New to Multifocals. I'm not sure my contact fitter knows what they're doing.

The Woodsman · #1 (**permalink**) 04-18-2010, 09:50 PM

I'll make this quick. I tried monovision for 4 months and I never got past the feeling I rode rollercoasters all day. Gave up. Now I'm trying multifocal lenses (right now I have in Air Optix Aqua). They still use the monovision system on me and but with multifocal lenses.

I am O.D. -7.75 (right) and O.S. -8.75 (left) with +2.00 ADD for reading. I am left eye dominant (even though I am right-handed). My fitter has me in right -7.75 with max ADD +1.00 and left -7.50 max ADD +2.00.

My world is spinning. Does this fitting sound right? Do I need long distance power on my dominant eye? Can't I have full distance power and full reading power or doesn't it work that way? My fitter doesn't seem to be able to pass on these deep secrets of the Wonderful World of Optics.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you!

Knotlob · #2 (**permalink**) 04-19-2010, 04:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Woodsman

I'll make this quick. I tried monovision for 4 months and I never got past the feeling I rode rollercoasters all day. Gave up. Now I'm trying multifocal lenses (right now I have in Air Optix Aqua). They still use the monovision system on me and but with multifocal lenses.

I am O.D. -7.75 (right) and O.S. -8.75 (left) with +2.00 ADD for reading. I am left eye dominant (even though I am right-handed). My fitter has me in right -7.75 with max ADD +1.00 and left -7.50 max ADD +2.00.

My world is spinning. Does this fitting sound right? Do I need long distance power on my dominant eye? Can't I have full distance power and full reading power or doesn't it work that way? My fitter doesn't seem to be able to pass on these deep secrets of the Wonderful World of Optics.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you!

Hello and welcome Woodsman

I don't know too much about multifocal lenses, but others on this forum should be able to give you the benefit of their experiences.

I have to agree with you that logically I would have thought your contact lens (CL) fitter would have corrected your Left (dominant) eye for long distance, rather than your non-dominant eye. I thought perhaps your prescription was not available in that strength, but I checked and it is. Perhaps your fitter did not have the stronger lenses in his/her own stock?

I think it probably takes a little while to get used to multifocal contact lenses (and also multifocal/varifocal spectacles). I would also have thought your non-dominant right eye may be trained to become the dominant eye in time with your CL prescription.

I don't know what the limitations are on the +Add correction with multifocals, so I will watch this thread with interest. Sorry I cannot be of more help.

knotlob

Cheezhed · #3 (**permalink**) 04-19-2010, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Woodsman

I'll make this quick. I tried monovision for 4 months and I never got past the feeling I rode rollercoasters all day. Gave up. Now I'm trying multifocal lenses (right now I have in Air Optix Aqua). They still use the monovision system on me and but with multifocal lenses.

I am O.D. -7.75 (right) and O.S. -8.75 (left) with +2.00 ADD for reading. I am left eye dominant (even though I am right-handed). My fitter has me in right -7.75 with max ADD +1.00 and left -7.50 max ADD +2.00.

My world is spinning. Does this fitting sound right? Do I need long distance power on my dominant eye? Can't I have full distance power and full reading power or doesn't it work that way? My fitter doesn't seem to be able to pass on these deep secrets of the Wonderful World of Optics.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you!

Hello Woodsman. Welcome To Lens 101.

How long have you been wearing the multifocal lenses? You said you wore monovision for four months and it never felt right. Is there any improvement at all over the monovision lenses?
I tend to agree with Knotlob on just about everything. (He's very clever.) It seems to me, in my non-professional opinion, that you just need to give it a little time. You prescription seems pretty strong to me, so I think you may need to give yourself a little more time to get used to the new lenses. Probably not four months, though. Maybe a month or six weeks. If you still don't feel right, it might be time to look for another eye doctor. Contact lenses are all about improving your quality of life. Right now it sounds like your life is lacking quality. You deserve better. Let us know how this turns out, okay?

The Woodsman · #4 (**permalink**) 04-19-2010, 08:35 PM

Thanks to both of you for your replies. To answer your question I've been wearing these lenses for a couple of weeks. They are nice, I will admit, but the monovision effect is still there and since my brain didn't get used to it before I don't want to spend weeks or months having that nauseating feeling of riding the Disney Tea Cups one-too-many times. Can't I just get full power for distance and reading and get this high-lens - low-lens thing over with?

I came across this page today and it seems they agree with me. Now I just need to convince my fitter.

http://www.bausch.com/en_US/ecp/age/fitting_assistant.aspx

Juicer · #5 (**permalink**) 04-20-2010, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Woodsman

Thanks to both of you for your replies. To answer your question I've been wearing these lenses for a couple of weeks. They are nice, I will admit, but the monovision effect is still there and since my brain didn't get used to it before I don't want to spend weeks or months having that nauseating feeling of riding the Disney Tea Cups one-too-many times. Can't I just get full power for distance and reading and get this high-lens - low-lens thing over with?

I came across this page today and it seems they agree with me. Now I just need to convince my fitter.

http://www.bausch.com/en_US/ecp/age/fitting_assistant.aspx

I'm sorry you're having trouble with your contacts, Woodsman. Personally, I don't see how anyone can see with those monovision lenses. Do you think that maybe monovison lenses just aren't for you, or do you want to ride it out?

I know what you mean about those Disney teacups. They can be brutal.

The Woodsman · #6 (**permalink**) 04-20-2010, 09:28 PM

Hey Juicer,

I'm not using the normal monovision system. That doesn't work for me. However my fitter has me in multifocals but she is using a the same long-distance, close-distance system as monovision but with multifocal lenses. Sorry if I hadn't made myself clear earlier.

Nice picture. It shows just how I feel.

petern · #7 (**permalink**) 04-20-2010, 10:01 PM

Woodsman,

I wear air optix multifocal lenses and was originally fitted in monovision which did not work for me either. I then requested and was fitted with Air optix multifocal trial lenses in my exact RX. I also requested the high add in both eyes ( I am a 2.50 add) and got awesome vision for both near and far. It is my understanding after researching this lens that it was actually designed not to be used as a monovision system in some parameters. I suggest you return to your Dr and ask to try a non monovison fit. Good luck!

Knotlob · #8 (**permalink**) 04-21-2010, 02:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by petern

Woodsman,

I wear air optix multifocal lenses and was originally fitted in monovision which did not work for me either. I then requested and was fitted with Air optix multifocal trial lenses in my exact RX. I also requested the high add in both eyes ( I am a 2.50 add) and got awesome vision for both near and far. It is my understanding after researching this lens that it was actually designed not to be used as a monovision system in some parameters. I suggest you return to your Dr and ask to try a non monovison fit. Good luck!

Hi petern

That's a very encouraging post. What is your long distance correction? Woodsman has quite strong far sight correction.

knotlob

The Woodsman · #9 (**permalink**) 04-21-2010, 06:56 AM

Hey Petern,

Thanks for the encouragement. I'll call the office this morning and see if they'll order me full strength lenses. I see no reason that it wouldn't work. And if this office won't do it I'll go somewehere else. I'll post later and let you know what happenes. Now if you can do something about the pollen count I'd be even more thankful.

Eyeofthetiger · #10 (**permalink**) 04-21-2010, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Woodsman

Hey Petern,

Thanks for the encouragement. I'll call the office this morning and see if they'll order me full strength lenses. I see no reason that it wouldn't work. And if this office won't do it I'll go somewehere else. I'll post later and let you know what happens. Now if you can do something about the pollen count I'd be even more thankful.

We look forward to the continuation of your story.

Meanwhile, I'll get to work on fixing that pollen count.

The Woodsman · #11 (**permalink**) 05-15-2010, 09:25 AM

We finally got it right. Next move they gave me a right dominant distant lens (remember I'm left dominant) which was way too powerful and gave me a nonstop headache for 5 days. After another adjustment we ended up with the same exact prescription I've been wearing for the last five years (non-multifocal contacts) plus the 2.00 ADD for reading. No dominant eye system... just 100% distant and close. It works perfect! Maybe that doesn't work for everyone but it's perfect for me. The Ciba Vision Air Optix are very comfortable but a bit more expensive then most other lenses. I'm going with them anyway.

Thanks for the help on this site. Hopefully this post will help others. I'll check back if you have any questions.

HMBgal · #12 (**permalink**) 05-15-2010, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Woodsman

We finally got it right. Next move they gave me a right dominant distant lens (remember I'm left dominant) which was way too powerful and gave me a nonstop headache for 5 days. After another adjustment we ended up with the same exact prescription I've been wearing for the last five years (non-multifocal contacts) plus the 2.00 ADD for reading. No dominant eye system... just 100% distant and close. It works perfect! Maybe that doesn't work for everyone but it's perfect for me. The Ciba Vision Air Optix are very comfortable but a bit more expensive then most other lenses. I'm going with them anyway.

Thanks for the help on this site. Hopefully this post will help others. I'll check back if you have any questions.

Good news! The squeaky wheel gets the grease...er, lens that they need. And hopefully the pollen count is down in your neck of the woods, also. I'm in Proclear multi-focal torics and I know how laborious getting good vision can be.

The Woodsman · #13 (**permalink**) 05-15-2010, 10:12 AM

Well it only took a month and five different pairs of lenses. I wasn't going to settle for just okay. I wanted what I knew would work. My brother just got used to the pair of multifocals they put him in. He said he didn't want to mess with going back and forth. Not me.

Knotlob · #14 (**permalink**) 05-15-2010, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Woodsman

Well it only took a month and five different pairs of lenses. I wasn't going to settle for just okay. I wanted what I knew would work. My brother just got used to the pair of multifocals they put him in. He said he didn't want to mess with going back and forth. Not me.

Well it is nice to hear a success story

. Well done for your perseverance.

knotlob

Steuhrob · #15 (**permalink**) 05-17-2010, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Woodsman

Well it only took a month and five different pairs of lenses. I wasn't going to settle for just okay. I wanted what I knew would work. My brother just got used to the pair of multifocals they put him in. He said he didn't want to mess with going back and forth. Not me.

I'm glad this has worked out for you, Woodsman. Thank you for sharing your story with us. I hope others are helped by this thread.