Contact Lenses
Multifocal Contact Lenses
Multifocal contact lenses carry different powers across the lens surface, allowing the eye to use distance and near correction simultaneously. They address presbyopia, the age related loss of near focus that begins in the mid forties.
From the mid forties the lens inside the eye loses flexibility and near focus becomes progressively harder. It happens to everyone, regardless of what your distance vision has been. For contact lens wearers it usually presents as needing reading glasses over the top of lenses, which is a particular kind of irritating.
Multifocal lenses solve it by carrying concentric zones of different power. The brain learns to select the appropriate zone for the task, in much the same way it learns to use progressive spectacle lenses. The adaptation takes days to weeks and is real, which is why trial lenses matter so much for this design.
The alternative worth knowing about is monovision, where one eye is corrected for distance and the other for near. Some people adapt beautifully to it and others cannot tolerate it, and it is worth trialling both approaches rather than assuming.
What this does not do
- Adaptation takes time and some people never fully adapt.
- Night vision and fine detail may be slightly softer than with single vision correction.
- Task specific glasses are still sometimes preferred for sustained close work.
Questions and answers
Will I still need reading glasses?
Most successful multifocal wearers do not for everyday tasks. Some keep a low powered pair for very fine print or long stretches of close work in poor light.
How long does adaptation take?
Usually one to two weeks. The first days can feel odd as the brain learns which zone to use, and pushing through that period is generally worthwhile.
What is monovision?
One eye corrected for distance, the other for near, with the brain suppressing the blurred image at each distance. It suits some people extremely well and others not at all. It is worth trialling.
Are multifocal dailies available?
Yes, and they combine presbyopic correction with the hygiene benefits of daily replacement.
Talk to someone about multifocal contact lenses
Appointments are scheduled two per hour, so there is time to answer questions properly. Call (480) 706-3937 or request a time online.