Bifocal Contact Lenses Treat Presbyopia

Presbyopia is often associated with aging, and it comes as a result of the weakening of the muscles, which control the adjustment of the eye's natural focusing system. While the person concerned may still be able to focus on images at distance, he will find it difficult to see images up close, like reading the newspapers or menus.

Often people with presbyopia can be seen holding things at arms length to help with the focusing. Sufferers are no longer restricted to vision corrected with eyeglasses only. A bifocal contact lens is available in a variety of prescriptions, to suit most people's needs and lifestyles, from soft or hard gas permeable to convenient disposables.

The contact lenses have two eye powers incorporated into their design: one to rectify the wearer's distance vision and the other to correct near vision. The details of the designs of bifocal lenses vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.

Contacts constructed in the alternating vision design have a distinct division between the two eye powers, with the distance vision positioned above the near vision. New bifocal contacts designs have tried to blend the powers, and the eye gradually learns to distinguish the correct power for the correct distance.

There are currently two types available. The first one has both near and distance eye powers centered on and immediately around the pupil area. This is called the simultaneous design. The second type has a concentric design, which means the middle of the contact is designed for distance vision, while the periphery corrects the near vision.

Most eye care centers and opticians offer free trial periods on a number of bifocal lenses, allowing potential customers to try a pair before making a commitment. However, there is an adjustment period that any user will need to become accustomed to wearing contacts. Only after a reasonable trial period should anybody make a final decision.

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