Prescription Contact Lenses

What Are Multifocal Contact Lenses?

Multifocal contact lenses are medical devices used for people suffering from presbyopia. These are available in two designs—simultaneous and alternating. You can buy these as soft or rigid gas permeable (GP) contact lenses. Multifocal contact lenses make it possible to see at near and far distances all the time.

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Can you read the newspaper clearer when it’s far away from you? Are you in your 40’s? Do you find it difficult to see at near distances? If yes, you might be one of many adults who are experiencing presbyopia (rigidity of the eyes’ crystalline lens). Wearing eyeglasses and bifocal or multifocal contact lenses are usually the interventions for this problem.

Soft multifocal contact lenses are considerably more comfortable to wear than rigid gas permeable (GP) multifocal lens. On the other hand, one of advantage of GP lens is that they provide crisper eyesight. GP lenses will take some time before you can fully adjust and become comfortable with them, though.

A multifocal lens with simultaneous design is mostly available as gas permeable and soft types. You can usually see at different distances by focusing your pupil at its center—it’s up to your brain to decide which lens area to accentuate. This is more appropriate for focusing on objects in your intermediate space, like when you look at your computer screen.

An alternating lens design is a gas permeable multifocal lens that’s smaller in size compared to a regular soft lens. This is divided into two separate areas—the lower portion lets you see nearby objects while the upper portion is for far-off objects. You can use this for reading and driving.

If you’re thinking of switching to another brand, you might want to ask your eye doctor about Proclear Multifocal by Cooper Vision. It’s a dual purpose soft contact lens that’s made to relieve symptoms of dry eyes and presbyopia. It’s comfortable to wear and keeps your eyes moist every time.

Multifocal contacts can be bought either through your eye doctor or online retailers. However, some manufacturers, like Cooper Vision, only sell their products through accredited offline distributors and eye care professionals. When shopping for these, do not forget to have your doctor’s prescription with you.

If for some reason you need to return the product you bought, most online retailers have a 30-day return policy. You can only make a return, however, if the product’s box and packaging are still intact. Your doctor could also return an item to the manufacturer if you bought it from him.

A multifocal contact lens could really do a lot to help farsighted adults due to presbyopia to see clearly without the hassles that most eyeglasses bring. However, don’t forget to also observe proper hygiene to ensure that your eyes stay protected from harmful microorganisms. You should also stick to your doctor’s instructions about care and usage of multifocal contact lenses.