6 Best Multifocal & Bifocal Contact Lenses (Pros & Cons) (2023)

FAQs

Which is better bifocal or multifocal contact lenses? ›

Pro: Better Vision, Near to Far

Bifocal contacts have distinct zones like bifocal glasses, multifocals are made up of concentric rings that each have a different prescription. Both constructions allow for natural-feeling vision at all distances.

New multifocal options include CooperVision's MyDay® multifocal, which launched with the largest range of parameters of any daily disposable multifocal option.

If someone has an ocular comorbidity in either eye (eg, severe dry eye disease, irregular astigmatism, epiretinal membranes, macular degeneration), he or she is not eligible for a multifocal IOL.

One of the most frequently asked questions in the clinic is why multifocal contacts are blurry in the distance. There is a little give and take that happens with the physics of bending light here. Multifocals essentially take away a bit of your distance clarity to allow you to see well up close.

Does Medicare cover multifocal lenses in cataract surgery? No. Medicare only covers a monofocal IOL. You can use glasses to make up the difference after surgery.

Some patients develop halos and glares surrounding lights after dark, as well as reduced nighttime vision. However, for most patients this fades over time, with about one percent having persistent night vision complaints, occasionally requiring the exchange of the lens.

Wearing your multifocals as often as you can will help train your eyes to move between the different powers of the lenses easily. Most people are able to adjust to their multifocals in a week or two.

As with multifocal eyeglasses, it may take a while to adapt. Getting used to multifocal contact lenses might take you just an hour or so, or a day or two. For a few people, adjusting takes a little longer, for some no time at all.

How Much Do Multifocal Contacts Cost? Disposable multifocal contacts cost approximately $30 to $120 per month or $300 to $800 per year. These contacts are typically worn to treat presbyopia, and can be daily, biweekly, or monthly lenses.

What is premium multifocal lenses? ›

Types of Premium Lenses

Multifocal lenses are IOLs that allow users to see both near and far distances. The aging process or presbyopia causes the eye lenses to harden, making it difficult to focus on near objects. The multifocal lenses can help correct cataracts and presbyopia.

Progressive lenses are multifocal with three prescriptions in a pair of eyeglasses. They're a three-for-one combo in eyewear. Bifocals and trifocals work similarly to progressive lenses and feature either two or three prescriptions in a pair of glasses.

With multifocal lenses, it is even more important to identify the patient's visual needs and document their history. Understand patient expectations to better meet them, and set your own.

With the Panoptix lens or any multifocal lens, it is normal to have some glow as well as halos for the first six weeks or so. They generally tend to get better but do not completely go away.

With the many lenses available to us it allows me to have a better than 90% success rate with multifocal contact lenses. My preference with any contact lens wearer is to utilize a daily modality and 73% of the contact lenses we sell are daily lenses.

If you have been successfully wearing multifocals before then it is likely there is something wrong with either the fitting or prescription of the lens. If you haven't worn multifocal lenses before it may be an adaptation issue but it is worth discussing with your optometrist.

When you wear contact lenses there is no minimizing or maximizing the images you see. When you wear glasses, image size is being introduced into the equation. Think about it like using a magnifying glass.

The “D” lens goes on the Dominant eye and the “N” lens goes on the Non-Dominant eye.

Some people adapt to the multifocal vision system immediately, while others experience 3-D vision or shadows for about a week. The shadows diminish as you get used to the lens.

Multifocal contact lenses come in both soft lens and rigid gas permeable (RGP, or hard) lens materials. There are two main types of multifocal contact lens designs. The most common is a set of concentric circles of lens powers prescribed for various viewing distances.

Which brand is best for contact lenses? ›

Multifocal contact lenses typically cost more than other types of contact lenses because they need to correct multiple vision problems at once. You can expect to pay between $300 and $500 for a year's supply of the lenses.

Medicare covers medically necessary cataract surgery with standard intraocular lenses. Medicare won't cover advanced technology lenses or elective surgery primarily to correct vision from nearsightedness or astigmatism, called “refractive lens exchanges.”

Patients with 1.0 D or more of astigmatism are shown to benefit from correction during or after cataract surgery, as visual acuity can decline to 20/25 with 0.75 D and 20/40 with 1.5 D of astigmatism.

Summary: A new study suggests that older adults who wear multifocal contact lenses to correct problems with near vision, a very common condition that increases with age, may have greater difficulty driving at night than their counterparts who wear glasses.

These are usually recommended for individuals who lost their ability to naturally shift the focus of their eyes due to presbyopia and age. Progressive lenses. If you are over 40, your doctor may require you to wear progressive lenses, which are effective on bringing back your near and far visions.

A toric IOL can correct up to 4.50 diopters of corneal astigmatism. Multifocal IOLs correct a range of visual fields. The newest designs split light into several focal points to provide high quality vision. Patients who have presbyopia (impaired near vision) and astigmatism, may have success with multifocal IOLs.

Multifocal lenses work best when they're customized to your exact and unique requirements. When you're ready to get fitted, make a point to work with a professional you can trust. Having a wrong prescription can leave you with headaches, eye strain or even nausea.

Is there a top and bottom to multifocal contact lenses? ›

These are GP multifocal lenses that are designed like bifocal eyeglass lenses. The top part of the lens has the distance power, and the bottom part of the lens contains the near power.

Getting used to multifocal contact lenses might take you just an hour or so, or a day or two. For a few people, adjusting takes a little longer, for some no time at all. Yet once your eyes and brain have adapted to the new way of seeing, multifocal magic becomes a daily joy.

Multifocal lenses are an extremely successful option for presbyopia as it eliminates switching back and forth between reading glasses and ordinary spectacles. Multifocals are available both in eyeglasses and contact lenses and your eye doctor will discuss how these lenses can enhance your lifestyle.

If you wear monovision or multifocal contact lenses you may find that your distance vision, especially at dusk is compromised. You may need to consider wearing glasses for driving at night, or swapping to a pair of distance only contact lenses, to give you the best vision.

Wear your multifocals at all times for the first few days.

Wearing your multifocals as often as you can will help train your eyes to move between the different powers of the lenses easily. Most people are able to adjust to their multifocals in a week or two.

Among the most common symptoms patients experience when wearing multifocal eyeglasses for the first time are headaches, nausea, dizziness and depth perception problems. You might feel a swim and sway effect, be uncomfortable using the stairs, and have a hard time focusing between intermediate and near distances.

The most common reasons for blurry vision with contacts are an outdated prescription, a new prescription you haven't adjusted to yet, wearing your contacts for too long, contacts that don't fit correctly, and allergies. Should I see a doctor if my vision remains blurry with contacts?

D/N: D/N stands for dominant or nondominant eye—multifocal and bifocal contacts have different levels of vision correction for each. Your dominant eye is associated with distance vision, and your nondominant eye is associated with near vision.

Multifocal contact lenses allow you to see near, medium, and far distances with better visual acuity and less juggling of other devices, like wearing contacts and also wearing reading glasses. They are not for everyone, but they can be very helpful for some people who have more than one refractive error.