Bifocal Glasses for My Mum: advice needed

I went with my mother to the optometrist to get bifocal glasses for her but was confused by which is best for her. We know of the traditional bifocal lens, ie lens separated into two zones to allow for close-focusing (eg reading) and far-focusing. However, there is a new lens called multifocal lens whereby the lens is separated into three zones such that it not only allow for close- and far-focusing but also medium-focusing (for reading price tags on items). Although this sounds like a better choice, would seeing through these 3 zones cause headaches or be incovenient, as I presume my mum would have to adjust which zone she looks through to see different objects??


Thanks in advance for your help!

my mother and mother in law both have the multifocal. My mother has mastered it my mother in law has not. It's all about practice. My mother in law is a bit vain, and doesn't like wearing her glasses so she hasn't practiced it enough and constantly complains that the glasses don't work. My own mom is really good at them,and at times does reach up to adjust the lenses to do what she needs to do, but is fine. My mom is extremely active, drives, sews, cooks, does the accounting books for her church, teaches Bible study, checks email, looks at my webpage with my kids pics on it, and looks after her big house and the big baby my father is. ALL with the multifocal lenses. It depends on how willing your mom is to try and how if she's a quick study.


If you have a great optometrist, he may be willing to let you have the multi focal in new frames, and if they don't work out, switch to the traditional bifocals at a reduced price for the lenses.

My husband wears the multifocal and finds them quite functional. He never has complained of any problems or headaches. The only issue is that the reading part is down low and the distance part is up high, so what you can see depends on the tilt of your head. It could be that if a person is having trouble, the heights of the different focal distances are not placed properly for the individual user. For instance, I can see how it would be a big problem if you were trying to drive and always had to tilt your head downwards to see through the distance part of the lense. If someone is unhappy with their lenses, I'd suggest going back to the store and asking them to adjust it properly. As for me, I use the multifocal contact lenses and really like them. My eye doctor tells me the different focal lengths in the contact lenses are arranged outwards from the perimeter, and your brain simply chooses which signals to listen to. It's always been "brainless" for me and I don't have to tilt my head or anything to read.

Multifocal lens (aka progressive) takes some getting used to. It's quite dangerous walking down long flight of stairs if you've not really gotten used to them. After trying them on for a while, I switched back to my old spectacles (for my short-sightedness) and my reading glasses.


Meiquoren, I've heard of multifocal contact lenses, and I'm very curious about how it works. I suppose you need to go to an opthalmologist for a prescription, right?

Believe it or not, just last week I saw an article in NY Times discussing the various kinds of multifocal contacts! Apparently there are two different kinds. In mine, the multifocal part is arranged in circular shape going from inside to outside, like the bull's eye of target practice. I don't experience any lines, by optometrist (who I got them from, not opthamologist) says your brain just chooses which signals to respond to. I really, really like them, but he told me a lot of people don't like them, some prefer instead to have their contacts adjusted so that one eye "sees" distance and the other eye "sees" close up. And, some just want eyes adjusted for distance and then use reading glasses close up. I guess it's a matter of preference. (E.g. my hubby says he's never had any problem seeing to go down stairs, but I can see your point there since the bottom is what's adjusted for close up.) Anyway, there's another kind of bifocal contact that does have the line across, with things separated top and bottom. (I don't imagine I'd like that.) I'd suggest asking for a couple of different trial pairs from one of the big contact lense stores that will have a large selection (here in Guangzhou no one carries them at all, they're a special order item with customs fees and everything).

Just an update to everyone: my mum chose the multifocal lens but after wearing it for a mere two days, she couldn;t stand the headache and adjustment (we kinda expected that 'cos she is not very "adventurous") and declared she wanted it switched to bifocal despite our urging to try for a few more days. Luckily we made sure we had the agreement with the optometrist to exchange to two pairs today: bifocal and medium-distance glasses, all we need is to purchase aan additional frame at discount price. Let's hope she would be happy with the bifocals!

Hope the next pair works. If it's headache, I wonder if the frames are fitting wrong, or if the different focal lengths are situated improperly so she has to tilt her head at a strange angle. Anyway, hubby says you do have to learn to use the glasses. If you want to read something over your head, or look at a distance downwards, you do have to make adjustments. If she's already used to bifocals and not adjusting to the new ones, good move to switch back but be sure to press them to get the "line" at the right height on the lense.

Crystal, bifocals haven't had the line across them for a long time. The line was created when eyeglass lens were still actually made of ground glass, and they were fitting two differently ground pieces together. Since the advent of plastic lens they've been able to "blend" the two differently focused lens together in what is known as a progressive lens. It's actually a gradual progression from the one prescription to the other. What is important is the focal point in the two different areas of the lens. The multifocal lens are the same idea and are what in the old days were known as "trifocals" with a distance, middle range and reading range. While some of the adjusting is done by moving your head (as in going down steps) most of the adjusting is done in your brain, which has to interpret the new signals. It can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to as much as a month for the brain to make this adjustment, and headaches, especially at first, are common. I had no problems adjusting to my first bifocals, a lot adjusting to my second pair, and was considering going back after two weeks. I stuck it out and within another week couldn't figure out why I'd thought there was a problem.


Biggest problem I'm having now is most of the current frame styles have a narrow lens and there isn't room for bifocals. I opted for a design with no frame around the bottom of the lens and we increased the lens length slightly, but I don't think quite enough. I'm having to move my head more than ever before to find the focal point. That, and I didn't have enough Chinese to convince the gal who fit my glasses that I don't read books holding them in my lap (like you're supposed to do) and she focused me for objects held at a greater distance than I use. I can't read fine print that far away and if I hold fine print closer I can't get it to focus. So I'm still taking off my glasses and reading small things up close.


Mummybee1, in one of my numerous career changes I worked for an ophthalmologist in Florida, and we had a lot of elderly patients. You don't have to be elderly even to have these problems. I know it will be hard to convince her, but your mum needs to give herself time to allow her brain to adjust to the new glasses. If the headaches are from improperly fitted glasses she will also have soreness somewhere else too, such as behind her ears or on the bridge of her nose. The headaches should lessen with time. If they're not getting better, then the focal point may be in the wrong place and you should get them checked. Good luck!

Molly, indeed we begged mum to try for a few more days but she simply refused. We know best not to argue, lest she gets upset we are forcing something on her. She is getting old and not very adaptable anymore. She said the headache is due to her eyes shifting up /down over the lens and insisted there is no pain on other parts of her head (I wear glasses too and know what you are talking about: if the handles grip too tight behind my ears, I get massive headache and pain around my eyes to my neck). She hasn't complained about the bifocals, eventhough she still needs to adjust her eye level during reading. But great suggestion re focal pt adjustment. Don't think the optometrist did a thorough job last time so will bring her there again.


I will definitely keep all your advice in mind when it is my turn. Apparently, in my last checkup, the optometrist indicated I will need the "old lady" lens in less than 5 years time, before i hit even 40. Didn't realise she can predict such things nowadays??!

Sorry, mummybee, my eye doc said the same thing when I was 38 and I was hoping he would be wrong, because I had no issues whatsoever. Apparently, it's pretty predictable to start by around age 40. That was true in my case too, and mine keeps getting a tiny bit worse each year. I asked him, how come all those people who have cataract surgery can read just fine without reading glasses? He replied that when they do the surgery, they generally correct / set one eye for reading and the other for distance. (Exactly the arrangement I did not like in my contact lenses.)