Eye People - your opinions on monovision please

[Footle]

I'm in my late 60s ,my prescription is around -9 in both eyes , I wear gp lenses. For years I've had one for reading , one for distance, successfully, though I gave up driving at night because I felt I wasn't judging perspective properly in the dark.

I'm seeing another optometrist who doesn't like monovision and has persuaded me it's better to have both eyes adjusted for distance. At the moment I'm getting used to binocular vision ( haven't driven at night yet, though he thinks I can ) plus cheap reading glasses.

He wants me to buy specs with top half plain glass, bottom half reading, to wear over the contacts. Says monovision weakens the vision in the reading eye, and generally compromises the sight in both eyes.

I'm really missing the ability to read a certain amount without glasses. Not to drip feed, I have background retinopathy in one eye, and an idiopathic squiggly bit in the other macula.

Does this guy's advice make sense ? Is there a real reason to give up the monovision lenses ?

[mineofuselessinformation]

I really don't know the answer to this question, sorry, but fengirl is waving at you from another thread if you recognise her!
Dc2 has a complex visual impairment and is now in their midteens. It was really interesting that it was only last year that the optometrist asked them which of the possible prescriptions 'balanced' their eyes the best... Never mentioned before, and very helpful indeed.
Given your prescription, would there be a point in asking your GP to refer you to the hospital for more advice? I do think hospital optometrists and opthalmologists are better experienced to answer these kind of questions.

[Footle]

I wrote too much detail in my OP; would have been better to just ask whether mono vision really endangers eyesight, as I've now been told it can.

Good point about asking for another hospital referral but it will be a long wait and they're probably sick of me.

I would be waving back to fengirl if I could place her !

[mineofuselessinformation]

Oh, it was on any old thread.

[EmmaGrundy]

I wonder how mono vision compromises vision? I was offered it when I had cataract surgery, so wonder if it is thought to damage the lenses in a way that becomes irrelevant after the lenses are taken out or whether views differ?

I didn't have mono vision in the end as a second opinion was that it wasn't a good idea for me because of other problem re eyes not working together well but I think DH has one contact lens for distance and one for near and is ok with it.

[Footle]

Google gives various opinions which I have no means of weighing up. Interesting you were offered it after cataract surgery. I've also got differing opinions about whether my cataracts need doing.

[EmmaGrundy]

By the time my cataracts were found, there was no doubt they needed doing and then I delayed 8 months while I got used to the idea. Is there any advantage to having them done a little early? I suppose it would mean that the operations are not then hanging over you? Not sure I would have it done before it was absolutely necessary but that reflects my own reluctance rather than the nature of the procedure.