Bifocal contact lenses - how to wear

I am aged 46 and have been using soft lenses for nearly 30 years. However,
as I now feel the problem with Presbyopia, I have tried to buy some Acuvue
Bifocals.

My near-vision with the bifocals is great, but distance view is blurry and
definately not good. Is this a matter of training, or so to speak, to give
the brain sufficient time to learn to interpret the results?

My earlier lenses both were -3.00, and I have bought Acuvue bifocals
with -3.00 + 1.50.

I wonder whether I should wear one lens only, ie. a normal lens on my left
eye and a bifocal on the right?? At the moment I wear two bifocals.

Thanks for any help.

John

"John Jessen" <(E-Mail Removed)> schreef in bericht
news:cpjvs7$2iqp$(E-Mail Removed)...
>I am aged 46 and have been using soft lenses for nearly 30 years. However,
>as I now feel the problem with Presbyopia, I have tried to buy some Acuvue
>Bifocals.
>
> My near-vision with the bifocals is great, but distance view is blurry and
> definately not good. Is this a matter of training, or so to speak, to give
> the brain sufficient time to learn to interpret the results?
>
> My earlier lenses both were -3.00, and I have bought Acuvue bifocals
> with -3.00 + 1.50.
>
> I wonder whether I should wear one lens only, ie. a normal lens on my
> left eye and a bifocal on the right?? At the moment I wear two bifocals.
>
> Thanks for any help.
>
> John

John, ask your eyecare professional what fits you best.
There are several fitting methods and lots of different working multi- or
bifocal contactlenses.
Self fitting is not advised.


--
Jan (normally Dutch spoken)

Jan is right.

Bifocal contacts aren't the greatest but there are some tricks that might
work for you. See an eye care professional and let them run you through
some different trial alternatives (e.g. bifocal in only one eye, strong
bifocal in one eye with weak bifocal in the other, progressive lenses,
monovision, etc) and find what works best for you.

------------------

<Jan> wrote in message news:41be0cab$0$198$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "John Jessen" <(E-Mail Removed)> schreef in bericht
> news:cpjvs7$2iqp$(E-Mail Removed)...
>>I am aged 46 and have been using soft lenses for nearly 30 years. However,
>>as I now feel the problem with Presbyopia, I have tried to buy some Acuvue
>>Bifocals.
>>
>> My near-vision with the bifocals is great, but distance view is blurry
>> and definately not good. Is this a matter of training, or so to speak, to
>> give the brain sufficient time to learn to interpret the results?
>>
>> My earlier lenses both were -3.00, and I have bought Acuvue bifocals
>> with -3.00 + 1.50.
>>
>> I wonder whether I should wear one lens only, ie. a normal lens on my
>> left eye and a bifocal on the right?? At the moment I wear two bifocals.
>>
>> Thanks for any help.
>>
>> John
>
> John, ask your eyecare professional what fits you best.
> There are several fitting methods and lots of different working multi- or
> bifocal contactlenses.
> Self fitting is not advised.
>
>
> --
> Jan (normally Dutch spoken)
>

>>
>> John, ask your eyecare professional what fits you best.
>> There are several fitting methods and lots of different working multi- or
>> bifocal contactlenses.
>> Self fitting is not advised.
>>
Thanks to both of you, and this is of course the correct advise. However, I
would appreciate to know if there is a learning factor, ie. the brain need
some time to interpret the input it get. Is it normal to have reduced
distance view in the first days/weeks?

John

Yes, getting adjusted to the ghost images caused by bifocal contact lenses
helps. Your brain does need some time to adjust and interpret.

Having a bifocal add in your lens does indeed reduce your distance vision.
Reducing or eliminating the bifocal power in one of the two eyes can improve
your distance vision.

------------

"John Jessen" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:cpn80j$2o37$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
>>>
>>> John, ask your eyecare professional what fits you best.
>>> There are several fitting methods and lots of different working multi-
>>> or bifocal contactlenses.
>>> Self fitting is not advised.
>>>
> Thanks to both of you, and this is of course the correct advise. However,
> I would appreciate to know if there is a learning factor, ie. the brain
> need some time to interpret the input it get. Is it normal to have reduced
> distance view in the first days/weeks?
>
> John
>

"RM" <(E-Mail Removed)> schreef in bericht
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Having a bifocal add in your lens does indeed reduce your distance vision.
> Reducing or eliminating the bifocal power in one of the two eyes can
> improve your distance vision.

Please RM, let this fellow have a correct fitting procedure direct related
to his eyes, brains and circumstances.
You and I can explain everything but in the end the man has to be advised by
a specialist in person to get a proper lensfitting procedure.
Don't you agree?


--
Jan (normally Dutch spoken)

RM wrote:
>
> Yes, getting adjusted to the ghost images caused by bifocal contact lenses
> helps. Your brain does need some time to adjust and interpret.
>
> Having a bifocal add in your lens does indeed reduce your distance vision.
> Reducing or eliminating the bifocal power in one of the two eyes can improve
> your distance vision.

My experience is exactly opposite. When I was trying to be fitted for
multi-focal RGPs, the vision produced was exactly like having real eyes
and seemed miraculous. No learning curve at all. I could see close
stuff, middle stuff and far stuff clearly, and everything was wonderful
within minutes of lens insertion -- except for the fact that the damn
things would only stay in place for one second out of 60 and were REALLY
irritating. Against-the-rule astigmatism sucks.

> "John Jessen" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:cpn80j$2o37$(E-Mail Removed)...
> >
> >>>
> >>> John, ask your eyecare professional what fits you best.
> >>> There are several fitting methods and lots of different working multi-
> >>> or bifocal contactlenses.
> >>> Self fitting is not advised.
> >>>
> > Thanks to both of you, and this is of course the correct advise. However,
> > I would appreciate to know if there is a learning factor, ie. the brain
> > need some time to interpret the input it get. Is it normal to have reduced
> > distance view in the first days/weeks?

--
Cheers,
Bev
*----------------------------------------------------*
*Are you *sure* there's a hyphen in "anal-retentive?"*

> You and I can explain everything but in the end the man has to be advised
> by a specialist in person to get a proper lensfitting procedure.
> Don't you agree?

Sure. Your point is well-taken. But being armed with information makes a
trip to the eye doctor more productive!

"John Jessen" <(E-Mail Removed)> skrev i en meddelelse
news:cpjvs7$2iqp$(E-Mail Removed)...
>I am aged 46 and have been using soft lenses for nearly 30 years. However,
>as I now feel the problem with Presbyopia, I have tried to buy some Acuvue
>Bifocals.
>
> My near-vision with the bifocals is great, but distance view is blurry and
> definately not good. Is this a matter of training, or so to speak, to give
> the brain sufficient time to learn to interpret the results?
>
> My earlier lenses both were -3.00, and I have bought Acuvue bifocals
> with -3.00 + 1.50.
>
> I wonder whether I should wear one lens only, ie. a normal lens on my
> left eye and a bifocal on the right?? At the moment I wear two bifocals.
>
> Thanks for any help.
>
> John
Just to share my findings with the group:
I found out that for some reason the distance vision on my left eye with
a -3.00 + 1.50 bifocal lens, were considerable worse than with a
normal -3.00 lens. On the other hand, a similar -3.00 +1.50 on my right eye
gave an almost identical distance vision as my earlier -3.00 lens. So for
some reasons my left eye could not "understand" the new bifocal.

I have now replaced the bifocal on my left eye with the normal lens (-3.00),
and are using the -3.00 +1.50 on my controlling right eye. And presto, I
have a perfect distance vision and no more problems with close-up reading.
After some days of use, I have no problems whatsoever with headache, eye
pains or the like.

Every second year I consult an eye-specialized doctor to have my eyes
inspected, and for renewed check of my needed strength. So I feel no need to
pay the triple price to consult and buy from an optician.

John

"John Jessen" <(E-Mail Removed)> schreef in bericht
news:cpu2o2$1ub0$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "John Jessen" <(E-Mail Removed)> skrev i en meddelelse
> news:cpjvs7$2iqp$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Every second year I consult an eye-specialized doctor to have my eyes
> inspected, and for renewed check of my needed strength. So I feel no need
> to pay the triple price to consult and buy from an optician.
>
> John

But still wanting answers from professionals here for free.
Come on, how do you earn your daily bread.


--
Jan (normally Dutch spoken)