Contact Lenses are for Everybody!

Multi Focal Contact Lenses

As the technology for progressive multifocal glasses has improved with huge leaps over the last 5 years, so has the technology in multifocal contact lenses.  With the newest contact lens designs people are no longer dependent on reading glasses see small print or restaurant menus. 

Over time, the ability to change focus between distance and near gets more difficult, and eventually everybody needs a different prescription for seeing things up close and for viewing objects at a distance.  Previously the only way to get the way contact lens wearers could achieve this was “monovision” which is the system where a distance contact lens is worn on one eye, and a near contact lens is worn on the other.  While the brain adapts to this system amazingly well, and learns to seamlessly shift attention from one eye to the other depending on the visual task, the eyes are not able to work together as a team, and depth perception can be compromised.

Recently, multifocal contact lenses have been greatly improved and have been gaining popularity.  While there are a variety of specific designs, all multifocal lenses use a system called “simultaneous vision” where both eyes have a blend of powers for both distance and near viewing.  This allows the eyes to work together as a team at all distances.  Studies show that this form of multifocal contact lens wear is easier to adapt to than more traditional monovision contacts and often yields better visual results.

At Midtown Optometry we have a wide variety of multifocal contact lenses from Ciba Vision, Coopervision, and Acuvue.  These lenses are now available in a daily disposable design for the best comfort and eye health.  As the eye ages, it often becomes drier which makes contact lens more challenging.  New lens materials and coatings minimize drying and optimize clarity to allow contact lens for people who were previously unable to adapt to the comfort.  Ask our doctors about what contact lens correction is best for you.  We are now happy to trial contact lenses for almost any patient.