I have 20/30 vision and have not worn any glasses or contact lenses for over 16 years. It was the best investment I have ever made when I decided to undergo a Lasik procedure for my eyes. You see, my eyesight was really bad since grade school and the astigmatism later did not help. Regardless, I refused to wear glasses then (so I cheated on every eye examination at school whenever I could) because it made me look more nerdy than I already was.
Things took a different turn once I was in my sophomore year in High School. I started wearing glasses and then immediately jumped on the contact lens bandwagon once I started college. Throughout my college career and beyond I could only wear hard lenses (rigid gas permeable lenses) not soft. They often dried out and irritated my eyes, leaving them red and bloodshot. I tried soft lenses once but that process wasn’t ideal for me because they sucked up all the moisture from my eye. It wasn’t just that, unlike the rigid gas permeable lenses, I couldn’t focus my vision at all due to the astigmatism. Tired of all the discomfort, I decided to get a Lasik consultation right away, followed by the Lasik surgery a month later and I never looked back!
I’m in my mid-forties now and about a year ago I started to squint again. This time it was for objects that were near me, like my phone or books/magazines. Unfortunately, no matter how much I squinted the vision was still blurry. To find that sweet spot, I’ve been having to move my phone further away in order to see clearly. You see, I have presbyopia, a normal condition that usually occurs beginning at around age 40 when you experience blurred near vision. Look, aging is inevitable and so is the aging of your eyesight. For the past year or so I’ve been relying heavily on my reading glasses whenever I perform activities like trimming my twins’ nails, reading any prescription or OTC drug labels, polishing my nails, and even something as simple as viewing a menu. I have 3 pairs of readers and on most days you will find a pair of reading glasses sitting on top of my head, armed and ready. They don’t sit there all the time and more often than not I get extremely irritated with myself for not remembering where I had last placed them after each usage.
When I heard about the 1-DAY ACUVUE® MOIST Brand MULTIFOCAL Contact Lenses I wasn’t sure if I would be the right candidate to wear them, due to the Lasik procedure 16 years ago. Regardless, I decided to give it a try because I know my optometrist could help me determine if the lenses were right for me after an examination.
1-DAY ACUVUE® MOIST Brand MULTIFOCAL is a new contact lens that is designed to address the needs of patients who are developing presbyopia, giving wearers the ability to see clearly across near, intermediate and distance vision, with all-day comfort. The lenses are the first and only contact lenses with unique optical designs that address the natural variation in pupil size according to age and vision correction need.
The lenses come in 61 distance powers from +6.00D to -9.00D and three add powers, to give eye care professionals lots of options to fit people with various needs.
For comfort, a wetting agent is embedded in the lens material and as an added benefit, they also offer UV protection*† (though you’ll still want your sunglasses and a wide brimmed hat for the full triad of protection).
The lenses can be purchased for as low as $45 for a 30 pack and $99 for a 90 pack.
A few weeks ago I went to see Dr. Arti Shah in Santa Monica (ok, that drive was brutal) and I just loved how she explained everything to me. She’s probably one of the few doctors who have excellent bedside manners. She’s extremely personable and you feel completely at ease with her within seconds.
After the first examination I was told that I was the perfect candidate for 1-DAY ACUVUE® MOIST Brand MULTIFOCAL. Expect this examination to take between 30 to 40 minutes. I have to admit, I was a bit nervous at first because I still remember that traumatizing moment when I first put on those soft lenses years ago. Due to my surprise, not only was I able to slip them on with ease (certain things you just don’t forget) but these lenses were so soft and moist that I didn’t even know I had them on.
It took a few days for my eyes to get adjusted to these lenses, which was normal. However, it was such a relief knowing that I no longer need to rely on my reading glasses. Relief to also know that I can run around with my twins, trim their nails, my nails, read my books/magazines, phone, computer and everything else without reaching for bifocal glasses or readers. In case you’re wondering, the lenses enable me to see near, far and everywhere in between. For me, I know I can wear the lenses to do the things I love and get the same comfort and convenience I expect for now and many years to come.
This post is sponsored by the ACUVUE® Brand which also covered my eye exam and initial supply of lenses. My eye doctor, Dr. Shah, is a consultant for the ACUVUE® Brand. I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission guidelines concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising.
Important Information for Contact Lens Wearers: ACUVUE® Brand Contact Lenses are available by prescription only for vision correction. An eye care professional will determine whether contact lenses are right for you. Although rare, serious eye problems can develop while wearing contact lenses. To help avoid these problems, follow the wear and replacement schedule and the lens care instructions provided by your eye doctor. Do not wear contact lenses if you have an eye infection, or experience eye discomfort, excessive tearing, vision changes, redness or other eye problems. If one of these conditions occurs, contact your eye doctor immediately. For more information on proper wear, care and safety, talk to your eye care professional and ask for a Patient Instruction Guide, call 1-800-843-2020 or visit Acuvue.com.
†Helps protect against transmission of harmful UV radiation to the cornea and into the eye.
*WARNING: UV-absorbing contact lenses are NOT substitutes for protective UV-absorbing eyewear such as UV-absorbing goggles or sunglasses because they do not completely cover the eye and surrounding area. You should continue to use UV-absorbing eyewear as directed. NOTE: Long-term exposure to UV radiation is one of the risk factors associated with cataracts. Exposure is based on a number of factors such as environmental conditions (altitude, geography, cloud cover) and personal factors (extent and nature of outdoor activities). UV-blocking contact lenses help provide protection against harmful UV radiation. However, clinical studies have not been done to demonstrate that wearing UV-blocking contact lenses reduces the risk of developing cataracts or other eye disorders. Consult your eye care practitioner for more information.
