Despite advances in contacts and vision correction surgery, eyeglasses a staple in modern fashion. They are the most common form of optical correction for refractive errors. Even people with perfect vision are adding non-prescription eyewear into their wardrobes.

With so many different frames, lenses, and treatments, picking a new pair of glasses can be overwhelming. This guide will explain all the different types of glasses available.

Types of Prescription Glasses Lenses

The lenses you need for your glasses will depend on your eyeglass prescription. Before shopping for new glasses, schedule an eye exam with your eye doctor. They will determine what type of vision correction you need

Single vision lenses are the cheapest and most common type of eyeglass lenses. They have the largest field of vision because they only correct vision at one specific distance (either far or near). This separates them from the multifocal lenses described below.

Your doctor will likely prescribe single vision lenses if you have one of the following:

• Nearsightedness
• Farsightedness
• Astigmatism

Bifocal lenses are multifocal, meaning they have two different “powers” in them. These different sections of the lens correct distance vision and near vision.

Bifocal lenses are prescribed for people with multiple vision problems.

Trifocal lenses are similar to bifocals. But they have an additional power to correct intermediate vision. For example, the intermediate portion may be used to view a computer screen.

The main shortcoming of bifocals and trifocals is that they have a distinct line between each field of vision. This makes the sections of the lens produce drastically different vision. Most people get used to this and don’t have an issue. But this drawback has led to the development of more advanced lenses, such as progressives

Progressive lenses are another type of multifocal lens. They work for anyone who needs bifocals or trifocals. Progressive lenses provide the same correction for near, intermediate, and distance vision. They do this without the lines between each section.

Many people prefer these multifocal lenses because the transition between fields of vision is smoother.