Bifocals vs. Progressives vs. Workspace Progressives, give me the scoop cuz I'm a muddle!

[PeterPan]

The eye docs have been begging me to go bifocals for several years now and I've put it off. I did reading glasses one year, which helped but gave me headaches from convergence if I wore them too much. I'm actually noticing it (the need for a close-up boost) now, with the whole pull your phone in/out till you can see it gig. (I'm 42.) So what he wants me to do now is go progressives and do two pairs, a workspace pair and a regular pair. Zenni actually has THREE options, a workspace mid-range (top is large intermediate, bottom is near) and a workspace near-range (top narrow intermediate, bottom large near).  https://www.zennioptical.com/blog/which-eyeglasses-are-right-for-you When I look at those to me the midrange would make sense for my (a little bit too lengthy) computer use (imac and writing notes on paper) and the near-range would make sense for our school work and read alouds (read the book then look up at ds to check comprehension). But am I really seeing that right? (haha, seeing) Does anybody have these to have an opinion? He made the ADD for the near pretty strong (1.5), and I just wonder if it could be too much on the computer when it's farther back. It was good for close up (reading, crochet), but I'm not feeling it for the computer. When I had the stronger pair for computer before, I felt like I got headaches after a while from them too, like it was actually TOO much. Now that was before age 40, but still. I'm just concerned about getting it right and not having headaches from TOO much boost.

Oh, and to me the cost is so flexible at Zenni that I really don't care on the 2 vs. 3 thing. Like to have a pair for crochet/school, a pair at my computer, and a pair for everyday (exercising, driving), that's fine. Progressive vs. single is pretty close at Zenni too, because with my astigmatism I already have to go high index. The add on is maybe $25, so that's not a biggee.

So then for everyday, would I LIKE progressives??? That's what I don't know. I'm definitely doing the pull your phone in/out thing to read it. I just don't know about what they're saying with blurry spots and driving. I already have to be super careful with blind spots because my peripheral vision isn't the best. Is it going to be no biggee because I already turn my head, or am I going to be frustrated? And if the frames are say 36mm lens height and only 1/2 is distance, how in the world do you drive, exercise, etc.? Why am I going progressives for that??

He's trying to get rid of my headaches, which we KNOW are from my computer use. Life is not giving me headaches from my eyes, but the computer use definitely definitely is. The cell and close-up around the day is more like inconvenience, but it's brief too. Pesky, but not end of the world. I could do a no-line bifocal on those instead of a progressive. But if I do progressive for computer and school work and a bifocal for every day, will my brain swirl??? 

You can see why I'm in a muddle. I have no clue. And they go so quickly and just act like oh you'll love it, but I don't know. I know what happened before with the boost reading glasses, and I actually didn't fill them again. So yeah, I'm muddled. 

Do you have workspace progressives? Do you like them? What other glasses do you wear then for distance?

Edited September 1, 2018 by PeterPan

[Pawz4me]

I like my progressives, but I've never had any other kind of prescription glasses.  So I can't compare. I have no desire to switch to anything else. I'm not entirely clear on what workspace progressives are. I know my optometrist (where I got my glasses) asked all sorts of questions about computer use and recommended something. So probably mine are some version of what you call workspace progressives.

[forty-two]

I've had regular, everyday progressives for 18 years (distance on top, near on bottom).  I got them because I got eyestrain from less than a minute of near focus with my distance glasses - I carried reading glasses with me *everywhere*, even to read the labels at the store.  My first pairs had the near set to 18", which turned out to be good for everyday use, but not for dedicated reading - I still used reading glasses, but I could keep them in one spot in the house instead of take them with me everywhere.  The last time I went to the eye doc, I asked him to set the near a little closer, around 12".  These glasses are *perfect* - I don't even use reading glasses at all anymore, for anything. 

WRT lens height and progressives, not all frames work with progressives - I remember my eye doc checking that the one I picked would work.  WRT switching between bifocals and progressives, I know that when I got progressives, my eye doc said that it would be hard to change from one to the other even in the context of changing from one sole pair to a different sole pair - that to an extent I was locked into whatever I picked, because the readjustment would be very hard.  From that I infer that regularly switching between them might indeed make your brain swirl ;).  My original adjustment to progressives took a few days, and when I got my new pair (after 15 years with the previous pair), with a new frame shape and a slightly different prescription, I felt kind of dizzy for about half a day (the worst was the first hour).

[PeterPan]

14 minutes ago, forty-two said:

I got them because I got eyestrain from less than a minute of near focus with my distance glasses - I carried reading glasses with me *everywhere*, even to read the labels at the store. 

I think that's what he's saying, that doing progressives would help with my headaches better than bifocals. He didn't even suggest bifocals but went right to progressives. And I'm under-responsive on sensory enough that I don't realize when I'm having eye strain or symptoms. I just have them and start acting grouchy or think I'm tired or whatever. 

So I'll scratch the bifocal question. I can try the progressives. Can you exercise in them? So you're not even using separate glasses or computer either? Is the area too small or you have to tilt your head up funny? Yes, Zenni limits the frames to what will take progressives. Most of the grams I'm looking at are 37-42mm lens height, and only one (rectangular) is 32mm. The optician seemed to be shooing me toward those taller glasses, so I'm assuming anything of what I'm looking at in that 37-42mm range will be fine.

[Lady Florida.]

I have progressives and while I like them I confess I still take them off for certain close up work. I was never successful with reading glasses and went from just distance to progressive without trying bifocals. They work well for computer work, for crochet, for reading, and of course, for my nearsightedness. 

I take them off though for some close up things - reading tiny print instructions, searching for a stitch I messed up, etc. I also sometimes take them off when reading on my Kindle. 

If you don't already have it your current glasses I recommend adding blue light filters to your lenses if you do a lot of computer work or screen time on your phone. 

[Mary in VA]

I've had progressives for 20 years and love them.  A few years back I got reading glasses for reading or close handwork but they drive me crazy.  When I look up while using them I feel blind?  I am so used to the progressives and being able to see at all distances without thinking about it.  You do have to get used to where to place objects to best read/see them close up, but that becomes second nature after a short time.  The best advice I received when I first got progressives was, "point your nose at what you want to look at."

[cjzimmer1]

All I can say is that I LOVE my progressive bifocals. I went from single lenses to these.  It look me about a day to adjust.  But even better than not have to do the moving things just so to read them was that I can now drive at night.  I had given up night driving probably 10 years ago or so because the rings and glare (and I had all the anti-reflective coatings) was so bad I couldn't safely seen the road.  But the progressives took away all the glare and the rings and I can see just find to drive at night again.  My husband also found that the progressives improved his night vision.

ETA my understanding was that progressive lens was the same thing as no line bifocals.  However, I see some are talking like they are different things so my comments may or may not be helpful

Edited September 1, 2018 by cjzimmer1

[Ottakee]

I tried regular lined bifocals last year for several weeks.  I hated them and couldn't get used to them.  I don't need glasses for reading or computer work at this time but due for distance.

What happens now is that I wear my glasses for distance but once I get in the house I take them off and set them somewhere and go about my business until I have to drive or do more distance things and then we have to play hunt for the old mom's glasses around the house.

I might try another option this year.

[PeterPan]

1 hour ago, Lady Florida. said:

If you don't already have it your current glasses I recommend adding blue light filters to your lenses if you do a lot of computer work or screen time on your phone. 

Yup, this is definitely the plan. 

1 hour ago, cjzimmer1 said:

I had given up night driving probably 10 years ago or so because the rings and glare (and I had all the anti-reflective coatings) was so bad I couldn't safely seen the road. 

Yup, I get this too with my astigmatism. I used a place once ($$ town, paid 3X as much) and got glasses that were a miracle to drive in. Once I moved over to Zenni, all that was over. They're horrible horrible at night, almost unsafe, even when you upgrade the coatings. I know it's my astigmatism, but it kinda sucks knowing there IS better lens material out there that wouldn't do that. Are yours Zenni or something nicer? I don't know why going progressives would help with that, but it's interesting.

1 hour ago, Mary in VA said:

I am so used to the progressives and being able to see at all distances without thinking about it.  You do have to get used to where to place objects to best read/see them close up, but that becomes second nature after a short time.  The best advice I received when I first got progressives was, "point your nose at what you want to look at."

Thanks for the advice! :)

1 hour ago, Ottakee said:

then we have to play hunt for the old mom's glasses around the house.

Oh yeah, ds would never hide a mother's glasses to avoiding working together... 

[forty-two]

15 minutes ago, PeterPan said:

I think that's what he's saying, that doing progressives would help with my headaches better than bifocals. He didn't even suggest bifocals but went right to progressives. And I'm under-responsive on sensory enough that I don't realize when I'm having eye strain or symptoms. I just have them and start acting grouchy or think I'm tired or whatever. 

So I'll scratch the bifocal question. I can try the progressives. Can you exercise in them? So you're not even using separate glasses or computer either? Is the area too small or you have to tilt your head up funny? Yes, Zenni limits the frames to what will take progressives. Most of the grams I'm looking at are 37-42mm lens height, and only one (rectangular) is 32mm. The optician seemed to be shooing me toward those taller glasses, so I'm assuming anything of what I'm looking at in that 37-42mm range will be fine.

At least for me, my doc was rec'ing *some* kind of multi-lens to help with eyestrain - he thought either bifocals or progressives would be fine.  I went with progressives because I was 19yo and didn't want to "look old" with lined bifocals (for whatever reason, unlined bifocals weren't an option). 

I exercise and do everything in my progressives.  I've never had separate glasses for my computer, which is not currently a problem, but has been a minor/medium one at times in the past.  I've gotten eyestrain at times from extended computer use, because I'm looking through the top, distance lens.  I think I shade into the reading lens a bit toward the bottom of the screen, but it's not a problem.  In any case, I hold my head naturally and don't have to do anything odd to see through the top lens - experimenting, I'd have to tilt my head up and then point my eyes down in order to look at the screen through the bottom lens (so it's good I don't want to do that ? ).  What someone else said applies to me - I just point my nose at whatever I want to look at.  I can see the appeal of workplace progressives, esp if your doc is rec'ing them - it would be nice to have a mid-range top lens for computer use, instead of a distance lens.  (My dad once tried trifocals, but that didn't work for him.)  I generally make sure I'm well back from the monitor to mimimize eyestrain (about 2ft, which maybe isn't really that far, but it's the best I can manage with my set-up, and it does the job well enough). 

[PeterPan]

Ok, here's another thing. I have my PD (pupillary distance), but my dd was saying that for her bifocals they also measured fitting height, which is from center of pupil to bottom of the lens. So if you order from Zenni, you don't have the fitting height, right? Does that matter more with bifocals and fitting height doesn't matter for progressives??

[Lanny]

OP you will buy from Zenni Optical so that's great and will save a lot of money and you will receive extremely high Quality Control and the "bang for the buck" is really there. Our family has placed 3 orders with Zenni. the first was during October 2016 and the most recent was on July 4, 2018.

Hints:  The PD for eyeglasses used for Distance and the PD used  for Close (Laptop or Reading, etc.) IS NOT THE SAME.  The PD for Prescription Eyeglasses used for Distance should be 3mm more than the PD for Prescription Eyeglasses used for Laptop or Reading.

Before you begin to place your order with Zenni, Google for a 20% discount code. If you can't find that, it is easy to find a 10% code. We had a 20% code in July which saved more than $38 USD on our order.  I usually look on RetailMeNot but there are other sites that may have better codes so look on 2 or 3 web sites for discount Codes.

Now, my wife has the Traditional Bifocal lenses in her eyeglasses from Zenni and she is very happy with them.

In our July 2018 order, we gifted some eyeglasses to my SIL and her DH and their son.  3 of the pairs were for Progressive Lenses.  I believe that my SIL had worn Progressive Lenses and that she had no problems with the ones she received from Zenni.  I believe that my BIL had never worn Progressive Lenses before...   At first, he had Nausea and was Dizzy when he wore them, which I believe is not uncommon for new users of Progressive Lenses.  I believe after one or 2 weeks he was doing much better with them and is quite happy with them now.

I have my first eyeglasses from Zenni and my first new eyeglasses since my LASIK surgeries in November 1997.  The frame is the same, but the prescriptions are extremely different.  The pair of eyeglasses I am wearing now are strictly for when I am sitting here at this 14" Laptop.   They would not be suitable for reading. Message here is that you may want to go with one pair for Reading and another pair for the Laptop.  A PITA,, but a small one.

The other pair I bought are Prescription Sunglasses.   I did not buy Prescription Eyeglasses for Distance, because I probably would never use them (my worst eye is now -2.25 and the other eye is -1.25)

Oh, the Standard Bifocal lenses, like my wife has, I think are 28 (?) mm wide.   That makes it a lot easier for your eye to  find the area for Close Up than the Progressive Lenses, which apparently have a much smaller area for close up.

ALWAYS pay the $4..95 extra for the Anti Reflective/Anti Glare Coating!

You are nearing the age at which people who are not dead or blind ALWAYS need Bifocal lenses. I think what causes that is called Presbyopia.

In my case, the Optometrist put the PD for the eyeglasses I am using with this Laptop at 2mm less than the PD for the Sunglasses, but Zenni wrote me that 3mm is normal.   I went with the 2mm difference, because she spent approximately 45 minutes examining me.

If you go with Progressive Lenses I hope you will be very happy with them.  I would order one (1) pair of Progressive Lenses as a test to see whether or not you like them.

I hope something I wrote here will be helpful to you.

 

 

[cjzimmer1]

30 minutes ago, PeterPan said:

Yup, I get this too with my astigmatism. I used a place once ($$ town, paid 3X as much) and got glasses that were a miracle to drive in. Once I moved over to Zenni, all that was over. They're horrible horrible at night, almost unsafe, even when you upgrade the coatings. I know it's my astigmatism, but it kinda sucks knowing there IS better lens material out there that wouldn't do that. Are yours Zenni or something nicer? I don't know why going progressives would help with that, but it's interesting.

I have horrible astigmatism too and as it got progressively worse so did my night vision.  While I buy my kids glasses at Zenni, I don't buy mine there.  Ever since the astigmatism started, every pair of glasses I've gotten had required 2-3 remakes of the lenses plus many trips to the optician for bending, shaping, adjusting of the frames (which has helped cut the glare but still a pain to go in that many times).  Since it always required so much fiddling to get my glasses useable, I wasn't willing to risk it with Zenni because the cost savings would be lost if I had to redo them even once.

My doctor's office also acted like they had never heard of anything like the huge improvement with night vision that I had but when my husband got his first pair within days of me and also noticed the same thing, I knew it wasn't in my head.

[PeterPan]

16 minutes ago, Lanny said:

Hints:  The PD for eyeglasses used for Distance and the PD used  for Close (Laptop or Reading, etc.) IS NOT THE SAME.  The PD for Prescription Eyeglasses used for Distance should be 3mm more than the PD for Prescription Eyeglasses used for Laptop or Reading.

Yeah, I'm getting pretty frustrated, because the goal with the optometrists seems to be so much fill it here, make the sale, that when you want the scrip printed to take out they don't include the PD, even though they're supposed to, don't mention the different PDs for each set-up, etc. So maybe PD is why my reading glasses before were a flop? I ordered them on zenni, and the glasses were fine. I just got headaches anyway when I used them a lot and finally gave up, sigh. 

18 minutes ago, Lanny said:

ALWAYS pay the $4..95 extra for the Anti Reflective/Anti Glare Coating!

Yeah, I do. I've had glasses from Zenni for years now. I just got spoiled with this place in a swanky town here us, and they had some kind of lens that was like God said let it be clear and it was clear. After that everything is nasty, lol. But I paid $300+ for the privilege of those glasses and only $70-100 for anything from Zenni. I have astigmatism, so the $$$ lenses you can get at the $$$$ places are noticeably better. Kinda like the Coach frames I tried on in the big city though, nice but have to move on from that thought. LOL

20 minutes ago, Lanny said:

Oh, the Standard Bifocal lenses, like my wife has, I think are 28 (?) mm wide.   That makes it a lot easier for your eye to  find the area for Close Up than the Progressive Lenses, which apparently have a much smaller area for close up.

Yup, I think that's what the eye doc was getting at, that for my purposes, with so much close-up, I'm going to want something meant for it, with more height. Zenni sells them now as workspace progressives, and they have mid- and near range. That was what that link was. It's pretty cool, but I really don't know how much that would head swirl to go from one to the other. The eye doc said it like it would be fine, lol.

22 minutes ago, Lanny said:

I would order one (1) pair of Progressive Lenses as a test to see whether or not you like them.

Yeah, that may be what I do. I don't know, sigh. I thought I'd buy siblings, the same frame in two colors, to make the change between easier. 

 I had seen your comment about your wife wanting a taller lens height the next time around, so that's actually what is stumping me now, lol. I guess I'm wondering if it really matters between 32 and 38 mm for lens height. The frames I'm looking at are 32, 35, 36, and 38, and my dd (who of course is omniscient and fashionable, being 19, lol), likes the shorter ones on me.

[forty-two]

Just thought of this wrt computers and progressives: the monitor height does matter for me.  Too low, and I *am* looking at the bottom half through my reading lens, and then I find myself leaning way in to compensate.  Right now I have it where my eyeline is about 1/3 from the top (which is 4in of monitor above and 8in below), and that is pretty good.  When I had it 8in lower, so that the lowest part of the monitor was 16in below my eyeline, it was too low and I was constantly leaning in.  I got a 4in monitor riser and that got it high enough to not be annoying, but I still had to remind myself not to lean in.  Now I have a higher desk and that combined with the riser is pretty darn good. 

My dh's monitor set-up is even better for me, and I thought it was because it fell better wrt my progressives, but nope, turns out it's the same height as what I have (and it is on a riser, too).  So it's probably because his monitor and video card are a lot better than mine - his display is just crisper and generally *better* than mine, and that's why it feels better.

[Pen]

2 hours ago, Lady Florida. said:

I have progressives and while I like them I confess I still take them off for certain close up work. I was never successful with reading glasses and went from just distance to progressive without trying bifocals. They work well for computer work, for crochet, for reading, and of course, for my nearsightedness. 

I take them off though for some close up things - reading tiny print instructions, searching for a stitch I messed up, etc. I also sometimes take them off when reading on my Kindle. 

If you don't already have it your current glasses I recommend adding blue light filters to your lenses if you do a lot of computer work or screen time on your phone. 

 

Pretty much same here.  

[PeterPan]

2 minutes ago, cjzimmer1 said:

I have horrible astigmatism too and as it got progressively worse so did my night vision.  While I buy my kids glasses at Zenni, I don't buy mine there.  Ever since the astigmatism started, every pair of glasses I've gotten had required 2-3 remakes of the lenses plus many trips to the optician for bending, shaping, adjusting of the frames (which has helped cut the glare but still a pain to go in that many times).  Since it always required so much fiddling to get my glasses useable, I wasn't willing to risk it with Zenni because the cost savings would be lost if I had to redo them even once.

My doctor's office also acted like they had never heard of anything like the huge improvement with night vision that I had but when my husband got his first pair within days of me and also noticed the same thing, I knew it wasn't in my head.

If you want a laugh, that's actually why I went with zenni. I have obnoxious sensory issues, and I'm pretty OCD picky on what touches my face. I used to throw my glasses, throw my glasses, because I couldn't handle them and touched and hurt. I was at the optometrist EVERY SINGLE TIME my extremely rambunctious (ASD2, ADHD, keep going with the list) ds would touch my head. Once I went to Zenni, nothing! I use these stupid cheap acrylic things with no nose pads, and they're just gumby on my head. Nothing hurts, nothing touches, and I can put in and get exactly the size I wanted without trying things on. 

I'm guessing your place gave you better glass honestly. There is such a thing. It's really high end stuff. We have a really swank town near us where I ended up the year I went to 9 (yes 9) places trying to find glasses I could tolerate. It was a slight upgrade but way way better for the glare. They may have just been using that better glass. I don't know that it was a coating but actual better glass, not sure. That was 5 years ago probably. Now I've just gone to stupid Zenni just because I can wear them. Can't win, lol.

I'll let you know though if they're a miracle for that. It would be nifty. Probably what I'll do is just start somewhere and trade out what I don't like. I could probably throw in a pair of distance only in case I HATE the progressives. I'm not legal to drive without glasses, so it's dumb not to have back-up. Or I guess my currents could be back-up. But still, if I hate them, I'll just have to try a different thing, sigh.

[PeterPan]

1 minute ago, forty-two said:

Just thought of this wrt computers and progressives: the monitor height does matter for me.  Too low, and I *am* looking at the bottom half through my reading lens, and then I find myself leaning way in to compensate.  Right now I have it where my eyeline is about 1/3 from the top (which is 4in of monitor above and 8in below), and that is pretty good.  When I had it 8in lower, so that the lowest part of the monitor was 16in below my eyeline, it was too low and I was constantly leaning in.  I got a 4in monitor riser and that got it high enough to not be annoying, but I still had to remind myself not to lean in.  Now I have a higher desk and that combined with the riser is pretty darn good. 

My dh's monitor set-up is even better for me, and I thought it was because it fell better wrt my progressives, but nope, turns out it's the same height as what I have (and it is on a riser, too).  So it's probably because his monitor and video card are a lot better than mine - his display is just crisper and generally *better* than mine, and that's why it feels better.

Ok, now you're speaking truth. At one point I did all that and somehow in moving things around I ended up with this monitor lower. Thing is, I don't feel like I get these headaches when I use my dd's imac or my dh's, only mine. Now I haven't tried using theirs as much, like totally switching over, but I could, just to see. It might be that I'm solving the drwrong problem in that sense. Oh, to explain, my imac is older and the lower res screen. My dh and dd's imacs are both the higher res. So literally it's what you're saying, that theirs are better resolution, crisper. 

Ok, I'm saying all that, and I'm still having trouble with read alouds and crochet. I can hardly see when I hold my stuff close to crochet, so I've been avoiding it. I was going to say read alouds aren't a problem now, but I just looked at the book and realized it's because I'm reading a Little House version that has large print, lol. Oops. That MIGHT explain why I couldn't find a Bible to work for me! I've been reading digital and wanted to go back to print, but I can't read any of them. Even the large print Bibles are too small for me to be comfortable.

Man, I'm slow on the draw, lol. I knew the fonts on Bibles were seeming small, but I didn't connect it. 

I'm officially losing my mind. I can't believe I didn't connect that. And yeah, that's pretty much been since turning 40, lol.

[forty-two]

16 minutes ago, PeterPan said:

 I had seen your comment about your wife wanting a taller lens height the next time around, so that's actually what is stumping me now, lol. I guess I'm wondering if it really matters between 32 and 38 mm for lens height. The frames I'm looking at are 32, 35, 36, and 38, and my dd (who of course is omniscient and fashionable, being 19, lol), likes the shorter ones on me.

FWIW, my new pair are somewhere between 32 and 34 - definitely shorter than my old pair - and it hasn't been a problem.

[PeterPan]

So the main thing now is the (remove words) at the optomet office didn't measure PD and didn't give me separate PDs for workspace (close) and regular. AND that optometrist is in the big city, 40 minutes away. I can impose on poor Walmart, wait, order from somebody locally, calculate and hope for the best, I don't know. But it's getting absurd. 

Does a calculated vs. measured segment height for the progressives really matter? I just suspect there's nominal difference. But the PD, that really matters, mercy. And my eyes are funky too, because my PDs aren't the same for each eye. So I have no clue what they'd be for workspace. Maybe Zenni has instructions, hmm.

[PeterPan]

Just now, forty-two said:

FWIW, my new pair are somewhere between 32 and 34 - definitely shorter than my old pair - and it hasn't been a problem.

Ooo, that's helpful!!!!!!! 

[cjzimmer1]

6 minutes ago, PeterPan said:

If you want a laugh, that's actually why I went with zenni. I have obnoxious sensory issues, and I'm pretty OCD picky on what touches my face. I used to throw my glasses, throw my glasses, because I couldn't handle them and touched and hurt. I was at the optometrist EVERY SINGLE TIME my extremely rambunctious (ASD2, ADHD, keep going with the list) ds would touch my head. Once I went to Zenni, nothing! I use these stupid cheap acrylic things with no nose pads, and they're just gumby on my head. Nothing hurts, nothing touches, and I can put in and get exactly the size I wanted without trying things on. 

I'm guessing your place gave you better glass honestly. There is such a thing. It's really high end stuff. We have a really swank town near us where I ended up the year I went to 9 (yes 9) places trying to find glasses I could tolerate. It was a slight upgrade but way way better for the glare. They may have just been using that better glass. I don't know that it was a coating but actual better glass, not sure. That was 5 years ago probably. Now I've just gone to stupid Zenni just because I can wear them. Can't win, lol.

I'll let you know though if they're a miracle for that. It would be nifty. Probably what I'll do is just start somewhere and trade out what I don't like. I could probably throw in a pair of distance only in case I HATE the progressives. I'm not legal to drive without glasses, so it's dumb not to have back-up. Or I guess my currents could be back-up. But still, if I hate them, I'll just have to try a different thing, sigh.

Nose pads are the worst.  And like 90% of the choices at the eye doctor have them.  I have no idea why people find them appealing they are sooooo uncomfortable (and no adjusting them doesn't help in the slightest).  So yeah, I've always used the acrylic frames.  Interesting your comment about the type of glass.  I've always used the standard plastic (they tried switching me to the polycarbonate a few years ago but the headaches and dizziness was so bad they finally remade them with the regular stuff) but I guess I can see where they would be a jump in quality from the standard plastic (well not quite standard they have to use the high index stuff because my prescription is so high) to progressives.  

[forty-two]

33 minutes ago, PeterPan said:

Ok, now you're speaking truth. At one point I did all that and somehow in moving things around I ended up with this monitor lower. Thing is, I don't feel like I get these headaches when I use my dd's imac or my dh's, only mine. Now I haven't tried using theirs as much, like totally switching over, but I could, just to see. It might be that I'm solving the drwrong problem in that sense. Oh, to explain, my imac is older and the lower res screen. My dh and dd's imacs are both the higher res. So literally it's what you're saying, that theirs are better resolution, crisper.

I was inspired by that discovery, courtesy of this thread, to switch my monitor for dh's old monitor.  Wow!  It is *so* much nicer than what I had.  I hadn't switched before because the monitors were the same size (19"), and of comparable resolution wrt number of pixels, although dh's was widescreen and mine wasn't.  It hadn't occurred to me what sort of impact the difference in general quality could make.  Everything just seems crisper, and I can now see the scroll bar on this site even at the bottom of the screen, which I haven't been able to do in a while.  It's pretty spiffy :).

[Lanny]

1 hour ago, PeterPan said:

Yeah, I'm getting pretty frustrated, because the goal with the optometrists seems to be so much fill it here, make the sale, that when you want the scrip printed to take out they don't include the PD, even though they're supposed to, don't mention the different PDs for each set-up, etc. So maybe PD is why my reading glasses before were a flop? I ordered them on zenni, and the glasses were fine. I just got headaches anyway when I used them a lot and finally gave up, sigh. 

Yeah, I do. I've had glasses from Zenni for years now. I just got spoiled with this place in a swanky town here us, and they had some kind of lens that was like God said let it be clear and it was clear. After that everything is nasty, lol. But I paid $300+ for the privilege of those glasses and only $70-100 for anything from Zenni. I have astigmatism, so the $$$ lenses you can get at the $$$$ places are noticeably better. Kinda like the Coach frames I tried on in the big city though, nice but have to move on from that thought. LOL

Yup, I think that's what the eye doc was getting at, that for my purposes, with so much close-up, I'm going to want something meant for it, with more height. Zenni sells them now as workspace progressives, and they have mid- and near range. That was what that link was. It's pretty cool, but I really don't know how much that would head swirl to go from one to the other. The eye doc said it like it would be fine, lol.

Yeah, that may be what I do. I don't know, sigh. I thought I'd buy siblings, the same frame in two colors, to make the change between easier. 

 I had seen your comment about your wife wanting a taller lens height the next time around, so that's actually what is stumping me now, lol. I guess I'm wondering if it really matters between 32 and 38 mm for lens height. The frames I'm looking at are 32, 35, 36, and 38, and my dd (who of course is omniscient and fashionable, being 19, lol), likes the shorter ones on me.

 

Disregarding (?) the fact that I have not one (1) but  two (2) cousins in CA who are Optometrists, I learned recently that there is a Federal Law that they MUST give you the Prescription and I think they are supposed to do that, without you asking for it.   Is that supposed to include the PD?

The 2 pairs of prescription eyeglasses I have now, one of which is on my head as I write this, were ordered on July 4, 2018.   About the PD, I made a BAD mistake and thankfully Zenni Optical Quality Control caught my mistake and put our order on "HOLD" and sent me an email explaining why they did that.  I had ordered 2 pairs of eyeglasses, both in the 461821 Frame and one prescription, on their web site, said something like "Lanny Laptop" and the other said "Lanny Distance".   I had changed the PD for the Distance eyeglasses, which are Sunglasses, to be the same as the PD for the Laptop eyeglassess.  NO NO NO...  

Now, what I am not sure about is how, if you are measuring the PD yourself, you get the PD for CLOSE and then the PD for DISTANCE.   I guess when the Optometrist did that , she had me focus on things at a much different distances.  The truth is that (probably or possibly?) 2 or 3 mm doesn't matter a lot, however, I believe there are plenty of prescriptions for people where that does make a difference.

Also, another mistake I made was that she gave me Dual PDs and I added up the numbers and gave Zenni the TOTAL PD as if that was what she had given to me. The Prescription she gave me was a little more "high class", with the Dual PDs.  I should go by there and thank her for the time she spent examining me that day.

I bought 2 pairs in the 461821 Frame because I wanted a very inexpensive Metal Frame and that one has almost 700 Reviews and some people compared them with eyeglasses that they had paid like $400 USD for, at Kaiser in Sacramento or other places.  Mind boggling. I wanted a Metal Frame, because they are stronger than Plastic Frames. And, because they can be repaired much more easily than Plastic Frames, if necessary.

I think Zenni sells the 461821 Frame to both Men and Women.  Obviously, the Plastic Frames are much more "in" for Fashion purposes.

Now, on the first order from Zenni (October 2016) my wife and DD both ordered Rimless Frames.  And, my wife as you know wears Bifocals.  Their 2nd purchase (end of May 2018) DD bought 2 pairs with Plastic Frames and my wife bought one pair with Plastic Frames.  The new glasses my wife has have what I would call a bigger "lens height" than the first pair she got, in the Rimless Frame. She is much happier with these.  

You will notice that MANY of the Frames on the Zenni web site are not suitable for Bifocal or Progressive Lenses.  I believe that is because of the SHAPE of the lens and/or the SIZE of the lens, but I am not sure about that. It is very difficult for a layperson to know why 2 Frames can look almost identical and one is not suitable for  Bifocal or Progressive lenses. The 461821 I selected can handle Bifocal or Progressive lenses, so I think it is a better frame. $6.96 USD starting price for the eyeglasses in that Frame.

We printed out the order information for the Zenni order on July 4th and I have it here. The Laptop glasses I ordered were $6.95 plus $4.95 for the AR Anti-Reflection Coating, which is $4.95 additional. A total of $11.90 USD.  Then, we had the 20% Discount Code, so they were less than that.

One interesting (to me) thing about the 2 pairs that I received, are that for these Laptop glasses, they used the 1.57 Mid-Index Lens. These are really weird, because for one eye the Optometrist put + and for the other eye -.  I had always been Highly Myopic and with Astigmatism. For the Distance glasses (sunglasses) they used the 1.50 Standard Index lenses. Those were $16.85 before the 20% discount. ($6.95 plus $$4.95 for hte 80% Gray Tint plus $4.95 for the AR Anti-Reflection Coating)

I have Astigmatism now and included that on the Prescription information for Zenni.  DD has Astigmatism.  Due to an error on the part of the Optometrist in 2016, the first eyeglasses we ordered from Zenni for DD did not have correction for Astigmatism, because when we  were placing the order on the Zenni web site, we discovered the Optometrist had left that off. Because we were in a hurry, we ordered those eyeglasses for DD, without the Astigmatism correction and I assume they were less than wonderful for her, for that reason.  The eyeglasses we ordered for DD from Zenni at the end of May 2018, we were sure to include the Astigmatism correction and so they must be better and more comfortable for her.

I have not read all of the replies in this thread, but I did see something about Nose Pads...   I cleaned these Laptop eyeglasses, awhile ago. The Nose Pads in them seem to be flexible. They seem to move a little bit when I am washing the lenses and Nose Pads. I suspect that flexibility makes them more comfortable. 

[HollyDay]

I just got digital progressives and I like those a lot better.  I have better peripheral vision and the transition from fields is a lot clearer.   Having said that, I still MUCH prefer my multifocal contact lenses

[gardenmom5]

I have "workspace" progressive for my computer glasses.  distance  is blurry.  but I like them better than my regular computer glasses!

a taller lens works better for progressives than a short one as there is enough room for the "progression".   I like the look of progressive, and I have them,  the first time I tried them- I hated them and switched to bifocals.  (which work better for a 'short' lens)

[EKS]

I love my progressives.  They are the regular kind, and they feel very natural, as in when I'm wearing them I don't feel like I have a vision problem.

I use the computer a lot.  Because it's a desktop, I am able to position the monitor at whatever distance I want, so I probably have it a little farther away than a normal person.  I also have the size turned up.

I don't think I'd want the workspace version.  I love being able to put my glasses on in the morning and leave them there all day.  

[Lanny]

3 hours ago, cjzimmer1 said:

I have horrible astigmatism too and as it got progressively worse so did my night vision.  While I buy my kids glasses at Zenni, I don't buy mine there.  Ever since the astigmatism started, every pair of glasses I've gotten had required 2-3 remakes of the lenses plus many trips to the optician for bending, shaping, adjusting of the frames (which has helped cut the glare but still a pain to go in that many times).  Since it always required so much fiddling to get my glasses useable, I wasn't willing to risk it with Zenni because the cost savings would be lost if I had to redo them even once.

My doctor's office also acted like they had never heard of anything like the huge improvement with night vision that I had but when my husband got his first pair within days of me and also noticed the same thing, I knew it wasn't in my head.

 

If you have a Prescription that you believe Zenni might have a problem with, I suggest that you take a photo of it with your phone and send that to them in an email and ask what they suggest.  I am not sure how the issue you are having with Astigmatism and Zenni is occurring, but something is causing that. DD and I have Astigmatism and eyeglasses from Zenni. I'm not sure if my wife has Astigmatism or not. I can't remember.

We had an issue with one of the six pairs of eyeglasses we ordered from Zenni on July 4, 2018. The issue was that for one of the 3 pairs of eyeglasses with Progressive lenses, that we gifted to my SIL and BIL, we left off the order for one pair that they were supposed to be Tinted. 4 of the 6 pairs were for them, and we got their Presriptions, via WhatsApp, while we were Online placing our oder on the Zenni web site.  Then, some of the Frames they wanted could not be used for Progressive Lenses.  Bottom line is BIL wanted Tinted Lenses and did not get that, because we did not specify that or pay for it.  100% our fault.

So, I wrote to Zenni and was quite impressed by their response, considering how little we paid for the eyeglasses. They ship our orders to a Shipping Address in the USA, so if I can find it in my email, I will "Copy" and "Paste" their reply to me.  We are in South America, so returning that pair to Zenni in California was not an option for us, but I think their Return policy is quite good, considering their rock bottom prices.

"In addition, our warranty period is thirty (30) days from the date you receive the glasses. If you are unsatisfied with the glasses or made a mistake during order, you can return them for a 50% refund (excluding shipping and handling) to the Credit Card or a one-time-use 100% store credit (excluding shipping and any promotional discount if applicable) to reorder a new pair.

                                                                                                                    

The store credit is tied to your Zenni Optical account – to use it you have to select, “Have a Store Credit,” under payment method during checkout and most importantly click the apply button. The store credit can be spread across multiple orders until all the store credit is used, it also does not expire. Please note that once an order is placed and paid for, either fully or partially, with a Store Credit, it cannot be returned for another Store Credit. If a return is authorized, the regular 50% refund return option will apply. If you have any questions regarding our return policy, please refer to our Return Policy under Terms of Use, located on the bottom of any page on our website."

ETA: We always add the $.4.95 AR Anti Reflective Coating on each pair of eyeglasses we order from Zenni.

 

Edited September 1, 2018 by Lanny
add ETA

[cjzimmer1]

1 hour ago, Lanny said:

 

If you have a Prescription that you believe Zenni might have a problem with, I suggest that you take a photo of it with your phone and send that to them in an email and ask what they suggest.  I am not sure how the issue you are having with Astigmatism and Zenni is occurring, but something is causing that. DD and I have Astigmatism and eyeglasses from Zenni. I'm not sure if my wife has Astigmatism or not. I can't remember.

We had an issue with one of the six pairs of eyeglasses we ordered from Zenni on July 4, 2018. The issue was that for one of the 3 pairs of eyeglasses with Progressive lenses, that we gifted to my SIL and BIL, we left off the order for one pair that they were supposed to be Tinted. 4 of the 6 pairs were for them, and we got their Presriptions, via WhatsApp, while we were Online placing our oder on the Zenni web site.  Then, some of the Frames they wanted could not be used for Progressive Lenses.  Bottom line is BIL wanted Tinted Lenses and did not get that, because we did not specify that or pay for it.  100% our fault.

So, I wrote to Zenni and was quite impressed by their response, considering how little we paid for the eyeglasses. They ship our orders to a Shipping Address in the USA, so if I can find it in my email, I will "Copy" and "Paste" their reply to me.  We are in South America, so returning that pair to Zenni in California was not an option for us, but I think their Return policy is quite good, considering their rock bottom prices.

"In addition, our warranty period is thirty (30) days from the date you receive the glasses. If you are unsatisfied with the glasses or made a mistake during order, you can return them for a 50% refund (excluding shipping and handling) to the Credit Card or a one-time-use 100% store credit (excluding shipping and any promotional discount if applicable) to reorder a new pair.

                                                                                                                    

The store credit is tied to your Zenni Optical account – to use it you have to select, “Have a Store Credit,” under payment method during checkout and most importantly click the apply button. The store credit can be spread across multiple orders until all the store credit is used, it also does not expire. Please note that once an order is placed and paid for, either fully or partially, with a Store Credit, it cannot be returned for another Store Credit. If a return is authorized, the regular 50% refund return option will apply. If you have any questions regarding our return policy, please refer to our Return Policy under Terms of Use, located on the bottom of any page on our website."

ETA: We always add the $.4.95 AR Anti Reflective Coating on each pair of eyeglasses we order from Zenni.

 

I have not purchased any glasses from Zenni for myself.  Because of my astigmatism and high prescription and now bifocals, it takes a lot of finesse to get my glasses to work.  When the "experts" in measuring etc can't get the measurements right, then I have no hope of doing it on my own because I wouldn't have a clue which measurement to adjust when things don't work out.  Also when all the measurements are perfect, they still have to bend and shape the frames to further cut glare.  When I buy the glasses local and they have to remake the lenses (which has happened with every single pair of glasses I have purchased in the last 15 years except one and these are coming from different places so it's not because of ineptitude), they do not charge me.  They typically have to do the lenses 2-3 times before they get them right.  

Like I said, I've used Zenni for regular glasses, and we have gotten transitions for my husband (although the darkening isn't near the quality that we got from the local place although perhaps we just chose the wrong type as there were several to pick from) from there as well.  And for simple prescriptions I wouldn't hesitate to use them but mine are so complicated that people working with me in person, where I can point, talk, and describe the issues and make adjustments on the fly and it still takes a few weeks to get it right.  So it's just a whole lot easier to work with someone where I can walk in and trying to get it fixed than trying to play multiple rounds of mailing things back and forth to get it corrected.

[Nemom]

I like my progressives.  I just ordered new glasses two weeks ago and I ordered what they call a "computer pair".  I think it is the new term for reading glasses.  They have a larger area of the progressive correction so that I can read and use the computer without having to tip my head up or adjust to find that small area for reading in my regular glasses.  I just picked them up today, so I haven't had a chance to really try them out.  They don't work at all for distance.

So I now have three pair of RX glasses 1) every day pair; 2) sunglasses; and 3) computer pair.  It was expensive but I think it will be really nice to have the third pair.  I often found myself taking off my glasses when I was reading and just trying to squint.  I never spent very long reading.  ?  It will be nice to be able to use the computer at my desk as well rather than having it in my lap so I can see it.

 

[PeterPan]

8 hours ago, gardenmom5 said:

I have "workspace" progressive for my computer glasses.  distance  is blurry.  but I like them better than my regular computer glasses!

a taller lens works better for progressives than a short one as there is enough room for the "progression".   I like the look of progressive, and I have them,  the first time I tried them- I hated them and switched to bifocals.  (which work better for a 'short' lens)

Ooo, so on your computer progressives, do you have intermediate on top (large section) and reading smaller on the bottom? Or narrow intermediate on top and wider reading on the bottom?

4 hours ago, Nemom said:

I like my progressives.  I just ordered new glasses two weeks ago and I ordered what they call a "computer pair".  I think it is the new term for reading glasses.  They have a larger area of the progressive correction so that I can read and use the computer without having to tip my head up or adjust to find that small area for reading in my regular glasses.  I just picked them up today, so I haven't had a chance to really try them out.  They don't work at all for distance.

So I now have three pair of RX glasses 1) every day pair; 2) sunglasses; and 3) computer pair.  It was expensive but I think it will be really nice to have the third pair.  I often found myself taking off my glasses when I was reading and just trying to squint.  I never spent very long reading.  ?  It will be nice to be able to use the computer at my desk as well rather than having it in my lap so I can see it.

 

Yes, this is it! So is your computer a big area on top and the reading a thinner area at the bottom? Zenni offers it two ways and I've been trying to figure it out, lol.

 

5 hours ago, Patty Joanna said:

I got my progressives at a reliable optometrist.  Including new frames, they were about $800, and I didn't get designer frames.  I got my computer glasses at Costco--they are fine for this purpose--single vision, computer coating.  I got really big lenses too, so I can see everywhere.  (And here is how I came to this place:  I decided to get the progressives from Costco, and it was AWFUL.  They save money by going with the cheapest lab, and so I got bad bad progressives but they do a FINE job with single vision lenses.  I had a migraine headache for 3 months from the Costco progressives, and went to my optometrist and she showed me how the LAB had changed the prescription the Costco optometrist had given (he gave the correct prescription) and how they had used very cheap plastic.). Net net:  Costco optometrist, A.  Costco lab for progressives:  F.  Costco lab for single vision computer glasses.  A.  

Oh my.

[Lanny]

12 hours ago, cjzimmer1 said:

I have not purchased any glasses from Zenni for myself.  Because of my astigmatism and high prescription and now bifocals, it takes a lot of finesse to get my glasses to work.  When the "experts" in measuring etc can't get the measurements right, then I have no hope of doing it on my own because I wouldn't have a clue which measurement to adjust when things don't work out.  Also when all the measurements are perfect, they still have to bend and shape the frames to further cut glare.  When I buy the glasses local and they have to remake the lenses (which has happened with every single pair of glasses I have purchased in the last 15 years except one and these are coming from different places so it's not because of ineptitude), they do not charge me.  They typically have to do the lenses 2-3 times before they get them right.  

Like I said, I've used Zenni for regular glasses, and we have gotten transitions for my husband (although the darkening isn't near the quality that we got from the local place although perhaps we just chose the wrong type as there were several to pick from) from there as well.  And for simple prescriptions I wouldn't hesitate to use them but mine are so complicated that people working with me in person, where I can point, talk, and describe the issues and make adjustments on the fly and it still takes a few weeks to get it right.  So it's just a whole lot easier to work with someone where I can walk in and trying to get it fixed than trying to play multiple rounds of mailing things back and forth to get it corrected.

 

I am sad that you have those repeated issues getting new eyeglasses that work for you.  Most of my life, I had very high Myopia and Astigmatism, until my LASIK surgeries in November 1997.   I had at least one pair of lenses made over, in Texas, before I moved here. When I went back to my Ophthalmologist, in 2 or 3 seconds, they discovered the issue: The Optical Centers of the Lenses were not in the Center of the Lenses. So much for the "Quality Control" of  Texas State Optical...   And, I had one pair of Lenses made over, here in Colombia. I don't remember what was wrong, but the laboratory in Barranquilla redid them. Certainly the Lenses for High Myopia are much harder to get correct.

Now, there are two (2) places where things can go awry, with prescription eyeglasses.  The first place is the Prescription. Here are two (2) very simple and trivial examples, but it can be much more complex than these examples.  The first and worst issue was that several years ago, an Optometrist put the wrong PD on the Prescription for my wife's eyeglasses. She suffered for 1 or 2 years with those eyeglasses, because we did not suspect that problem.  For the first order from Zenni Optical (October 2016) my wife used that same OLD Prescription, but DD measured my wife's PD, a number of times, and it was very obvious that the PD she had  used, when they made her glasses was way off, which is why she was unhappy with those eyeglasses.  Another trivial example:  When  I went with DD to the Optometrist in October 2016, to get a new Prescription, the Optometrist left off the Astigmatism correction for DDs lenses, and because we were in a hurry to order, we ordered her first eyeglasses from Zenni, without Astigmatism correction. That first order was just a trial order for us, to see what the process was like and how the eyeglasses were. The same Optometrist who left the Astigmatism correction off that Prescription for my DD, did a wonderful job with me, in June 2018, with 2 Prescriptions that I believe are dead-on and she spent a lot of time with me to do that.

The other place where things can go awry is in the Lab where they make the Lenses and cut them and fit them to the Frame.

So, boring as it is for an Ophthalmologist to examine someones eyes for Prescriptions, I would suggest that you consider taking the Prescription(s) that you have AND the eyeglasses that you have to a Board Certified Ophthalmologist, to see if they spot errors.

There are many different numbers involved with complex prescriptions, and if one or more of those numbers is off, that could be causing your issues.

I am puzzled about the Glare problems you are experiencing.  The Anti Reflective Coating should eliminate Glare problems. And the bending and shaping of the Frames to reduce glare is even more puzzling to me.

Question: Has a Board Certified Ophthalmologist thoroughly examined your eyes, for different possible issues?

 When the Optometrist examined my eyes at the end of June 2018, she told me that I have Cataracts. EEK...   I will call this week for an appointment with an Ophthalmologist..

From surveys about satisfaction I have read (Consumer Reports was one of them?) COSTCO seems to be one of the best walk-in places in the USA to have eyeglasses made.  One of my childhood friends wrote me that he has 2 expensive pairs of metal frames. When he gets a new Prescription, he goes to COSTCO and they make the new lenses and put them in  his  frame with the oldest prescription.  He always has a spare, backup pair.

Possibly the next time you get a new Prescription, take a photo of it with your phone and send an email to Zenni Optical and ask them if they can make the lenses for you properly and if so what they suggest, with regard to lenses and frames and Coatings.

I don't think you or anyone else should need to suffer repeatedly, with what you go thru when you get new eyeglasses.

So, maybe, if you went to one of my Cousins in CA, Optometrists with many years of experience, and you paid their high (?)  prices, maybe they would have a clue as to why you are having those problems with new eyeglasses and suggest a combination of Lenses and Frames and Coatings that would be better for you. Maybe not?  The problem is that you wouldn't know unless and until you paid and tried to live with your new eyeglasses.  It can be like shooting Craps.  IMO IT SHOULD NOT BE THAT WAY!

 

Edited September 2, 2018 by Lanny
fix typo

[Nemom]

8 hours ago, PeterPan said:

Yes, this is it! So is your computer a big area on top and the reading a thinner area at the bottom? Zenni offers it two ways and I've been trying to figure it out, lol.

Yeah, I think so.  The progression is "slower" over the whole lense.  I tried them last night and couldn't read my computer on my desk unless I tipped my head down.  I tried moving my computer to several different heights and distances.  I think I need to take them in and have the progression adjusted some.  Reading was awesome though!

 

[PeterPan]

Yes, what I'm reading online fits what Lanny is saying, that Costco has a stellar reputation. Apparently they also use top notch progressive lens, just rebadged under their own name. I suspect Zenni, which I read is shipping 15,000 pairs a DAY, is probably getting hold of pretty good progressive lens material too. I'm seeing feedback online they're fine and feedback that they were crap.

In the actual data category, I found this. https://www.cbetternow.com/zenni-bifocals-t154.html  If you scroll down to mjoe's post, he gives data he got directly from Zenni about how they determine segment height (where the progression of progressions) starts. They use the midpoint of the lens and go up 5mm. So its not rocket science to do the math and figure out where on a given lens that would be and how narrow that would make the distance viewing and whether that would be comfortable. 

Then contrast that with this article https://www.aoa.org/Documents/optometric-staff/Articles/Fitting-Progressive-Lens.pdf on how to properly fit progressives. In general, they want it to be related to the center of the pupil. I just haven't determined whether that actually makes a DIFFERENCE. You're basically saying ok the transition point (segment height) might be 1-2mm lower or higher if you measured vs. calculated, but does it MATTER?? I don't actually know. What I'm reading is the lens quality affects the width of the near vision reading area, and I haven't read anything saying the segment height affects the width of the near vision reading area. So if that's the case, it's kinda coming across like nitpickiness, when the person is looking up/down anyway. Well not true, I read dire warnings that progressives improperly fit would result in you cocking you head funny to read. But we read in so many positions now, that still doesn't make sense to me. There's no way that's make or break when we reading down, forward, etc. etc. I watched a video of someone remarking and having the patient hold their head tons of ways with a funky thing strapped on. But nobody sits like that to use their eyes. They said if you slouch, boom totally different. 

I don't know. I like the idea of the progressives for computer use. It totally, totally makes sense, and I think it ought to be a larger intermediate with a smaller near vision at the bottom. I don't think the optometrist took the time to wrap his brain around how *I* work at all. He just said oh computers, this is what you'll want. I'm like no, I use my computer and write. But when I work with ds, I need more near vision and then look up. They're actually separate things. And theoretically the standard progressives should take care of homeschooling nicely. I guess I'm just bugged by the width of the blurred, out of focus areas. That seems illogical to me. I haven't figured out why I'd want to put up with that and have so much blurred and have to move my head lots of different ways when I could just do a bifocal and be done with it. My dd has progressives though, and she likes them. She just got them at Walmart.

So my problem now is I can't tolerate the frames at the stores. I've tried. That's why I ended up with Zenni. They have these sort of gumby legs that don't hurt, where regular glasses have metal that is hard and has to be bent. That used to KILL me with sensory, oh my, drove me crazy. So I'm relegated to buying Zenni progressives, even if they turn out to be crap, because I struggle to tolerate most glasses I'm finding. I went to *9* places last time I bought a pair in an office. Then I went to Zenni and could just get it done, boom.

So my next step is to figure out this pupillary distance stuff. Is Zenni changing the PD for mid-range and near? That article I linked is telling the optician to measure it for infinity and near, but then they never do anything with the near number. Or maybe the swank places ARE using a measured near distance PD for their progressives and Zenni is using a calculated? That, it seems to me, would make a difference and explain dissastisfaction.

So my thought is for me to work on updating my PDs, maybe call Zenni and pick their brains to make sure I'm ordering correctly, and then just try. What I'm not perfectly clear on is whether you put in your regular scrip plus ADD for the progressives. You do, yes? So then Zenni is calculating out the intermediate ADD for the computer glasses. Or was the optometrist supposed to have provided the intermediate? That's the part I wasn't clear about. The optom office made it sound like I had enough, but in the past I've had an optom write a computer scrip for single vision computer glasses.

I think the workspace progressives are a great idea, and I doubt Zenni will screw it up. Like I really think they'll be fine. I don't know that segment height makes THAT radical a distance, but that part is a crap shoot. The essential thing is to nail the PD and to know what PD we should be providing for each type of progressive, whether we just provide the infinity/distance PD and they calculate the rest or what.

[PeterPan]

19 minutes ago, Nemom said:

Yeah, I think so.  The progression is "slower" over the whole lense.  I tried them last night and couldn't read my computer on my desk unless I tipped my head down.  I tried moving my computer to several different heights and distances.  I think I need to take them in and have the progression adjusted some.  Reading was awesome though!

 

Or is it the opposite, with big reading area at the bottom and just a dab of intermediate at the top? https://www.zennioptical.com/workspace-progressives  Here's a link with the pictures. I also noticed that Costco does their workspace glasses with an intermediate range as well, so that's a totally different design. 

And yeah, that's what I've been concerned about. I think the near vision boost for reading is a fuzz too much for computer, meaning a larger intermediate area makes sense for computer. But for working with ds on his school work, a larger reading area with only a smaller intermediate area makes more sense.

 

[kbutton]

Most of the eye places near me have more plastic frames than metal. Plastic frames are super popular right now, and you might have a lot more choices due to that fact. Also, sometimes the thickness of the temple on the frames is part of it--it gets in your line of sight, and it feels sensory, but it's really more hyper-awareness of the frame. Where glasses are tightened can also create sensory issues--I can't do the temples that go straight back, and I have to have the bent portion of the temple relatively loose behind my ear, or I am miserable.

Honestly, I can't completely put my finger on why, but it sounds to me like you might be overprescribed for distance vision. Maybe it's the headaches and strain you seem to be describing. I don't know all the ins and outs, but it happens--people who are nearsighted with astigmatism always want "more," but then their close vision starts to suffer. Also, as people age, it's not uncommon for the distance Rx to keep getting less and less--eyes get more nearsighted with age. If a person is overprescribed, it can be bad enough that they require bifocals. 

It can take time to be backed off of a too strong Rx, but it helps with the near vision a great deal. I was so overprescribed once that I ended up in bifocals in COLLEGE, and an astute optometrist noticed and fixed this problem. I was fine for years in regular glasses, but I left that optometrist because he was a competent jerk, and his optician moved on. She was the person who made going there bearable. Then the second guy overprescribed me a little bit over time, and I'm pretty sure I told him that I was concerned about that! Argh! I now go to a great practice that started fixing the overcorrection. Then, of course, my eyes are getting less nearsighted over time, so every time my Rx is backed down, it helps, but then my eyes get less nearsighted...it's a vicious circle. Anyway, the pair I have on order is drastically less Rx, and my close vision gets better every time my distance Rx is cut. 

Also, Crizal is one type of coating that helps with glare if you want to ask about it. One of my kids loves it. The other is going to try it, but he'll probably like it--he needs a lot more natural light to see well than I do, and Crizal somehow optimizes light while cutting glare. I am part mole, I think. I HATED the Crizal. It made things too bright for me. Apparently that puts me in a population of about 2% of people who try Crizal and don't like it. If you're already annoyed about glare, you might like it.

[Nemom]

18 minutes ago, PeterPan said:

Or is it the opposite, with big reading area at the bottom and just a dab of intermediate at the top? https://www.zennioptical.com/workspace-progressives  Here's a link with the pictures. I also noticed that Costco does their workspace glasses with an intermediate range as well, so that's a totally different design. 

And yeah, that's what I've been concerned about. I think the near vision boost for reading is a fuzz too much for computer, meaning a larger intermediate area makes sense for computer. But for working with ds on his school work, a larger reading area with only a smaller intermediate area makes more sense.

 

I personally wouldn't want to try to mess with figuring out the progressive heights myself.  I get a 30 day guarantee at my local Lenscrafter's store and the extra cost of letting them deal with it is worth it to me.  I do buy the best lens I can with the extra wide viewing area.

Looking at the website you linked, I would want to go with the Near Range Progressives.  

[cjzimmer1]

2 hours ago, Lanny said:

Question: Has a Board Certified Ophthalmologist thoroughly examined your eyes, for different possible issues?

 

In my 38 years of wearing glasses I've never seen anyone but an Ophthalmologist.  My mom never had confidence in the optometrists so she took me to the Ophthalmologist and so I've done that ever since I've been on my own.  My former eye doctor (before he retired) told me he's only had one patient who's eye were worse than mine at such young ages (this was in my late 20's/early 30's) and since I've consistently had this problem across doctors, across labs, with all different prescriptions as my eyes have worsened, I say it's pretty safe to say it's just me with a difficult prescription.  My grandma had very bad eyes as well and much of my medical history has taken after her so I suspect there is just some genetic component that I got a crappy combination of genes. I can't tell you how many issues I've had over the years where the "normal" for that is X but I experience Y and the doctors are left head scratching because they've never seen Y in that situation before.  

[ryes_silver]

That Zennioptical article was really good. Super informative and yet so concise, I wish I could write like that. Surely shouldn't have any doubts after reading such an epic, really. Anyway, I've been wearing anti-glare progressive glasses for 3 years now because it's a sedentary desk job (I'm hoping to change, soon). I recall my ophthalmologist reciting these very words after my Lasik eye surgery for maximum correction- "the best part about your eyes is that they have the adaptability to adjust themselves provided they're trained in the right manner but everyone is too busy staring at computer screens all day". The irony was he was wearing anti-glares and seated in front of a Mac. These guys have got a lot of wisdom and I'd clear all my doubts at the eye clinic instead of spending more hours in front of bright "retinal-display" screens.

[Lanny]

@Peter Pan

I read a long reply you made in this thread, where you included my name and I wish the forum included Reply Numbers, so I could reference that post...

I believe that instead of calling Zenni on the phone, that you should write them an email, in U.S. English, and that you explain the issues you are having, as briefly as is possible, while being complete.  They are in China, so you will probably find their reply in your email inbox the following morning.

I believe that you will have much better luck with Progressive Lenses than with Transition Lenses.    Of the 6 pairs of eyeglasses we ordered from Zenni on July 4th, 3 of the pairs have Progressive Lenses.  2 for my SIL who I believe had previously worn Progressive Lenses.  One pair for BIL who I believe had never worn Progressive Lenses before. He had issues at the beginning, with being Dizzy and some Nausea,  but I understand that a lot of new users have those issues at first. The only "complaint" we have had is that we were in a rush and left the Tint off his Lenses...  (We received their information while we were in the ordering process). That is not the fault of Zenni. We didn't order it or pay for it and he did not get the Tint.

The Optometrist not listening to you is a huge issue.  The one I went to at the end of June listened to me. She spent a lot of time with me, to get the 2 extremely different Prescriptions.  I should bring her some Candy or something and thank her for the time and patience she devoted to me that day.

Once you find a Frame you like from Zenni, if you break it or something, you can buy the same Frame (assuming they have it in stock) for 1/2 price, without the lenses. So, if you break a Frame and the Lenses are OK, you can buy a replacement frame and install your old lenses into the new frame, which is very easy to do and they show how to do that on the Zenni web site.

Zenni WILL NOT change the PD you specify.  In my case, the Optometrist had put the PD for my Distance Glasses (which I had made into Prescription Sunglasses) at 2 mm more than the PD for the eyeglasses for use with this Laptop.  Both prescriptions had my name on them in the Zenni system and their Quality Control caught my error (I had changed the PD for the Prescription Sunglasses (Distance) to the same PD as the Laptop eyeglasses) and they put our order "ON HOLD" and sent me an email explaining.  So, I wrote back and thanked them and asked them to change the PD for my Prescription Sunglasses to 2 mm more than the Laptop glasses, as the Optometrist had specified. 

I suspect what they refer to as "Workplace" glasses have on top what I have, a Prescription for using a Laptop or other computer, and on the bottom, a prescription for Reading.

The $6.95 glasses I bought have the 461821 Metal Frame. They show they sell that frame to Men and also to Women.  Mine are Black Frames but I think it also comes in Blue. One could do a lot worse...   Something I suspect makes them more comfortable is that the Nose Pads seem to be flexible and move when I wash my glasses.

Again, I suggest that you write an email to Zenni. Write a Draft and keep refining it until it seems Clear and Complete and then send it to them. We are on E.S.T. (UTC -5) all year, which is like C.D.T. in the USA.  There is a 13 hour time difference from where Zenni is located to us.  So, if you send them an email today, Tuesday in the USA, you will probably find a reply in your INBOX tomorrow morning, Wednesday in the USA.

My friend who gets new Lenses for his expensive Metal Frames made at COSTCO wrote me that occasionally they need to make his lenses  over.

I believe the key to this is submitting the complete information, perfectly, to Zenni and then you should be good to go.

The Zenni email address is service@zennioptical.com

Someone mentioned Lens Crafters.   I believe that is one of the Luxottica companies. That's the Italian company that controls 80 or 90% of the Frame business in the USA and much of the Lens business also.   http://www.luxottica.com/en

 

[vonfirmath]

On 9/1/2018 at 12:31 PM, PeterPan said:

Man, I'm slow on the draw, lol. I knew the fonts on Bibles were seeming small, but I didn't connect it. 

I'm officially losing my mind. I can't believe I didn't connect that. And yeah, that's pretty much been since turning 40, lol.

 

When I went looking for "large print" Bibles, I was surprised to find there was a LARGE variation in what was considered large print. You might try other large print Bibles.

[PeterPan]

Good news! I finally ordered my first progressives! I decided to go with the main pair, get used to them, then order the workspace. Hopefully both will be fine, but it was just the advice I got. I figured it takes so little time it's ok. I went ahead and picked out the frames for the 2nd and had them marked, so it will be easy.

I got them from Sam's Club, because they had that compromise on price and quality. I hope they're fine. They're using Pentax lenses, which may or may not be great. They have a strong satisfaction policy, and they mark the segment height and measure everything carefully, which ordering online wouldn't give me. The glasses themselves are pretty, some kind of tortoise with speckles of colors. 

So I'm just glad to be put out of my misery. I only went to 7 stores this time (2 opticians, 3 walmarts, 2 sams clubs) trying to find them, which is WAY better than the 9 places I hit the other time I bought store glasses. I've used crap Zenni glasses so long, it will be nice to be back in something with anti-glare reduction that actually works. With my astigmatism, the Zenni glasses are actually dangerous and scary to drive in at night. So I'm looking forward to this. 

Oh, on the workspace lenses, I was really surprised that they are columns if vision. That sorta rattles me, but I'm trying to roll with it. I've had headaches for so long and the blessed optometrist was just BEGGING me to do this. I'm like fine, fine, lol. I don't know how the lenses will be, but surely Sam's Club is not using worse lenses than walmart? My dd's progressives are nikon lenses from Walmart, and she says they're fine. So we'll see, dunno. I can get two pairs this way, all the perks I needed, very pretty frames, totally fitted right, for $600. I was quoted $650 at one of the opticians for one pair with top notch (like really top notch, like porsche level) lenses, and the glasses didn't fit right. The lady wasn't really listening, so I just gave up. This guy at Sam's Club was terrific at fitting, so hopefully the lenses will at least be ok!

On September 4, 2018 at 10:07 AM, vonfirmath said:

 

When I went looking for "large print" Bibles, I was surprised to find there was a LARGE variation in what was considered large print. You might try other large print Bibles.

Yeah, I've looked at all of 'em for some time now. How old are you? I'm 42, and this got really noticeable in maybe the last year or so. I got my MIL a large print Bible, one of the largest in ESV I could find (14 pt maybe?), and while I *can* technically read it, I have to hold it way down to get it to focus without strain. Yeah, the age thing, lol. And what I wanted was one of those fangled Bibles with lines on the side or some space, and they're all SO TINY, oh my. When I bring normal things close to normal distance, they just don't resolve. Like I know it's there, but I can't see it. It makes you feel cross-eyed or something, lol. So I'm just rolling with it and assuming these new swanky glasses will fix that, dunno. They actually started asking me to consider bifocals at 38, sigh. 

[vonfirmath]

15 hours ago, PeterPan said:

Yeah, I've looked at all of 'em for some time now. How old are you? I'm 42, and this got really noticeable in maybe the last year or so. I got my MIL a large print Bible, one of the largest in ESV I could find (14 pt maybe?), and while I *can* technically read it, I have to hold it way down to get it to focus without strain. Yeah, the age thing, lol. And what I wanted was one of those fangled Bibles with lines on the side or some space, and they're all SO TINY, oh my. When I bring normal things close to normal distance, they just don't resolve. Like I know it's there, but I can't see it. It makes you feel cross-eyed or something, lol. So I'm just rolling with it and assuming these new swanky glasses will fix that, dunno. They actually started asking me to consider bifocals at 38, sigh. 

 

I turned 45 earlier this week. I tried out progressives earlier this year and it did NOT work for me. Got bifocals instead, then they were stolen ? My prescription is too big for Zenni to make bifocals for and I don't want to pay full price at the eye place I went to. So I'm back to Single Vision glasses and so far they are working okay.

 

(After this thread I'm really wondering if my prescription is off or something. I had bifocals that did not work on the computer and separate computer glasses -- and I'm on the computer so often this meant I kept forgetting to switch my glasses back to my bifocals. So when we went into the pool I had the computer glasses on and that is how it came to be that the expensive bifocals were the ones in the purse to get stolen.)  But for the Single Vision glasses I got after from Zenni -- they work for Computer and for driving, etc. so I no longer have to switch glasses!

Edited September 6, 2018 by vonfirmath

[PeterPan]

16 minutes ago, vonfirmath said:

But for the Single Vision glasses I got after from Zenni -- they work for Computer and for driving, etc. so I no longer have to switch glasses!

Having single vision back-ups is handy anyway. I'm not legal to drive without my glasses (and wouldn't want to, oh my), so it's something I think about. For me, it's the headaches. I'm surprised you could do other things in the computer glasses, lol. The ones I had were pretty strong and not comfortable to walk around in. Now the workspace glasses they're making have a tiny bit of distance at the top, lots of intermediate for computer and a nice chunk of reading at the bottom. Apparently those you can walk around in. That's what we're doing next if these progressives go well. 

Yeah, the $650 quote I got was just really hard to ponder times two. Hopefully these Sam's Club lenses will be ok. That's the wild card. If they are at least acceptable, the price is way better. 

And yeah, I had a pair of glasses stolen at the Y once. It's honestly hard to believe, because they were just ditzy purple things from Zenni. Like really??? I just couldn't believe anyone would STEAL them, lol. I guess they really needed them or wanted to pawn them or something, dunno. 

[vonfirmath]

30 minutes ago, PeterPan said:

Having single vision back-ups is handy anyway. I'm not legal to drive without my glasses (and wouldn't want to, oh my), so it's something I think about. For me, it's the headaches. I'm surprised you could do other things in the computer glasses, lol. The ones I had were pretty strong and not comfortable to walk around in. Now the workspace glasses they're making have a tiny bit of distance at the top, lots of intermediate for computer and a nice chunk of reading at the bottom. Apparently those you can walk around in. That's what we're doing next if these progressives go well. 

Yeah, the $650 quote I got was just really hard to ponder times two. Hopefully these Sam's Club lenses will be ok. That's the wild card. If they are at least acceptable, the price is way better. 

And yeah, I had a pair of glasses stolen at the Y once. It's honestly hard to believe, because they were just ditzy purple things from Zenni. Like really??? I just couldn't believe anyone would STEAL them, lol. I guess they really needed them or wanted to pawn them or something, dunno. 

 

That's the frustrating part. THey stole my purse. Which had my glasses in it -- among other things I'm sure the thieves did not care for at all, but were REALLY valuable to me! I looked to see if I could find the ditched purse anywhere after they took what they wanted :( But no.

 

[PeterPan]

I just wanted to tell y'all my glasses came and I'm in LOVE!!!!! Everything is so clear!! And I can see my phone comfortably. And they are seeming hard to get used to so I must have a boring head. 

So glad I got them locally, not through Zenni. The lenses from Sams Club are WAY better than my single vision Zennis ever were. Ecstatic! 

Edited September 13, 2018 by PeterPan

[Nemom]

On 9/5/2018 at 5:13 PM, PeterPan said:

Good news! I finally ordered my first progressives! I decided to go with the main pair, get used to them, then order the workspace. Hopefully both will be fine, but it was just the advice I got. I figured it takes so little time it's ok. I went ahead and picked out the frames for the 2nd and had them marked, so it will be easy.

I had the lenses remade on my computer or workspaces glasses.  Oh my gosh, they are going to be life changing!  lol.  In all seriousness, I can see my computer screen while it is sitting on my desk without having to awkwardly move my head to strange and uncomfortable positions.  Yeah!