Varifocal / multifocal contact lenses

[flyingant]

My new contact lense prescription has led to me no longer being able to read anything close-up whilst wearing my lenses and I now have reading glasses to wear over my contact lenses. This is a complete pain in the bum, having to take glasses with me wherever I go and having to put them on / take them off all the time depending on whether I'm reading something close-up or not. It also completely defeats the object of wearing contact lenses at all.

Varifocal/multifocal contact lenses seem to be the answer but I can't get my head around how they work. How can there be different prescriptions within the same contact lenses? Is there anyone here who wears them and can vouch for them being any good? (I also have astigmatism if that makes any difference).

I’ve just been through the same process.

I’ve just been through various trials of combinations of contact lenses and glasses and multi focal lenses.

Im currently wearing multi focal contact lenses (same outcome as varifocal glasses, but different terminologies for contact lenses). Much better for intermediate eg computer work than when I was wearing distance optimised (non multi focal) lenses)

im not sure if the reading element of them is quite right yet, but I’m trying for a month. ok at arms length but not up close. optician asked me to resist temptation to put readers on to help my eyes get used to them.

one thing is they are expensive! My acuvue dailies (not near a packet now to check the name but I had the most expensive of the dailies) were £45 a month and the multi focal lenses are £72 a month. DS has monthlies and are cheaper, but still significantly more expensive than his old regular contact lenses.

I wore them for ages without difficulty, until my cataracts became too bad.

Thanks for the info. I guess it's something I'll have to give a try and see how it works out.

I switched to varifocal contacts about 16 months ago and love them. Much better sight all round than varifocal glasses for me as you don’t notice the change as you look around

ive tried about 4 brands and type to get the best ones for comfort and vision. They’re not cheap compared to when I just used to have short sighted ones, but they’re worth every penny imo.

I recommend going to a good opticians - I’ve just left Specsavers as they were awful for them

I have these and they work really well but sometimes struggle to see detail in low light conditions when pupils dilate.

I wear varifocal contact lenses. Absolute game changer.

I hated varifocal glasses, never got used to them, was always feeling slightly dizzy going up and down stairs, and detested driving in them. I now only wear mine to read in bed once my contacts have come out for the day.

My optician explained how varifocal contacts work, but it’s completely gone from my head now. It’s not the same as glasses, though. Something about concentric circles of different prescription? Whatever. They’re fabulous. I just feel like someone who can see now, and don’t even notice they’re in.

Thanks again for the useful info. I guess I will give varifocals a try.

Totally agree. I moved over to varifocals a couple of years back and total game changer. I love them.

I have multifocal lenses and I also have astigmatism, which means ordinary multifocals are not perfect for me. My middle vision is catered for by both lenses and then my right one is perfect for distance and my left for reading.

Weirdly it works fine - took a little while to adjust but no issues driving, reading, using a computer, watching tv or anything else.

@NannyGythaOgg having one eye good for distance and the other eye good for reading sounds completely weird. You don't mean you have to close your left eye to clearly see in the distance and close your right eye to read, do you? 😂

I love my varifocal glasses but really didn’t get on with multifocal contacts. We tried several prescriptions but my vision was never nearly as good as with my glasses, and when I wore them for a day I was exhausted by evening from attempting to focus, so I gave up. But I know some people get on well with them. My optician did say that they will never give you as good vision as varifocal glasses do, however.

No - not at all - it all works perfectly fine.

The only time I would notice is if I covered my left eye then my close distance goes - but when I am reading in general I have no awareness that I am only seeing clearly with my left eye. Our eyes are remarkably good at compensating.

In practice I put my left one in first, so I can then see easily to a) check I haven't got the wrong one and b) can see more easily to put the right one in.

Hi can I ask, how long did you give it to get great vision all around? I'm on the same journey and the first pair of varifocal lenses did not give me distance viewing and I felt they were sliding around on the eye. I'm now in a another pair, the fit and comfort is great but still blurry in the mid to long distance. It's hard to believe that my eyes might adapt and start giving me both near and distance capability. How long did you persist with yours until your brain adapted and your vision was clear at all distances?