Glasses wearers - progressives, yea or nay - poll

[Charmonium]

I recently got a pair of progressives and I have to say that they are dangerous to drive in. Unless you can turn your head on a swivel like an owl, sh** is seriously distorted and out of focus. I got to the end of my street and had to take them off. I'm getting single view from now on.

Not only that, for distance viewing I had to look so far up on the lenses that I was almost looking over the bridge. Maybe with bigger lenses it would have worked but not with 50mm by 30mm lenses.

So what are your thoughts on the great progressive-bifocal-single vision debate.

 

[sandorski]

Got my first BiFocals a week ago. The first few days it felt like someone was trying to crush my head and I constantly would see strange things. I also felt much taller. I am getting used to them though.

I have been told that Progressives are Better and I have been told that Progressives are Worse. Either way, they require a period of time to adjust.

 

[Murloc]

I don't have near sight issues since I'm young so I just have single vision glasses.

 

[BoomerD]

I tried progressive lenses about 20 years ago when my optometrist first convinced me that I NEEDED binoculars bifocals. I wore them for about 3 days, never could get used to them. Went to lined bifocals and haven't had any problems...except that I tend to trip over shit because I don't see "down" as well as I did with normal vision glasses.
My wife picked up her first pair of bifocals today. She went with lined as well.

 

[lxskllr]

I got my glasses from Walmart last time, and I had to argue with the doctor that I didn't want bifocals. I can't see up close with my glasses on anymore, and have to take them off, or look over the top. It's important that what I see is predictable at all angles, with distance being more important than close. Bifocals/progressives won't work for my needs.

 

[thebestMAX]

Been wearing them for about 35 years now. Ordered a pair, put them on and went on my way without even realizing they were there. Fantastic to be able to see and read up close without taking my glasses off. YMMV. I usually buy my sunglasses with single vision lenses but only because of the price factor.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

I've worn progressive for several years now and dislike them. I can read just fine without my glasses and, the short focal length at the bottom of the lenses is very finicky. Eye docs sure do love to proscribe them though. My next pair will probably be single vision.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Been wearing progressives for years, it may have had that issue in the beginning but don't even notice any issues now. I also got pretty small lenses reducing the amount of area that I had to move my eyes around.

 

[Stopsignhank]

when I got my first progressives made they were measuring me for the glasses. The lady said that I was holding my head wrong, no one holds their head up the way I do. She then sat there and stared at me. After about a minute I lowered my head, she said good and took the measurements. They of course were horrible just like what the OP describes. Next year I went back and ordered the same frame. During the measurements I told the lady (a different one) this is how I hold my head. The glasses are perfect. It is nice to be able to read without having to take off my glasses.

I got prescription sunglasses made and did not get progressives. I can read the digital spedometer without them and don't need to spend the extra money for progressives.

 

[Muse]

I've worn single vision since I was 14 for myopia. I've always thought people who cocked their head up or down to get a good view of something looked lame. In the house I wear computer glasses, they are good enough for distance I could even drive in them. Usually take them off to read, but don't have to. I have distance glasses I use outside the house.

 

[WaTaGuMp]

Progressives take time to adjust to.

 

[Iron Woode]

I wear progressive bifocals and it only took a few days to get used to them. It feels good to be able to read small print again. My distance vision is great now. I get free eye exams due to my diabetes. I will be going again in July for another check up.

 

[werepossum]

I've worn a pair for a couple years and love them. I don't need glasses up close, but it's nice to not have to remove them to read. They took literally no adjustment period, I loved them from day one. But I also have a very good, very thorough (read: very expensive) optometrist.

I much prefer my contacts. However, my natural vision is 20/200 and I had reached the point of needing low mag reading classes for working and high mag reading glasses for fine print, so wearing one pair of glasses constantly beats wearing two different pairs temporarily. I bought a helmet that accommodates glasses and have seldom worn my contacts since getting these.

 

[blackangst1]

I voted yea. As others have mentioned, they take time to get used to. Ive worn them for over 15 years. Also keep in mind if one progressive doesnt work for you, try another manufacturer. Not all progressives are the same in how theyre cut. Digital progressives are by far the best.

 

[superstition]

Glasses are horrible. I prefer contacts. I'd rather not see than go back to glasses. They give me headaches with even single vision because of my -8.5 prescription and they're too heavy. My vision is also much clearer and less distorted with contacts.

Contacts have a bad rap with a lot of older folks because the original disposable, AcuVue, is a terrible lens. It's extremely difficult to get in and out, dries up in the eye, and gets dirty easily. Just terrible. There are much better lenses now. The best lens of them all (O2 Optix) was discontinued, but the monthly lens is decent.

Never sleep with contacts in, no matter what anyone tells you. Don't even nap in them. Your eyelid will press the lens against your eye and that not only makes the lens dirty it's not good for your eye's capillaries. Take them out and use a full eye cup of saline for each lens. Don't let them dry out.