Bi-focal contact lenses: What's my problem?!
Question: Hello all-
Here's my problem. I am very near sighted. Without glasses or contact lenses, I can see the tiniest of print. Not as well if I wear reading glasses over regular contact lenses. BUT, I've tried bi-focal contact lenses and they just don't seem to work for me. Is it the prescription. Is there something I could be doing to improve their effectiveness? Am I expecting too much from them?
I'm due to order a new set of lenses, but I'm not paying extra for the bi-focals if they are going to continue not to do the trick.
Thanks, in advance, for your answers.
Answers: Hello all-
Here's my problem. I am very near sighted. Without glasses or contact lenses, I can see the tiniest of print. Not as well if I wear reading glasses over regular contact lenses. BUT, I've tried bi-focal contact lenses and they just don't seem to work for me. Is it the prescription. Is there something I could be doing to improve their effectiveness? Am I expecting too much from them?
I'm due to order a new set of lenses, but I'm not paying extra for the bi-focals if they are going to continue not to do the trick.
Thanks, in advance, for your answers.
I recently attended a contact lens sympsium where 6 doctors fielded questions on contact lenses from the audience of doctors. One doctor asked, "Why is it I have so much trouble succesfully fitting bifocal contact lenses when all the magazines and lens representatives tell me their lenses are highly succesful?" One of the 6 specialist doctors up front said, "I want EVERY doctor here to listen closely to what I am about to say. If you will remember the next 5 words I say, you will NEVER have another failed bifocal contact lens fit again in your entire career. BIFOCAL CONTACTS DON'T EVER WORK!" Everybody laughed. What he was trying to say is this. The current technology we have in bifocal contact lenses allows "useful" simultaneous near and distance vision. I didn't say "clear". The few who are "succesful" with bifocal contact lenses are not succesful because they get clear vision with the lenses. They are succesful because for them the benefits of not having to wear glasses full time outweighs the drawbacks of the decrease in vision quality they experience. You are simply among the majority of patients who are not willing to accept this unavoidable decrease in vision quality that ALWAYS happens with bifocal contact lenses.
Bi-focal contacts just don't work for some people. I wear progressive lenses glasses (also called multi-focal). I tried all sorts of different bi-focal contacts. Finally my doctor and I decided they just weren't for me. He also told me that you will never get the crisp vision from contacts that you will get from glasses. So I'm sticking with glasses.
I agree with Baker. I used to work for an opticians, and recall many customers coming in with similar complaints.
Bifocal/ multifocal lenses are difficult to get used to - they take a lot of practice. I would suggest you have a word with your optometerists asap.
Bifocal contacts are tough to wear overall. You could ask your dr to try a different type of bifocal contact as each brand works differently.
Can try out bausch&lomb multi focal contact lenses. they are great lenses. Great vision