Here, we discuss the five of the most commonly asked questions about Multifocal Contact Lenses:

• Do they exist?
• How do they work (compared to multifocal glasses)?
• Are they better than multifocal glasses?
• Would they suit you?
• How much are multifocal contact lenses?

Let’s get into it!

Question 1: Do Multifocal Contact Lenses Exist?

Yes. They’re a thing!

What You Probably Already Know

When we talk about contact lenses generally, you likely think of single-vision contact lenses—one power in the lens correcting either distance or near vision for the wearer (just like how single-vision glasses work). You might wear them yourself or know someone who does. They’re great! Many contact lens wearers love them because others can’t tell they even have lenses in.

What You Probably Don’t Know

Multifocal Lenses take corrective vision to the next level for contact lenses as they enable the wearer to see clearly at multiple distances (again, in a similar way to multifocal glasses), offering consistently reliable visual support and flexibility for the wearer.

So how do they work?

Question 2: How Do Multifocal Contact Lenses Work?

These lenses incorporate zones for near, intermediate, and distance vision, similar to progressive eyeglasses. However, a multifocal contact lens layout differs somewhat compared to multifocal glasses. How?

3 Designs of Multifocal Contact Lenses

Here are the three variations in the design of multifocal contact lenses:

• Concentric: This design features a central zone of distance vision prescription. Positioned around this zone is a ‘ring’ of stronger power, giving the wearer a near vision zone. These zones often alternate, offering multiple rings of each power.
• Progressive/Aspheric: This design starts with the central zone for distance and changes gradually outwards, blending an intermediate power and a reading zone furthest from the centre.
• Segmented/bifocal: Often described as a bifocal contact lens design (for simplicity), a segmented lens has a stronger addition occupying one-half (or close to it) of the lens. A segmented contact lens design is produced by incorporating a prism into the lens design. The beauty of this lens design is that the lens will swing around so the prism sits at the bottom of the lens (ensuring your reading area is naturally positioned).

The variations of design aren’t available across all brands of multifocal contact lenses; however, finding out which design (modality is the formal term we use for contact lens types) suits the wearer is all part of a “teach & fit” consultation—a component of your contact lens/eye examination appointment.

So, no stress—we ensure all how, why, and where questions are answered as part of your consultation before you even consider buying lenses. And, we’ll get breakdown costs in question number five. Next, however…

Question 3: Are Multifocal Contact Lenses Better Than My Multifocal Glasses?

The answer here largely depends on whether (as a current multifocal glasses wearer) your multifocal glasses need to be doing something better for you visually.

Perhaps you’ve never gotten comfortable with the heaviness of prescription multifocal sunglasses—could contact lenses be an option (giving you the freedom to wear non-prescription sunglasses)?

Through different stages in our eyewear journey, many people have explored wearing contact lenses as an aspect of their prescription eyewear solutions: contact lenses for sport have significant benefits, as does wearing contact lenses to take a break from spectacle frames—great for photo sessions/wedding photos, too!

Multifocal contact lenses give you some excellent options for seriously satisfying lifestyle changes. And could be something to give a little further thought about—particularly if you’re tired of dropping your sunglasses after every ‘serve-and-volley’ or want to level up your look entirely for the new year! Stepping away from prescription glasses into contact lenses (as cool as glasses are) is a surefire way to curate a new look.

So, let’s talk about YOU and contact lenses!

Question 4: Would Contact Lenses Suit You?

Let’s consider four broad groups of individuals/lifestyles that contact lenses make a lot of sense for. You never know; you might resonate with one of these groups—contact lenses may be the change you’re looking for!

For active individuals involved in sports or exercise regularly, contact lenses offer freedom of movement and clear vision without the hassle of glasses slipping down the nose during activities. They provide a wide field of view, enhancing the overall sports or workout experience.

Professionals who require a polished appearance, especially those working in client-facing roles, often find contact lenses to be a seamless choice. Without glasses frames, facial features are more pronounced, allowing for a natural look that can be important in professional settings.

Moreover, fashion-conscious individuals often prefer contact lenses, as they allow unrestricted use of trendy sunglasses without needing prescription lenses. This flexibility in eyewear choice allows for effortless coordination with different outfits and styles.

What about aging gracefully? As we’ve been discussing, multifocal lenses can support vision needs associated with anyone struggling to see things at close or near positions (whilst having fine distance vision), making them suitable for individuals experiencing presbyopia. This common age-related condition affects the ability of the eyes to converge, making tasks like reading and using smartphones challenging. Rather than ‘revealing your age‘ with that new pair of bifocal or multifocal glasses, keep them guessing with a multifocal contact lens for your eyecare solutions.

Now that we’ve considered whether you might be an ideal candidate for contact lenses, we’re almost to the end of our contact lens discussion. Let’s finish off with some comments on pricing. You could be pleasantly surprised by the costs in comparison to prescription eyewear.

Question 5: How Much Are Multifocal Contact Lenses?

We throw the word currently in there because pricing changes (as pricing does with everything). However, we can make some accurate comments regarding contact lens pricing concerning prescription eyewear. This can help you make some informed decisions, so let’s break the conversation down into two areas:

• Wearing contact lenses full-time (replacing prescription glasses entirely).
• Wearing Contact Lenses part-time (as part of your suite of eyewear options).

WEARING CONTACT LENSES FULL-TIME

Making the switch to contact lenses full-time has some serious upsides, particularly if you wear multifocal glasses and require several pairs—a clear pair (often provided with an anti-reflective coat and maybe even photochromatic), plus a sunglass pair (perhaps polarised!?).

If your glasses prescription changes every year or two, you’re likely getting little change from $1000.00 (mind you… at The Optical Superstore, we have some AMAZING prices for multifocal glasses, so if you want to get in touch about that, our pricing for premium multifocal eyewear is among the best in Australia…more on that in another post!).

So, how does contact lenses pricing work?

The beauty of contact lens pricing (including multifocal contact lenses) is that the more you buy at a time, the cheaper the pricing can be (per pair of contact lenses). The Optical Superstore regularly offers discounted pricing for 6-month and 12-month supplies of contact lenses—ensuring you can switch to contact lenses as your permanent prescription solution—leading to actual savings in your pocket.

The same ‘bulk-buy’ pricing structure applies to single-vision contact lens designs, too, making the conversation worth having with your optometrist for anyone considering switching from eyeglasses to contact lenses.

WEARING CONTACT LENSES PART-TIME

Does this mean that wearing contact lenses part-time has less incentives? No, wearing contact lenses part-time can have some excellent benefits.

For one, there is the luxury of wearing them when you’d like—got a fancy event on? Switch to a set of contact lenses for the evening. Do you play competitive sports (or play recreationally, but take it seriously?)—you could really value wearing a “daily disposable” contact lens for your matches, knowing that you can discard them once you’ve finished flogging the opposition (or hitting the clutch 3-pointer at the buzzer!), and switch back to your glasses for your weekly wear.

The beauty of this arrangement is that a shorter supply of contact lenses will last longer, as you’re not wearing them everyday. A monthly supply of disposable lenses (30 pairs) could last you seven months or more when wearing them as required.

We referred to the different types of (modality) contact lenses earlier in question 2, and that’s what comes into play here. By determining the how and why of contact lens wear for you uniquely, we can offer the best pricing for your purchase and lifestyle preferences. With daily disposable, fortnightly wear, and monthly contact lens modalities available there’s sure to be an ideal option for your needs.

So, after reading all that, do we have you thinking more seriously about contact lenses generally or multifocal contact lenses specifically?

One final point is that there are very few costs up-front to assess, discuss, and determine if you would enjoy contact lenses—you can book a contact lens consultation with an independent optometrist at The Optical Superstore.

A contact lens consultation consists of a basic 3-step process:

• An initial consultation (bulk-billed to Medicare) to check your eye health and optical prescription and discuss how you envision using contact lenses.
• A follow-up where we conduct a ‘fit and teach,’ showing you the skills necessary to insert and remove contact lenses, gauging how the lenses feel for comfort and clarity—this component has a small out-of-pocket cost. Once you feel comfortable with the process, you can take a small supply of trial contact lenses home and practice taking them in and out and wearing them.
• Finally, you’ll return for a brief check-in, wearing the contact lenses (so the optometrist can see how your eyes look with the lenses in). At this point, you also discuss how you found the process (here, we troubleshoot any concerns and provide more lenses if necessary). If the optometrist feels happy (and you do too!), you’ve got the green light to consider making a contact lens order—pretty simple, hey?

We hope this has answered your questions and provided you with the motivation to give contact lenses a red-hot go!

Keen to Try Contact Lenses?

Why not book an eye test now with Optical Superstore? You can find your nearest Optical Superstore location below.

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