Eyewear has, in the past decades, grown in leaps and bounds as technology has evolved. Nowadays, you can get lenses that correct almost any refractive error or eye condition.

The most common eyeglasses are the single lens with a single power over the entire lens. Another is the bifocal or trifocal glasses that correct several refractive errors simultaneously. However, they have a visible line marking the different areas of strength on the lenses.

You may prefer a lens that has multiple powers and no line. If so, progressive lenses are what you need.

What Are Progressive Lenses?

Progressive lenses are lenses that allow you to see both distant objects and near objects. They work like bifocal and trifocal lenses, except they have no line showing the divisions of power. 

Progressive lenses become the desired choice for people as they age. When people turn 35 or 40, they start to have issues seeing up-close objects. For this issue, they often wear glasses to help them see up close. However, progressive lenses provide a better option for vision issues that come with age.

The progressive lens is divided into three levels. The upper level provides for distant vision, the lower section for up-close vision, and the middle for intermediate vision. The transition between the different sections is smooth and gradual.

What Are the Benefits of Progressive Lenses?

Other than the ability to correct nearsightedness and farsightedness, progressive lenses can also correct astigmatism. Astigmatism occurs when light cannot focus on the retina due to an irregular cornea. 

Here are some other benefits of progressive lenses:

 

• One Pair Is Enough

With single-vision glasses, you need to keep switching between glasses if you have more than one refractive error. Progressive lenses give you the ability for double vision correction with one pair. 

It accomplishes the work of a single vision lens and reading glasses. It is especially useful for older people who may forget to carry one pair of glasses. 

 

• No Line

Progressive lenses are multifocal without the bifocal line dividing the lenses. It gives you the look of a single vision lens and matches the effectiveness of a multifocal lens. Also, the power change in the multifocal lenses is usually abrupt. It is not the same in the progressive lens. The power change is gradual, making their use very smooth and gentle on the eyes.

 

• Modern Design

Usually, people associate bifocal and multifocal lenses with old age. Getting these lenses may make you self-conscious about them. With progressive lenses, no one knows that they have different powers because they have no visible line between the powers.

How to Adjust to Progressive Lenses
 

• Having progressive lenses that fit poorly can make using them very difficult. So, you first must find a reputable optical shop. They will guide you in picking the correct frame and ensure that the glasses are well centered over your eyes.
   

• When you get your lenses, give yourself time to adjust to them. The average time to adjust to them is two weeks, but some people may need up to a month.
   

• Wear the new glasses as often as possible. More time wearing them means you will adjust much faster.

For more on the benefits of progressive lenses, visit Clarity Vision at our offices in Smithfield, North Carolina. Call (919) 737-7200 to book an appointment today.