Psychological Factors and Sex Differences in Acceptance of Monovision

Abstract

49 participants, adapted to using contact lenses, completed a battery of psychological tests to examine differences between persons who were successful in wearing monovision lenses for presbyopia and those who were unsuccessful. Although visual performance and requirements strongly affect participants' satisfaction with monovision lenses, personality characteristics and visual processing styles appear to influence the percentage of full-time wear. Of the participants, 41% (20 of 49) ultimately rejected monovision for a variety of both visual and psychological reasons. Sex differences were evidenced in the psychological variables correlated to monovision lens wear. Analysis indicated that men scoring as introverts rejected monovision while women with difficulty perceiving a visual pattern against visual background noise had difficulty adapting to monovision and exhibited shorter wearing times.