{"id":1847,"date":"2023-06-21T09:43:40","date_gmt":"2023-06-21T13:43:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.warbyparker.com\/learn\/?p=1847"},"modified":"2026-04-02T03:12:36","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T07:12:36","slug":"bifocal-lenses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.stage.warby.io\/learn\/bifocal-lenses","title":{"rendered":"What Are Bifocals? How Do They Work?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Bifocals are a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stage.warby.io\/learn\/types-of-glasses\">type of eyeglasses<\/a> that feature two different optical powers in one lens. The top part of a bifocal lens corrects distance vision, while a smaller portion at the bottom of the lens corrects near vision. When looking closely at bifocal lenses, you can see a line where these different viewing zones meet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this article, we\u2019ll take a closer look at this type of eyewear, including how they work and who might use them. We\u2019ll also cover some modern-day alternatives to bifocal glasses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Do Bifocals Work?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Because a bifocal lens is separated into two distinct sections, you can shift your focus from far away to close-up objects or text and still see clearly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The viewing zone for near objects is at the bottom of the lens because people tend to look down when they read or do tasks that require close viewing. For example, pretend you\u2019re reading a book, sewing by hand, or texting on your phone. Notice where your eyes focus. (Downward, right?)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Who Invented Bifocals?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Benjamin Franklin invented the bifocal lens in 1784 after he noticed his eyesight was declining. He was having difficulty seeing up close <em>and<\/em> far away, but eyeglasses at the time couldn\u2019t solve both problems simultaneously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Using the lenses from two different pairs of glasses, Franklin split each lens in half and combined them to create \u201cdouble spectacles,\u201d or what are now called bifocals. A huge milestone in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stage.warby.io\/learn\/when-were-glasses-invented\">evolution of eyeglasses<\/a>, indeed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Types of Bifocal Lenses<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Fast forward to today. Now you can get a few different types of bifocal lenses (\u201cbifocal segments\u201d is actually more accurate to say)\u2014each type has a different shape to the near-vision zone of the lens. Here are some of the most common types:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Executive: <\/strong>The near-vision zone of the lens covers the full bottom half of the lens. This type of lens is also called E style (\u201cE\u201d for \u201cexecutive,\u201d of course) or Franklin style (because this style resembles the late Benjamin\u2019s invention).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Flat top:<\/strong> The near-vision zone of the lens resembles a half moon. This style is also called D-segment because the shape of it resembles the letter \u201cD\u201d turned on its side.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ribbon segment:<\/strong> The near-vision zone is a narrow rectangular shape.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Round segment:<\/strong> True to its name, this type of lens has a round-shaped near-vision zone.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When Are Bifocal Lenses Prescribed?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Bifocal eyeglasses are most often prescribed for people who have trouble seeing both close up and far away. Multifocal glasses, such as bifocals and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stage.warby.io\/learn\/trifocals\">trifocals<\/a>, are an alternative to switching back and forth between prescription distance <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stage.warby.io\/eyeglasses\">glasses<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stage.warby.io\/eyeglasses\/reading\">reading glasses<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bifocals are commonly prescribed for people over the age of 40, as that\u2019s when <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stage.warby.io\/learn\/what-is-presbyopia\">presbyopia<\/a> tends to set in. Presbyopia is also sometimes referred to as age-related <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stage.warby.io\/learn\/what-is-farsightedness\">farsightedness<\/a>. With age, the eye\u2019s lens becomes less flexible and has a harder time focusing light correctly on the retina. That\u2019s why it becomes difficult to read or focus on close objects without things looking a bit blurry (as was the case for Mr. Franklin).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Besides presbyopia, bifocals are sometimes prescribed for other purposes. For instance, bifocal glasses may be prescribed for children with amblyopia (sometimes referred to as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stage.warby.io\/learn\/lazy-eye\">lazy eye<\/a>) or accommodative esotropia (a type of strabismus, or inward-turned eye). In these cases, the near-vision zone of bifocal lenses can help support the child\u2019s focusing skills and aid in reducing or preventing the weaker eye from turning inward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Progressives: A Modern Alternative to Bifocals<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Although bifocals can be beneficial for those who have difficulty seeing up close and far away, sometimes the transition in the lens can be uncomfortable or cause slight disorientation. Plus, the visible line across a bifocal lens may not be aesthetically pleasing to some.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Luckily, we\u2019ve come a long way since Benjamin Franklin\u2019s bifocals. Today, we have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stage.warby.io\/eyeglasses\/progressives\">progressive glasses<\/a>. Progressive lenses provide a seamless transition (i.e., with no visible lines) between <em>three<\/em> primary vision zones\u2014near, intermediate, and far.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div><!-- .entry-content (split for inline block) -->\n\n<section class=\"wp-blocks__banner has-img white\">\n\t\t\t<div>\n\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.stage.warby.io\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/friendly-eye-doctor-cta.jpg\" alt=\"Interested in Progressives?\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"wp-blocks__banner-img\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Interested in Progressives?<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<p>Make an appointment with an eye doctor to discuss if progressives are right for you.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-blocks-banner__cta-links\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stage.warby.io\/appointments\/eye-exams\/booking\">Book an exam <svg id=\"aa495747-7767-4ea8-bc8e-3e09f9e2a480\" data-name=\"Layer 1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 5.5 9.5\"><path d=\"M5.49,4.61a.87.87,0,0,1,0,.32.73.73,0,0,1-.2.35l-4,4A.75.75,0,0,1,.22,8.22L3.69,4.75.22,1.28A.75.75,0,0,1,1.28.22l4,4A.75.75,0,0,1,5.49,4.61Z\" style=\"fill:#1050D0;fill-rule:evenodd\"\/><\/svg>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<div class=\"entry-content\"><!-- (reopen for inline block) -->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Your Eye Doctor Will Help You Find the Right Glasses<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>After a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stage.warby.io\/learn\/what-to-expect-at-an-eye-exam\">comprehensive eye exam<\/a>, your eye doctor will recommend the best type of glasses for your vision and needs. And then comes the fun part: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stage.warby.io\/learn\/how-to-choose-glasses\">choosing your new frames<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Bifocals are a type of eyeglasses that feature two different optical powers in one lens. The top part of a bifocal lens corrects distance vision, while a smaller portion at the bottom of the lens corrects near vision. When looking closely at bifocal lenses, you can see a line where these different viewing zones meet. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":27,"featured_media":1851,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1847","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-eyewear"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What Are Bifocals? How Do They Work? | Warby Parker<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Bifocals have been correcting eyesight for centuries. Learn about bifocal lenses and how they work.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.stage.warby.io\/learn\/bifocal-lenses\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What Are Bifocals? How Do They Work? | Warby Parker\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Bifocals have been correcting eyesight for centuries. 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Learn about bifocal lenses and how they work.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.stage.warby.io\/learn\/bifocal-lenses","og_site_name":"Warby Parker","article_published_time":"2023-06-21T13:43:40+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-04-02T07:12:36+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1166,"height":1166,"url":"https:\/\/www.stage.warby.io\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/bifocals.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Dr. Linda Bui","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Dr. Linda Bui","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.stage.warby.io\/learn\/bifocal-lenses#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.stage.warby.io\/learn\/bifocal-lenses"},"author":{"name":"Dr. Linda Bui","@id":"https:\/\/www.stage.warby.io\/learn\/#\/schema\/person\/6479d50021a07da107c0cfe10e936785"},"headline":"What Are Bifocals? 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