After seeing my eye doc for new glasses, I know my eye strain is age related.
I found the lighting also made a difference for me. I now have a day Ott-lite that I position behind the sewing machine and onto the work area. I swear my eyes don't get as tired as fast.

I have not read the several pages of responses to your post, so if this is a repeat, I apologize.

As someone who has worn corrective lenses for 65 years, I can tell you that it's time for you to get an eye exam! Also, if you are truly focused on your applique, you might not be blinking enough; then your eyes will dry out & vision will blur, etc., etc. Sometimes I have to remind myself to blink when I'm doing hand quilting; since that is the only time I have that problem, I've concluded that it's because I'm so focused that I overwhelm my natural instinct to blink.

Was told by an ophthalmologist that whenever you sew or work in front of a computer, you do not blink as often as you should. Your eyes dry out. He advised me to use Natural Tears at least three times a day while I am sewing. Since then I haven't had too much trouble. Hope this helps.

Hey there young woman, it happens to everyone, sooner or later!! My job requires working on a computer all day...that really blurs my eyes....so does doing had sewing! Just get use to it. Like lots of people suggested, keep those cheaters all over the house. If you don't use them, your sewing friends will. : )

Well Said! ... nor should others be diagnosing for someone.

The OP did say she was going to get her eyes checked. There are so many variables as to what it may/could be. Yes, there are the likely's and possibilities as to what it may be. There's also the possibilities for other things too, and no one should take their vision and concerns about it lightly.

An eye examination is in order. It will make your quilting so much better. All of us around the age of 45 usually need to look into the need for glasses.

Everyone, some time after 40, begins to experience difficulty with close up vision. Do a google search on presbyopia. Reading glasses are likely to help, as others have suggested. Good luck!

I'm 47 also and started to have the same problem. Never had anyeye problems before. Guess what , Now I wear bifocals. Get your eyes checked. It doesn't take long to have them checked and it will put your mind at ease.

46 here and it was FAST! Its really not that bad, start out with the inexpensive ones and see if they help...thats what I use still.

It happens to us all!

I used to teach needlepoint and by the second week, I always had at least one person who went of to have their eyes checked.
I think that most people do not use their eyes to concentrate on such small things (unless they read the teeney print on the stock market pages) and after 40 or so, our eyes do not focus as quickly.
Most likely those drug store glasses will work well.