Do i really need these glasses?

Hi Doctor
I recently got precription glasses for the first time ever. I am 41 years old. The prescription is
Right: -0.25 DS 1BI
Left: PL DS 1BI
Add +1.00

I am having a Lot of difficulty adjusting to the bifocal lenses, to the point where I am uncertain walking on a sidewalk, for example, because I appear not to be able to correctly gauge depth.
Also, for both near and far vision, the glasses do not make the image sharper/clearer, just slightly larger.
I can read fine, even in poor light, without them.

I have returned to the optometrist and explained this situation, and that I have been unable to wear the glasses for more than 10 minute at a time. He urged me to persevere and said that if I was still finding it impossible, he would turn them into reading glasses only. As I said, i have NO TROUBLE with reading - not even strain after an extended period.

My question is, do I even need them at this point and why on earth bifocals as my "entry level" glasses? (He mentioned something about trying to correct a muscular issue that I was unaware of).

Also, is it true that once you start wearing glasses, your eyes become lazy and dependant on them, and your prescription consequently gets higher and higher?

My gut instinct in this instance is "if it aint broke ..."

Your opinion would be much appreciated.

Thank you

[Ray T Oyakawa, MD]

You are an early presbyopia patient (decrease in reading).  This prescription has prisms in both eyes.  The rest of the prescription is insignificant.

right -.25 for distance is the smallest possible prescription.  Left PL is zero or no prescrtion of distance.  

The near of +1.00 is the minimal readers.


You can get +1.00 reader for about $5.00.


Dr. O.

[melinda68]

$5, hmmm. These glasses cost me about $450, lol. Thank you for your reply.

May I also ask what prisms are , do I actually need them, and will I become dependent on them?

I'm tempted to ditch the whole thing and get the $5 glasses when I actually start to notie a problem

[Ray T Oyakawa, MD]

Prism are put into glasses if you have double vision.  However, I diopter BI prism are next to nothing, just like your glasses.

Dr. O.

[berrywoo]

I would definitely ditch the Rx glasses. Try to get your money back for them, especially since the Rx is really very very weak. I think you'd be better off with an over the counter pair of reading glasses.

[JodieJ]

I agree with berrywoo.  $450 is a lot to spend on glasses you don't need.  These are hard economic times; perhaps your optometrist had a past due tuition payment to make.  

[melinda68]

I have NEVER had double vision - ie a convergence problem. What I have had is a mild ghosting effect from slight astigmatism in one eye.

Forunately I have good insurance and got a large chunk of that back. I think I will take the glasses back and ask him to make them reading glasses only. Sigh.

PS> This is the SAME optometrist who refused to dilate my eyes when I complained of seeing fixed spots in my vision, and proceeded  to tell me it was spiritual problem before handing me Scientology brochures. No kidding!

[JodieJ]

Your script has no astigmatism correction, if that's what you need.  Since you don't need readers, why bother remaking the glasses?  I predict that you'll never wear those $450 readers.  Go for a full refund, and use your insurance benefits to get some nice sunglasses (at a different optical shop.)  Maybe you'd do better seeing an ophthalmologist, or at least find an experienced optometrist who doesn't push Scientology literature.

[melinda68]

Thanks for the great advice Jodie!
I actually did see an opthalmologist prior to seeing the optometrist, for an unrelated, as yet undiagnosed retinal problem. He gave me a different prescription, which the optometrist dismissed as incorrect, so I'm really at a loss here.
It was  -75 (right eye) and -75 +25 +130 (left).
I have no idea what that means.

[JodieJ]

The script means that you are mildly nearsighted in both eyes and your left eye has very slight astigmatism.  I don't know which of your scripts are right.  If you're not having problems with your vision, you can probably get those sunglasses with your insurance benefits.

[melinda68]

yep, you've convinced me!