Eye Doctors: Inconsistent vision with new contact lenses?

Question

I just got contacts on Monday. I have been trying to get used to them and in the first two days, thought what I was seeing was just my eyes adjusting, but I don't think it is. My left eye and contact seem okay. It is a toric lens. My right eye, which actually has better unaided vision than the left is giving me problems. The right eye has slight astigmatism, apparently that cannot be corrected with soft contact lenses and so it is just a +.50 Rx. And I have noticed some "ghosting," especially with things produced by light (computer monitors, headlights, tv screens). If I cover the left eye, it goes away, so I know it's the right eye. I just can't help but think my vision is actually WORSE with the right contact in!!

What can I do?

Is there a contact lens made for "slight" astigmatism?

(I have my follow up appointment on Tuesday, so there's no point in going in early. I'm just looking for some input so I can have an intelligent conversation with my doctor.)

Answer 1

It's quite possible you will be better off with just one contact lens (there is an appreciable cost saving)

Last time I looked, 0.75 was the smallest degree of astigmatism for which mass produced lenses were made.

In theory someone with 0.50 astigmatism would be better with an 0.75 correction lens than none,(being only 0.25 off) but in practice that isn't always the case.

And 0.25 astigmatism should certainly be ignored.

It may need a trial toric lens in the right to settle the issue, but that shouldn't be a problem.
An extra toric lens will add to the running costs, so it must supply benefit equivalent to that. It's not a matter of "it makes things a tiny bit better so you must have it." One lens only *is * a real option.

But just to make it more complicated, a minority of people feel more comfortable wearing a pair of lenses (because the eyelids feel the same thing on a blink) even if one lens has to have a zero presciption.

Do you know what your Rx in the right eye is, exactly?

Answer 2

Since your left contact is fine, and your right eye has better unaided vision, you might try what I do, which is wear only one contact, in your case, the left eye. It works well for me, although it will take a day or two to get use to. This is called "monovision." Monovision has been used for many, many years to help people over 40 see both far away and up close with their contact lenses. Basically, what happens is that the central, clear vision of each eye sort of alternates between far and near, while the peripheral vision of both eyes stays locked together, allowing a person to see both far and near. In other words, one eye predominates at distance, and the other eye predominates at near, but both eyes continue to work as a team.

Is this harmful? Not at all. It does not permanently change the eye health or the vision system. It is definitely a compromise, but it works very well for many people.

Answer 3

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