Q: I enjoy outdoor activities but my glasses can get in the way at times…..they slide down my nose, I might want sunglasses instead, and they fog up in cold weather. Do I have any options in contacts that would still give me reading vision too?
A: Yes you do! The technology in contacts has come a long way, now including “multifocal” optics. The term means that the new lenses can provide clear vision for distance, intermediate, and near….all at once. Technically, the term bifocal means two focuses…..strictly distance and near, with nothing in between. As in glasses, that older style bifocal lens is about extinct.
I should add that if you were prescribed contacts ten years ago, or more, you likely got “monovision” lenses. That design meant that you had one eye corrected for distance, and the other eye corrected for near. Yes, it sounds pretty odd. In reality, it worked pretty well for many people. In fact, I still have the occasional patient who gets their cataract implants in monovision prescriptions. The major weakness in monovision is that there is no correction for intermediate vision, such as your computer screen or the dashboard in your car.
Multifocal contacts have three prescriptions in each lens….for distance, intermediate, and for near. And unlike glasses, you do not need to look up for driving and down for reading. Amazingly, your brain can use the prescription it needs to see all three distances. And for some sports or activities, we just prescribe distance lenses. Many patients mainly need clear distance vision for riding a bike, or playing pickleball, or whatever and very little need for close up vision.
Best of all, these vision correction options are available in daily disposable lenses. That allows you to just open a fresh pair of lenses for the day and pop them in…..disposing them after your day out. No cleaning, or lens rubbing, or storing in a disinfecting solution needed! This simple option is generally heathier and easier for most patients, especially kids and teens.
Your best plan may be to talk with your eye doctor about your options in vision correction. While all vision prescriptions are available in eyewear lenses, there are still some higher power or more unusual prescriptions not there yet in disposable contacts. And generally, we all keep thousands of diagnostic lenses in stock in our offices so you could try out a pair “in the real world” for a week. This is critical, in my opinion, as you may find your first lenses need a little more distance vison or reading vision, and that can be solved after you wear them a few days.
Commonly these days, many people wear glasses for work but use daily contacts for outdoors or weekends. Try them out, comfort is great these days, and you will likely love the freedom!