Multifocal Contact Lenses

What are multifocal contact lenses?

Multifocal contact lenses are also known as varifocal lenses and have many benefits for those with presbyopia by correcting age-related vision problems when their eyes can no longer focus on objects up close. They blend two or more prescriptions together to allow your eyes the ability to focus on objects at all distances, giving you freedom from wearing varifocal glasses. Multifocal contact lenses (multifocal contacts) are also known as ‘progressive contact lenses’.

The transition between these different prescriptions offers a more gradual transition than bifocal glasses and makes for seamless focusing on objects both near and far.

By offering two or more different prescriptive powers, varifocal contact lenses are able to ensure clear and concise vision across all distances, whether the object you’re looking at is right in front of your nose, a few metres in front of you, or on the other side of the street.

How do multifocal contact lenses work?

Multifocal contact lenses work by combining multiple prescriptions in a single lens to provide clear vision at all distances.

There are a couple of ways in which these different prescriptions are incorporated into the lens. One uses a set of concentric rings each with their own distinct viewing power. The other is known as an aspheric design and blends these circles for a natural viewing experience and seamless transitioning between different distances.

How do multifocal toric contact lenses work?

Multifocal toric contact lenses work by offering patients with both astigmatism and presbyopia clear vision at all distances. Most multifocal toric contact lenses are designed with a stabilisation system to ensure the correction for astigmatism is kept positioned in front of the eye throughout wear.

How to adapt to varifocal contact lenses?

Adapting to varifocal lenses or multifocal contact lenses is no different from wearing any other lens. The first few days, your eyes will be adjusting to having a new corrective lens in your eye. For varifocal lenses in particular, your eyes will need to adjust to focusing while wearing a lens with more than one prescription. Your eyes take time to utilise the segment of the lens needed to focus on a particular object and distance.

You may notice the feeling of the lens or have trouble inserting and removing the lens. This usually clears after a few days, and practice makes perfect when wearing lenses. You can read our full guide on inserting and removing contact lenses. If you experience continuous discomfort and issues with visual clarity, it is highly advisable that you speak to your optician. It’s important to communicate with your optician when choosing multifocal contact lenses. They will need to know about your lifestyle, hobbies, and regular activities as well as your prescription. This will help with choosing the right lens type for fitting. Remember, multifocal lenses are not a replacement for glasses; they are an enhancement for your lifestyle.

Types of multifocal contact lenses

The two most common design types of multifocal contact lenses are aspheric and concentric.

Aspheric

Aspheric multifocal lenses feature a similar composition to progressive glasses lenses. They have no visible lines in the lenses and feature a seamless transition between multiple prescriptions. Both distance and near prescriptions are located at the centre of the lens and gradually change as you move outwards.

Concentric

Concentric multifocal lenses feature concentric circles on the lens. They typically feature your normal prescription for either short or long sightedness at the centre of the lens and this is surrounded by circles for near and distance powers.

Segmented

Segmented designs are only featured in gas permeable multifocal contact lenses. These multifocal lenses have two distinct viewing zones with the distance prescription occupying the centre and upper zones and the prescription for near vision occupying the bottom zone. The bottom edge of the lens is flattened to prevent the lens from rotating.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Multifocal Contact Lenses

Advantages of wearing multifocal contact lenses :

• Transitions easily between both prescriptions
• Eliminates the need to switch between different glasses and lenses
• You can choose from a wide range of wearing options such as daily wear, monthly or two weekly
• Perfect for those who want a change of look, play sports, or have an active lifestyle

Disadvantages of wearing multifocal contact lenses :

• Night-time glare and hazy or shadowed vision during the initial adjustment period
• Having to adjust to the distinct viewing areas
• Tends to be more expensive compared to standard contact lenses due to their higher power and the intricacy of fitting these lenses

Which are the best multifocal contact lenses?

Best daily multifocal contact lenses

1 Day Acuvue Moist Multifocal Contact Lenses

Part of the Acuvue Moist range, these multifocal daily disposable contact lenses offer excellent presbyopic correction with an aspheric design that helps the lens follow the eye as it moves. LACREON® technology is the main element in these innovative daily disposables, locking in moisture and offering long-lasting hydration, particularly useful for those suffering from dry eyes.

Dailies AquaComfort Plus Multifocal Contact Lenses

Created by Alcon & Ciba Vision, these daily multifocal contacts ensure a seamless vision between different distances for your eyes. Highly convenient, they can be disposed of after use. Just put your lenses in when you wake up, enjoy a full day of wear, before disposing of them before bed. You can then insert a fresh pair of lenses in the next day.

Dailies Total 1 Multifocal Contact Lenses

These multifocal daily contact lenses can be worn for up to 16 hours a day, due to their high-water content and silicone hydrogel material. By wearing a new set of lenses every day, you can rely on total hygiene and enjoy complete visual clarity and comfort for the day before simply throwing the lenses away before going to sleep - no cleaning or storing routine needed.

Air Optix Aqua Multifocal Contact Lenses

The silicone hydrogel material of these contacts allows for a higher flow of oxygen in and out of the eye. Offering up to six times the amount of oxygen compared to standard hydrogel lenses. By using Unique Precision Profile technology, these multifocal lenses are able to contain multiple prescriptions in one lens and achieve complete visual clarity and crisp vision at short, intermediate and long distances.

Biofinity Multifocal Contact Lenses

These Biofinity lenses deliver a smooth and seamless vision at all distances for contact lens wearers with presbyopia. Made from silicone hydrogel for a refreshing and barely noticeable presence on your eye. Aquaform Technology works to lock in moisture and minimise the risk of dry eye for contact lens wearers. You can rely on hydrated, moisturised and healthy eyes with these multifocal contact lenses for presbyopia.

Acuvue Oasys For Presbyopia Contact Lenses

Acuvue Oasys for Presbyopia offer a two weekly wear and can be worn for a whole week without removal as an extended wear contact lens, if approved by an optician. With an advanced aspheric design, multiple prescriptions are blended together with Stereo Precision Technology to correct presbyopia. These silicone hydrogel contact lenses allow up to six times the amount of oxygen to flow through the material than hydrogel lenses. Hydraclear® technology helps to prevent dry eyes and aid water retention.

Proclear Multifocal Toric Contact Lenses

These innovative lenses combine the benefits of a multifocal contact lens and a toric lens for astigmatism. Multiple prescriptions are moulded together to achieve clear and crisp vision for the wearer, correcting both presbyopia and astigmatism. Rest assured you will receive sharp and consistent sight throughout the day, unaffected by distortions. PC Technology helps to lock moisture into the lens, keeping them moist and hydrating your eyes throughout wear.

Bausch & Lomb Ultra Multifocal for Astigmatism (6 Pack) Contact Lenses

Bausch & Lomb Ultra Multifocal for Astigmatism (6 Pack) contact lenses are a combined multifocal and toric lens featuring 3-Zone Progressive technology for clear vision at all distances and an OpticAlign design for consistently clear and stable vision. These toric multifocal contact lenses have been engineered for optimal comfort with MoistureSeal technology which locks in moisture for 16 hours. They can also be worn as extended wear contact lenses for up to 7 days, if approved by your optician.

Tips on buying multifocal contact lenses online in the UK

At Feel Good Contacts we stock genuine branded contact lenses. Buying multifocal contact lenses online is easy and straightforward. Here are our top tips:

1. Check your contact lens prescription
2. Choose your usual brand of contact lenses
3. Choose contact lenses according to your wearing schedule. We stock multifocal contact lenses for a range of wearing schedules including extended wear, daily contact lenses, monthlies and torics.
4. Once you have found your lenses, enter your prescription, then simply add them to your basket and proceed to checkout.

When buying multifocal contact lenses online in the UK, make sure you are ordering from a licensed online contact lens retailer.

FAQs

What vision problems do multifocal lenses correct?

Multifocal contact lenses correct age-related vision problems known as presbyopia. Presbyopia usually occurs in people over the age of 40 and causes close-up vision to become blurry.

Are there coloured multifocal contact lenses?

Coloured multifocal contact lenses do not exist. Unfortunately no brand produces multifocal coloured contact lenses.

Is presbyopia and multifocal the same?

Multifocal is the term given to lenses which correct presbyopia.

Who can wear multifocal contact lenses?

Those who require several powers can wear multifocal contact lenses providing their eyes are healthy and have been checked by an optometrist or ophthalmologist. They are a convenient option if you have presbyopia and find yourself switching between ranges of vision throughout the day.

Why are my multifocal contact lenses blurry?

Your multifocal contact lenses may seem blurry for a variety of reasons. For example, blurry vision while wearing contact lenses could be due to a change in your prescription, a build-up of deposits on the surface of the lenses, dry eyes, allergies, and other problems to do with your eye health. If you experience blurry vision while wearing your multifocal contact lenses, you should see your optician.

How do you clean multifocal contact lenses?

For advice on how to clean multifocal contact lenses, you can read our guide on caring for contact lenses. Make sure you are using a contact lens solution suitable to the lenses you wear and avoid using water to clean your contact lenses at all costs. If you’re new to wearing multifocal contact lenses, make sure you follow the advice given by your optician.

Quick links:

What is Presbyopia?
Which multifocal contact lenses are the best for me?
Do I need an eye test?