Can You Wear Bifocal Contacts? And Should You?

While by no means as common as typical lenses, bifocal contacts are a readily available and viable alternative for those who need them. The question however, is not really 'Can you wear bifocal contacts?', but rather, 'should you?'. Because bifocal lenses are essentially two different prescriptions (otherwise known as 'powers') in one, they are notoriously difficult to become accustomed to and success rates are considerably lower than for normal contact lenses. Bifocals are designed to correct the condition known as presbyopia, an age-related ailment which reduces the elasticity of the lens of the eye and because of this is unable to focus properly on close objects.

Essentially, bifocals work by correcting both the distance and near vision, hence the reason for two powers on one lens. There are a number of techniques most commonly used in the manufacture of bifocal lenses, namely, simultaneous and alternating or segmented vision designs. The first of which, the simultaneous technique, blends each power on the center of the pupil in concentric rings and thereby forces your eye to correctly differentiate between each power and decide which to use with the corresponding distance.

The alternating or segmented technique is analogous to that used in bifocal glasses in that one portion of the lens (usually the top) accounts for distance viewing and the other portion (the lower) for near viewing. Like normal contact lenses, bifocal variants come in both rigid and soft types, and in recent years have even become available as disposable lenses.

Available now and for years to come are the handily linked products you'll find on the right of the page.

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