Are Lined Bifocals Better Than Progressive Lenses? (2024)

When you are shopping for a new pair of eyeglasses, you will likely spend some amount of time on your lenses. Yes, the style and design of your frames certainly matter, but your lenses will determine whether you can properly see. It is important to recognize the differences between certain lenses so you can see as clearly as possible.

With this in mind, you may be stuck when deciding between lined bifocals and progressive lenses. Especially if you are a first-time wearer of eyeglasses, you may not know whether one is better than the other.

The short answer? It all comes down to personal preference. Lined bifocals and progressive lenses have their advantages and disadvantages. One choice isn’t inherently “better” than the other. Because of this, it is helpful to understand their advantages and disadvantages before making your final decisions.

Lined Bifocals: Pros and Cons

Lined bifocals, for those of you who don’t know, are helpful because they help you see things and objects far away and help your read text. They do this by having two viewing areas that are separated by a visible line. The larger viewing area is for distance and the smaller viewing area is for reading.

One of the biggest advantages of lined bifocals is that there is a larger viewing area for the distances that you are trying to see. With lined bifocals, you are better able to see people, objects, and even text at long distances. In addition to this distance benefit, lined bifocals contain less distortion on the edges of your lenses. Through this feature, you leverage clearer sight, especially if you are using your peripheral vision.

As for the disadvantages, one of the most prominent centers on aesthetics. Whenever you hear the word bifocals, you likely think of Benjamin Franklin or an elderly person who has trouble seeing. To reiterate, lined bifocals have a visible line in the lens. When having a conversation with a family member, friend, or colleague, they will be able to see the line. While it may not bother some wearers of lined bifocals, it may be a deal-breaker for some of the more aesthetically-inclined wearers.

Are Lined Bifocals Better Than Progressive Lenses? (3)

Larger viewing area for distant objects and text.

Are Lined Bifocals Better Than Progressive Lenses? (4)

Reduced distortion at the edges of the lenses.

Are Lined Bifocals Better Than Progressive Lenses? (5)

Clearer sight, especially when using peripheral vision.

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Progressive Lenses: Pros and Cons

Now, let’s briefly discuss progressive lenses. Progressive lenses are multifocal, with three viewing areas for distance, intermediate, and near vision. Unlike bifocals, they lack visible lines between these areas, but their purpose is similar – helping those with varying distance vision needs. The main focus of progressive lenses is on distance vision, with smaller sections for intermediate and near vision.

As far as benefits, one of the most significant is that they do not have that visible line that separates distance and close vision. You won’t have to worry about friends, family, or other conversation partners noticing the line when speaking with you. Progressive lenses are also great because of their all-around nature. These can be great all-purpose glasses, but they are especially useful for driving and other distance-vision activities.

In terms of detriments, one of the most notable is that there is peripheral lens distortion. This is simply due to how progressive lenses are designed. While it may take several weeks to get adjusted to this distortion, it can be overcome. Along with this, progressive lenses require extremely precise measurements. If you are even 0.25 millimeters off, the entire viewing lens of the lenses will be thrown off.

Are Lined Bifocals Better Than Progressive Lenses? (6)

Natural and seamless transition between distance, intermediate, and near vision.

Are Lined Bifocals Better Than Progressive Lenses? (7)

Aesthetic advantage: No noticeable line during conversations.

Are Lined Bifocals Better Than Progressive Lenses? (8)

Versatile for various activities, especially useful for driving and distance vision.

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Making Your Choice

As you can see, both lined bifocals and progressive lenses have their pros and cons. Neither is inherently “better” than the other. Because of this, it is absolutely worth your time to complete your own due diligence. Consider the pros and cons above and make a decision where you are obtaining more benefits than costs. By doing this, you will be extremely satisfied with your final purchase.

How to Order eyeglasses with Bifocal or progressive lenses

1. SELECT THE FRAME

RX Safety offers a wide range of frames that will match perfectly with your lined bifocal or progressive lenses. Choose betweeneyeglasses,sunglasses, orsafety glasses.

AFTER CHOOSING THE PERFECT FRAME, CLICK IN ‘SELECT PRESCRIPTION LENSES’

2. SELECT LENS TYPE & MATERIAL

Inside our prescription form, you can select your lens type. This is where you’ll select Lined Bifocal FT-28 or Progressive Bifocal. Then, you will choose your lens material.

AFTER CHOOSING YOUR PRESCRIPTION TYPE, YOU CAN SELECT DIFFERENT LENS MATERIALS

3. SELECT LENS COLOR

Customize your lenses by choosing your lens color, including Transition options.

SELECT YOUR FAVORITE Transition option

4. ADD EXTRA COATINGS

The prescription glasses can be upgraded with special coatings such as anti-fog and anti-reflective, to improve their overall performance.

SELECT YOUR PREFERRED COATINGS TO UPGRADE YOUR prescription glasses

5. ADD YOUR PRESCRIPTION INFORMATION

Now it is the time to upload or fill your prescription information. You’re done! The rest is with us. We will work on your prescription glasses and deliver to your address.

ADD YOUR PRESCRIPTION INFORMATION

  1. Deborah Keilty says:

    March 1, 2022 at 7:06 pm

    I don’t know whether to get progressive sunglasses or bifocal. I have progessive clear glasses. Thank you

    Reply

    • SanMartin says:

      March 3, 2022 at 11:39 am

      Hi Deborah,

      Here are the links to our website, where you can find Progressive or Bifocal Sunglasses.

      https://rx-safety.com/product-category/sunglasses/
      https://rx-safety.com/product-category/sunglasses/womens-sunglasses-sunglasses/

  2. Paul K says:

    August 2, 2020 at 7:06 pm

    1. Is there a way to try on frames before purchases?
    2. I would prefer progressive lens. How can I accurately measure PD? The ophthalmologist office says they cannot measure it for me if they are not filling the Rx
    3. What is if the return policy? If the Rx does not seem right? If the fit or something else is not right

    Reply

    • rxsafety says:

      August 3, 2020 at 10:57 am

      Thank you for your questions.
      1) Yes you can buy the frame only and return it with no cost to you but shipping back to us.
      2) We have a video to help you on that please see the link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdEaqvWWA5Q&feature=emb_logo
      3) 30 Day No questions asked return policy

  3. Odi Plata says:

    June 26, 2020 at 10:29 pm

    I have a sunglass which I’m planning to convert into a prescription sunglass. Will it be the same lens on my sunglass to be use for my prescription? How much will it cost to make it a progressive lens and is it possible to have an anti glare on it too?

    Reply

    • rxsafety says:

      June 30, 2020 at 10:40 am

      New lenses are pulled to make prescription lenses. They will not be placed on the stock lenses that come in the frame. A progressive lens with us starts at around $50 depending on the type of frame. We do offer polarized tints to help reduce glare as well as anti-reflective coating.

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Are Lined Bifocals Better Than Progressive Lenses? (2024)

FAQs

Are Lined Bifocals Better Than Progressive Lenses? ›

If you are only engaging in activities that involve near or far vision but not both, such as reading or driving, then a pair of bifocals may be the better choice. On the other hand, if you often switch between tasks requiring near and far vision, then progressive lenses may be the better option.

Are no-line bifocals better than progressive lenses? ›

Progressive lenses are far more sophisticated and technologically advanced than their common name (often called “no-line bifocals”). The newest, best version of these lenses provides the closest thing to natural youthful vision that a presbyopic person can achieve.

What are the benefits of lined bifocals? ›

In general, a lined bifocal has benefits over a progressive lens when correcting for double vision with prism. These include a wider viewing range, as progressives only have a specific point with the clearest vision.

Are lined bifocals noticeable? ›

Visible Line: The obvious first con for lined bifocal lenses is the visible line. It can give your glasses an unnatural look.

Are lined bifocals hard to get used to? ›

It can take up to 2 weeks to really get used to your bifocals. If you are still having problems after 2 weeks, you should contact your eye doctor to make sure your prescription doesn't need changing. Adjusting to bifocals can take a bit of time, but it is worth it once you get used to them.

What is the main drawback of progressive lenses? ›

Progressive lenses can also cause peripheral distortion when moving your eyes from side to side. During the learning period, you may feel off-balance or even nauseated from looking through the wrong section of the lens. Cost is also a factor.

What type of bifocals are best? ›

D Seg Bifocal lenses

They are generally the most commonly used as they are easy to adapt to, with the natural positioning of the close-up section of the lens most natural for the wearer.

Are lined bifocals better than no-line bifocals? ›

However, lined and no-line bifocals do have glaring differences. It is very important to understand these differences so that you can make the right choice for you. The most obvious difference is that lined bifocals come with a visible horizontal line that divides between the two different lens grades.

Are no-line bifocals more expensive? ›

No-line are usually a bit more expensive because they require more time in manufacturing in order to create the different prescriptions on the back of the lenses. You may also have some variation in cost depending on what your lenses are made of—glass, versus plastic and other materials—and where you buy them.

What is the main disadvantage of microscopic bifocals? ›

The bifocal glasses present three main disadvantages: the jump of the image when the visual axis passes from the far vision glass to the reading segment, the prismatic effect on the near vision point that entails an apparent displacement of the fixed object as well as a degradation of the quality of its image, and the ...

Who is not a good candidate for progressive lenses? ›

Individuals with strong prescriptions, a high degree of astigmatism, or specific visual needs may not find progressive lenses suitable.

What is the alternative to wearing progressive lenses? ›

Besides progressives and bifocals, there are also trifocal lenses or bifocal contacts. Like progressives, trifocals offer three fields of vision, but have two visible segment lines that mean a double image jump. New designs in bifocal contact lenses are also an alternative.

Are bigger frames better for progressive lenses? ›

#2: It's best to steer clear of small frames.

Progressive lenses should be 28-30mm tall. If your frames are too small, your lenses might not give you the proper coverage for all three fields of view. That can inhibit your near vision, making it difficult to read or see things that are close to your face.

How to get used to lined bifocals? ›

How to Adjust
  1. Try putting on your new glasses first thing in the morning and wear them for just an hour or two. ...
  2. Don't switch between your new pair and your old one.
  3. Make sure your eyeglasses fit properly and don't slide down your nose.
  4. When you walk, look straight ahead, not down at your feet.
Sep 1, 2023

Why can't I read with my progressive lenses? ›

Blurred sight near the top of your field of vision is a sign that the long-distance portion of your lenses is out of adjustment to what you need. If you can't read properly or things up close are blurry, your near-vision segment might need an adjustment.

How much should a pair of no-line bifocals cost? ›

The cost of no-line bifocals can range from as little as $100 to as much as $500 or more. There's also the concern if no-line bifocals exist. Yes, they do; it's fast becoming a potent option for correcting presbyopia symptoms. While you call it no-line bifocal, they are also referred to as progressive lenses.

Do you really need progressive lenses? ›

#1: You should get progressive lenses if you have multiple prescriptions. Many people need several prescriptions to get crystal-clear vision. Sometimes, you can have farsightedness, nearsightedness, and other vision conditions--which can make it challenging to see.

Why are no-line bifocals so expensive? ›

No-line are usually a bit more expensive because they require more time in manufacturing in order to create the different prescriptions on the back of the lenses. You may also have some variation in cost depending on what your lenses are made of—glass, versus plastic and other materials—and where you buy them.

Are large frames better for progressive lenses? ›

Advantages of bigger frames for progressive lenses

1 :Wider Reading Area: Larger frames generally provide more vertical space for the progressive corridor, allowing for a larger reading area. This is an advantage for prolonged periods of reading, working on a laptop computer, or using your phone.

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