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Problems with Progressive Contacts
Tharina wrote:
I am 49 and have progressive lens glasses – one pair of office lenses, and another for outside etc. My distance vision is great, and my current prescription is +2 for the left and +1.75 for the right eye. My arms are getting shorter by the year! I am currently trying contact lenses – progressive – but i am ver frustrated, as my reading and computer vision is very blurry. My distance vision is perfect, and I can see the speedometer of my car perfectly. However, my job is to read – written and computer. I tolerate the lenses well, and was told to try these lenses for a month, but I can not work if I am unable to see close up, and after 2 weeks things are no better. Are contacts not for me? What about laser surgery for presbyopia?
Dr Joan Hansen's response:
Tharina,
In my experience your job with intense reading is not the best situation to wear contact lenses of any kind. Intense concentration causes you to blink way less than normal, which results in your tear layer evaporating. Your eyes become very dry and the contacts do as well. Dry Contacts distort your vision. Progressive Contact lenses do not offer the same clarity as your glasses do and, in my opinion, are not the answer for your working situation. They are a compromise and would be better to use socially.
Laser surgery for presbyopia would offer similar compromises for near and distance vision. You likely would still need reading glasses for part of your job – either the computer or the paper closer to you.
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