Seeking Advice - Dallas,TX

Hi A.,

The brain is amazing and will adjust to extrodinary circumstances! You may notice some initial challenges with balance and memory, but you should be able to adjust quickly!

Good Luck!
S. M
The Cerebellum Center
www.cerebellumcenter.com
###-###-####

Hi - I've done this and didn't have any problems after a week or so. I had my yearly eye exam and went back to wearing both, for no reason really, different doctor, and I don't like it because I can't read at all with one in each eye. I think I'm going back to glasses because I can take those off easily when I want to read...it sucks to get old! At least I don't have to dig for reading glasses...yet.

I've worn one contact since 1994 when I got RK (before lasik). My vision was so bad. I had planned to get both eyes done but once I had the left eye done I realized that the vision wasn't going to be good enough. So now I wear a contact in my right eye -8.5. My left eye I can see distance well outside on a sunny day but can't read at all. My eyes are recently worse and I need a -9.25 correction in my right eye. I've opted for a lessor precscription so that I can still read. If I correct my left eye about - 1.25 I see double. Anyway I've had to adjust becuase of choices I made long ago. And I get by fine.

I have not personally done this but know several people who have. They haven't had any problems whatsoever with adjusting to the difference.

My mom (65) wears 1 contact lense. She has no issues with it.

Good uck!

I have never done this, but like the last poster do know many people who have and have never had an issue. If you don't wear it you may risk your sight getting worse, as well as headaches from squinting and over straining your eyes.

I come from a family of 26 optometrists, and I've worn glasses all my life. Years ago while living and working in St.Louis, I had to use the St.L phonebook to make a call. I couldn't read it! It was practically overnight that I could not read that phonebook. I called my dad and he asked me exactly how old I was. (too many kids) I told him I was 44. He laughed and said I was 4 years late!
My brother-in-law had catarac surgery with lens implants. One eye is fitted for distance, the other for near/reading. It took some getting used to, but he's doing fine. Personally, I think it would drive me nuts, but that's just me.

My mom's eyes are this way naturally & she does just fine. They tried glasses to balance both eyes & it was a disaster, so the doc said she was just fine the way God made her. One eye for distance & one for reading. It does take gettging used to, but getting glasses/contacts for both eyes does, too! Be patient wih your self & be thankful you have the gift of vision :) So often we forget how blessed we are!
Good luck!

I have the same problem, and when I was younger (in grade school) I only wore one contact. It didn't bother me at all. It really helped me strengthen my eyesight in my right eye when I wore it, but even now, I can't read that well if I close my left eye. (Which I don't ever do, so it's not a problem for me, as I have perfect vision in my left eye.) But now I just wear reading glasses if my eyesight becomes too strained. It's not a big deal, I don't think.

Additionally, as the other ladies have said, eyesight starts to deteriorate when you start getting a little older. It's better to do it and be able to see than to not do it because it seems unnatural. Plus, it will most likely save you a few headaches.

I say go for it! My mom did this for years and loved it. I tried it several years ago and never got the hang of it. I did however have lasik surgery a year ago and opted to have one eye farsighted, one eye nearsighted. I did this for two reasons; 1) if I didn't I would still have to have reading glasses, 2) if I didn't get used to it, in three months, I could have the nearsighted eye changed to be like the other and still wear reading glasses. Within a short time, I really did "forget" about it. I love it! Our brain is so much more capable than we give it credit.

Hi A.! What your doc fitted you in was a type of monovision. This is just one option essentially to "cheat" time so you don't have to wear bifocals or reading glasses. I have seen in my practice patients using this modality 20+ years w/o trouble. Now, it does take the brain some adjustment and some people will never adjust to this. If this is your case then ask your doc about bifocal contact lenses. Everyone's eyes age no matter what (contacts or laser surgery) and so you will most likely eventually need a contact lens in your other eye. All of this is normal and as long as you follow your doc's advice on wearing time and cleaning, etc. you should have no trouble.

I wear 2 contacts, but 1 is for reading and 1 is for seeing far. Retraining your brain to do this does no harm. My vision is 1.75 in my left and 5.00 in my right (and astigmatism), so it's easy for the brain to correct with the assistance of contacts or glasses.

As long as you are comfortable with your sight, wearing just one contact, and see fine, go with it. That's what's important. If you feel the need for 2 contacts, they could probably give you a contact with no correction. Ask. After all, all they'll say is no. Good luck!

My grandfather had an eye damaged in an accident when he was in his mid-20's. When contact lenses first came on the market in the late 50's and early 60's, he was fitted with one contact for his bad eye and wore one contact lense for years.

I've known several people who have done the one contact for distance and one for reading and didn't have a problem with it. I tried it for an hour or so a few years ago at the doctor's office and couldn't wait to take them out. I had the same concern you do. I actually felt scrambled with one for distance and one for reading.

I think a lot of the problem for me had to do with the strength of my prescription. I've worn glasses or contacts since I was 10 years old. I also have some astigmatism in each eye. I'm not a good candidate for laser surgery because my eyes are dry.

If you don't feel comfortable with the correction you are in now, change it. You may get used to it, but you may not, too.

Hi A.,
I have been wearing one contact for many years.
You do have to get use to it and when you do your life will be so much easier. It just takes time.
And Yes after 40 your body changes-Eyes especially.
Hang in there and try it for at least one month before you make a decision.
Best of Luck
M. C.
Aqua~Fit
Swim, Fitness & Wellness Center
www.aquafitplano.com

Hi A.,
I work in the optical industry so I'd to like share my thoughts. The recent changes you are experiencing with your vision is a natural aging process. Just like the muscles/joints in your body weaken, there are parts of your eye that loses functionality over time. With that said, using corrective measures (glasses, contacts, surgery) is actually a "natural" process. Whatever corrective measures chosen (by you and your doctor) is going to require an adaptation period which is esentially training your brain to see as you use to be able to see before the change. If it makes you feel any better, there is a high chance you will experience the same change in your right eye -) Please feel free to let me know if you have other questions.

I haven't done it w/ contacts but with lasik. My left and right eyes are set at 2 different strengths, one for near and one for far vision. It works, the brain does make the adjustment when you're just looking and going about your normal day, no worries there.

I have been doing the same for over two years now. I have had no problems and do not notice anything different. Be sure to use the rewetting eye drops and don't sleep in them. I too had perfect vision until my 40s and then it seemed like I woke up one morning and could not read. There are many different brands of contacts so make sure the ones you get are comfortable.

I think I'd rather use reading glasses when necessary and use a contact in the 1 eye for my "regular" vision which would include the distance.

Hi A., my name is K. & I have been dealing with this issue since I was in grade school. I have one eye (left) that is "normal." My right eye, however, is currently being adjusted with a -3.5 contact. This is a huge difference from the left eye which needs no correction. I will tell you that it can be a struggle if you ever find yourself without spare contacts or a set of glasses. Once you find that you are used to the correction that the new contact makes, it is strange to try to walk about with out it. I always have my contact in or my glasses on. I don't find any issues with it as long as I have the correction. As to your concern about your brain having to adjust; the fact is that your brain has already adjusted to the poor vision. All your doctor is trying to do is get it to adjust to seeing with the contact. I did without any type of correction from the time I was 16 until I was 25. This is a terrible thing to do as my right eye is now much weaker. I recommend that you wear the contact. You will be surprised at how much better you can see the world with it. I would caution you if they offer you glasses though. Depending on the level of correction in your eye, the lense tends to be slightly heavier than the plain glass lense that will cover your other eye. For me this results in headaches if I wear my glasses too long. The pressure on on the side of my nose that the heavier lense sits builds up until I have a migraine. As long as I don't wear them longer than four or five hours I am okay. You might look into lasik surgery though. My doctor has recommended it for me & I just need to get over the jitters before I do it! :) Good luck with your contact. It's not as bad as you think!

I wore one contact in my left eye for years. My right eye didn't need any correction for about three years. You aren't training your brain for the wrong reasons.

I have been wearing contacts for years. One for distance and one for reading. It's a little bit freaky, but it works. It is kinda strange but who cares if it works

I have been an optician on and off since 1995. This was in practice long before I started and continues to be common practice today. Most people adapt, however,some do not. Only time will tell for you personally. You could also be fit with a pair of progressive no line bifocals to wear all the time. If you say one eye needs distance correction, then probally doing without correction will only make your eyes strain more.

I think it is important to say, wearing corrective lenses, weather contacts or glasses will not change the natural progess of yours, and everyone elses eyes will go through. Wearing glasses does not make your eyes worse in any way. They do however remind your brain what it is like to see clearly and become adjusted to the clear vision you see with the corrected lenses.

You are not alone and your doctor is right in line with most practices to recommend mono vision contacts for you at this time.

Haven't you heard of needing reading glasses in your 40's? I hear it all the time. It comes with getting older.

This won't do any damage to your brain; all corrective lenses "retrain" your brain, just because your brain processes the info for seeing (like it processes everything else we do!) Clear vision is an amazing gift, and we are lucky to live in a time when it's accessable! Try your dr's advice, be patient as you adjust to your new situation, and you will be happy to see clearly!

My sister had worn just one contact for years, so when I went in for lasik surgery and the doctor gave me that option, I decided to try it. He said some people adjust to it well and others don't, and he had me wear one contact for a week to see if my eyes would adjust. It didn't happen immediately, but after a few days, it was working just fine. I had one eye corrected with lasik and it has ended up to be a very good solution for me! Good luck!

My mom has been doing this for the last 2 years and sh said once she got use to it she was fine.

A.,
I have worn one contact for 9 - 10 years and love it! I have not had any problems.