Farsighted and Nearsighted Correction

Hello,

I recently got a prescription for new glasses. I am nearsighted (-1.25) in my left eye. The new lens is great, I can see so much more clearly for distance and my close-up vision in that eye is still great with them on. My right eye is farsighted. He prescribed a +1.00 lens. However, the lens for this eye has made my long distance significantly worse (which I would expect from reading glasses, not a prescription?) and has not improved my close up vision in that eye AT ALL as it is still slightly blurry although readable. As a result, I can't see any better with my glasses. I guess I am just having trouble understanding how, if I am truly farsighted, corrective lenses are not helping at all?
After doing some research, I am wondering if I am experiencing some astigmatism in my right eye causing the blurriness even with corrective lenses because I have a lot of the symptoms (ie. frequent headaches and strain).

I went back to him today and he prescribed me the same -1.25 in my left and changed the right eye to 0.00. Instead, he added a +.5 bifocal in the left eye, and a +.75 bifocal in my right eye. I don't understand how I could possibly benefit from a bifocal. My reading is already great in the left and I don't have problems adjusting between distances at all. And if the previous +1.25 lens wasn't helping in my left eye, why would a +0.75 bifocal be any better? I remember him saying to me that he wanted to give me something in the farsighted eye rather than leaving it uncorrected. I suggested having a separate prescription for reading and working on my computer to help this eye. I did not expect him to prescribe bifocals (considering I am 21).

I won't go back to this optometrist because I have had an overall negative experience with him the past few weeks (ie. low patient interest). So, I'm just trying to understand a bit more before I find another doctor, and so that I can ask more informed questions.

Thanks!

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

1. What is your age?  2. Have you ever been told you have cataracts? 3. When you were young did you have to have one eye patched or told you have amblyopia?   4. What have you been told with previous eye exams?

You can be nearsighted (myopic) in one eye and farsighted (hyperopic) in the other. The condition is called aneisometrophia and makes glasses very difficult to get use to.

JCH MD