People had only one choice if they wore bifocals, eyeglasses. When contacts hit the market bifocals still had to be in eyeglasses. That was then and this is now. Those who wear eyeglasses may have far fewer choices than those who wear contact lenses may. Many people are happy because now contact lenses come in contact lenses. Contact bifocals are available in rigid, soft, and gas permeable materials.
Who needs to wear bifocal contact lenses? People focusing on near objects who have trouble. The name of what they suffer with is Presbyopia. Over the age of 40 is when this usually happens.
Alternating Design and Bifocal Eyeglasses are alike because one half of the lens enables distance vision and the other allows you to see near. Lenses that try to blend both near and distance prescriptions fill in the pupil area and are called Simultaneous Design. Your eyes will learn to interpret the circle power choices depending on how near or far you are looking.
The radial of contact lenses is the concentric design lens. The inner lens will work on either the nearness vision or the distant vision and so can the outer part of the lens.
Translating design contacts are similar to bifocal eyeglasses where the distant correction is above the nearness vision correction. A line makes the lenses separate. The bottom of the lens is flat to keep it from moving around in your eye when you blink.
Both distant and near vision are located at the center of the Asferic Design lenses. The near correction in the center is surrounded by distance correction.
Sometimes they can be reversed in some situations. You and your doctor can decide that.
With mono-vision design lenses you have one power lens in one eye and then the other power lens in the other eye. Usually the distant vision lens is worn in the dominant eye. An examination by your doctor will be able to determine this.
There are also simultaneous vision lenses. Your eyes can focus on things that are both near and far at the same time. Distant and near correction is concentric rings.The near and far parts of the lens are in sight all the time so the light from both distant and near objects can be focused on at the same time.
Simultaneous vision contact lenses have a problem. The light from the near part of the lens will go through the distant part and vice versa when the eye is looking through it. Both in focus and out of focus can be taken in by the eye at the same time.
The brain has to figure out which is the correct image. Whether contact lenses are bifocals or not, you must obtain a prescription. Your eye doctor will do a very thorough exam to decide if you are a candidate for bifocal contacts and what type might be right for you.
Lenses that fit and are comfortable may take time to find, as with any contact lens there is an adjustment. Bifocal lenses may not be for you, at least not in the contact lenses currently available.
There may be contact lenses out there, don't give up.Do your research if you really want contacts and need bifocals and keep informed on the types of lenses available to you.There are resources available online, through your eye care physician, and in some cases right from the manufacturer.
There are discount websites for contact lenses and some manufacturers will give you a coupon for their lenses if you try them. Your budget will affect your decision about bifocal lenses without a doubt.
Check with friends and family who wear contacts and see what their experience was like. Although not everyone has the same experience, the information could help you and your doctor make the decision. Bifocal contact lenses are available now for people with astigmatism.
Toric contact lenses come in both color and disposable lenses. Check with your eye doctor about Toric lenses because some professionals are uncomfortable fitting them.
