Help! Can't see flat screen tvs in progressives??

[ShesTheMel]

So my eyes seem to have changed since Restasis, namely, no more astigmatism in the right. It was a LONG and expensive road to figure this out, long story. So I finally got new RX, bought online and I can see pretty clearly at every distance...EXCEPT flat screen tvs! Any. Small or large,  set hogh, low...if I am almost on top of the TV or literally straight on my eyes work together to see the image. But the tiniest tilt in any way or more than. MAybe 3 feet away I fe l like my eyes aren't working together. Like...I am seeing from 2 totally different places.

Why?!? I can read street signs from 5, 20, 30 feet away....any angle...but not tvs...???

So I got a pair f ro m Wal-Mart as they use Zeiss. Same thing! Except I also felt tilted in them. n

So finally went back to the eye doctor to get a pricey pair. they aren't in yet. This guy was mystified. But he measured me a billion different ways, said his Zeises are the individual lens ones and we will see...I am so scared this still won't work.

Any ideas? Anyone ever heard of this?

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

First of all restasis will not change the glasses RX.   My wife and I are both on restasis for over 5 years and I have scores of patients on restasis. So that is not the cause or the problem.  What is your glasses RX?

[ShesTheMel]

R -4.25
L - -4.50 +050 x 090 add +1.75

R used to have an astigmatism.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

For the most part glasses ordered and delivered on the internet are for crap and our practice will not touch them. That being said your glasses RX is not difficult and you have no astigmatism in the RE and only half diopter in LE.   That really isn't enough to be a problem.  Moderate or high astigmatism can cause some of the problems you have.   Far away or distance vision is 6 meter/20 ft or further.   That is why the far away RX is not difficult to adjust to.  for distances closer you have to match the place on the progressive lens that matches the distance your are trying to see.  Also the glasses RX is only in the center not on the edges so to see clearly you need to point your nose at what you're looking at. Finally the glasses RX  is not uniformly wide.  It widest part is the far way RX (20 ft or further)   the power corridor then narrows for intermediate distances then flares at the bottom for reading. So your TV will fall in the narrow part.  Finally there are a whole series of variables with glasses besides the glasses RX.  Some are how the glasses are measured by the optician putting the center of the glasses over the center of the pupil (call optical center matching pupillary distance)  then there is the quality of the lens manufacturer, the radius of curviture of the back side of the lens (base curve) how curved the lens are (lens wrap)  the material the lens is made of plastic, glass, photochromic, ultra-thing,  and the angle the lens are held in front of the eye (pantoscopic tilt), size and shape and quality of the frames and lens size.  Lens that are overly large or small can be hard to find the 'sweet spot".  So you will need to work with the optometrist or ophthalmologist and the optician to get a pair you are comfortable with.

[ShesTheMel]

Thank you so very much. So even the walmart ones would have been crap? They were supposedly Zeiss. About $220 for both lenses. These new ones I am waiting for are from my eye doctor (I returned my Wal-Mart ones, can't return the online ones.

I hope I am not ruining my vision with these online ones.

My doctor this time really did take his time measuring,  each she and pupil individually, PD from reading to distance, within my new frames already adjusted to my face so I am hoping and praying. they are the ultra thins, Zeiss...can't remember, each lens is individual...Something II.

I do know about pointing my nose and so on.

[ShesTheMel]

P.s. I wish you were my eye doctor...I truly do.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

And of course when you walk or look down at the ground don't look through the bottom but turn your head down.  Even on line crap-o lens from China will not ruin your eyes or damage them only make things blurry or create minor eye strain that is not permanent.  Just stay close to your new eye doctor.   When they are fit ask her if you are having trouble in a week can you come back in for a check?  Ask about the cost, our practice does not charge for these within 30-45 days of when the glasses arrive.

[ShesTheMel]

I'm sorry to bother you again, Dr. Hagan, but I thought of something. Although I have had issues with my vision for some time, the flat screen tv/eyes not focusing together thing seems like it started about a month ago and that was when I started Prozac. I had horrible reactions to the Prozac and just went off it last Wednesday.

You don't suppose the Prozac could have anything to do with this?

If so will it impro ve?

Also, Thank you, yes, my eye doctor said I can change the lenses for free, but just once. I am going to see if I can get a referral to an MD. that has been a huge issue.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

That is a hugely important fact.  Antidepressants and antianxiety medications dry the eyes and mouth and make it more difficult to focus for reading and intermediate (TV distance). If you look at the prescribing information its always listed as a side effect.  The younger a patient is the more of a problem so people that have the most trouble late 30's and 40-55 years of age.  It can take several weeks for that to clear your system.  So in addtion to the things I discussed  any 'anti-cholinergic" medication can do this. All anxiety/depression meds do it in some people.  

[ShesTheMel]

Yes, I'm 50. Sorry to be gushy but God bless you, Dr. Hagan, for being here and helping.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

You're welcome and if you are depressed or anxious work with your psychiatrist to find something that will help you and not cause the problem Prozac did.