Traditionally, bifocal and trifocal lenses have been used to correct different prescription powers that are distinctly separated by lines. Bifocals consist of one correction at the top of the lens for your distance vision and one at the bottom to help you read. Trifocals correct faraway, intermediate, and near vision.
What are progressive lenses?
Progressive lenses are an intelligent update to bifocal and trifocal lenses that allow for a seamless transition between prescription powers. This innovative solution for vision problems has rightfully gained popularity in recent years.
As a professional eye care centre in Calgary, we support the use of progressive lenses and prescribe them to many of our clients when appropriate. In this article, we detail three great benefits of progressive lenses.
1. No unsightly lines
One of the most attractive benefits of progressive lenses is the gradual change in prescription strength from top to bottom. Unlike bifocals and trifocals, progressive lenses don’t have a sudden jump in prescription strength when crossing a line or border.
They are called progressive lenses because the lens power progresses gradually from the top to the bottom of the lens. This gradual progression of lens power means that there are no unsightly lines on your progressive lenses. It also allows your progressive lenses to correct vision problems at multiple distances:
- The upper section allows you to see objects in the distance (ie: a road sign while driving)
- Just slightly below that is a section that helps you focus at the TV distance
- Just slightly below that, you’ll find a section that allows you to see across a desk
- Just below that, you’ll find a zone that focuses on objects at arm’s length (ie: a desktop computer screen)
- The next lower viewing zone focuses slightly closer for objects on your lap like a book, a tablet, or a laptop computer.
- The lowest portion allows you to see objects at elbow distance (ie: close cell phone use such as texting)
2. Only need one pair of glasses
Many people have difficulty focusing on nearby objects, a condition known as presbyopia. To compensate for this vision problem, some people need reading glasses as well as single-vision eyeglasses for distance correction. With progressive lenses, you only need one pair of glasses to see clearly at many different distances.
Although presbyopia is more common with age, progressive glasses are sometimes used to correct focus problems in children that prevent the eyes from working together well. Progressive lenses can be designed for patients who are near-sighted, far-sighted, or who have astigmatism. They can be used in sunglasses, blue light blocking glasses, and photochromic glasses (lighten inside and darken outside).
3. More comfortable experience
25 years ago, 20-30 percent of patients wore bifocal or trifocal eyeglasses because they could not adapt to their progressive lenses, or they did not find them comfortable. In our day, progressive lenses are customized and manufactured with the assistance of artificial intelligence. In this way, your progressive lenses are optimized and customized specifically for your eyes. This makes them far more comfortable than progressive lenses were in the past. Today, there are very few patients wearing bifocal and trifocal lenses because of this fact.
Final thoughts
Progressive lenses correct presbyopia and provide clear vision at multiple distances without unsightly lines. Modern progressive lenses are personalized for each patient, making them comfortable to use and easy to get used to. Progressive lenses are fashionable and attractive because they do not have any lines on them.