Bifocal Contact Lenses

Bifocal and multifocal contact lenses place more than one prescription power in the same lens. Some designs help your eyes use near, intermediate, and distance zones at the same time, while others rely on eye position or lens movement.

Your brain may need time to adjust to the way the lens handles different distances. During the first days or weeks, your eye doctor may adjust the power, add power, or lens brand to improve the balance between near and distance clarity.

Before ordering, check that the lens name and add power match your final prescription. A standard contact lens with the same distance power will not help with presbyopia the same way.

Bifocal Contacts

Bifocal contacts are generally understood as lenses with two main powers, usually one for distance and one for near vision. Some rigid gas permeable bifocal designs may use more distinct viewing zones.

Multifocal Contacts

Multifocal contacts usually use multiple zones or a gradual power design to help with near, intermediate, and distance vision. Most current soft contact lenses for presbyopia are marketed as multifocal rather than traditional bifocal contacts.

Which Term to Use When Ordering

Use the exact product name from your prescription instead of choosing by the word bifocal or multifocal alone. Product names such as Biofinity Multifocal, Proclear Multifocal, and AIR OPTIX plus HydraGlyde Multifocal refer to specific lens designs.

Bifocal contact lenses are mainly used for presbyopia, which affects near vision as the eye's focusing ability changes with age.

1. Check your near-vision needs

If reading menus, using your phone, or seeing small print has become harder, your eye doctor may test whether a bifocal or multifocal lens can help. The lens choice depends on your distance prescription and near-vision add power.

2. Compare lens design

Different brands handle near and distance correction differently. Biofinity Multifocal and Proclear Multifocal use Balanced Progressive Technology, while Bausch + Lomb ULTRA for Presbyopia uses a multifocal design made for near, intermediate, and distance vision.

3. Expect fitting adjustments

Presbyopia contact lens fittings may take more fine-tuning than standard lenses. Your eye doctor may adjust power, add strength, or brand after checking real-world vision.

Bifocal contacts and progressive glasses both help with presbyopia, but they feel different during daily use.

Bifocal Contacts:

• Sit directly in front of your eyes and move with your gaze.
• Help reduce the need to put readers on and off.
• Can be useful for active routines without eyeglass frames.
• Need a contact lens fitting and an adjustment period.
• Require cleaning or daily replacement based on lens type.

Progressive Glasses:

• Do not touch your eyes or require lens insertion.
• Work well as a backup when your eyes feel dry.
• Can give clear distance, intermediate, and near zones through eyeglass lenses.
• May take time to adjust to head and eye positioning.
• Can fog, slip, or feel inconvenient during some activities.

You may be able to wear contacts for both presbyopia and astigmatism, but you need a lens made for both conditions. A standard multifocal lens corrects presbyopia but may not correct cylinder and axis values. A toric multifocal lens is designed to combine astigmatism correction with near-vision support. Biofinity Toric Multifocal is one example of a monthly lens made for wearers who are both astigmatic and presbyopic.

Rigid gas permeable bifocal contacts may be prescribed for some wearers who need presbyopia correction and sharper optics from a firm lens design.

Good match if:

• Your eye doctor has fitted you for a rigid gas permeable lens.
• You want to compare GP bifocal designs for near and distance vision.
• You have astigmatism or corneal shape needs that may benefit from a firm lens.
• You can follow the adaptation and care routine for GP lenses.

Recheck before ordering if:

• You only have a soft lens prescription.
• You are not used to the feel of rigid lenses.
• Your current GP lens moves too much or feels painful.
• You are unsure whether your prescription is for GP bifocal, soft multifocal, or another design.

Monovision and bifocal contacts use different approaches to presbyopia correction.

• Monovision usually corrects one eye more for distance and the other more for near vision.
• Bifocal or multifocal contacts use more than one power in each lens or across the lens pair.
• Monovision may reduce depth perception for some wearers, especially at night or during detailed distance tasks.
• Bifocal or multifocal contacts may need more adaptation because your eyes and brain are balancing multiple viewing distances.

Bifocal and multifocal contacts can help with computer screen time and reading, but performance depends on your prescription, add power, lens design, and screen distance.

Reading Distance

Near vision tasks such as reading labels, books, or phone screens may need the correct add power. If the small print still feels difficult, your eye doctor may adjust the near prescription.

Computer Distance

Computer screens often sit at an intermediate distance, which may feel different from close reading. Multifocal lenses that handle near, intermediate, and distance vision may work better for some screen-heavy routines.

Lighting and Dryness

Screen use can reduce blinking and make dryness more noticeable. Lens-compatible rewetting drops, blink breaks, and fit checks may help if your doctor recommends them.

Stop wearing bifocal contacts if symptoms feel stronger than normal adjustment or do not improve after removing the lens. Some signs may point to irritation, poor fit, infection risk, or a prescription issue that needs your eye doctor's advice.

• Eye pain or strong discomfort during or after contact lens wear.
• Redness, swelling, discharge, or unusual tearing that does not settle quickly.
• Light sensitivity or sudden trouble keeping your eyes open.
• Blurry vision that does not clear after removing, cleaning, or replacing the lens.
• Halos, glare, or night-driving difficulty that feels unsafe or keeps getting worse.

Alcon Launches TOTAL30 Multifocal Contact Lenses for Patients with Presbyopia. Alcon. https://www.alcon.com/media-release/alcon-launches-total30-multifocal-contact-lenses-patients-presbyopia/. Date Accessed: May 25, 2026.

Alcon Launches TOTAL30 Multifocal for Astigmatism, the World's Only Monthly Multifocal Toric Contact Lens with Water Gradient Technology. Alcon. https://investor.alcon.com/news-and-events/press-releases/news-details/2026/Alcon-Launches-TOTAL30-Multifocal-for-Astigmatism-the-Worlds-Only-Monthly-Multifocal-Toric-Contact-Lens-with-Water-Gradient-Technology/default.aspx. Date Accessed: May 25, 2026.

Six Key Strategies for Multifocal Contact Lens Wearing Success. CooperVision / Dr. Nicky Lai. https://coopervision.com/practitioner/ecp-viewpoints/from-the-lane/six-key-strategies-multifocal-contact-lens-wearing-success. Date Accessed: May 25, 2026.

Bausch + Lomb Expands Parameters for Bausch + Lomb ULTRA Multifocal for Astigmatism Contact Lenses. Bausch + Lomb / Bausch Health Companies Inc. https://ir.bauschhealth.com/news-releases/2021/06-23-2021-120129209. Date Accessed: May 25, 2026.

Contact Lenses: Types and How They Work. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/10737-contacts. Date Accessed: May 25, 2026.