Yes. I am short-sighted and I think I have astigmatism too. I should have been wearing glasses from about the age of 11 - I didn't want yet another thing that would make me a target - but didn't until I started to drive and realised vanity would be a pretty stupid reason to have an accident. My eyesight grew steadily worse until about three or four years ago when it finally began to settle down. I've been able to keep the same prescription since then, although I have had to add reading glasses to my collection of visual corrective aids.
I don't think needing to wear glasses is particularly prevalent in autistic people though. Short-sightedness is a very common condition.
michael517 wrote:
How many people on the spectrum that need vision correction use contacts?
Or rather, I would like to consider contacts, but I don't know if I can put up with them.
That is an interesting question. I have always had a lot of trouble finding glasses that suit my face, which is quite narrow, so I tried contacts. Twice. Both times I ended up tossing them. I couldn't stand the things. The second time around I really tried, wearing them every day for four weeks, and had to give up. I got peculiar headaches, sore, dry eyes and was always conscious I was wearing them. And putting them in and taking them out was always unpleasant because I hate things near my eyes. To cap it all off they were messy and awkward to look after, both things I dislike. I wonder if my experience was simply unique to me or if other spectrumites have had similar problems.