I'll be going to the optometrist soon for a new prescription. I currently have bifocals, and I find myself struggling to see close up and in the middle range. I'm wondering if anybody has experience switching from bifocals to so-called progressive lenses? Are there any advantages for the kinds of tasks woodworkers routinely do? Is the adjustment difficult?
I've worn progressives for many years and the only problem I have is when I get them renewed as it's always hard for the first two days to get used to them as you can get a bit dizzy - but if you are diligent and wear them everyday, soon, you won't notice the difference. The only drawback is when you lean back in your easy chair to watch the TV and you end up looking through the bottom - but I'm sure you experienced the same thing with bifocals.
I tried….And failed. Every time I moved my head to the perfect angle to see through the lens I would end up missing the nail I was trying to hit (Always hitting my own) Even bi focals were an issue. I now wear my reading glasses in shop, not the answer either, but what do we do ?
My regular glasses are progressives. I think they are great for out-of-the-shop use.
I also had a pair of prescription safety glasses made for in the shop. These glasses on single lens (i.e. not progressive or bi-focal) and they are optimized for a distance of 2 - 5 feet. Because they are single lens they were quite cheap (less than $50 for lens and frame). These glasses are great for in-the-shop use. They have the added benefit of being made of a safety glass that is more resistant to breaking.
There are 2 minor negatives. If I want to look across the shop (at the clock on the far wall) I have to look over the glasses and if I need to read some fine print, I have to get my regular glasses because the safety glasses are not good for reading fine print. Despite these two problems, this is the perfect solution for me.
FYI - these safety glasses are also perfect for computer use because my monitor is about 3 feet from my eyes (the perfect range for these glasses). I have them on right now.
I tried 'em. Walked around like a cat on wet grass for about 3 days. Took 'em back and got regular bifocals. Standard use glasses for me are readers from Wally World.
Bill
When I first got bifocals, I went right to the progressive lenses and loved them. My next pair I forgot to tell the eye doctor I wanted the progressive lenses and ended up with the lined bifocals. What a mistake that was. I've had more problems and still haven't gotten use to them. I plan to get new glasses this next year and will make sure to go back to the progressive lenses. The transition is much easier to deal with than the lined bifocals.
I just got my first pair of progressives last week. I'm still getting used to them. With them I can focus on something regardless of its distance - far, near, or intermediate. The correction for reading distance is very low and only a few inches wide so I still switch back to reading glasses if I'm going to sit at the computer.
For the shop I ordered my first pair of safety bifocals with the transition line about as high as the optomitrist was willing to go. I figure I mostly want to see close up, but I also need to be able to see distance when I'm walking around. I am hoping that the near correction in the conventional bifocals is wider than progressives.
I have progressive lenses and I HATE them. When I watch TV, I wear them upside down (both lenses have the same prescription). Walking down steps is also a challenge. When I first received them they told me to wear them for 2 weeks to get used to them, then if they didn't work to bring them back. I was travelling a lot during that time period and just never made it back. My wife received a pair this past summer. She took hers back and got the lenses changed out within the 30 day window. I have worn glasses since I was 10 years old, and this is the first time that I have hated them. The top half of my lenses are for distance viewing (fairly strong prescription). The bottom half is like this: the center 1/3rd is magnified for reading, the outer 1/3rd on both sides has no correction. If the entire bottom half had the correction I think they would work better, but the optometrist argued that it wouldn't. The problem is that when I am reading I can't just move my eyes, I have to move my whole head. I find that I can read MUCH better without them on. In January I'm going to a new optometrist and won't make the mistake in getting these lenses again. I'm in my mid-forties and usually look forward to change, but not this time. Now on the other hand, I have several friends that have them and don't see how they ever got by without them. I would make sure that you have the option to return them if they don't workout for you and make sure you keep track of the date you need to return them by.
I've worn glasses virtually all of my life. Started at 3 yrs. old, now 64 :-(
I wear progressives and hav no issues. I believe you have a wider range of vision with the transition if your eyes are bad near and far.
If you only need them for reading, and your eyes are good for distance, maybe bifocals are a better choice.
I have the lined trifocals, and they work good for me, of course when I got my first pair of bifocals, they
only offered the lined version. The first time they offered me progressive or unlined bifocals it was with a
sales pitch that they would look like regular lenses and people would not know you had bifocals, they also
cost more. My parents forgot to teach me to worry too much about how others regard me, so I never
have tried the progressive lens.
I HAD progressive lenses and hated them. I felt as though I was under the influence when wearing them. One of the major drawbalcks that I had was you MUST look straight forward while wearing them. There is no looking out of the corner of your eye at something. It made driving an almost impossible task. While the progressives are a nice thought and some people love them I couldnt handle it. If you do not look directly forward the vision becomes blurry and depth perception is way off. the progressives were not for me, you might be able to try them for awhile and see if you like them of not it may be bifocal time.
I agree with you, as I have to look straight ahead or anything from the sides is blurred. Maybe thats why I suck at golf. Hmmmmmm.
Now that I think about it, I never had that problem when I wore bifocals. Of course that was 30 years ago.
I'm due for an eye exam, I will investigate going back to bifocals.
I have been told that if you are used to one type (line/no line) it is very difficult to change. I have always had the progressive type and other than what Ken mentioned, I have no complaints. My eye doctor had mine made so that I can read really small print (electronic circuit boards) at a comfortable distance while keeping the other parameters at a "normal" setting.
Lew
I went straight from no glasses to progressives. My distance correction is very slight…. I need them mostly for closeup. I can still pass the drivers license eye exam with no glasses, but I can't even look at my watch and tell you what time it is.
I got used to the progressives in a couple of days with no problem. I could easily get by with not wearing them and just using reading glasses for close up, but I find it easier just to leave my progressives on all the time as opposed to constantly fumbling for reading glasses every time I need to see close.
I guess the bottom line is that they work great for some folks, and not so hot for others. I think it is definitely worth trying them, though, because they are really convenient if you can adapt to them.
Progressives-the only ones I've had since I had to go to bifocals, about 17 years ago. I don't have to move my head as much as relatives and friends who have the "line" bifocals. I guess this is one of the few ways I allow myself to be vain…..
My regular glasses are progressives, as is the pair of safety glasses I had made for the shop. I have never had problems with the progressives, other than the weight of the safety glasses.
I bought three pair … one for the shop, one for my tote bag, and one to sit on the shelf in case I need a spare.
The +1.5 magnification is (for me) just right for any work at bench-top height and closer. They are light-weight, pretty tough, don't seem to scratch easy, and I would rather break or lose them than a $150 pair of glasses.
I have worn glasses since I was 5 years old. I am very near sighted. When I got older, I never have had a problem seeing close up like most folks. The point where I can see anything just keeps getting closer. Now that point is about 12" away. My age related vision problem is when I have glasses to see far away, I can no longer make my eyes focus close up so I had to go to progressive lenses to have distance vision at the top and no correction at the bottom. I tried bifocal lenses and hated them. That damn line was always in the way.Progressives work for me. Almost no adjustment period. Just put em on and could see great and that was that.
I do have the problem alluded to by someone else where I can't see the TV when I lean back in my recliner because that puts me looking through the bottom of the lenses. And one other problem is due to the fact I do a lot of close detail work I need the tops of my lenses to have no correction like the bottoms, but my doctor said that would require lined trifocals. I passed on that, and just flip my glasses up on top of my head when I'm doing a lot of close work.
I had excellent eye sight all my life - shot pistols competitively for quite some time and didn't do too bad there. I am now relegated to using reading glasses for small print and detail work….It is a real inconvenience when you are not used to needing something to see with (If I would of known this sooner - I would not have made so much fun of the 4 eye folks when I was in school…LOL)
I lose those readers more then my pencils and measuring tape (you know how bad that is)....Luckily, the $1 store had a bevy of them…so I buy several…break some…lose some….but it is still a pain having to find a magnifying glass or a lost pair of readers when I need to check out ingredients or cautions on paint lables…etc. So I was thinking about some kind of prescription eyewear that can be used full time in the shop.
Tried progressive lenses and had them swapped out for bifocals. However, I had the bifocals set up for the bottom = less than 2ft and the tops = 2-5ft. For distance, I look over the tops of the glasses. I originally called these my "computer" glasses but I like them so much that I wear them in the shop ALL the time.
I also have a second pair of bifocals for watching my big screen TV (bottom = less than 2ft/reading and top = 0.36 long distance correction).
I have progressive lenses too. I had lasik surgery years ago so I dont need glassess normally, just to ready and do shop work. I love the progressive lenses. I have a pair of back-up glassess that have the lined bifocal and they drive me nuts.
I have been wearing progressive for at least 8 years and wouldn't go back to bifocal. I was constantly moving my head up and down to read something(blueprints) and it drove me n
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I love my progressives! My only problem is certain situations of assembly and driving screws, say inside a shop cabinet I have trouble getting the main target in focus. I bought a pair of cheaters to deal with this, but they didn't help. I just grin and bear this nuisance a couple of times per yr.
Vicki
Progressives have a very narrow hour glass shaped correction area. Depending on what you are looking at and what distance you may find you lack peripheral vision and will be looking back and forth like a crowd watching tennis ;-))
When I had cataract implants, I had one eye left 2-/30, or slightly near sighted and the other 20/20. I only need glasses to read the fine print ;-) Together they can see things that neither can see alone!! I have never heard of anyone making a pair of glasses like that, but you may want to try it. It may be better than either progressive or bi/trifocals.
Topa, yeah that is why I could never get along with a progressive lens. My neck gave out when trying to read ANYTHING more than a couple words long without a pseudo-typewriter carriage return, "bing" over, "bing" and over, "bing" and over, "bing" and over…
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