Are you over 40 and finding it difficult to read a book, drive or browse on the internet without squinting your eyes? As we grow older, fine print suddenly seems harder to read. It’s a condition called presbyopia, that occurs as the lens in your eyes begins to stiffen and change shape as we age. Near vision gets slowly impaired as this lens loses the elasticity that supports crisp, clear focus. If you were already short sighted—which means needing corrective glasses to see distant objects clearly—then you now also need prescription glasses to see objects close up. What you now need are not two pairs of glasses but one that allows you to see both near and further away objects clearly. These could be bifocal or progressive lenses. If you’re wondering which one is best suited for you, read on to find out!
What Are Bifocals?
Bifocals are eyeglasses with two distinct optical powers. In layman’s terms, these lenses offer two lens powers to help you see objects at all distances if your eyes are unable to naturally readjust This is usually prescribed to individuals who have presbyopia (farsightedness), who also require vision correction for myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia and astigmatism. These lenses are suitable for viewing things up close. Bifocal lenses come in different shapes to allow you to get the most out of your prescription.
Some of these include:
D-Shape: These lenses are the easiest to get used to. The reading area of the D-shaped bifocal looks like a letter ‘D’ positioned on its side. They may be referred to as a Flat Top Bifocal too.
Round: The lower part of the bifocal lens resembles a half circle, allowing you to see things up close.
Ribbon: These lenses have a narrow rectangular area for viewing things up close, suitable for reading a book or using your phone.
Executive: These lenses are divided into nearly equal parts to correct both nearsightedness and farsightedness in one lens. They are also known as Franklin lenses after Benjamin Franklin’s model.
What Are Progressives?
Progressive lenses or multi-focal lenses have three prescriptions in one pair of glasses. This helps with viewing things close-up (reading a book), mid-distance work browsing on a computer), or distance viewing (like driving) without having to change your glasses. These lenses are perfect for both nearsightedness and farsightedness. However, keep in mind that if you are someone who is used to wearing bifocals, getting used to progressive lenses might take a while. Progressive lenses come in different options, and choosing the right one depends on your lifestyle.
Some popular types of progressive lenses include:
Standard: If you are looking for an inexpensive option for progressive lenses with a large field view, look no further than these.
Short-Corridor: Love small frames? These are the best in the range. However, they lack a wide reading area.
Computer: As the name suggests, computer progressive lenses are for people who spend a lot of time on their screens. Keep in mind, these glasses do not substitute for daily wear glasses, and if you need them, you will have to buy those as well.
Premium: One of the best of the lot, these are designed to fit frames, your prescription, and your eyes. Moreover, they are easier to get accustomed to as compared to other types of progressive lenses.
Which One Should You Choose?
Both Bifocal and Progressive lenses come with their own set of advantages and disadvantages, the key is to finding which is suitable for your lifestyle. Both Progressives and Bifocals can take some getting used to. If you like to stay updated with the latest trends, choosing progressive lenses would be the right decision. Consider this:
- Progressive lenses lack lines and help you see at three distances, which means you won’t need to have more than one pair of glasses with you.
- They eliminate the disorienting “image jump” caused by bifocals and trifocals. So if you’re driving, you can look at your dashboard, at the road, or at a sign in the distance with a smooth transition.
- They look like regular glasses.
- But here’s a drawback you should consider: If you are used to wearing bifocals, your eyes could take time to adjust to progressives. You will have to train yourself to look out of the lower part of the lens when you’re reading, to look straight ahead for distance, and to look somewhere between the two spots to work on a computer. During that learning period, you might feel dizzy from looking through the wrong section of lens and there may be some distortion of your side (peripheral) vision while looking straight ahead.
- Another thing to consider is the cost. Progressive lenses usually cost about twice the amount traditional bifocals do.
To conclude, whether you choose progressive lenses or bifocals, both can give you a wide range of vision, allowing you to see better whatever you do.
