Reply to: Contact lenses vs glasses

[TimberWolf]

Well over it actually you old smoothie you.

You're doing well if you can read comfortably in a full contact lens prescription. Just how far away do you push your monitor

The expected maximum and minimum amplitudes of accommodation for a corrected patient of a given age can be determined using Hofstetter's formulas: Expected amplitude (D) = 18.5 - 0.3 x (age in years), Maximum amplitude (D) = 25 - 0.4 x (age in years), Minimum amplitude (D) = 15 - 0.25 x (age in years).
Presbyopia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

E.g. expected amplitude is 18.5 - 0.3 * 45 = 5 dioptres for a 45 years old. Min & max range is 3.75 to 7 dioptres.

[Lockhouse]

Sounds like you are under 40. Report back later

Well over it actually you old smoothie you.

[Lockhouse]

You know you can get bi- and vari- focal contact lenses?

These are more expensive than contact lenses for straight myopia and presbyopia but if you having to go through that hassle I would mention it to your optician. I had to push an optician into giving me the correct prescription for my contact lenses in the past when I changed opticians as they often try and get you on to the cheapest lenses.

Cheers - I will see what he says at me next eye test.

[SueEllen]

I'm short sighted, I can't see close up wearing either glasses or contacts. Normally I wear contacts as my monitor at work is a couple of feet away which is OK, but tend to wear glasses at home so I can lift them up to see things up close or to read. When I read on the train home it's easier to do it with one eye shut....and there rests the case for the defence M'lud...

You know you can get bi- and vari- focal contact lenses?

These are more expensive than contact lenses for straight myopia and presbyopia but if you having to go through that hassle I would mention it to your optician. I had to push an optician into giving me the correct prescription for my contact lenses in the past when I changed opticians as they often try and get you on to the cheapest lenses.

[TimberWolf]

I'm short sighted, I can't see close up wearing either glasses or contacts. Normally I wear contacts as my monitor at work is a couple of feet away which is OK, but tend to wear glasses at home so I can lift them up to see things up close or to read. When I read on the train home it's easier to do it with one eye shut....and there rests the case for the defence M'lud...

Sounds like you are under 40. Report back later

[Lockhouse]

I'm short sighted, I can't see close up wearing either glasses or contacts. Normally I wear contacts as my monitor at work is a couple of feet away which is OK, but tend to wear glasses at home so I can lift them up to see things up close or to read. When I read on the train home it's easier to do it with one eye shut....and there rests the case for the defence M'lud...

[Netraider]

I have monofocal contact lenses. My left eye lense is used for distance, and the optician tried a variety of strength lenses to get the ideal lense for computer work.

I also have normal daily disposables for sports etc.

[conned tractor]

I'm short sighted -3.50 each eye, with that perscription in my specs I'm fine but same perscription in contact lenses vision is not as good I can't work in them using a computer I have to use my specs. Anyone had the same issue and how did they sort it, did you just increase the contact lense perscription or will always be the case contact lenses are not as good as glasses if short sighted ?

Who siad that? <\Tommy Cooper>

[TimberWolf]

Yes. Used to get a mild headache if I wore my glasses for ages, but contact lenses were fine. Then my prescription changed; now I get a mild headache if I wear the contact lenses for ages, but glasses are fine. It's because they make them to whichever nice round number is closest to your precise measurements.

Usually they make the prescription up so that you can see well at long distance, unless they are bi/var/focal lenses. And the eyes need to work to see at closer distances, which gets harder as you age, and harder with contacts. Unless either happened to be a lesser prescription for distance in error of course.

[Paddy]

I'm short sighted -3.50 each eye, with that perscription in my specs I'm fine but same perscription in contact lenses vision is not as good I can't work in them using a computer I have to use my specs. Anyone had the same issue and how did they sort it, did you just increase the contact lense perscription or will always be the case contact lenses are not as good as glasses if short sighted ?

I seems you need varifocal lenses with a + 1 + 2 added. How old are you?


BTW, I used to have a pair made up just for computer screens with a warm tint. A pair of ordinary - 2.5 could work OK

[thunderlizard]

Yes. Used to get a mild headache if I wore my glasses for ages, but contact lenses were fine. Then my prescription changed; now I get a mild headache if I wear the contact lenses for ages, but glasses are fine. It's because they make them to whichever nice round number is closest to your precise measurements.

[TimberWolf]

I'm short sighted -3.50 each eye, with that perscription in my specs I'm fine but same perscription in contact lenses vision is not as good I can't work in them using a computer I have to use my specs. Anyone had the same issue and how did they sort it, did you just increase the contact lense perscription or will always be the case contact lenses are not as good as glasses if short sighted ?

Contact lens prescriptions are usually slightly weaker than glasses, as they refract more efficiently with the lens being nearer the eyeball. I don't recall whether this difference is built-in to each type of lens type prescription though.

Apart from that glasses are usually easier on myopes (especially after the age of 40) because they minify and add prism which makes accommodation (focussing) and vergence (cross-eyedness) easier at close distances. The effect is opposite for long-sighted people. This is much like for normal people's eye, it's just myopes are losing some advantage normally sighted people (emmytropes) don't have when they use contacts.

Contact lenses vs spectacle... [Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2011] - PubMed - NCBI

You'd have to lessen your prescription (i.e. less minus) rather than increase it. Course you could wear reading glasses as well as your current contacts I find a prescription after all corrections of -1 dioptres (slight short-sightedness) is great, as this means images at 1m are essentially at infinity, which is nice for computer work. The eyes are relaxed, with no accommodation needed. So for a prescription of -3.5, a prescription of -2.5 would do it. Even so, I don't like contacts, especially for reading.

[SueEllen]

Some opticians tend to over-compensate on the prescription between glasses and lenses. I've had it before, got the prescription tweaked by 1/2 and things were fine.

They need to be a bit weaker due to the position to your eye but it sounds as though they've gone too far.

Best you can do is speak to them.

WHS

Normally opticians give you a week to two weeks trial in them before you buy them to check they have your prescription right. If they aren't right the trial starts again until you are comfortable and will buy them. If the optician doesn't do that specificially for a first time wearer you need to go elsewhere.

In regards to be better or worse than glasses - each has their own advantages.

Contact lenses have the advantage you won't suffer from steaming up when you go indoors in winter, getting them rained on or have a baby/toddler grab them because their parents/other siblings don't wear them. There as glasses are good when you need some eye protection.

The only thing you need to be aware of when staring at a computer screen is to blink enough otherwise you will suffer from dry eyes.

[gingerjedi]

I'm short sighted -3.50 each eye, with that perscription in my specs I'm fine but same perscription in contact lenses vision is not as good I can't work in them using a computer I have to use my specs. Anyone had the same issue and how did they sort it, did you just increase the contact lense perscription or will always be the case contact lenses are not as good as glasses if short sighted ?

I'm -3.0 in each eye, I can't get on with contacts and computer work either as my eyes feel dry and out of focus with prolonged use.

Also because I'm a vain git I have the thinnest spectacle lenses possible which makes things look smaller so when I put contacts in everything looks massive!

I find a glasses for work and disposable contacts for sport/nights out works out fine and quite cheap as I don't use many.

[the_rangdo]

Some opticians tend to over-compensate on the prescription between glasses and lenses. I've had it before, got the prescription tweaked by 1/2 and things were fine.

They need to be a bit weaker due to the position to your eye but it sounds as though they've gone too far.

Best you can do is speak to them.