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If you wear spectacles all the time, then your seeing requirements will differ from those people who just need glasses for close work. Individually designed spectacle lenses enable you to see more comfortably and clearly at all distances.

Please ask us for advice, as between the ages of 40 to 55 your prescription is likely to change rapidly. It is essential that the over 40's have their eyes examined every two years, not only to review their prescription, but also to ensure that their eyes remain healthy.


Investors in People Award presentation by James Cracknell, Olympic Gold Medallist - Sydney / Athens to Christine and Michael

New revolutionary spectacle lenses enable you to comfortably see the whole of your work area, computer screen, desktop surfaces and all distances in between without any stress or strain, providing extra wide viewing areas where you need them most - at near and midrange.

If you need glasses for reading but don't like the look of bifocals, then multifocals could be the answer. Or maybe you're fed up with searching out that pair of half-specs and would rather have a pair you can wear all the time. Again, multifocals may be for you. Multifocal lenses enable the wearer to see clearly at all distances but the variation in the lens is not visible. At Michael Blackstone Optometrists we can demonstrate the effect of wearing these lenses so you can judge for yourself. There's no charge or obligation for this spectacle lens demonstration, but it enables you and our qualified optometrists to assess which type of multifocals would be best suited for your particular needs.

Why do I have difficulty reading? Normal healthy young eyes have a wide range of focus from a far distance to a few centimeters. In a young eye the lens is very flexible. But as we get older, the lens of the eye thickens and slowly loses its elasticity leading to a gradual decline in our ability to focus on objects that are close up. This loss of focusing ability is called Presbyopia. It is a normal and an expected change which sooner or later affects everyone. Before considering the alternative forms of correction, a full examination will measure the focusing defects of your eyes and also check for any signs of eye disease or other medical conditions.

Reading Glasses
For only correcting near vision, are worn when reading or doing anything close-up, however wearing these spectacles will cause your distance vision to be blurred. The alternative is half eyes or multifocal contact lenses.

Bifocals
Distance or plain vision correction in the top half with reading in the bottom half, separated by a dividing line.

Multifocals
Similar to bifocal lenses, but without the dividing line. The change from one vision to

Professionals needing comfortable and accurate vision ñ Indoor Lens
At work and at home there are many fields of activity where the indoor lens gives maximum visual comfort to the wearer, such as using computers, in the laboratory, doctors, artists, lawyers, pharmacists, playing music,  cooking, DIY, painting, playing bridge or snooker.

Contact Lenses soft
For the over forties not wanting to wear spectacles we recommend multifocal or bifocal contact lenses. They provide good vision in whichever direction you look.

You can enjoy the comfort of regular fresh lenses if you use disposables. Odd though it may at first sound, these are designed to be thrown away after a period of wear, which can be as little as a day. As your next lenses are always available, there is no need to worry about insurance, protein removal procedures or changes in prescriptions. If wearing daily disposable lenses, you do not even have to think about cleaning or looking after them, just wear and throw away.  

Michael Blackstone has written papers and lectured on new developments in Contact Lenses, Dyslexia and Practice Management. His interest in Dyslexia arose because his son, now in his thirties, is extremely Dyslexic and is very successful with two university degrees.

What is Vision Therapy?
Vision Therapy is the arranging of conditions to provide the person with the opportunity to have the necessary meaningful

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Michael Blackstone checking the fit of a contact lens