Bifocal and Multifocal Contact Lenses
You may not have heard of them before, but bifocal contact lenses have been around for a while.
In the past, many eye care practitioners and contact lens wearers felt that bifocal contacts didn't work very well. However, with advances in lens design and manufacturing, bifocal and multifocal contact lenses are enjoying more success than ever before.
Multifocal contact lenses, which include contacts with two (bifocal) or more powers, are available in the same options as bifocal eyeglasses. There are two types of lens designs, alternating vision or translating lenses and Simultaneous vision lenses.
Alternating vision/translating lenses function like "traditional bifocal eyeglasses," where the top and bottom of the lens have different powers. Simultaneous vision lenses operate more like progressive addition lenses, where the wearer will experience both near- and distance-vision correction simultaneously. Simultaneous vision lenses are available in several different designs.
For more information on bifocal and multifocal contact lenses, visit these websites:
- The Contact Lens Manufacturers Association has an educational website for consumers providing information on gas permeable bifocal contact lenses, and the advantages of GP contact lenses in general. Although fitting of gas permeable contacts is dwarfed by that of soft contact lenses, bifocals and multifocals are one area where GPs have enjoyed relative success because of the exceptional near and distance vision that many GP designs provide.
- The Consumer Guide to Contact Lenses provides an overview of the various types of bifocal and multifocal contact lens designs.
- Two popular brands of soft multifocal contact lenses are marketed by Johnson & Johnson Vision Care and CIBA Vision; visit their websites to learn more about Acuvue Bifocal and Focus DAILIES Progressives. Also, Bausch & Lomb now markets a multifocal version of their PureVision silicone hydrogel contact lenses.
Multifocal contact lenses are also available in colored versions, so wearers can change their natural eye color with enhancement, opaque color and light-filtering tints.
Not sure if you can wear bifocal contact lenses? Or what type of lens might be best for you? Your optometrist will take into consideration two things: your pupil size and your near-vision prescription before recommending a particular lens for you to use. There are also other techniques if bifocal contacts aren't for you, such as monovision and modified monovision. Most practitioners will supply you with free trial contact lens pairs until you are able to find the combination that best suits your needs.
Find contact lens discounts for bifocal contact lenses on AllAboutVision.com.