UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

Hi everyone..

Just wondering if anyone has experienced this before...

Earlier this week I collected a new set of RGP lenses from the hospital - when I tried them on I could read the next to bottom line of the Snellen Chart so I was delighted - colours looked brighter, blacks looked blacker etc.

But when I got home I found I couldn't read with them unless I held the book/newspaper about a foot away.

I found this very frustrating so have now reverted back to my old ones, have tried the new ones several times since but I still have difficulty reading - whereas my 'long' vision is probalbly the best it's been in years.

Fortunately I've got a follow up appointment with my Consultant next Tuesday.

Just wondered if anyone else has experienced this ?

Chris xxx

Christine

did you get your lenses mixed up?

I did find that when I was about 36 I began to need reading glasses as well as contact lenses. I grumbled to my optician about this and he said, "what do you expect at your age?"

"A bit of civility from opticians".

Andrew

Hehe Christine,

I am afraid Andrew is spot on... sounds like a bit of getting older to me!

As you age, near vision starts to get difficult - its called presbyopia. If your contacts are underpowered, then reading is OK, but long is difficult. If you correct the long, then reading gets difficult!

However, it may just be that the distance is slightly over corrected... so best to go back and check with your optom....

Many thanks - yes they are in the right eyes - I also tried them in the 'opposite' eyes just in case they'd been mixed up at the manufacturer.

As it's my 39th birthday later this month (aaagh !!) I agree It's probalbly down to my rapidly advancing years - I will check with my Consultant anyway.

If it is 'my age' I wonder if I will need glasses or just a different lens ?

Many thanks again - your comments were much appreciated.

Chris xx

Chris

I made the adjsutment by having reading glasses that I put on over my lenses when I needed to read. for all other purposes I was fine with the lenses alone.

39 seems young to be developing presbyopia (lfarsightedness caused by loss of elasticity of the lens of the eye, occurring typically in middle and old age.)

Andrew

It's not unknown to be given the wrong prescription - see my recent post " piggy back update!!

So I'd get the hospital to check it again. You may just have had your vision overcorrected which I think is what has happened to me. I can read the bottom line of the Snellen chart at the moment - but I have no close or intermediate useful vision without glasses.

Thanks for that Pat, very interesting, in an ideal world I would use my new lenses when I'm out and about, then whip them out for the old ones when I'm reading

How lucky are 'normal' people who can just slip on their bi-focal glasses...

On a totally different note - if you get lenses with the wrong prescription - do you have to pay for the correct replacements ?

Thanks again -

Chris xx

As far as I know, if you get lenses at the NHS rate, you only pay for one pair a year, unless you lose or break one!

Andrew

hi donna

i never realised that being 39 was actually slipping gently into middle age. i'm 40 but my head still tells me i'm 21, the calendar lies

mike

Generally with any lens you shouldn't pay if its the "wrong" prescription.

I say "wrong" in rabbits ears because in certain cases - like not very well controlled diabetes - the prescription can change through no fault of the fitter - but generally in that situation, it has been exaplined to you already up front that you might have to pay extra costs.

As I said.. check this out because at 39 you DO seem a little young for presbyopia!