Does anyone wear bi focal contact lenses?

Question

If so, what are the pros and cons with them?

Answer 1

I've fitted lots of people with them, both the monovision method and the different brands of genuine bifocal/multifocal lenses.
I've known hardly anyone be reasonably pleased with them.
It tends to be a love or hate thing.

Some people love monovision, and some can't manage it at all. If the brain allows the switch of dominance from one eye to the other it's a cheap route, allows for the correction of astigmatism with toric lenses, and minimises the contrast loss and glare prtoblems that can be present with multifocals.

If it's not going to work it's usually obvious with the first trial lenses.

The multifocals keep both eyes in their normal binocular state, but to bring back that ability to refocus that the aging eye has lost, the flexibility has to be stolen from somewhere.
With the contacts, what is "borrowed " is principally contrast levels.
In a good light with good print, a reduction in contrast between the black and the white makes no difference to the vision at all. But if the print and the page are both already somewhat grey, the effect can be most marked.

Again, how much people notice this, and how much it annoys them, seems to vary from person to person (also with their work requirements, habitual lighting levels...)
With soft lenses there are very limited options for correcting astigmatism as well as covering the reading addition.

Overall I wouldnt say more than 25% of the people I've tried with multifocal contacts have continued with them, long-term.
But those that have really love them.

There are lots of options, though. I had several people who kept three contacts. A distance pair with reading/computer specs for all day at the office, with an extra reading contact lens for social use without glasses mainly in the evening.

Answer 2

Bi-focal contacts just don't work for some people. I wear progressive lenses glasses (also called multi-focal). I tried all sorts of different bi-focal contacts. Finally my doctor and I decided they just weren't for me. He also told me that you will never get the crisp vision from contacts that you will get from glasses. So I'm sticking with glasses.

Answer 3

Same as Wow42, I have done monovision as well, and like this so much better. I have soft lenses and I would not trade these in for anything! I still might need readers for really small stuff or to see a menu in a dark restraunt...but for the better part I just wear them all day and I see. It is almost like giving me another 10 year lease on my presbyopia! My Doctor fit me with C-Vue lenses and they are not cheap, but they are worth every penny I spend to be comfortable and be able to see!

Answer 4

Yes! I do wear them. Before I got them I had to start wearing reading glasses in addition to my contacts just so I could read some small print. It was aggravating and seemed really silly to have to wear glasses on top of contacts! Now with the bifocals, I can read, drive, work at the computer, and a lot more with just the contacts. I'm very happy with mine!

Answer 5

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