Super Focus Update

SOME TIME ago I wrote about a new pair of glasses that allows for focus at all distances: “Super Focus.”The company has stepped up their advertising on TV. I thought it appropriate to update you on the advances.{{more}}

I wrote about the major disadvantages of these glasses. One was the cost, twice as much as multifocal (progressive) glasses, and only two styles were available. The company has now introduced several new styles with the hope of making them more cosmetically appealing.

Each frame contains a pair of unique focusing lenses that change their shape, imitating the way the natural youthful eyes work. The advantage here is that due to a slider on the bridge of the frame, the entire lens focuses instantly on the distance or near, even in the periphery. This is an obvious improvement over progressive glasses.

First, a short recap on the ageing eye. Shortly after birth, we develop an amazing focus range, acquiring the ability to see things very close to the eye. This is thanks, to a large extent, to the flexible nature of the lens within the eye. With increasing age, however, this lens gets firmer and firmer.

By the time we reach the age of about 40 years (give or take a few years), the ability of this lens to change shape decreases so much that reading glasses are required for seeing close-up. This condition is called “presbyopia”. Presbyopia is corrected with either glasses, contact lenses or surgery. If the option of glasses is chosen, either reading glasses, bifocals (correction for far and near) or more recently multifocals are used. Multifocal or progressive lenses combine several focusing ranges into one.

The main disadvantage of progressive lenses is as follows: The reading area is limited, so when looking sideways one needs to turn ones head. The extreme periphery of the lenses, in other words, becomes distorted.

According to the company: Each “lens” is actually a set of two lenses, one flexible and one firm. The flexible lens (near the eye) has a transparent distensible membrane attached to a clear rigid surface. The pocket between them holds a small quantity of crystal clear fluid. As you move the slider or wheel on the bridge, it pushes the fluid and alters the shape of the flexible lens. Changing the shape changes the correction. This mimics the way the lenses in your eyes used to perform when you were younger.

This allows you to choose the exact correction that works best for you at any distance and under any lighting conditions. The result: clear, undistorted vision over a wide field of view; no zones, no lines.

That’s it for this week, folks.

Have a great week.

Dr Kenneth Onu is a resident Consultant Ophthalmologist at the Beachmont Eye Institute/Eyes R Us Send questions to: Beachmont@gmail.com

Tel: 784 456-1210