Contact lenses are available in designs that address nearly all vision conditions.

Spherical contact lenses
Spherical contact lenses are for eyes that are slightly too long or too short for one’s optical system — resulting in nearsightedness or farsightedness.

Toric contact lenses
Toric contact lenses correct for astigmatism, a condition caused by slight differences or irregularities in the curvatures of the corneal surface and/or the crystalline lens inside the eye. Toric lenses contain special areas known as “cylinder” that can make a remarkable difference in how clearly you see. This cylinder is not detectable to the wearer, and adaptation to these lenses is easy.

Bifocal and multifocal contact lenses
Presbyopia is an age-related condition in which the crystalline lens that focuses light inside the eye loses elasticity. This limits the lens’s ability to “accommodate” or focus on near objects. This condition can be addressed with contact lenses, and an eye care professional has a variety of design options. Bifocal contact lenses have segments or rings, some for distance and some for seeing up close. Multifocal lenses blend together different powers throughout the lens and provide a more natural and youthful vision.

Other contact lens options for presbyopia
In addition, contact lenses can be fit in a “monovision” style. Here, one lens is prescribed for near objects and the other for distance. The brain “computes” a clear image from the two signals. One more option: Many long-term contact lens wearers prefer to wear reading glasses over their regular contact lenses when needed. They have excellent distance vision for driving or sports — and they slip on reading glasses to see up close.