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Eye Care (Expert Forum)
why correct vision to only 20 feet?
Answered by
Michael J Kutryb, MD - Ophthalmology, Cataract Surgery, glaucoma, Laser Vision Correct
Kutryb Eye Institute - Titusville
Our Ask A Doctor Ophthalmology Forum is where you can post your question and receive a personal answer from physicians affiliated with the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
why correct vision to only 20 feet?
by mountain_top, Apr 03, 2009 11:06PM
Why don't vision professionals write prescriptions for glasses for people with presbyopia to allow them to focus at distances greater than 6 meters (20 feet)? The difference between focusing at 6 meters and 100 meters is about 0.2 diopters. My vision is corrected to 6 meters with -4.75 diopters. Road signs, especially at night, don't come into sharp focus for me until I'm maybe 30 feet from the sign. I would like lenses with -5.00 diopters but all the professionals say they only test and prescribe for correction to 20 feet. Why is that?
Doctor's Answer
by Michael J Kutryb, MD, Apr 04, 2009 08:49PM
, Apr 04, 2009 08:49PM
Ask your doctor to slightly overminus you and state the case you just gave to us. I don't see why your prescription couldn't be overminused by 0.25 diopter. The only downside is that it might lessen your near vision a little and could possible cause eyestrain. Your request is not unusual and not unreasonable. In return you would probably give up just a slight bit of vison up close though and if you are young you could slightly encourage more myopia in the near future.
MJK MD
MJK MD
Member Comments (2)
by mountain_top, Apr 05, 2009 08:21AM
Thank you very much for your response. I (63 years old) wear trifocal lenses so near vision is not a problem. With the -4.75 and the trifocal I do have a zone at about 1 meter where none of the lenses bring things in focus but that doesn't seem to bother me like having things in the distance out of focus. I will take a copy of your response with me next time in the hopes that it will make a discussion about my prescription a little easier. Thanks again!
