Multifocal Contact Lenses

"The print in this magazine keeps getting smaller and smaller"
"I can't read this menu, the lighting in here is too dim"
"I need to hold things further away to see them"

Do any of the above sentences sound familiar to you? If so, you are likely suffering from presbyopia. Presbyopia is a common ocular condition in which the crystalline lens in your eye gradually loses its ability to focus on near objects. The lens in your eye changes its shape depending on what you are looking at to bring it into focus, much like an auto-focusing camera. Over time, this process becomes less effective, resulting in blurry near vision. Presbyopia can be corrected in a number of ways:

Prescription and
non-prescription eyeglasses

Depending on your prescription and visual needs, there are many different prescription and non-prescription eyeglass options that can improve your near vision. While they can be very helpful in correcting your vision, eyeglasses can also be very inconvenient for many activities.

Contact lenses

Looking to limit your dependence on eyeglasses? Many different contact lens options now exist to help restore your vision. These options include monovision, soft multifocal contact lenses, gas-permeable multifocal contact lenses, and scleral multifocal lenses.

Monovision is a form of vision correction in which one eye is corrected for distance vision, and the other eye is corrected for near vision. Patients have been successfully fit in monovision contact lenses for many years, however it does have disadvantages. Monovision can lead to decreased depth perception, increased glare and halos at night, and it often fails as your near vision prescription increases.

Multifocal contact lenses allow patients the ability to see far, near, and in-between without any compromise of depth perception. They can significantly decrease your dependence on reading glasses. Multifocal contact lenses are a great option for any patient who participates in outdoor activities, anyone who frequently uses the computer, and anyone who does not like using reading glasses to see their watch, cell phone, tablet, or newspaper. Multifocal contact lenses come in many different varieties including soft lenses, gas-permeable lenses, and scleral lenses. Schedule your appointment today to have your eyes evaluated to determine which type of multifocal contact lens is best for you.

Multifocal Contact Lenses - Soft or Gas-Permeable?

So now that you're ready to try multifocal contact lenses, it's time to decide which lens is right for you. Our doctors will ultimately help you decide, however it is important to have an understanding of the options available to you before your examination and contact lens fitting. The two main types of contact lenses available for correcting presbyopia are soft multifocal contact lenses and gas permeable multifocal contact lenses. Which lens is right for you ultimately depends on your daily activities, prescription, the shape of your eye, how often you will wear the lenses, and your overall vision requirements.

Questions? Contact Dr. Rebarchik

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