It’s crazy that in the 21st century, people still choose to pick out the most convenient set of reading glasses by trying them on at the local store.

Despite the works from Airy on the cylindrical correcting lens in the early 1800’s and Donders brilliant work concerning refraction later that century, it was only in the late 19th century that people were starting to correct their patient’s astigmatisms. Many inventive solutions come out of necessity and it was the same for bifocal lenses. Benjamin Franklin – yes THE Benjamin Franklin, needed to devise bifocal lenses for himself and so he split apart the lenses in his reading and distance eyeglasses and just stuck them together – Hey Presto: Bifocals were invented.

Hawkins introduced trifocal lenses in 1826. It was only in the 1960’s that manufacturers produced smoothly increasing powers in a better range of multifocal lenses. Unfortunately, these lenses are such a compromise in optical terms, and the field of clear vision in the reading area is so small that, for even the short lines of print when it is in double columns, the reader is obliged to turn his head slightly to follow along each line.

Multifocal lenses have their best chance of acceptance if introduced when presbyopia first appears as then the necessary increases in strength with age are more readily tolerated.

You may find the history of spectacles interesting as I do. I would advise you to really study specs and their beginnings to help you better appreciate what a wonderful device they truly are. If you are going to buy eyeglasses online, please ensure that you buy them from somebody who is sufficiently trained and interested in the subject and your eyes.