Question for people who wear progressive lenses

[Miss Piggy]

Another thread about vision insurance reminded me of this issue I have. It's not necessarily related to money...well, maybe it is, because I don't want to waste hundreds of dollars on new glasses if they're not going to work for me.

I bought my first pair of progressive lenses/glasses a couple of years ago. HATED HATED HATED them!!!!  Why? Because for computer/reading, only about 2.5 to 3 inches of text across the page was in focus at one time. I complained about it, and the place made new lenses for me that were supposed to have a wider view. No dice...still only a small area of focus when reading. Finally,  the assistant said "well, just point your nose at whatever you're reading and move your head back and forth..."  No. Just no. Who the fuck reads like that, constantly turning their head back and forth????  Not that I watch a lot of people read, but I don't recall EVER seeing someone constantly moving their head back and forth while reading. (Sorry about the f word there, but this makes me angry.)

So I threw in the towel on those $400 progressive glasses, asked for a prescription for single-vision for reading and computer work, and ordered a pair from Warby Parker for a fraction of the price. (No, I did not get a refund for the crappy progressives.)

My question: is the narrow field of focus I described normal for progressive glasses? I'm getting a new eye exam within the next week, and I need to know if progressives just aren't for me.

Thanks!

[ZiziPB]

It's normal and after a while your brain trains itself to just focus the eyes in that small area.  It took me about a month to get used to mine, but now I don't even notice the out of focus areas surrounding the limited field of vision.  From what I understand it takes about 4 weeks to get used to them.  And yes, you will get used to moving your head!  It's a subtle movement, not swinging your head side to side...

[SoftwareGoddess]

Yeah, that's normal for progressives. I'd had them for over 10 years with no trouble. But then about a year and a half ago, I started having terrible shoulder pains. I eventually figured out that I was tilting my head back to be able to focus the reading area of my glasses on my computer screen, and after a while, my body rebelled.

So I did basically what you did and got a pair of glasses specifically for the computer. It's a bit of a pain to swap glasses, but much less pain the shoulder one.

[Miss Piggy]

Ugh. Okay...maybe I'll wear my "old" progressives for a while before deciding whether to purchase again. I need to see if I can get used to them.

[HipGnosis]

I've had progressive lenses for quite some time - about 14 years.
I started out with reading glasses (non-progressive, single Rx)  but I almost hated that I pretty much had to take them off to walk around for any reason.
Progressives were good for that, but..  I work on a computer and had to tilt my head up/back to read things at the top of the monitor...  so I got new glasses as soon as the insurance would pay for them and had them put the Rx in more of the lens. 
They work, except...  when I walk around in them I need to tip my head forward...  Only a challenge to look down a flight of stairs.
So, what I'm doing determines which pair I ware.  I'm glad I got them in slightly different colored frames.
I never noticed a narrow vertical range of focus, but now that I'm reading about it, I can see it - when I look for it.
Somewhere in that I put my monitors as low as I can and got bigger monitors which I put a bit farther away.

[SoftwareGoddess]

Ugh. Okay...maybe I'll wear my "old" progressives for a while before deciding whether to purchase again. I need to see if I can get used to them.

Just curious -- were you wearing glasses before you got the progressives? I've been wearing glasses since I was 10 years old and didn't have much trouble with my first pair of progressives. The people I know who never had to wear them until their 40s and who have to start with progressives seem to take longer to get used to them.

[Miss Piggy]

Ugh. Okay...maybe I'll wear my "old" progressives for a while before deciding whether to purchase again. I need to see if I can get used to them.

Just curious -- were you wearing glasses before you got the progressives? I've been wearing glasses since I was 10 years old and didn't have much trouble with my first pair of progressives. The people I know who never had to wear them until their 40s and who have to start with progressives seem to take longer to get used to them.

I probably fall more into the "didn't wear until my 40s" category. I've had glasses since about age 20 (primarily for astigmatism), but didn't wear them religiously because my vision simply wasn't bad enough to require them all the time. But for my last exam, the doctor decided I needed progressives, something I could wear all the time. Since I hated the progressives, AND my vision still wasn't bad enough to require glasses all the time, I decided not to force myself to wear them. Now, I can see perfectly if I close my right eye, but if I close my left eye, I can't read at all. With both eyes, reading is questionable. So things have definitely changed in the past couple of years.

[Tris Prior]

This is timely for me as Boyfriend, who has ONLY had reading glasses in the past (no nearsightedness) just got prescribed progressives. And we can't quite figure out why, because he doesn't have any issues with distance vision at all. Is that a normal thing - to be prescribed progressives if you only need glasses for reading and computer? Do they just do that when you hit a certain age?

Unfortunately Boyfriend is not the type to question doctors at all. I asked him if he had been experiencing trouble seeing things in the distance (knowing the answer would be no because he can see street signs and such clearly way before I can even with my contacts in.). He said no, but "the doctor had me read all the eye charts and she flipped through all the lens thingies on her machine and this is what my result was."

I am wondering if he was getting a sales pitch. But then, I'm not a doctor.

I don't want him to spend $500 for glasses that will be useless to him, or that he won't be able to adjust to. He's only had glasses at all for 2 years so I suspect this will be tough for him.

[SoftwareGoddess]

I probably fall more into the "didn't wear until my 40s" category. I've had glasses since about age 20 (primarily for astigmatism), but didn't wear them religiously because my vision simply wasn't bad enough to require them all the time. But for my last exam, the doctor decided I needed progressives, something I could wear all the time. Since I hated the progressives, AND my vision still wasn't bad enough to require glasses all the time, I decided not to force myself to wear them. Now, I can see perfectly if I close my right eye, but if I close my left eye, I can't read at all. With both eyes, reading is questionable. So things have definitely changed in the past couple of years.

So it's probably just a matter of wearing them enough to get used to them. But I will say that the last time I got a new pair, I had a really hard time. As best I can tell, there was a change in the materials used for the lenses. That's not supposed to make any difference in how the lenses perform, but for me, it did. I had to get the lenses replaced with a material more similar to my old lenses.

[Beard N Bones]

Another thread about vision insurance reminded me of this issue I have. It's not necessarily related to money...well, maybe it is, because I don't want to waste hundreds of dollars on new glasses if they're not going to work for me.

I bought my first pair of progressive lenses/glasses a couple of years ago. HATED HATED HATED them!!!!  Why? Because for computer/reading, only about 2.5 to 3 inches of text across the page was in focus at one time. I complained about it, and the place made new lenses for me that were supposed to have a wider view. No dice...still only a small area of focus when reading. Finally,  the assistant said "well, just point your nose at whatever you're reading and move your head back and forth..."  No. Just no. Who the fuck reads like that, constantly turning their head back and forth????  Not that I watch a lot of people read, but I don't recall EVER seeing someone constantly moving their head back and forth while reading. (Sorry about the f word there, but this makes me angry.)

So I threw in the towel on those $400 progressive glasses, asked for a prescription for single-vision for reading and computer work, and ordered a pair from Warby Parker for a fraction of the price. (No, I did not get a refund for the crappy progressives.)

My question: is the narrow field of focus I described normal for progressive glasses? I'm getting a new eye exam within the next week, and I need to know if progressives just aren't for me.

Thanks!

I highly recommend zennioptical.com as a great place to buy inexpensive prescription glasses that have decent quality.  I am currently wearing a $25 pair that I bought there (a splurge since you can get some that cost less than that).  Bifocal and progressive a little more but not by much.
Fill disclosure: I do not work for the company or have any conflict of interest in recommending that company.  I'm just a repeat satisfied customer.

http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/share-your-badassity/cheap-eyeglasses!/

[SoftwareGoddess]

This is timely for me as Boyfriend, who has ONLY had reading glasses in the past (no nearsightedness) just got prescribed progressives. And we can't quite figure out why, because he doesn't have any issues with distance vision at all. Is that a normal thing - to be prescribed progressives if you only need glasses for reading and computer? Do they just do that when you hit a certain age?

Unfortunately Boyfriend is not the type to question doctors at all. I asked him if he had been experiencing trouble seeing things in the distance (knowing the answer would be no because he can see street signs and such clearly way before I can even with my contacts in.). He said no, but "the doctor had me read all the eye charts and she flipped through all the lens thingies on her machine and this is what my result was."

I am wondering if he was getting a sales pitch. But then, I'm not a doctor.

I don't want him to spend $500 for glasses that will be useless to him, or that he won't be able to adjust to. He's only had glasses at all for 2 years so I suspect this will be tough for him.

That seems weird to me. If you can persuade Boyfriend, it would be best to ask the doctor what's going on.

[Spork]

I was first prescribed progressives when I got to "that age".  I thought: "I am not vain.  I don't care if people can see the bifocal" and I got single vision glasses.

If you don't like moving your head, single visions are worse.  You don't just tilt back to find the sweet spot... you then have to move nearer/farther to get the EXACT focal length.

When the next prescription came around, I opted for progressives... and have gotten them ever since.  I love them.  I love having multiple focal lengths. 

[bobechs]

A progressive lens that tries to focus from infinity to twelve inches has a problem, perhaps an insoluble problem, with usability.  It is trying to do more than it can.

There is a style of progressive that sets a more modest goal of good focus at all normal indoor distances, about eighteen inches to eight feet, that is actually pretty practical.

The various lensmakers have their own trade names for that kind of lens, but I think they are generally called "office" lenses or something else that suggests the same idea.

Each dispenser tends to be a captive of one of the big brands and will recommend their office lens over all others, but I think they are kind of close to the same.

AR coatings are a major profit center and so there will be a hard sell on for those, but they also really work so don't reject them out of hand.

They are no good for driving, flying or ski-jorring so don't complain that you can't see past the lead dog on your sled, or the octopuses at the bottom of the tidal pool, but for reading, computers and seeing who is at the threshold of your cubicle without swapping prosthetics, czech them out.

[Miss Piggy]

This is timely for me as Boyfriend, who has ONLY had reading glasses in the past (no nearsightedness) just got prescribed progressives. And we can't quite figure out why, because he doesn't have any issues with distance vision at all. Is that a normal thing - to be prescribed progressives if you only need glasses for reading and computer? Do they just do that when you hit a certain age?

Unfortunately Boyfriend is not the type to question doctors at all. I asked him if he had been experiencing trouble seeing things in the distance (knowing the answer would be no because he can see street signs and such clearly way before I can even with my contacts in.). He said no, but "the doctor had me read all the eye charts and she flipped through all the lens thingies on her machine and this is what my result was."

I am wondering if he was getting a sales pitch. But then, I'm not a doctor.

I don't want him to spend $500 for glasses that will be useless to him, or that he won't be able to adjust to. He's only had glasses at all for 2 years so I suspect this will be tough for him.

Tris, I'm probably the wrong person to answer this question since I hated the progressives so much, but I suspect Boyfriend might find that the progressives aren't worth the trouble/sacrifice (not to mention additional cost) if all he really wants/needs is help with reading and computer work.

The clinic I go to has a philosophy of starting people on progressives at the earliest opportunity so they can "get used to them" before their vision is worse. I beg to differ...I think waiting until there's no other option is likely a better philosophy. Why create the extra "work" and frustration before it's really absolutely necessary?

[ZiziPB]

This is timely for me as Boyfriend, who has ONLY had reading glasses in the past (no nearsightedness) just got prescribed progressives. And we can't quite figure out why, because he doesn't have any issues with distance vision at all. Is that a normal thing - to be prescribed progressives if you only need glasses for reading and computer? Do they just do that when you hit a certain age?

Unfortunately Boyfriend is not the type to question doctors at all. I asked him if he had been experiencing trouble seeing things in the distance (knowing the answer would be no because he can see street signs and such clearly way before I can even with my contacts in.). He said no, but "the doctor had me read all the eye charts and she flipped through all the lens thingies on her machine and this is what my result was."

I am wondering if he was getting a sales pitch. But then, I'm not a doctor.

I don't want him to spend $500 for glasses that will be useless to him, or that he won't be able to adjust to. He's only had glasses at all for 2 years so I suspect this will be tough for him.

I think that even if you don't need far vision correction, progressives may make sense.  When your close vision (reading/computer) gets bad enough, it's hard to function with single vision glasses because anything a bit further away will be blurry.  So if you're in a meeting, looking at your papers and screen and then looking up at the people around you, all the people will be blurry.  Likewise, you have to take your glasses off whenever you get up to walk somewhere or even when you lift your head to look out the window or down the hallway. 
It's possible that his far vision correction is really just needed for middle distance.  I have progressives that I use at work and like them for the reasons I stated above but I don't need glasses for driving or just walking around.  My far vision is fine, my middle vision just needs a very slight correction but my close vision is pretty bad.  The progressives also correct my astigmatism. 

If you look at his actual prescription, you should see two separate categories and you will be able to tell if the top part of the glasses has a corrective lens or not.  The first part of the prescription is the far distance correction, the second is the additional correction for close distance.

[Tris Prior]

That seems weird to me. If you can persuade Boyfriend, it would be best to ask the doctor what's going on.

Yeah.... that won't happen. I can't even get him to call back and get an exact quote of what this is going to cost him - he didn't even ask that. He just sort of blindly accepts whatever a professional is telling him because "they're the one with the medical degree." ARGH.

I think that even if you don't need far vision correction, progressives may make sense.  When your close vision (reading/computer) gets bad enough, it's hard to function with single vision glasses because anything a bit further away will be blurry.  So if you're in a meeting, looking at your papers and screen and then looking up at the people around you, all the people will be blurry.  Likewise, you have to take your glasses off whenever you get up to walk somewhere or even when you lift your head to look out the window or down the hallway. 
It's possible that his far vision correction is really just needed for middle distance.  I have progressives that I use at work and like them for the reasons I stated above but I don't need glasses for driving or just walking around.  My far vision is fine, my middle vision just needs a very slight correction but my close vision is pretty bad.  The progressives also correct my astigmatism. 

If you look at his actual prescription, you should see two separate categories and you will be able to tell if the top part of the glasses has a corrective lens or not.  The first part of the prescription is the far distance correction, the second is the additional correction for close distance.

Thank you very much for this clear explanation! That actually makes some sense. (though, I still think that if he only needs close-reading correction, there's no reason why he couldn't just look over the tops of them if he needs to see distance..... but that's just me.) Of course, he also didn't ask for a copy of his prescription.... hopefully I can convince him to get that and help him understand that he has the right to it.

He's not having any issue at all with his current single-vision glasses so for now he is thinking he'll hold off. He was actually shocked to hear that he needed such expensive and complex glasses, since he can read fine with what he's got.

I wear contacts so I am sort of dreading dealing with this when the time comes.... I know someone who had a farsighted contact for one eye and a nearsighted contact for the other. I cannot imagine adjusting to that! She said she could never really see anything properly. :(

[choppingwood]

I'm on my third set of progressive lenses. I loved the first set and the current set. It is the best eyesight I've ever had, and I rarely think about them. The second set had quite small overall lenses, which made the space small for reading, distance or in-between.

I don't turn my head when I read. I remember an eye-care person explaining to me that I needed to hold the book far enough away from me. I was holding it pretty close, because I was used to not seeing and near-sightedness is pretty good really close up. Every now and then, I need to remind myself to sit back from my computer too.

As someone else has mentioned, I need to be careful when I am starting down a set of stairs.

[frugaliknowit]

This is timely for me as Boyfriend, who has ONLY had reading glasses in the past (no nearsightedness) just got prescribed progressives. And we can't quite figure out why, because he doesn't have any issues with distance vision at all. Is that a normal thing - to be prescribed progressives if you only need glasses for reading and computer? Do they just do that when you hit a certain age?

Unfortunately Boyfriend is not the type to question doctors at all. I asked him if he had been experiencing trouble seeing things in the distance (knowing the answer would be no because he can see street signs and such clearly way before I can even with my contacts in.). He said no, but "the doctor had me read all the eye charts and she flipped through all the lens thingies on her machine and this is what my result was."
I don't want him to spend $500 for glasses that will be useless to him, or that he won't be able to adjust to. He's only had glasses at all for 2 years so I suspect this will be tough for him.  I am wondering if he was getting a sales pitch. But then, I'm not a doctor.

It is very possible that he "thought" his distance vision was ok (might be "functional"), but was probably off on his tests...

As to the topic, I have worn progressives for about 15 years (they are my first glasses) and love them.

When they were first prescribed, I was told not to wear them all of the time (a few hours per day).  I remember initially getting headaches and seeing blurry spots.  This was the process of "training" onself to look at the appropriate part of the lens (maybe you are rushing it...).  It took me about 10 days to get used to them, then there has been no turning back.  I prefer transition progressive, so I don't need sunglasses.

BTW, when you need new lenses, get them at on-line optical sites.  I use replacealens.com.   You can get an updated RX from
your local doctor, then use it with the on-line lab.

[Frugal Lizard]

It took me way more than a month to get used to get used to progressives.  Now I wear them all the time -except when I am reading a novel or long report - then I flip on my readers or using the computer.  I have my computer set up with two giant screens to compensate for my diminishing eye sight and don`t use glasses at all. The initial adjustment period was awful and I felt I had wasted my money.  I got car sick shovelling snow one day and suddenly was so woozy I was sitting on the retaining wall at the end of the driveway and one of the neighbours was ready to call 911 because he thought I was having a stroke.  It was hard for a long time - now I can`t imagine going back.

[BeardedLady]

I think that even if you don't need far vision correction, progressives may make sense.  When your close vision (reading/computer) gets bad enough, it's hard to function with single vision glasses because anything a bit further away will be blurry.  So if you're in a meeting, looking at your papers and screen and then looking up at the people around you, all the people will be blurry.  Likewise, you have to take your glasses off whenever you get up to walk somewhere or even when you lift your head to look out the window or down the hallway. 
It's possible that his far vision correction is really just needed for middle distance.  I have progressives that I use at work and like them for the reasons I stated above but I don't need glasses for driving or just walking around.  My far vision is fine, my middle vision just needs a very slight correction but my close vision is pretty bad.  The progressives also correct my astigmatism. 

If you look at his actual prescription, you should see two separate categories and you will be able to tell if the top part of the glasses has a corrective lens or not.  The first part of the prescription is the far distance correction, the second is the additional correction for close distance.

Thank you very much for this clear explanation! That actually makes some sense. (though, I still think that if he only needs close-reading correction, there's no reason why he couldn't just look over the tops of them if he needs to see distance..... but that's just me.) Of course, he also didn't ask for a copy of his prescription.... hopefully I can convince him to get that and help him understand that he has the right to it.

He's not having any issue at all with his current single-vision glasses so for now he is thinking he'll hold off. He was actually shocked to hear that he needed such expensive and complex glasses, since he can read fine with what he's got.

I wear contacts so I am sort of dreading dealing with this when the time comes.... I know someone who had a farsighted contact for one eye and a nearsighted contact for the other. I cannot imagine adjusting to that! She said she could never really see anything properly. :(

He is 100% entitled to his Rx. In fact, it is against the law to withhold it. There should be sphere, cylinder, axis, and add powers. The first three determine the distance vision, and the add power is for near. Single vision reading glasses are a great options for many people, even if they have a small distance Rx.

Sometimes optometrists get blinders on. If a patient can see better with glasses, why not help them see better? Nevermind that the patient thinks they see well enough to begin with. I know I have been guilty of trying to help someone who did not need to be helped.

P.S. Never order progressives online. There are too many things that can go wrong, and they need to be measured exactly with the frame on your face to line up that tiny reading zone. Even a small error makes them unusable.

- Your friendly mustachian optometrist

[Miss Piggy]

P.S. Never order progressives online. There are too many things that can go wrong, and they need to be measured exactly with the frame on your face to line up that tiny reading zone. Even a small error makes them unusable.

- Your friendly mustachian optometrist

Good to know, as I was planning to do that if I got progressives again. I had my eye exam this morning and talked to them about my "wasted" progressives. Unfortunately, I did not bring those glasses to the appointment. I am wondering if they are too "shallow" (too short top to bottom) and that's why they never worked for me. I really don't know what I'm talking about here, but part of me wonders if there just wasn't enough "surface area" at each level, if that makes sense. I'm going to take them to the doctor's office and get the professional's opinion about whether bigger frames would likely be better for me, or if I'm just not a good candidate for progressives.

[MakeSmarterDecisions]

Late to the party but I was definitely in a similar boat as you and thought I would never get used to progressives.  I didn't wear glasses until my 40's and then got lined bifocals when I was working on my doctorate. I made the switch to progressives last year and it was HARD - but worth it. I got used to them in about a week - but still on occasion have to do the "head move" thing when I am working with different reading materials.  Oh yea - and the stair thing is way to true!  Watch out - I have almost lost it down the stairs a few times!

[SoftwareGoddess]

I am wondering if they are too "shallow" (too short top to bottom) and that's why they never worked for me. I really don't know what I'm talking about here, but part of me wonders if there just wasn't enough "surface area" at each level, if that makes sense.

Yes, that is possible. When I choose new frames, I am sometimes warned that some that I am considering are too small for progressive lenses to work properly. Interestingly, I have never been told, "Those frames won't work with progressives", more like, "well, we wouldn't recommend those frames with progressives". So make sure to listen for the soft discouragement.

[kimmarg]

I think that even if you don't need far vision correction, progressives may make sense.  When your close vision (reading/computer) gets bad enough, it's hard to function with single vision glasses because anything a bit further away will be blurry.  So if you're in a meeting, looking at your papers and screen and then looking up at the people around you, all the people will be blurry.  Likewise, you have to take your glasses off whenever you get up to walk somewhere or even when you lift your head to look out the window or down the hallway. 
It's possible that his far vision correction is really just needed for middle distance.  I have progressives that I use at work and like them for the reasons I stated above but I don't need glasses for driving or just walking around.  My far vision is fine, my middle vision just needs a very slight correction but my close vision is pretty bad.  The progressives also correct my astigmatism. 

If you look at his actual prescription, you should see two separate categories and you will be able to tell if the top part of the glasses has a corrective lens or not.  The first part of the prescription is the far distance correction, the second is the additional correction for close distance.

Thank you very much for this clear explanation! That actually makes some sense. (though, I still think that if he only needs close-reading correction, there's no reason why he couldn't just look over the tops of them if he needs to see distance..... but that's just me.) Of course, he also didn't ask for a copy of his prescription.... hopefully I can convince him to get that and help him understand that he has the right to it.

He's not having any issue at all with his current single-vision glasses so for now he is thinking he'll hold off. He was actually shocked to hear that he needed such expensive and complex glasses, since he can read fine with what he's got.

I wear contacts so I am sort of dreading dealing with this when the time comes.... I know someone who had a farsighted contact for one eye and a nearsighted contact for the other. I cannot imagine adjusting to that! She said she could never really see anything properly. :(

He is 100% entitled to his Rx. In fact, it is against the law to withhold it. There should be sphere, cylinder, axis, and add powers. The first three determine the distance vision, and the add power is for near. Single vision reading glasses are a great options for many people, even if they have a small distance Rx.

Sometimes optometrists get blinders on. If a patient can see better with glasses, why not help them see better? Nevermind that the patient thinks they see well enough to begin with. I know I have been guilty of trying to help someone who did not need to be helped.

P.S. Never order progressives online. There are too many things that can go wrong, and they need to be measured exactly with the frame on your face to line up that tiny reading zone. Even a small error makes them unusable.

- Your friendly mustachian optometrist

THIS. A lot of what is being described about bad progressives could also be attributed to incorrect optical centers. Someone should measure your pupilary distance when you get glasses. The online places say you can do it yourself with a photo but as the compleixity of the perscription goes up it gets more and more BS. Also not everyone is the same right/left. One eye is closer to my nose than the other. It's about a 1mm difference, you'd never notice but put a -10 perscription on it and you'll notice.

Also make sure they check the prism correction if you're having issues with reading. For me that got rid of my headaches.

[brokemom]

I had progressives for a while and hated them-  I just could not get them to be effective when I needed them, so I just kept taking them off.  I complained at my next eye exam and the smart man there told me that the size of the lenses in the frame was too small to have the progressive work effectively.  New frames, bigger lenses, they are GREAT.