Single vision vs progressive lenses: which do you need?
Every pair of glasses has a lens design, and it comes down to one question: do you need help at one distance, or at several?
Single vision lenses do one job well. Progressive lenses do three, in one pair.
Here is the difference in plain terms.
Single vision lenses
A single vision lens has one power across the whole lens. It corrects one distance: far, for driving and daily life, or near, for reading and close work.
If your prescription has SPH and perhaps CYL and AXIS, but no ADD value, single vision is almost certainly what you need.
This is the lens included with every MAMY frame: standard-index, clear, with anti-reflective, anti-scratch and 100% UV coatings. Add Blue Control or Photochromic for Ksh 3,000 each, Photomax for Ksh 5,000, or extra-thin 1.6 lenses for Ksh 8,500.
Reading glasses are single vision too
A pair made only for reading is a single vision lens set to your near power. It is the simplest fix for presbyopia if you are happy to take them off to look up.
Progressive lenses
A progressive lens changes power gradually from the top to the bottom: distance at the top, middle distance in the centre, reading at the bottom. There is no visible line.
They are made for presbyopia, the normal stiffening of the eye's lens that makes close-up focus harder from the early forties onwards. If your prescription has an ADD value, that is the sign.
Most people adapt within a few days; for some it takes up to two weeks. After that, one pair does everything.
What about bifocals?
A bifocal has two set powers, distance and reading, split by a visible line. Progressives do the same job with a smooth transition and a middle-distance zone as well, which is why most people now choose them.
Which one is right for you?
Under 40 with a single prescription? Single vision, almost every time.
Over 40 and finding small print harder? Reading glasses if you only need help up close, or progressives if you want one pair for everything.
Progressives need precise fitting measurements taken in person, so we fit them in store. Come in for a free eye test, and ask our optometrist for a quote on the lens that suits you.
Quick answers
What is the difference between single vision and progressive lenses?
- Single vision lenses have one power and correct one distance. Progressive lenses change power gradually from top to bottom, so one pair covers distance, middle and reading.
How do I know which lens I need?
- Look for an ADD value on your prescription. If there is one, you need help at near as well as far, and progressives or reading glasses are the options. If not, single vision is the answer. A free eye test at MAMY will confirm it.
Can I order progressive lenses online at MAMY?
- Not yet. Progressives need fitting measurements taken in person, so we fit them in store. Single vision lenses are included with every frame ordered online.
Are progressive lenses hard to get used to?
- Most people adapt within a few days, and almost everyone within two weeks. Wearing them consistently from the first day helps.
Are bifocals the same as progressives?
- No. Bifocals have two fixed powers split by a visible line. Progressives change smoothly, with no line, and add a middle-distance zone.
Why it matters ?
Three zones, one pair
Fitted in person
Free eye test first
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