Glasses - single vision verses progressives

[Salukulady]

Okay, my band mate is an optometrist. She got tired of watching me look under my glasses to read. She convinced me to switch to progressives. She said it might take up to a month to get used to them. How many of you have made the switch, how long did it take to get used to, and how many gave up and went back to single vision? I'm walking around my house like a drunk, tipping my head up and down.....

[ejr]

Okay, my band mate is an optometrist. She got tired of watching me look under my glasses to read. She convinced me to switch to progressives. She said it might take up to a month to get used to them. How many of you have made the switch, how long did it take to get used to, and how many gave up and went back to single vision? I'm walking around my house like a drunk, tipping my head up and down.....

I am severly farsighted with a bad astigmatism (sp?) and my optician was convinced I would have a tough time adjusting to progressive bifocals. When I first put them on, I remember sitting in front of the optician, and turning my head slightly, and the whole world spinning out of control.

That ended in less than an hour and I have had no problem with them at all. But I know others that were never able to adjust.

[CindaBee]

I switched years ago---took me a couple of hours (a little longer for going up and down stairs) to adjust. Would trade them for the world!

[ph4ever]

I've been wearing progressive for a year - I hate them. I still tip my head up and down for certain things - like working on the computer. I'd rather look under my glasses or take them off to read. I need to have my eyes checked again and I'm going to go back to single vision.

[springparrot]

LOVE LOVE LOVE mine!!!!!
It took no time to get used to them.
Give them some time.

[Salukulady]

So far I like them for the computer or watching TV and reading, it's when I walk around or try to work in the kitchen, I'm all wonky!

[Conolulu]

LOVE LOVE LOVE mine!!!!!
It took no time to get used to them.
Give them some time.

Me too!

I've worn them for over 10 yrs...by the time I walked out of the Dr's office I was used to them.....(except I didn't realize how short I really was until then... )

I also wear mono vision contacts...One for distance and one for close up...Again, no time getting used to them. They're difficult for night driving in a strange city...but no other problems...

It's great only having one pair of glasses, and never having to look over or under them.....

[Brown Eyed Girl]

I'm curious, those of you who have progressives, what kind of vision problem(s) do you have? Are you mainly farsighted or are there any nearsighted folks? I am very nearsighted with slight astigmatism in one eye (but really not enough to require correction with my contacts). I have always had ridiculously good near vision, which all the docs cant' believe. They swore I'd lose my near vision due to the strength of my contacts and the fact that I've always spent so much time with my head in a book. It's just now starting to change...which means it's probably considered "normal" for most folks. I don't notice it at all with my contacts on, but I no longer am comfortable reading when I'm wearing my glasses. I'm wondering if I may be looking at progressives or bifocals in the future. The folks that I know personally who wear them are all farsighted, so they're of no help to me.

[ph4ever]

I'm curious, those of you who have progressives, what kind of vision problem(s) do you have? Are you mainly farsighted or are there any nearsighted folks? I am very nearsighted with slight astigmatism in one eye (but really not enough to require correction with my contacts). I have always had ridiculously good near vision, which all the docs cant' believe. They swore I'd lose my near vision due to the strength of my contacts and the fact that I've always spent so much time with my head in a book. It's just now starting to change...which means it's probably considered "normal" for most folks. I don't notice it at all with my contacts on, but I no longer am comfortable reading when I'm wearing my glasses. I'm wondering if I may be looking at progressives or bifocals in the future. The folks that I know personally who wear them are all farsighted, so they're of no help to me.

I'm extremely nearsighted with an astigmatism that has gotten to the point to where I need really expensive contacts if I want to still wear contacts. I can't even get the disposable torque lenses anymore. Basically without my glasses I am blind as a bat. I think for me the problems I've had with progressive is because I have for years just removed my glasses when I needed to see something up close (like plucking eyebrows, or reading small print for example) and that's simply what I'm used to.

[Moonie]

I'm curious, those of you who have progressives, what kind of vision problem(s) do you have? Are you mainly farsighted or are there any nearsighted folks? I am very nearsighted with slight astigmatism in one eye (but really not enough to require correction with my contacts). I have always had ridiculously good near vision, which all the docs cant' believe. They swore I'd lose my near vision due to the strength of my contacts and the fact that I've always spent so much time with my head in a book. It's just now starting to change...which means it's probably considered "normal" for most folks. I don't notice it at all with my contacts on, but I no longer am comfortable reading when I'm wearing my glasses. I'm wondering if I may be looking at progressives or bifocals in the future. The folks that I know personally who wear them are all farsighted, so they're of no help to me.

extremely far-sighted...with a slight amount of astigmatism. started wearing glasses for reading about 20 years ago...and went to bifocal after about 5 or 6 years.

That's when I started wearing contacts. Since the contacts my eyes have not changed dramatically over the years.

I wear mono-vision..and as much as I love my contacts, and believe me I do...it's always good to get home, get them off, cleaned and put away for tomorrow. Get my glasses on and give my eyes a good rubbing. after 8 or 9 hrs. it's good to get the contacts off.

my eye glasses have always been progressive since I started wearing bi-focals but never bi-focal contacts.

I believe I can see better with my contacts than with my glasses.

But quite simply adore my progressive, never wore anything else.

[Conolulu]

I'm curious, those of you who have progressives, what kind of vision problem(s) do you have? Are you mainly farsighted or are there any nearsighted folks? I am very nearsighted with slight astigmatism in one eye (but really not enough to require correction with my contacts). I have always had ridiculously good near vision, which all the docs cant' believe. They swore I'd lose my near vision due to the strength of my contacts and the fact that I've always spent so much time with my head in a book. It's just now starting to change...which means it's probably considered "normal" for most folks. I don't notice it at all with my contacts on, but I no longer am comfortable reading when I'm wearing my glasses. I'm wondering if I may be looking at progressives or bifocals in the future. The folks that I know personally who wear them are all farsighted, so they're of no help to me.

Kathy?

I had problems with being farsighted..and an astigmatism...

When I was 47, my distance vision got worse, and that's when my close up vision started going...and that's when I got the progressive lens...

My astigmatism has actually improved since I started wearing the contacts...yay!

[Brown Eyed Girl]

Thanks gals. It's good to know there are options for us nearsighted folks too.

My vision has remained remarkably stable since wearing contacts (which I've worn almost full time since I was in HS...took a year off here and there for the glasses thing but always went back to contacts). My astigmatism actually flip flopped eyes, and my vision did improve slightly as well (decrease in prescription strength). Of course some of that could possibly be attributed to advances in the technology in determining vision loss, I suppose. It's certainly changed since I was a kid. It's always funny when I go in for my yearly eye exam. They always have me take off my contacts to see what I can see on the eye chart, and if it's ever anyone new they kind of freak out when I tell them I can't even see the big E at the top, I just know it's there. Then they're just as shocked when I can read the itty bittiest line on the card for near vision.

[Snowparrot]

I'm in favour of progressives. They took a day or so of getting used to. Even my sunglasses are progressives. My friend the optician (we should all have one!) got tired of my putting my sunglasses over my reading glasses when I wanted to look at a map or read in the sunshine. Expensive, but worth it!

I'm moderately farsighted, with some astigmatism. I can still read lots of stuff without glasses, as long as the light is good and the print is not tiny. And I often find driving is easier without the glasses and their glare at night. Getting a cataract removed was amazing: what an improvement. If I were nearsighted, I'd probably have laser surgery.

[buffettbride]

holy heck, if i could have a single wish, it would be to have 20/20 vision the rest of my life. i'm horribly nearsighted with astigmatism.

has anyone tried the Ortho-K contacts you sleep in at night to keep your vision corrected during the day?

[SuperTrooper]

What I like about progressives is I can almost always find a spot where the focus is correct. My every day pair and my sunglasses are progrssives. My safety glasses at work are bifocals, and the arms length distance I usually work at is wrong for both lenses. I'm allowed new ones next month and I'll be putting in for progressive lenses this time around.

[TropicalTroubador]

I'm nearsighted, with a bit of astigmatism. I got my first progressives a few years back, right after I turned 50. That is apparently the magic age at which our eyes stop adapting as well to different focal lengths.

It took me about a week to adjust, maybe a little longer. I kept swapping glasses on and off my head the first few days, old pair and new pair.

My most recent new prescription got ground wrong. The center was about 1/4" high on the lens compared to my eyes. It was horrible. Fortunately, the optometrist got them reground, and they were instantly better.

I still have to read some fine print up close with the glasses off.

[ejr]

I'm in favour of progressives. They took a day or so of getting used to. Even my sunglasses are progressives. My friend the optician (we should all have one!) got tired of my putting my sunglasses over my reading glasses when I wanted to look at a map or read in the sunshine. Expensive, but worth it!

I'm moderately farsighted, with some astigmatism. I can still read lots of stuff without glasses, as long as the light is good and the print is not tiny. And I often find driving is easier without the glasses and their glare at night. Getting a cataract removed was amazing: what an improvement. If I were nearsighted, I'd probably have laser surgery.

If your prescription doesn't change too much from doctor visit to doctor visit, what I have done is had the optician take the old pair of bifocals and tint them, and they become my "new" sunglasses--costs me less than $50 and it has worked really well so far.

[SeattleParrotHead]

I too am near sighted with slight astigmatism. I have worn contacts for over 40 years and for the last ten years or so have needed "readers" for close up when my contacts are in. About 8 years ago I got my first pair of progressive bi-focals and have never had any real problems with them. The one thing I don't like about them is that when you're reading something like a newspaper you have to keep moving your head back and forth, 'cuz if you just move your eyes, you lose the 'sweet spot.' The last time I got new glasses, I got a pair of regular bi-focals, distance at the top and close up at the bottom, and I love them for reading, I just move my eyes back and forth. I think progressives are great for general purposes, but for reading, I much prefer good old fashioned lined bi-focals.

[he came from london]

Okay, my band mate is an optometrist. She got tired of watching me look under my glasses to read. She convinced me to switch to progressives. She said it might take up to a month to get used to them. How many of you have made the switch, how long did it take to get used to, and how many gave up and went back to single vision? I'm walking around my house like a drunk, tipping my head up and down.....

I have been wearing them for years (vari focals in England) when I had my latest pair the graidient was wrong and it I could not get used to them, eventualy had them redone and they were fine. In my expereince if you can't get used to them quickly they have not been made correctly

[ragtopW]

Ok stupid question.. my last eye test (8-9 years ago)
I was 20/12 left eye and 20/15 right eye..
the Dr. told me as I approached 40 I would start seeing
my eyes change.. ( I was over 40 at the time)
so.. I cannot read the fine print (mags/news print)
(I strain and my head hurts)
at my desk.. But if I go outside to sun or sit under a reading
lamp I am fine.. ( I read 6 magazines last week at one sitting
cover to cover)
so should I get another test? or am I now "mortal" with 20/20 (or close) vision??