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Have you hit that point where you feel no matter where you hold your reading material, you just can’t find the right spot to see well? Or do you say to yourself, if only there was enough light in the room, then I could read it!! Well, we have good news for you!

Before you are fit for contact lenses, there are few things that are VITAL to understand before success can be achieved. In general, there are three “working distances” we use on a daily basis: distance vision, intermediate vision (computer), and near vision. At Southwest Vision we strive to get all those working distances manageable, however COMPROMISE is the key to success when it comes to either monovision or multifocal contact lenses.

What is monovision?? This is the idea that we gear your dominant eye for distance vision and your other eye for intermediate/reading vision with contact lenses. This works about 80% of the time for most patients. However, the brain has to adapt to this concept and sometimes this is hard some people. Multifocal contact lenses are geared for distance and intermediate/near in EACH eye, so both eyes work together. Both methods can be successful with the idea that one of the working distances will be slightly compromised.

So do you want it all… GREAT VISION WITHOUT GLASSES?? Of course you do, but unfortunately this is not reality. Here is a good way to approach being fit for either monovision or multifocal contacts:

• GREAT VISION, NO COMPROMISES – after reading this, if you feel like you honestly could not give up any working distance and need everything to be crisp… fair enough!! However, this means glasses are your best option and you are most likely not a contact lens candidate.
• GREAT VISION, MINIMAL COMPROMISES – for our patients who are willing to only give up a little of their vision we usually recommend gearing the contact lenses for distance only (with maybe some minimal intermediate relief) and wearing over-the-counter readers to magnify the intermediate/reading material.
• GREAT VISION, MODERATE COMPROMISES – this is the category where most of our patients fall!! These patients are tired of reaching for glasses to read the menu and smart phones, and would like to not wear glasses every time they sit in front of the computer. We spend as much time needed with these patients to get vision functional at all distances, with the concept that maybe it is ok to not be a super sharp 20/20 at distance so they don’t have wear reading glasses all the time. Our motto: if we can get you out of readers for 80% of your day, this is a successful fit!

At Southwest Vision we have the newest design of multifocal contact lenses available and work with cutting edge technology to get your vision the way YOU want it. Our doctors will set extra time aside with our multifocal patients to gear the lenses to your needs. With a positive attitude and compromise, monovision and multifocal contacts will work for 100% of all our patients who wish to try it!!

AllAboutVision.com can educate you about treatment for pink eye, symptoms of an ocular migraine, and causes of eye floaters and eye twitching.

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