If you are starting to lose your ability to focus up close, otherwise known as presbyopia, AND you wear contact lenses it can be an issue.  There are exciting options for people who need multifocals and also wear contact lenses.   At Waverley Eye Care Centre we are excited to be able to fit you with multifocal contact lenses.   Our Winnipeg optometrists specialize in providing you with the most up to date and healthiest options in contact lenses.  We are excited to introduce the Acuvue Oasys 2 week disposable multifocal contact lens.

Acuvue Oasys Multifocal is a 2week replacement soft contact lens manufacturer by Johnson & johnson and was released in Canada and the US on march 15, 2021.

The ACUVUE OAYSYS MF is NOT the same as the acuvue oasys presbyopia.   So up until now in the eye care industry we have used the term Multifocal/bifocal/progressive and presbyopia very loosely when it comes to contact lenses because they all kind of mean the same thing.  But J&J has changed this as so now you have to be very specific and careful about what word you use because the Oasys Multifocal and the Oasys for presbyopia are two completely different designs.

So what is the same:

1. Material: both these lenses are made from the same silicone hydrogel material senofilcon A
2. Replacement schedule: the replacement schedule of 2 weeks is the same.

What is different:

1. The design of the multifocal.
   1. Explain how multifocal contact lens work.: glasses…look through different parts…but can’t do that in contact lens….most current multifocal d contact lenses use a center near lens. (I’ll explain why in a bit ) so the main difference is that J&J is updating to a model bifocal lens design.
   2. Oasys for presbyopia was launched in 2009 and is what we call a center distance design of multifocal contact lens.
   3. Oasys Multifocal was launched in 2021 and is a center near design of multifocal contact lenses.

There are Unique features of the Acuvue Oasys 2 week multifocal:

1. It is a center near design.
2. It has a pupil optimized design: personalized fit, optimizing the fit for your pupil size
3. It has a hybrid backcurve design allowing it to maintain a stable fit
4. It has an embedded wetting agent throughout the lens matrix. This wetting agent mimics the mucin layer of the tear film and helps keep the tear film stable.³ In this way, ACUVUE^® OASYS may help to reduce dryness symptoms caused by staring at digital screens.

Here are the Key take home messages

1. Acuvue oasys multifocal is not the same as Acuvue oasys for presbyopia
2. There is a specific fitting method for this lens and the Winnipeg optometrists at Waverley Eye Care are training in this.
3. The Acuvue Oasys 2 week multifocal is based on the same design as the Moist 1 day multifocal

Michael Nelson, OD

Waverley Eye Care Centre