The University of Alabama at Birmingham is taking part in a premarket research study of new contact lenses. The research team is evaluating contacts designed for people with presbyopia — an inescapable, age-related condition that causes a loss of near vision after age 40.

In addition to correcting presbyopia, the lenses are made of a “super breathable contact lens material and are much healthier for the eye,” says Dr. Adam Gordon, associate professor and director of the Cornea Contact Lens Clinic at the University.

Gordon says the new multifocal contact lenses will “revolutionize the way people see and encourage the evolution of contacts away from monovision lenses.”

He says that while patients who wish to wear multifocal contacts should understand the limitations of these lenses, he believes the new lenses being studied will be an “improvement in both vision and comfort” for contact lens wearers with presbyopia.