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Thread: Progressive Lenses vs Trifocals vs Bifocals for Woodworking

  1. #31
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lee Schierer View Post
    Not all progressive lenses are the same with regard to the width of the vision fields for long, intermediate and close vision needs. Zeiss lenses have a much wider close and intermediate vision areas that most other progressive lenses. It makes all the difference in the ease of use.
    I had the strong impression from my optometrist (and real examples, like my music stand glasses) that he could specify exactly how big each area was as well as where the transitions were and how quickly they transitioned and that the lab would grind them to his specification, without consideration for who made the lens blank. I have to admit that (having worn glasses for 65 years now) I didn't even know lenses were branded. I can't remember ever being offered a choice.

  2. #32
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    When I was a student pilot the Optometrist said, "Jack you kinda need to move to a bifocal." I said, "Nah, can't happen. I'll be fine." The following week I had my long cross country solo and by the time I got the sectional far enough to see it, the print was to small to read. Life is a humbling experience. I have now had progressives for the last 25 yrs or so, having worn glasses for 65. I like them and never having had a "bifocal" with the hard line I cannot compare. I am considering going to a pair of "Shop trifocals". I find that I get jammed up vision wise when I am doing position welds and just cannot get my head tipped to see what I need. With a Shop pair I would go with a taller lens than my day to days and perhaps have more room for the three zones. The problem with that is whenever you change glasses, even of the same prescription you kinda fish for the first step. It takes time for me to go from my clear lenses to my sun glasses and making the change regularly would I think become problematic especially around high speed sharp spinning metal. The other issue is with my prescription my glasses are generally in the $500-750 range so there seems to always be something in front of the shop glasses.

  3. #33
    I've been wearing glasses since the mid sixties and hate them but your eyes are what they are. About a decade or so ago I started to need reading glasses so had two pairs for when I wasn't wearing contacts. About 5 years ago I got a pair of progressives that for average stuff is okay but like others I have to tip my head back too far to use the computer. A bad neck doesn't help matters. A few weeks ago when I was in for my annual check up my eye doctor had me try out 3 of the latest multifocal disposable contacts and after wearing them for 4 days each have selected the ones that are most comfortable (most expensive of course). They let me read phone book and see distance well. If I need anything better for very detailed closeup work I can put on cheap readers. In the shop everything is in focus no matter whether in is on the bench, ceiling or on a wall beside me. No having to tilt my head and no distortions. I can wear the full face respirator, safety glasses or shield as needed and I can buy normal sunglasses to do away with the prescription ones. I can even wear them snorkelling when I am on vacation. If you can wear contacts and can afford them the multifocal contact lenses are definitely worth considering.

  4. #34
    I could never see well at a distance so I've been wearing glasses my whole life. Except for when I used contacts but those attempts were brief. Too much of a hassle. I'm 63 so I started not seeing as well close up around 10 years ago. I read best really close up without any glasses, I always have. But to see a computer on a desk, I need my glasses. I went straight to progressives, I never have used bifocals or trifocals. It took me a few days to adjust to progressive lens but they don't bother me now. Occasionally I cannot get my head at the right angle but otherwise I don't notice them much.

    I used to go to Sears optical but they are gone. My next set will come from Walmart or the really cheap places. I haven't tried them yet. I've had good luck with Walmart glasses so I will probably just go there. The higher priced big name stores are all controlled by one company and they do not compete on price. Walmart is independent of them but that means they cannot sell many frames - because they are controlled by the one company.

  5. #35
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    Jul 2016
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    Interesting read, I picked up a pair of tri-focal progressive safety glasses yesterday. It's my first time wearing any prescription glasses.

    At 62 years old, I've managed to get by with cheap 1.5 readers for the past 10-15 years.

    I have to say I'm struggling, regardless of the distance I am viewing. I seem to only have a very tiny portion of lens that will give me clear focus.

    I'm typing this with my laptop on my lap about 15" away, If I look at the picture on the wall, 10' away, I'm still using the same portion of the lens, but naturally have to move my head. Go further and the upper portion which was for distance, is more blurry than what I see without the glasses on.

    I've got 30 days to get them adjusted, so I'll give them a week or two just to see if I can get used to them.

  6. #36
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    Time works wonders, the brain is astonishingly adaptive, In one well-known experiment done by George Stratton starting in the 1890's, volunteers (Stratton himself did it first) wore glasses that inverted their vision-- everything was upside down. After a few days people's visual cortex adapted and their perceived view flipped back to right side up. When they took the glasses off again it took a few days to revert to normal. (It turns out that the explanation may not be so simple and it may be a change in how the volunteers perceived their body in space rather than any change in vision) Anyway, it takes several days (8 in Stratton's case) to adapt to even profound distortions of vision, likewise for different kinds of bifocals. In my case I gave up way before enough time had passed to adapt to lined bifocals because the adaptation to progressives was, for me, nearly instant.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_M._Stratton

  7. #37
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    Nov 2006
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    NE Ohio
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    Progressives.
    Had bifocals, switched about 30 years ago.

    Shop, computer, job site - off the rack $2.00 reading glasses - 1.75 to 2.25- depending on what I'm doing. Matter of fact, Menards has them on sale for the next day or so. $4.97 with a $4.97 rebate.

    P.S. - - best invention in the eyeglass world in the last 100 years is Transition lenses - - I LOVE THEM!!! Too bad they're so expensive. I just got two pairs of new gasses, but, only got Transitions in one set because of the cost.
    My granddad always said, :As one door closes, another opens".
    Wonderful man, terrible cabinet maker...

  8. #38
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    Quote Originally Posted by roger wiegand View Post
    I had the strong impression from my optometrist (and real examples, like my music stand glasses) that he could specify exactly how big each area was as well as where the transitions were and how quickly they transitioned and that the lab would grind them to his specification, without consideration for who made the lens blank. I have to admit that (having worn glasses for 65 years now) I didn't even know lenses were branded. I can't remember ever being offered a choice.
    One optician I trust the most has tried several top brands but mostly Varilux and Zeiss. He would love to provide me the best vision available. He says the Varilux Comfort what works the best for most people and recommends them for me. It's also the lowest cost of all the progressives he sells. He sells the more expensive versions of Varilux and Zeiss but tells me "lens makers make a lot of claims". He's not found the claims true and has tried them.

    Unfortunately the consumer can't test eyeglass lenses without commiting time and money. I've used Zenni for years now and been happy. This time I'm ready to "pay up" and get better vision, but my local opticians aren't to inspiring. They offer lens price ranges of $300 to $600. But if even the"deluxe lenses" don't work for you there's no refund. They only offer to make you a pair of $100 bifocals and call it good. Zenni is much lower cost and gives you a 50% refund or 100% store credit if your unhappy.

    Roger,
    Sounds like you have custom lenses. I'd love to know what brand the lenses are.
    "Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t - you’re right."
    - Henry Ford

  9. #39
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    I'm leaving for a month in Italy tomorrow, so won't be able to call and ask what they were for a while. I don't know if the music glasses have anything engraves on them. I can't see anything on my regular glasses, but then I have to take them off to look and everything is fuzzy

  10. #40
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    Nov 2008
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    Northern Oregon
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    Thanks Roger, have fun in Italy.
    "Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t - you’re right."
    - Henry Ford

  11. #41
    My last four pair of glasses have been progressives and I believe that the optometrist referred to the lenses that we chose as "Bosch Lenses". We picked the distance that I wanted correction in and built lenses around that. I've found that the more lense area from top to bottom that you have the better the progression works. I can see a sparrow's knee cap from 50 yards but I have a hard time with 64ths on my etched rulers...

  12. #42
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    Jan 2008
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    After switching from contacts to glasses because I needed different focal lengths for various tasks, like reading, and contacts just don't do a great job at that.

    After consulting with my ophthalmologist, I decided on bi-focals with a wide reading lens (I'm not worried about the more visible line others might see than with the narrower field of view) for their crisper focus over a wide range, like the width of a notebook page. It takes about a week to get used to bi-focals -- primarily going down stairs. Now, I have to search to find the dividing line. It pays to work with your optomotrist to get the dividing line in the right place -- e.g., top of the dashboard when driving, for me -- otherwise it is a little annoying. I made three adjustments several weeks apart, but haven't modified that measurement in the last 25 years.

    I suspect that progressives are a lot like bi-focals, in that your brain gets used to them and you change you head position to whatever is necessary without even thinking about it. However, in talking with folk that STARTED WITH BI-FOCALS and moved to progressives, none were as happy with the visual acuity of progressives compared with bi-focals. They switched either 1) for cosmetic reasons, so people didn't view them as having "granny glasses", or 2) they were finding a need for something between the reading and distance lenses and didn't want to go for tri-focals.

    I was getting to where I needed tri-focals, primarily to read the shelf labels at the grocery store 4 feet away. However, after cateract surgery, I barely need glasses for anything, but the readers are still helpful for reading and in the shop, so I've stuck with the bi-focals. Before that, my optomotrist suggested that I consider my head position when I thought I needed tri-focals and we decided that the best would be an additional separate lens AT THE TOP of my regular lens instead of immediately above my reading lens (like a double bi-focal, top and bottom). That surprised me, but it really made the most sense.

    Like many here, I use separate full-frame computer glasses for computer use so I don't get aches from tilting my head backwards to read the computer screen.

  13. #43
    Wayne did you try the multifocal contacts? I find them to be great and much better than the multifocal from a few years back. Optometrists here will happily give you a trial pack of 5 days worth of lenses in several brands to try out over a few weeks to see which if any you like. Especially nice to have Daily lenses you can toss each day again.

  14. #44
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wayne Cannon View Post

    I suspect that progressives are a lot like bi-focals, in that your brain gets used to them and you change you head position to whatever is necessary without even thinking about it. However, in talking with folk that STARTED WITH BI-FOCALS and moved to progressives, none were as happy with the visual acuity of progressives compared with bi-focals. They switched either 1) for cosmetic reasons, so people didn't view them as having "granny glasses", or 2) they were finding a need for something between the reading and distance lenses and didn't want to go for tri-focals.
    Thanks Wayne.I can relate.
    I just got new progressives and bifocals in identical frames to test out. I can report the new digital free-form progressive lenses don't work for me. Just like the non digital free-form progressives I tried 18 years ago. The new bifocals do work better than my old RX bifocals for the 5' to 10' range, however the reading and distance is not as sharp. My eye DR says the new bifocals and progressives are made properly to my new RX and suggests wearing them for a month.
    "Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t - you’re right."
    - Henry Ford

  15. #45
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    Sorry the progressives are not working for you. I must wear contact lenses due to Keraconitius of my corneas. For near vision, I need reading glasses. Using the reading glasses really was a problem for me, as I could only see near or far distances, but not in between. And sometimes I'd get double visions from looking over/under at stuff. When I got progressive reading glasses, it solved all the problems and I can see everything! There's no way I'd go back.

    Hope that giving it a go for a month fixes your issues.

    Mike

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