How to Use Bifocals

Created by Benjamin Franklin in the early 1760s, the bifocal lens is the most commonly prescribed vision correction treatment for patients that require both close-up and distance vision correction. Bifocals eliminate the need for a second pair of glasses by combining your prescription for distance vision with your prescription for close-up vision in one single, segmented lens.

Instructions

• 1

  Have regular vision checkups with your doctor. Talk to your doctor as soon as you experience changes in your vision. Though the need for bifocal eyeglasses typically strikes as you get older, it's not uncommon for some younger people with vision problems to require them as well.

• 2

  Find out the shape and location of your close-up vision bifocal segment. Bifocal segments for close-up vision correction can come in a wide variety of shapes, including a half-moon, a round segment, a narrow rectangular "ribbon" segment and even the whole bottom half of the lens, commonly known as the Benjamin Franklin or executive style. For ease of use, it's important that you are able to identify the part of your lens that contains your close-up vision correction segment.

• 3

  Look up for distance vision correction and try to focus on a point in the distance. You should be able to see even far-off objects clearly.

• 4

  Look down for close-up vision correction to focus on something within 18 or so inches of you. This will be really simple, as you have already figured out exactly where in your lens the close-up vision correction segment is located.