Monofocal vs Multifocal Lenses: Glasses Dependence Against Glare and Haloes
By Pauline Driscoll | Medically reviewed by Mr Lewis Pereira, FRCOphth
Published April 14, 2026 · Last reviewed April 28, 2026 · 2 min read
Key takeaways
- A monofocal lens focuses at one distance, usually distance, so most people still need glasses for reading; it is the standard NHS lens.
- Multifocal and EDOF lenses aim to reduce glasses use across distances but can cause more glare and haloes, especially at night.
- The core trade-off is glasses dependence with monofocal against night-vision side effects with multifocal.
- Multifocal lenses do not suit everyone and are usually a private or extra cost; monofocal is funded by the NHS.
- Neither lens is automatically better; the right choice depends on your eyes, lifestyle and tolerance of glare and haloes.
A monofocal lens gives crisp vision at one distance, usually distance, so most people still need reading glasses, while a multifocal lens reduces glasses use across distances but can cause more glare and haloes, especially at night1. The core decision is a trade-off: accept glasses dependence with a monofocal lens, or accept the chance of night-vision side effects with a multifocal one2.
This comparison sits under the lens hub, choosing a lens, within the wider topic of cataract surgery.
The straight comparison
A monofocal IOL focuses at one distance, usually distance, so most people still need glasses for reading, and it is the standard NHS lens with excellent, predictable distance vision2. A multifocal or EDOF lens aims to reduce dependence on glasses across distances, but can mean more glare and haloes at night and does not suit everyone1.
Put plainly, monofocal trades convenience for reliability, and multifocal trades a chance of night-vision effects for less reliance on glasses.
The case for monofocal
The strength of a monofocal lens is predictable, clean vision at its chosen distance, with no extra night-vision compromise built in3. The cost is that you keep readers for close work. It is also the funded NHS option, so there is no extra charge when clinical criteria are met4.
I chose monofocal lenses, both set for distance, and I still use readers for the newspaper. Knowing that beforehand made it an easy choice rather than a disappointment. The vivid return of colour after surgery mattered to me far more than reaching for glasses to read a recipe.
The case for multifocal
The appeal of a multifocal lens is reduced glasses use across distances, which suits people who would rather not depend on readers1. The honest caveat is the glare and haloes that can appear around lights, most noticeably at night, and the fact that the lens does not suit everyone2. Many people adapt to the night-vision effects over time; a minority find them genuinely bothersome.
Night driving and lifestyle
Because multifocal lenses are more likely to produce glare and haloes after dark, people who drive a lot at night often lean towards a monofocal lens1. My own tipping point into surgery was night driving, when headlights bloomed into smears, so I was especially keen not to trade one night-vision problem for another. For someone whose life is mostly daytime reading and hobbies, the calculation can look very different.
How to weigh it up
Neither lens is automatically better; the right choice depends on your eyes, lifestyle and tolerance of glare and haloes2. It is worth being honest with yourself and your surgeon about what you actually do day to day, and about whether the chance of night-vision effects would trouble you. The decision is made at the assessment, where your eyes are measured and your priorities discussed, so go in knowing how you weigh glasses against glare.
References
- IOL implants: lens replacement after cataracts, American Academy of Ophthalmology. ↩
- Cataract surgery guidelines and patient information, Royal College of Ophthalmologists. ↩
- Cataracts in adults: management (NG77), NICE. ↩
- Cataract surgery overview, NHS. ↩
Common questions
What is the main difference between monofocal and multifocal lenses?
A monofocal lens focuses at a single distance, usually distance, so most people still need glasses for reading. A multifocal lens provides more than one focus to reduce dependence on glasses across distances, but it can cause more glare and haloes, particularly at night. The trade-off is glasses dependence against night-vision side effects.
Do multifocal lenses cause glare and haloes?
They can. Multifocal and EDOF lenses split or extend the light to give more than one focus, which is what can produce glare and haloes around lights, most noticeably at night. Many people adapt over time, but the effect bothers some people enough that they would not choose a multifocal lens again.
Will I be free of glasses with a multifocal lens?
Multifocal lenses reduce dependence on glasses for many people, but they do not guarantee total freedom from them, and they do not suit everyone. Some tasks or lighting conditions may still call for glasses. The honest expectation is less glasses use, not none.
Is a monofocal lens worse than a multifocal lens?
No. A monofocal lens gives excellent, predictable distance vision and is the standard NHS lens. Its trade-off is needing readers for close work. Neither lens is automatically better; the right one depends on your eyes, your lifestyle and how well you would tolerate glare and haloes.
Which lens is better for night driving?
Many people who drive a lot at night prefer a monofocal lens, because multifocal lenses are more likely to produce glare and haloes around lights after dark. If night driving matters to you, it is worth raising specifically when discussing lens choice.
Does the NHS provide multifocal lenses?
The standard NHS lens is a monofocal, funded when clinical criteria are met. Multifocal and EDOF lenses are usually a private or extra cost. So the choice can involve money as well as the vision trade-off, and price alone should not drive a clinical decision.
Written by Pauline Driscoll. Medically reviewed by Mr Lewis Pereira, FRCOphth.
Our guides are written from personal experience and reviewed by a qualified clinician for accuracy. Read our editorial policy.
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