2Bpalin%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26biw%3D1143%26bih%3D693%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=928&vpy=200&dur=11588&hovh=288&hovw=175&tx=157&ty=164&ei=mlkSTcfMJYXQnAeUtcDFDg&oei=ClkSTZOvOcv8nAfK-\_HPDQ&esq=16&page=1&ndsp=32&ved=1t:429,r:15,s:0](http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.topnews.in/files/Sarah-Palin_5.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.topnews.in/people/sarah-palin&usg=__OXLXhX6h36vI3qzKY6VUvuROY3E=&h=512&w=311&sz=24&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=LogrNELA2oWc-M:&tbnh=112&tbnw=67&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dsarah%2Bpalin%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26biw%3D1143%26bih%3D693%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=928&vpy=200&dur=11588&hovh=288&hovw=175&tx=157&ty=164&ei=mlkSTcfMJYXQnAeUtcDFDg&oei=ClkSTZOvOcv8nAfK-_HPDQ&esq=16&page=1&ndsp=32&ved=1t:429,r:15,s:0)

I noticed cataract patients glasses magnify their eyes (even more) after surgery. Why? Is it the same as young people?

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**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\
**Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glasses-that-magnify-the-eye-are-they-nearsighted-or-farsighted/565110/2 "2010-12-22T20:10:43Z")

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I see another glasses thread posted while I wrote mine. It’s true, Great minds think alike. 😉

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**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\
**Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glasses-that-magnify-the-eye-are-they-nearsighted-or-farsighted/565110/3 "2010-12-22T20:37:10Z")

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This was answered in the other thread. Mine can be merged if you want.

Man this was so weird. I’ve been noticing Palin’s eyes for months and then ended up posting simultaneously with someone.