The Five Myths of Monovision Correction of Presbyopia
Traditionally, monovision has been considered the simplest method of
presbyopic contact lens correction. Despite recent advances in multifocal
contact lens technologies, monovision remains a common mode of presbyopic lens
correction in the U.S. today.
However, as practitioners are gaining first hand experience with more advanced
multifocal lens designs there has been a steady shift away from the traditional
approach. Over the next several weeks, we will explore why these fitting
practices are changing. Specifically, we will challenge the validity of five
common myths driving the use of monovision over multifocal lenses for presbyopic
contact lens corrections.
The 5 Myths:
1. Monovision is the best place to start for emerging presbyopes
2. Fitting monovision takes less chair time than multifocal contact
lenses
3. Patients adapt to monovision more easily than to multifocal
contact lenses
4. Multifocal lenses provide compromised visual quality
5. Patients won’t pay more for multifocal contact lenses |
This edition of EyeMatters will focus on myth #1.
“Monovision is the Best Place to Start for Emerging Presbyopes” is a myth
because the status quo may not be the best for everyone. Many patients, for
example, use computers at home or work and therefore have intense intermediate
visual needs that cannot be met with monovision. It’s not uncommon for
monovision patients to resort to glasses for certain sports, or computer work
because of this limitation.
Your current spherical contact lens patients are possibly the best candidates
for a multifocal lens correction. Over the years, these patients have relied on
their contact lenses to help them maintain their binocular functionality. Night
vision and depth perception are dependent on binocular vision. So why must these
patients give up their lenses to maintain this functionality at the onset of
presbyopia? The answer, of course, is they don’t. And as their eye care
practitioners we know they would most likely prefer to stay in their lenses.
With the right multifocal contact lens design, you can give your presbyopic
patients the opportunity to stay in contact lenses to achieve great visual
acuity while maintaining natural, binocular vision.
In a comparative evaluation with 275 contact lens patients a significant
percentage of the satisfied monovision patients preferred the Bausch & Lomb
Multi-Focal lens for near vision, distance vision, and overall (see chart
below). In fact, 94% of the satisfied monovision patients planned on continuing
in the Bausch & Lomb Multi-Focal lens and not in their previous monovision
correction. When practitioners were asked which lens they preferred, the
response was Bausch & Lomb Multi-Focal lenses for all of their previously
successful monovision wearers.1
These findings suggest that the natural binocular vision provided by a
multifocal lens is preferable to visual compromises inherent in a monovision
correction. This also suggests that the Bausch & Lomb Multi-Focal lens should be
used as the fit of choice for presbyopic patients while monovision be relegated
for use as a back-up.
Please look for future editions of EyeMatters where we will discuss and dispel
myths #2 through #5. If you miss any editions of the EyeMatters series you can
go to our news archives at http://www.eyematters.com/archive.asp.
Sincerely,
Mike Pier, OD
Director, Professional Relations – Practitioner Education
1. Data on file, Bausch & Lomb.
®/™ denote trademarks of Bausch & Lomb Incorporated. © Bausch & Lomb
Incorporated.
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