Contact lenses for farsightedness so I can use makeup again?

[julogden]

I used to have excellent vision, had no problems seeing myself in the mirror while doing my makeup and I used to experiment with makeup a lot because I've always been fascinated with it. I absolutely love to play with makeup.

But when I hit my mid-40's, I began having trouble seeing up close, and now, in my mid-60's, I've had to resort to stuff like magnifying makeup mirrors and special reading glasses with flip-down lenses designed for use when applying eye makeup.

But I absolutely hate both of those options. Doing my makeup has become a real chore, and as a result, I don't usually bother with it, as I currently dress only at home and no one sees me. I'll put up with the makeup glasses long enough to do lipstick and maybe mascara, that's about it.

But I see that you can get prescription contact lenses for dealing with farsightedness (hyperopia), and I'm wondering if anyone here has experience with contact lenses for this, and if so, how well do they work? How much do they cost, too?

I'd really appreciate any input on this. 

[julogden]

Thanks, Dawn, but this isn't due to cataracts, different issue entirely. 

[Deborah]

I'm not farsighted but I do have bifocal contact lenses.  There are more than one kind.  What I have right now is one eye optimized for near vision and the other eye optimized for far vision.  It does work but it takes some getting used to.  Essentially, your brain resides the way it processes the image so after a few weeks you don't really notice anymore.  In the past I had contacts with actual bifocal lenses in each eye.  Those worked also after a period of adjustment.

The cost is variable.  I am using daily wear disposable and those are around $600 a year if I wore them everyday.  Extended wear are less expensive.


It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not.
André Gide, Autumn Leaves

[julogden]

Thanks, Deborah. I'm sure it will take a while to adjust to contacts if I go that route. It sounds promising. 

[Xirafel]

Urm, I'm short-sighted so far off objects are really blurry, sometimes that includes mirrors, so it helps in a way sometimes, but it's still annoying.