Prescribing contacts for a mildly nearsighted individual around 40 can be a challenge. Most of these patients take their glasses off when they read. It has to be pointed out to the patient that if you prescribe contact lenses for distance, they might have trouble focusing up close. I, as an optometrist, have to discuss this issue with the patient. The remedy may include reading glasses over the contacts, monovision (one eye for reading and one eye for distance) or bifocal contact lenses. This particular patient opted out of contacts completely but was appreciative that I pointed this out first.