Progressive lenses - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Brian Carlton · #1 07-31-2008, 12:32 PM

Well, it's time for the addition of either bifocals or a progressive lens.

I'm intrigued by the progressive lens due to the imperceptible look of the lens and the gradual transition.

I can see the benefit for reading and for long distance. However, my concern is on the computer. I look down toward the screen and would be using the middle to upper part of the lens...........which might not be so desirable.

Any advice or comments from those who use the progressive lenses?

They're quite pricey and the alternative would be two different pairs.........one for reading...........one for everything else.

Idolotor · #2 07-31-2008, 12:57 PM

I wear soft cotact lenses that cover the whole spectum of sight range except for reading and computer work, then I use my reading glasses in conjunction with my contacts. It's really no problem. I just carry some generic 2.00 readers around in my pocket and pull them out when I need them. No prescription for the glasses. Prescription for the soft contacts.

davestlouis · #3 07-31-2008, 01:04 PM

My progressives are great, except when I am under a car working, my depth perception is all out of whack and I have a devil of a time seeing what I'm doing. The computer isn't an issue, I just move my head vertically until I hit the "sweet spot" and I can focus.

beevly · #4 07-31-2008, 01:06 PM

I wear progressives. About 20-24" from computer screen and looking down at a 20-25° angle, I'm looking through a point about one third of the way up from the bottom of the lens. I'm able to sit straight up and maintain good posture. You'll be fine.

AdvisorGuy · #5 07-31-2008, 01:10 PM

Not what you're asking but why not go for lasik ? I'm 41. I wore glasses from 5 to 31 years old. Astigmatism in both eyes, far-sighted and had a lazy left eye. I was in my mom's lap at 5 when we were rear-ended in dad's 67 Chevelle. I flew out of her lap and hit the concrete wall, I mean dash. Two weeks later, my left eye was turned in. Binocular Strabysmis(?) It was off-center but I could move it if I made the conscious effort. Doctors told my parents to "wait til I was in my teens. It may straighten as I get older.". Never happened but was straight and 20/20 vision with glasses on.

Got contacts in 99. Hard lenses first due to the astigmatism then soft lenses in early 2000. Finally decided to do something on my own. Saw a specialist. Said my eyes were healthy & strong. Go ahead with the lasik & straightening the left eye but do the lasik first and wait a year. Got the lasik in May 2001. Follow up visits in 2 weeks, 2 months then 6 months. Vision wound up at 20/15 and the left eye actually straightened a bit thanks to better vision. June of 2002, I had the left eye straightened. It was weird at first. My left peripheral vision was never there unless I moved the eye. After 25+ years of numerous pairs of broken glasses due to "Hey 4 eyes !!" fights in school (sorry mom

) and just plain breaking them, I have no regrets...

beevly · #6 07-31-2008, 01:10 PM

What's tough with progressives is if I bend down low to look at something 1-2 feet away, like looking into the back of a bottom cabinet shelf just off the floor, I have to bend my neck impossibly far back to find the sweet spot. I have to get down on hands and knees and look sideways into the cabinet.

Still, the good far outweighs the bad.

beaulieub · #7 07-31-2008, 01:14 PM

UGH - progressive lenses!

I've been wearing them for about 3 years now. I like and hate them. I have one eye much weaker than the other. I find that if the glasses are not sitting on my nose 100% aligned, then I get the correct view in one eye and not the other. It's hard to find and keep them on correct. Further, since most of my eye problems are with looking at things up close, I had the last pair made with no correction at the very top of the lense so I could choose to wear them at all times and get the full benefiet of using them in all circumsxtances both far and near. That hasn't seemed to work out as I find myself looking over the top of the glasses when I'm looking at the far views.

The whole eyeglass thing has been very frustrating and since I wear them more than I used to, my eyes seem to have worsened so that I need them all the time.

The only good part of this experience is buying them in Mexico. My eye doctor wanted $180 for 1 pair of progressives 2 years ago. That was with inexpensive frames. While I'm in Arizona for the winter I get them made in Algodonnes, Mexico and only pay $140 for 2 pair.

Good luck

Bert - NH

Brian Carlton · #8 07-31-2008, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beaulieub

The only good part of this experience is buying them in Mexico. My eye doctor wanted $180 for 1 pair of progressives 2 years ago. That was with inexpensive frames. While I'm in Arizona for the winter I get them made in Algodonnes, Mexico and only pay $140 for 2 pair.

Good luck

Bert - NH

The new "Varilux Physio" with the addition of the crystals for darkening pushes the set of lenses over $500..........and that's not including the frames.........

Thanks.

aklim · #9 07-31-2008, 01:43 PM

Can lasix help?

Botnst · #10 07-31-2008, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Carlton

Well, it's time for the addition of either bifocals or a progressive lens.

I'm intrigued by the progressive lens due to the imperceptible look of the lens and the gradual transition.

I can see the benefit for reading and for long distance. However, my concern is on the computer. I look down toward the screen and would be using the middle to upper part of the lens...........which might not be so desirable.

Any advice or comments from those who use the progressive lenses?

They're quite pricey and the alternative would be two different pairs.........one for reading...........one for everything else.

I have progressives and have had them for about 4-5 years. I tried contacts for about 6 months and my eyes always watered and I kept rubbing the lenses out of place. PITA. Also my job requires visual acuity -- my eyes are correctable to better than 20/15 -- so watery eyes degraded performance substantially.

I had 2 sets of lenses ground, one set for daylight driving only and one for general use. The daylight drivers are tinted and polarized. I asked that they grind the reading portion below normal since when I drive, all the close-in I need is to be able to see the instrument panel. This gives me an expanded correction for distances. Cost me over $400 to get specially ground optics, shatter-resistant, polarized & tinted lenses and comfy frames but well worth it, IMO. My general pair I can use for driving and everything else. I think they cost $300 or so. Using them I can discern a single leaf on a southern red oak 1/4 mile away. the tinted ones aren't that good. That's the price you pay by cutting down on light transmission.

I think if I could have become accustomed to contacts I'd have stayed with them but carried glasses for emergencies. Contacts sure are convenient.

kerry · #11 07-31-2008, 02:09 PM

I have progressive and I like them. It takes a couple of weeks for your mind to adapt to them.
However, if you recall, I had cervical spine surgery a few years ago. It was to solve an old injury but the symptoms only arose shortly after I got progressive lenses. I think the repeated subconscious movement of my neck with the progressives brought the problem to the surface.

Mike D · #12 07-31-2008, 02:37 PM

I've got progressive lenses and three fused cervical disks. I HATE them! They're fine for office work and normal use (forget about playing billiards however!) but for work they are horrible (I'm a fleet maintenance mechanic). As Dave pointed out, IF you can tilt your head and find the "sweet" spot they are fine. However, once you move your head or the part you are working on, the focus is gone!

If you do "at-hand" work, bite the "granny" bullet and get the standard bi-focals for work.

PaulC · #13 07-31-2008, 03:14 PM

Do progressive lenses require unusually large frames to allow sufficient vertical lens area to effect the transition? I'd rather squint than wear Junior Soprano's eyeglasses.

beevly · #14 07-31-2008, 03:38 PM

No, they're normal size. My lenses are 33mm tall and I've had shorter. There is a limit though of how small they can be.

Botnst · #15 07-31-2008, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaulC

Do progressive lenses require unusually large frames to allow sufficient vertical lens area to effect the transition? I'd rather squint than wear Junior Soprano's eyeglasses.

Mine are average vertical & horizontal dimensions but those dimensions weren't of concern to me so I didn't look into them. I bought thin lenses because I hate the weight of glasses. Cost more for thin.

I keep a pair of reading glasses, too. Bifocals are such a PITA that for extended reading I just popped for some cheap drugstore glasses that make my eyeballs appear to spill over my face rendering me irresistible to women. It's a burden.