As an airline pilot, for me, progressives just didn't work. My instrument panel was more than an arms length away. Farther than standard reading distance. When I tried flying with them, there was only a very small spot on the panel that was in focus. I had to move my head around, a lot, to read the panel and get the information I needed to fly the aircraft. This can cause vertigo. The preferred method for scanning is to leave your head in one place and move your eyes. This is not possible with progressives. I had bifocals made that had the lower part focus at about 40 inches rather than the std reading distance, and had the bifocal line moved up 2 mm. That put the line right at the top of the instrument panel. Also, had the lower portion widened more than normal so I can leave my head in one place and let my eyes do the wandering to read the panel. My doctor resisted all these changes but in the end, she agreed and has become the "go to" doc for many airline pilots in our city.
My brother was a helicpter test pilot, he wore varifocals when flying. I would suggest that your problems come more from poor measurement and fitting than from the lenses themselves
I prefer progressive lenses....but everyone is different it's what works for you the whole intent of eyeglasses is to help ....not one is is better then the other it's what helps you
I just saw this video (9/2023) and someone may have already made this comment. I have worn tri-focals for 40 years. I tried progressive lenses about 20 years ago and they weren’t for me. I was recently talked into trying them again and I couldn’t remember why I didn’t like them. I remembered right away when I got them again. The reading and middle distance portions were exceptionally small. I had to keep moving my head from left to right to read anything. I went back to tri-focals. I had the middle distance portion moved up and widened. That is perfect for reading and computer work (and reading the dashboard). And at 73 years old, I couldn’t care less about people thinking I look older.
I agree. I tried progressives and just couldn't adapt. I'm much happier with trifocals. I only needed the "third" lens because of so much computer work I do. And I still go to the Dollar Store and get cheap readers as well! LOL
Having spent years on motorcycles and racing on the track, I became very dependent upon my peripheral vision. When I grew older I tried progressives and felt unsafe as I could not discern what was coming at me from the sides as well as I could before. Also when I would scan the night skies for meteors, could not take in as much of the sky as before. I junked the progressives in favor of trifocals and now feel safer driving and I feel that I'm seeing much more of the natural world without having to readjust my line of sight. I'm an old man now so why should I care if I look old? Actually if anyone would judge me on the basis of my eye glasses; well I probably wouldn't want anything to do with that person after all.
Hey, I hear you. I got my first pair of glasses at 50, straight to progressives. My first pair were so distorted on the sides I felt like a bird having to jerk my head to focus directly straight ahead. Even road signs slightly to the side were distorted like you say. I took them back and bought a much higher quality lens that almost completely eliminated the problem. I'm not saying you should try them again, you found something that works, just saying they aren't all the same.
Funny, I just got a pair of progressives and went out birding and looking at the night sky, the lack of peripheral vision is a big thing. I'm already considering a dedicated pair for distance to do those activities. Like you said you're seeing much more of the natural world.
@@charlielipthratt7291 yeah, I may wind up going the same route... not sure why the optometrist favors them so much, I guess because they focus at all distances but the field of view is something I didn't even think about. I can definitely see things but it's like being in a tunnel compared to when I take them off. Thanks for the input.
I had progressive lenses for several years and never really warmed to them, I found myself always 'hunting' with minute head movements for an elusive clearer field of vision. Last year, I needed to renew my glasses and chose bifocals, and I have found that clear delineation between far away and close up much easier to manage. So when driving for example, it feels like the most natural thing in the world to hold my head where I can eyeball down for the speedo and eyeball up for the road ahead. Different strokes for different folks.
It does take the perfect progressive and training by your optician. I tried my hardest to make sure my patients had a wider center of vision and always made sure they were in a correct frame and lens for their face. ( not too small/narrow and not to deep/wide. I really loved my patients. It was a calling and not a job. It was nice to know when they would return and ask for me specifically.
I was prescribed my first pair of bifocals when I was in first grade. That was seventy years ago. Back then the lenses were made of glass. Because my vision needed so much correction the lenses were quite thick which made the eyeglasses very heavy; the bridge of my nose was constantly red and sore. Today I have trifocals with the lines. Despite my lenses being very complicated with prisms in both, the new lens materials have now resulted in my eyeglasses being light as a feather and comfortable to wear from morning to night !
I've been wearing singles since 1968 and a little over a decade ago it was suggested I give bifocals a try. I've been resisting but now I have progressives on the way. We'll see how it works...
Just a comment on your presentation: Remarkable and commendable. Not a word wasted, not a single repetition. You honor me as your viewer when you create this polished, fact-filled content. Thank you. I am about to get glasses again and will consider lined. I had fallen into the "newer, so it must be better" trap. I also thank the commenters for contributing to this very discussion.
Excellent commentary! I have progressives now & like you I most often go for the latest, but I’m only kind of happy with wearing progressives. To me, they changed how “they” make progressives today. I didn’t used to have any problems, but my vision changed and I had to get new lenses.
I tried wearing progressive lenses for a week, which gave me constant headaches. I took them back and the optometrist told me about 2% of people cannot adapt to them. I use trifocals now and I do a lot of reading, and they allow you to read a whole line without having to move your head. I had to constantly move my head to maintain the sweet spot with progressives.
I agree, the head moves bothered my neck! Bifocals have some annoyance’s, but finding that sweet spot in the progressive’s was way worse for me. It’s hard to believe only 2% can’t wear the progressive lenses!
I got a good deal online, had all the pupil measurements, so I gave them a try. At first it seems nice having the smooth transition but then i got the headaches. They give the same sensation I get when I look at fish in an aquarium. I even had this to a degree with the new thinner lenses and had to adapt. (Yeah, I'm so ancient I've had glass lenses.) When I turn my head I close my eyes, make the turn and then open them. If I leave them open when I turn my head I get sick to my stomach very quickly. I just do it automatically now, don't even have to think about it. I had bifocals in my first pair at age 10 so I've never had an issue with using them, I've never cared how old they made me look, all I cared was that I could see. They do make it difficult to watch TV if you are laying down and in my job they also caused a problem. Eventually I got them lowered on the lenses and that was workable for me but my guy put them back up as soon as I changed jobs. Now that I can get inexpensive glasses online I usually get one pair for far, one for near, maybe a pair with bifocals. I tried contacts for a while. They did solve some issues that glasses can't but it turns out my eyes are just too dry. I also ran into the problem with near and far vision. I told my guy I didn't want them that way but he did it anyway. One eye always seemed blurry and fuzzy like having one dirty lens. If I put the same prescription in both eyes the problem went away. It wasn't like I could read with them either way so it was more of an irritation than a feature. That's another thing I've noticed. Normally "cheaters", OTC reading glasses are useless for me but when I had contacts they worked just fine.
I moved from bifocals to progressives 15-20 years ago. Astigmatism in the left eye and need more magnification. I have never experienced the distortion everyone talks about. I guess I learned how to use the lenses quickly. I really like that I have decent vision at any distance.
I’ve been wearing progressive lenses for over 20 years, and I just love them. I tried bifocals it one time and to me they did not work at all that line drove me crazy.
Since I used the two types for quite a while I settled for two separate pair of glasses, one for distance and one for reading. This way I eliminated the dizziness I got from progressives and the limited reading area I got from bifocals. I got used to the inconvenience of replacing them for reading or distance.
One of my lenses got scratched when I fell. The replacement cost for one progressive, thin, coated lens cost me $476. I had chosen progressive lenses because I was a CPA and needed to be able to see far for driving, close for reading, and mid-range for the computer. I already had to change glasses for sunglasses, I did not want any more pairs of glasses. Progressives are not perfect, but seemed to be the best choice. Other people like having dedicated computer glasses. I want the eyes I had before puberty.
Have you tried transitions? That's where the glasses will change to sunglasses? There is no need to change to sunglasses that are not prescription sunglasses which leaves you to not see as well
My previous prescription was no a no line progressive bifocals. The first time I had a different strength prescription for distance and reading. The difference in prescription was not that large but I could never get use to progressive lens even after two years. When I was just on vacation in the United Kingdom I decided to get new glasses while I was there and decided to get separate glasses for reading and distance. I got a pair of reading glasses for reading and using a computer screen with a slight tint. A second pair prescription sunglasses for distance and a third pair for distance only that react to the sunlight causing the lens to darken. The cost to buy three pair of glasses in the United Kingdom without health insurance was about half the cost of buying one pair of glasses in the United States with health insurance. Best decision I made was choosing to going with two different pair of glasses with the addition of sunglasses mainly used while driving.
Your video has helped me so much. I have spent 3 visits to the optometrist so far, talking about options. Being able to see them via video has been VERY useful - not sure what to do yet but this helps.
This is the best video explainer for the difference between bifocal and progressive lenses that I didn't know I needed to see. No optician in all my decades of wearing glasses for nearsightedness has ever indicated to me that there's a difference in the types of progressive lenses on offer, so thank you for making this video.
The mistake I made with progressive lenses was going for a frame design that had not much height. It meant the different zones were very narrow, causing neck pain because I had to hold my head so still to keep the right part of the lens in front, whatever I was doing. I went back to a fixed distance pair after that, and just took them off for reading (albeit blurrily). I'll probably try again, but with a much taller design of frame.
That's an important point many people, including eye professionals, forget! I just got my first set of progressives a month ago, and my optician stressed that I needed to choose frames that allowed sufficient height for them to work optimally. It took a lot of searching since I had been wearing short frames for years and was used to that esthetics. In the end I'm very happy with my progressives, even if they gave me a headache for the first three days.
Same issue. I could not sit in my recliner and watch TV. Had to bury my chin in my chest to even see. Neck cramps constantly. Could not locate the correct spot to view the instrument panel in the car without taking my view off the road for far to long. Instead of moving my eyes I found myself moving my head to locate the correct view. It was horrible. I gave up on them. I now have distance glasses and readers. A total pain in the rear but nothing else works. A shame no one has been able to resolve this considering the number of people out here wearing glasses.
That is my problem. I chose narrow frames because all other in stock looked too outdated and there’s not enough bifocal. I’m in the market to find a larger frame, hopefully I can find something attractive😏
I wish their was a way to try out new lens prescriptions like this before buying. The 2 seconds in the eye exam doesn't help you get any sense of how you will adjust to them and their to pricey to just "buy and see".
As a tech who has made eye glasses at the retail level for 20+ years now I found your video informative and absolutely true. As to getting used to progressives for those new to them I have a few insights not covered in the video. Those that have myopia or nearsightedness have an easier time with progressives than with farsighted people because even with single vision lenses the higher the prescription the more the peripheral distortion there is so finding that sweet spot in the lens where everything is clear is something those with myopia are already used to doing. Of course the opposite is true with those with hyperopia or farsightedness but not all the time, most people are determined to avoid the line so will try harder to get used to progressives. Also, with people who want to switch to progressives from lined bifocals I have found that progressives with a short intermediate corridor work best for them because they are used to that quick eye jump from distance to near vision. But I must stress that these are generalities and everyone is different.
I'm -8 and have never had to hunt for a sweet spot with single vision glasses, I'm quite puzzled by that. I've just ordered bifocals, I don't fancy progressives for various reasons. My ex was about -17 and he did mention that there's more distortion, but myopia that high is pretty unusual and it sounded like you were talking shout myopes in general.
I have had both types. I had standard bifocals first and enjoyed them for several years. I was encouraged to move to progressives. I wore them for about 5 years and decided I wanted to go back to standard bifocals one year ago. My OD said, "no, you need to stay with the progressives. You must." So, I did. The new lenses cost about $700 without frames. I used the frames I had for the replacement. When I finally received the progressives, I had the distortion problem the minute I was driving out of the parking lot from the OD's office. Oncoming traffic was distorted and I thought my entry lane was clear. I was almost struck by a vehicle that was in the entry lane but appeared to be in another lane. I turned around, went back to the OD office, and asked for standard bifocals to be ordered. Also, I believe it is a myth that you have a "progressive" focus change with progressive lenses. There is the distance vision area of the lens at the top, which is huge. Then there is this pencil-eraser-sized area at the bottom that is for near vision. Everything in-between is unusable because the focal points are so small. Heck, even the near vision area is difficult to find and takes a lot of practice. I really like my standard bifocals and am glad I made the decision to ignore my OD's insistence to stay with progressives.
@@juhajuntunen7866 He said he had both, but decided to go back to plain bifocals but his doctor talked him out of it. So...he didn't really like the old progressives....
you must give us more money. coatings are upsold similarly, despite reducing clarity and scratchproof coating being almost useless. easy money. capitalist health system.
If your OD is associated with the shop selling you the glasses then he/she benefits more if you choose the more expensive option. The way I see it is that the bifocals makes it clear when you are looking through the distance lens versus what's near and the transition is definite whereas with the progressives, you're almost certain to be looking through the wrong portions till you learn how to use them which you might never do given how difficult that is at the start and you always have the option of reverting to your older lens. Of course, if you record your pupil distance for both distance and near viewing, you can probably order whatever you want online for a lot less. They almost never write the pupil distance on your prescription to encourage you to using a brick and mortar shop.
I have worn glasses since I was 11, 65 years ago. By the time I was in my 50’s, my prescription was around -7 in each eye. When my ophthalmologist suggested bifocals, I went straight to progressive lenses. It only took me about 20 minutes to get used to them. I actually welcomed the onset of cataracts! Now I need almost no correction for distance. My ideal glasses now are progressive and transition lenses, combining 4 pairs of glasses into one.
Like you, when I needed bifocals, I went straight to progressive lenses with transition. Didn't even take me 20 minutes. Put them on and didn't skip a bit. About 6 years ago, had the ones with lines in my safety glasses at work (didn't want to fork out the extra money for the progressives as work wouldn't cover progressive lenses). Hated the lines. Suffered through two years with the lines until I could order new safety glasses at which point I gladly paid the extra cost for getting the progressives. Unless your prescription changes, my employer will only pay for new safety glasses every two years.
My prescription is just a smidge less than Norman. Never did hit -7. But I came very close. 😁 This means thick lenses, which leads to heavy glasses, which hurt the ears and nose. Even when I use a strap to try to reduce the load on my ears and nose. I never did use progressives or bifocals. Weight being my primary consideration, the simplest way to reduce weight is to choose frames with very small short lenses. These tend to not work so well with progressives, because there is insufficient height. I didn't want bifocals either. My job involves looking at computer screens most of the day. I could just imagine that raising my head to look down at the screen was going to give me a stiff neck. I went with monovision instead. The secondary reason is because I am a stingy cheapskate. Special lenses and features on the lenses and frames drives costs up unnecessarily. I now get mine online. Wait for a special promo, get two pairs each time. Left eye adjusted for distance, right eye for intermediate distance (computer). And the other pair, adjust the opposite way. The idea of getting a pair is so that one eye do not become overly dominant. Just switch between them daily. You could get different designs, but I always get identical pairs. Because I just get standard base-level everything, my glasses are only about $5-$10 a pair. Even getting two pairs, add in normal shipping, the price is still so cheap, it didn't really matter if they break. If one breaks, I retire its twin and order two more pairs. Waiting for the special promo and the time it takes my order to arrive by the slowest cheapest shipping option, I already have lots of old spares lying around.
My astigmatism was a little worse. I recently had cataract surgery. I have +7.0 D implants in both eyes. My distance vision is nearly perfect. My near vision is corrected with +2.75. Have never experienced this level of vision in my life. 62 years old. Cataracts were a blessing for me. No longer wear Coke Bottle lenses.
I am old, and I do not care who notices it! What REALLY makes you look old is struggling to deal with the many different distortions on a complicated lens, constantly dizzy from rolling your eyes. I carry two different glasses, and use the one most appropriate, or just wear reading glasses on a neck chain to raise when I need them! Shocking news: Perhaps old news to most people, but I discovered that I could use my out-dated reading glasses for excellent middle-distance TV watching! My reading glasses are 2.5 now, but my old 2.25 glasses are wonderful for very clear TV eight feet away! Life is much nicer if you don't obsess over how old you look............................elsullo
I have been wearing progressives for seven years or so and I love them! The only regular bifocals that I had was safety glasses for work,but a year ago I bought progressive safety glasses and like them a lot better! I am a long time contact wearer and had no issues at all switching to progressive glasses and still sometimes wear contacts but have to carry reading glasses during those times. My biggest issue when I wear glasses is looking through rifle scopes as the crosshairs are canted slightly as when I wear my contacts which are single vision the crosshairs look normal. I sometimes wear my progressives when I shoot and I am tired of dealing with contacts(even though I only wear them only a little bit) as I am an avid hunter and spend time at the rifle range.My wife got her first pair of progressives last winter and gave up on them after five days and took them back. She exchanged them and got single vision lenses for driving since she has a mild prescription and uses OTR readers when needed. I feel that she didn't give it enough time when she had the progressives as it would have been better and easier if she had them to wear all the time. Hopefully she tries progressives again and that they work for her as I love the look of my wife when she is wearing glasses!
I started wearing bifocals when I was 40. I hated the visible lines because they were distracting. I didn't like how my eyes felt, switching back and forth, and couldn't get used to them. Switched to progressives and loved them from the first moment I put them on. I have an astigmatism, one eye is weaker than the other. I had no trouble adjusting to progressives and have been happily wearing them ever since.
I’m the same! My astigmatism in one eye is worse than the other, but my left eye (good eye) just recently started to feel different. I literally just got prescribed progressive lenses. I’m nervous but I know they’ll probably help me a lot more.
I felt blind wearing the progressives! I kept getting horrible headaches! I love my bifocals! I’ve never had any problems with my bifocals! I didn’t think I looked old!
In my experience in the UK, most problems with varifocals come from a lack of knowledge of the optician who is supplying them - not correctly measuring the distance between your eyes - most just take the overall distance, whereas it is essential to measure for each eye from the centre of the bridge of the nose, which is where your spectacles will sit. Also is is necessary to ensure the finished spectacles are fitted properly, with the correct vertical angle and bowing to the frame. I despair at how many pairs of spectacles I see that look as if they've just been thrown at the wearer!
I’m a retired Optician. I have tried almost every progressive lens available, because I could not suggest one if I did not know the options of the lens myself. I started in comfort short with my 1st pair…it was a great beginner lens if you wore a short lens. So if it was someone younger, it was the 1st option, depending on the frame they chose. However, as I am now 55…, I am in a new RX again with the added joy of having prism in my left lens. It took a couple of days to adjust to the prism ( thanks concussion ) but now, it’s pretty easy on my eyes 👀 and it has stopped the migraines that returned with a vengeance when I busted my head. Gotta love getting old with so many health problems.
Old? Old? I beg your pardon. I am old yet fleet of foot and not accident prone. Whilst you’re just clumsy. Old? Really, why do folk blame mistakes on old? God love ya and sorry you fell down, went boom boom and concussed.
@@Donna-cc1kt I have autoimmune disease and osteoporosis. I did NOT FALL DOWN & get a boo-boo! I fainted and lost consciousness. My heart decided to quit pumping enough blood to keep me from fainting. Big difference from your overtly RUDE comment.
Have worn progressives for nearly 20 years and my left eye is junk so has a much thicker lens. Did take a minute to acclimate but haven’t thought about that in years. Expensive but worth it for me.
The thicker the lens does not mean how strong they are. The thinner the lens is for higher diopters. I bet my eyesight is worse than yours, but I need high diopter lenses which are extremely thin. I think you are referring to the much cheaper/ cheapest poly lenses, which are really thick and not dependent on how many diopters you have, it’s all about how much you can afford.
I got my first glasses at about 52, and went straight in with progressive lenses. Took a few days to adjust, but was new to eyeglasses altogether. No problems and I don't have any of the distortion issues some have.
Progressives for me were a non starter right from day one. I'm a computer programmer, I also work with digital images.. And just to make that worse I'm a car geek too. For me, dedicated computer glasses are the win. I can have large monitors entirely in focus as all angles. Critical especially for image work. But a big help for coding as I am not constantly resetting my head. For the rest of the time, I like traditional bifocals. I have two distinct focal ranges, I know where they are and the line never mattered after the first 24 hours. I have my add lenses about 2mm taller than most opticians suggest for most people because a lot of my more 'tinker' hobbies, such as automotive or computer building, etc happen inside of arms-length. But I like the larger field of view for these things as I work a lot at these distances. The only time I really need to see far away is walking, biking or driving. So sacrificing a couple millimeters at the bottom of my vision didn't hurt any of these activities. I have no fashion related reasons for avoiding lines. I'm perfectly happy to be the mad scientist. Doesn't bother me a bit to look a little older.
@@iseeflowers Long sessions on a screen are hard on your eyes, and that can make your vision temporarily worse. However in my experience, that is really just temporary. If you take enough breaks, and get away from the screen its fine. I have been a programmer for 30 years and am a video game geek on top of that. My eyesight hasn't changed significantly over that time (except for near vision which degrades in all people once you're over about 40 years old). My primary prescription (distance) hasn't really changed at all. So I would say that no, being a programmer doesn't necessarily change your vision. But maybe it could if you're not getting rest. I'm not a doctor tho, just an old guy who's a programmer.
Also, while thinking about glasses for screen work (intermediate is the usual term with UK optometrists). Don't be oversold on super thin, super light lenses. They often suffer much more from dispersion problems than thicker lenses, in other words colour fringing on high contrast image elements viewed through areas towards the edge of the lenses. This is a simple side effect of trying to bend the light more with less glass/plastic - the effect is likely to be less strong with lower refractive index (thicker for a given power) lenses. Plastic is quite light so the lenses probably won't be uncomfortably heavy. As ever, your mileage may vary.
Years ago, I had mild hyperopia (far sighted), mild astigmatism and presbyopia. Had been using reading glasses, but they were a nuisance and did nothing for the astigmatism. I tried progressive lenses. They were terrible, a total waste of money. Could not use them. I replaced them with trifocals. The trifocals worked great! Good for distance. Good for computer screens. Good for reading. None of the supposed disadvantages Dr. Allen describes ever bothered me. The only bothersome thing was, when I worked at a computer screen, using the middle distance segment, the middle distance segment was not quite tall enough. I had to tilt my head up and down more than I would have liked. My wife has myopia (nearsighted) and astigmatism. She has worn glasses since she was four. She has been using progressives for at least twenty years and has been very pleased with them.
Thank you so much for the clear presentation. For years I have struggled with reading thinking I need a stronger prescription. The cost of progressive lens as well as anti glare plus more options is out of my budget now that I am retired. I have an appointment for new glasses and will certainly try the bifocals. I also appreciate all the comments by others made me realize I am not the only one who has difficulty seeing with them.
For the longest time I had progressives, I forget the company; but over time I had problem finding the sweet spot because it was narrow, and it was just easier just to get bifocal lenses.
I started needing gasses for close up in my 40's (now late 70's) and had bifocals to suit. Later, I also needed vision correction for distance as well. By this time I had heard about progressive lenses and thought that would be the way to go, but my optometrist said that I had excellent peripheral vision and progressive lenses would make it worse so I have always stuck with the bifocals.
I tried progressives but had to exchange them for bi-focals which suited my need much better. Distortion was the problem as I needed them principally for driving which involves scanning the whole scene, left and right. I had the reading part of the lens match my mid range/computer prescription which was much better for seeing the car instruments/displays.
Exactly my experience. There was one tiny spot in focus when I was driving. I could barely see anything in focus. Very dangerous and impossible. So, I got the bifocal for distance and dashboard. When I read, or use the computer, for the last 55 years I've always removed my glasses, and that's what I still do today. I tried trifocal, but too distracting. Bifocal all the way!
I found the same problem, particularly as I got older and my prescription got stronger. I did same and changed to bifocals with the bottom of lens adjusted to intermediate distance. I found progressive lenses a particular problem when using peripheral vision.
I've been using progressive lenses for a couple of years now and I must say that they're really good for outdoors since there is a wider distance variations of objects and also good for driving but not very good indoors especially when sitting on my computer.
For 30 Years I have had progressive lenses ( about £150 ) and they are great, when talking about the lenses i requested that they were made with the intermediate field dominant and the distant and close to be smallest, the main thing i found with wearing progressive was to learn to look up or down and to turn my head and not look through the sides. peripheral vision is ok as you never see it sharp until you actually look at something.
Good video, thanks for this! I have been thinking about maybe trying bifocals or progressive lenses.. but after watching your video, now I don't want to deal with the problems of EITHER of them! 🙂
Thanks. I’m nearsighted and 54 years old. When I was younger I could just take off my glasses for reading and computer use. Now I can’t get away with that. My eye doctor offered bifocals and progressives as an option. I declined and now have 2 pairs of glasses. One for computer use and one for everything else. I can still read with no glasses at all because I hold books closer than my computer screen. I think I’ll stick with my current solution based partly on your video. To me, the inconvenience of having two pairs of glasses is better than making the compromises you described. I can see how this would be very subjective though. Getting older has it’s downsides but it beats the alternative. 😀
I tried progressive many years ago. I’m nearsighted and my left eye is rather astigmatic. Now I use 3 separate par of glasses; long distance, which I use most of the time and I definitely need them when driving. For reading I have a special par, but I can read without glasses with my right eye, if the text isn’t too small. The 3rd par I use when sight reading playing the violin in an orchestra. In the orchestra you have to share the music stand with a fellow musician and the distance is sort of long computer distance .
For myself, I prefer the bifocals. I found that when reading I would have to move my whole head when using the progressives. With the bifocals I can just move my eyes. I could use the intermediate but when I tried the trifocal lens they didn't leave enough room for the reading and I couldn't get used to them.
That is why I have a pair of reading glasses. They are dirt cheap. I wear my progressives around all day but if I am going to sit down an read or play Switch for a while I will put on my dedicated reading glasses. Progressives are fine for filling in forms or using your phone where you are only looking at something for a few minutes.
I absolutely love my progressive lenses. No switching between glasses or peering down through a bifocal, just look where I want and see! Only problem I see with them is trying to look out above a crowd where you tilt your head up and obviously look through the 'reading ' section......
It really depends on the Design of the Progressive Lens most entry level Progressive lenses have the issue which user have to do some posture adjustment to find the focus point of the different lens area to see clearly hence the higher level of design will bring you more comfort as the focus point will be larger but it all comes down to what is your prescription power of your eye & the budget or money you willing to spend on the lens
Got my first progressive lenses just a few weeks ago, cannot use them for everyday life, mostly for my hobby with changing focus frequently between close and distance. For everyday life I use my old distance glasses which are also still good for general reading as they make everything sharper. I don't know how that works, but it does. But I do notice I need to focus harder on reading labels in close sometimes. Those progressive lenses: they are restricting me in reading also, as you mentioned the narrow field for close distance, but to the distant world the glasses seem to have the suitable focus on the entire length of the lenses. Why they cannot make the same with the focus part? I used to go with my eyeballs from left to right as I was reading, now I need to move my head more each line. That is annoying.
I got my first set of progressive glasses yesterday, and already I was willing to call it quits. My eyes are constantly working to adjust and I can feel the strain. I'm trying to work with them, but I'm thinking I may need to get bifocals. I'm still getting use to not using my peripheral vision. I'm grateful for being able to read normal text in books again, but the distortion zones are doing weird things to me. Sometimes I feel shorter.
How are you feeling now? I’ve been trying my progressive (first pair of glasses ever) for two weeks now and feel like I’m going insane. Between the dizziness and the headaches, it’s aweful.
I use bifocals and have the intermediate distance in the lower section for things like reading car displays, menus, tablets, etc. This works really well for me. I just take my glasses off when I want to read or fix something up close. I also have a dedicated pair of glasses for computer screens when I'm using them over several hours. No need for trifocals.
I am old or at least feel old. I could not adapt to the distortion. Hard to explain but the left and right side of anything I was looking at had to be exactly the same distance from me and that was sometimes difficult. I started out with the now defunct "Smart Seg" and the transition to trifocals was painless. I wanted to try blue blocker lens and they had to be progressive (or single vision) and the narrow left to right range that was in focus was far too difficult to continually adjust my head position to achieve.
I have to get cataract surgery at 36 years old and this video has helped me make an informed choice for post-op eyewear. As I will be opting for far distance vision in my surgery, I'll probably buy progressives for daily life and checking texts on the go, but have a set of computer glasses and reading glasses handy at home or office for long computer sessions. My biggest concern is how in the world I will do watercoloring outdoors where I have to jump from far to near while sketching. I wonder if progressives will be too distorted when I look down at my page.
@@kevinbossick8374 I ended up only getting surgery in my right eye and I got a lens that was supposed to let me see far and midrange really well, while still needing glasses at close range. Well, that lens was really good at first and did as predicted but a full year later, I can't see even close to as clearly as just right after surgery and I regret spending so much on a premium lens. In the meantime, I don't really use glasses since my left eye can still see well and that cataract isn't strong yet, but I think I will delay surgery for as long as possible so it may be a while before I need glasses.
I started wearing progressives about 8 years ago and absolutely love them. Your explanation is spot on with respect to my experience with them. I don't have a very strong rx, though.
68 years old and reading was getting bad but I hadn't replaced my standard specs for 12 years before trying progressive lenses in my frameless glasses and love them. Yes they cost me almost £500 but wow, they are so thin and light that you tend to forget they're on your face.
I wish I could have talked to you about how I use my eyes before I picked a cataract surgery replacement lense. The eye doctor was not able to advise me in what would work for me. I did ask tons of questions and i feel i did not get any help. Lack of knowledge on the doctors part. Between computer work, reading, looking over someone's shoulder at work to see the computer, cooking, etc, etc. I need a minimum of 2 different pairs of glasses on my person to change back and forth from, reading/computer to midrange to live my life. Ka---- health care finally checked over and summarized that I had picked the worst replacement lense. 😢😢 Tried progressive lenses and the different tilting positions I had to hold my head to see things not so clearly I will add, was extremely uncomfortable on my neck. Thank you for all your videos!❤❤❤❤
Recent new glasses and was asked and happy the Optometrist willing to take the time to discuss and help make a decision. I chose progressive for the mid range issue. Not so much though for computer as not what I do now retired. I still take them off frequently for close up work especially in poor light and when tired, also typically in the poor light of a waning day. 😁 I'm glad to hear you say what it has seemed to me, or my experience the progressive lens is a compromise (combination tool). I have tried separate readers when necessary and distance only, not a good option for me at all - apparently spend a lot of time in the in-between. 😏 Also at the time was at the computer somegood of the day and could not see anything - distance for the computer screen and could not see the keyboard, see the keyboard and couldn't see to read the computer screen. Really needed that in between! 😝 I have a suggestion for the frame designers or lens perhaps. 😁 Some little teeny tiny chip or something with an app to beep it LOUD to find the GD things when set them down and for the life of me cannot find again. 😖 😆
Been on progressives for years now. It all depends on the person and how they adjust to them. Granted the earlier versions would make you dizzy and there was a definite line going into short distance. If you didn't let you eyes adjust at their own rate and try too hard, you get headaches. The new ones are more advanced and adjust much better, but they do cost more. It all depends on what you want and how it makes your life easier.
Thank you for this educational piece! I normally wear trifocals, and I found that the distortion experienced with progressive lenses to be especially problematic while driving, and most especially when peripheral vision is necessary such as changing lanes or going around corners. But these might not have been of the higher quality you mention. Perhaps I should give them one more try and bite the bullet on the cost.
You asked for it. I'm 74, retired 10 years, and I currently wear progressive lens. I preceded them with bifocals for 10 years and have worn progressives for in excess of 25 years. I have become more aware of the distorted factor you've mentioned, but I have recently been diagnosed as having cataracts. I have been deliberating new lens, but have been also thinking I should wait til after I have corrective surgery. I'm sure you're much more knowledgeable about the time frame from initial diagnosis to actual surgery, so should I wat, or opt for new lens now? Also, inexpensive til after?
I've been nearsighted since my early twenties and only needed glasses for that condition. Five years ago at the age of 44 I needed glasses for both. I chose to get progressive lenses because I do a lot of photo and video editing on the computer and I remembered my Mom and how she was never able to get used to having trifocals. It took me about a week to get used to the progressive lenses and once I did I absolutely loved them. Two weeks ago I went to my opthalmist for my exam and discovered that it was time for a new stronger prescription. I have once again went with Progressive lenses again. I'm still waiting for my new glasses to come in. I can't wait to see clearly again.
A very informative video, thank you! I have both lined, and progressive lenses. I just got my 1st prescription pair last month, and those are the lined bifocals that I purchased through one of the popular franchised chain stores. They have all the protection options and they do help me see clearly for distance and reading, but not so good for a computer screen. The magnification is too much, and I almost have to put my face against the screen to see words clearly. The progressive glasses I have are safety glasses I ordered online for my job as a quality control inspector. I intentionally lowered the magnification on these just slightly so I would be able to spot defects from a reasonable distance, but still be able to enter my measurements and readings into the laptop I use at work. The distance I kept the same as my regular pair of glasses. It was a little tricky adjusting to them on the first day I wore them, but I adapted quickly, and they do work well. There is a little bit of distortion in a few spots with them, but turning my head slightly helps, and they don't inhibit my ability to do my job. I could probably wear these with as my normal everyday glasses without a problem. As I stated above, these are my 1st prescription, and being entirely on the wrong side of 60, we'll see how my eyes are doing in the next year or two, but I'm leaning toward progressive at the moment, just because I don't have that abrupt line splitting my vision as you described.
I have a spider phobia. I had progressive lenses and decided to go back to bifocals. The jump from one section to another kept me thinking that a spider moved. It took a while to get used to that.
When I found I needed both distance and reading glasses, I was given the option of a pair of each, bifocals or progressive and the first pair I bought cost over £500, which is a LOT when you're on a tight budget! Yes, they have that funky distortion at each lower corner, but I learned to work around that and suit me well enough. Sadly, my eyesight is steadily deteriorating, so I have to update my prescription often enough to mean such a hefty bill for new glasses isn't an option. So, I chose another alternative resource which, while they mightn't be perfect, work well enough for me, and that is to order my prescription glasses online, SOME of the sites which offer prescription glasses are pretty bad, but I picked a company with good reviews and I haven't looked back, so to speak! I get my glasses at a much lower price than the local specsavers (and other companies), and they've served me well ever since!
I have Astigmatism and have been wearing glasses my entire life. I guess that's how it should be stated. When I first started wearing Progressive lenses, I really was not offered a choice, I did not care for them, still don't. As you stated, peripheral vision is shot. Getting accustomed to wearing them was not a problem just don't try to look to the side. I will definitely ask my optometrist about other options. Thank you for the enlightenment.
I have progressive lenses. What I hate most is that my lenses seem to have such a narrow focal area. What I mean is that narrow parabolic (narrow portion of that hourglass shape you had drawn on that one lens) area makes things blur with just the slightest head turn while still looking straight ahead. Do they make progressive lenses that do not have such a narrow area in the parabola?
Been wearing progressives since age 18. For me, each new pair requires a few days for accustomization, but my brain quickly rewires so that they feel as natural as single-focus lenses.
I recently got a pair of progressive lenses to try out. I hated it at first. But I kept wearing them for a couple weeks and after getting used to them, I now I use them almost exclusively. Every once in a while I switch to my back up pair which are full powered for stuff like driving. But I can drive just as well with my progressives, I just can't lean my head all the way back due to the distortion at the lower half of the lenses. My eyes are pretty bad (-8 in one eye, -7 in the other) and I've gotten older to the point that my eyes noticeably just don't adjust as quickly anymore from long distance to reading distance. It's actually really frustrating because it was a noticeable degradation in the quality of my eyesight and I had absolutely no control over it. I found switching to progressives have actually helped a lot.
Thanks for a very informative video. I used to have a very high prescription for short sight and found that varifocals did not give me good close up vision. So, I went for bifocals which worked well for everyday vision. I also had a pair of dedicated bifocals for computer/reading. As you have said, having high end varifocals can be very expensive (in the UK). I've now had my cataracts removed and find that I am having to relearn how I look at things 🤣 and what my glasses needs are.
I wear 7x28 trifocals (2 lines, 3 ranges). Love them for the great periferal vision and the nice wide reading zone. I sell glasses for a living (over 20 years), and usually give the customers the choice of either lens, with the pros & cons of each. if they are not new to multi- focals and happy with what they have, thats usually what i sell them.
I wore progressive lenses for many year but when I got into my 60s I found I needed to take them off to read prescription bottles. So 6 years ago I switched back to single vision lenses and have been happy with them ever since. I've now worn glasses for 63 years now.
I'm in my late 40s and have been having the same trouble for the past 6 months or so. I discussed it with my eye doctor and we argued about it. My new prescription fixed the problem, for 2 weeks, then I had to go back to taking them off to see anything up close, from reading, my tablet, etc. It really bothers me but I don't know if there's a solution to it.
I’m 70 years old and started wearing glasses at 10 for nearsightedness. At 16 I got hard lens contacts and wore them for about 50 years but they began to bother me in my early 60’s I think a lot of it was due to not wearing them as much after I retired. I switched back to glasses but at 70 still only need them for distance. I too remove my glasses to read or work on the computer. 50 years of wearing hard contacts kept my nearsightedness from progressing and I think actually improved my vision. I can watch TV and even read the closed captions, just slightly blurry.
I got progressive lenses once (previously, I did fine with bifocals) and they were terrible for me. The 'distortion zones' on the side actually comprised most of the lens. The area on the lens that was clear at any given distance was squished into a narrow slit in the center of the lens. I chalked this up to my horrible eyes and the difference between my close up prescription and my distance one, but I always wondered if it was the lens and whether another one would be better. I hated the fact that 90% of the lens was useless at any distance. After that, I switched back to bifocals, but discovered that by then, the middle ground (I am a computer programmer) was no longer covered by my bifocals. I now have a second set of glasses I use just for the computer. Although I am thankful I can still see, this whole degradation process is very disheartening. I am at the point now where I can't see anything without my glasses on.
I have always used progressive lenses. Now I do a good deal of precision work and what I've noticed is that straight items do not look straight depending upon the angle between the object and my line of sight. This is incredibly annoying and the only way out of it has been to use a single strength lens. Whether it's my computer (dedicated glasses for use with my monitor) or another distance in the machine shop or cabinet shop, I find non-progressives to be less misleading. My next pair will be a bi-focal style lens. I'll write again when I've a chance to evaluate their performance
I went from Bifocals to progressive. Vertical lines look a little angled for both types of lenses. My laptop screen looks skinnier at the to then the bottom.
By far the best explanation ever. Thanks a lot mate. Progressive did not work me - it made me nauseous (motion sickness). I was told that I could get used to it, but no way. I gave up.
My last three pairs have been progressive. They took a little getting used to; first few weeks stairs were an issue but I adapted and the brain soon sorts the distortions (straight lines look curved at first). Now I love them. The ability to be able to see close, distant and mid all in one is a winner for me. I can see the road and the dash equally as clearly, also the computer screen and the document in front of me. My peripheral vision is almost unaffected, there is a small fall off in image quality right towards the edge but that's about it. The one adjustment I've had to make is not relying on my judgment for assessing something is flat in any plane. The adaptations the brain has made for the curvature induced in the vision is really interesting. I run a contracting business so it is something I come across but it's no big deal now I'm aware of it, I just make sure I use a known straight edge. Oh, I should add the latest pair which I've had for a couple of months (I lost the old pair - left on top of the car, doh) have a wider mid section which is a big improvement.
I have both type......when I misplace my bifocals ( dont need them on all the time ),,,, I'll look for them,even if my wife tells me " your new glasses ( progressive)are in that drawer right there "... I always tell her,,,NOT THOSE ONES,THERE NOT GOOD .....and I'll make the effort to go upstairs to find my bifocals rather then reach for the progressive ones 3 steps away from me..... ...I resent the optometrist NOT telling me of the negative issues about them,he just kept pushing for,,TRYING TO SELL ME on the progressive ones....so I bought the progressive ones......and they are shining brand new in their case still....I tried hard to adapt to them,,,,,but it was like looking through water,,to often throughout my day....ILL NEVER GET A PROGRESSIVE LENS AGAIN....
I have used both. I have a very high script and an astigmatism. First I had progressives for several years -- loved them!! The next time I tried to save money and brought bi-focals -- huge mistake!!! Bi-focals make terrific keep-in-the-glovebox-emergency-pair. But, for everyday wear, I want progressives; and please note, you must take the time to sit with the person who will make your lenses and explain how you wear your glasses and what activities you do while wearing them. Remember, if the person does not want to work with you, s/he clearly doesn't want your money either. Thanks for the great video!
I’ve actually never considered bifocals. I think I’m gonna buy a pair just to see what they’re like. I’m pretty used to the progressives and after many years I’m pretty good at finding the sweet spot for each distance but they’re definitely not perfect. They’re always like you said just a little bit off. Anyway you’ve given me an idea and I’m gonna try something new and see what they’re like. Like I said never considered it before but I am now. Thanks for the information
I wear progressive lenses. Here in UK they’re called VariFocal lenses. The only issue I have with them is if I’m doing something up close and looking upwards it is not clear. I have to put on reading glasses for things like that. It is annoying having to switch. If the manufacturers could try and sort a solution to that, these glasses would be 10/10. Or should that be 20:20.
And this is why I have 2 pairs of eye glasses. One for distance (mostly driving) with anti-glare coating for nighttime and one for reading or anything needing clear up close vision.
I was far sighted since high school, when I reached 40s, started having problem with short sighted. my opt prescribed progressive, it's expensive but it is so worth it. love em
I wear progressive lens and was extremely shocked by the price of the lens. I have always paid a little more for my lens due to my prescription but WOW was not expecting $500 for just my lens. I do love them and I don't have the distortion on the sides luckily.
I have been wearing progressive lenses for over 20 yrs now. In the beginning, it took a while to get used to them, especially going down stairs. I had wire frames with nose pads that moved, which meant I had to have them readjusted often. Fast-forward, I now have a one-piece acrylic frame, a slightly larger lens area with the different zones extended, and they slightly curve my fame. It's almost like not wearing glasses. I would like to mention that you need to work together with an optometrist you trust. Without your feedback and them keeping up with new technology, understanding their craft from all aspects. Most of all, understanding what you are telling them. It might take time for all of that to come together, but when it does, it is so worth it. BTW, great video with solid explanations.
I wear progressive lenses and I am a carpenter. The jump line on standard bifocals make using a table saw a scary thing for me. The sighting of a straight line is a bit challenging with progressives and yes I still occasionally need a magnifier for other projects not wood related.
Hello Doctor, I’ve been wearing progressive lenses for over 12 years, I am 64 years old and have macular degeneration, I have fallen many times by missing a step, I am wondering if it has to do with the distortion created by my progressive lenses? This is the first time I’ve seen your videos, thank you for educating us in this very important thing, our eyesight. God bless you. 🙏🙂
Varifocals - Sharp top and bottom of lens. Blurred in the middle. I have just purchased some varifocals / progressive lens glasses from Specsavers here in the UK. I've had reading glasses (my first set of glasses for the last 2 years. The mid-range middle of the lens is blurry / out of register, looking at a computer screen at arms length, I have tried adjusting my distance in little increments to find a sharp focus point, but middle of lens does not get sharp. Where as the distance and reading (top and bottom of lens) are fine. So my prescription must be correct. I'm told it's a mild, ordinary prescription for my age - 51. The blend in the middle is a mix or distance and reading. So how can it be blurry / distorted if the top and bottom are correct? Specsavers have been really good in not in their service, but have tried a few lens types so far, but still haven't solved the problem. Has anyone else experienced this? Varifocals - Sharp top and bottom of lens. Blurred in the middle. I would love to find a solution. At the moment I have to stick to my original reading glasses. Thanks🤔
I have had both bifocals and progressives through the years. Progressives are the best, once you adapt. My advice is to buy the best progressives available. Yes they are expensive, but we're talking about your vision. You might need to cut back on a few extra-fancy things, like $5.00 cups of coffee, to afford them, but they are worth it.
I was upsold to the "best" in a whirlwind post-optometrist visit with the office optician. Sometimes the most expensive progressive lenses can actually be the most impossible to adapt to, especially to a newcomer. And in that case, you've spent & lost a whole lot of money for something that isn't helping your quality of life. That was my experience. I spent well over $1000 for the so-called best, and for several reasons (fields too high, RX was off, side distortions worse after remake), it's been an unpleasant experience, and what I have two months later is still unwearable. If I downgrade to single vision lenses, all that money is simply wasted. My advice is to take your time, ask a lot of questions, and don't be rushed or rush yourself into any one potential solution.
Hi. I’m in my 50s, been wearing glasses since high school. I started using progressive lens in my 40s. My brother, an optometrist, warned me about the needed adjustment period. It’s a painful bridge to cross, but after crossing, you never look back. Maybe because I’m far-sighted, letters are a blur when it’s near, that makes me dependent on my glasses, propelled me to bite the bullet, so to speak. … You are right, progressive lenses are expensive, consider it an investment, together with getting an equally expensive frame! I’m able to use mine for more than a year, sometimes, even 2, before needing a new pair. Thank you.
I recommend patients to go with 2 eyeglasses, 1 bifocals or progressive whichever they prefer, for everyday use, and 1 single vision glasses with their near or intermediate power, for them to use during hours and hours of computer or near work. I prefer good ergonomics over looks.
I'm just a user, but I'd like to mention a couple of other cases for additional glasses. Near focus glasses are very useful in confined spaces, such as you find when working on plumbing or under a car. It is literally a pain in the neck to try to crane your head back to use bifocals or progressives in these situations. Distance-only glasses are very useful if you want to use virtual reality headsets, otherwise the bottom portion of your field of view will always be out of focus. Intermediate focus lenses can be useful if work requires you to read labels above eye level, such as stocking shelves or working in a library.
I use a computer for a long time during the day. I also went with progressive lenses when I first needed the "add" for reading. I've worn glasses since the first grade, and am extremely myopic, with some astigmatism as well. I was told that it might be difficult to adjust to progressive lenses, but I found that I adjusted well in only a day. I'm now getting my third pair in six years. I prefer round or almost round metal frames with nosepads, and that style has always worked well for me, whether with single vision distance glasses that I wore when younger, or progressives that I'm wearing now. I like how you mentioned the importance of the fit. I also believe that the quality of the lab that does the grind is important, since some eyewear stores use labs that are more interested in speed than in precision. Professional fitting and grinding are both necessary in order for a patient to have a good outcome with progressive lenses.
I’ve been thinking about progressives but I’m really worried about it. I have severe chronic fatigue syndrome and I’m concerned that all the extra work to refocus my eyes each time I move might create a big problem for me. Sounds ridiculous, but when I’m having a bad day I don’t focus except when I must because it takes energy. I have astigmatism and my prescription is much stronger in one eye so the distortion might be a big problem too. I’d love to hear the experience of anyone with fatigue issues who has tried either progressives or bifocals. I must change something next time (I’ll be buying more in December/January) as I bought reading glasses last time and now wear them pretty much constantly which is not the plan. Maybe I could try transitions lenses again for my driving glasses. They’re bound to be better now than when I tried them when they first came out. So then I’d have only one pair for the car and could get an intermediate pair for around the house/garden etc and the computer and watching tv and then another pair just for reading. I’ll go look to see if there’s a video on transitions lenses. Btw, it was incredibly helpful the way you filmed through the lens! So simple, but brilliant! Thank you.
I got glasses last week. I have fibromyalgia. They’re driving me bonkers…..But I have a friend with similar health problems. She has adjusted to progressives. It took her months, but she’s very happy with them now.
@@ginahumble5966 thanks. I ordered some. Haven’t got them yet. I need to chase it up. In the end I went with new readers, an intermediate pair with transitions lenses for around the house and garden but not actually reading, a new pair for distance untinted because I’m over getting the nose pads stuck in my hair, keeping the same tinted distance pair as they’re still fine, and a pair of progressives just to play with and see if I can cope with them or not.
I wore/tried to wear progressives for 2 months. I originally told the optician that I use my peripheral vision a lot. He said "You don't use it as much as you think." *Guess who was right!"* Yes I do use my peripheral vision a lot. He had said they would switch the lens for bifocals (which I originally asked for) if I could not adapt to the progressives. I went back and said "I have been sick every day, I can't read street signs and I HATE these." I finally got bifocals and never had any trouble adapting to them. Each patient is different and the optician should actually listen to them.
When my vision changed to the point I needed correction reading along with my original RX, I started out with progressive lenses and never had an issue. Maybe because I was wearing contacts about 90% of the time for training. I consider myself lucky because I've known people who had a lot of issues with glasses, progressives and contacts whereas I've not had an issue with any. Weird thing is, my vision has actually gotten better the last 6 or 7 years. I joked with my optometrist this year that if I make it to 2035, maybe I'll be back to 20/20!
Thanks for an informative video, had radial keretotomy ( Kritzinger, pioneer of cold laser) and perfect outcome...20/20 vision op done in '97...eyes have deteriorated a little in the past 5 years, unable to wear a contact lense to rectify the deficit due to corneal surface having been sculpted flat , so have -1 bifocal lense for driving, ( signs are indistinct at speed...) I don't believe that I have had the option of a 'progessive lens', put to me by an optometrist, but had a single focus pair of spectacles before the bifocals which served me admirably .I will inquire re progressive lenses when next I'm in proximity to an optometrist.Thanks to your video.My short vision 4 phone ; computer and reading is ok ...it's just long vision which is slightly impaired; and another kerototomy op would reverse the current status of my vision...says optometrist...thus better to stay as I am, and use spectacles to drive...Thank you
There is phenomenon called second vision with nuclear cataract where the lens shrinks and refracts more to bring the image to focus. I suggest to have a checkup with opthalmologist to check for nuclear cataract, because normally, the vision dont revert to normal as the eyeball cant change its shape once developed.
After wearing progressive lenses for 20+ years adjusting my head position has become automatic, plus my new lenses have a wider field of vision. Great video!!
I got thin/light progressives (compressed curvature) 10 years ago and they gave me eye strain headaches within 1 day. I went back to the Optometrist and explained the problem I was having. After continuing to use them for about 4 days with the same problem, she recommended replacing the lightweight lenses with the standard thickness lenses in the same prescription (also progressive). PROBLEM SOLVED! :-) I have been a "Happy Camper" ever since. If you got the thin lenses and had eye strain headaches afterwards, try the standard thickness lenses, they may work for you too.
I have a stigmatism and I recently went to have my eyes checked as I do every year. I’ve been wearing my new glasses for about a week now I can see everything clear from afar, but if I’m reading a book or trying to read something on my phone, I can’t see because it looks very blurry. I went back to the eye doctor, and they said that the doctor should have recommended bifocals and they were shocked that she didn’t mention them. I asked him why all of a sudden after all these years do I need to use bifocals and they say because my prescription has increased dramatically from previous years so it’s only going to get harder for me to read as the years go by. i’m so frustrated that this wasn’t mentioned to me at the original appointment and I’m also frustrated that I now need to wear bifocals. oh well, thank you for sharing such an informative video. Now I will have to decide if I should go with the progressives or do the bifocals.
I love my progressives and they were easy to get used to. My prescription isn’t the strongest (+1.50) so that’s partly why, but I think it’s important to get used to them before you need really strong ones so those will be easier to adjust to in the future.
I am starting with glasses for the first time, +0.75 in one eye and +2 in the other, they recommended progressive lenses. I did try just reading glasses for a few months and it gives me headaches, just doesn't work - I was reading your comment and found it very helpful. Do you not get headaches or dizzy from your glasses? I find that jumping from the far to the near makes me dizzy. Any information would be helpful! Thank you:)
@@daniellemanor I’ve never experienced any headaches from mine but when I first got them I noticed mostly at work , when walking around back and forth a lot (I work retail) I’d get dizzy and at first it worried me that the prescription was off then it completely went away after about a week. I only ever noticed that at work though, not so much at home.
About to get my first pair of bifocals (prior just OTC magnifiers for reading) -- was curious about progressives and your explanation was top notch -- thanks very much!
Great video, as usual! One question I've wondered about is how the shape of the lens affects my vision. For example, does a rounder, Ben Franklin style lens have less distortion than a curved, oval design. There are literally hundreds of shapes and I suppose some are better than others. Btw, my yearly eye exam is due next week. Thanks!
Great question, the wider the lenses, you may notice more distortion. Glasses shapes that are larger, tend too give more lens distortion because the edges of the lens get further out from the optical center, so you get a larger fish bowl to look through. Smaller lenses have less side distortion but you need to watch out that the lens is tall enough when it comes to progressives. If the lens is too small or short, then the progressives magnification can be cut off. 😬
@@DoctorEyeHealth , reading what you wrote here about the lens not being tall enough which then the progressive being shortened. I would hope that we would be informed from the optometrist, cuz how on earth are we supposed to know that? After all cost more than a dollar or neither are they two for one
I’ve been wearing progressive lenses for over 20 years, and I just love them. I have a stigmatism and very nearsighted and my prescription works very well for me. I tried bifocals in that line just drove me crazy. I’ve had really good success with getting my glasses from Costcoand they’re cost about $250
I tried a pair of progressive lenses. When I bought them I did not know I needed a pair of frames that was big enough for them. Second, I had so much issue getting used to them. I thought maybe the place I had gotten them at had gotten the prescription all wrong. I had to wait another 2 years or so before I could get an exam and find out if Bifocols were better. When I did talk to the doctor about that issue, she said that sometimes, in the brain, it does not connect with the type of lens you are seeing out of and can cause issues, nothing bad but I just could not get used to them, it was like I was rejecting them. Once I got a bifolcol lens in a pair of glasses I was good to go.
I’ve got those Fancy-Nancy’s My question & concern is regarding peripheral vision aspects. Why isn’t peripheral vision considered & respected When designing progressive lenses? Why is there only a sweet spot in the middle? Peripheral vision is very important especially when driving, & having things out of focus unless you completely turn your head to look is maddening. Is there a “grind” or prescription that takes into consideration peripheral vision??. Thank you
You are absolutely right about the peripheral vision and the issues with driving. This is a huge issue for a lot of people. Unfortunately, due to the way the progressive lenses are made, the distortion off to the side is almost impossible to get rid of (at least with our current technology). But more advanced lenses due often have less distortion off to the sides or the jump to the distortion is less noticable, but there are no lenses out there that get rid of ALL of the distortion.
I am 68 and have just been prescribed the new prescription for the glasses for farsightedness and near by my optometrist. I work on computer for nearly 12 hours a day. I had cataract removed from my both eyes nearly 6 years ago. I do have the glasses for distance and reading separately which I use very rarely. I now feel that my eyes are getting weaker. After seeing your video, would like to have your advice- what would be best option for me . thanks a lot.
Bifocals are best,it got accurate vision in all areas of lens.If you drive a lot then bifocals are best as there is no blurring in the corners.if you buy the best and costly progressive lenses(essilor varillux) then also there will be distortion. If you want the accuracy of bifocals with progressive lens like appearance go for invisible bifocals like shamir duo( no line will be seen in bottom).invisible bifocals are very cheaper(price starts from 31 dollars) than progressive lenses.invisible bifocals also got all combos like transition,anti glare coating,blue filter etc.
I was so excited to get my 1st pair of progressive lens glasses, but I couldn't hate them more than I do.... They make me dizzy, & I can only see distance well when I tilt my head down & look out of the very top of the lens. Trying to see close up is even worse, as I have to find a very small "sweet spot" that involves me turning my head to the left (they're not centered in the lens), then moving my HEAD side to side to read (instead of my eyes). Ugh. The worst part is that the optomitrist won't refund my $$, so I have a $350 pair of glasses that I'll never use... Any suggestions on getting a better pair?? Oh, & the comment about stairs becoming really dangerous to navigate is spot on. I can't wair progressives if trying to go up / dn. stairs.
This is exactly how I was with progressives(varifocals here in the UK). I could not find that tiny reading spot and felt dizzy wearing them. I tried to adjust for some time, but took them back. Tried 3 different pairs over time, but unfortunately just couldn't get used to them. I now have bifocals which I don't like but at least when out and about I don't have to change glasses to read. for me it is the intermediate they can't get right, and I spend more time on my laptop than i do general reading. My daughter went to progressives and straight away loved them.
I wear varifocals (UK) which I guess are 'progressive'. Took a while to get used to them. And I struggled with the distortion. Last time I paid more ( a lot more!) for the very best varifocals and they have no distortion at all and I love them. But - I'm sure they are making my eyesight worse in the long term. I suspect that if you have presbyopia and you get lenses that do all the work for your eyes then your eyes just give up and the lenses harden in one spot because they no longer have to try. I can't see a thing without my glasses now.
No, that's not how it works. Correcting your vision appropriately does not make your eyes worse. The lens in the eye doesn't have a concept of giving up. If you're not wearing the right prescription, on the other hand, that can cause headaches, eyestrain and such.
Quilter here. I had wondered about progressive lenses but after watching this video, no way. I can't do a good job on straight lines and angles with lenses that have distortion. Thanks very much.
![Blox Fruits Dragon Rework Update [Full Stream]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/EqDAp8udhm0/mqdefault.jpg)
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
As an airline pilot, for me, progressives just didn't work. My instrument panel was more than an arms length away. Farther than standard reading distance. When I tried flying with them, there was only a very small spot on the panel that was in focus. I had to move my head around, a lot, to read the panel and get the information I needed to fly the aircraft. This can cause vertigo. The preferred method for scanning is to leave your head in one place and move your eyes. This is not possible with progressives. I had bifocals made that had the lower part focus at about 40 inches rather than the std reading distance, and had the bifocal line moved up 2 mm. That put the line right at the top of the instrument panel. Also, had the lower portion widened more than normal so I can leave my head in one place and let my eyes do the wandering to read the panel. My doctor resisted all these changes but in the end, she agreed and has become the "go to" doc for many airline pilots in our city.
My brother was a helicpter test pilot, he wore varifocals when flying. I would suggest that your problems come more from poor measurement and fitting than from the lenses themselves
@@migranthawker2952 your brother could have had a lower prescription. Believe the experience of people here. Bifocals are the way to go
I prefer progressive lenses....but everyone is different it's what works for you the whole intent of eyeglasses is to help ....not one is is better then the other it's what helps you
@@AndresRamirez-gx9oy
Agreed.
You should go for Varilux X Series progressive glasses.
I just saw this video (9/2023) and someone may have already made this comment. I have worn tri-focals for 40 years. I tried progressive lenses about 20 years ago and they weren’t for me. I was recently talked into trying them again and I couldn’t remember why I didn’t like them. I remembered right away when I got them again. The reading and middle distance portions were exceptionally small. I had to keep moving my head from left to right to read anything. I went back to tri-focals. I had the middle distance portion moved up and widened. That is perfect for reading and computer work (and reading the dashboard). And at 73 years old, I couldn’t care less about people thinking I look older.
I agree. I tried progressives and just couldn't adapt. I'm much happier with trifocals. I only needed the "third" lens because of so much computer work I do. And I still go to the Dollar Store and get cheap readers as well! LOL
Having spent years on motorcycles and racing on the track, I became very dependent upon my peripheral vision. When I grew older I tried progressives and felt unsafe as I could not discern what was coming at me from the sides as well as I could before. Also when I would scan the night skies for meteors, could not take in as much of the sky as before. I junked the progressives in favor of trifocals and now feel safer driving and I feel that I'm seeing much more of the natural world without having to readjust my line of sight. I'm an old man now so why should I care if I look old? Actually if anyone would judge me on the basis of my eye glasses; well I probably wouldn't want anything to do with that person after all.
Hey, I hear you. I got my first pair of glasses at 50, straight to progressives. My first pair were so distorted on the sides I felt like a bird having to jerk my head to focus directly straight ahead. Even road signs slightly to the side were distorted like you say.
I took them back and bought a much higher quality lens that almost completely eliminated the problem.
I'm not saying you should try them again, you found something that works, just saying they aren't all the same.
Precisely my experience. I took my progressives back because I couldn't read street signs as I passed.
Funny, I just got a pair of progressives and went out birding and looking at the night sky, the lack of peripheral vision is a big thing. I'm already considering a dedicated pair for distance to do those activities. Like you said you're seeing much more of the natural world.
@@robwasnj I returned my progressive lens and got trifocals. I find them much easier and enjoy the wider field of view outdoors.
@@charlielipthratt7291 yeah, I may wind up going the same route... not sure why the optometrist favors them so much, I guess because they focus at all distances but the field of view is something I didn't even think about. I can definitely see things but it's like being in a tunnel compared to when I take them off. Thanks for the input.
I had progressive lenses for several years and never really warmed to them, I found myself always 'hunting' with minute head movements for an elusive clearer field of vision. Last year, I needed to renew my glasses and chose bifocals, and I have found that clear delineation between far away and close up much easier to manage. So when driving for example, it feels like the most natural thing in the world to hold my head where I can eyeball down for the speedo and eyeball up for the road ahead. Different strokes for different folks.
It does take the perfect progressive and training by your optician. I tried my hardest to make sure my patients had a wider center of vision and always made sure they were in a correct frame and lens for their face. ( not too small/narrow and not to deep/wide. I really loved my patients. It was a calling and not a job. It was nice to know when they would return and ask for me specifically.
At last---someone tells the facts, and doesn't blame the shortcomings of the lens on the wearer. Thanks!
I know!!! He is the best I have watched ‼️‼️‼️
I was prescribed my first pair of bifocals when I was in first grade. That was seventy years ago. Back then the lenses were made of glass. Because my vision needed so much correction the lenses were quite thick which made the eyeglasses very heavy; the bridge of my nose was constantly red and sore. Today I have trifocals with the lines. Despite my lenses being very complicated with prisms in both, the new lens materials have now resulted in my eyeglasses being light as a feather and comfortable to wear from morning to night !
I remember how heavy there were in 1980s through middle of 1990s
Glad you’re more comfortable with your glasses now sir! Wishing you a happy long life
I've been wearing singles since 1968 and a little over a decade ago it was suggested I give bifocals a try. I've been resisting but now I have progressives on the way. We'll see how it works...
Just a comment on your presentation: Remarkable and commendable. Not a word wasted, not a single repetition. You honor me as your viewer when you create this polished, fact-filled content. Thank you. I am about to get glasses again and will consider lined. I had fallen into the "newer, so it must be better" trap. I also thank the commenters for contributing to this very discussion.
Excellent commentary! I have progressives now & like you I most often go for the latest, but I’m only kind of happy with wearing progressives. To me, they changed how “they” make progressives today. I didn’t used to have any problems, but my vision changed and I had to get new lenses.
he’s cute too
I tried wearing progressive lenses for a week, which gave me constant headaches. I took them back and the optometrist told me about 2% of people cannot adapt to them. I use trifocals now and I do a lot of reading, and they allow you to read a whole line without having to move your head. I had to constantly move my head to maintain the sweet spot with progressives.
I agree, the head moves bothered my neck! Bifocals have some annoyance’s, but finding that sweet spot in the progressive’s was way worse for me. It’s hard to believe only 2% can’t wear the progressive lenses!
I use progressives without any problem.
I got a good deal online, had all the pupil measurements, so I gave them a try. At first it seems nice having the smooth transition but then i got the headaches. They give the same sensation I get when I look at fish in an aquarium. I even had this to a degree with the new thinner lenses and had to adapt. (Yeah, I'm so ancient I've had glass lenses.) When I turn my head I close my eyes, make the turn and then open them. If I leave them open when I turn my head I get sick to my stomach very quickly. I just do it automatically now, don't even have to think about it.
I had bifocals in my first pair at age 10 so I've never had an issue with using them, I've never cared how old they made me look, all I cared was that I could see. They do make it difficult to watch TV if you are laying down and in my job they also caused a problem. Eventually I got them lowered on the lenses and that was workable for me but my guy put them back up as soon as I changed jobs. Now that I can get inexpensive glasses online I usually get one pair for far, one for near, maybe a pair with bifocals.
I tried contacts for a while. They did solve some issues that glasses can't but it turns out my eyes are just too dry. I also ran into the problem with near and far vision. I told my guy I didn't want them that way but he did it anyway. One eye always seemed blurry and fuzzy like having one dirty lens. If I put the same prescription in both eyes the problem went away. It wasn't like I could read with them either way so it was more of an irritation than a feature.
That's another thing I've noticed. Normally "cheaters", OTC reading glasses are useless for me but when I had contacts they worked just fine.
Go for Varilux X series progressive glasses
@@disenfranchisedrealist4433 my glasses have prisms to eliminate the headache and sick felling. 🤓
I moved from bifocals to progressives 15-20 years ago. Astigmatism in the left eye and need more magnification. I have never experienced the distortion everyone talks about. I guess I learned how to use the lenses quickly. I really like that I have decent vision at any distance.
I've never experience distortion either. Prefer the progressives.
Yet, here you are on a channel dedicated to eyesight. Your eyes must be f…ed
I agree. I actually had trouble with bifocals when walking up and down stairs. I don't experience the same distortion with Progressives.
I’ve been wearing progressive lenses for over 20 years, and I just love them. I tried bifocals it one time and to me they did not work at all that line drove me crazy.
Progressives it is! I always get varilux lenses but the best. No distortion no nothing
Since I used the two types for quite a while I settled for two separate pair of glasses, one for distance and one for reading. This way I eliminated the dizziness I got from progressives and the limited reading area I got from bifocals. I got used to the inconvenience of replacing them for reading or distance.
I agree. I carry 3 pairs of glasses: Distance, Reading and Sunglasses. I wear shirts with breast pockets that hold my eyeglasses.
One of my lenses got scratched when I fell. The replacement cost for one progressive, thin, coated lens cost me $476. I had chosen progressive lenses because I was a CPA and needed to be able to see far for driving, close for reading, and mid-range for the computer. I already had to change glasses for sunglasses, I did not want any more pairs of glasses. Progressives are not perfect, but seemed to be the best choice. Other people like having dedicated computer glasses. I want the eyes I had before puberty.
LOL. "the eyes before puberty" Me too.
Have you tried transitions? That's where the glasses will change to sunglasses? There is no need to change to sunglasses that are not prescription sunglasses which leaves you to not see as well
My previous prescription was no a no line progressive bifocals. The first time I had a different strength prescription for distance and reading. The difference in prescription was not that large but I could never get use to progressive lens even after two years. When I was just on vacation in the United Kingdom I decided to get new glasses while I was there and decided to get separate glasses for reading and distance. I got a pair of reading glasses for reading and using a computer screen with a slight tint. A second pair prescription sunglasses for distance and a third pair for distance only that react to the sunlight causing the lens to darken. The cost to buy three pair of glasses in the United Kingdom without health insurance was about half the cost of buying one pair of glasses in the United States with health insurance. Best decision I made was choosing to going with two different pair of glasses with the addition of sunglasses mainly used while driving.
Since I been ordering on line with up to 75 percent off my over $400 progressive lens .I'm happily paying under 100.
@@mariaargllo6169 which company do you use? I want to do the same. Thanks
Your video has helped me so much. I have spent 3 visits to the optometrist so far, talking about options. Being able to see them via video has been VERY useful - not sure what to do yet but this helps.
This is the best video explainer for the difference between bifocal and progressive lenses that I didn't know I needed to see. No optician in all my decades of wearing glasses for nearsightedness has ever indicated to me that there's a difference in the types of progressive lenses on offer, so thank you for making this video.
Thank you for that!
The mistake I made with progressive lenses was going for a frame design that had not much height. It meant the different zones were very narrow, causing neck pain because I had to hold my head so still to keep the right part of the lens in front, whatever I was doing. I went back to a fixed distance pair after that, and just took them off for reading (albeit blurrily). I'll probably try again, but with a much taller design of frame.
Thank you so much for this!
That's an important point many people, including eye professionals, forget!
I just got my first set of progressives a month ago, and my optician stressed that I needed to choose frames that allowed sufficient height for them to work optimally. It took a lot of searching since I had been wearing short frames for years and was used to that esthetics.
In the end I'm very happy with my progressives, even if they gave me a headache for the first three days.
Same issue. I could not sit in my recliner and watch TV. Had to bury my chin in my chest to even see. Neck cramps constantly. Could not locate the correct spot to view the instrument panel in the car without taking my view off the road for far to long. Instead of moving my eyes I found myself moving my head to locate the correct view. It was horrible. I gave up on them. I now have distance glasses and readers. A total pain in the rear but nothing else works. A shame no one has been able to resolve this considering the number of people out here wearing glasses.
That is my problem. I chose narrow frames because all other in stock looked too outdated and there’s not enough bifocal. I’m in the market to find a larger frame, hopefully I can find something attractive😏
@@c.bellamy2007 with progressives, you definitely need bigger lens.
I wish their was a way to try out new lens prescriptions like this before buying. The 2 seconds in the eye exam doesn't help you get any sense of how you will adjust to them and their to pricey to just "buy and see".
As a tech who has made eye glasses at the retail level for 20+ years now I found your video informative and absolutely true. As to getting used to progressives for those new to them I have a few insights not covered in the video. Those that have myopia or nearsightedness have an easier time with progressives than with farsighted people because even with single vision lenses the higher the prescription the more the peripheral distortion there is so finding that sweet spot in the lens where everything is clear is something those with myopia are already used to doing. Of course the opposite is true with those with hyperopia or farsightedness but not all the time, most people are determined to avoid the line so will try harder to get used to progressives.
Also, with people who want to switch to progressives from lined bifocals I have found that progressives with a short intermediate corridor work best for them because they are used to that quick eye jump from distance to near vision. But I must stress that these are generalities and everyone is different.
This is great stuff!!!! Thank you!
I'm -8 and have never had to hunt for a sweet spot with single vision glasses, I'm quite puzzled by that. I've just ordered bifocals, I don't fancy progressives for various reasons. My ex was about -17 and he did mention that there's more distortion, but myopia that high is pretty unusual and it sounded like you were talking shout myopes in general.
I have had both types. I had standard bifocals first and enjoyed them for several years. I was encouraged to move to progressives. I wore them for about 5 years and decided I wanted to go back to standard bifocals one year ago. My OD said, "no, you need to stay with the progressives. You must." So, I did. The new lenses cost about $700 without frames. I used the frames I had for the replacement. When I finally received the progressives, I had the distortion problem the minute I was driving out of the parking lot from the OD's office. Oncoming traffic was distorted and I thought my entry lane was clear. I was almost struck by a vehicle that was in the entry lane but appeared to be in another lane. I turned around, went back to the OD office, and asked for standard bifocals to be ordered. Also, I believe it is a myth that you have a "progressive" focus change with progressive lenses. There is the distance vision area of the lens at the top, which is huge. Then there is this pencil-eraser-sized area at the bottom that is for near vision. Everything in-between is unusable because the focal points are so small. Heck, even the near vision area is difficult to find and takes a lot of practice. I really like my standard bifocals and am glad I made the decision to ignore my OD's insistence to stay with progressives.
So, your old progressive glass work well but new ones were junk?
@@juhajuntunen7866 That's the impression I got.
@@juhajuntunen7866 He said he had both, but decided to go back to plain bifocals but his doctor talked him out of it. So...he didn't really like the old progressives....
you must give us more money. coatings are upsold similarly, despite reducing clarity and scratchproof coating being almost useless. easy money. capitalist health system.
If your OD is associated with the shop selling you the glasses then he/she benefits more if you choose the more expensive option. The way I see it is that the bifocals makes it clear when you are looking through the distance lens versus what's near and the transition is definite whereas with the progressives, you're almost certain to be looking through the wrong portions till you learn how to use them which you might never do given how difficult that is at the start and you always have the option of reverting to your older lens.
Of course, if you record your pupil distance for both distance and near viewing, you can probably order whatever you want online for a lot less. They almost never write the pupil distance on your prescription to encourage you to using a brick and mortar shop.
I have worn glasses since I was 11, 65 years ago. By the time I was in my 50’s, my prescription was around -7 in each eye. When my ophthalmologist suggested bifocals, I went straight to progressive lenses. It only took me about 20 minutes to get used to them. I actually welcomed the onset of cataracts! Now I need almost no correction for distance. My ideal glasses now are progressive and transition lenses, combining 4 pairs of glasses into one.
Like you, when I needed bifocals, I went straight to progressive lenses with transition. Didn't even take me 20 minutes. Put them on and didn't skip a bit. About 6 years ago, had the ones with lines in my safety glasses at work (didn't want to fork out the extra money for the progressives as work wouldn't cover progressive lenses). Hated the lines. Suffered through two years with the lines until I could order new safety glasses at which point I gladly paid the extra cost for getting the progressives. Unless your prescription changes, my employer will only pay for new safety glasses every two years.
My prescription is just a smidge less than Norman. Never did hit -7. But I came very close. 😁
This means thick lenses, which leads to heavy glasses, which hurt the ears and nose. Even when I use a strap to try to reduce the load on my ears and nose.
I never did use progressives or bifocals. Weight being my primary consideration, the simplest way to reduce weight is to choose frames with very small short lenses. These tend to not work so well with progressives, because there is insufficient height. I didn't want bifocals either. My job involves looking at computer screens most of the day. I could just imagine that raising my head to look down at the screen was going to give me a stiff neck.
I went with monovision instead. The secondary reason is because I am a stingy cheapskate. Special lenses and features on the lenses and frames drives costs up unnecessarily. I now get mine online. Wait for a special promo, get two pairs each time. Left eye adjusted for distance, right eye for intermediate distance (computer). And the other pair, adjust the opposite way. The idea of getting a pair is so that one eye do not become overly dominant. Just switch between them daily. You could get different designs, but I always get identical pairs.
Because I just get standard base-level everything, my glasses are only about $5-$10 a pair. Even getting two pairs, add in normal shipping, the price is still so cheap, it didn't really matter if they break. If one breaks, I retire its twin and order two more pairs. Waiting for the special promo and the time it takes my order to arrive by the slowest cheapest shipping option, I already have lots of old spares lying around.
Same!!!
My astigmatism was a little worse. I recently had cataract surgery. I have +7.0 D implants in both eyes. My distance vision is nearly perfect. My near vision is corrected with +2.75.
Have never experienced this level of vision in my life. 62 years old. Cataracts were a blessing for me. No longer wear Coke Bottle lenses.
I am old, and I do not care who notices it! What REALLY makes you look old is struggling to deal with the many different distortions on a complicated lens, constantly dizzy from rolling your eyes. I carry two different glasses, and use the one most appropriate, or just wear reading glasses on a neck chain to raise when I need them! Shocking news: Perhaps old news to most people, but I discovered that I could use my out-dated reading glasses for excellent middle-distance TV watching! My reading glasses are 2.5 now, but my old 2.25 glasses are wonderful for very clear TV eight feet away! Life is much nicer if you don't obsess over how old you look............................elsullo
I have been wearing progressives for seven years or so and I love them! The only regular bifocals that I had was safety glasses for work,but a year ago I bought progressive safety glasses and like them a lot better! I am a long time contact wearer and had no issues at all switching to progressive glasses and still sometimes wear contacts but have to carry reading glasses during those times. My biggest issue when I wear glasses is looking through rifle scopes as the crosshairs are canted slightly as when I wear my contacts which are single vision the crosshairs look normal. I sometimes wear my progressives when I shoot and I am tired of dealing with contacts(even though I only wear them only a little bit) as I am an avid hunter and spend time at the rifle range.My wife got her first pair of progressives last winter and gave up on them after five days and took them back. She exchanged them and got single vision lenses for driving since she has a mild prescription and uses OTR readers when needed. I feel that she didn't give it enough time when she had the progressives as it would have been better and easier if she had them to wear all the time. Hopefully she tries progressives again and that they work for her as I love the look of my wife when she is wearing glasses!
I started wearing bifocals when I was 40. I hated the visible lines because they were distracting. I didn't like how my eyes felt, switching back and forth, and couldn't get used to them. Switched to progressives and loved them from the first moment I put them on. I have an astigmatism, one eye is weaker than the other. I had no trouble adjusting to progressives and have been happily wearing them ever since.
I’m the same! My astigmatism in one eye is worse than the other, but my left eye (good eye) just recently started to feel different. I literally just got prescribed progressive lenses. I’m nervous but I know they’ll probably help me a lot more.
I felt blind wearing the progressives! I kept getting horrible headaches! I love my bifocals! I’ve never had any problems with my bifocals! I didn’t think I looked old!
In my experience in the UK, most problems with varifocals come from a lack of knowledge of the optician who is supplying them - not correctly measuring the distance between your eyes - most just take the overall distance, whereas it is essential to measure for each eye from the centre of the bridge of the nose, which is where your spectacles will sit. Also is is necessary to ensure the finished spectacles are fitted properly, with the correct vertical angle and bowing to the frame. I despair at how many pairs of spectacles I see that look as if they've just been thrown at the wearer!
As someone who is dyslexic and works in a Specsavers Lab in the UK this video was a great help, easy to understand unlike other videos 👍👍
I’m a retired Optician. I have tried almost every progressive lens available, because I could not suggest one if I did not know the options of the lens myself. I started in comfort short with my 1st pair…it was a great beginner lens if you wore a short lens. So if it was someone younger, it was the 1st option, depending on the frame they chose. However, as I am now 55…, I am in a new RX again with the added joy of having prism in my left lens. It took a couple of days to adjust to the prism ( thanks concussion ) but now, it’s pretty easy on my eyes 👀 and it has stopped the migraines that returned with a vengeance when I busted my head. Gotta love getting old with so many health problems.
Old? Old? I beg your pardon. I am old yet fleet of foot and not accident prone. Whilst you’re just clumsy. Old? Really, why do folk blame mistakes on old?
God love ya and sorry you fell down, went boom boom and concussed.
@@Donna-cc1kt I have autoimmune disease and osteoporosis. I did NOT FALL DOWN & get a boo-boo! I fainted and lost consciousness. My heart decided to quit pumping enough blood to keep me from fainting. Big difference from your overtly RUDE comment.
Incredibly rude @Donna.
Have worn progressives for nearly 20 years and my left eye is junk so has a much thicker lens. Did take a minute to acclimate but haven’t thought about that in years. Expensive but worth it for me.
The thicker the lens does not mean how strong they are. The thinner the lens is for higher diopters. I bet my eyesight is worse than yours, but I need high diopter lenses which are extremely thin. I think you are referring to the much cheaper/ cheapest poly lenses, which are really thick and not dependent on how many diopters you have, it’s all about how much you can afford.
Same here.....For me, there is no comparison.
I got my first glasses at about 52, and went straight in with progressive lenses. Took a few days to adjust, but was new to eyeglasses altogether. No problems and I don't have any of the distortion issues some have.
Same for me! I got used to them in a pair of weeks (my training consisted in blinking between every change of focus)
I’m working in a optometry office and your videos are so helpful!! Simple and fun! Thank you! 😃
Thank you!!!! That means a lot to hear
@@DoctorEyeHealth would you produce a video about 1.74 lenses for high prescriptions ? thank you
Progressives for me were a non starter right from day one. I'm a computer programmer, I also work with digital images.. And just to make that worse I'm a car geek too.
For me, dedicated computer glasses are the win. I can have large monitors entirely in focus as all angles. Critical especially for image work. But a big help for coding as I am not constantly resetting my head.
For the rest of the time, I like traditional bifocals. I have two distinct focal ranges, I know where they are and the line never mattered after the first 24 hours.
I have my add lenses about 2mm taller than most opticians suggest for most people because a lot of my more 'tinker' hobbies, such as automotive or computer building, etc happen inside of arms-length. But I like the larger field of view for these things as I work a lot at these distances. The only time I really need to see far away is walking, biking or driving. So sacrificing a couple millimeters at the bottom of my vision didn't hurt any of these activities.
I have no fashion related reasons for avoiding lines. I'm perfectly happy to be the mad scientist. Doesn't bother me a bit to look a little older.
Do you think being a computer programmer makes your eye sight worst? I feel that my eye sight got worst for staring at the screen for eyes.
@@iseeflowers Long sessions on a screen are hard on your eyes, and that can make your vision temporarily worse. However in my experience, that is really just temporary. If you take enough breaks, and get away from the screen its fine. I have been a programmer for 30 years and am a video game geek on top of that. My eyesight hasn't changed significantly over that time (except for near vision which degrades in all people once you're over about 40 years old). My primary prescription (distance) hasn't really changed at all.
So I would say that no, being a programmer doesn't necessarily change your vision. But maybe it could if you're not getting rest. I'm not a doctor tho, just an old guy who's a programmer.
Also, while thinking about glasses for screen work (intermediate is the usual term with UK optometrists). Don't be oversold on super thin, super light lenses. They often suffer much more from dispersion problems than thicker lenses, in other words colour fringing on high contrast image elements viewed through areas towards the edge of the lenses. This is a simple side effect of trying to bend the light more with less glass/plastic - the effect is likely to be less strong with lower refractive index (thicker for a given power) lenses. Plastic is quite light so the lenses probably won't be uncomfortably heavy. As ever, your mileage may vary.
Years ago, I had mild hyperopia (far sighted), mild astigmatism and presbyopia. Had been using reading glasses, but they were a nuisance and did nothing for the astigmatism. I tried progressive lenses. They were terrible, a total waste of money. Could not use them. I replaced them with trifocals. The trifocals worked great! Good for distance. Good for computer screens. Good for reading. None of the supposed disadvantages Dr. Allen describes ever bothered me. The only bothersome thing was, when I worked at a computer screen, using the middle distance segment, the middle distance segment was not quite tall enough. I had to tilt my head up and down more than I would have liked.
My wife has myopia (nearsighted) and astigmatism. She has worn glasses since she was four. She has been using progressives for at least twenty years and has been very pleased with them.
Thank you so much for the clear presentation. For years I have struggled with reading thinking I need a stronger prescription. The cost of progressive lens as well as anti glare plus more options is out of my budget now that I am retired. I have an appointment for new glasses and will certainly try the bifocals. I also appreciate all the comments by others made me realize I am not the only one who has difficulty seeing with them.
For the longest time I had progressives, I forget the company; but over time I had problem finding the sweet spot because it was narrow, and it was just easier just to get bifocal lenses.
I started needing gasses for close up in my 40's (now late 70's) and had bifocals to suit. Later, I also needed vision correction for distance as well. By this time I had heard about progressive lenses and thought that would be the way to go, but my optometrist said that I had excellent peripheral vision and progressive lenses would make it worse so I have always stuck with the bifocals.
I tried progressives but had to exchange them for bi-focals which suited my need much better. Distortion was the problem as I needed them principally for driving which involves scanning the whole scene, left and right. I had the reading part of the lens match my mid range/computer prescription which was much better for seeing the car instruments/displays.
Exactly my experience. There was one tiny spot in focus when I was driving. I could barely see anything in focus. Very dangerous and impossible. So, I got the bifocal for distance and dashboard. When I read, or use the computer, for the last 55 years I've always removed my glasses, and that's what I still do today. I tried trifocal, but too distracting. Bifocal all the way!
I found the same problem, particularly as I got older and my prescription got stronger. I did same and changed to bifocals with the bottom of lens adjusted to intermediate distance. I found progressive lenses a particular problem when using peripheral vision.
I tried bifocals but I had to switch to progressive lenses.
@@glennso47 Do you feel problem with peripheral vision during driving with progressive lenses?
EXACTLY what I did!
I've been using progressive lenses for a couple of years now and I must say that they're really good for outdoors since there is a wider distance variations of objects and also good for driving but not very good indoors especially when sitting on my computer.
Yes! Same for me.
Such a strange problem as that’s what happens with bifocals. With progressives a small up or down head movement will do it.
I use a separate single vision pair for the computer so I can see the whole screen without straining my neck
Same!
For 30 Years I have had progressive lenses ( about £150 ) and they are great, when talking about the lenses i requested that they were made with the intermediate field dominant and the distant and close to be smallest, the main thing i found with wearing progressive was to learn to look up or down and to turn my head and not look through the sides. peripheral vision is ok as you never see it sharp until you actually look at something.
Good video, thanks for this! I have been thinking about maybe trying bifocals or progressive lenses.. but after watching your video, now I don't want to deal with the problems of EITHER of them! 🙂
Thanks. I’m nearsighted and 54 years old. When I was younger I could just take off my glasses for reading and computer use. Now I can’t get away with that. My eye doctor offered bifocals and progressives as an option. I declined and now have 2 pairs of glasses. One for computer use and one for everything else. I can still read with no glasses at all because I hold books closer than my computer screen.
I think I’ll stick with my current solution based partly on your video. To me, the inconvenience of having two pairs of glasses is better than making the compromises you described. I can see how this would be very subjective though.
Getting older has it’s downsides but it beats the alternative. 😀
I tried progressive many years ago. I’m nearsighted and my left eye is rather astigmatic. Now I use 3 separate par of glasses; long distance, which I use most of the time and I definitely need them when driving. For reading I have a special par, but I can read without glasses with my right eye, if the text isn’t too small. The 3rd par I use when sight reading playing the violin in an orchestra. In the orchestra you have to share the music stand with a fellow musician and the distance is sort of long computer distance .
For myself, I prefer the bifocals. I found that when reading I would have to move my whole head when using the progressives. With the bifocals I can just move my eyes. I could use the intermediate but when I tried the trifocal lens they didn't leave enough room for the reading and I couldn't get used to them.
That is why I have a pair of reading glasses. They are dirt cheap. I wear my progressives around all day but if I am going to sit down an read or play Switch for a while I will put on my dedicated reading glasses. Progressives are fine for filling in forms or using your phone where you are only looking at something for a few minutes.
I absolutely love my progressive lenses.
No switching between glasses or peering down through a bifocal, just look where I want and see!
Only problem I see with them is trying to look out above a crowd where you tilt your head up and obviously look through the 'reading ' section......
It really depends on the Design of the Progressive Lens most entry level Progressive lenses have the issue which user have to do some posture adjustment to find the focus point of the different lens area to see clearly hence the higher level of design will bring you more comfort as the focus point will be larger but it all comes down to what is your prescription power of your eye & the budget or money you willing to spend on the lens
@@fabianmckenna8197 Do you have problem with peripheral vision while driving with progressives?
Got my first progressive lenses just a few weeks ago, cannot use them for everyday life, mostly for my hobby with changing focus frequently between close and distance. For everyday life I use my old distance glasses which are also still good for general reading as they make everything sharper. I don't know how that works, but it does. But I do notice I need to focus harder on reading labels in close sometimes. Those progressive lenses: they are restricting me in reading also, as you mentioned the narrow field for close distance, but to the distant world the glasses seem to have the suitable focus on the entire length of the lenses. Why they cannot make the same with the focus part? I used to go with my eyeballs from left to right as I was reading, now I need to move my head more each line. That is annoying.
I got my first set of progressive glasses yesterday, and already I was willing to call it quits. My eyes are constantly working to adjust and I can feel the strain. I'm trying to work with them, but I'm thinking I may need to get bifocals. I'm still getting use to not using my peripheral vision. I'm grateful for being able to read normal text in books again, but the distortion zones are doing weird things to me. Sometimes I feel shorter.
How are you feeling now? I’ve been trying my progressive (first pair of glasses ever) for two weeks now and feel like I’m going insane. Between the dizziness and the headaches, it’s aweful.
I use bifocals and have the intermediate distance in the lower section for things like reading car displays, menus, tablets, etc. This works really well for me. I just take my glasses off when I want to read or fix something up close. I also have a dedicated pair of glasses for computer screens when I'm using them over several hours. No need for trifocals.
I am old or at least feel old. I could not adapt to the distortion. Hard to explain but the left and right side of anything I was looking at had to be exactly the same distance from me and that was sometimes difficult. I started out with the now defunct "Smart Seg" and the transition to trifocals was painless. I wanted to try blue blocker lens and they had to be progressive (or single vision) and the narrow left to right range that was in focus was far too difficult to continually adjust my head position to achieve.
I have to get cataract surgery at 36 years old and this video has helped me make an informed choice for post-op eyewear. As I will be opting for far distance vision in my surgery, I'll probably buy progressives for daily life and checking texts on the go, but have a set of computer glasses and reading glasses handy at home or office for long computer sessions. My biggest concern is how in the world I will do watercoloring outdoors where I have to jump from far to near while sketching. I wonder if progressives will be too distorted when I look down at my page.
How did your surgery/ new lense go?
@@kevinbossick8374 I ended up only getting surgery in my right eye and I got a lens that was supposed to let me see far and midrange really well, while still needing glasses at close range. Well, that lens was really good at first and did as predicted but a full year later, I can't see even close to as clearly as just right after surgery and I regret spending so much on a premium lens. In the meantime, I don't really use glasses since my left eye can still see well and that cataract isn't strong yet, but I think I will delay surgery for as long as possible so it may be a while before I need glasses.
I started wearing progressives about 8 years ago and absolutely love them. Your explanation is spot on with respect to my experience with them. I don't have a very strong rx, though.
What kind of frames do you use? Please
68 years old and reading was getting bad but I hadn't replaced my standard specs for 12 years before trying progressive lenses in my frameless glasses and love them.
Yes they cost me almost £500 but wow, they are so thin and light that you tend to forget they're on your face.
I wish I could have talked to you about how I use my eyes before I picked a cataract surgery replacement lense. The eye doctor was not able to advise me in what would work for me. I did ask tons of questions and i feel i did not get any help. Lack of knowledge on the doctors part. Between computer work, reading, looking over someone's shoulder at work to see the computer, cooking, etc, etc. I need a minimum of 2 different pairs of glasses on my person to change back and forth from, reading/computer to midrange to live my life. Ka---- health care finally checked over and summarized that I had picked the worst replacement lense. 😢😢 Tried progressive lenses and the different tilting positions I had to hold my head to see things not so clearly I will add, was extremely uncomfortable on my neck.
Thank you for all your videos!❤❤❤❤
Recent new glasses and was asked and happy the Optometrist willing to take the time to discuss and help make a decision. I chose progressive for the mid range issue. Not so much though for computer as not what I do now retired. I still take them off frequently for close up work especially in poor light and when tired, also typically in the poor light of a waning day. 😁 I'm glad to hear you say what it has seemed to me, or my experience the progressive lens is a compromise (combination tool). I have tried separate readers when necessary and distance only, not a good option for me at all - apparently spend a lot of time in the in-between. 😏 Also at the time was at the computer somegood of the day and could not see anything - distance for the computer screen and could not see the keyboard, see the keyboard and couldn't see to read the computer screen. Really needed that in between! 😝
I have a suggestion for the frame designers or lens perhaps. 😁 Some little teeny tiny chip or something with an app to beep it LOUD to find the GD things when set them down and for the life of me cannot find again. 😖 😆
Been on progressives for years now. It all depends on the person and how they adjust to them. Granted the earlier versions would make you dizzy and there was a definite line going into short distance. If you didn't let you eyes adjust at their own rate and try too hard, you get headaches. The new ones are more advanced and adjust much better, but they do cost more. It all depends on what you want and how it makes your life easier.
Thank you for this educational piece! I normally wear trifocals, and I found that the distortion experienced with progressive lenses to be especially problematic while driving, and most especially when peripheral vision is necessary such as changing lanes or going around corners. But these might not have been of the higher quality you mention. Perhaps I should give them one more try and bite the bullet on the cost.
You asked for it. I'm 74, retired 10 years, and I currently wear progressive lens. I preceded them with bifocals for 10 years and have worn progressives for in excess of 25 years. I have become more aware of the distorted factor you've mentioned, but I have recently been diagnosed as having cataracts. I have been deliberating new lens, but have been also thinking I should wait til after I have corrective surgery. I'm sure you're much more knowledgeable about the time frame from initial diagnosis to actual surgery, so should I wat, or opt for new lens now? Also, inexpensive til after?
I've been nearsighted since my early twenties and only needed glasses for that condition. Five years ago at the age of 44 I needed glasses for both. I chose to get progressive lenses because I do a lot of photo and video editing on the computer and I remembered my Mom and how she was never able to get used to having trifocals. It took me about a week to get used to the progressive lenses and once I did I absolutely loved them. Two weeks ago I went to my opthalmist for my exam and discovered that it was time for a new stronger prescription. I have once again went with Progressive lenses again. I'm still waiting for my new glasses to come in. I can't wait to see clearly again.
Are you able to see fine up close without glasses?
@@colt5189 No I've needed glasses for both for 6 years now.
@@patriciawatson-roberts81573 Okay, I have to take my glasses off to see upclose past few years. So, skipping bifocals or whatever for now.
A very informative video, thank you!
I have both lined, and progressive lenses. I just got my 1st prescription pair last month, and those are the lined bifocals that I purchased through one of the popular franchised chain stores. They have all the protection options and they do help me see clearly for distance and reading, but not so good for a computer screen. The magnification is too much, and I almost have to put my face against the screen to see words clearly.
The progressive glasses I have are safety glasses I ordered online for my job as a quality control inspector. I intentionally lowered the magnification on these just slightly so I would be able to spot defects from a reasonable distance, but still be able to enter my measurements and readings into the laptop I use at work. The distance I kept the same as my regular pair of glasses. It was a little tricky adjusting to them on the first day I wore them, but I adapted quickly, and they do work well. There is a little bit of distortion in a few spots with them, but turning my head slightly helps, and they don't inhibit my ability to do my job. I could probably wear these with as my normal everyday glasses without a problem.
As I stated above, these are my 1st prescription, and being entirely on the wrong side of 60, we'll see how my eyes are doing in the next year or two, but I'm leaning toward progressive at the moment, just because I don't have that abrupt line splitting my vision as you described.
I have a spider phobia. I had progressive lenses and decided to go back to bifocals. The jump from one section to another kept me thinking that a spider moved. It took a while to get used to that.
This helps me as an archer I'm struggling with clarity using progressives. I have a bad astigmatism and am now going to try bifocals or single!
When I found I needed both distance and reading glasses, I was given the option of a pair of each, bifocals or progressive and the first pair I bought cost over £500, which is a LOT when you're on a tight budget!
Yes, they have that funky distortion at each lower corner, but I learned to work around that and suit me well enough.
Sadly, my eyesight is steadily deteriorating, so I have to update my prescription often enough to mean such a hefty bill for new glasses isn't an option.
So, I chose another alternative resource which, while they mightn't be perfect, work well enough for me, and that is to order my prescription glasses online, SOME of the sites which offer prescription glasses are pretty bad, but I picked a company with good reviews and I haven't looked back, so to speak!
I get my glasses at a much lower price than the local specsavers (and other companies), and they've served me well ever since!
Its hard to determine what online provider is reputable. Where do you purchase your progressive glasses?
@@dbrown3380 goggles4u.
They started poorly, from what I understand, but every pair I purchased from them have been fine 👍
I have Astigmatism and have been wearing glasses my entire life. I guess that's how it should be stated. When I first started wearing Progressive lenses, I really was not offered a choice, I did not care for them, still don't. As you stated, peripheral vision is shot. Getting accustomed to wearing them was not a problem just don't try to look to the side. I will definitely ask my optometrist about other options. Thank you for the enlightenment.
I have progressive lenses. What I hate most is that my lenses seem to have such a narrow focal area. What I mean is that narrow parabolic (narrow portion of that hourglass shape you had drawn on that one lens) area makes things blur with just the slightest head turn while still looking straight ahead. Do they make progressive lenses that do not have such a narrow area in the parabola?
Been wearing progressives since age 18. For me, each new pair requires a few days for accustomization, but my brain quickly rewires so that they feel as natural as single-focus lenses.
Yes it will require you for a few days to really adopt to your vision but once you adopt it you will really enjoy wearing it.
I invested in high end progressive lenses and it's definitely worth it. I have little to no distortion and one pair does it all
I recently got a pair of progressive lenses to try out. I hated it at first. But I kept wearing them for a couple weeks and after getting used to them, I now I use them almost exclusively. Every once in a while I switch to my back up pair which are full powered for stuff like driving. But I can drive just as well with my progressives, I just can't lean my head all the way back due to the distortion at the lower half of the lenses. My eyes are pretty bad (-8 in one eye, -7 in the other) and I've gotten older to the point that my eyes noticeably just don't adjust as quickly anymore from long distance to reading distance. It's actually really frustrating because it was a noticeable degradation in the quality of my eyesight and I had absolutely no control over it. I found switching to progressives have actually helped a lot.
Thanks for a very informative video. I used to have a very high prescription for short sight and found that varifocals did not give me good close up vision. So, I went for bifocals which worked well for everyday vision. I also had a pair of dedicated bifocals for computer/reading. As you have said, having high end varifocals can be very expensive (in the UK). I've now had my cataracts removed and find that I am having to relearn how I look at things 🤣 and what my glasses needs are.
I wear 7x28 trifocals (2 lines, 3 ranges). Love them for the great periferal vision and the nice wide reading zone. I sell glasses for a living (over 20 years), and usually give the customers the choice of either lens, with the pros & cons of each. if they are not new to multi- focals and happy with what they have, thats usually what i sell them.
I wore progressive lenses for many year but when I got into my 60s I found I needed to take them off to read prescription bottles. So 6 years ago I switched back to single vision lenses and have been happy with them ever since. I've now worn glasses for 63 years now.
I'm in my late 40s and have been having the same trouble for the past 6 months or so. I discussed it with my eye doctor and we argued about it. My new prescription fixed the problem, for 2 weeks, then I had to go back to taking them off to see anything up close, from reading, my tablet, etc. It really bothers me but I don't know if there's a solution to it.
I’m 70 years old and started wearing glasses at 10 for nearsightedness. At 16 I got hard lens contacts and wore them for about 50 years but they began to bother me in my early 60’s I think a lot of it was due to not wearing them as much after I retired. I switched back to glasses but at 70 still only need them for distance. I too remove my glasses to read or work on the computer. 50 years of wearing hard contacts kept my nearsightedness from progressing and I think actually improved my vision. I can watch TV and even read the closed captions, just slightly blurry.
I got progressive lenses once (previously, I did fine with bifocals) and they were terrible for me. The 'distortion zones' on the side actually comprised most of the lens. The area on the lens that was clear at any given distance was squished into a narrow slit in the center of the lens. I chalked this up to my horrible eyes and the difference between my close up prescription and my distance one, but I always wondered if it was the lens and whether another one would be better. I hated the fact that 90% of the lens was useless at any distance.
After that, I switched back to bifocals, but discovered that by then, the middle ground (I am a computer programmer) was no longer covered by my bifocals. I now have a second set of glasses I use just for the computer.
Although I am thankful I can still see, this whole degradation process is very disheartening. I am at the point now where I can't see anything without my glasses on.
What happened was that the progressives caused a loss of accommodation, which bifocals would not have done.
I have always used progressive lenses. Now I do a good deal of precision work and what I've noticed is that straight items do not look straight depending upon the angle between the object and my line of sight. This is incredibly annoying and the only way out of it has been to use a single strength lens. Whether it's my computer (dedicated glasses for use with my monitor) or another distance in the machine shop or cabinet shop, I find non-progressives to be less misleading. My next pair will be a bi-focal style lens. I'll write again when I've a chance to evaluate their performance
I went from Bifocals to progressive. Vertical lines look a little angled for both types of lenses. My laptop screen looks skinnier at the to then the bottom.
By far the best explanation ever. Thanks a lot mate. Progressive did not work me - it made me nauseous (motion sickness). I was told that I could get used to it, but no way. I gave up.
My last three pairs have been progressive. They took a little getting used to; first few weeks stairs were an issue but I adapted and the brain soon sorts the distortions (straight lines look curved at first).
Now I love them. The ability to be able to see close, distant and mid all in one is a winner for me. I can see the road and the dash equally as clearly, also the computer screen and the document in front of me. My peripheral vision is almost unaffected, there is a small fall off in image quality right towards the edge but that's about it.
The one adjustment I've had to make is not relying on my judgment for assessing something is flat in any plane. The adaptations the brain has made for the curvature induced in the vision is really interesting. I run a contracting business so it is something I come across but it's no big deal now I'm aware of it, I just make sure I use a known straight edge.
Oh, I should add the latest pair which I've had for a couple of months (I lost the old pair - left on top of the car, doh) have a wider mid section which is a big improvement.
Is your RX on the lower side? The lower the RX the less distortion
I have both type......when I misplace my bifocals ( dont need them on all the time ),,,, I'll look for them,even if my wife tells me " your new glasses ( progressive)are in that drawer right there "... I always tell her,,,NOT THOSE ONES,THERE NOT GOOD .....and I'll make the effort to go upstairs to find my bifocals rather then reach for the progressive ones 3 steps away from me.....
...I resent the optometrist NOT telling me of the negative issues about them,he just kept pushing for,,TRYING TO SELL ME on the progressive ones....so I bought the progressive ones......and they are shining brand new in their case still....I tried hard to adapt to them,,,,,but it was like looking through water,,to often throughout my day....ILL NEVER GET A PROGRESSIVE LENS AGAIN....
I have used both. I have a very high script and an astigmatism. First I had progressives for several years -- loved them!! The next time I tried to save money and brought bi-focals -- huge mistake!!! Bi-focals make terrific keep-in-the-glovebox-emergency-pair. But, for everyday wear, I want progressives; and please note, you must take the time to sit with the person who will make your lenses and explain how you wear your glasses and what activities you do while wearing them. Remember, if the person does not want to work with you, s/he clearly doesn't want your money either.
Thanks for the great video!
I’ve actually never considered bifocals. I think I’m gonna buy a pair just to see what they’re like. I’m pretty used to the progressives and after many years I’m pretty good at finding the sweet spot for each distance but they’re definitely not perfect. They’re always like you said just a little bit off. Anyway you’ve given me an idea and I’m gonna try something new and see what they’re like. Like I said never considered it before but I am now. Thanks for the information
I wear progressive lenses. Here in UK they’re called VariFocal lenses.
The only issue I have with them is if I’m doing something up close and looking upwards it is not clear. I have to put on reading glasses for things like that. It is annoying having to switch. If the manufacturers could try and sort a solution to that, these glasses would be 10/10. Or should that be 20:20.
And this is why I have 2 pairs of eye glasses. One for distance (mostly driving) with anti-glare coating for nighttime and one for reading or anything needing clear up close vision.
Though we need to carry 2 eyeglasses in our purse.
I was far sighted since high school, when I reached 40s, started having problem with short sighted. my opt prescribed progressive, it's expensive but it is so worth it. love em
Glad to hear you are having success!!!
I wear progressive lens and was extremely shocked by the price of the lens. I have always paid a little more for my lens due to my prescription but WOW was not expecting $500 for just my lens. I do love them and I don't have the distortion on the sides luckily.
I have been wearing progressive lenses for over 20 yrs now. In the beginning, it took a while to get used to them, especially going down stairs. I had wire frames with nose pads that moved, which meant I had to have them readjusted often. Fast-forward, I now have a one-piece acrylic frame, a slightly larger lens area with the different zones extended, and they slightly curve my fame. It's almost like not wearing glasses. I would like to mention that you need to work together with an optometrist you trust. Without your feedback and them keeping up with new technology, understanding their craft from all aspects. Most of all, understanding what you are telling them. It might take time for all of that to come together, but when it does, it is so worth it.
BTW, great video with solid explanations.
I wear progressive lenses and I am a carpenter. The jump line on standard bifocals make using a table saw a scary thing for me. The sighting of a straight line is a bit challenging with progressives and yes I still occasionally need a magnifier for other projects not wood related.
Hello Doctor, I’ve been wearing progressive lenses for over 12 years,
I am 64 years old and have macular degeneration, I have fallen many times by missing a step, I am wondering if it has to do with the distortion created by my progressive lenses?
This is the first time I’ve seen your videos, thank you for educating us in this very important thing, our eyesight.
God bless you. 🙏🙂
Actually, a plus 2 Dioper works quite well for $15. Thanks for your suggestions.
A bifocal gives me headaches.
Varifocals - Sharp top and bottom of lens. Blurred in the middle.
I have just purchased some varifocals / progressive lens glasses from Specsavers here in the UK.
I've had reading glasses (my first set of glasses for the last 2 years.
The mid-range middle of the lens is blurry / out of register, looking at a computer screen at arms length, I have tried adjusting my distance in little increments to find a sharp focus point, but middle of lens does not get sharp.
Where as the distance and reading (top and bottom of lens) are fine.
So my prescription must be correct. I'm told it's a mild, ordinary prescription for my age - 51.
The blend in the middle is a mix or distance and reading. So how can it be blurry / distorted if the top and bottom are correct?
Specsavers have been really good in not in their service, but have tried a few lens types so far, but still haven't solved the problem.
Has anyone else experienced this?
Varifocals - Sharp top and bottom of lens. Blurred in the middle.
I would love to find a solution.
At the moment I have to stick to my original reading glasses.
Thanks🤔
I have had both bifocals and progressives through the years. Progressives are the best, once you adapt. My advice is to buy the best progressives available. Yes they are expensive, but we're talking about your vision. You might need to cut back on a few extra-fancy things, like $5.00 cups of coffee, to afford them, but they are worth it.
How long it take to adapt? 🤔
Do you have where you can recommend for me to get my lense done?
I was upsold to the "best" in a whirlwind post-optometrist visit with the office optician. Sometimes the most expensive progressive lenses can actually be the most impossible to adapt to, especially to a newcomer. And in that case, you've spent & lost a whole lot of money for something that isn't helping your quality of life. That was my experience. I spent well over $1000 for the so-called best, and for several reasons (fields too high, RX was off, side distortions worse after remake), it's been an unpleasant experience, and what I have two months later is still unwearable. If I downgrade to single vision lenses, all that money is simply wasted. My advice is to take your time, ask a lot of questions, and don't be rushed or rush yourself into any one potential solution.
Hi. I’m in my 50s, been wearing glasses since high school. I started using progressive lens in my 40s. My brother, an optometrist, warned me about the needed adjustment period. It’s a painful bridge to cross, but after crossing, you never look back. Maybe because I’m far-sighted, letters are a blur when it’s near, that makes me dependent on my glasses, propelled me to bite the bullet, so to speak. … You are right, progressive lenses are expensive, consider it an investment, together with getting an equally expensive frame! I’m able to use mine for more than a year, sometimes, even 2, before needing a new pair. Thank you.
I recommend patients to go with 2 eyeglasses, 1 bifocals or progressive whichever they prefer, for everyday use, and 1 single vision glasses with their near or intermediate power, for them to use during hours and hours of computer or near work. I prefer good ergonomics over looks.
Yes yes yes
Tried this but does not work for me, my old progressive prescription works like magic!
I'm just a user, but I'd like to mention a couple of other cases for additional glasses. Near focus glasses are very useful in confined spaces, such as you find when working on plumbing or under a car. It is literally a pain in the neck to try to crane your head back to use bifocals or progressives in these situations.
Distance-only glasses are very useful if you want to use virtual reality headsets, otherwise the bottom portion of your field of view will always be out of focus.
Intermediate focus lenses can be useful if work requires you to read labels above eye level, such as stocking shelves or working in a library.
I use a computer for a long time during the day. I also went with progressive lenses when I first needed the "add" for reading. I've worn glasses since the first grade, and am extremely myopic, with some astigmatism as well. I was told that it might be difficult to adjust to progressive lenses, but I found that I adjusted well in only a day. I'm now getting my third pair in six years. I prefer round or almost round metal frames with nosepads, and that style has always worked well for me, whether with single vision distance glasses that I wore when younger, or progressives that I'm wearing now. I like how you mentioned the importance of the fit. I also believe that the quality of the lab that does the grind is important, since some eyewear stores use labs that are more interested in speed than in precision. Professional fitting and grinding are both necessary in order for a patient to have a good outcome with progressive lenses.
I’ve been thinking about progressives but I’m really worried about it. I have severe chronic fatigue syndrome and I’m concerned that all the extra work to refocus my eyes each time I move might create a big problem for me. Sounds ridiculous, but when I’m having a bad day I don’t focus except when I must because it takes energy. I have astigmatism and my prescription is much stronger in one eye so the distortion might be a big problem too. I’d love to hear the experience of anyone with fatigue issues who has tried either progressives or bifocals.
I must change something next time (I’ll be buying more in December/January) as I bought reading glasses last time and now wear them pretty much constantly which is not the plan. Maybe I could try transitions lenses again for my driving glasses. They’re bound to be better now than when I tried them when they first came out. So then I’d have only one pair for the car and could get an intermediate pair for around the house/garden etc and the computer and watching tv and then another pair just for reading. I’ll go look to see if there’s a video on transitions lenses.
Btw, it was incredibly helpful the way you filmed through the lens! So simple, but brilliant! Thank you.
I got glasses last week. I have fibromyalgia. They’re driving me bonkers…..But I have a friend with similar health problems. She has adjusted to progressives. It took her months, but she’s very happy with them now.
@@ginahumble5966 thanks. I ordered some. Haven’t got them yet. I need to chase it up. In the end I went with new readers, an intermediate pair with transitions lenses for around the house and garden but not actually reading, a new pair for distance untinted because I’m over getting the nose pads stuck in my hair, keeping the same tinted distance pair as they’re still fine, and a pair of progressives just to play with and see if I can cope with them or not.
I wore/tried to wear progressives for 2 months. I originally told the optician that I use my peripheral vision a lot. He said "You don't use it as much as you think."
*Guess who was right!"*
Yes I do use my peripheral vision a lot. He had said they would switch the lens for bifocals (which I originally asked for) if I could not adapt to the progressives.
I went back and said "I have been sick every day, I can't read street signs and I HATE these."
I finally got bifocals and never had any trouble adapting to them.
Each patient is different and the optician should actually listen to them.
When my vision changed to the point I needed correction reading along with my original RX, I started out with progressive lenses and never had an issue. Maybe because I was wearing contacts about 90% of the time for training.
I consider myself lucky because I've known people who had a lot of issues with glasses, progressives and contacts whereas I've not had an issue with any.
Weird thing is, my vision has actually gotten better the last 6 or 7 years. I joked with my optometrist this year that if I make it to 2035, maybe I'll be back to 20/20!
Wow thats great
Thanks for an informative video, had radial keretotomy ( Kritzinger, pioneer of cold laser) and perfect outcome...20/20 vision op done in '97...eyes have deteriorated a little in the past 5 years, unable to wear a contact lense to rectify the deficit due to corneal surface having been sculpted flat , so have -1 bifocal lense for driving, ( signs are indistinct at speed...) I don't believe that I have had the option of a 'progessive lens', put to me by an optometrist, but had a single focus pair of spectacles before the bifocals which served me admirably .I will inquire re progressive lenses when next I'm in proximity to an optometrist.Thanks to your video.My short vision 4 phone ; computer and reading is ok ...it's just long vision which is slightly impaired; and another kerototomy op would reverse the current status of my vision...says optometrist...thus better to stay as I am, and use spectacles to drive...Thank you
There is phenomenon called second vision with nuclear cataract where the lens shrinks and refracts more to bring the image to focus. I suggest to have a checkup with opthalmologist to check for nuclear cataract, because normally, the vision dont revert to normal as the eyeball cant change its shape once developed.
After wearing progressive lenses for 20+ years adjusting my head position has become automatic, plus my new lenses have a wider field of vision. Great video!!
I got thin/light progressives (compressed curvature) 10 years ago and they gave me eye strain headaches within 1 day. I went back to the Optometrist and explained the problem I was having. After continuing to use them for about 4 days with the same problem, she recommended replacing the lightweight lenses with the standard thickness lenses in the same prescription (also progressive). PROBLEM SOLVED! :-)
I have been a "Happy Camper" ever since. If you got the thin lenses and had eye strain headaches afterwards, try the standard thickness lenses, they may work for you too.
I have a stigmatism and I recently went to have my eyes checked as I do every year. I’ve been wearing my new glasses for about a week now I can see everything clear from afar, but if I’m reading a book or trying to read something on my phone, I can’t see because it looks very blurry. I went back to the eye doctor, and they said that the doctor should have recommended bifocals and they were shocked that she didn’t mention them.
I asked him why all of a sudden after all these years do I need to use bifocals and they say because my prescription has increased dramatically from previous years so it’s only going to get harder for me to read as the years go by. i’m so frustrated that this wasn’t mentioned to me at the original appointment and I’m also frustrated that I now need to wear bifocals. oh well, thank you for sharing such an informative video. Now I will have to decide if I should go with the progressives or do the bifocals.
I love my progressives and they were easy to get used to. My prescription isn’t the strongest (+1.50) so that’s partly why, but I think it’s important to get used to them before you need really strong ones so those will be easier to adjust to in the future.
Agreed!
I am starting with glasses for the first time, +0.75 in one eye and +2 in the other, they recommended progressive lenses. I did try just reading glasses for a few months and it gives me headaches, just doesn't work - I was reading your comment and found it very helpful. Do you not get headaches or dizzy from your glasses? I find that jumping from the far to the near makes me dizzy. Any information would be helpful! Thank you:)
@@daniellemanor I’ve never experienced any headaches from mine but when I first got them I noticed mostly at work , when walking around back and forth a lot (I work retail) I’d get dizzy and at first it worried me that the prescription was off then it completely went away after about a week. I only ever noticed that at work though, not so much at home.
@@jamievaduva1708 Thank you for sharing! Much appreciated.
@@daniellemanor you’re welcome :)
About to get my first pair of bifocals (prior just OTC magnifiers for reading) -- was curious about progressives and your explanation was top notch -- thanks very much!
Great video, as usual! One question I've wondered about is how the shape of the lens affects my vision. For example, does a rounder, Ben Franklin style lens have less distortion than a curved, oval design. There are literally hundreds of shapes and I suppose some are better than others. Btw, my yearly eye exam is due next week. Thanks!
Bifocals (like the Benjamin Franklin ones) don't have distortion at all! They do have the "image jump" that is mentioned in the video tho!
Great question, the wider the lenses, you may notice more distortion. Glasses shapes that are larger, tend too give more lens distortion because the edges of the lens get further out from the optical center, so you get a larger fish bowl to look through. Smaller lenses have less side distortion but you need to watch out that the lens is tall enough when it comes to progressives. If the lens is too small or short, then the progressives magnification can be cut off. 😬
@@DoctorEyeHealth Thanks for the explanation!
@@DoctorEyeHealth , reading what you wrote here about the lens not being tall enough which then the progressive being shortened. I would hope that we would be informed from the optometrist, cuz how on earth are we supposed to know that? After all cost more than a dollar or neither are they two for one
I’ve been wearing progressive lenses for over 20 years, and I just love them. I have a stigmatism and very nearsighted and my prescription works very well for me. I tried bifocals in that line just drove me crazy. I’ve had really good success with getting my glasses from Costcoand they’re cost about $250
Nicely done! You clearly articulated the differences and importantly described the pros and cons of PAL's.
I tried a pair of progressive lenses. When I bought them I did not know I needed a pair of frames that was big enough for them. Second, I had so much issue getting used to them. I thought maybe the place I had gotten them at had gotten the prescription all wrong. I had to wait another 2 years or so before I could get an exam and find out if Bifocols were better. When I did talk to the doctor about that issue, she said that sometimes, in the brain, it does not connect with the type of lens you are seeing out of and can cause issues, nothing bad but I just could not get used to them, it was like I was rejecting them. Once I got a bifolcol lens in a pair of glasses I was good to go.
I’ve got those Fancy-Nancy’s
My question & concern is regarding peripheral vision aspects.
Why isn’t peripheral vision considered & respected When designing progressive lenses?
Why is there only a sweet spot in the middle? Peripheral vision is very important especially when driving, & having things out of focus unless you completely turn your head to look is maddening.
Is there a “grind” or prescription that takes into consideration peripheral vision??.
Thank you
You are absolutely right about the peripheral vision and the issues with driving. This is a huge issue for a lot of people. Unfortunately, due to the way the progressive lenses are made, the distortion off to the side is almost impossible to get rid of (at least with our current technology).
But more advanced lenses due often have less distortion off to the sides or the jump to the distortion is less noticable, but there are no lenses out there that get rid of ALL of the distortion.
I am 68 and have just been prescribed the new prescription for the glasses for farsightedness and near by my optometrist. I work on computer for nearly 12 hours a day. I had cataract removed from my both eyes nearly 6 years ago. I do have the glasses for distance and reading separately which I use very rarely. I now feel that my eyes are getting weaker. After seeing your video, would like to have your advice- what would be best option for me . thanks a lot.
Bifocals are best,it got accurate vision in all areas of lens.If you drive a lot then bifocals are best as there is no blurring in the corners.if you buy the best and costly progressive lenses(essilor varillux) then also there will be distortion. If you want the accuracy of bifocals with progressive lens like appearance go for invisible bifocals like shamir duo( no line will be seen in bottom).invisible bifocals are very cheaper(price starts from 31 dollars) than progressive lenses.invisible bifocals also got all combos like transition,anti glare coating,blue filter etc.
I was so excited to get my 1st pair of progressive lens glasses, but I couldn't hate them more than I do....
They make me dizzy, & I can only see distance well when I tilt my head down & look out of the very top of the lens.
Trying to see close up is even worse, as I have to find a very small "sweet spot" that involves me turning my head to the left (they're not centered in the lens), then moving my HEAD side to side to read (instead of my eyes).
Ugh.
The worst part is that the optomitrist won't refund my $$, so I have a $350 pair of glasses that I'll never use...
Any suggestions on getting a better pair??
Oh, & the comment about stairs becoming really dangerous to navigate is spot on.
I can't wair progressives if trying to go up / dn. stairs.
This is exactly how I was with progressives(varifocals here in the UK). I could not find that tiny reading spot and felt dizzy wearing them. I tried to adjust for some time, but took them back. Tried 3 different pairs over time, but unfortunately just couldn't get used to them. I now have bifocals which I don't like but at least when out and about I don't have to change glasses to read. for me it is the intermediate they can't get right, and I spend more time on my laptop than i do general reading. My daughter went to progressives and straight away loved them.
I wear varifocals (UK) which I guess are 'progressive'. Took a while to get used to them. And I struggled with the distortion. Last time I paid more ( a lot more!) for the very best varifocals and they have no distortion at all and I love them. But - I'm sure they are making my eyesight worse in the long term. I suspect that if you have presbyopia and you get lenses that do all the work for your eyes then your eyes just give up and the lenses harden in one spot because they no longer have to try. I can't see a thing without my glasses now.
No, that's not how it works. Correcting your vision appropriately does not make your eyes worse. The lens in the eye doesn't have a concept of giving up. If you're not wearing the right prescription, on the other hand, that can cause headaches, eyestrain and such.
Quilter here. I had wondered about progressive lenses but after watching this video, no way. I can't do a good job on straight lines and angles with lenses that have distortion. Thanks very much.