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Post by Adelard of Bath on Sept 23, 2024 19:54:58 GMT -5
Being finally grown up enough to need bifocals, I got my first pair. Could have used them a couple years ago, I suppose.
Both the eye doctor and the people building the glasses talked me into progressive lenses, even though I think I wanted "real" bifocals, due to all my fixing things in the garage. Actually, what I think I want is what they call "executive bifocals", sometimes called "Ben Franklin bifocals"; in these, the dividing line goes all the way across from left to right.
But anyway. I've only had these a couple days, and I'm not convinced the whole progressive thing is going to be superior to the old fashioned kind...but I admit I've never HAD the old-fashioned kind, and everyone says it takes a couple weeks to get used to these.
Comments either way?
(not that it matters too much, really - these have been purchased and I'm going to have to live with them for another year or whatever)
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Post by WDWGoof on Sept 23, 2024 20:09:02 GMT -5
Give it three months and your eyes will adjust to them to where it feels much more natural. Be careful walking down stairs with them in the initial “getting use to” stage. For whatever reason, I would get dizzy when walking down the stairs if I had them on. Now, not an issue.
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lola
One Bedroom
Posts: 236
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Post by lola on Sept 23, 2024 20:12:33 GMT -5
Hi! Retired optometrist and fellow Minnesotan here.
Look down with your eyes, not your head to reach the proper part of the lens. The bottom of the lens is the strongest for reading and sometimes you have to adjust your working distance a bit.
It's a bit of a habit change for most people. The two week adaptation window is pretty standard, but if you are not convinced after giving them your best shot contact your optical.
A reputable optical will work with you to make you a happy camper!
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Post by brp on Sept 23, 2024 20:28:11 GMT -5
I got Lasik when I was 40, so like a quarter of a century ago. As time has gone on, I have finally needed reading glasses (wearing them right now). But I'm lucky in that my vision is still good and I don't need correction, just magnification that I can get with cheap 2.5x glasses.
Mrs. brp, OTOH, actually has trifocals for different vision ranges. She has progressives and would not want it any other way to avoid the lines.
Cheers.
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Post by jawfish on Sept 23, 2024 23:10:58 GMT -5
I had progressive contacts and they worked for years. Then something changed (I got older) and now I need stronger readers. I ended up getting a weaker prescription so I did not need the readers so much. This too is temporary and I suppose at some point I’ll also need to adapt yet again.
Darn this aging! But… the older I get, the more means I have to go to Disney. Good with the bad. LOL
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Post by tigerjen99 on Sept 24, 2024 5:54:59 GMT -5
Definitely be patient. Remember to turn your head when looking to either side also. When I would just move my eyeballs, I would get dizzy.
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Post by amdev on Sept 24, 2024 6:10:20 GMT -5
Agree with all of the above. It does take time. I've had mine for almost 10 years. Hope you grow to like them, as much as one can like them, haha
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Post by starry_solo on Sept 24, 2024 7:32:21 GMT -5
My dad uses executive bi-focals. It took forever to find a place that would make them and we had to mail-order them!
He refuses to use the progressive ones (he did for a week or two but said "never again!")
So, hopefully it will work out for you.
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Post by fuzzylogic on Sept 24, 2024 7:39:58 GMT -5
I think I wanted "real" bifocals, due to all my fixing things in the garage. You get used to it. I was flipping my glasses onto my head for a couple years to read or do precision work that requires seeing details. With progressives I found myself still moving the glasses up purely out of habit for a while! I've since come to learn I see better up close with them and they've grown on me. Now I prefer to be wearing them than not, but this took a few months. |
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Post by bakerworld on Sept 24, 2024 9:23:15 GMT -5
DH's distance vision is fine so we hit the dollar store every now and then to load up with magnifiers. I think he's up to a 2.0 now. He leaves them everywhere, hence the need to restock occasionally. Personally, I have had a problem with distance vision since the 6th grade. I started with contacts in 9th grade. In my mid-40's, when wearing my contacts, I started to have problem with close vision so I 'graduated' to bi-focal glasses and used magnifiers when wearing my contacts. When I read the most comfortable is my naked eye as my near vision is better without any correction. Then I noticed in my 50's that I was having problems see the computer screen so I transitioned into tri-focal glasses and then Progressives. I didn't like Progressives until the industry found a way to make the seeing area progress over more of the lens, as being measured correctly with Progressives is practically an art form. Eventually in my late 50's I switched to contacts where one lens is for close vision and the other is distance. However, if I really need to see close (like sewing or untangling jewelry) I pull off the glasses or pop out the contacts. This is a major reason why I've never had Lasik surgery because Lasik is like wearing glasses all the time and a decision has to be made about which vision is wanted more - close or far. My sister had Lasik and is stuck with needing readers. Good luck with your bi-focal  |
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Post by Adelard of Bath on Sept 24, 2024 9:30:59 GMT -5
Well, this is exciting - I created a topic that is getting responses as fast as some of the "hot" topics like towers people do/don't like and cabins people (mostly) don't like.
Thanks everyone for chiming in. I see very little support for "normal" bifocals.
I'm sure I can get used to them, nothing seems too crazy, like no dizziness or anything like that. Stairs are fine. Actually the first time I went down the stairs, I remembered the advice and was careful, but I noticed it was the same as before - I always looked down with my eyes and the stairs were all blurry, so this is no different.
I think the REAL problem is they make me angry...for 40 years I have been wearing "corrective lenses" who's negative number cancelled out my eye's bad lenses and left me with about 0.0. I expected to get bifocals that were "normal glasses on top" and "reading lenses down below for up close". But instead, I'm given "here's a lens that's different everywhere and a compromise at everything, a true Master-of-None, all the stuff you want to look at only has one tiny little good spot on the lenses where it works out, and there are tons of areas where they are good for nothing, but don't worry, in two weeks your brain will know which way to tilt your head. People like them because there's no lines!"
I dunno, we will see. Maybe one day I will wake up and be perfectly fine with them, just like all the other stuff that fails as we get older.
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Post by baymaxfan on Sept 24, 2024 9:41:14 GMT -5
Being finally grown up enough to need bifocals, I got my first pair. Could have used them a couple years ago, I suppose. Both the eye doctor and the people building the glasses talked me into progressive lenses, even though I think I wanted "real" bifocals, due to all my fixing things in the garage. Actually, what I think I want is what they call "executive bifocals", sometimes called "Ben Franklin bifocals"; in these, the dividing line goes all the way across from left to right. But anyway. I've only had these a couple days, and I'm not convinced the whole progressive thing is going to be superior to the old fashioned kind...but I admit I've never HAD the old-fashioned kind, and everyone says it takes a couple weeks to get used to these. Comments either way? (not that it matters too much, really - these have been purchased and I'm going to have to live with them for another year or whatever) Perhaps I'm wrong, but I don't think progressives are necessarily supposed to be better than the old style of bifocals. I think part of why America has switched to progressive lenses is cosmetic - to not have the visible lines on the glasses. I wear progressive lenses and love them. No problems at all. Your brains adjusts quickly. |
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Post by Adelard of Bath on Sept 24, 2024 9:41:37 GMT -5
I was flipping my glasses onto my head for a couple years to read or do precision work that requires seeing details. With progressives I found myself still moving the glasses up purely out of habit for a while! I've since come to learn I see better up close with them and they've grown on me. Now I prefer to be wearing them than not, but this took a few months. Glad to hear someone else who flips them up. All those years, I've been taking them off, actually most of the time I just hold it down low and look "under" the bottom of the frames, like down my cheeks. It's like I have super-strong readers way down underneath my glasses. I find I still am doing this, although I am trying to teach myself to use the bifocal part. Problem is - if I take my glasses off, I have effectively given myself a way stronger magnification than the +1.5 of the "reading" portion of these progressive lenses, and sometimes I'm trying to see these teeny tiny little details out in the shop. |
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Post by brp on Sept 24, 2024 9:43:54 GMT -5
Perhaps I'm wrong, but I don't think progressives are necessarily supposed to be better than the old style of bifocals. I think part of why America has switched to progressive lenses is cosmetic - to not have the visible lines on the glasses. I wear progressive lenses and love them. No problems at all. Your brains adjusts quickly. Having recently spoken to someone who has had regular bifocals in the past, and now has progressive (and is like the least interested in cosmetic appearance than anyone), she said that the line really was visually annoying. Yes, one can adapt, but it is there. I think the visual fields are good in either case. But it seems that, at least to some, the line is a detraction.
Cheers.
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Post by Adelard of Bath on Sept 24, 2024 9:56:37 GMT -5
The two week adaptation window is pretty standard, but if you are not convinced after giving them your best shot contact your optical. A reputable optical will work with you to make you a happy camper! This wasn't talked about when I got the glasses, but I'll keep this in mind. I've been going to this same place since first grade. They've grown and gotten busier and moved to a new place that isn't nearly as cozy, and I didn't recognize any of the people this time, but I guess that's the way it goes. But most of me says it wouldn't be their fault if I don't happen to like the lenses I picked out, I wouldn't expect them to make me new ones in a non-progressive style...is that what you are referring to? Or maybe a discounted new lens or something. I would feel awkward being like "I know these were hundreds of dollars and they are custom made but I don't like them for various reasons (that everyone else seems to be okay with...)" Part of me assumes I am going to end up putting up with these for a year or whatever until it's time for new ones, or insurance will pay for new lenses in a year. |
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