Bifocal Contact Lens Reviews

Bifocal contact lenses are most commonly used to correct the age related eye disorder known as presbyopia. The common signs of presbyopia is when a person has difficulty in focusing on close-by objects and has difficulty in reading. It mostly occurs after the age of 40, and is often a sign of aging. Bifocal contacts are a type of multi-focal contact lenses, as they have two focal points which enable the user to adapt his vision to see both nearby and faraway objects. Read the reviews to gain valuable insight on the advantages of using these lenses and how they might help you in vision correction.

How Do Bifocal Contacts Work?
These lenses, as the name suggests, contain two focal points or optical powers on each lens, one for near and one for distance vision. These may be placed in different ways. Thus, there are two main types of lenses based on how the two optical powers are arranged on the lens:

• Translating or alternating vision bifocal contact lenses which are very similar to bifocal glasses, where the focal point for distance is above the near vision power, thus when a person looks downwards, the near vision is used and when the person looks up or forward, the distance power comes into his line of sight. This is made possible by the use of gas permeable or GP lenses, which remain stationary even though the eyeball moves.
• Simultaneous vision contact lenses usually contain different focal points for near and far vision, in the form of alternating concentric rings. They can be both GP lenses or soft lenses. Soft bifocal lenses with simultaneous vision usually have the near vision focal point on the middle, and the distance vision around it in the form of rings. GP has distance vision in the center and near vision in concentric circles around it.

Problems
The common problems associated with bifocal lenses are:

• Difficulty in adjusting to the two different focal points, is one of the commonest problems. This is not for too long though, as the user soon becomes accustomed to the lens and gets comfortable with it.
• During early use, the user may have blurry vision and at times, see shadows and glare.
• Bifocal contact lenses need to be fitted on to the patient's eye by a specialist and though you usually get a free trial pair, it can still cost you to get them fitted.
• As with any other contact lenses, you need to take care while using bifocal contacts.

Reviews
There is a huge variety in the types of bifocal contacts that you could choose from, some of them are:

• Rigid Gas Permeable or RGP Contact Lenses are called so not because they are hard, but because they do not move even though the eyes move, thus enabling the user to use them like bifocal glasses, to read or for viewing distant objects. They are called gas permeable because they allow oxygen to reach the eye, thus making them more comfortable to use. They also last longer than normal soft lenses and are damaged less easily. They provide better quality of vision once they have been properly fitted and adjusted to. The downside is that RGP lenses takes time getting used to and you have to wear them everyday.
• Soft Lenses are the most commonly used lenses and are used even for cosmetic purposes. They can be disposed off after a short period of use. They do not need too much time getting used to, and easily fit over the eyes.
• Silicone Hydrogel Lenses are a new type of soft lenses that try to include the comfort and oxygen permeability of GP lenses by using silicone.

Cost
The bifocal contacts cost depends on the type of contact lenses that you will be buying. The RGP lenses are a bit more expensive when compared to the soft lenses, but they do last longer than soft lenses, which have to be disposed after some time. On the other hand, there is a risk of breaking or losing RGPs which isn't too much of a problem with soft lenses. So if you are careful to use your lenses and take care of them, RGP lenses would be a safe buy. But if you are looking for an everyday easy to use option or want to change your eye color as well, then you could buy soft lenses.

Contact lenses have evolved greatly over the years and are now quite comfortable to use. Though they might take some time getting used to, they are very useful and should be used by anyone who would like to get rid of their spectacles or are active people. There are other options to using bifocal lenses which include monovision, where one eye has a near sighted lens and the other a lens with distance power. Alternatively, you could use lenses for either distance or reading, and use glasses for the other corresponding ailment. Another option could be to do a laser eye surgery or eye accommodative surgery. So now that you have gone through the bifocal contact lenses reviews, go ahead and pick the best one for you.