Bifocal Contact Lenses

Bifocal contact lenses are specially designed to address the vision requirements of people with presbyopia. In the past, patients requiring bifocals had no other choice but to wear eyeglasses. Those days are over. Bifocal contact lenses are now available as both soft contacts and rigid gas permeable lenses (RGP). They allow for differing replacement schedules, including daily disposable or frequent replacement wear. Early in 2006, the very first silicone hydrogel bifocal lens hit the market.

There are a number of bifocal designs used to manufacture these lenses. One of the most common are lenses that provide for two different strengths on one lens - one to correct near vision and the other to correct distance vision. Another common design address distance vision at the top of the lens, and near vision at the bottom. Increasingly popular are lenses known as progressives. These lenses blend prescription powers on different parts of the lenses.

Many individuals new to bifocal contact lenses may need some time to adjust to wearing these lenses. The eye must adapt to using different lens areas for differing vision requirements.

About Multifocal Contacts

Similar to bifocal lenses, multifocal contact lenses provide many points of focus on the lens to enable seamless visual transition from far to close distances. They are available in a variety of wear schedules, including daily disposable and frequent replacement. As with bifocals, they come as either soft lenses or rigid gas permeable lenses (RGP).

Ask your eye care specialist whether bifocal or multifocal lenses are best for you.

Most Popular Bifocal Contact Lenses

Acuvue Bifocals

Acuvue Bifocals contact lenses are only one brand of the best selling line of contact lenses in the world. Acuvue Bifocals are designed using a technology called 'Pupil Intelligent Design'. This means that these lenses are manufactured with 5 invisible, concentric zones that permit crisp vision at varying distances. This negates the need to concentrate on a particular part of the lens when viewing varying distances. They offer an inside-out locator to ensure correct insertion, a visibility tint for ease of handling, along with UV blocking and flexible wear schedules. They are designed as 1-2 week disposable soft contacts, and are sold with 6 lenses per box immersed in buffered saline solution.

Focus Dailies Progressives

Focus Dailies Progressives soft contact lenses are manufactured by Ciba Vision and offer people with presbyopia great comfort and crisp vision. These are daily disposable, multifocal contacts that come with 30 lenses per box. The lenses are contained in an isotonic phosphate/acetate buffered saline.

Focus Progressives

Ciba Vision's Focus Progressives contact lenses are soft contacts for those needing bifocals. These lenses are available as 1 to 2 week or monthly replacement disposable soft contacts. Your eye care practitioner will determine what wear schedule is right for your vision needs. These lenses are sold as 6 sterile aspheric soft contact lenses per box, immersed in phosphate buffered saline solution.

Frequency 55 Multifocal

Designed by Coopervision, Frequency 55 Mulitfocal lenses are monthly disposable lenses designed for comfort and visual acuity. These soft lenses are sold 6 per box and are immersed in a buffered saline solution.

PureVision Multifocal

Purevision Multifocal contact lenses are manufactured by Bausch & Lomb and are made from balafilcon A. This material is an innovative silicone hydrogel material patented by Bausch & Lomb. This brand of multifocal lenses are the only available multifocal contact lenses indicated for either daily wear or for extended wear up to 30 days for the correction of farsightedness (hyperopia), nearsightedness (myopia), or presbyopes. Your eye care practitioner will decide what method of wear best suits your individual needs. These lenses are sold 6 per box, contained in a buffered saline solution.

SofLens Multi-Focal

Manufactured by Bausch & Lomb, Soflens Multifocal contacts can be used as either frequent/planned replacement or disposable wear lenses. These lenses are designed to ensure crisp vision at any distance. They are visibility tinted to assist in easy handling. These contacts are sold 6 per box, and are immersed in a phosphate buffered saline solution.

The days when individuals requiring bifocal or multifocal lenses had no options but to wear eyeglasses are over. Almost every large manufacturer of contact lenses now has products to offer those suffering from myopia, hyperopia, or presbyopia - or any combination of these - that not only address vision requirements, but also allow for various replacement schedules and prescription strengths.