Progressive Lenses vs Trifocals vs Bifocals for Woodworking

[kent wardecke]

I'm 51 and went from needing glasses just for distance then progressives and now I need glasses all the time. 1 thing I HATE about progressives is climbing on a ladder. I've missed a step more than once.
I'd like to try traditional bifocals close up tho read the tape then the distance to the table

[Tom Blank]

I have been wearing progressive lenses for well over 20 years, prior to that traditional bifocals. Progressives took some getting used to as the "sweet spot" is smaller and you do have to move your head to more closely align with what you are focusing on instead of just shifting your eyes. It will make you nuts for a while, but your brain figures it out and you don't have to think about it. I would not ever go back to bifocals.

I use more hand than power tools and have two sets of these Optivisors, one set for close up detail work and one good when working closer to arms length. http://www.doneganoptical.com/products/optivisor. They make mid range and close up work much easier.

TB

[Ed Gibbons]

I wear progressives and for eye protection I use a full face shield. Best thing I ever did. I don’t even know it’s on and obviously it protects the full face.

[Andrew Joiner]

I saw that marketing but what exactly are "hi def" or "digital" lenses?

From reviews I've read they are an improved progressive lens from the technology of 20 years ago. I tried progressives back then and they didn't work as good as bifocals for me. The HD lens makers now say you get a bigger viewing area and straight lines appear straight. My optician friend gets to try all the latest expensive HD stuff. He wears the basic varilux comfort because can't see any better thru the more expensive lenses.

[Lee Schierer]

Nearly 15 years ago I switched to progressive lenses when my Optometrist suggested that I needed tri-focals. I purchased Zeiss progressive lenses because they had a much wider middle channel and bifocal area than any other lenses on the market at the time. They were not a cheap date. I took to them immediately. I wouldn't switch back to a bifocal for anything. I know several people that have purchased progressive lenses from the discount eyeglasses places and very few of them have been happy with what they have been given. This is a case of you get what you pay for. If the optometrist doesn't measure your eye spacing and centers accurately the progressives won't work properly. I can work close, or far and anywhere in between just by tilting my head slightly.

[James Pallas]

I’ve been wearing trifocals since the eighties. I tried progressives and couldn’t get along with them. I worked closely with the doctor and figured out where the lenses needed to be. It seems that every time I need new glasses I’m seeing a different doctor and they always want to lower the lense placement. The middle lense is higher than most. I can drive and look ahead just fine and don’t have to move my head to check the gauges. I can work at the bench and look up to reach a tool on the back of the bench and look down and go back to work not having to do head adjustments. It took some work to get it right. Work with the doctor to get it right and don’t accept the “average” cookie cutter placement. I guess the lense people don’t like to change their grinding set up. The progressives had me looking like a bobble head to get focused on anything. They may work just fine for others so I’m not condemning them.
Jim

[Bill Space]

I have been wearing progressive lenses for 20+ years and like them for normal use. My eyesight is very much like Andrew’s.

But for close-up viewing, I much prefer bifocals. I can see close up with my bifocals as well as I can see with my glasses off. Much better than with my progressive lens safety glasses.

One pair of safety glasses I have has a bifocal lens across the top and the bottom. At first I didn’t like them but now they are my go to glasses when I want to do work that requires me to lock both up and down at things that are close.

Thought I would mention this option for consideration. Not sure how common this type of glasses are...

Bill

[roger wiegand]

I tried regular bifocals once and they made me crazy, so it's been progressives for me for 25+ years now.

While I get my everyday glasses from the Costco and have been very happy with them (at 1/3 the cost of the local optometry shop) I've discovered the joys of what are referred to in the trade as "occupational lenses". It started with playing in the band, my street glasses weren't working for me at all. My optometrist made a set of lenses for me that were set for music stand distance in the bottom 75% of the lens and distance (ie the conductor) for the top 25%. Perfect! Then I got a pair of fishing sunglasses that were set for distance high and low, but had a narrow band of closeup in the lower middle-- that way I could see around me, see to tie on a fly, and also see the river bottom and my feet while walking. A good optometrist can do wonders if you have special needs-- don't expect the shop at the mall or the Costco to be able to do that though.

[glenn bradley]

Definitely one of those things that you can only decide for yourself. My personal make up doesn't do well with "soft focal areas". When I turn my head a certain way and look a certain direction I expect a certain result. This trait made bifocals a good choice and later, trifocals. My safety glasses are trifocals also with the largest far and mid focal areas they make. The near portion of the lens is a bit smaller than normal to allow this but, this 'near' area is only used for really close work.

I have tried "progressives" several times but, the narrow field of vision and variable focal result don't work well with my rather rigid personality type. I found myself swiveling my head a lot to get what I was looking at within the narrow column of the lens (and this column is much wider now than earlier versions of these lenses). My much-more-relaxed-in-life wife can't stand hard lines; they drive her nuts; too restrictive.

The good news is that any reputable optometrist will make you a set of progressives to try. If they work for you, great. If they don't the doc will make you a pair of hard-lines at no charge. If your doc balks at this, think about shopping around for a new O.D. Your eye doc's goal should be getting you the best result "for you" that is possible.

[Tim Bueler]

I've worn glasses for almost 50 yrs, aaaargh! I've become a multiple glasses person.

Main pair is distance on top, mid-range bifocal.

Most used in the shop is mid-range main lens w/ up-close (around 6" to 18" focus range) bifocal. Yes, I sacrifice distance vision in the shop but it is rarely bothersome. Far more convenient to have larger fields of view for those I use 99.9% of shop time. I also wear these when working on/under vehicles/equipment, and wear them upside down when working overhead. These aren't safety glasses per se, but they are the largest lenses I could find and are made of poly carbonate.

I also have a dedicated "computer" set of glasses. Same prescription as the up close I use in the shop.

I will opine the key to having multiple glasses is having dedicated places for them to rest when removed/changed.

I tried trifocals 30+ yrs ago and didn't like the small fields of view. I tried progressives at some point in time bit didn't care for those either...too much head movement for me.

I got all three of my most recent pairs at Costco for the same price the local optometrist (only one in the area) wanted for just one pair and they were much more pleasant to deal with.

[Andrew Joiner]

Definitely one of those things that you can only decide for yourself. My personal make up doesn't do well with "soft focal areas". When I turn my head a certain way and look a certain direction I expect a certain result. This trait made bifocals a good choice and later, trifocals. My safety glasses are trifocals also with the largest far and mid focal areas they make. The near portion of the lens is a bit smaller than normal to allow this but, this 'near' area is only used for really close work.

I have tried "progressives" several times but, the narrow field of vision and variable focal result don't work well with my rather rigid personality type. I found myself swiveling my head a lot to get what I was looking at within the narrow column of the lens (and this column is much wider now than earlier versions of these lenses). My much-more-relaxed-in-life wife can't stand hard lines; they drive her nuts; too restrictive.

The good news is that any reputable optometrist will make you a set of progressives to try. If they work for you, great. If they don't the doc will make you a pair of hard-lines at no charge. If your doc balks at this, think about shopping around for a new O.D. Your eye doc's goal should be getting you the best result "for you" that is possible.

Glenn,
So after your cataract surgery you still wear trifocals in the shop? I can really relate to your post above. Progressives drove me nuts but I might try them again with a more open mind.

Thanks for all your responses. Eyeglasses are my most valuable "tool" these days!

[rudy de haas]

It's going to depend on your eyeballs so I'd suggest discussing this with someone who has the appropriate credentials.

In my case (a report, not advice ) I have a weak eye and a strong one, have worn glasses since my 20s, and currently wear safety progressives. Everyone warned me that adjusting to progressives would be difficult but it wasn't. My sunglasses have the same prescription and I have never experienced any difficulty shifting from far to near focus or back again. On the other hand my wife claims she can clearly differentiate distances of 1/64th, I can't, so maybe I'm just fooling myself.

[David Helm]

I've been wearing tri focals for quite a few years. I like them best because the reading area is larger than the progressive.

[Lee Schierer]

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.

[Greg R Bradley]

I can't imagine not using progressives but I did go through a bit of difficulty going from bifocals to progressives. It probably took a month to get to the point where I was convinced they were better. I did end up with full range progressives that are usable for distance and reading distance AND progressives that go from reading distance to about 5-6 feet for working in my office, shop, etc.
In reality, either are OK for most uses but the "inside" glasses aren't great for driving at night or trackdays or skiing or mountain biking down a hill at speed. The "outside" glasses require too much head movement when doing a lot of up close work. My "inside" glasses are made as safety glasses.