Gas Permeable Contact Lenses

I have latent hyperopia and have been trying out a set of multifocal soft contact lenses.  The correction is small, ranging from +1.25 to plain 0.  My latent hyperopia is +1.00.  For the most part, my vision with these contact lenses - the first that I've tried - is excellent.  However, I am experiencing the following specific problems:

1.  For reading, it seems that whenever I blink, my vision goes slightly blurry for a second before becoming clear again, making reading almost impossible with these contact lenses.  And even when that does not happen, I'm finding my reading vision slightly blurry most of the time.  This is also the case with intermediate tasks - i.e., reading text on a computer screen.  

2. Everything seems brighter when I am wearing the contact lenses.  Sunlight and indoor lights all seem substantially brighter, which is disconcerting If I'm sitting inside somewhere and a window happens to be open and not blocked with shades.  

Should I ask to try gas permeable lenses?  I've heard these are harder to get used to but sometimes provide more stable vision.  Alternatively, does this sound like a case where the contacts do not fit properly, and a proper fitting would correct the problems?  

Thanks

[Michael J Kutryb, MD]

I would suggest you tell your ophthalmologist or optometrist about your symptoms and consider first trying another pair of soft multifocal contact lenses.  If no help, then next step would be to try regular single vision soft contact lenses with some adjustments as necessary to help with reading vision ( or just wear reading glasses over contacts for reading.)  The next option would be to just wear glasses part time, then lastly you could consider a trial on gas permeable contacts, but honestly for your small prescription, it seems like a lot of work for a small reward.  Just my personal thoughts.  Latent hyperopia in your small range is not a major problem and don't feel like you have to wear contacts - it is just one option to try.

Michael Kutryb, MD
Kutryb Eye Institute
Titusville & Edgewater, FL