One of the worst eyewear decisions I ever made was to not get progressive lens’ on my last pair of Maui Jim sunglasses. Because that added to the cost and they were already very expensive. I didn’t feel I’d need to read much when driving or doing outdoor activities. I don’t know what I was thinking. I need to read something like every five minutes.
I need three pairs of glasses. One set of progressives, one set of progressive sunglasses, and one set just for computer work because the progressives don’t work for me for that. I now know to pay for what I need.
I have no problem with progressives. I don’t remember even having an adjustment period. My farsight rx is not bad though.
Everyone in my family uses Zenni. Once you see that perfectly good frames can be had for $10-$20 it’s hard to pay exhorbitant prices for so-called designer frames (all of which are owned by Luxottica.) Unless you go to someplace like Lens-Crafters (are they still around?) your glasses are made at an off-site lab anyway.
I have a pair of glasses that the eye doctor calls my “computer glasses”, but I wear them almost all of the time. Then I have a stronger prescription for driving. For intensive reading, I go without glasses
It took me about a week to adjust to wearing progressives, but it was a tough week. Hold the rail on stairs and be careful on curbs, but wear them ALL THE TIME. I highly recommend them.
That said, I haven’t been happy with the lenses that get darker while doing, because I don’t think they work in the car. I just wind up putting on my progressive sun glasses,and all is good.
@bluebayou , my advice was not about Warby Parker picking out frames (I had the same experience with my son, very quick and easy. Same with me once I had my progressives prescription). It was about figuring out your progressive prescription for the first time at the eye doctor…that was a long process.
@1214mom I’ve always heard that the transition lenses don’t work in cars, because UV is what triggers the darkening and windshields filter out UV (or something like that)
Wouldn’t it be like wearing your single vision prescription glasses and then finding out what strength magnifying glass you need to read some fine print up close?
Or, if you did not need vision correction before (so that the top part of the progressives have zero correction), you can figure this out beforehand by trying different strength reading glasses.
Sorry if I misunderstood. Obviously, everyone’s eyes – and therefore needs – are different. My ophthalmologist just gives the standard exam and comes up with far and near numbers for the Rx. Didn’t seem to take any longer if I was getting progressive lenses.
It’s true that the first visit to get progressives can take more time. The brand and design of progressive that will best meet the needs of the customer depend not only on which brands the optician sells (my optician does’t sell Zeiss, for example) but also on the way the customer will use the glasses. Every customer has his or her own specific needs. A good optician will take this into account when making recommendations.
Also, the frame has to work with the material selected for the lens. For example, CR-39 lenses set in rimless frames can chip. So the customer needs to choose frames that will work with the material used for the lens.
Another vote for progressives. I wonder if those that had trouble were not properly fit. The only time I had trouble was a problem with the lenses being too thick. There was a “rainbow” effect when I looked at certain signs. I took them back and once they fixed them, it was fine.
It took me a while to find frames that were small enough for my face, but large enough for the lenses to be properly set for the focal lengths. I ended up paying more for the “designer” frames, even with my insurance. However, since I wear them all day every day, it was worth it. I also splurged on progressive sunglasses which are great for driving (seeing the radio and maps, along with signs) and for just being out and about and reading outside.
I also tried the bifocal contacts, but had more trouble adjusting to those.
I’ve worn progressive lens for years. I think the adjustment just took a day. For a lot of years I had single just distance sunglasses but I found when driving I had a hard time reading odometer, speed and other displays, also for reading by the pool progressive sunglasses are great. The next several sunglasses I have had progressive and I’ve never looked back. @LeastComplicated my present pair of progressive sunglasses are Maui Jim’s and I love them. I had them do the lens at the recommendation of my optometrist office.
I’ve not done online ordering and I had bad luck with several pairs from Costco. When I get new frames the optician marks the frames where the lens change. Not sure how that is done when you order progressive lens online. Ihad one pair come in and I felt the change in prescription was off and they redid the lens. I have a friend who was an optometrist so I got my glasses through him. Even with a discount I spent over $500 a pair. He is no longer practicing so I might give Costco another chance. I wear my glasses everyday and itemized over the life of the pair even 500 is worth it if I like them and I see well out of them. I always get Crizal anti glare.
I love my progressives and got comfortable with them very quickly, within a day or 2. They are great for driving, and I don’t need to move my head in any awkward positions to drive or glance at the dashboard, etc.
I think that largish lense sizes work better with progressives to help cover the transition through the different vision ranges (recommended by my optician).
My progressives cost around $425, including extra$ for anti glare coating (really helpful with night time driving) and extra $ for thinner lenses which I need due to my strong distance prescription (-5.5)
I also have multi focal contact lenses, which I also like a lot. The first few years I had them, they worked well for my distance, middle, and reading correction, but as time has gone by, I have had to sacrifice the reading correction somewhat, to maintain a good distance correction. I now need to put on reading glasses more often when wearing my contacts, especially under low lighting conditions.
Warby Parker has several retail stores with an optician onsite which will measure you. In addition to being able to try one frames, you can order/pay in the store. The glasses will be mailed to your home in a week or so.
I was extremely skeptical at first, but they are nearly half the price of what I was paying at my go-to place.
It took me about 15 minutes to get used to progressives. That was about 25 years ago. I buy them online at Zenni. Pick out a frame and fill in my prescription, pay about $75. No problems so far.