Progressive Eyeglass Lenses (1 Viewer)

[Old 'N Chill]

In November of 2019, my optometrist recommended I get my first pair of eyeglasses. Before this I was using 1.75 power over the counter readers that the doctor said in the past were fine to use. In his prescription, he recommended progressive lenses. In December, I went to America's Best and chose the top of the line of their progessive lenses, although they were much more expensive than I imagined. Two pairs cost me $640, out of pocket, no vision insurance.

I ordered 2 pairs of glasses, with inexpensive frames. The lenses I chose were DIGIMAX ULTRA HD POLY with NEVERGLARE. I wanted the lens with the widest field of view, that would be best for my sight. I waited a couple of weeks to get the glasses. I wore them for over 2 weeks to try and get used to them. I then went back and told them that I thought they gave me the cheapest DIGIVUE lens, not the better one that I ordered. I was getting blur in reading, computer and TV. If I found a clear point of focus, it turned to blur at the slightest movement of my head.

They confirmed by using a machine, that I was given the wrong lenses, they did give me the cheap ones. After waiting a couple of weeks for the replacements, the vision wasn't much better than the cheap ones. The manager there measured the distance of my pupils, which was done initially, and said that the prescription on the lens might be too low, she ordered replacement lenses only. I have the replacement glasses now as I wait for the new lenses. It's a struggle to use them, but I'm still giving it a good try though.

I have a question to ask of those here who wear glasses daily and have progressives. Do you like your progressive lenses? I was told that all progressive lenses have some blurry distortion out of the field of view. Do your lenses have distortion or blur? Are there any progressive lenses that have absolutely no blur in any portion of the lens? Thanks for any info or advice.

 

[Drawdown]

Just wanted to point out the thing about the pupils. Per my eye quack, OTC readers are made for a specific generic profile and they will sometimes worsen people's vision if their focal points are off the generic profile. Anyway, bets of luck with your lenses. Have no idea what they even are.

 

[Mycroft]

I've been wearing progressive bi-focal glasses for years. I've never had what you describe as blurring, though I'm not really clear on what you mean by blur.

What you don't talk about is what your lenses "progress" from and to.

For example, I have a problem with both far vision (nearsighted) and close vision (farsighted). My lenses progress from a prescription that let's me see distance to a prescription that lets me see close up...with a progression from one to the other. I have to move my head slightly to switch from one to the other. Now...if I am looking through the wrong part of the lens, everything will look blurry.

It wasn't hard for me to get used to them at all.

 

[JANFU]

In November of 2019, my optometrist recommended I get my first pair of eyeglasses. Before this I was using 1.75 power over the counter readers that the doctor said in the past were fine to use. In his prescription, he recommended progressive lenses. In December, I went to America's Best and chose the top of the line of their progessive lenses, although they were much more expensive than I imagined. Two pairs cost me $640, out of pocket, no vision insurance.

I ordered 2 pairs of glasses, with inexpensive frames. The lenses I chose were DIGIMAX ULTRA HD POLY with NEVERGLARE. I wanted the lens with the widest field of view, that would be best for my sight. I waited a couple of weeks to get the glasses. I wore them for over 2 weeks to try and get used to them. I then went back and told them that I thought they gave me the cheapest DIGIVUE lens, not the better one that I ordered. I was getting blur in reading, computer and TV. If I found a clear point of focus, it turned to blur at the slightest movement of my head.

They confirmed by using a machine, that I was given the wrong lenses, they did give me the cheap ones. After waiting a couple of weeks for the replacements, the vision wasn't much better than the cheap ones. The manager there measured the distance of my pupils, which was done initially, and said that the prescription on the lens might be too low, she ordered replacement lenses only. I have the replacement glasses now as I wait for the new lenses. It's a struggle to use them, but I'm still giving it a good try though.

I have a question to ask of those here who wear glasses daily and have progressives. Do you like your progressive lenses? I was told that all progressive lenses have some blurry distortion out of the field of view. Do your lenses have distortion or blur? Are there any progressive lenses that have absolutely no blur in any portion of the lens? Thanks for any info or advice.

Had them for the past 10-15 years. I adjusted for things like walking down stairs, as that can be a problem, as your eyes must learn where to look for a clear view

As they have already screwed up, they may have done that again.

 

[Old 'N Chill]

I've been wearing progressive bi-focal glasses for years. I've never had what you describe as blurring, though I'm not really clear on what you mean by blur.

What you don't talk about is what your lenses "progress" from and to.

For example, I have a problem with both far vision (nearsighted) and close vision (farsighted). My lenses progress from a prescription that let's me see distance to a prescription that lets me see close up...with a progression from one to the other. I have to move my head slightly to switch from one to the other. Now...if I am looking through the wrong part of the lens, everything will look blurry.

It wasn't hard for me to get used to them at all.

Thanks for your reply Mycroft. As I said, I never wore glasses before and am not familiar with vision prescriptions. The doctor said my distance was okay, closer views like watching TV or reading product boxes needed a stronger prescription and reading small print needed the strongest prescription. Here is the prescription he gave me:

Right

Sphere = +0.75
Cylinder = -0.75
Axis = 090
Dist VA = 20/40
Add = +2.75


Left

Sphere = +0.75
Cylinder = -1.00
Axis = 090
Dist VA = 20/25
Add = +2.75

I'm hoping the adjusted lenses I'm now waiting for will work for me, I've given it a good try, hoping I would be like you and not have trouble at all getting used to them. Of course a disappointment was them not giving me the lenses that I ordered, seems to be going downhill from there...we'll see.

The ones I ordered are at the bottom of this page. No Line Bifocals Progressive Lenses at America's Best

 

[Chomsky]

In November of 2019, my optometrist recommended I get my first pair of eyeglasses. Before this I was using 1.75 power over the counter readers that the doctor said in the past were fine to use. In his prescription, he recommended progressive lenses. In December, I went to America's Best and chose the top of the line of their progessive lenses, although they were much more expensive than I imagined. Two pairs cost me $640, out of pocket, no vision insurance.

I ordered 2 pairs of glasses, with inexpensive frames. The lenses I chose were DIGIMAX ULTRA HD POLY with NEVERGLARE. I wanted the lens with the widest field of view, that would be best for my sight. I waited a couple of weeks to get the glasses. I wore them for over 2 weeks to try and get used to them. I then went back and told them that I thought they gave me the cheapest DIGIVUE lens, not the better one that I ordered. I was getting blur in reading, computer and TV. If I found a clear point of focus, it turned to blur at the slightest movement of my head.

They confirmed by using a machine, that I was given the wrong lenses, they did give me the cheap ones. After waiting a couple of weeks for the replacements, the vision wasn't much better than the cheap ones. The manager there measured the distance of my pupils, which was done initially, and said that the prescription on the lens might be too low, she ordered replacement lenses only. I have the replacement glasses now as I wait for the new lenses. It's a struggle to use them, but I'm still giving it a good try though.

I have a question to ask of those here who wear glasses daily and have progressives. Do you like your progressive lenses? I was told that all progressive lenses have some blurry distortion out of the field of view. Do your lenses have distortion or blur? Are there any progressive lenses that have absolutely no blur in any portion of the lens? Thanks for any info or advice.

Seen it, saw it, done it, did it! And I hated them!

I was told to give them a longer chance, that I'd grow used to them. I didn't last more than a few days. Now I have "regular" glasses for everyday activities, and "computer" glasses for when on my laptop. I'm entirely satisfied with this set-up.

 

[RenoCon]

Progressive Eyeglass Lenses

Progressives always seem to see the world through foggy lenses. :lol:

 

[chuckiechan]

Thanks for your reply Mycroft. As I said, I never wore glasses before and am not familiar with vision prescriptions. The doctor said my distance was okay, closer views like watching TV or reading product boxes needed a stronger prescription and reading small print needed the strongest prescription. Here is the prescription he gave me:

Right

Sphere = +0.75
Cylinder = -0.75
Axis = 090
Dist VA = 20/40
Add = +2.75


Left

Sphere = +0.75
Cylinder = -1.00
Axis = 090
Dist VA = 20/25
Add = +2.75

I'm hoping the adjusted lenses I'm now waiting for will work for me, I've given it a good try, hoping I would be like you and not have trouble at all getting used to them. Of course a disappointment was them not giving me the lenses that I ordered, seems to be going downhill from there...we'll see.

The ones I ordered are at the bottom of this page. No Line Bifocals Progressive Lenses at America's Best

Do you have a Costco around you? Or a Sams Club? Prices are better. I use them, but I was fine with bi focals too. They also have computer glasses that magnify a bit and use a blue blocker lens.

 

[Old 'N Chill]

Had them for the past 10-15 years. I adjusted for things like walking down stairs, as that can be a problem, as your eyes must learn where to look for a clear view

As they have already screwed up, they may have done that again.

Thank you JANFU, I guess I haven't figured out yet where to look for a clear view, constantly moving my head and wearing the most narrow field of vision cheap lenses for the first couple of weeks or so was pretty discouraging. I was willing to learn to use the top for distance, middle for TV and computer and bottom for reading, but it seemed the slightest move of my head made things unclear again. Hopefully, they won't screw up again, I'm just thinking I will accept what I get and try to live with them. I will make them verify again that it's the higher quality lens I paid for, and hopefully I'll have more satisfaction than I do now.

Seen it, saw it, done it, did it! And I hated them!

I was told to give them a longer chance, that I'd grow used to them. I didn't last more than a few days. Now I have "regular" glasses for everyday activities, and "computer" glasses for when on my laptop. I'm entirely satisfied with this set-up.

Thanks Chomsky, I don't need them to drive and I don't wear them outdoors when I take my dog on long walks. Just need them while shopping so I can read labels, on the computer and reading print. I really wanted to stop doing what I was doing for years with the readers, putting them on dozens of times a day to see something, then pulling them right off when I was done. I guess I could have gotten stronger strength readers, but since I'm older I figured I'd better use a higher quality eyeglass. I'm used to wearing the readers for computer and reading, that may be part of my problem. Was hoping for one pair only for indoor use.

Do you have a Costco around you? Or a Sams Club? Prices are better. I use them, but I was fine with bi focals too. They also have computer glasses that magnify a bit and use a blue blocker lens.

Yes, I do belong to Costco, but I chose to go to the store that was advertised on TV, especially since it's really close to my house. Good thing they're close, it's becoming my home away from home. :roll:

 

[Chomsky]

Thank you JANFU, I guess I haven't figured out yet where to look for a clear view, constantly moving my head and wearing the most narrow field of vision cheap lenses for the first couple of weeks or so was pretty discouraging. I was willing to learn to use the top for distance, middle for TV and computer and bottom for reading, but it seemed the slightest move of my head made things unclear again. Hopefully, they won't screw up again, I'm just thinking I will accept what I get and try to live with them. I will make them verify again that it's the higher quality lens I paid for, and hopefully I'll have more satisfaction than I do now.



Thanks Chomsky, I don't need them to drive and I don't wear them outdoors when I take my dog on long walks. Just need them while shopping so I can read labels, on the computer and reading print. I really wanted to stop doing what I was doing for years with the readers, putting them on dozens of times a day to see something, then pulling them right off when I was done. I guess I could have gotten stronger strength readers, but since I'm older I figured I'd better use a higher quality eyeglass. I'm used to wearing the readers for computer and reading, that may be part of my problem. Was hoping for one pair only for indoor use.



Yes, I do belong to Costco, but I chose to go to the store that was advertised on TV, especially since it's really close to my house. Good thing they're close, it's becoming my home away from home. :roll:

Well, obviously we each have our own unique set of eyes and our own personal needs. Good luck to whatever works for you.

 

[grip]

Thanks for your reply Mycroft. As I said, I never wore glasses before and am not familiar with vision prescriptions. The doctor said my distance was okay, closer views like watching TV or reading product boxes needed a stronger prescription and reading small print needed the strongest prescription. Here is the prescription he gave me:

Right

Sphere = +0.75
Cylinder = -0.75
Axis = 090
Dist VA = 20/40
Add = +2.75


Left

Sphere = +0.75
Cylinder = -1.00
Axis = 090
Dist VA = 20/25
Add = +2.75

I'm hoping the adjusted lenses I'm now waiting for will work for me, I've given it a good try, hoping I would be like you and not have trouble at all getting used to them. Of course a disappointment was them not giving me the lenses that I ordered, seems to be going downhill from there...we'll see.

The ones I ordered are at the bottom of this page. No Line Bifocals Progressive Lenses at America's Best

I used to be an Optician and can tell you the measurements are critical with progressives. The height has to be measured center pupil from bottom of frame, plus an accurate mono pupillary distance/near. The biggest problem I had training my staff was getting them to measure Progressive lenses properly by making the patient hold their head level during measurements and get accurate readings to reduce remakes and refunds.

Your distance RX, if you don't wear glasses normally for distance, is probably throwing your eyes out of focus. Plus that add +2.75 with a progressive makes the room jump when you try to focus below your nose tip. Combine that with any miscalculations and peripheral blur from lens design is simply too much for your brain to adjust too.

I would've given you planos (no Rx) for distance, because most people don't benefit much with a light prescription for astigmatism. Using a Varilux Physio or Sola HDV Progressive lens, because they have a wide and smooth view, with a +2.50 add, which would minimize field distortion and allow you to adapt much easier.

I was very successful at getting customers to wear them but can't tolerate them myself. I use standard FT-28 bifocals or readers.

 

[Dragonfly]

I've had progressive lens for quite a few years now.

Bought mine online from glasses.usa

I've got no problems with them.

My vision is pretty messed up without glasses so being able to see is a huge plus.

Mine work great for driving, reading, watching tv, work, and general life.
Next purchase might be prescription progressive sunglasses.


Just my two cents.

 

[chuckiechan]

Thank you JANFU, I guess I haven't figured out yet where to look for a clear view, constantly moving my head and wearing the most narrow field of vision cheap lenses for the first couple of weeks or so was pretty discouraging. I was willing to learn to use the top for distance, middle for TV and computer and bottom for reading, but it seemed the slightest move of my head made things unclear again. Hopefully, they won't screw up again, I'm just thinking I will accept what I get and try to live with them. I will make them verify again that it's the higher quality lens I paid for, and hopefully I'll have more satisfaction than I do now.



Thanks Chomsky, I don't need them to drive and I don't wear them outdoors when I take my dog on long walks. Just need them while shopping so I can read labels, on the computer and reading print. I really wanted to stop doing what I was doing for years with the readers, putting them on dozens of times a day to see something, then pulling them right off when I was done. I guess I could have gotten stronger strength readers, but since I'm older I figured I'd better use a higher quality eyeglass. I'm used to wearing the readers for computer and reading, that may be part of my problem. Was hoping for one pair only for indoor use.



Yes, I do belong to Costco, but I chose to go to the store that was advertised on TV, especially since it's really close to my house. Good thing they're close, it's becoming my home away from home. :roll:

In case you haven’t sniffed this out already:
How to Read an Eyeglass Prescription: 11 Steps - wikiHow

And this little gem...
“Most prescriptions will include at least two rows of numbers, one labelled “O.D.” and the other labelled “O.S.” O.D. is short for “oculus dexter,” which is Latin for “right eye.” O.S. is short for “oculus sinister,” which is Latin for “left eye.”

We used to call it “the stink eye!”

 

[Old 'N Chill]

Well, obviously we each have our own unique set of eyes and our own personal needs. Good luck to whatever works for you.

Thanks Chomsky, being in my mid-60s and never having worn glasses, I guess I'm still open to and up in the air about my personal needs and what I really want going forward. Right now I just figured I'd go with the eye doctor recommendation. Maybe if I need a different prescription a couple of years down the road, I will take an option, like those you suggested and step away from progressives.

 

[Old 'N Chill]

In case you haven’t sniffed this out already:
How to Read an Eyeglass Prescription: 11 Steps - wikiHow

And this little gem...
“Most prescriptions will include at least two rows of numbers, one labelled “O.D.” and the other labelled “O.S.” O.D. is short for “oculus dexter,” which is Latin for “right eye.” O.S. is short for “oculus sinister,” which is Latin for “left eye.”

We used to call it “the stink eye!”

Thanks Chuckiechan, I'll check out that link. I'm very familiar with the stink eye, been on the giving and receiving end of those over the years.

 

[Old 'N Chill]

I used to be an Optician and can tell you the measurements are critical with progressives. The height has to be measured center pupil from bottom of frame, plus an accurate mono pupillary distance/near. The biggest problem I had training my staff was getting them to measure Progressive lenses properly by making the patient hold their head level during measurements and get accurate readings to reduce remakes and refunds.

Your distance RX, if you don't wear glasses normally for distance, is probably throwing your eyes out of focus. Plus that add +2.75 with a progressive makes the room jump when you try to focus below your nose tip. Combine that with any miscalculations and peripheral blur from lens design is simply too much for your brain to adjust too.

I would've given you planos (no Rx) for distance, because most people don't benefit much with a light prescription for astigmatism. Using a Varilux Physio or Sola HDV Progressive lens, because they have a wide and smooth view, with a +2.50 add, which would minimize field distortion and allow you to adapt much easier.

I was very successful at getting customers to wear them but can't tolerate them myself. I use standard FT-28 bifocals or readers.

Thanks for your input and advice Grip, much appreciated. The last woman that took care of me and ordered the latest lenses took a lot of measurements making me sit straight and hold still, using the machine and also using a black marker and marking lines on the glasses I had on. I'm hoping she knew what she was doing and I can feel good about the lenses I get, probably sometime next week. Will post an update here to let everyone know how things worked out.

 

[Old 'N Chill]

I've had progressive lens for quite a few years now.

Bought mine online from glasses.usa

I've got no problems with them.

My vision is pretty messed up without glasses so being able to see is a huge plus.

Mine work great for driving, reading, watching tv, work, and general life.
Next purchase might be prescription progressive sunglasses.


Just my two cents.

Thanks for sharing your personal experience Dragonfly, glad yours are working well for you. I was hesitant to buy my first pair online, although I would have probably saved some money. With the problems I've had with the local store, I could just imagine having to mail glasses back and forth and try to explain the problem without them seeing me in the flesh.

 

[Jack Fabulous]

In November of 2019, my optometrist recommended I get my first pair of eyeglasses. Before this I was using 1.75 power over the counter readers that the doctor said in the past were fine to use. In his prescription, he recommended progressive lenses. In December, I went to America's Best and chose the top of the line of their progessive lenses, although they were much more expensive than I imagined. Two pairs cost me $640, out of pocket, no vision insurance.

I ordered 2 pairs of glasses, with inexpensive frames. The lenses I chose were DIGIMAX ULTRA HD POLY with NEVERGLARE. I wanted the lens with the widest field of view, that would be best for my sight. I waited a couple of weeks to get the glasses. I wore them for over 2 weeks to try and get used to them. I then went back and told them that I thought they gave me the cheapest DIGIVUE lens, not the better one that I ordered. I was getting blur in reading, computer and TV. If I found a clear point of focus, it turned to blur at the slightest movement of my head.

They confirmed by using a machine, that I was given the wrong lenses, they did give me the cheap ones. After waiting a couple of weeks for the replacements, the vision wasn't much better than the cheap ones. The manager there measured the distance of my pupils, which was done initially, and said that the prescription on the lens might be too low, she ordered replacement lenses only. I have the replacement glasses now as I wait for the new lenses. It's a struggle to use them, but I'm still giving it a good try though.

I have a question to ask of those here who wear glasses daily and have progressives. Do you like your progressive lenses? I was told that all progressive lenses have some blurry distortion out of the field of view. Do your lenses have distortion or blur? Are there any progressive lenses that have absolutely no blur in any portion of the lens? Thanks for any info or advice.

Every progressive lens is going to have some area that is blurry.

Progressives evolved from the round bifocal. At some point in time someone had the idea to take a round bifocal and "blend" the line between the bifocal segment and the rest of the lens for cosmetic reasons. This created a more aesthetically pleasing lens with no visible bifocal but it also created a "blurry zone" around the top of the bifocal. People complained about the blurry transition they would go through when they went from distance viewing to looking through the bifocal portion.

Modern progressives are more or less a product of years of development to try to reduce/utilize/make more comfortable the transition zone between distance and reading. There are currently over 100 different progressive designs available in the US in at least 8 different materials. The differences between the designs are VERY subtle and most people probably wouldn't even notice much of anything at all. What people DO notice is material. I'd recommend either a Trivex or a 1.67 index and anti reflective coating is a MUST. Trivex will cost a little more than Poly but not too much more. 1.67 will be quite a bit more.

 

[Lovebug]

I've been wearing progressive bi-focal glasses for years. I've never had what you describe as blurring, though I'm not really clear on what you mean by blur.

What you don't talk about is what your lenses "progress" from and to.

For example, I have a problem with both far vision (nearsighted) and close vision (farsighted). My lenses progress from a prescription that let's me see distance to a prescription that lets me see close up...with a progression from one to the other. I have to move my head slightly to switch from one to the other. Now...if I am looking through the wrong part of the lens, everything will look blurry.

It wasn't hard for me to get used to them at all.

You are lucky. I have been wearing mine for years, but certain movement, or esp while driving, still gives me a buzz.

 

[Old 'N Chill]

I ended up not even bothering with the lenses they last ordered, with the new measurements. After waiting another two weeks, their computer called me saying my lenses were ready. I called to ask if the man who originally sold me the glasses was there, he's the one who tested my first pairs of glasses and said they gave me the cheap lenses, not the ones I ordered. Well, they said he wasn't in that day, and he'd be there the next day. I called before I went there and they said he wasn't in that day either. They gave me the run around before with this sales person. I really just got fed up with this poor customer service.

The last two weeks I wore the glasses at home even though they were not right, and seemed like the cheap lenses again. I started to think that I likely would not be satisfied with the new lenses and maybe I just needed to go to another company to save myself anymore wasted time. It was already around two months since I first made the order. They credited my credit card, and I have to verify that they did that right.

For now I'm back to my readers for computer and reading. The glasses were supposed to have 3 prescriptions, a very mild one at the top for distance, a stronger one in the middle for TV and computer and the strongest one at the bottom for reading. I don't know if their brand of lenses was not good or what, but that was the best they had, almost $650 for 2 pr. with inexpensive frames. Since I really don't need glasses for driving and I see well at distances, I was thinking to get a lens that just had two prescriptions, one for TV and computer and the bifocal for reading.

Right now I'm just confused and disgusted, not going to do anything for awhile. I want to thank all of you here for sharing your thoughts and giving me advice on this. My first pair of glasses was a fail, maybe better luck next time.