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How to Know if You Need Bifocal Lenses

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Ronnie Kallis

When you need eyeglasses, it is evident to you, and you either already have glasses or see your eye doctor get eyeglasses and optimize your eyesight. However, if your current eyeglasses don't seem to help you see as well as you should, you may need to upgrade your lenses to a more powerful prescription. It may be helpful to learn more about bifocals before you visit your doctor.

Bifocal lenses are a type of lens with two focal points, wherein one portion is meant to view distant objects. The other portion is used for viewing close objects. Bifocal eyeglasses, initially invented by Benjamin Franklin, are also known as multifocal lenses. A few different types of bifocals are available, such as flat-top, round seg, blended, and executive bifocals. Flat-top bifocal lenses have a small segment shaped like a half-moon and repositioned nasally down toward the lens's bottom. Round seg, or round bifocals, allow the wearer to reach the segment's reading area more easily.

There is a range of types of bifocals, and your eye doctor can help choose the best bifocal lenses for your vision prescription after an eye examination. You may need bifocals, regardless of type, for a variety of reasons. One of the most common reasons is presbyopia, the gradual decrease in the ability to focus on near objects and reading small print. Simply put, it is more challenging to focus from distance to near, and while doctors don't understand this process, bifocals can improve your vision. 

Other vision problems that cause patients to need bifocals potentially include accommodative dysfunction. This is a condition in which children and some adults are unable to focus easily from distance to near, as well as fatigue trying to focus during reading or learning. Accommodative esotropia is another condition that affects children, causing them to become cross-eyed as they try to focus and learn when they have farsightedness.

Progressive lenses are another option if you need bifocals, especially if you are interested in more invisible, seamless, or no-line bifocals. These bifocals have a gradual increase or transition in reading power as the line extends down toward the lens's bottom without visible lines. They are popular among those who need bifocals at a younger age or those looking for a more youthful appearance. Bifocals are used for various vision problems, and if you suspect that you may need them or cannot focus appropriately from far to near, discuss these concerns with your doctor.

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Ronnie Kallis
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