contact lenses making me short-sighted

Hey guys! I'm long-sighted and usually wear glasses, but I've started wearing contacts on nights out. My contacts are the same prescription as my glasses, but when I wear contacts, I become short-sighted, and can't read street signs properly. I also can't really wear them to uni because I can't read lecture slides or the whiteboard or anything. Do you think I need to change contact brands/prescription, or is this pretty normal for contact lenses?

Reply 1

Kathy89

Original post by alejandro_o

Yes. Your contacts have too strong + for distance, you should be fine with a weaker + but might notice a bit of discomfort when trying to read small print. The best thing is going to an optometrist and fitting the right prescription for you.
Many farsighted young adults have the same problem as you do and they feel much better with a weaker prescription.

Reply 2

alejandro_o

Original post by Kathy89

Thanks, that's strange because my prescription is fine for my glasses. I mostly use my contact lenses for going out rather than reading, so I think I'd take the discomfort reading over not being able to read street signs, because it can be a bit scary, plus I can't really go to class at uni because I can't read anything far away.

Reply 3

Kathy89

Original post by alejandro_o

Did an optometrist fit you the lenses?

Reply 4

alejandro_o

Original post by Kathy89

Did an optometrist fit you the lenses?

Yeah they did, but it was a cheap one. And the prescription is just the same as my glasses. Maybe I need to get refitted?

Reply 5

natninja

Because your contact lenses are closer to your eyes, the prescription should be different to your glasses prescription - slightly weaker. As you are using the same prescription, your contacts are stronger than they should be.

Reply 6

alejandro_o

Original post by natninja

This is really annoying and dumb, because at first they gave me contact lenses that were considerably stronger than my normal prescription, and then put me on my normal prescription when I complained that I couldn't see more than a few metres in front of me. Sounds like they don't know what they're doing!

Reply 7

Kabloomybuzz

Get a new optician. Or go back, ask to speak to the manager/head optician and inform them what they've done. You don't have to be a qualified optician to find out and know that giving you the same scrips as your glasses is wrong.

Contact lens prescriptions work differently and are different to glasses prescriptions because they're in contact with your eye. With glasses, your eyes have the space between the lens and your eyes so the prescription has to reflect the difference.

Reply 8

alejandro_o

Original post by Kabloomybuzz

Thanks, I will definitely do this, hopefully they'll give me a free replacement or something, because I can't see very well out of these contacts.

Reply 9

Kabloomybuzz

Original post by alejandro_o

Thanks, I will definitely do this, hopefully they'll give me a free replacement or something, because I can't see very well out of these contacts.

Out of interest, what optician was it? Was it chain or independent?

Reply 10

Kathy89

Original post by alejandro_o

Yeah they did, but it was a cheap one. And the prescription is just the same as my glasses. Maybe I need to get refitted?

Yeah, definitely.

Original post by Kabloomybuzz

It is not always different prescription. It is more difficult to fit hyperopes anyway so there are so many possibilities and trials to do. Weaker prescription can give not enough power for reading or mid-range which is important too.
Your explanation is correct in overall, though.

Reply 11

username1044510

Original post by Kathy89

Yeah, definitely.

It is not always different prescription. It is more difficult to fit hyperopes anyway so there are so many possibilities and trials to do. Weaker prescription can give not enough power for reading or mid-range which is important too.
Your explanation is correct in overall, though.

Pretty much this.

With hyperopes, such as yourself, your prescription should be stronger in theory. But completely depends on the person and their ability to change focus.

Expect that by them giving you a weaker prescription that reading could be more difficult.

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Reply 12

Limpopo

I wonder what your age is?

For most if not all people the glasses script will be a fair bit different to CL script.

I too wear daily disposable CLs. My script is -8.50/-7.50

I can read roadsigns and other items you describe just fine.

Reply 13

Anonymous #1

Original post by Limpopo

You are nearsighted it is different.

Reply 14

Limpopo

Original post by Anonymous

You are nearsighted it is different.

Yes indeed..about 6 inches near sighted max !!

Reply 15

alejandro_o

Original post by Newtothis83

I don't exactly tend to wear contacts to work on uni assignments, I usually wear them for going out, so being able to see distance is probably more helpful. I'll see what the optometrists think.