Question
Although I currently wear multifocal contacts (OD -7.25 High, OS -5.75 High), I recently ran short of these lenses and temporarily switched back to a leftover pair of my previous single-focal contacts (OD -7.50, OS -5.50). For computer reading, I scrounged an old pair of +1.50 OTC readers. I realize the readers are not as strong as they should be (especially for book reading) - but they help. To my surprise I discovered the readers actually improve my distance acuity as well! Everything, from nearby objects to distant road signs, is sharper, although the improvement diminishes in the far distance (beyond 200 feet). What does this suggest about my non-multifocal prescription? I am reasonably happy with the multifocal contacts, as they allow me to read and see adequately for driving w/o glasses (though, I suspect, not quite as clearly as I now see wearing low mag readers over my old non-multifocal contacts). Could my distance Rx be too strong? Do +1.50 readers when worn with -7.50 contacts result in a net -6.00 Rx? I suspect it's not that simple - but clearly there's an explanation.
Answer
Hi Jack,
It certainly sounds like you may need an adjustment of some sort.
My advice is to contact your Doctor for a checkup.
You might need your distance cut back a bit although not as strong as the readers.
Bifocal contacts can be tricky to adjust and the machines we have in the office are the best tools to use.
Hope this helps,
Dr. Mike
