How Do Bifocal Contacts Work?
- Bifocal contacts are contacts that have two prescriptions and are needed for people who have presbyopia. Presbyopia affects a person's ability to see clearly when looking at something up close. Bifocal lenses are available as both soft and hard contact lenses. Disposable bifocal lenses are also an option.
- According to eyedocs.com, a contact lens corrects vision by helping the eye to focus light correctly on the retina. According to allaboutvision.com, bifocal contact lenses consist of two prescriptions within the same lens. There are two types of bifocal contacts: alternating and simultaneous lenses. Contact lenses are prescribed with different levels of refractive power or correction. The greater the prescription number, the more the light needs to be bent to correct the vision problem.
- Alternating or translating lenses have one prescription strength on the top part of the lens and another on the bottom part of lens. These work very similarly to the way traditional bifocal glasses work. Contact wearers are able to use the different prescriptions when needed by either looking upward or downward.
- Simultaneous lenses also have two prescriptions within one lens, but they are not independent of one another like in the alternating lenses. An individual's own optical system is able to utilize the proper prescription depending upon what they are trying to see and how far or close that object is from him.