Everything I read talks about "adjusting" to contacts. I had soft contacts about 17 years ago, then didn't need any correction for years. (Probaby because I left my desk job!!) But now they tell me I need bifocals. I got the progressive glasses, but I don't want to wear glasses. So I got soft bifocal contacts yesterday. I can hardly see in them! Everything is blurry. I can see better without. Is that something my eyes will adjust to? I thought adjustment meant to the feel. The feel doesn't bother me at all. But I can't see very well. Did anyone else experience this problem? Thanks, KJ

The first lenses the doctor gives you are kinda 'hit and miss'. Chances are they won't be correct the first time, and will need refinement on your follow-up visit, hence the need for that appointment.

What bifocal contacts are you wearing??? Some are much better than others...

Did your doctor discuss Monovision as an option?

Thanks for your reply! No, they aren't monovision and I told them I don't want that. I'm already monovision and that's bugging me.

I have no idea what kind of contacts they are other than they are soft and the bifocal part is around. I don't know if it's in the center or not. I don't even know if they are trifocals or not. My glasses are.

I just can't see right out of them. I see better with nothing at all. Will I really get used to them after a couple of weeks? It seems like I have the wrong prescription or something.

Thanks for your time!! http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

If you're still having problems, call the place up where you got them. I take it you might have and they suggested that you "get used to them". Well call back and say you're not satisfied and that you want to try a different brand or get these checked for accuracy.

You are right in that the adjustment period usually refers to how they fit and feel not in how well you can see out of them. You should be able to see. It shouldn't take no more than a day or two to get used to the change.

There really is not a way to check the "accuracy" of the prescription of a soft contact lens. It's rare for the Rx to be off but mistakes do happen! Luckily these days lens manufacturers will gladly send a trial pair of contact lenses to your eye care professional at no charge. The trial pair is the EXACT same quality as the lenses you will eventually purchase, which allows you to both test out comfort and power before dishing out the big bucks for what seems like a lifetime supply http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/wink.gif. Unfortunately, when one moves to bifocal contact lenses in either a multifocal design or through the monovision set up, there will always be compromises to make. The easy solution is to go back to wearing your progressives (multi-focal glasses). It sounds like you need to go back to your doctor for a follow up and have a few trial and error sessions with him! Good Luck!

qwerty75, Lindarella & OptiSno,

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer. I did call again and this time they took me in right away. They were the trial lenses (2-week disposables, so I know if they get me to like them they will get lots of money from me over the years!!!) Anyway, the doctor said it does sometimes take several fittings to get it right. I don't know if that's true or not, but I don't have any other experience and there don't seem to be many people with bifocal contacts. But many seem to go with the monovision (which I don't want.)

So now I at least have one good eye. I'm not used to the other one and the doc said something about my brain needing to learn to adjust to the different parts of the lense. The only reason I question that is because there never seems to be a good place to look out of that lense!!! But at least I can see pretty well, with the other one compensating.

qwerty, I found out they are AcuVue2 (sp??) Since I don't have a box yet, I forgot how to spell it!! But I still don't know anything else about them. The doc said my new ones aren't really monovision but he's trying to get me to see better out of one for close up. To me that's monovision, and I said I didn't want that, but I guess I'll try. I'll bug him until he gets it right!! One of his staff told me lots of people who couldn't wear bifocal contacts come to him and he's able to help them!

OptiSno, you are right about going back to my glasses. I had to for awhile, but I can't wait to have the contacts straightened out because my peripheral vision in them is so much better!! Maybe it's the mother in me that feels like I should have eyes in the back of my head!!!!

But I wanted to let you know that the second pair was better and I think I will be able to finally get them as good as they can be.

Lindarella, thanks for validating my feelings about "getting used to them." I was beginning to feel as though I was imagining it. You both let me know that the contacts could have been wrong for me or maybe just a bad pair. I feel much better!!

Thanks, KJ http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by kjgems (edited 02-05-2003).]