Bifocal vs progressive glasses for reading

[scarleta]

I wonder if anyone can share their experience. I use reading glasses only as my distance vision is ok, but need readers.
The problem is that I break them often or worse forget to bring them with me , so often I don''t have them with me when I most need them. Can''t read labels when shopping what a nightmare!!!!
Some people say its very difficult to get used to progressive or bifocal? or they steam up in the winter months?
Anyone using them? and what experience do you have???
Thanks

 

[kenny]

I love my bifocals with the line.
I am not ashamed to be the age I am.
I tried progressives so I didn't look old. (I can imagine no other reason for them)

They did not have the same prescription across the entire bottom of the lens.
The reading Rx was only in the middle of the bottom.
This meant when I read I had to rock my head back and forth, back and forth, back and forth.
No thank you.

Once again I realize I'm in a tiny minority.
Everyone I know over 23 wants to appear younger, and kids want to appear older.

 

[somethingshiny]

As far as your vision goes, if measured properly you should have good reading and distance vision with either a bifocal or progressive lens. The reading portion starts at the lower eyelid. A progressive lens also offers an intermediate area, which is what would be required for using a computer.

The standard bifocal usually has a wider segment of usable rx than a progressive because of how the lines are blended. If you do a significant amount of reading, you may find a lined bifocal more comfortable for use. If you are on the computer more, a progressive will suit you better.

Fogging up~ All lenses will fog regardless of lines or no lines. The best way to reduce is to use rubbing alcohol to clean your lenses and a lens cloth.

The most difficult part of getting used to either lens is not looking down when you walk. Everything at the bottom of the lens is magnified and will throw off your depth perception. The other adjustment is pointing your nose at what you''re looking at to get the most benefit of your RX. You MUST do this with a progressive and with a bifocal to a lesser extent.

 

[isaku5]

I love my progressive lenses!!!

. This is my second pair. They take a bit of getting used to, but unlike Kenny''s experience, I don''t have to rock my head at all when reading. I let my eyes do that work for me.[

 

[VRBeauty]

I love my progressives too. It took me about a day to get used to them, and after that... no problemo!

But... since losing and leaving glasses is a problem for you, have you considered getting a bifocal contact lense? My mother does -- she uses a soft contact in one eye only, and it corrects only for near-vision problems. She''s been doing this for years and she LOVES it. She uses an extended wear lense and I don''t think it comes out even at night -- she just changes it every week or month or whatever is recommended. She''s a quilter so she really needs good near-vision accuity, and this does the job for her.

(BTW I did the same thing when I wore contacts -- both lenses corrected my distance vision, but one was also a bifocal lense for reading. That was the best set-up I ever had! Sure do miss wearing contacts instead of glasses!)

 

[soocool]

I have worn progressives for the past 7 years and love them (did not have to get used to them). The upper part of the lens for distance, middle let''s me see arm''s length (grocery shopping reading labels) and of course, bottom for reading. I also wear contacts (1 lens weaker and the other lens is regular prescription) but I prefer my glasses. Wanting to try the multifocal contacts that are out now.

Husband switched to progressives last year and loves them. Did not have to get used to them. He also wears contacts for distance and has readers when he needs them.

 

[Regular Guy]

I went straight from regular glasses to progressives...what...8 years ago? I''m 54; now people think I''m 22!

Actually, I sought the doctor''s recommendation generally, and going without the line just seemed the "regular" way, and I went with it. Sounds like SomethingShiny knows the drill. It took up to a week at first to get used to them, but I attribute the optical scientists to have designed these guys I''m wearing, and I find this trust is generally right on.

Magnification...that''s another story. I AM 54. My opthamologist (MD) did extensive screening when I went in 4 months ago. Doing the...which is better, a or b, over & over. But, at the end, when it came to magnification (I''m 54 and have always worn glasses!), he said my previous magnification wasn''t very strong, it''s time to step it up. He did not test me for this. He says his optician out front will confirm the number I''ll give you. The guy out front then had me read with this magnification on trial, we agreed it was fine, and that was the end of testing for my magnification.

And you thought the magnifications posted at the drug store was arbitrary? It was no different than what the doctor did for me.

It seemed very strange, but I take this as contemporary science...and more a testament to the universality of need in people than anything else. Separately, I do have a astigmatism, which needs correction. But, apparently, the need for magnification is relatively predictable for age, such that my doctor didn''t even include this with his moderately lengthy assessment.

Sorry to slightly thread jack.

 

[VRBeauty]

I just wanted to add that I think a lot of eyeglass problems can be solved by going to a great optician -- the person who fits and dispensed the glasses. It''s the optician''s job to make sure you pick lenses that are appropriate for your prescription, that the various fields of vision are located properly on the lense, and that your eyeglasses fit properly so that your these fields of vision are aligned correctly when you use the glasses. I''ve been using the same private dispensing optician for years. I pay top dollar for my glasses, but I know that he''ll make sure my glasses work and that they make the best possible use of my optometrist''s prescription. Beside, he has the most awesome collections of frames around!

 

[somethingshiny]

Date: 4/15/2010 4:03:54 PM
Author: VRBeauty
I just wanted to add that I think a lot of eyeglass problems can be solved by going to a great optician -- the person who fits and dispensed the glasses. It''s the optician''s job to make sure you pick lenses that are appropriate for your prescription, that the various fields of vision are located properly on the lense, and that your eyeglasses fit properly so that your these fields of vision are aligned correctly when you use the glasses. I''ve been using the same private dispensing optician for years. I pay top dollar for my glasses, but I know that he''ll make sure my glasses work and that they make the best possible use of my optometrist''s prescription. Beside, he has the most awesome collections of frames around!

Huge ditto. Optician and optometric assistant is what I was for years. Good opticians end up with their own clients!

 

[lyra]

I didn''t like them so I opted for plain old lined ones. I like the reference point the line provides.

 

[scarleta]

"I tried progressives so I didn''t look old. (I can imagine no other reason for them)"
thanks Kenny for your input. Never thought of progressive as such???? I thought that one just keeps them on all day so one never looks for glasses?
Nice explanation; Somethingshiny: thanks for that.I don''t do the whole lots of reading and I use computer too.Thanks for the rubbing alcohol tip.
Thanks Isaku5: hope I won''t have to rock my head also?? if I get them
VR Beauty:
I love my progressives too. It took me about a day to get used to them, and after that... no problemo!
"But... since losing and leaving glasses is a problem for you, have you considered getting a bifocal contact lense?
I was under impression that progressive or bifocal glasses one can use all day and no need to remove? so I would have them with me all the time? Maybe I m wrong? I m not sure if I want contact lenses? I see lots of people trying to find them usually on the washroom floor...
Thanks Soocool:7 years is long time and do you ever take them off????
Regular Guy: just wondering do you keep wearing your glasses all the time? I suppose because you have always used glasses it was somehow easier? for you? Thanks for all tips.
VR beauty: great tips. How often do you have to get a new pair? or would one get two right away?
thanks everyone and any more ideas please and thanks.

 

[VRBeauty]

Scarleta:

My mother used a gas-permeable extended wear soft contact lens that she kept in 24/7 for a few weeks at a time. (I just asked her about it... it turns out that she hasn't been able to use the contact lenses since a recent cataract surgery left some scar tissue.

) In my experience lenses popping out or getting off-center is more of a problem with hard lenses than with soft lenses, although my optometrist and I eventually fine-tuned the fit on even my hard lenses so well that it basically did not happen. Putting soft lenses in and taking them out takes some getting used to, but they can be very comfortable to wear.

As for the glasses... how many pair you have is totally a personal matter. I currently have a four-pair wardrobe of eyeglasses and I have another pair on the way; I've been getting a new pair every 2 or 3 years or so. I now have a pair with a bronzy/brownish frame, one with kind of a gunmetal blue, and a pair with burgundy half-frames. The pair that's on the way is rimless with matte silver/pewter fittings, and a pair of edgy black covers for the ear pieces for when I want to change it up. Oh... and I have a lightweight pair with a different prescription that's perfect for multi-tasking (watching TV while reading or doing close work) at home. Most people that I know have only one or two pair at a time, and I started that way too. But since my prescription has remained pretty stable, and none of my frames were terribly trendy, I've been able to accumulate a bit of a collection. Of course some (probably most!) people would rather indulge in a new ring or something that a new pair of glasses, and I totally get that too!

 

[scarleta]

Thanks VRBeauty: You gave me lots of ideas here.I will talk to my eye doctor before making final decision.

and "Of course some (probably most!) people would rather indulge in a new ring or something that a new pair of glasses, and I totally get that too! "
I think I will indulge in two pairs of glasses.
Still not sure about contact lenses ??? will think of this one too.
thanks again

 

[Regular Guy]

Date: 4/15/2010 11:17:27 PM
Author: scarleta
Regular Guy: just wondering do you keep wearing your glasses all the time? I suppose because you have always used glasses it was somehow easier? for you? Thanks for all tips.

Scarletta, yes, I remove my glasses to shower, wash my face, and to sleep (and other bedroom oriented things).

I''m possibly forgetting one or two other times I remove them, but mostly they are on.

 

[tyty333]

I have progressives and I really like them. It did take me about a day or 2 to get use to them. My distance is fine also so sometimes I end up
in the car without glasses. I cant read price tags either. So...to fix this problem I bought a pair of readers that I leave in the car for those
days I''ve gone off without my glasses.

 

[somethingshiny]

Since it seems you are considering contact lenses, I thought I''d give you some info.

Monovision is the use of a single vision lenses. One eye is used for distance, one eye for near vision. These are standard disposable lenses, nothing special. The reason they work is due to the 2 different RXs. It takes a while for your eyes and brain to get used to only using one eye dominantly for each task but they are very cost effective, easy to wear, and depending on the brand and your eye''s health, can even be slept in. The downside is no intermediate vision correction. Depending on your RX, you may not really require that correction anyway. Since you would be new to contacts, you''d wear a regular soft lens, not a gas perm or rigid lens. Also, if you have astigmatism, you could still have the correction in the monovision lenses. They are called Toric lenses and you could still achieve the monovision concept.

Multifocal contacts have concentric rings of correction. These are the contact lens equivalent of a progressive. Your eye dilates differently based on what you''re focusing on. So, your eye would focus into the reading portion of the lens when you''re focusing up close and in the distance correction when focusing further out. This lens does achieve an intermediate correction as well. Some say this lens is hard to get used to and has a moment of adjustment when your focus changes. These are also available in toric lenses (if you require astigmatic correction) although they are pretty costly. These are also available in disposables whether you require the toric or not.


Bifocal contacts are technically contacts with only 2 segments of correction. Very similar to the look of an actual lined bifocal. When you look down, you look through the near vision correction. The lens is generally "weighted" to keep it oriented properly. These are very difficult to use.

One or more of these may work for you. But, if you''re going to attempt a bifocal contact concept, you need to be able to give it some time to work. The fit, RX or type of lens may need to be changed several times to achieve your best vision.

 

[scarleta]

VR: beauty: thanks for asking your Mom on my behalf: and sorry she could not use the lenses after surgery:

RG: now you make me wonder? about the " other things" when you have to remove your glasses (just kidding here)


"I remove my glasses to shower, wash my face, and to sleep (and other bedroom oriented things).

I''m possibly forgetting one or two other times I remove them"
thanks
Tyty:what a great idea
" I cant read price tags either. So...to fix this problem I bought a pair of readers that I leave in the car for those
days I''ve gone off without my glasses".I shall put a pair in my car and that should solve my problem...
somethingshiny: thanks for all the info I have an appointmet next month, so now I have some more info
Thanks everyone for "chipping in"