Progressive glasses - BIG adjustment?

[Viking]

I've had progressives for about 5 years. Didn't take more than a week or two to get used to them.

For reading/office work, I got a "computer progressive" grind that significantly widened the reading field of view at the expense of distance vision. Could only focus a maximum of 6 feet away. Worked great for being able to focus on a page without having to move your head.

 

[LauAnn]

I've been wearing glasses since age 7. I guess that made the move to progressives not such a big deal. I will say it takes a good optician/technician to make a great progressive lens fit my eye -- i.e. one that does not cause me to see "double". I have had 4-5 sets of progressives. The last two have been the best in achieving good vision.

 

[Hermit]

I have had progressive lenses for quite a few years now. I didn't realize anyone had problems with them. Up until the pair I just got at Costco, I hadn't had any problem. I can't see fine print when I am balancing my statements and moving back and forth from fine print to computer. I put my old glasses back on and they work much better. I will take the new ones back in.

 

[Dancer373]

Many years ago when I first got bifocals they were progressive. As I walked out the doctors office I stepped and totally missed the curb, yes, they do take some getting used to. After moving your head around a lot you'll notice your eyes getting used to them and you won't look for the "sweet spot" to read any more. Hang in there!

 

[spncity]

If you go with Zeiss lenses or similar, there's a much larger viewing area. But they're pricey.

 

[Midpack]

Many years ago when I first got bifocals they were progressive. As I walked out the doctors office I stepped and totally missed the curb, yes, they do take some getting used to. After moving your head around a lot you'll notice your eyes getting used to them and you won't look for the "sweet spot" to read any more. Hang in there!

You're right, but having used readers for many years, I learned not to navigate down stairs with them on long ago. It's the very narrow side to side range of focus, both upper and lower viewing but especially the latter that are throwing me. Having to move my head side to side to read a sentence on a page comes as a "surprise." But I plan to give it some time as you and others have suggested.

 

[DrBrisket]

Took me almost a month to fully acclimate to my first pair of progressives. However, have never gotten really comfortable with the limited area for the reading distance or intermediate distance portion. If I am going to be reading a book or working on the computer for more than a few minutes, I switch to cheapie ((<$10) prescription single vision glasses from Zenni. Dime store readers are a no go for my eyes due to very different corrections needed on each side.

 

[pullmyfinger]

When I first got progressives a few years ago, it took me a couple of weeks to adjust. Just be very careful going down stairs

Isn't that the truth! The stairs are treacherous until you get used to them.

I am now on my second prescription for progressives. I really like them. I have also tried bifocals with the line and I don't like them. I find the line distracting and have to figure out how to see around it. I know others who do fine with them.

 

[RobbieB]

I'm never getting bifocals, never.

One pair for regular and another for reading if needed. I don't need them with Kindle, just adjust the text size, but I do need them for soldering circuits.

 

[Hermit]

I'm never getting bifocals, never.

One pair for regular and another for reading if needed. I don't need them with Kindle, just adjust the text size, but I do need them for soldering circuits.

Hey Robbie,

As a wise old sage once said - "Never say Never!"

 

[tmm99]

I think it makes a difference which brand you get - I had a pair of progressives that didn't work for me at all. The doctor redid the lenses with some other parameter values (which I don't remember - this was several years ago, and I don't remember the brand name either ..) and they still didn't work well enough for me. (I cannot remember the brand..) Then the doctor made another pair with HOYA ID and this made me a believer. The peripherals do get blurry, but they are not bad at all unless I need to see something way out of the main area of the lens. My old boss used to have to move his head toward whatever he was looking at, and he looked awkward looking at his computer monitor (with his head tilted upwards to use the bottom section of his lenses), but I don't have to do that.

 

[timo2]

I'm on my third pair of progressives. the last two have been fancier more expensive digital? lenses. They were much easier to get used to. Last year I got a second pair for a backup, and didn't get the digital? lenses. Wow, I can really tell the difference between the older style and the newer digital? lenses. the newer digital ones also have a broader range of field in the middle. I wish I would have paid the extra for those on my backup pair. they have a nice frame and might be my main pair if I had the better progressives.

 

[RobbieB]

I'm nearsighted, have been since a child. My Rx is very close to my Ma's, her glasses work well for me.

Old age improves nearsightedness. I passed my DMV exam w/o glasses last visit and the restriction was lifted. But old age also makes it harder to focus close.

I have Rx reading glasses too, but only use them for close "work" not reading. And my eyes do not need a lot of correction either thankfully.

 

[ERD50]

https://www.amazon.com/ADLENS-USA-IN...00QKV1AR0&th=1

Those are so COOL!!! Thank you! I didn't realize that they were that inexpensive. In fact, I just ordered a pair this afternoon, just for fun. They were $27.99 with free Prime shipping, and I paid for it with my Amazon Visa rewards points so they cost me nothing. If they don't work for me, so what; at least I will have given it a shot.

My eyes change a lot too, especially at night, and although I have some 1.75 reading glasses as well as 2.00 ones, sometimes it would be nice to be able to adjust the correction further, as needed.

That's the way I looked at, for ~ $30 I'd give them a try. Hope they work as well for you as they do for me, seem to be hit/miss according to reviews.

Otherwise, a Good Will donation - they might work for someone else in need.

And my, are they stylish (like I said, I only use them in bed!)!

-ERD50

 

[W2R]

https://www.amazon.com/ADLENS-USA-IN...00QKV1AR0&th=1



That's the way I looked at, for ~ $30 I'd give them a try. Hope they work as well for you as they do for me, seem to be hit/miss according to reviews.

Otherwise, a Good Will donation - they might work for someone else in need.

And my, are they stylish (like I said, I only use them in bed!)!

-ERD50

Hey, I got the stylish, sultry "crystal" color. If they don't work, so what, and if they do work that would be pretty neat. Right now it's kind of annoying when it gets harder to read at night for no perceptible reason.

 

[Fedup]

What's wrong with carry 2-3 pairs of glasses? That's how many my husband has. Computer glasses, reading glasses.

 

[Midpack]

What's wrong with carry 2-3 pairs of glasses? That's how many my husband has. Computer glasses, reading glasses.

It might be easy for anyone carrying a purse, but with nothing but pockets, and few of them in summer, carrying a phone and 2-4 pairs of glasses (two strengths in sunglasses and indoor) is a minor pain to me. I assumed progressives would be better, and hopefully they will given a little time. If not, I'll be carrying a pair of +0.75's for distance and +2.25 for reading.

 

[DrRoy]

I first got progressives about 15 years ago at 42. Adjusted in a couple days with no problem and have had them ever since.

 

[gerntz]

I had no problems and have had maybe fifteen years.

Could be there's a bigger problem if your primary issue is reading/farsightedness than nearsightedness like me. Been wearing lenses since fourteen and progressive was no big deal since all that happened was less lense strength in lower reading area.

 

[Dash man]

I've been wearing progressives for years with no problems. But like others here have experienced, DW could never adjust to them. She's recently started wearing bifocal contact lens and loves them.

 

[Gotadimple]

I once had a problem with my progressive lenses. I felt like I had to tilt my head down to use the distance part of the lens. The optician made an adjustment to my glasses and solved the problem.

Midpack, if you are having problems when you look left or right (if I read correctly), the lenses may not be correct. Talk to the eye doctor.

- Rita

 

[JohnnyBGoode]

Had similar experience myself. I LOVE my progressive glasses - for whatever reason they were super easy to get used to almost immediately (and I had read a bunch of literature and was willing to go through weeks of transition). I got the same progressive prescription applied to some sunglasses - so they work for both driving and reading outside. But DW tried them and they didn't work for her at all - dizzy/nauseous whenever she wore them. She tried for about 3 weeks and gave up.

So definitely YMMV.

The only downside (other than the fact they are glasses I have to wear all the time - yuck) as others have mentioned is going down stairs. Not a huge deal, but you do have to look down at the stairs as you descend. But not having to swap reading glasses for distance, etc. is totally worth it!

 

[Midpack]

This thread may be dead, but I thought I'd try one more question.

My (Ray-Ban) progressive sunglasses seem to substantially compress depth perception. I haven't had that sensation with the clear progressives. Anyone else have that expereince?

 

[Christine]

My glasses are only adjusted for astigmatism - don't know if that matters. But...

I need to move my head side to side slightly to read a sentence across a page, wasn't expecting that.

...I don't have to. Did in the beginning looking straight ahead at the book. Then I realized if I looked at the page through a point a bit below the centre I can read the whole sentence. So I tilt my head a little back. And look down on the page. But not too much back.

 

[Viking]

This thread may be dead, but I thought I'd try one more question.

My (Ray-Ban) progressive sunglasses seem to substantially compress depth perception. I haven't had that sensation with the clear progressives. Anyone else have that expereince?

I have transition lenses. There is no difference between clear and fully tinted. The problem is the few minutes it takes to go clear when going into a lower light location.