Session V: contemporary uses of rigid lenses

Abstract

Morris: I am not surprised. I was expecting the question about the presbyopes. Quite frankly, I am not worried about t ipping someone into a process of having to worry about their reading. Such patients come at a time when they have worn lenses for a while, possibly without bothering too much about the effects and now need to talk about the ni t ty-gr i t ty of wearing lenses for the res t of their lives. On the basis of what I have found, and on the basis that I do not need to change lenses as much when over-minusing them, af ter having discussed this with these patients, I then chat about what it will mean to them. We could end up with a compromise. If they say they would ra ther put off the over-spectacles or any of the other al ternatives I would not put them into bifocal contact lenses as the immediate choice, which is something else we discuss I have a conversation with them. I do not have any real problems because I spend a long time talking to the patients about all the ramifications, and if they unders tand that they have to wear reading glasses at this s tage because of what I am doing, then fine. If they say they would ra ther not, then I tell them that I will not over-eorrrect, that their lenses will serve for a while, but that probably I will need to re-fit or to modify them with time. So I do not see it as a problem, on the basis of discussing everything that needs to be discussed with the patient. The amount? Quite frankly, we are talking 0.50, or something of that sort, in a sense the borderline presbyope, if that is the age they are; which after 27 years of contact lens wear they are likely to be. I t is that sort of value.