Bifocals Vs. Single Vision

Bifocal lenses

When your eyes begin to fail you as you try to read a magazine or thread a needle, it may mean it's time to think about bifocal lenses. Even people who have never needed corrective lenses can experience presbyopia, or "old eye."

Simple Solution

Generally, single-vision lenses correct vision for a specific distance. Presbyopia means your vision no longer adjusts to a range of distances, especially close ones. Switching between reading glasses and your single-vision glasses can provide the simplest solution.

Bifocal Benefits

Presbyopia becomes progressively worse. At some point the inconvenience of switching between glasses may annoy you enough to consider bifocal lenses. Bifocals combine two lenses into one. The top section focuses your eyes for distance and the lower adjusts them for close-up work.

Features

With some bifocals you can see the line that separates the two areas. Others are called progressive lenses, blending the vision areas together without the line. You can also find bifocal contact lenses. Talk with your optician about the best option for you.

Considerations

With some practice, you'll learn to use the appropriate section of the lens for your activity. Some people are distracted by a line across their vision. Progressives lenses, however, sometimes make the adjustment to bifocals more difficult.

References

• Encyclopedia: Presbyopia
• University of Illinois: Presbyopia, Why Bifocals?

Resources

• All About Vision: Bifocals & Trifocals: Solutions for "Short Arms"