Sometimes referred to as “no-line” bifocals or trifocals, progressive lenses are ideal for patients who have presbyopia —a vision condition marked by a decrease in the ability to focus on near objects as we age.
Typically around our 40th birthday, most of us lose our ability to focus on near and distant objects with the same lens. Progressive lenses address these two separate visual needs in one lens—with a “distance” area in the upper portion of the lens, and a “near” area in the lower portion.
Unlike traditional bifocals or trifocals, there are no visible lines separating the different fields of a progressive lens. Instead there is a gradual change from the upper portion to the lower portion, allowing for clear vision at distance, mid-range and near just by changing the viewing angle through the lens. And, there are no “lens lines” to distract your vision. These lenses tend to have a slightly more narrow (side-to-side) range of clear vision compared to separate reading glasses or a lined bifocal, and one can experience a bit of “waviness” in the side areas of the vision due to the blending. Most people adapt to this very quickly.