Varifocal Contact Lenses in Cheadle — Multifocal CLs for Distance + Reading

Independent specialist care at our Abra & Co Cheadle practice — 19 Wilmslow Road, Cheadle, SK8 1DW. Book online or call 0161 428 3717.

📞 Call 0161 428 3717 — book a consultation

Varifocal (multifocal) contact lenses at Abra & Co, Cheadle

If you have been wearing reading glasses over the top of distance contact lenses, you do not have to keep doing that. Modern multifocal contact lenses give you near and distance vision in a single lens — no readers, no swapping, no separate pair. We have been fitting modern multifocal CLs at our Cheadle practice since the latest designs came onto the market, and success rates are significantly higher than the bifocal lenses of ten years ago.

How varifocal contact lenses work

Modern multifocal soft lenses use a concentric ring design — the centre handles one viewing distance and surrounding rings progressively handle the others. Your brain learns to use the relevant part of the lens depending on what you are looking at, much like a varifocal spectacle lens. Unlike spectacle varifocals, there is no head-tilt involved. Adaptation typically takes 1-2 weeks of consistent daily wear.

We fit a range of designs: CooperVision Biofinity Multifocal (monthly disposable, UK’s most-fitted multifocal), Alcon Total30 Multifocal (monthly, best for dry eye patients), Bausch + Lomb Ultra Multifocal, Acuvue Oasys MAX Multifocal (1-day premium daily disposable), and MiSight 1-day Multifocal for paediatric myopia control.

Who they work best for

Multifocal CLs work best for patients 45-65 with moderate near corrections (typically +1.00 to +2.50 reading addition) and good ocular surface health. They work less well for significant astigmatism above 1.00 dioptre (though toric multifocals exist for some prescriptions), very high near additions (above +2.50), and untreated dry eye. If you are not a good candidate we will tell you honestly and recommend an alternative — typically monovision or distance lenses with reading glasses.

The fitting process

Book a contact lens consultation (45 minutes). We do a full ocular surface health check — slit-lamp, tear film, lid margin — because dry eye affects multifocal success more than any other factor. We trial-fit 2-3 designs based on your prescription and lifestyle. You wear the trial pair for an hour at the practice, walking around, reading menus, checking your phone, looking out the window. We refine the prescription based on what you actually see. You leave with trial lenses for 1-2 weeks. Final prescription typically settled by visit 3. Trial lenses and follow-ups during the fitting period are not charged separately.

Pricing

Contact lens fitting fee (covers all fitting visits, trial lenses, 12-month aftercare): £95. Multifocal contact lens subscription: from £29/month for monthly disposables (Biofinity, Total30) up to £56/month for premium daily disposables (Acuvue Oasys MAX). Includes monthly postal delivery to your Cheadle / South Manchester address, annual review, unlimited aftercare appointments. NHS eye tests separately if you are eligible — typically free for over-60s.

Frequently asked questions

Will I be able to read my phone with multifocal contacts?

Yes — that is the primary use case. Most patients can read normal phone text comfortably within their first week of adaptation. Very small text on labels or tablets in low light is sometimes the last thing to adapt; we adjust the near design at your follow-up if needed.

Can I drive at night in multifocal contacts?

Yes, for most patients. Some report mild halos around oncoming headlights for the first 1-2 weeks while adapting; this typically settles. If they persist beyond 3 weeks we adjust to a different design optimised for distance acuity over near.

How do varifocal contacts compare to varifocal glasses?

Both work; they suit different lifestyles. Varifocal glasses give the sharpest possible reading area but require head movement. Varifocal contacts give full peripheral vision and no distortion zone, but reading sharpness is typically 90-95% of varifocal glasses — fine for most reading; you may want spectacle readers as a backup for fine print.

What if multifocal contacts don’t work for me?

We try monovision next — one eye for distance, one for near. Adaptation can be quicker than multifocals for some patients. If neither works we go back to distance contacts + reading glasses (or varifocal spectacles you wear when lenses are out).

Visit us at our Cheadle practice

Abra & Co, 19 Wilmslow Road, Cheadle, SK8 1DW. We see patients from Cheadle, Bramhall, Cheadle Hulme, Stockport, Wilmslow, Handforth, Hale, Hale Barns, Alderley Edge, Heaton Mersey, Didsbury, Wythenshawe, Hazel Grove, Marple, Poynton, and across South Manchester. Free street parking on Wilmslow Road and adjacent side streets.

📞 Call 0161 428 3717 — book a consultation