[splitimage]

I had my annual eye exam today and was told I needed to move into progressive lenses. I kind of knew it was coming as my vision has gotten noticeably worst in the last 6 months, and my eye Dr. has been saying "You'll need progressives next year" for the last 3 years.

Still I'm feeling a bit bummed out by it. But I did pick out a pair of really fun purple frames. The glasses will be ready next week, and my Dr. says it'll probably take me a couple of weeks to get used to them.

The joys of getting older.

splitimage

[ECHOES]

I remember feeling that way too. The purple frames sound very cool !!

The joy of getting older.... beats not other option of not getting the chance to get older

[Leed]

You'll love the progressive lenses. I've been wearing them for quite awhile. You can see at ANY distance. You just have to remember to point your nose at what you're looking at. You'll get used to doing that.

Some people get a little woozy when they move their head from side to side, but I never did. Also, going down stairs can be dangerous the first few times so make sure someone is with you at first. It might look "different" and you might misstep. So be careful. The same holds true when walking off the curb.

The middle of the lens is for the computer. You just raise or lower your head til you find what's clear. The bottom is for reading a book.

I love mine and I'd NEVER go back to the bifocals/trifocals with the lines. My sunglasses have bifocals cause it's cheaper, but I don't like them as much.

Good luck with your new glasses! I'm sure you'll love them. I used to be an optician, so I worked with them alot. Take care. Hugs, Lee

[Fresia]

I'm with you about feeling "decidedly middle aged" when he told me I needed bifocals/progressives. I know how that feels and still am feeling a little put off about it, more so about the price of them. However, I have to add that OH!! what a difference they have made! I was nervous about them but other than having to be careful of stairs and curbs, it has gone really well. The optician gave the advice to always pointing your nose where you are looking instead of just shifting your eyes.

Love that you got purple frames; hopefully it will go just as well for you. Please let us know. Best wishes.

I was convinced to try progressives for the same reason that Leed mentioned... computers. They also tried to appeal to my vanity by mentioning not having those ugly bifocal lines. After 6 years I'm still on the fence about them. I miss my peripheral vision. I don't like having to point my nose and search for the "sweet spot" for distant objects but I'm not sure if I want to try bifocals.
Good luck

[Leed]

Bifocals SUCK! That definite LINE across your vision really can screw you up big time. I have some bifocals for my sunglasses, and I hate them, but I couldn't afford the progressives for sunglasses too! I use them for driving, but I can't see the dashboard, and that really stinks. It makes it almost impossible to set the cruise control cause I can't see how fast I'm going. LOL
I had to memorize where the 55mph & 60mph lines were -- but THEN I got a new car, and it isn't in the same place! LOL

Oh well - we do what we have to do. God bless. Hugs, Lee

For some reason, progressives make me dizzy. So, I have bifocals. Are they attractive? No. Are they functional? Very!

[ECHOES]

Progressives made me dizzy at first, but that went away.
I was also instructed to point my nose where I wanted to look, instead of just moving my eyes, because the sides of the progressive lenses are blurry and that can cause dizzyness.
That helped a lot.

My eyes went to pot when I hit 40 too. I've been in bifocals ever since. I like the progressives but I never quite feel like my prescription is 100% accurate. I really should go back in and get my eyes rechecked, but buying new lenses is so expensive. Until my insurance date for a new prescription arrives, I'll probably just deal with it. My sister couldn't wear progressives. She plays the piano/directs choir, and the constant looking up and down just didn't work for her so she wears regular bifocals.

[sunrise]

I have progressives for everyday use and a less expensive pair of bifocals as "back-up" glasses, like for times when I have misplaced my progressives and don't have time to hunt for them (clearly my eyesight is not the only problem I'm having as I age!). I don't like to wear my progressives when I am having to look backwards or sideways in my car. It makes me kind of queasy to have to turn my head rather suddenly in the car to check the blind spot, or backing up, etc. So I tend to not wear glasses when I drive to avoid this--my long distance vision is still quite good.

I am currently on my third pair of progressives. When I got the first pair, I chose a pair of stylish frames but in my ignorance, I chose frames that were quite short (from top to bottom) and so the area for the reading part of the lens was quite small, and not at all appropriate for the amount of reading I have to do. When I showed my ophthalmologist the glasses and complained to him about reading, he was so mad! He said the optician I went to for choosing frames and making the lenses should have counseled me to choose a "taller" lens style so that the reading part of the lens would be larger. Live and learn, I guess. I never went back to that optician. My second and third pairs of progressives have worked much better because I chose taller lenses. I hope you purple frames work out. My current glasses have purple frames too.

[splitimage]

Thanks for the advice about pointing my nose at what I want to see everyone. My optician didn't mention that. My brother had progressives for years, before having eye surgery and he did warn me about turning my head side to side and stairs.

I'm curious to see how I'll like them. I definitely need something as both my distance and up close vision has gotten worse. I sit in the front row at my classes, and the powerpoints are still fuzzy, and when I try to read it's really a struggle to find the right distance to hold the book.

One good thing about getting the glasses from my opthamologist is they've said they'll call me after 2 weeks to see how I'm getting on, and if the prescription isn't right, they'll replace the lenses with an adjusted prescription for free. Can't beat that.

And yes the glasses were expensive. But my eyesight's so bad that my lenses have been super expensive for a long time. I think my last glasses were aroune $500, and the progressives were $650. Mentally I was prepared to pay up to $800, because that's what my brother said he paid for his last pair.

splitimage

[lynn P.]

The purple frames sound cool and I haven't heard the term progressives. I use reading glasses and dislike that I don't have perfect vision anymore. A couple years ago, also had a problem with a dark squiggly line in my vision and also flashes when I looked to the right. Was told my the doctor this is normal part of aging and not a detached retina.

I became interested in eye exercises and going to do them everyday to see if it helps my vision. The muscles in our eyes help us focus so it makes sense these muscles would become weak and lazy. For example most kids don't have perfect vision but most Opticians won't prescribe glasses because it would make the eyes dependent.

I'm not saying to give up glasses but the exercises are worth a try. They also ease eye strain and are relaxing. I also do facial exercises and they really work at toning the face. I'll leave you with 2 youtube videos and pick the one you like because they both do the same exercises. It feels good doing them.

Progressives are great and once you get used to them they will definitely help. Only problem I've had with them is I am a school teacher and when I stand up my students are lower than me, and the lower part of the lense for me is for seeing things up close. Due to this, my students were fuzzy and I have the tendancy of staring at the back of the room because it was the only place I could look that was clear. I didn't even realize I was doing it until a few of my more observant students pointed it out to me. Such is life, I guess.

[waynec]

i've been wearing glasses for 40 years and have had progressives for the past 15.i usually take my glasses off for reading and model building. didn' realize how much i used them until i got a prescription without them.

[ECHOES]

Funny thing about the eye - as it ages it changes shape and vision can also change.
I used to need my glasses for reading and needlework, but now do those things better without my glasses.

Finally! A positive aspect of aging!!