[Magdalen] New specs

[Arthur Laurent]

I began wearing glasses ("school myopia") in the 5th grade, and always hated them, 'cause they were always in the way of what I wanted to do. (And, deep down inside, I don't trust objects with sharply-defined edges... <g>)

I made the move to hard contacts when I was 21, to daily wear soft contacts when I was 30, and to monthly-wear contacts when I was 35.  Each has its own little annoyances.

About five years ago, I had PRK surgery done in both eyes. It's like LASIK, except the surgeon didn't make a corneal flap...he lasered the cornea off. Recovery time was about 10 days; I should havebeen off work for two weeks. The first evening I ventured out to drive, I couldn't read the street signs. Good thing I'd memoried my way to work!

Before surgery, I was -3.5d in one eye and -3.75d (moderately myopic, with mild astigmatism) in the other. Now I'm 0/0d in both eyes, with no astigmatism. My distance vision is superb!

However, I now need glasses to read. (I used to take off my glasses to read.)

Over the years, I have come up with a multi-eyeglass formula that works for me. I use three pairs of glasses, only one of which is expensive. (All of these are full-lens sized.)

One is a single-zone reading prescription, +2d or so; (CVS, about $20)
The second is a two-zone prescription, for reading and computer (moderate distance); (CVS, also $20)
The third is a multi-focal prescription, with plano (0d) where the distance correction would otherwise be. This one cost me about $350, from a real optomistrist, and did not include the frames, which I already owned. (Incredibly light and strong, Swiss, not made any more. You shape and order the various parts after heating them with a 700-degree or so torch. So far (I've had the frames 8 or 9 years), I haven't been able to bend or break them. Yay! I used to be one of those kids with gobs of adhesive tage holding his frames together.)

I carry all three with me, not knowing which one I'll need.

I use the progressive for church, and generally like them. (As much as I like any glasses. I take them off as soon as I can.) Without taking glasses on and off, I can read Scripture, BCP or hymnal; distant people and objects will be clear when I look up.

I don't usually wear the progressives anywhere else, because I don't perform closeup tasks except at work.  The only annoyance I have with the multi-zone progressives (I looked at all the variants, made by all the companies, before I ordered) is that the Reading Zone is relatively small, so I have to keep moving my head to keep up. But that is better than taking glasses on and off all the time, I think.

Arthur