Philip Walsh - Multifocals versus Bifocals - Life | Health - Coast FM

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Philip Walsh - Multifocals versus Bifocals

Friday, August 03, 2012 12:46 PM

Bifocals and multifocals – what’s the difference?
When people reach their 40s their eyesight starts to change. Presbyopia, or blurred near vision, affects everyone sooner or later. Don't panic - you just need an eye test and a quick chat with an optometrist to determine which eyewear is right for you.

If you need one prescription for distance vision and another for close work, then bifocals could be the solution for you. This is when two different strengths are in the same lens which means you don’t have to worry about carrying two pairs of glasses.

Multifocals give you all the benefits of different prescriptions in the same lens, but without the tell-tale line that bifocals can have.

Multifocal lenses gradually change from your distance prescription to your close-up prescription, so they look just like ordinary glasses and you can use them for work, driving and when you go out.

Are multifocals difficult to get used to?
People adapt to multifocals differently so someone else’s experience could be different to yours.

With new lens technologies, multifocals are much easier to adapt to now than some of the older designs from several years ago. You can also choose different lenses according to your lifestyle. For example, if you work with computers, you may need a bigger “window” for close work and a smaller one for distance vision.

Your optician will show you how to get the best out of your multifocals which will help with the adaptation process.

Are multifocals expensive?
They needn’t be. Multifocal lenses generally require deeper frames to allow space for the prescription windows but there are different categories to suit any budget and companies like Specsavers, for example, have extensive ranges of frames that fit multifocal lenses at great prices.