Progressive Lenses for Vision Over 40

After age 40, no one likes to advertise their age — especially when you start having trouble reading fine print.

Thankfully, today's progressive eyeglass lenses make it impossible for others to tell you've reached "bifocal age."

Progressive lenses — sometimes called "no-line bifocals" — give you a more youthful appearance by eliminating the visible lines found in bifocal (and trifocal) lenses.

But beyond being just a multifocal lens with no visible lines, progressive lenses enable people with presbyopia to again see clearly at all distances.

Natural vision with no "image jump"

The visible lines in bifocals and trifocals are points where there's an abrupt change in lens power.

When a bifocal or trifocal wearer's line of sight moves across these lines, images suddenly move, or "jump." The discomfort caused by this "image jump" can range from being mildly annoying to creating nausea.

Progressive lenses are line-free and have a smooth transition in lens power for clear vision at all distances.

Also, because of the limited number of lens powers in bifocals and trifocals, your depth of focus with these lenses is limited. To be seen clearly, objects must be within a specific range of distances. Objects that are outside the distances covered by the bifocal or trifocal lens powers will be blurred.

Progressive lenses, on the other hand, have a smooth, seamless progression of lens powers for clear vision at all distances. Progressive lenses provide a more natural depth of focus with no "image jump."

It's important to note, however, that the first time you wear progressive lenses, you may notice a soft blur in your peripheral vision through the lower half of the lenses, to the right and left of the intermediate and near zones.

If this occurs, the sensation typically will go away after you wear the lenses full-time for several days. If it persists, tell your eye doctor or optician. (If necessary, a slight adjustment or changing to a different progressive lens design usually will solve the problem.)