Bifocals vs. Progressives: Which Lens is Right for You?
Jordyn Tull & Elizabeth Chiu, Optometry StudentS
Along with trouble seeing in the distance, you’ve recently been having difficulties seeing up close and finally decide to visit your optometrist. Your eye exam has just finished and the optometrist mentions presbyopia, the reduced ability to focus on things up close. They recommend either a progressive or bifocal lens, but you wonder which one to go with.
Choosing between progressives and bifocals can be confusing, especially if it’s your first time needing multifocal lenses. Both are great options but they work differently and suit different lifestyles.
The question is, how can you tell the difference?
Bifocals
The traditional bifocal lens provides zones for both distance and near vision. Each area of which is split by a line. The majority of the lens will be for distance. At the bottom of the lens is the add power used for near vision. These lenses can also be task-specific and can have a computer or intermediate zone at the top, and near zone at the bottom.
Progressive Addition Lenses
Similar to a bifocal, a progressive has zones for distance and near vision, however it also includes a middle area for intermediate vision. A progressive provides a seamless transition between zones with no visible line. This additional intermediate zone is perfect for vision at arms length, i.e. for the computer or the dashboard when driving. There are various types of progressives, each of which differ in the field of vision and amount of distortion in the periphery. As you move into more advanced progressive lens designs, you will gain a larger field of vision and reduced distortion.
Adjustment Period
If you’re new to progressive lenses, an important thing to note is that it takes time to adjust. We suggest giving yourself at least one to two weeks to adjust and adapt to the lenses.
For more information, check out this blog post or ask one of our doctors for any questions about changes to your eyes, like presbyopia, or which lenses would best suit your current vision needs!
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Wooden Glasses with Straight Top Bifocal: Image generated with ChatGPT (DALL·E) by OpenAI
Bifocals vs Progressives Photo: Image generated with ChatGPT (DALL·E) by OpenAI
