Progressives.... not getting along with me

Lost User

I switched from bifocals to progressives quite a few years ago. Took less than a week to get used to them and they still work fine - approaching 76 (me not the glasses). However I am long-sighted rather than short sighted, so that may make a difference.

Matthew Dennis

I have progressives, and I found that they took a little getting used to. You need to make sure they are sitting on your face correctly. I find that if they slip down, then your are looking at the screen through the upper portion instead of the middle portion, and since the top is for distance, the screen gets blurry. I also found that having my monitors on a mount so that I am looking straight at the, instead of down helps to look through the middle of the lenses, keeps the glasses from sliding down, and as an added bonus, improves the posture.

"Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana."

Maximilien

I got new glasses a couple of weeks ago, they asked me if I wanted progressives, I said no, big mistake. (I have bad eye sights) If I could summon enough cash to get lasered ... sigh...

I'd rather be phishing!

Greg Utas

I've had them for a while, for the same reason as you. Couldn't read the car's navigator while driving without removing glasses that only correct for distance. Don't really need anything for up close but now wear them at the computer out of habit. Didn't take any time to get used to but, as others have pointed out, they have to be sitting correctly.

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Kent Sharkey

Same problems here. I ended up getting a cheap second pair just for computer work.

TTFN - Kent

Slacker007

My eye doctor strongly discouraged me from getting progressive lenses as I write code all day, and read, etc. So, I take them off to read text up close and keep them on when coding, as the distance is just right. It can be a PITA but I am used to it now. Thankfully, I have not yet forgotten my glasses anywhere. I'm sure that day will come soon. :) There may come a day where getting progressives is the correct choice for me, who knows.

jackbrownii

I have regular bifocals. The ones with the line. I tried progressives once. For about two hours and it was either go back to my previous set or go insane. The distortions off to the side we the tiniest bit aggravating while driving. As in "what the elephant was that over there?" So, regular bifocals with rest of the world on the main part of the lens and reading distance in the bifocal area. Then, I have a second set with the same bifocal area, but, the main vision is set for monitor distance, not outside distance. There are also the sunglasses and prescription safety glasses for work, but, that's just over the top.

davecasdf

My problem was that the field of view shrank when going to closer focus. Drove me buggy. But I read, and usually work, without glasses. Except in the shop where the safety glasses are bifocals and go from slightly more near sighted to 18" is about clearest.

trønderen

I got two progressive pairs. My "computer" glasses has a narrow short-distance field at the bottom, a wide middle-distance field in the middle and a narrow far-distance are at the top. My so-called "reading" glasses have wide short-distance and a wide far-distance fields, separated by a narrow middle-distance field. I was expected/expecting to use the "reading" glasses as default, switching to computer glasses only when sitting in front of the PC. It didn't turn out that way: I use the computer glasses all the time, with one exception: Evenings/nights when light is low, when driving the car, constantly having to bow my neck to get those traffic signs into the top area of my field of vision, really strains my neck. (In full daylight, I can can easily read them through the middle field.) So I have got my "reading" glasses parked in my car for far distance reading of traffic signs in (semi-)darkness. I am near-sighted. When I (finally!) got glasses around age ten, I was surprised to learn that all those star constellations such as the Big Dipper or Orion were more than mythology - you can actually see those stars making up the figures! :-)

DerekT P

I first got glasses (I'm short-sighted) around that age; stepping out of the opticians into the street was an astonishing experience - one I've never forgotten. I had no idea that's what the world was supposed to look like. Literally, a revelation.

charlieg

computer version on order....

Charlie Gilley <italic>Stuck in a dysfunctional matrix from which I must escape... "Where liberty dwells, there is my country." B. Franklin, 1783 “They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” BF, 1759

charlieg

The issue I am having - doc says, "wear them for two weeks all the time, then let me know..." I have a 25" display to my left, and with the glasses, it is all blurry. Same level as laptop screen. Laptop is much better - directly in front of me. Reasonably clear. I think I need the computer version of the progressives.

Charlie Gilley <italic>Stuck in a dysfunctional matrix from which I must escape... "Where liberty dwells, there is my country." B. Franklin, 1783 “They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” BF, 1759

W Balboos GHB

I've done progressives for years. The computer-generated version were not worth the extra money. There are things you need to get used to (actually, your vision will automatically accommodate some in a short time).

The optimum visual field (for you prescription) is a vertical region in the center of each lens. More expensive lenses tend to have a wider vertical region. You'll tend to turn your head more to see clearly because of this.
When first wearing them, looking down may give you the perception of a curved floor/sidewalk. This is one of the things you will accommodate.
Mine are prescribed for computer use: the central field is focused optimally at about 3 feet (1 meter) and the infinite distance is a bit higher on the lens. You may not have done this.
You'll not have as good a prescription as single-vision - you are making compromises.

If they didn't tell you why, the reason you've gone to bifocals is that your lens is less flexible and won't deform for the close focus as well as it used to. The only option to getting old is worse than bifocals . . .

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Daniel Pfeffer

I have two sets of glasses - one for far distance (used only when I drive), and one "office progressive" where the top part is suited for computer work, and the bottom is suited for reading. I find that the "progressive" pair has to be properly positioned on the face, If that is done, they work very well.

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Mircea Neacsu

I wear progressives all day EXCEPT when writing code on my desktop. Two large monitors don't fit nicely through the narrow slit of the near field offered by progressives. I have a pair of cheap readers dedicated to desktop work. Two things to consider: - Normally focal distance for near field is calculated based on standard reading distance (~30cm). Screens are more like 60-70cm away. You can ask your optician to figure out what your specific need based on your distance between eye and screen(s). - Field of view area of the near field for progressives is about 30% of the lens area (or less). You have to move your neck a lot to see the whole screen, specially in dual monitors configurations.

Mircea

MarkTJohnson

I wear progressives for everything BUT coding. For coding I have a pair of single focus with the focal point being about 18-20 inches, the distance from me to the monitors. Optometrist, knew exactly when I meant when I said I need a pair of computer glasses that match my prescription. (The vision care with my company health insurance allows me to get both pair as part of the benefit.)

I’ve given up trying to be calm. However, I am open to feeling slightly less agitated.

Mike Hankey

I hate progressives, I got a pair last year and can't see close or far with them so ended up just getting a good pair for reading.

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theoldfool

Wore regular bifocals for years. One time, I tried progressives and gave up. Had to turn my head too much. I guess the tracks are wider now. 5 years ago, I had cataract surgery, left eye set for close, right eye for distance. I very rarely wear glasses. I do have a pair I wear for driving, corrects my left eye for distance. I have a pair of readers that corrects the right eye, only wear them if I am going to do a lot of reading. Works great. One time, way back, Optometrist wanted to sell me contacts like that, told her she was nuts. Should have listened.

If you can keep your head while those about you are losing theirs, perhaps you don't understand the situation.

PIEBALDconsult

I have a rather strong prescription ( -7.5 ) and I have been using progressives for a few years now, but I still have to remove them to see anything really close/small.

User 12891772

You need computer glasses. Everything in focus at an arm's length (or however far your monitors are from your eyes).