Multifocal and Varifocal Contact Lenses

What are varifocal contact lenses?

Varifocal contact lenses are designed to address the age-related vision changes we experience with presbyopia, a condition that affects our close-up vision. This means that we’ll start to need different prescriptions for different things.

Varifocals are designed to to address all your vision requirements, so you can easily switch between seeing close-up, in-between, and far away. Great for when you want to change up your look, play sports, read a menu, or just rid you of that feeling that you’ve forgotten your reading glasses.

What’s the difference between bifocals and varifocals?

Bifocal lenses have two sharply divided sections for two types of prescription - one for distance, and one for close reading. Varifocal contact lenses have more of a gradual change between prescriptions to incorporate more than two vision requirements from close-up, midrange, and distance.

How do varifocal contact lenses work?

There are two main designs of varifocal contact lenses that work in different ways:

Simultaneous vision

Probably the most common type, these lenses have specific zones for close or far vision. These zones can be distinct or can be more blended to allow for a gradual change in prescriptions. Essentially, your eye will look through both prescriptions at the same time, but will use the section of the lens that you need, depending on what you’re looking at.

Segmented or alternating vision

This design works in a similar way to bifocal glasses - the middle and top segment of the lens contain your prescription for distance, and the lower segment has your prescription for close vision.

How to buy varifocal contact lenses

If you have a contact lens prescription, you can buy contact lenses from us either in store or online. Because it’s not the same as your glasses prescription, you need to make sure you have an up-to-date contact lens assessment before you can buy any lenses.