I switched to progressive lens eyeglasses several years ago, and at the time there was some adjustment . I had delayed getting bifocals because for reading, I am perfectly fine taking off my glasses, it works well for me. The reason I got them was working on the computer screen, without them I had to kind of get close to the screen, plus the anti glare coating on the glasses really helps.
About a year ago I needed new glasses, and kind of felt like maybe I don’t need bifocals…big mistake, I realized how much I use them now, they have become seemless (except for reading up close).
OP, as I thought you have been trying to read the computer out of your reading zone-- and probably having to lean in toward the computer to do so. That is hard on the back and neck. The middle zone is always narrow in progressives, and gets narrower and narrower every time one’s reading prescription increases with age. If you can see fine in the other distances and the area of blur along your peripheral vision doesn’t bother you, you may just need a separate pair of glasses at a fixed focal length (i.e. single vision glasses) for the computer. If that doesn’t appeal to you for any reason (including the cost of multiple pairs of glasses), trifocals could be the answer instead of progressives.
If you don’t mind the lines, then there’s no reason not to use bifocals or trifocals. Some people feel that lined glasses make them look old, but I have mostly-gray hair so I’m not kidding myself that progressives make me look young! :))
Progressives have many more zones in which your vision is in focus (my first pair had 14 zones) but if having only 2 zones (bifocal) or 3 zones (trifocal) works, then why not? Certainly bifocals/trifocals cost less than progressives.
My reading Rx is 2.50 at present and the intermediate part of the corridor is narrow, but it’s wider than when I first got my newest progressives, due to the brain adapting. I’ve read that when one’s reading Rx reaches 3.50 there is essentially no intermediate zone left in progressives. I expect I’ll need to switch to trifocals eventually.
True, and it’s more shatter-resistant than CR-39. So it’s commonly used for kids’ glasses.
But it scratches more easily unless coated, costs more, and has lower optical quality than CR-39 (which is the next best material to glass for optical quality.) Also some people (like me) are sensitive to the distortion it causes.
My husband doesn’t notice any distortion and needs shatter-resistant glasses for work so he buys polycarbonate. In the past couple of years I’ve had detachments of the vitreous in both eyes (not retinal detachment) so it’s like I have one huge floater in each eye. I need the best optical quality material for clear vision. For me that is CR-39.
There are other materials, Trivex etc. I’m sure they all cost more than CR-39.
Trivex is marketed as an improvement over polycarbonate, with increased break resistance but better optical quality. It does cost somewhat more than polycarbonate, although the upgrade cost for lens materials may not be that much compared to the upgrade cost of getting progressive bifocals versus single vision or lined bifocals.
OP, one last consideration about reusing frames. Frames don’t last forever; eventually the material can become weak and more prone to breakage.
I have reused frames (for which the optician made me sign a waiver and pay a $25 fee) but only for my single vision glasses (readers and intermediate/computer glasses) which cost much less than the progressives, and even in those cases I only reuse them once. The next time I need new readers/computer glasses I will buy new frames. I figure by then the old frames will have had too much wear and tear to trust them for a third pair of glasses.
I won’t reuse frames for progressives at all because I don’t want to risk having to pay many hundreds of dollars to replace them just because an old/reused frame broke. I’d rather bite the bullet and get a new frame.
I love my progressive lenses. Initially I only got sunglasses with correction so that I could see far away, but recently switched to progressive sunglasses as well so that I can read with them on.
How is your computer distance vision without glasses? I also have a mild distance prescription and need mild readers but my computer distance vision is 20/20. Progressives distorted that distance. When on the computer, I just take my glasses off.
I hve a pair of prescription computer glasses…supposedly for computer work only…and they are awful. Really never worked particularly well…and I gave them a very fair chance!!
Progressives require very careful measurement – not just the prescription but the sizing of the glasses and the proper midpoint on each lens. Love mine, but they weren’t cheap. Then again, I tend to wear each pair for 5 years or more.
Progressive lenses here with the blue light tint. Eye doctor explained the damage from all our technology and I was convinced.
Bought my glasses from costco- very pleased.
I adjusted to the long and the close range pretty easy–a week or so. It was/is the middle range that somethings screwed with me…especially trying to read the license plate of the car in front of me…you do end up having to do some head tilting to find the range. Best.
I wear progressive lenses at night, when I take out my multi-focal contacts. I have never had a problem with either. You have to get your glasses from a reputable place, such as Lenscrafters or For Eyes. They cost a fortune, but you will end up with lenses that work.
@CTmom2018 , that is a very good point about reusing frames (post #45) that I had not thought about. I love the frames I chose for my prescription readers and would like to keep them, but I don’t want to risk their breaking. Also, if I try the progressives and they don’t work, I can return them, frames and all. Thanks for pointing that out.
OP here. I went to see the girl at the eye clinic yesterday, but she was busy with another customer. I waited a few minutes and no one acknowledged my presence (receptionist was on the phone and did not look up) so I left. I was not angry, but I had several errands to run and did not have time to wait.
I had decided I didn’t really need progressives. My distance vision does not need much correction and the only time I notice that I might need them is driving at night in unfamiliar places where I need to read the street signs from far away. This happens approximately three times a year. So I decided to get two pairs, one cheap for distance in the car, and one just readers with the blue-light stuff for my computer. While waiting, I looked at their frames and had complete and total sticker shock. I didn’t see any that were under $230. So, I will get my glasses somewhere else. If I find I need the distance ones for other things, I may consider progressives at some point.
An optometrist shop can tailor the visual field for computer use. The last time I had this done, the extra tailoring was included in the cost of the glasses.
I bought my last pair of progressives from Zenni, an online glasses website. They were just under $100, and about half that after insurance reimbursement. I’m pretty sure I’m not allowed to link, but Google will find it for you. Visual field tailoring won’t be available, but the glasses are cheap enough that I can do without.
I get my progressives online. I’ve used both Zenni and, more recently, Eyebuydirect, whose quality I think may be a bit better and I like their selections more.
One thing that I think matters is making sure that the pupilary distance measurements are correct. Eyebuydirect allows for a regular pupilary distance and a near pupilary distance. Also, I think that the size of the lenses makes a big difference with progressives – the bigger, the better!
I only started using them in the past year or so – I used non-prescription readers before that for reading and computer work, and often still do when I’m at home and only on the computer.
Many good, useful comments here. Nearsighted glasses wearer since age six (time with hard contacts back years ago). When I first got no line progressive lenses it was an adjustment- that escalator ride down was weird. Over the years have had vision changes, including astigmatism. When I first got the progressive lenses (through my ophthalmologist’s vison center) I disliked them and tried bifocals.
