Reply To: Prescription advice

[Adam]

#78140

Hi Jake
Update on situation.
I have been using my new normalized and differential prescription for 5 months now.

Previous:
Normalized for distance
R -6.5 D astigmatism cyl. -1.0 , axis 180
L -5.5 D cyl. -1.0 , axis 180
Differential for close-up
R -5.75 D cyl. -1.0 , axis 180
L -4.75 D cyl. -1.0 , axis 180

New:
Normalized
R -7.0 D, cyl -1.0, axis 175
L -6.0 D cyl. -1.0 , axis 15
Differential
R -6.0 D cyl. -1.0 , axis 175
L -5.0 D cyl. -1.0 , axis 15

I have some good news and not-so-good news to share.
What went well
• New prescriptions are much better suited. Better strength and astigmatism correction. No more constant unproductive and tiring strain with diffs during close up at work. Now I see clear at more ergonomic distance from screen and there are regular moments when AF (active focus) hits and I can see the text clearer.
• Same for normalized. During walks outdoor the sharpness is better suited. It remains bit blurred (for reminder, new normalized is 1D weaker than full prescription from optometrist) but achieving AF is no longer impossible. There are regular moments during my walks when I observe AF at work – distant objects appear fully sharp for few moments (let’s say up to 30 secs) and I have a feeling that I see with full sharpness – no blur remains or is so small that I can barely notice it. It was not happening with previous prescription. So the experience is much more fun.

What worries me
• Still no tangible improvement. Centimeter measurement is minimally better (+0.5 cm), Snellen is rather the same as 5 months before. It was 20/20 with normalized at the start and on few days I could see 20/15 but it did not last.
• My AF experience in normalized glasses varies. Some days vision is weaker, with visible blur and not so many clear flashes. On other days I have a feeling that I see close to full sharpness and AF happens more often (I compare using distant landmarks, signs that are fixed at buildings). Similar experience with watching TV at evening – on some days very small text is barely readable, on others fully sharp (same lighting conditions). But then the slight improvement disappears next week.
• Also regarding outdoor AF – I suppose desired experience of 1h walk would be that first half the eyes try to catch full sharpness, then second half they more or less sustain the gain. In my case it is rather opposite. First 30 mins the AF works best, I can feel the eyes trying to catch better sharpness, then it’s like they are getting tired and remaining 30 mins just quit looking for AF.
• So my overall feeling is that with new prescriptions I am better equipped to decrease myopia. I go outside in normalized glasses much more than before, as I enjoy it more. Still, the progress is not here and it becomes disappointing.

My habits for context:
Close up 6-7 h at work + 1-2 h at home, at weekends 1-2 h
AF practice outdoors (trying to apply the “1 hour uninterrupted outdoor time”) in normalized glasses, I made stats for last 170 days: 45% days 1h or more, 35% 30-60 mins , 20% none.
I also spend time outdoors regularly either with no glasses or with contact lenses. But contacts do not work for AF as good as normalized glasses, due to lack of astigmatism correction. So I count only walks in glasses for these AF distant vision stats.
At home, except for TV, I am either with differentials or with no glasses.
Please tell me what you think Jake. Thank you and appreciate.