Bifocal contacts come in a variety of designs. Working with an eye-care professional, consumers can decide which option will work best for them based on individual vision needs, eye shape, and other factors. It is harder to adjust to multifocal contact lenses than to multifocal eyeglasses. Fewer than one 1 of 3 people using bifocal contacts, for example, is able to adjust to them, whereas most people can adjust to bifocal eyeglasses. Because of this difficulty, most practitioners usually recommend bifocal contacts only to people who have successfully worn contacts in the past.
Multifocal contacts can be double or triple the price of multifocal eyeglasses.
A much less costly contact lens alternative is to fit one eye with a contact lens for near vision and, if needed, the other eye with a lens for distance vision. Contacts worn in this way are referred to as monovision lenses. They cost about the same as regular contacts and are easier to replace or change. However, contacts worn in this manner may hamper depth perception and peripheral vision. I wouldn't want to fly a plane with them, Lippman says.