We spend a lot of time reading information up close. Whether it’s a magazine, a book, or a phone, we live in a world where we consume information constantly. Reading with clarity is essential to maintaining a good quality of life.
Usually, reading glasses are the best option when you have trouble focusing up close. These glasses magnify objects and help you clearly see detailed images like written words. But contact lenses have become more popular because they are comfortable and convenient.
Contact lenses, however, are difficult to remove and replace throughout the day. If your prescription is meant to help you see at a distance, you can’t remove your contact lenses to help you focus on reading up close. But are there ways contact lenses can help you read and see far away simultaneously?
What Are Contact Lenses?
When light rays focus incorrectly in your retina, it can cause eye conditions like myopia and hyperopia. Contact lenses correct the direction of light rays to focus on your retina and help you see clearly, the same way that glasses work.
Contact lenses sit on the surface of your eye rather than in front of them like glasses. There are different types of contact lenses, all designed to fit your lifestyle and eye health needs:
- Daily lenses are convenient and hygienic. They are usually more comfortable than reusable contact lenses because you replace them every morning. Replacing them ensures substances don’t build up on the surface.
- Scleral lenses sit on the sclera instead of the cornea. People with severe dry eyes or irregularly-shaped corneas may find scleral lenses a good option.
- Multifocal lenses contain prescriptions for both near vision and distant vision. They can help with myopia control and help you read clearly if you have hyperopia.
- Hybrid lenses are designed for people with astigmatism when the eye’s surface isn’t evenly curved. Hybrid lenses are softer on the edge, comfortably fitting the eye.
Can Contact Lenses Help Me Read?
If you have hyperopia, you might find it challenging to focus on activities like reading. A similar problem occurs in people with presbyopia.
As our eyes age, they naturally lose elasticity, so focusing becomes difficult, causing blurriness. This blurriness can be detrimental to a person’s ability to read. Presbyopia is the term used to describe this blurred vision at a close distance.
Multifocal lenses are helpful if you need help focusing on reading because they seamlessly transition through prescriptions for near, far, and blurred vision. This transition helps treat myopia, hyperopia, and presbyopia simultaneously.
There are also bifocal contact lenses, which work similarly to bifocal glasses because there is an abrupt difference between the two prescriptions for short and long-distance vision. Multifocal lenses usually take a while to get used to but can offer a more seamless experience.
Are Contact Lenses Right for Me?
If you have multiple prescriptions for near and distant sight, glasses may have seemed like your only option. However, many people prefer contact lenses over glasses because contacts are easy to use and provide a wider field of vision since they sit directly on your cornea.
Suppose you decide to transition to contact lenses after consulting your doctor. In that case, it’s essential to understand how to care for your contact lenses to avoid complications, infections, and keep you comfortable. To care for your contact lenses, make sure you:
- Practice good hygiene
- Minimize contact with dirt & saliva
- Replace your lenses & case when needed
- Use hydrating drops to avoid dry eyes
Getting Fitted for Contact Lenses
Your eyes are unique. Not just the colour of your iris, but their shape and how your eyes process light and other visual information. Your prescription is customized to get you the ideal solution to your vision needs.
A contact lens exam is different from what you might be used to. In addition to a comprehensive eye exam to understand your prescription, your doctor will use special equipment to measure your eye’s topography and shape to get you the ideal fit. Are you considering contact lenses to help you read clearly and improve your overall vision quality? Book an appointment today.
