Bifocal Contact Lenses
Bifocal contact lenses are for individuals who suffer from presbyopia. If you have not already been diagnosed with this condition, one major hint that you may suffer from it, is if you find yourself needing to push things further away in order to see or read them, such as the newspaper or pill bottles.
At one time, individuals who suffered from presbyopia were unable to wear contact lenses. There was none available to them. Today, individuals who wear bifocals can purchase rigid gas permeable, silicone hydrogel and soft contact lenses. Some of which are even disposable.
Bifocal contact lenses are designed to treat more then one eye condition at the same time. There are three primary groups, translating, annular and simultaneous vision lenses.
1. Translating Lenses: Translating lenses provide correction for both near-sightedness and far-sightedness. They are very similar to the bifocal lenses that you would find in bifocal glasses. Some translating lenses are designed to even correct a third vision problem.
2. Simultaneous Lenses: Simultaneous lenses allow the wearer to be able to see and focus on items that are both far away and close up. The concentric rings on the lens provide vision correction. This simply means that the portion of the lens dedicated to correcting far-sightedness is in the center of the contact, while the portion of the contact that is dedicated to treating near-sightedness is on the outside of the lens.
Simultaneous lenses are the bifocal lenses that presbyopia sufferers experience the most success with. In fact, they work well for about 80% of people who use them, if the lens are fitted properly. Simultaneous contact lenses are generally prescribed to individuals who have just been diagnosed with presbyopia. If they don't adequately help to improve vision, then segmented bifocals may be prescribed.
3. Annular bifocal lenses: Annular bifocal lenses are for individuals who have small pupils or whose eyes don't need a great deal of correction. The corrective part of the lens is placed in concentric rings around the middle of the contacts.
Bifocal contact lenses help to treat a vision condition called presbyopia. Bifocal lenses are unique in that they are designed to treat more then one vision condition at once. The three main categories of bifocals or multi-focals are annular bifocal lenses, simultaneous and translating lenses. Bifocal lenses can work to correct near and far-sightedness, among other visual problems with the same lens.
Bifocal users can purchase disposable lens, lens made from silicone hydrogel and even soft contact lenses. Individuals who use bifocals, should care for them in the same manner that one would for any other type of contact lens. This means keeping them clean and disinfected as to avoid problems with the fit of the bifocal or any development of infection.
Individuals who wear bifocal glasses, now have a choice. They don't have to wear unattractive or thick glasses. Instead, individuals will often find that a well-fitted pair of bifocals contact lens will not only allow them to see clearly, but also encourages others to focus on them and not their glasses.