Types of Progressive No-Line Bifocals

Progressive no-line bifocals are replacing traditional bifocals for a variety of reasons. Lined bifocals have the disadvantage of a visual break in your line of sight. They also come with the connotation of "old people glasses" as they give away your near and far-sightedness. No-line bifocals offer a smooth transition, multifocal lens, meaning each lens offers degrees of power without visual breaks.

Soft

• Soft design progressive bifocals offer advantages to people over 50 years of age as they provide a wider mid-distance lens for vision at the 18- to 30-inch range. They are also recommended for people who have difficulty getting used to the hard edges of traditional bifocal lenses. They provide a more natural, less-distorted transition between short, mid and long-range vision.

Hard/Short Corridor

• Most often recommended for individuals between the ages of 40 and 48, hard/short corridor progressive bifocals offer a wide lens for assistance with predominately long-range vision with a small amount of short-range. These lenses are best for those who do not need mid-range lenses. This is the only type of lens available for small frames.

Lens Material

• Progressive no-line bifocals, just as other eye wear, are made from a variety of materials. Glass, plastic and polycarbonate are all used in progressive lenses. Glass provides the best clarity of vision and is less suseptible to scratching. However, it is heavy and easy to break. Plastic is lighter and easy to tint, though it scratches and fogs easily. Polycarbonate is the lightest in weight and most durable but offers the poorest optical quality.