Bifocal & Multifocal Contacts

Bifocal contacts give options to bifocal glasses wearers

Bifocal contacts and multifocal contacts are designed like bifocal or multifocal glasses: they have at least two different powers, one for near vision and one for distance vision.

Why is this necessary? The design is in order to correct the vision of people with presbyopia - a condition caused by age-related changes in the eye whereby it is difficult to change focus from far away to close up.

Bifocals
There are various different designs of bifocal contacts available today. Most feature the two obvious prescriptions - the top of the lens for distance and the bottom for near vision, with a line separating the upper and lower segments. Another bifocal design may have the two powers in concentric rings where the center portion has the near power and the periphery has the distance power (or vice versa).

Bifocal contacts are available in both RGP and soft lenses, as well as in disposable or frequent replacement lenses.

Multifocals
Multifocal contacts (also known as progressives) are similar to bifocals in that they have more than one power, but the transition between distance and near is more smooth and natural, since several different powers are added to the lens. This eliminates the line separating the powers found on bifocal contact lenses. For example, multifocal lenses with the concentric bifocal design might have the distance power in the center and the near power in the periphery. But to make the transition between the two more natural, the outer part of the lens will have a progressive power for clear vision at all distances.

Like bifocals, multifocals are available in both soft and RGP lenses. Multifocals are also available in frequent replacement designs and even daily disposables.

Monovision
Another option for patients with presbyopia is monovision -- wearing a lens for distance vision in one eye and a lens for near vision in the other. If distance vision is normal, only a single contact for near vision is worn. Monovision works by having one eye focus on distant object and the other focus on near objects. The brain learns to adapt to this and will instinctively use the correct eye, depending on the object in view. This can be great solution for people who have a hard time adjusting to bifocal or multifocal lenses.

The downside of monovision is that you have to adjust the position of your head to see. Monovision also requires an adjustment period and they may impair depth perception. There is also a reduced level of high-contrast visual precision when compared with bifocal or multifocal lenses.

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