Progressive Lenses:

After reaching the age of around 42-45 years, due to fatigue in ciliary muscles, the accomodative strength (Accomodation) of our eye starts reducing which results in difficulty in focusing to near objects clearly. This is called Presbyopia. Presbyopia can be corrected by aiding our vision by a positive or a plus powered lens. Now eyeglasses come in different types. This includes a single-vision lens with one power or strength over the entire lens, or a bifocal or a trifocal lens with dual or triple types of strengths over the entire lens to see distant as well as closeby objects clearly. But while the latter two were options if you needed a different strength in your lenses to see far and near objects,albeit with a clear demarcation between the different strengths, later on many multifocal lenses were designed with invisible zones separating the different prescription areas in the eyeglasses.

If you prefer a no-line multifocal lens for yourself, a progressive addition lens (PAL) is the most appropriate option for you.

What are progressive lenses?

Progressive Addition Lenses or PAL are a type of multifocal lens specifically designed for people who need corrective lenses to see distant and close up objects. To put it plainly, these lenses allow you to see clearly at multiple distances without any dividing line.

The need for a progressive lens increases with age. By the age of 38 or 40, many people start having difficulty in focusing their eyes on nearby objects. This is known as presbyopia, and to compensate for this focusing problem, some people wear single-vision eyeglasses for distance, and a reading glass for close up.

While this approach can work, PALs provide a simpler, more convenient solution to age-related vision problems.

The upper section of a progressive lens provides the strength you need to see clearly in the distance.

The lower section provides the strength you need to see clearly up close.

The middle section helps you see clearly at intermediate or middle distances.

These lenses provide a gradual transition in strength from top to bottom.

In short, Progressive lenses are more suitable if you have a prescription which has a combination of Distance and Near Vision powers and you follow an active lifestyle.

Written by Mahesh Gupta