If you need separate glasses for distance vision and reading, then bifocal lenses could be for you. They contain two different prescriptions so you will no longer need to switch between two pairs of glasses.
What are bifocals?
Bifocal lenses are divided into two parts to accommodate a combination of any two different prescriptions into one lens. One area of the lens will have one prescription (usually distance vision) and a segment in the lower half will have the other (usually near vision).
How do bifocal glasses work?
Rather than having two pairs of single-vision glasses, bifocal lenses can be a more convenient solution as they combine all your vision needs into one pair of glasses.
For example, if you work in an office you may want to have bifocal reading glasses, so you can have distance vision in the top of the lens for meetings or presentations, and near vision in the bottom segment for looking at your phone, documents, or your shopping list on the way home.
Bifocal lenses are typically worn by people over the age of 40 who need additional help with their near vision due to the effects of presbyopia. This is a natural part of ageing where the lens inside the eye begins to lose its ability to focus on near objects.
Browse our range of multifocal contact lenses online, a great solution for when glasses aren’t suitable
Types of bifocal lenses
Most of the lens in bifocal glasses will contain the power for distance vision, while only a smart part corrects your near vision. The lens segment devoted to near vision correction can be different shapes, such as:
Who are bifocals suitable for?
Presbyopia
As we get older, we’ll start to find it more and more difficult to read or focus on things that are close up. This is called presbyopia and is a perfectly normal part of ageing.
Most people become aware of presbyopia when they start holding their phone or books further away in order to see them clearly. Presbyopia will start to happen around the age of 40.
Customers with two prescriptions
Bifocal lenses combine two prescriptions in a single lens. So if you have, for example, a prescription for distance vision and another one for reading, they can be combined in one pair of bifocal glasses. So no more switching between different pairs of glasses. If you need glasses for seeing in-between reading and distance, then occupational or varifocals could be for you.
Hobbies and interests
If you have hobbies or interests that require great vision at a specific distance, our Near and Far varifocals can be customised to make those areas wider for you. Ask our lens experts in-store for more information.
Noticed a recent change in your vision or thinking about bifocal lenses?
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