Question
I have worn contact lenses with a mild distance correction for almost 20 years. In the past few years, I have found that with my single vision contacts, I cannot see up close at all. Without my contacts in I can see up close just fine. I had been using reading glasses only when wearing contacts so I can see up close. I have been trying bifocal contacts, but these cause problems b/c I am basically (within the lens) going from distance correction to close-up correction. I only need the close-up correction on top of my distance correction (not close-up correction of my naked eye). What I really want is a "bifocal" with distance correction according to my prescription and then NO correction in the "up-close" part of the lens. I have tried mono-vision without much success. Is there such a thing as a bifocal with correction for distance and then no correction in the near part? If not, do you have any other suggestions? (I would just wear my distance correction glasses and take them off for reading, but I have terrible migraines and sinus problems and cannot stand the pressure of the glasses on my face all day.) Thanks.
Mary
Answer
Hi Mary,
Welcome to adulthood. I understand completely your situation, it is common. You will have the best vision with monovision and you may wish to try it again. Some people do OK with one single vision contact lens and one bifocal contact lens using the single vision lens for the dominant eye. Your success will depend on your tasks and expectations. Your eye doctor probably is giving you a contact lens based on your distance correction and your naked eye's near power but it doesn't seem like that to you because the bifocal contact lens is not as good as single vision optics. You are looking simultaneously through the distance and near powers rather than one or the other. So try again and longer to adapt to some form of contact distance/near setup, there isn't a silver bullet here.
Best of luck,
Mitch Axelrod,OD
