Bifocals and Progressive Lenses

[TheMan419]

Like Oldtink I have trifocals. When I had to go to trifocals my eye doctor said with my lifestyle other than work I was not a candidate. Besides work I do some mechanic work, have horses and pull trailers, mow with tractor, etc. / he stated that progressives would drive me crazy.

I do all of the above and the progressives have been fantastic. That said I never had bi or tri. Went from regular glasses to progressive. Took a few days to get used to and no problem. Next go around I will likely get both progressives and "computer" glasses that make the mid distance portion of the glasses larger for working on the computer.

 

[KubotainNH]

I'm a year or 2 into my first set of progressives, I don't know if I'll buy them again. It does take a week or so to get used to them and like others you move you head and not your eyes. Kinda annoying since I wore contacts from 16 to about 8 years ago. I work 2nd shift and my eyes just got too tired with contacts and I couldn't see close any more (near sited) so started wearing glasses all the time. I'm ok with the progressives while driving and just normal things but they are annoying when working under a car or at my work computer. Moving your head around to keep focus on 2 - 24" monitors is not good for the neck. Now I have a set of glasses that sits on my desk just for computer work.

I swear that the glasses guys go on the stronger side of the lens just so you'll need a new prescription in a couple years. These new computer glasses are a tad too strong right now, especially compared to my progressives. I'll probably try bi-focals or just normal glasses next time, I can see fine up close without anything, it starts to get blurry in one eye 16" out and the other about 18". I miss being able to wear contacts, perfect peripheral vision.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

I think not only does it matter what your lenses are made out of, it also matters a ton what your actual prescription is.

I tried them once, and honestly, the only reason I didn't snap them in half and throw them in the garbage is because they were so friggin' expensive. There was maybe a half inch diameter circle in the middle of the lens that I could see out of crystal clearly, and the farther out you looked, the more distorted they got. I remember thinking, "I paid EXTRA for this??!!" Worst scam in the eyeglass industry.


I wore them out of sure stubbornness until it was time to change my prescription again. Then it was back to regular "lined" bifocals. I will never even consider getting progressives again. I'm old enough, and married enough to not give 2 shizzlenits what my glasses look like, or if there are "lines" across my lens. I need to be able to see out of them. That is what glasses are for. Progressive lenses are for the eternally vain.

It's like when I go to get new safety glasses, the "chickie" at the counter asks if I want the ones with the removable side shields. "Nope", I say, "I'm not wearing these to pick up women."

 

[Kryton619]

When I received my first pair of progressives, I thought that someone had made a mistake with the prescription. I asked around, and the consensus was wear them an hour or two a day until you get used to them.

Now, I would never not own a pair.

 

[Deere Dude]

I had bifocals one time and they drove me nuts, but I wore them. The next time around I needed trifocals. The optom. talked me into getting progressives. I love them and wouldn't get the lined again for anything.

I have a pair of progressives but went to the 2-3 year visit to get a new pair in case I slam a 2x4 against my head and they break. We moved to TN in the meantime so I had to go to a high production place in a big town. They run me through the ringer and said I needed a new/stronger prescription and suggested a anti-glare and a scratch coating on them. I said okay, whatever. Get them.

A week later I got them (progressives) and they were terrible but she said they take a while to get used to them, like I haven't heard that line before. A week later I came back and complained because everything far away was blurry. They redid something and gave them back. I looked outside and could tell immediately far distances looked like everything had a halo.

I told them I wanted a different exam and they would not do that. Then I told them I want the exact prescription as my old glasses have. The did that and I could see perfect again but their anti-glare coating started to come off in a couple months so I set those glasses aside for just in case. No I use my old reliable progressives.

No periferal problems or any other problems. Maybe the problem was with the optometrist, but that may be hard to quantify.

 

[bigdeano]

I tried progressives a long time ago. They were fine for driving because you only look far away or at the dashboard. Working outside though I couldn't judge distances. I had just dug a 5ft deep ditch with the backhoe. I was walking around and the ditch looked about 2 feet deep. I almost stepped in it before I remembered how deep it was. I kept the progressives in the car for spares and got other glasses.

 

[TheMan419]

Of course the "glass" the lens is made out of is VERY important. Costco actually gets very high marks in that regard. I would have to play with google to be but I recall Walmart uses Zeiss and Target uses Nikon. Both are good brands in the camera world so know very well how to make a lens.

Just like anything else you have to check the quality.

 

[CADplans]

Of course the "glass" the lens is made out of is VERY important. Costco actually gets very high marks in that regard. I would have to play with google to be but I recall Walmart uses Zeiss and Target uses Nikon. Both are good brands in the camera world so know very well how to make a lens.

Just like anything else you have to check the quality.

Over a one year period, I sent Nikon glasses a question,, three separate times.
I never even received a "We got your message" reply,,,
Oh well,, I never purchased due to that,,,

I doubt I could trust Nikon,, if it is just Walmart using the Nikon name,,,
Somehow,, I found something that convinced me that the Walmart thing had NOTHING to do with Nikon,, other than name.

P.S.,, I am a Nikon camera crazy,, with LOTS of SLR and DSLR Nikon stuff.

 

[California]

Related: I got talked into coatings that darken in sunlight. Here's a good description I encountered looking for a specific name for this type to use in this post:

Photochromic Lenses: Transitions and Other Light-Adaptive Lenses

At any rate my point is: I used 'photochromic' (darkening) lenses for a few years and decided I couldn't stand them. Specifically, I couldn't see into shadows driving at night. Returning to clear lenses restored the night vision needed for night rural driving.

I wonder how many people lose night vision and blame it on age, when in fact it is the type of glasses they chose and is a reversible change.

 

[mapper]

I wore progressives for many years and really liked them, I had a pair of single focus computer glasses I used at work.
After partial cornea transplants and cataract surgery I have 20-25 distance vision and a pair of prescription readers. I also have a pair of prescription driving glasses that give me 20-10 distance vision. The only bifocals I have now are my safety glasses out in the shop.
After a lifetime of being nearsighted and wearing glasses since I was ten years old, you have no idea how nice it is to be able to see well without any correction.