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Contact lenses for astigmatism and presbyopia

Can you have astigmatism and presbyopia? Yep, you sure can! And honestly, it's more common than you think. Think of it this way: Astigmatism is like having a slightly wonky-shaped eye (perfectly imperfect, we always say!), while presbyopia is like your eyes getting a little bit older and wiser, making it harder to focus up close.  

Having both is like a double whammy of blurriness — but the good news is that contact lenses are totally equipped to handle astigmatism and presbyopia at the same time. It’s like having superhero contacts! (Minus the cape, sadly.) 

What is astigmatism? 

Astigmatism is all about the shape of your eye. Instead of being perfectly round like a basketball, your cornea (that clear front bit of your eye that everyone admires ... or should!) is shaped more like a football. This funky shape messes with how light focuses on your retina, leading to blurry vision whether you're looking at your phone (guilty pleasure scrolling) or a street sign (important for not getting lost).  

Head over to our page on what is astigmatism for the full scoop.  

What is presbyopia? 

Presbyopia is what happens to pretty much everyone eventually. (Thanks, aging! We appreciate your … consistency?) As we get older — usually around our 40s — the lens inside our eye gets less flexible and loses its mojo to focus up close. This makes reading menus in dimly lit restaurants a real challenge. Luckily, it’s also treatable, so you can get back to deciding between the chicken or the fish in peace. 

Are there contact lenses for astigmatism and presbyopia? 

Contact lens wizards have created amazing lenses that can tackle astigmatism and presbyopia at once. These magical contacts are often called multifocal toric contact lenses or bifocal toric contact lenses. Toric means they're designed to fix astigmatism's wonky curves, and multifocal or bifocal means they help you see both near and far (like actual magic, but science-y magic!). 

Check out these awesome contact lens options from your pals at 1-800 Contacts that can correct both astigmatism and presbyopia. (Because we're nice like that.):  

Original publish date: 9/10/2021

Updated date: 2/26/2025

  • ULTRA for Presbyopia (Hydration heaven for your eyeballs. Seriously, they'll feel like they're at a spa.) 

Contact lenses for astigmatism and presbyopia 

Okay, let's get a little more specific about these contact lenses for bifocals and astigmatism. (Prepare to be amazed.) If you're rocking the combo of astigmatism and presbyopia, you've got some fantastic contacts for presbyopia and astigmatism to choose from. These aren't your grandma's bifocals (unless your grandma is super stylish and wears cutting-edge contacts, in which case, grandma is “goals”). 

Multifocal Toric Contact Lenses 

Multifocal toric lenses are the most popular presbyopia astigmatism contact lens because they're designed to give you clear vision at all distances — near, far, and everything in between. These lenses give you a smooth visual experience, so you can switch from reading a text message to spotting a friend across the street without any blurry surprises (unless they’re wearing camouflage — we can’t help you there). 

Bifocal Toric Contact Lenses 

Bifocal toric contacts are the slightly less smooth cousin of multifocals but still effective. Bifocals have two distinct vision zones in each lens: one for distance and one for close-up. Some people find the switch between zones a little more noticeable than with multifocals, but many people love bifocal toric lenses for their crisp vision correction. (To each their own, right?) 

Monovision With Toric Contact Lenses 

Monovision is a bit of a clever trick with contacts. Basically, you wear one contact lens to see far away and a different contact lens in the other eye to see up close. When you get toric lenses involved, you can use monovision to correct astigmatism too! Your brain learns to pick the best eye for the job depending on what you’re looking at. Talk to your eye care professional to see if monovision is right for your peepers — it’s not for everyone, but it's worth asking about! (Worst case, you learn a cool new word) 

What is the difference between multifocal and presbyopia contact lenses? 

"Presbyopia contact lens" is just a general term for any contacts that help with presbyopia. Think of it in terms of shoes. Multifocal contact lenses are a type of presbyopia contact lens like sneakers are a type of shoe.  

Can LASIK fix astigmatism and presbyopia? 

LASIK is amazing for fixing astigmatism — like, really amazing. It can reshape your cornea so you can kiss those astigmatism-correcting glasses or contacts goodbye. However, when it comes to presbyopia, LASIK isn't a direct fix. 

But there's a LASIK workaround called monovision LASIK. Yep, just like monovision contacts, LASIK can correct one eye for distance and the other for near. It’s a bit of a compromise, and it might mess with your depth perception a tad, but it can help you ditch those reading glasses.  

Other vision-correcting super options include: 

  • Refractive lens exchange (RLE). Think of this as a lens swap for your eye. They replace your natural lens with a fancy artificial lens (called an intraocular lens, or IOL) that can correct both presbyopia and astigmatism. It's like upgrading your eyeballs to first class! (Vision upgrade, cha-ching!) 

  • Corneal inlays. Tiny little inserts placed in your cornea to boost your near vision — sounds futuristic, right? (Welcome to the future of eyeballs.) 

  • Good ol' reading glasses. Sometimes, simple is best! Reading glasses are still a totally valid and easy way to deal with presbyopia. Plus, you can get them in fun colors and styles! (Channel your inner librarian chic.) 

Surgical procedures like LASIK and RLE aren't for everyone, and they do come with potential risks. It's super important to chat with an eye health professional to see if you're a good candidate and to weigh the pros and cons. 

Contact lenses for astigmatism and presbyopia 

Living with astigmatism and presbyopia doesn't mean living with blurry vision because there are contact lenses for astigmatism and presbyopia.  

Multifocal contact lenses for astigmatism and presbyopia are like a dream come true for clear vision at all distances. LASIK can zap away astigmatism, but presbyopia is a bit trickier for surgery to handle directly. And hey, there are other cool procedures like RLE, too. The best way to figure out your dream vision solution? Chat with your eye care professional.  

Did you know you can order contacts online? 

Say goodbye to trips to the eye doctor and hello to convenience! With 1-800 Contacts, you can easily order your contact lenses online and have them delivered straight to your door. Plus, our online vision exam makes it simple to get the prescription you need without leaving home. And the best part? You’ll save money on your first order with 1-800 Contacts. It’s never been easier to get your contacts! 

Ready to explore your contact lens options? Check out 1-800 Contacts for presbyopia lenses and astigmatism lenses. Your eyes will thank you.