I just got a new (to me) type of contact lens (multi-focal) to correct near-sightedness, and it has become my go-to solution to something I’m been struggling with on motorcycle rides — how to have 20/20 distance vision without losing the ability to see anything up close. Maybe I’m the last to know about these, but I find them to be a fantastic solution to a real problem, and I’ve ordered a stockpile primarily for motorcycle rides or even driving vacations.
In case anyone is interested, here are some specs (pun intended) and my impressions;
My distance prescription: -3.50 (nearsighted). Regular contact lens give me 20/20 vision, but age related vision changes mean I can’t read small type up close — a common issue for all of us carrying around “readers. I typically use +1.75 readers for computer work and up close reading. That set up generally works, except when I’m on the motorcycle and can’t (or won’t) wear readers. On the bike, my distance vision is excellent, but I can’t see details (odometer) on the dash or read my handlebar mounted GPS. I can make out the blurry red needle that shows speed range, but that’s about it.
I’ve tried and discounted other solutions, including:
- Bifocal or progressive glasses. These work great for walking around the house, but I don’t like the flare/glare I can get on the bike and also don’t like having to move my helmeted head up and down to look through the right part of the glasses.
- Monofocus contact lens where one eye is corrected for distance and the other for up close. I know folks who swear by this setup, but I couldn’t get used to it and was forever seeing blur.
My new multi-focal contacts have a reader power of only +1.25 (as recommended by my optometrist). This means that things are still less than sharp at reading distance. But I can easily read a restaurant menu, see details on the motorcycle dash and read the GPS. My distance vision is 20/20, and my eyes immediately transition from near to far — reminds me of how they worked when I was 25!
Anyway, hope this helps another rider try out a new solution to seeing up close. I‘ll no longer be able to answer “Actually officer, I have no idea how fast I was going,” but I can now see the GPS maps without pulling into a gas station and putting on my readers.
In case anyone is interested, here are some specs (pun intended) and my impressions;
My distance prescription: -3.50 (nearsighted). Regular contact lens give me 20/20 vision, but age related vision changes mean I can’t read small type up close — a common issue for all of us carrying around “readers. I typically use +1.75 readers for computer work and up close reading. That set up generally works, except when I’m on the motorcycle and can’t (or won’t) wear readers. On the bike, my distance vision is excellent, but I can’t see details (odometer) on the dash or read my handlebar mounted GPS. I can make out the blurry red needle that shows speed range, but that’s about it.
I’ve tried and discounted other solutions, including:
- Bifocal or progressive glasses. These work great for walking around the house, but I don’t like the flare/glare I can get on the bike and also don’t like having to move my helmeted head up and down to look through the right part of the glasses.
- Monofocus contact lens where one eye is corrected for distance and the other for up close. I know folks who swear by this setup, but I couldn’t get used to it and was forever seeing blur.
My new multi-focal contacts have a reader power of only +1.25 (as recommended by my optometrist). This means that things are still less than sharp at reading distance. But I can easily read a restaurant menu, see details on the motorcycle dash and read the GPS. My distance vision is 20/20, and my eyes immediately transition from near to far — reminds me of how they worked when I was 25!
Anyway, hope this helps another rider try out a new solution to seeing up close. I‘ll no longer be able to answer “Actually officer, I have no idea how fast I was going,” but I can now see the GPS maps without pulling into a gas station and putting on my readers.
