# Re: Glasses



## firefighterjake (Oct 14, 2015)

Guess I'm getting old . . . eye doctor said I was right on the cusp of needing bi-focals or progressives . . . said I could go either way right now. 

Since I've been having problems reading fine print such as the print on medicine bottles, directions on various products, etc. I opted to try some progressive glasses.

Picked them up yesterday at Walmart . . . but I'm not sure if it's the glasses or just me . . . folks with progressive lens . . . do you have to move your head around constantly to find the right area to get clear focus. Driving home I found myself nodding my head down to see out on the road and then having to lift my head to see the speedometer.

Here at work I can see fine while typing this, but nearby magazine titles require me to swivel my head to the left or right and then look up or down. 

I really think I like my old glasses better . . . but want to know if this is just me not being used to the glasses or if the glasses are not adjusted right.


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## johneh (Oct 14, 2015)

That's why I got rid of the progressives and went back to
the D style  bi-focals.  You will with time get the feel for them !


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## Jags (Oct 14, 2015)

Oh - Jake, I had the exact same deal.  Went back to the eye doc and said "this ain't gonna work".  Then she breaks out with the - "there is one more option".  Okay - spill.  There is a "digital" version of progressives.  Whut? How can a pair of glasses be digital.  I still don't understand that one...BUT the eye doc did not have the ability to make those type of lenses and they need to be sent out to someplace that can.  I did it.  More $$$ but WELL worth it.  Your field of vision is MUCH better with the "digital" version than with standard progressives.

No wires, no batteries, no nothing but normal looking glasses.  Why they call them digital is beyond me but they work much better than the standard progressives I started out with.

http://www.ecpmag.com/1webmagazine/...ugh_the_lens/understanding-digital-lenses.asp


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## firefighterjake (Oct 14, 2015)

johneh said:


> That's why I got rid of the progressives and went back to
> the D style  bi-focals.  You will with time get the feel for them !



I was wondering if bi-focals might be easier to use or not . . . of course going to bi-focals with that line pretty much makes it official -- I would officially be an old person.


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## firefighterjake (Oct 14, 2015)

Jags said:


> Oh - Jake, I had the exact same deal.  Went back to the eye doc and said "this ain't gonna work".  Then she breaks out with the - "there is one more option".  Okay - spill.  There is a "digital" version of progressives.  Whut? How can a pair of glasses be digital.  I still don't understand that one...BUT the eye doc did not have the ability to make those type of lenses and they need to be sent out to someplace that can.  I did it.  More $$$ but WELL worth it.  Your field of vision is MUCH better with the "digital" version than with standard progressives.
> 
> No wires, no batteries, no nothing but normal looking glasses.  Why they call them digital is beyond me but they work much better than the standard progressives I started out with.
> 
> http://www.ecpmag.com/1webmagazine/...ugh_the_lens/understanding-digital-lenses.asp



Hmmm . . . did a safety fair at GE this morning and met an optician (she was there with 3M safety glasses) . . . talked to her a bit about these glasses . . . I may ask her about digital glasses as well . . . always wanted to wear a Fram oil filter on my head.


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## johneh (Oct 14, 2015)

firefighterjake said:


> I was wondering if bi-focals might be easier to use or not . . . of course going to bi-focals with that line pretty much makes it official -- I would officially be an old person.




You are only as old as you feel
And some days I am older than dirt !


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## DougA (Oct 14, 2015)

I hope you like reading gobbledygook:

Digital lens surfacing is mostly relevant to progressive prescription lenses because the major difference between digital and traditional surfacing is digital’s ability to do custom regions within a lens to suit an individual. Sound a little complicated? It can be.

It’s important to note that, just because a lens is made digitally does not automatically mean it is better than a traditionally surfaced lens. In many cases, there is no difference.

*HERE’S WHAT SETS DIGITAL AND TRADITIONAL LENS SURFACING APART:*

In traditional surfacing, a prescription is polished into a lens using a “tool” that is tailored to a specific prescription. In other words, traditional surfacing labs have pre-made tools stocked for every prescription imaginable.
For a progressive prescription, a traditional lab must use a semi-finished progressive lens that has the progressive bifocal on one side, then it works the prescription into the side opposite the progressive. This means the size and shape of the bifocal is limited to what’s available in pre-made, semi-finished progressive lenses.
A digital lab has the ability to surface the progressive bifocal and the rest of the prescription on the same side. The progressive can be altered or tailored to suit an individual’s requirements, and the lab has the freedom to use a semi-finished single vision lens instead of a pre-made progressive.
The ability to use semi-finished single vision lenses means digital labs have more options for lens colors and sizes. Semi-finished progressives limit the pupil distance and lens size of a prescription; digital surfacing removes this limitation almost entirely.
If you are comfortable with standard progressives and your pupil distance works in a specific frame, you will be hard-pressed to find a difference between digitally and traditionally surfaced progressive bifocals.
If you have single vision or use a lined bifocal, there is no difference for you between digitally and traditionally surfaced lenses.
In a small number of cases, digital surfacing can create stronger prescriptions than traditional in highly curved wraparound frames. For this reason and to increase the options for those with pupil distance conflicts, we are partnered with a digital surfacing lab, allowing us to offer digitally surfaced lenses to our customers for an added fee.


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## Trktrd (Oct 14, 2015)

It took me forever to get used to progressives. And yes I am an "old person" but I think the lines in traditional bifocals would drive me bananas.


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## hossthehermit (Oct 14, 2015)

Progs take time to get used to, been in 'em for 20 years, tried the lined ones, couldn't do it .............. never heard of the digital, have to do some research


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## velvetfoot (Oct 14, 2015)

Good luck.
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/progressive-lenses-ugh.141416/


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## hossthehermit (Oct 14, 2015)

Oh, yeah, Jake, worst thing at first is walking DOWN stairs ............


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## Jags (Oct 14, 2015)

hossthehermit said:


> Oh, yeah, Jake, worst thing at first is walking DOWN stairs ............


You don't like fuzzy steps??


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## hossthehermit (Oct 14, 2015)

Jags said:


> You don't like fuzzy steps??


The term "fuzzy" should be reserved for slippers and kittehs ........................


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## BrotherBart (Oct 14, 2015)

The progressives got tossed in a corner of my desk and I went back to "readers". I never could get into those things.


hossthehermit said:


> The term "fuzzy" should be reserved for slippers and kittehs ........................



And math...


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## Dix (Oct 14, 2015)

I like mine, Jake. Been wearing them for 10 years atleast. Took some time to get used to.

Watch it if you're loping / cantering on the back of a horse, you'll be dizzy in a heart beat


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## BrotherBart (Oct 14, 2015)

When I lope, canter and get dizzy no horse, just booze, is involved.


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## WES999 (Oct 14, 2015)

Tried them once, hated them, felt like I was wearing blinders, narrow field of view.
Wear the regular ones now. 
Also I try to pick a larger size lens, seems to work better  as there is more room for the bifocal.


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## Dix (Oct 14, 2015)

BrotherBart said:


> When I lope, canter and get dizzy no horse, just booze, is involved.



Pics, or it didn't happen  

 *twirls in my chair, lmao !! *


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## jeff_t (Oct 15, 2015)

I got progressives last summer. Took me months to get used to them, but I'm happy with them now. I don't need glasses to read, and take them off if that's what I'll be doing for a while, but at least I can make a quick read without flipping my glasses up on my head. 

What I don't like is the blurry dash when I'm driving. Not an issue in a car as the dash is far enough away and pretty much straight in my line of vision, but it takes a glance down in a big truck.


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## Shari (Oct 15, 2015)

Jake,  I'll bet they are not ground properly for you.  I had a pair like that and sent them back.  I went from no glasses to no line trifocals and really, other than that one time, have never had a problem with them.  I tried on my sisters 'lined' bifocals and about killed myself walking down some steps.  I won't say what happened when I had her glasses on and walked down a handicapped ramp.  Well, okay, it was like I was 'high stepping' so something like that.


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## Adios Pantalones (Oct 16, 2015)

johneh said:


> You are only as old as you feel
> And some days I am older than dirt !




"You are only as old as those that you feel"


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## HisTreeNut (Oct 16, 2015)

johneh said:


> You are only as old as you feel
> And some days I am older than dirt !



I might be older than dirt but I saw all the cool bands!


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## begreen (Oct 18, 2015)

I had 20/15 vision until my early 40s. Then my close up sight started going. Readers worked for a few years but it became a pain to constantly have to remove them for active tasks. My first pair of bifocals were progressive lens to correct near vision. They really sucked. I was constantly hunting for the sweet spot and by the end of the day had a neck ache and tired eyes. Then I got old-fashioned lined bi-focals and instantly found them a major improvement. I've had bifocals since. Now have 3 pairs, one for general purpose, bifocal sunglasses and a pair for working at the computer. The computer pair allows me to read items on the desktop and yet see sharply at about 24" away. Without them I would not have been able to continue to work.


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## firefighterjake (Oct 21, 2015)

I've tried the progressive lens and as mentioned (and as others have mentioned) you have to look right at something and even then adjust your head to bring the object into the right focus . . . not liking this at all. At this point I am strongly thinking the glasses will go back and I'll keep my old glasses and just have to take them off to see things close up . . . eventually I may go the bi-focal route, but I've heard having that line right in front of your eyes can be pretty distracting as well.


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## Jags (Oct 21, 2015)

firefighterjake said:


> you have to look right at something and even then adjust your head to bring the object into the right focus


This is exactly the issue that the "digital" lenses corrected for me.  I understand that mileage may vary depending on the person, but for something that is as important as glasses for me, I am very satisfied.


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## DougA (Oct 21, 2015)

Shari said:


> Jake, I'll bet they are not ground properly for you.


My wife had that problem. She spent 4 months trying to get mutifocal glasses corrected and finally went to a competitor and they found the glasses were made incorrectly.  She asked for and rec'd a refund and got a pair from the competitor.  
The first pair I tried to buy was AWFUL.  To see at a distance, I had to tip my head down as if I was looking over a pair of reading glasses. They said "you'll get used to it in a few weeks"  Yes, your eyes will adjust to bad glasses but you shouldn't ever need to if they are made right.


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## billb3 (Oct 21, 2015)

I've had some progressives with that near and intermediate corridor  rather narrow and had to turn my head to read both a book and a computer screen.
The ones I have now  that center corridor is nice and wide and no head turning. I paid extra for them and the only trade-off if I remember right was they were not the lightest/thinnest lenses.


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## English BoB (Oct 23, 2015)

firefighterjake said:


> Guess I'm getting old . . . eye doctor said I was right on the cusp of needing bi-focals or progressives . . . said I could go either way right now.
> 
> Since I've been having problems reading fine print such as the print on medicine bottles, directions on various products, etc. I opted to try some progressive glasses.
> 
> ...



My girlfriend loves my progressive glasses.

Every time  she needs something  done she says " put on your glasses I need to talk to you " Then she tells me what it is and there I am nodding up and down trying to focus, and if I argue the reply is ' you just said YES " and thats the end of the discussion.

bob


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## DougA (Oct 23, 2015)

English BoB said:


> Every time she needs something done she says " put on your glasses I need to talk to you " Then she tells me what it is and there I am nodding up and down trying to focus, and if I argue the reply is ' you just said YES " and thats the end of the discussion.


HA - one more reason to not wear glasses and carry a white cane.


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## firefighterjake (Oct 24, 2015)

English BoB said:


> My girlfriend loves my progressive glasses.
> 
> Every time  she needs something  done she says " put on your glasses I need to talk to you " Then she tells me what it is and there I am nodding up and down trying to focus, and if I argue the reply is ' you just said YES " and thats the end of the discussion.
> 
> bob



We had a fire inspector who was going deaf ... or at least was having trouble hearing well. I went out with him a few times and caught him nodding yes a few times to questions that were clearly supposed to be "no." Turns out he often nodded yes if he couldn't quite make out what was being said ... shortly thereafter he broke down and bought some hearing aids.


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## firefighterjake (Oct 24, 2015)

Saw a licensed optician the other day ... she is exploring some options ranging from bifocals to digital lens.


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