Bifocals have been around since Benjamin Franklin, the inventor of bifocals. Benjamin Franklin was near-sided and far-sided and often switched his glasses in order to see properly. After awhile he became fed up with taking off and putting on different glasses so he cut the lenses in half and placed each part inside the frame, thereby creating the first pair of bifocals. Bifocals were based on the theory that individuals will look down when they see something close up and they will look up when they see something at a distance. Bifocals have 2 different lenses; a small lens and a large lens. The smaller lens is molded into the larger lens, allowing the person to see clearly for near-sided and far-sided vision.

Benjamin Franklin had a condition known as presbyopia. Presbyopia is the inability to see objects close-up or far-away clearly. Individuals diagnosed with presbyopia usually suffer from headaches as a result of squinting or straining to read or to see things. Every year around 4 million Americans are diagnosed with presbyopia. As we age, our bodies tend to wear out. The eyes are one area of the body that becomes fatigued and wears out quickly. Individuals that are diagnosed with presbyopia will only see their condition worsen as they age and will require a new prescription every 3 to 4 years. It is rare for an individual with presbyopia to become blind.

In order to find out if you need bifocals, you can administer a home eye test. The eye test will determine your vision ratio. A doctor will perform several eye tests to determine the weaknesses within the eyes and they will test the eyes for different vision problems. Once the eye tests have been administered, they will be able to prescribe proper lenses. The need for bifocal lenses may depend upon the individual. Some people cannot wear glasses in their work environment, leaving this person with the option of bifocal contacts or corrective eye surgery. 

Bifocal contacts are quite different from the bifocal glasses. Contact lenses are either soft or hard lenses. The materials used to create soft lenses normally include some water and a plastic-polymer material. Hard contact lenses are made from a rigid gas permeable material and it is more durable from soft contact lenses. There are even disposable bifocal contacts. Some contact lens manufacturers have created bifocal lens with a silicone hydrogel material. The bifocal contacts will have 2 separate prescriptions in the same lens. Bifocal contacts have 2 main designs. The first design is called alternating vision lenses. As you look upward or downward, your pupil will alternate between the 2 different lenses, similar to the bifocal glasses. The second design is called simultaneous lenses. The simultaneous lenses require the eyes to look at the near and far lenses at the same time. Simultaneous lenses come in two different types, concentric ring designs and aspheric designs.

Over time, your eyes will learn to adjust to the bifocal contacts. Similar to bifocal glasses, the user may experience dizziness and blurred vision. As the eyes learn to distinguish between the two separate lenses, they may blur your vision for a little while. Normally the eyes will adjust to the bifocal contacts within 24 hours, though it has been known to take longer with some individuals.

The alternating bifocals are similar to bifocal glasses. The alternating bifocals have 2 separate lenses with a small line that separates them from one another. The different power segments will allow the user to see near and far distances by looking up or down with the pupils. The reason several people like bifocal contacts over the bifocal glasses is the ability to have consistent working lenses. Whenever an individual moves their head with bifocal glasses, the eyes move as well. The wearer must then readjust their eyes to the glasses in order to read information. The alternating bifocals are normally a soft lens that is placed on the eye above the lower eyelid. The lens will stay in place as the wearer shifts the gaze upward or downward.

Simultaneous lenses are usually a concentric ring design. The prescription will be in the center of the lens with one or more power rings surrounding it. A prescription that has multiple rings will alternate the near and distance prescription. Two rings will be in the pupil area and it normally is large enough to cover the pupil as it expands and contracts with light and darkness. The concentric ring bifocals are made from soft materials or rigid gas permeable materials. The rigid gas permeable bifocals usually have the distance power in the center while the soft bifocal contacts will have the near power in the center. Depending upon the prescription, some contacts will have the near power in the center on the dominant eye and the distance power in the center on the non-dominant eye.

Bifocal contacts are not for everyone. Some individuals may have a hard time using contacts and prefer bifocal glasses. Older bifocal contacts were not designed well and several users had a hard time learning how to use them. The new bifocal contacts are advanced and much easier to use. If one of the bifocal contact designs doesn't work properly, you can easily switch to another style that may work better. Your doctor will check your eyes to see which one is stronger and may even place the bifocal lens in one eye only and your regular prescription in the other eye.

In order to be "fitted" for bifocal contacts, the doctor will take your lens and pupil size into consideration. Your current near prescription will be added to your regular prescription and inserted into the contact lenses. Individuals with low adds usually have an easier time with an aspheric lens while individuals with high adds will have an easier time with alternating lenses. When a patient decides to be fitted for bifocal contacts, they will be charged a fee for the fitting. The fitting process for bifocal contacts does take longer than a normal fitting for bifocal glasses. Depending upon your doctor, your bifocal contacts may come with a free trial. The free trial process is beneficial because it can help you determine if you like contacts and if you will be able to comfortably wear bifocal contacts.

Some people have a hard time adjusting to bifocal contacts. Since the eyes need to be trained to look up or down, depending upon the prescription, it can be difficult for some individuals. Most people will complain of dizziness and headaches when they begin wearing their bifocal contacts. The adjustment period may last 24 hours or longer, depending upon the prescription and your ability to train your eyes. If you continue getting headaches or dizziness, contact your doctor about trying a different prescription. Some people feel that their vision is not as clear as it was with bifocal glasses. Another problem faced by bifocal contact wearers is that the lens will move on their eye, requiring a readjustment. A lot of bifocal contact wearers have problems with images that seem to "jump" from distance to close-up vision, creating a three-dimensional effect.

All contact lenses will increase the risk of eye infection so it is important to use proper care with contact lenses. Your doctor will be able to show you how to clean your bifocal contacts, how often to clean them, and how long you can wear them. Contacts have a special saline solution that is used to clean and store them. Never use tap water to clean or to store your contacts. New contact wearers will have an adjustment period as they get used to wearing the bifocal contacts. If you have redness or irritation, stop wearing your contacts and call your doctor immediately.

No one can stop the aging process and there is not a way to prevent worsening eyesight. Millions of Americans are wearing bifocal contact lenses and are able to have good vision again. Traditional bifocal glasses must still be kept by each person in case their contact scratches their eye or if they develop an infection. Another option bifocal contact wearers have is the ability to wear distance contact lenses and then wear reading glasses. The reading glasses combined in conjunction with the distance contact lenses will enhance the person's vision problems.

Discuss your contact lens options with your doctor for more information. There are numerous contact lens options available for individuals diagnosed with presbyopia. Some individuals may find that bifocal contacts work just fine while others may need monovision designs. The monovision designs work a little differently from the bifocal contacts. Instead of placing two different prescriptions in the same eye, one eye will have the near prescription and the other eye will have the distance prescription.

Bifocal contacts will need some adjustment from the user. When the pupil expands and moves underneath the contact lens, the wearer may lose their ability to focus for a moment. If your pupil is too big for the contact lens, you will need to visit your doctor for an adjustment. Most doctors will not charge their patients for a re-adjustment after a set amount of time. Always speak with your doctor about soft contact lenses and hard contact lenses so you can select the best style to fit your needs.