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EyeSearch is a Guide to Vision and the Eye, including information on glasses, contact lenses, eye diseases, eye surgery, laser surgery, including laser vision correction, and directories of eye specialists nationwide, including ophthalmologists, optometrists, opticians and low vision services
December 1999
Newsletter
Volume 7

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Happy Holidays,

EyeSearch is on the move and we need your help.  We are opening a Vision Store and we would love to hear from you.  What items would you like to see on our site?  

When we were thinking of items to sell, my brother explained to me that while wearing safety glasses he could not see up close.  Wasn't there something out there that he could use?  We found a very cool product called Optx 20/20.

This product is available in almost all the powers that over-the-counter reading glasses are found and you can turn your sunglasses, regular glasses and safety glasses into bifocals!

I got a pair for my brother to try and they work!  Now you can purchase these high quality, removal, reading segments on the EyeSearch Vision StoreClick here to check them out.

They make great stocking stuffers !  Buy now, because throughout December Optx2020 will provide FREE Shipping and EyeSearch will Donate $1.50 to ORBIS, the Flying Eye Hospital.  Please learn more information about this wonderful non-profit organization that is helping to cure global blindness at http://www.orbis.org.

Are you having trouble seeing up close?

You're not alone - by next year 6 out of every 10 Americans will be Presbyopic.

Presbyopia - The gradual loss of the eye's ability to change focus from distance to near; occurs in almost everyone sometime after age 40.To elaborate, the lens inside of the eye is not able to change its shape as easily as it once did. Some form of correction (glasses or contact lenses) has to bend light rays for our eyes.

What are your options?

There are several options depending on whether you currently wear correction or not. Please look at the categories below and click on the one that best describes you.

If you are purchasing your first pair of glasses or contact lenses click here.

If you currently wear glasses click here.

If you currently wear contact lenses click here.

As always, I welcome your comments, questions, and suggestions.
I hope you and yours have a Wonderful Holiday and a Happy New Year.

Sincerely,

Laura Maroney, COT
[email protected]
EyeSearch

ps:  Buy your Contact Lenses on EyeSearch and help fight Global Blindness.  80% of the world's blindness is avoidable according to the World Health Organization.  EyeSearch will donate 5% of its profits from Contact Lens' sales to help fight blindness!  Please visit our site at EyeSearch Contact Lenses.

If you are purchasing Vision Correction for the First Time 

Single vision - Reading Glasses can be either prescription or over-the-counter magnifiers.  Your eye doctor can tell you what is most appropriate for you.  Remember the reason most over-the-counter magnifiers are small or look like "granny glasses" is so you can peer over the top.  If you look at a distance through your reading glasses objects will appear blurry.  

 Optx 20/20 - This neat new product can turn your regular sunglasses or safety glasses into magnifiers. Teach your sunglasses to read.

Bifocals - These types of glasses have a visible line in the lower portion of the lens. The top part has no prescription or a distance prescription if needed. The bottom portion has the reading power. This type is good for people who do not mind wearing glasses most of the time. The bottom portion is typically set for 12-14 inches from the face and usually doesn't work very well for computer use.

Trifocals - A trifocal has three segments and two visible lines; the top part for distance; the intermediate part or middle segment for computers and arms-length distances, the bottom segment for reading.

Progressive lenses - These are multifocal lenses that have no visible line.  These are quickly becoming the most popular type of multifocal because of their appearance (like a single vision lens), and also because of  how they perform (more like our natural vision).  These types of lenses are constantly being improved upon - in the original versions, the reading area was smaller and there was a blended area. Newer versions are wider and have much less or no blending.

Contact Lenses - This is not a very good option if you haven't worn glasses before. The problem with most contact lenses is that if you wear the prescription you need for reading, you cannot see at a distance and vice versa. You can wear one contact lens in your non-dominant eye to correct for near vision. This is called monovision and it works well for some people but it is a compromise because it throws your depth perception off. Bifocal contact lenses are an option but tend to work better on people who are already in monovision contact lenses or regular contact lenses. Many manufacturers offer free trial pairs.

Refractive surgery does not correct for presbyopia very well at this time. Some people undergo the laser surgery to simulate the effect of monovision contact lenses so they won't have to wear readers. However, this means their distance vision is compromised.

If you Currently Wear Glasses 

Optx 20/20 - This neat new product can turn your glasses into bifocals. They are great for sunglasses, safety glasses, or perhaps an older pair of distance glasses that you might want to make useful again.

Bifocals - These types of glasses have a visible line in the lower portion of the lens. The top part has the distance prescription. The bottom portion has the reading power needed. The bottom portion is typically set for 12-14 inches from the nose and typically doesn't work well for computer use.

Trifocals- A trifocal has three segments and two visible lines. The top part for distance; the intermediate part or middle segment for computers and arms-length distances, the bottom segment for reading.

Progressive lenses- These are multifocal lenses that have no visible line. These are quickly becoming the most popular type of multifocal because of their appearance (like a single vision lens), and also because of  how they perform (more like our natural vision). These types of lenses are constantly being improved upon - in the original versions, the reading area was smaller and there was a blended area. Newer versions are wider and have much less or no blending.

Bifocal Soft Contacts -These contact lenses provide correction for both distance and near vision. Recent advances in design make these lenses a good choice to try. However, they do not work for everyone needing help at both distance and near. Most bifocal contacts come with a warranty so you can try them to see if they work well for you. These contacts are available in daily wear, extended wear and disposable.
Update: New bifocal contacts are now available that are performing better than ever before. Contact your Eye Care Professional for more information.

Monovision Soft Contacts - These contacts are prescribed for people needing help at distance and near. Usually the dominant eye is fit with the distance prescription and the non-dominant eye is fit with the near prescription. Essentially, you are using one eye to read and one eye for distance. While this system does not work for everyone (and does tend to diminish depth perception) it is less expensive than bifocal contact lenses.

Rigid Gas Permeable Contact Lenses - These contacts come in bifocal and monovision. These lenses will correct for astigmatism and are more durable than soft contact lenses even though they are not as comfortable initially. 

Refractive surgery does not correct for presbyopia very well at this time. Some people undergo the laser surgery to simulate the effect of monovision contact lenses so they won't have to wear readers. However, this means their distance vision is compromised.

 If you Currently Wear Contact Lenses 

Optx 20/20 - You can turn your regular sunglasses into a useful pair of glasses that allow you to read maps in the car or a magazine on the beach.  Teach your sunglasses or safety glasses to read!  Check it out.

Reading glasses - Over the counter reading glasses work great for individuals wearing contact lenses and you can have many different styles and colors for what you would pay for a regular pair. If you would like the highest quality optics you can get a pair of prescription reading glasses from your optician. Remember that the power of readers you might need to do fine detailed work and the power you need for computer can differ.

Monovision - If you can see well up close without your contact lenses in, do an experiment at home and try just wearing one contact lens. Usually, the distance contact lens is put on the dominant eye. So, if you are right handed wear the contact lens on your right eye and see what you think. This will only give you an idea of what monovision is like. You will need to see your eye doctor for the proper power for both eyes. Monovision can compromise your depth perception.

Bifocal contact lenses - If you haven't tried bifocal contact lenses you may want to give them a try. If you have tried them before you may want to try them again. Many manufacturers offer free trial pairs. There usually is a fitting charge because getting the appropriate fit can take some extra time. If they work, it is worth it. Many people tell me that the newer designs of some lenses provide great intermediate distances too.

Refractive Surgery does not correct for presbyopia very well at this time. Some people undergo the laser surgery to simulate the effect of monovision contact lenses so they won't have to wear readers. However, this means their distance vision is compromised.

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