Two main types of multifocal lenses offer correction via different methods: concentric and Aspheric. Lenses with a concentric ring design have your standard prescription in the centre with multiple rings surrounding it. Each ring has a different corrective power depending on the distance.

Aspheric multifocal contact lenses blend the different prescriptions directly in front of the pupil, making the eye choose the right correction for the object you're looking at. While this might sound a bit tricky, your eye soon becomes accustomed to it, and you won't even notice the difference.

Concentric: With concentric lenses, the distance power mostly comes predominantly from the centre of the lens.

The following concentric circle provides near vision correction the power then switches back to distance and continues to alternate outwards from the centre.

Aspheric: Like concentric lenses, Aspheric lenses start with distance correction in the centre of the lens.

Away from the centre is a gradual transition to intermediate distance correction and then near sight correction.

Multifocal lenses correct vision affected by the condition of presbyopia.

Presbyopia is an age-related blurring of close-up vision which usually occurs in people aged over 40, although it can sometimes develop at a younger age. It often starts with a slight blurring before getting progressively more severe. You may have noticed friends or family members who don't wear vision correction squinting to read a menu or holding it at various distances away from their face. This is a common sign that they have presbyopia.

Presbyopia is a prevalent condition with the number of people affected growing every year. It was reported in 2020 that 2.1 billion people have the condition. Unlike conditions such as short sightedness, long sightedness and astigmatism, presbyopia is not a refractive error and instead is caused by a change in your eye's elasticity.

To focus light properly, your eye's lens needs to be able to relax and contract depending on what you're looking at and the lighting conditions. For you to see a clear image, light needs to pass through the lens to the cornea where it's deflected onto the retina, which then transmits the image to your brain.

As you get older, the muscles in your eyes can become a little worn and so your lens will not always contract as easily, making it difficult to look at close-up objects. This results in the light not being focused on the retina, but behind them, leading to a distorted and blurry image.

If you have presbyopia, it is important to take steps to correct it. As the effects of presbyopia become more severe as time goes on, your eyesight will only get worse. Not wearing some form of corrective lens means you'll end up straining your eyes more, causing you discomfort and possibly headaches.

While bifocal contacts are one way you can solve the problem, they're not particularly common anymore. It's easier to get bifocal glasses, but if you're looking for the most convenient, fuss-free way to treat presbyopia, then multifocal contact lenses are the answer.

Wearing multifocal lenses means that you'll have clear vision at all distances without the need to change into glasses or hold something at arm's length. They help to make a potentially irritating condition far more manageable and are available in a range of wearing patterns to suit your needs.

If you're still unsure whether multifocal lenses will work for you, below you'll find some of the main pros and cons of the lens type.

Advantages

• A more convenient option than switching between lenses and glasses

• The eye naturally chooses the correct prescription

• A range of convenient wearing patterns

Disadvantages

• Typically more expensive than other lenses

• Can take time to adjust to multiple prescriptions in a lens

• Multifocal lenses lead to occasional nighttime glare

Daily multifocal contact lenses

• Easy to use

• No need to store in solution overnight

• Apply in the morning and dispose of before sleep

• Have a lengthy expiry date, so ideal for irregular wearers

Monthly multifocal contact lenses

• Simple wearing pattern – 30 consecutive days

• Just clean and store in solution every night

• Comfortable clear sight at an affordable price

Two-weekly multifocal contact lenses

• The middle ground between dailies and monthlies

• Fresher and more hygienic than monthlies, more convenient and affordable than dailies

• Clean and store in solution for 14 consecutive days wear

If you're looking to buy multifocal contact lenses, check out our most popular selling lenses below:

• 1 Day Acuvue Moist Multifocal

1 Day Acuvue Moist Multifocal, from Johnson & Johnson, offers a super-convenient and hygienic solution to poor vision caused by presbyopia. It's our number one lens for presbyopia, with 17% of our customers with presbyopia choosing this lens. This is because customers value the comfort level of the lenses, which allows them to be worn for long hours without irritation. With high levels of moisture retention, a UV blocker and a 1-2-3 indicator to make application nice and easy, they're the ideal choice for new and regular lens wearers alike.

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• Dailies Total 1 Multifocal

Dailies Total 1 Multifocal is the world's first and only water gradient multifocal contact lens. They have a lens surface that contains 80% water for a wearing experience that hydrates eyes all day. As daily lenses, they can be thrown away each night to be replaced the next day for high levels of comfort and hygiene.

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• Dailies AquaComfort Plus Multifocal

These multifocal contact lenses are the successors to Focus Dailies Progressive and offer an even more comfortable wearing experience for sufferers of presbyopia. With all the best features of their predecessors and more, such as a Precision Profile design that ensures the most comfortable fit, Dailies AquaComfort Plus Multifocal are a convenient and high-performing choice.

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• Biofinity Multifocal

As monthly multifocal contact lenses, Biofinity multifocal can be worn for up to 30 consecutive days, remaining moist and comfortable throughout wear thanks to their high water content. Using Balanced ProgressiveTM Technology, these lenses make focusing on both near and far objects seamless for perfect visual acuity.

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• Clariti 1 Day Multifocal

Clariti 1 Day Multifocal are daily disposable multifocal lenses which correct presbyopia. Because they are made from silicone hydrogel, more oxygen permeates the lens, reaching your eyes and ensuring healthy and irritation-free vision throughout wear. With Clariti 1 Day Multifocal you can focus on all distances easily.

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• Air Optix plus HydraGlyde Multifocal

Air Optix plus HydraGlyde Multifocal builds on the features of Air Optix Aqua Multifocal and utilises Alcon’s patented HydraGlyde technology to retain more moisture. This feature makes these monthly lenses excellent for contact lens wearers with presbyopia who suffer from dry eyes.

Air Optix plus HydraGlyde Multifocal

• Proclear 1 Day Multifocal

Providing a wonderfully convenient daily option, Proclear 1-Day Multifocal contact lenses are high performance lenses that protect your eyes from irritation. Their PC Technology replicates the genetic make-up of your eye for a comfortable and natural wearing experience that is perfect if you suffer from dry eyes.

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• Air Optix Aqua Multifocal

These monthly multifocal contact lenses make use of TriComfort technology for an ultra-breathable lens with a thin surface that excels at retaining moisture. Air Optix Aqua Multifocal can be worn for up to 30 consecutive days and provide comfortable wear even during tasks that often cause eye strain.

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• Proclear Multifocal

With similar technology to the Proclear 1 Day Multifocal lenses, these monthly versions offer up to 30 consecutive days of comfortable wear. You can wear Proclear Multifocal for up tfo 12 hours a day, with CooperVision's PC Technology ensuring your eyes remain feeling natural while offering perfect visual acuity.

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