Bifocals vs. Trifocals: What You Need to Know

For most people, their eyesight fades slowly over time and before they know it, they’re at an optometrist’s office getting prescribed their first pair of glasses. And many times, they’re given a pair of bifocals or trifocals. Most people, however, don’t really know the difference between the two common forms of lenses.

The short answer is that bifocal lenses have two lenses in one, whereas trifocals have three lenses in one. But the two types of glasses serve different purposes.

Bifocals, invented by Benjamin Franklin, are primarily prescribed to people who suffer from nearsightedness and farsightedness. These eyeglasses have lenses with two powers: one for enhancing vision for distance and one for increasing the ability to see things up close. And like many medical conditions, this type of vision impairment usually rears its head after the age of 40.

There are several kinds of bifocals including flat-top, round seg bifocals and executive style. Contact your optometrist to learn what kind best fit your vision.

While bifocals are meant to help with seeing things both near and far, what about those who need help seeing things in an intermediate range? That’s what trifocals are for. These lenses are especially helpful for patients who work at a computer during the day. Computer screens are often within a range that neither nearsighted or farsighted people can see correctly, but trifocals are specifically designed to help patients see within that distance.

If you’re curious about what kind of lenses best fit you and your vision profile, contact the experts at SEEN Vision Care in Dearborn, MI today to make an appointment.