Bifocal and Multifocal Contact Lenses

Product Information

Bifocal and Multifocal Contact Lenses

Today's bifocal contact lenses are not really bifocals any more. The vast majority are "multifocal" which means they have an infinite amount of focusing between far and near.

Presbyopia -Defined

Hold the book up close and the words appear blurred. Push the book farther away, and the words snap back into sharp focus.

That’s how most of us first recognize a condition that eye care professionals call presbyopia, a name derived from Greek words meaning "old eye." Eye fatigue or headaches when doing close work, such as sewing, knitting or painting, are also common symptoms. Because it is associated with aging, presbyopia is often met with a groan -- and an expectation that reading glasses or bifocals are inevitable. Until recently this was true, however CIBA Vision's Focus® Progressives soft contact lenses can provide individuals with presbyopia, clear and comfortable vision at all distances without the hassles, vision jumps and distortions typical of bifocals or reading glasses.

What causes presbyopia?

As we age, body tissues normally lose their elasticity. As skin ages, it becomes less elastic, and we develop wrinkles. Similarly, as the lenses in our eyes lose some of their elasticity, they lose some of their ability to change focus for different distances. The loss is gradual. Long before we become aware that seeing close up is becoming more difficult, the lenses in our eyes have begun losing their ability to flatten and thicken. Only when the loss of elasticity impairs our vision to a noticeable degree do we recognize the change.

How is presbyopia treated?

Traditionally eye care practitioners prescribe bifocal spectacles or reading glasses to help the eye accommodate for close-up work. However, soft contact lenses such as CIBA Vision's Focus Progressives are rapidly increasing in popularity as an exciting new alternative for people with presbyopia.

Diagram - How do Multifocal lenses work?

Lenticulated Multifocal

Lenticulated multifocals have concentric rings of power to accommodate the different focal lengths. This type has proven successful with gas permeable lens wearers. They also correct astigmatism quite well. As in the diagram the distance vision comes through the center of the lens with the reading vision on the edge and the intermediate vision such as "computer vision" comes between the far and near. These lenses are designed to function with both eyes seeing far and near together.

Many past lens wearers would wear one lens for far vision and the other eye focused on near. This was not very good for stereo vision. With this type of lens, the stereo vision is very good.

Aspheric Multifocal

Aspheric Multifocal have the actual different powers from far to near vision blended right across the contact lens. This design has been popular with soft contact lenses and is even available in toric astigmatic prescriptions. Generally acceptance of this type of lens is quite good. Most people do not even know that they are wearing multifocals except for the fact that they can see both far and near. These lenses also work extremely well for computer use.

Synergeyes Multifocal

Synergeyes Multifocal - The patented hybrid design of the SynergEyes® Multifocal offers the same crisp optics and all-day wear ability you’ve come to know from the other SynergEyes hybrid designs, making it ideal for patients that are unable to tolerate the comfort of RGP lenses as well as soft lens wearers wishing to upgrade from fuzzy, soft optics to crisp, rigid optics. The stability and centration of the hybrid design provides excellent correction of corneal astigmatism without rotational instability.

Hybrid Soft lens with a gas permeable center - Lens Design Ltd. is an authorized vendor for all synergeyes contact lenses. This unique lens combines the crisp vision of a gas permeable lens with the comfort of a soft lens. With their latest release Multifocal contact lens prescriptions are also available.

Bifocal and Multifocal Contact Lenses - are available for a wide range of prescriptions. Bifocals and multifocals come in soft lens, gas-permeable and disposable formats. These lenses have concentric rings of power to accommodate the different focal lengths. Many people upgrade to bifocal or multifocal contacts without ever noticing a difference from their previous lenses.

Overnight Wear Multi - Focal contact lenses.

Thanks to a unique rounded edge design, PureVision lenses fit comfortably in your eyes all day, and well into the night. Plus, unlike most contact lenses, PureVision lenses are for daily wear and are FDA-approved for up to 30 days of continuous wear*. Which means, regardless of your wearing schedule, you can be sure your PureVision lenses will be comfortable and your eyes will be healthy. More Info

Bausch And Lomb Purevision Multifocals

What lens option will work best for me?
Your eye care professional may ask a number of questions to help determine the best avenue of treatment. You may be asked to describe your usual lifestyle or daily activities and from this your practitioner will be able to recommend a solution most suited to your needs. For instance, if you are a librarian, your needs will be significantly different from those of a truck driver.

Once my vision is corrected for presbyopia, will I require frequent lens changes?
Presbyopia is a gradual change, happening over a number of years so your prescription will need to be updated periodically. Changes are best made at your regular eye examination rather than after the need for change starts to cause you difficulties.

At Lens Design Ltd., we will spend the time to fit a bifocal lens that will suit your needs.

Proclear Multifocal now includes extended range for bifocal wearers.

+20.00 to -20.00 with up to -5.75 of astigmatism and add up to +4.00.

Cooper's specialty lab has just released a new and improved disposable contact lens for bifocal and multifocal use made from the Proclear plastic. Features of this contact lens include a new gradually curved lens design that enhances capabilities to see both near and far simultaneously. Vision for use on a computer is outstanding. These new lenses fit as comfortable as the Proclear contact lenses that are well known for their dry eye comfort. Free yourself from the hassle of reading glasses, enjoy new multifocal contact lenses from Cooper Vision.

If you would be interested in trying these new lenses, please contact our office for an appointment. Trial lenses are now available for fitting in the expanded range powers.