Bifocal contact lenses are lenses that offer two different prescriptions in a single lens. One prescription is for close reading, and the other for normal, distance vision. The dual prescriptions help people who suffer from presbyopia, where age-related changes to the eye cause difficulties in focusing on close object
Benefits of bifocals
- No need for reading glasses.
- High visual acuity for both near and distance vision.
- Similar to bifocal eyeglasses, sometimes requiring less adjustment.
Bifocal contact lenses are designed with a defined line between the near vision prescription and the distance prescription. You switch back and forth between zones, as you would with bifocal eyeglasses. Multifocal contact lenses have a gradual transition between near and far.
Types of bifocal contacts
Segmented bifocal contacts (also referred to as an alternating or translating bifocals). This mimics bifocal eyeglasses closely, with a separate section for each prescription. Usually, the near vision prescription is in the lower part of the lens, and the normal, distance prescription is in the rest of the lens.
Concentric design bifocal contacts. The center of the lens has the normal vision prescription, and the surrounding ring has the near vision prescription. This is called a concentric or simultaneous bifocal. Bifocal lenses come in both soft and rigid gas permeable (RGP) or hard lens materials.