A Beginner’s Guide to Multifocal Lenses (2024)

FAQs

What are the common complaints for first wearers of multifocal lenses? ›

Among the most common symptoms patients experience when wearing multifocal eyeglasses for the first time are headaches, nausea, dizziness and depth perception problems. You might feel a swim and sway effect, be uncomfortable using the stairs, and have a hard time focusing between intermediate and near distances.

For example, there is some loss of clarity and contrast with multifocal lenses, which can present a problem with night vision. Some patients also experience a glare or halo. In addition, you won't achieve 20/20 vision with multifocal lenses and may require additional vision correction solutions.

The first time you wear any type of multifocal contact lenses, it is not uncommon to see shadows or 3-D images up close or have your distance vision not be as crisp as you'd like. It's like looking through a screen door. You can either focus on the screen door, or on the image beyond the screen.

Usually this means the optics aren't working in your favor, and typically it's too high an add power. In some lenses, we can split the add and go down in the dominant eye, which clears up the vision. In other lenses, we may have started in too much add and can go down while still achieving good near vision.

Wearing multifocal contact lenses resulted in significantly slower driving speeds at night, compared with wearing progressive addition glasses. Even at slower speeds, contact lens wearers were less able to recognize road hazards.

You may notice some blurriness as your eyes are getting used to how these lenses work. Avoid driving or engaging in intense activities for the first few weeks to ensure you don't come across any vision struggles during these events. Some headaches may also develop due to your struggles to see things at first.

Most patients with multifocal intraocular lenses (IOL) are aware of a slight halo around lights at night. Rarely, these halos can be very annoying or even debilitating. There are a few eye conditions, such as posterior capsular opacity (PCO)—treatable with a posterior capsulotomy—that may worsen this symptom.

Multifocal contact lenses also provide some visual benefits that progressive glasses may not: Progressive glasses can sometimes produce blurred side vision when focusing on near objects, while multifocal contacts provide clear side vision. When wearing progressives glasses, you have to tilt your head downwards to read.

Researchers say close to 96 percent of people with multifocal IOLs achieve vision scores of 20/40 or better, and more than 51 percent get vision scores of 20/20. People like this may not need to wear glasses again.

With multifocal contacts, you won't ever need to wear extra eyewear like reading glasses. Bifocal contact lenses are also an option for people with presbyopia, but these lenses have a clear line that separates the distance and close-up zones.

Is there a trick to wearing multifocal contacts? ›

When trying to get used to using two or more prescriptions at once, it can help to: Wear your contacts regularly to give your brain time to adjust. Avoid switching back and forth between traditional lenses and your multifocals. Optimize your lighting around you to help avoid eye strain.

Your eyes will get used to the different powers faster and easier the more you wear your contacts. It usually takes patients at least a week to become comfortable with their new multifocal lenses. It isn't uncommon for patients to look down while wearing new prescription glasses or contact lenses.

Monovision versus multifocality

“As for unaided intermediate vision, often times monovision does even better than multifocals, but slightly at the expense of near vision. As for unaided near vision, it is improved whether we use monovision or multifocals, but some studies show superiority of multifocals.

There is no maximum age limit to when you have to stop wearing contact lenses. You'll find, however, that your prescription requirements may change, as will the quality of your tears, which can lead to dry eyes. This may impact the comfort of your contact lenses.

Most people take about 2 weeks to adjust to their new multifocal glasses. Some people may take longer – up to 6 weeks is not uncommon.

Depending on the lens and the patient, neuroadaptation may happen sooner, later or not at all. The majority of patients will adapt to multifocal IOLs within six to 12 months, according to Dr. Maloney. But about 10 percent of patients never will adapt.

The average adaptation period is around two weeks, but sometimes not uncommon to see patients still adapting to their new multifocal lenses for a month.