Hate Readers and Bifocals? Need a Better Solution?
For this blog post on Multifocal Contact Lenses, I am participating in a Vibrant Influencer network campaign for Bausch + Lomb. I am receiving a fee for posting; however, the opinions expressed in this post are my own. I am in no way affiliated with Bausch + Lomb and do not earn a commission or percent of sales.
The Chief Blonde’s Contact Story
I have worn eye correction since I was in fifth grade. I am horribly nearsighted and can’t see far away. I started with glasses, and I HATED them. While glasses are quite cool today, at that time it felt to me like only GEEKS wore glasses and I detested wearing them.
My eye professional initially didn’t feel I could wear contacts, so from the time I was eleven until I was 16, I wore glasses! Then I begged my mom to take me to the eye doctor again and he said I could try contacts. Alleluia! I never looked back, I have worn contacts for 36 years. I only wear glasses when I am at home, otherwise it’s contacts all the way.
Imagine my horror when my near vision started to go. I am a blogger, I have to be able to read my computer screen. I take medicine, I need to be able to read the labels. Reading the newspaper is what I do every morning, I couldn’t anymore. I tried wearing readers but they just frustrated me. I went to the eye doctor and he explained I had Presbyopia.
What the heck is Presbyopia?
It finally happened: you picked up your smartphone – and those emails are a blur. This condition has a name – no, not “aging,” – it’s called Presbyopia. You know the signs: you need to hold smartphones, tablets and menus further away in order to focus properly. Close-work, like reading or handwriting, can give you a headache or cause eyestrain. There are over 100 million “presbyopes” in the U.S. – many of whom have never had a vision problem before – and this number is growing.
Presbyopia is not a disease – it’s just a medical term for what’s happening to your vision. It’s a natural part of getting older. In young people, the eye’s lens is soft and flexible, and readily changes shape to focus. As you age, the crystalline lens in your eye hardens and loses elasticity. With this loss of flexibility, your eyes are less able to adjust to changes in focus from near to far and in-between.
~U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census and Bausch + Lomb
EEK! Does that mean I can’t wear my contacts anymore?
Almost half of women over the age of 40 admit to feeling embarrassed, frumpy or annoyed when reaching for reading glasses, but what’s a woman to do when a survey, conducted by Bausch + Lomb, in partnership with VibrantNation, Inc., found that many women who wear glasses or contact lenses still have difficulty reading labels? Watch this video where Stephen Reily, founder of Vibrant Nation, and Dr. Rhonda Robinson, discuss the survey findings and how a new contact lens technology, Multi-focal lenses, is providing a new alternative to current “old-tech” options of drugstore readers or magnifiers. You can watch the video, to hear a great discussion about the new Bausch + Lomb Multi-Focal Contact Lenses.
Why not just wear mono-vision contacts?
Monovision contacts correct one eye for up close vision and one eye for far vision. Often, over time, the up close corrected eye becomes so bad that it becomes difficult to correct. With Multi-Focal Lenses your vision is no longer corrected in a mono way, it is corrected via binocular, meaning that both eyes are corrected giving you all distance vision. This aspect of Multifocal lenses got me more excited than any other.
All Distance Vision
Visit your eye care professional or head over to Good Bye Readers to get more information on Multi-Focal lenses including:
- An explanation of Multi-Focal contact lenses
- A demo of how you see when wearing the lenses (THIS WAS FASCINATING! It was like I could have my young eyes back!)
- Get a FREE TRIAL of Bausch + Lomb PureVision 2 Multi-Focal Contact Lenses for Presbyopia.
Wouldn’t you like to say goodbye to reading glasses and hello to all distance vision?
I’ve been wearing glasses since 2nd grade. When I looked into contacts many years ago they said my astigmatism was too bad for them. I now just don’t want to mess with contacts.
I wear reading glasses now and have been considering contacts. This might be something I check into soon.
I have contacts for near-sightedness, but they interfere with close-up reading or even putting on eye make-up. Maybe these new multi-focal lens is the answer to my problem!
Same here, I wore glasses until I was about 16, and once I got contacts I never looked back. I only wear my glasses when I’m at home. These Multi-Focal Contact Lenses sound interesting, definitely something to look into.
I’ve been wearing glasses since 5th grade, also. I was 15 when I got my first contacts. My sight has changed so much that I gave up the contacts about 5 years ago but still wish I could wear them. A trial pair of these would be great to try out.
I’ve been a “glasses geek” since 5th grade and do wear contacts on occasion for my near-sightedness. I would wear them more if I could also read close-up when I have on contacts. Maybe these new multi-focal lenses will solve this vexing problem!
Luckly I didn’t start wearing glasses until I was 20. I finally took the leap and purchased contacts. I am near-sighted so the contacts worked great. After my car accident I had to have so many surgeries that we decided to get Lasik surgery. Now I can see and don’t have to worry about breaking glasses in the bed. I would wear glasses when I didn’t wear contacts. This sounds good because I’m now wearing readers to read or do computer work. I’m going to the eye doctor next week or so and I’m going to see if these would work for me. So many improvements since I wore contacts. I hate wearing readers and would be willing to get contacts if they work. Thanks for sharing this great news.
I have thought about getting contacts before, I am glad to see that they have come to add for reading, , well I guess I am showing my age lol
It’s amazing how far we’ve come in glasses and contacts. Glasses are cool now giving “specs” appeal and so many styles. Don’t want glasses contacts now correct so many types of vision problems. It’s wonderful and gives people the options they want and need.
I actually was 20/20 vision for most of my childhood, teenager, and young adult life. Until this year that is when I went to the eye doctor and was told I have a slight prescription. I don’t mind wearing my glasses but if my eyes get to the point where I have to wear them everyday, I think contacts would be in my future!
I spent about 10 years doing the reading glasses dance. I did try mono vision lens at one time, but they just didn’t work for me. I went back to using reading glasses after about 3 weeks. I’ve had multi-focal lens for 3 years now and love, love, love them! I’d encourage anyone who is “older” to try them. (I wear Air Optix lenses. My eye doctor says his patients have had the most success with them. Also, I can still wear these 24 hours a day like I did my single vision lens!)
That’s so interesting. I love talking to someone who wears them. I cant wait to talk to my doctor. I have am glad you shared that brand so I can ask my doctor about them. The Chief Blonde
I wish I could wear these contacts but my eyesight is too bad (I’m on the finger system, NOT ie 20/20)! I’ve been wearing contacts for 30 years (Starting out with glasses in the 2nd grade) and I had no shame in wearing reading glasses but my eye doctor has me in 2 strengths of contacts; one is stronger than the other so one eye can read better closer (like reading glasses). works great and no more reading glasses!
Barrie what you describe is Mono Vision correction I think. That’s what I do. I can’t wait to try the Multi-Focal (they now have a toric!!)
I am so glad you shared this..similar story here.I am nearsighted and wore glasses until I was 20 and I too hated them.I switched to contacts but now I can’t see with them or glasses..well anything small print or real close.I am SO checking into these! Are they a lot more expensive than regular contacts? Have you had any problems with them?Curious minds want to know 😛
Dana, not sure but you can click on the link and get a free trial pair
Thanks Shelley..I am going to check these out 🙂
WOW, I wear contacts too and this looks amazing!
Going to tell this to my friends, they will surely love to try these contact lens.
Great post!
XO
Jeanne
http://fashionmusingsdiary.blogspot.fr
I’ve been wearing glasses since 1st grade and hate them. I started wearing contacts in 7th grade but now noticing what you’ve described — my arms aren’t long enough anymore! Definitely going to mention this to my doctor at my next appointment.
As a contact lens wearer, new technology in lenses really excites me. I was fascinated when my father told me is newest lenses were multifocal! They have made his life so much better!
I would definitely try this option if I didn’t have cataract surgery. It seems like it would be much easier for my brain than monovision.
I’m with you. I got my glasses when I was six. Then contacts at 17. I wore them until I got my double vision and had to go back to glasses. Now I have no choice because I have to have prisms in my lenses.