What are multifocal soft contact lenses?
Contact lenses are well regarded as one of the best treatments for vision problems such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. Worn on the surface of the eye, they alter the way that light passes through it, ensuring that it hits the retina at the back of the eye properly so that the messages sent from the eye to the brain are accurate. Many people prefer to wear contact lenses over glasses since they don’t impact on your appearance and offer greater flexibility and convenience for the wearer.
Many people are surprised to discover that there are actually lots of different types of contact lenses to choose from. These vary by design as well as style, meaning that it’s possible to find a contact lens suitable for virtually every patient. One particularly popular variety is multifocal soft contact lenses.
What are multifocal soft contact lenses?
Multifocal contact lenses are contact lenses that enable the wearer to have clear vision at all distances. This means that you’ll be able to see nearby objects, those a medium distance away and far objects with the same degree of clarity. To do this, your eye doctor will combine multiple prescriptions into one lens.
Unlike bifocal contact lenses, multifocal have a smooth and gradual transition between each distance that makes them a lot like progressive lenses in eyeglasses. This subtle versatility makes the lenses extremely effective and patients can flit between viewing distances easily. However, it can take patients a number of days to get used to wearing and using their new contact lenses. During this time, we recommend that you don’t drive until you are confident with your vision and that you speak to your eye doctor if you have any concerns.
Multifocal lenses are available in a number of styles, including soft contact lenses. Soft contacts are made of soft, flexible plastic that enables oxygen to pass through them to the cornea. They can be trickier to handle than rigid lenses, but they are generally considered more comfortable to wear.
Benefits of multifocal soft contact lenses
Patients who choose soft, multifocal contact lenses can expect to experience a range of benefits. These include:
Improved visual acuity at all distances.
The flexibility to see in all situations without the need to wear or change glasses or contact lenses.
A smoother adjustment between viewing distances, putting less strain on your eyes.
Soft contact lenses adhere closely to the contours of the surface of the eye, making them a great fit and helping them to stay in place.
Soft lenses are comfortable and easy to wear for long periods of time.
Daily disposables are available, so you don’t necessarily have to clean and maintain the same pair of lenses each day.
Multifocal lenses can be used to address presbyopia – a refractive eye error that occurs with age and the hardening of the natural lens of the eye.
Soft contacts are safer to be worn during sport as there is a lower risk of damage if the eyes experience a blunt force impact.
If you would like to find out more about multifocal soft contact lenses, don’t hesitate to speak to our knowledgeable eye care team.
