Will Anything Work for All 3 Distances???

Linda · #1 (**permalink**) 05-09-2008, 03:13 PM

I found this forum through a Google search and it seems to have many of the same questions I have. I hesitate to post---is there a reason no one is responding to the posts? I see there are MANY people reading them.

Having said that, I’m going to give it a try. I had Lasik surgery 10 years ago that corrected my vision to an awesome perfect vision.

I have now reached a point where I need corrective lenses again. Since my initial Lasik corrected from a -8.75, there is a bit of hesitancy by the doctors to correct any further since so much tissue had to be removed (so I am told).

I went in to be fitted with contacts and settled on the Pure Vision Multifocal since I am having difficulty at three distances. I’m feeling a bit frustrated and wonder if this is a temporary issue.

Distance vision seems fine, though I’d like it to be a little sharper. My optometrist says if she increases the strength it will make the other two areas worse. Mid- range (computer) is a little blurry, but close (fine print) is not good at all. For both mid-range and close I have to blink several times and wait, even then I have to squint and strain to see.

I wore them for a week and things didn’t improve. I went back and tried regular contacts with reading glasses—a real pain and no mid-range. Then back and wore a regular lens in my right eye only (mono-vision?) That works OK, but vision is still not as clear as I would like, and adding reading glasses for close-up/mid-range was almost impossible and didn’t help.

So, now I’m back to the multi-focal. Seems like the best solution so far, but I still have the problems with blurriness (not clear) with mid-range and close-up is difficult.

Is this the best I am going to get, or will it improve with wear? I was told it takes the brain 2 weeks to adjust. Is there an alternative I can suggest to my optometrist? She seems open to suggestions.

Hope someone out there will take the time to answer some posts, this can be frustrating and I don’t personally know of anywhere else to find answers. Maybe someone can suggest another site if no one answers here?

Thanks for the help! If someone can give me some alternatives or support it will be very much appreciated. I feel like I am blind right now! Difficult to get any work done!

My last resort will be to go to glasses---YUK!

Linda

Chelsee · #2 (**permalink**) 09-24-2008, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Linda

I found this forum through a Google search and it seems to have many of the same questions I have. I hesitate to post---is there a reason no one is responding to the posts? I see there are MANY people reading them.

Linda

Hi Linda,

Sorry no one has responded to this post. I think the reason is because yours are very specific questions and anyone like me who has never had laser eye surgery feels hesitant to guess at an answer.

If by some chance someone who has had laser surgery or, even better, has performed laser surgery wanders by, they might be better qualified to answer your questions.

Having said that, I'm wondering how you are, and if you'd be willing to tell us what you've learned in the last several months since you posted your questions. Perhaps you can transition from learner to teacher.

I hope you're feeling better.

Chelsee

Linda · #3 (**permalink**) 09-24-2008, 05:03 PM

Chelsee, thank you SO much for responding. I had given up!

My optometrist and I finally gave up. Nothing seemed to work or give me clear vision. She decided that maybe the cataracts I was developing might be causing the problems, though they didn't seem bad enough (her opinion). She referred me to an ophthalmologist who I haven't seen yet. I'm just walking around half blind and miserable. Frankly, I'm afraid of having the surgery. I see the surgery as placing contact lens "permanently" in my eyes. If I couldn't see with removable ones, what if the permanent ones don't work???

To answer your question about the Lasik connection, I have been assured by many optometrists and opthamologists that it makes no difference and has no affect on wearing contacts when enough time passes and I need new correction.

Thanks again for responding. When I finally get fed up enough with not being able to see and get past the fear, I'll see the ophthalmologist and post an update!

Linda

Pudgefisk · #4 (**permalink**) 09-25-2008, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Linda

Chelsee, thank you SO much for responding. I had given up!

My optometrist and I finally gave up. Nothing seemed to work or give me clear vision. She decided that maybe the cataracts I was developing might be causing the problems, though they didn't seem bad enough (her opinion). She referred me to an ophthalmologist who I haven't seen yet. I'm just walking around half blind and miserable. Frankly, I'm afraid of having the surgery. I see the surgery as placing contact lens "permanently" in my eyes. If I couldn't see with removable ones, what if the permanent ones don't work???

To answer your question about the Lasik connection, I have been assured by many optometrists and ophthalmologists that it makes no difference and has no affect on wearing contacts when enough time passes and I need new correction.

Thanks again for responding. When I finally get fed up enough with not being able to see and get past the fear, I'll see the ophthalmologist and post an update!

Linda

Hi Linda. Pudgefisk here.

I'm so sorry to read that you're having so much trouble!

Like Chelsee, I've never had eye surgery, but I've been surfing around sites like these for a while now and there are some incredible things happening in the world of medicine. Keep communicating with your eye doctors and ask them to explain anything that's not clear. I know in my case, if my doctor gives me an answer that I don't understand, sometimes I feel like it's because I'm just too dumb. Don't let that happen to you. These are your eyes we're talking about here. Ask and keep asking until you're satisfied. I know it's easy for me to say, but I'm confident that if you and your doctor work together you can find a solution for your blurred vision.

Keep us posted.

Pudgefisk

Linda · #5 (**permalink**) 09-25-2008, 10:54 AM

Thanks Pudgefisk, I'm usually pretty good about researching and reading a lot about medical issues, I have more than my share

. The issues here are many sided. First, I'm with an HMO and don't have a lot of choices for the surgeon/hospital. The opthamologist I was referred to comes highly recommended, but only by my optometrist. she sees all his patients for aftercare, so I know she should be reliable, but she has a vested interest. The bigger issue is I've had some real medical mess-ups by doctors in the past few years that have left me disabled---though I can't prove anything. Had knee surgery a year ago by Dr. "God" (you know the kind with an ego that oozes out of the room) and it was a disaster from the get go. I should have told him where to shove it and cancelled, but I was unable to because of my disability (I have a cognitive disorder than causes me to have difficulty communicating under stress---caused by doctors 7 years ago). After waiting for 3 months for the surgery I couldn't deal with another 3 month wait. That was a BIG mistake! I've just become very irrationally paranoid about doctors. After all, you don't want to p**s off your surgeon before he puts you under! I did with the knee surgery and I'm paying the consequences!

I can find information about cataract surgery and everyone and everything I read says it's a piece of cake and outcome is great, but nothing about "3-distance" corrections. I know I need to go in, I just seem to find reasons to put it off. That, and a 3 month wait to see one!

My plan of attack now is to officially complain to my HMO and tell them they've messed up too many times---this time I DO NOT want to end up blind! Ask for an outside referral to the doc who did my Lasik. I still trust him and would feel a lot more comfortable.

Thanks for the encouragement, I will follow through---I promise!

Linda

marcia56 · #6 (**permalink**) 10-14-2008, 03:14 PM

Hi. I had similar trouble. I am a new contact lens wearer. Never needed glassed until my reading vision started getting bad in my early 40's. That has now progressed to affect all 3 ranges. I have been in progresive glasses for a year. They are good for everything but work. Anyway, about 6 weeks ago decided to try multifocal contacts. At 52 learning to poke myself in the eye has been a real challenge. But I am determined. My trouble was my distance vision, very blurry, and night vision, down right scary! I read many different sites looking for help, and mainly got, give it up to 3 weeks to adjust. I did, and there was no improvement. I went back to Dr. He then switched my dominate distance multi focal lens for "just" distance lense. Voila! I can see in the dark! I do notice a slight loss of reading comfort, but it has only been 2 days. the trade off has been worth it. I hope this helps.
Marcia

Linda · #7 (**permalink**) 10-14-2008, 06:11 PM

Thanks for the input Marcia, I was told the same thing, it takes the brain 3-4 weeks to accept the change, so stick with it!

Unfortunately, in my case we tried several options, including correcting each eye for a specific different distance, and after waiting the 4 weeks I still didn't have clear enough vision to function. I know a lot of people who have their vision corrected this way and are very successful! Hope you're one of them, that would be awesome! I don't think anyone who has not experienced losing vision to the point where you are unable to do the things you normally do can fathom the physical and emotional toll it takes.

I've been in a location where I haven't been able to get in to see an opthamologist, so I still don't know what they will have to offer. I was caught in the flooding we had last December here in Washington State, and I'm stuck at our summer home---a long way from my doctors since last December with only a few trips back to town, a 3 hour round trip, so I don't make it often. It takes 3 months to get an appointment with our HMO, and I don't know where I'll be in 3 months! In the meantime I just keep playing the "where's my glasses" and having horrible headaches game!

Nice to hear some "positive" news!

Linda

Lynda Baldelli · #8 (**permalink**) 07-27-2009, 11:45 AM

It took me nearly two years to get the right lenses for me. I have perfect distance vision, but after 40 my close up went blurry, and then about 12 ft around went blurry. Presbyopia. One of the hardest visions to correct.

I had to try several manufacturers. Even though my prescription was the same, some lenses were blurry through ALL ranges, and some blurry at distance.

I finally found two which suited me. Purevision and Soflens. Whilst Soflens was actually more comfortable with close to perfect vision at all ranges, I found they went blurry by the evening and I had to take them out. I couldn't 'nap' in them either, they felt welded to my eyes if I was on a long plane journey for instance, and dozed off.

So - I stuck with the Purevision. It took me several MONTHS to get them to feel comfortable on my eyes - and now I'm thrilled to bits. I can sleep in them, and the vision never seems to blur.

I think it depends on having a patient eye doctor who is prepared to keep trying different brands! The Acuvue (which are very popular) were horrendous - I couldn't see a thing, and almost gave up! So DO try different brands - it makes a massive difference.

Linda · #9 (**permalink**) 07-28-2009, 12:49 PM

Lynda your note came at a perfect time. I'm still walking around half blind and dealing with headaches all the time.

I finally went back to the Dr. who did my Lasik surgery to see what they thought. I did some research and found out that cataract surgery is a "whole different game" when you've had Lasik surgery. Something about the Dr. having to know the correction, etc. *before* the Lasik. Great! Now I *really* don't want to go to my HMO doc

. But at $3800/eye I don't have a lot of choices. Going to try to work on the referral thing.

In the meantime, the Lasik doc didn't think my cataracts were that bad, but because my correction was so strong originally (-8.75) they had to remove a lot of tissue. They said they'd prefer to wait until after the cataract surgery to do any more because I may only have enough tissue left to do one more Lasik procedure. In the meantime she suggested I try the contact lens with the correction for distance and mid range in different eyes again. I can deal with having to wear reading glasses, but if the contacts are correcting for different distances I would think the reading glasses would have to be prescription---not sure about this, does anyone know?

I agree about the doctor though. Mine seemed patient with me at the beginning, but after a couple months she decided it had to be the cataracts causing the problems with blurry vision. I'm not convinced. When I first started wearing contacts years ago I found the optometrists don't have a lot of patience when it comes to problem patients. They want you in and out. Trying to decide what to do and have pretty much decided I don't want to have the cataract surgery yet---but I need to see! Glasses (trifocals) are such a poor option because of my lifestyle. Hard to use binoculars with glasses and I'm an outdoor type (distance) who works on the computer a lot (mid range) and do a lot of fine, detailed close-up work. Ugh! I just want to see and not have to fight with doctors and wear glasses! Contacts are the best solution right now, but the multifocals just didn't work for me.

Thanks for the encouragement Lynda, I'm still plugging away at this, but getting very discouraged. Seems like every "different" attempt costs me more $$$ and still can't see

.