Could Multifocal Progressive Lenses Help Reverse Myopia | Original

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Bifocals

Bifocals have two different optical powers: one for the upper segment and one for the lower segment. They typically have a significant difference in optical power between these two segments of the lens.

The upper segment is for distance vision, and the lower segment is for near vision. The issue with bifocals is that when you look at a blackboard and use a computer, you use the distance vision part, which is the upper part of your eyeglasses.

So when you use a computer, you end up looking straight ahead as if you are looking at distant objects. However, you actually want to look at the near computer screen. Therefore, using the upper part for distance vision and the lower part for near vision can be problematic.

I don’t think there is a perfect pair of bifocals that allows your eyes to see what you want to see barely clearly. It might be better to prepare two or three pairs of eyeglasses to adapt to your normal routines and see things clearly. This way, you might be able to improve your myopia over time.

However, if we think carefully about this, if I were to design bifocals for myself, I would want the upper segment to be 175 degrees less and the lower segment to be 200 degrees less. This would allow me to use the upper segment perfectly for computer use and the lower segment for reading books or using a mobile phone. So, in some aspects, the concept of bifocals is innovative. The people who invented it understood how myopia works, but not completely.

Prescription

Date: November 28, 2024

Vision

Pupillary Distance (PD)

Right Eye (OD)

Left Eye (OS)

Plan

Objective: Transition to Multifocal Progressive Lenses

Near Vision Prescription

Right Eye (OD)

Left Eye (OS)

Far Vision Prescription

Right Eye (OD)

Left Eye (OS)

Source: pinduoduo.com

Just Got and Tried

After trying a pair of multifocal lenses for a few minutes, I found them to be quite good. They suit my needs perfectly and cost around 130 CNY.

I used the above data to customize a pair of multifocal progressive lenses. I can use the near vision part when using my mobile phone and the far vision part when working on my computer.

Actually, you can adjust which part you use for near or far vision by moving your gaze up or down the lenses. While it’s possible to make small adjustments, it can feel unusual or uncomfortable to adjust too much.

I’ll use them for a few more days to see how they feel.

When I received the eyeglasses, I could see the yellow markings on the lenses.

Customer support says:

The yellow markings on the lens are painted on for your reference. For distance viewing, look through the upper circle, and for near viewing, look through the lower circle with your eyes slightly lowered. These markings can be wiped off. After adapting for two days, you can apply clear tape to the front of the lens and peel it off to remove the yellow line. Then, clean the lens with a lens cleaner. You can also clean it with alcohol and cologne.

And SP and WV mean the following, according to Mistral:

In the context of multifocal progressive lenses, the abbreviations “SP” and “WV” typically refer to specific measurements or features of the lenses. Here’s what they usually mean:

  1. SP (Segment Height or Segment Position): This refers to the vertical position of the optical center of the near vision zone (the segment) from the bottom of the lens. It’s important for ensuring that the wearer can see clearly at near distances when looking down.

  2. WV (Working Distance for Vision): This term is less commonly used in progressive lenses, but it can refer to the effective working distance or the length of the progressive corridor, which is the area of the lens where the power gradually changes from distance to near vision.

These measurements are crucial for fitting progressive lenses to ensure optimal visual comfort and performance for the wearer. Always consult with an eyecare professional for the most accurate and personalized information.

Improvement

Now, I wear a pair of multifocal progressive lenses. The near vision’s additional correction is +1.75 D in myopia (astigmatism remains unchanged). The far vision’s additional correction is +1.00 D in myopia (astigmatism remains unchanged).

It is perfect for me to use the far vision to look at the computer while occasionally looking up. Sometimes, I use the near vision to use my phone or read papers or books.

However, the way I use my eyeglasses can still be improved. Sometimes, when driving a car, there are a lot of red lights. While waiting for green lights, I use night vision glasses with degrees that exactly match my prescription. I thought the solution might be to get a new pair of multifocal progressive lenses. The near vision’s additional correction would remain +1.75 D in myopia (astigmatism unchanged), and the far vision’s additional correction would be reduced to +0.25 D in myopia (astigmatism unchanged).

The near vision of my night multifocal progressive lenses is the same as my normal multifocal lenses. However, for the far vision, I want it to be close to my prescription without changing much so I can maintain a visual acuity of 0.8 or 0.9 when using the far vision part.

For students, this is the best solution. They still need to often see the blackboard and are sitting at a desk. So when they look down, they are mostly doing their homework and reading materials on the desk. When they look up, they are mostly looking at the blackboard or the teacher.

Presbyopia Lenses

Just consider the case of presbyopia lenses. As people age, their eye muscles change shape in a direction opposite to that in myopia.

The picture below illustrates this well. We can apply the principle used in presbyopia lenses to myopia lenses.

Source: pinduoduo.com

After Using Them for Six Months

Most of the time, I use the middle or upper part of multifocal progressive lenses, which complicates things. I’ve resorted to using single-vision lenses again.

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