Anyone who has close up vision issues and use contacts?

[mefordis]

I always had perfect vision, but now I have issues with my close up vision. Before I just needed readers to read a book or for the computer. Now I my sight is blurry all the time (close up) but my far away vision is still very good.

Anyone have success using contacts for this issue?

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I wore contacts for many years. I think it was about 44 when I noticed I needed "cheaters" to be able read a computer screen, so I got some at the Dollar Tree.

The optometrist told me that was because of my age. At that point I abandoned contacts and kind of reversed things. I wear nothing for "close up" and wear glasses for distance.

 

[Christine]

I had great vision up until my 40s. Actually, I was farsighted most of my child hood, which evened out as an adult and it's almost like I had x-ray vision! Then my 40s hit and the typical hardening of the lens started which gave me problems reading close up. So I started with readers. Lo and behold, the distance vision started going too. This seems to be an issue with people who were orginally far-sighted. Once the internal lens start losing its ability to focus in older age, the farsightedness comes back into play. So I am now blurry in both ways. Sucks to me me. There were a lot of contact options for me and I tried them all, but turns out that I have dry eye and I can't safely use contacts. But enough about me.

Yes, there are contacts out there that you can wear all the time (multifocals) that will solve your problem. Or you can do like my friend does, and she wears a "reader" contact in one eye another type in another, and generally doesn't have to wear them all the time. Honestly I can't remember what she does. Maybe it's just one reader contact in one eye and that's it. With the one contact, your eyes somehow adjust and then you can read.

If you have a good optometrist who has a speciality in contact fittings, you should be able to get some help.

 

[Lewisc]

I don't know your age. Generally what your describing is age related but you need to get examined by a doctor to make sure it's not something else.

Contacts--you can get multi-focal, part of the lens is for close and part far. Some people go with monovision. One eye is corrected for near and the other for far. The brain combines it. If you have perfect distance vision you may only need a lens in one eye.

Glasses--Multifocal with a lower bifocal section for reading. Progressive lenses have mulit-zone and no visible lines. The top or distance section can be made without a prescription if you don't need distance.

 

[mefordis]

Thanks for the replies. I'm going to find a new ophthalmologist because the one I used discouraged me from contacts because he said I'd be sacrificing my near perfect far away vision, but I hate not being able to see if I cleaned the counter good without putting on my readers!

Yes, I'm old. Turned 53 yesterday. It's an old age thing. I guess it's better than being dead, so not complaining

 

[Lewisc]

A contact lens exam to fit mult-focal or monovision is more expensive then a basic contact lens fitting. The cost should include trial lenses and multiple visits until you find what works for you. Figure $100-$200.

Reading glasses will be a lot less expensive but that's your decision.

 

[fly girl]

First, let me say I am jealous you have had perfect vision for so long.

I have been wearing contacts since I was 12 years old. No way was I wearing glasses ... and my parents knew it. I would have been Jan Brady and refused to wear them until I crashed. I am currently 47. Once I crept around 45 my eyes started to change. I started the "pull away" to read close up with my contacts in. Only in the last 6 months have I noticed the absolute ridiculousness of this old age. I find myself saying, "This bottles print is so damn teeny tiny!!" LOL (I can still read menus, my computer, and my phone, but it is on a rapid descent.)

I am debating mulitfocal contacts, something I will discuss more on my next eye exam.

If you don't like to wear glasses (I hear you and I get it), contacts are wonderful. But it sounds like it could come at a cost to your farsightedness. And as you age, you eyes lose tear production which comes into play with contacts. I would get another ophthalmologist opinion to see what kind of contacts you would need. Going from nothing to contacts is a big transition. And if you need multifocal lenses, that would be a huge. All depends on how much you don't enjoy wearing glasses. Is the hassle worth it? All personal. You just need a professional to weigh the pros/cons rather than a quick brush off.

Good luck.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I was nearsighted and wore regular contacts from about the 7th grade. Then as I aged and had trouble with close-up, I went to multi-focals. I adjusted to them very easily and they worked for me for a long time, but just lately I'm feeling blurrier, especially at the end of the day (no surprise t 50) so I may be in for an Rx change at my regular appointment next month. If so, I'm not sure how it will go. - I may end up with stronger distance correction lenses and glasses for up close.

 

[Christine]

Thanks for the replies. I'm going to find a new ophthalmologist because the one I used discouraged me from contacts because he said I'd be sacrificing my near perfect far away vision, but I hate not being able to see if I cleaned the counter good without putting on my readers!

Yes, I'm old. Turned 53 yesterday. It's an old age thing. I guess it's better than being dead, so not complaining

As I said earlier, I did try the multifocal contact lenses and, vision wise, they were great. You might sacrifice *some* of your distance vision but, honestly, it wasn't so much that it bothered me and the tradeoff for just being able to walk around and SEE was worth it. I just couldn't stick with them because my eyes are so dry.

As another poster said, the fitting for these sometimes costs more. I was also given several samples to try, at no cost to me, and I went back for several visits. In the end, I was not a contacts customer, so I was only out of pocket for the exam (which my vision plan covered).

 

[mefordis]

A contact lens exam to fit mult-focal or monovision is more expensive then a basic contact lens fitting. The cost should include trial lenses and multiple visits until you find what works for you. Figure $100-$200.

Reading glasses will be a lot less expensive but that's your decision.

I hate removing and putting on the readers. I also hate having anything on my face. I spent 50 years not needing glasses and now it's kind of hard to adjust.

Thanks for the input!

 

[mefordis]

As I said earlier, I did try the multifocal contact lenses and, vision wise, they were great. You might sacrifice *some* of your distance vision but, honestly, it wasn't so much that it bothered me and the tradeoff for just being able to walk around and SEE was worth it. I just couldn't stick with them because my eyes are so dry.

As another poster said, the fitting for these sometimes costs more. I was also given several samples to try, at no cost to me, and I went back for several visits. In the end, I was not a contacts customer, so I was only out of pocket for the exam (which my vision plan covered).

Thanks so much! I'm going to go in and give it a try!!

 

[Lewisc]

I hate removing and putting on the readers. I also hate having anything on my face. I spent 50 years not needing glasses and now it's kind of hard to adjust.

Thanks for the input!

I'd try monovision. Costco tends to have good prices on contacts. Consider daily disposables. less likely to have eye issues and easier for you.

Reading glasses will cost a few dollars. Contacts will cost a few hundred, exam and first order.

Sounds like the cost is worth it for you

 

[Luv Bunnies]

I considered getting monovision lenses last year. The fitting was going to cost over $600 (not covered by insurance) and my doctor said they don't end up working for everyone. My sister went through the fitting process and ended up going back to regular (distance-only) contacts. The fitting for regular contacts was over $300 less, so I opted for that instead. I like wearing contacts rather than glasses if I'm going to be in a mask for a long period. I wear them for my classroom job and keep my readers handy in case I need them.

 

[kandlsutton]

I always had perfect vision, but now I have issues with my close up vision. Before I just needed readers to read a book or for the computer. Now I my sight is blurry all the time (close up) but my far away vision is still very good.

Anyone have success using contacts for this issue?

Yes.

Since I am still 20/20 far (age 52), I started off with glasses with progressive lenses about 5 years ago. These worked for a couple of years, but my near vision continues to worsen. My optometrist prescribed 1.75x daily contact lenses for my dominant eye. I have trouble with dry eyes and I find it easier to put the contact in my non-dominant eye though. I switched to a daily moisture contact for dry eyes and also use wetting drops when the contact is in. My far vision is a little “wavy” when the contact is in, but isn't too bad. Contact lens fitting wasn’t anymore expensive than a normal fitting. I use the contacts when wearing the progressive glasses aren’t practical, like ”handywoman” chores - painting, plumbing, etc. And I use computer glasses at work,,,

 

[goofyernmost]

Thanks for the replies. I'm going to find a new ophthalmologist because the one I used discouraged me from contacts because he said I'd be sacrificing my near perfect far away vision, but I hate not being able to see if I cleaned the counter good without putting on my readers!

Yes, I'm old. Turned 53 yesterday. It's an old age thing. I guess it's better than being dead, so not complaining

I don't want to discourage you but it doesn't get better. You can get glasses for close up that are just plan clear glass if you are worried about distance vision being compromised. Then take them off for regular distance seeing if you want. Believe me, I tried it with one contact for distance and one for close up. It drove me crazy for two days before I decided that I loved my distance vision and it was hardly any hassle to use readers or tri-focals.

 

[Lewisc]

I considered getting monovision lenses last year. The fitting was going to cost over $600 (not covered by insurance) and my doctor said they don't end up working for everyone. My sister went through the fitting process and ended up going back to regular (distance-only) contacts. The fitting for regular contacts was over $300 less, so I opted for that instead. I like wearing contacts rather than glasses if I'm going to be in a mask for a long period. I wear them for my classroom job and keep my readers handy in case I need them.

I wore contact lenses on and off for years. I used $$$. I used mid priced doctors I later used independent optometrist operating in Costco. Price paid had no relationship to quality of care. Basic contact lens fitting is around.$100. Toric monovision or multifocal around 150. Extra for things like dilation. You can shop and pay less. 600 is on the very high side.

 

[tvguy]

I think for a lot of us contact lenses just no longer cut it as we age. I wore them for years but I finally got fed up with the time needed to maintain them and put them in. And I sure don't miss the dust in my eye issue.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I went directly to progressive lenses when I got glasses for the first time at age 40. I really only needed glasses for near vision, but my distance vision had a minor correction. The doctor said if he was correcting for distance only he wouldn't even prescribe glasses for me. I really didn't want glasses I had to take on and off all the time for only close up vision, so we went with the progressive ones.

Some years later I asked about contacts. We tried the multifocal. @mefordis - your doctor is correct, you'll be sacrificing some distance vision with those. I just couldn't adjust to them. So we tried the single (close vision) contact in one eye and nothing in the other (since distance really wasn't an issue. The problem I had with that was my brain can separate what I see in each eye (as in I could focus one eye or the other or both on a single thing) it was difficult to not feel like I was swimming every time I turned my head to look at something.

So it was back to progressive glasses.