A Disappointed Consumer's Advice to Eyecare Professionals

[Robert Martellaro]

"A second point if you are planning on bifocals in a glass lens although the distance will be made from crown (with the best abbe) the segment will be made of a high index glass with a lower abbe value. "

Oh come on, really? You have to sink THAT low to find a reason why not to use glass? sheesh...

We'll probably be looking through, or very close to the OC of the ST seg, so that the lateral chromatic aberration due to the higher Abbe of the seg material (but low power segment power) shouldn't be an issue.

[Happylady]

I think your optician over stated how much of your progressive lenses will be unusable. I think sometimes people will set people up for the worst and when it's not as bad as they expect, they are happy. I wear progressives and I rarely notice the less clear areas of my lenses. I've had progressives on for 11 hours today and I can't remember one time I noticed that the lower sides of my glasses are not as clear as the rest of them and I have a strong add at 2.50.

At your age, it will probably be easy to get used to progressives. Reading glasses have their place but they will make your distance blurry. Bifocals have blurry areas, too. You might enjoy having some just reading glasses for a second pair. You don't have a problem with intermediate right now but you will when your add gets a little stronger. It's much easier to start with progressives rather then switching to them down the road.

Go back to your opitican and tell her that you want a quality progressive with a quality AR. I bet you will be pleasantly surprised how quickly you adjust to progressives.

[MikeAurelius]

We'll probably be looking through, or very close to the OC of the ST seg, so that the lateral chromatic aberration due to the higher Abbe of the seg material (but low power segment power) shouldn't be an issue.

Exactly. And for someone who is already wearing glass lenses anyway, it's a NON-ISSUE.

[DragonLensmanWV]

"Don't overthink" says it perfectly. Your brain has more than one lobe; let them all help you.

Yes, you must remember to think about not overthinking things.

[Geirskogul]

Exactly. And for someone who is already wearing glass lenses anyway, it's a NON-ISSUE.

Unless they want (or should be in) progressive.

[phaco]

A dispensing optician should always explain your options - all of them, and help you make an informed decision. If you feel this wasn't the case, then return to your provider and talk it through. We're all human and easily make mistakes. It may be that your provider doesn't use a qualified dispensing optician, and the person you saw was simply following the orders of the examiner.

Sorry you had the experience, and I hope you find someone who will listen, explain, and help.

Cheers

I agree with MarySue.
sounds like the optician should listen to your needs and not the other way around.
there are plenty of good opticians and eye doctors out there. However, there are some bad apples. Just don't let one bad one color your perception of the optical field.

[MarySue]

Besides, didn't you know that 86% of all statistics is made up?:bbg:

:bbg:

Gooden - made my day

[IndianaOD]

I think your best bet is to work with your current optometrist. It sounds like you have been happy in the past. If you clearly laid out your concerns and they still insist on progressives perhaps ask them why not the other options. Obviously if they just won't consider your concerns then move on but I would find this very rare. Hopefully you explained your work and leisure visual demands to your doctor. I always try to find that out and recommend the proper solutions which may be multiple pairs as you stated. It helps to know your working distances to set the near powers at the correct amount.

[harry a saake]

lens

disregard this post

[NewMultiPatient]

Thank you to everyone who responded, especially to the question of the consultation. Just to be clear, I was NOT asking for advice about what kind of lense to get or how to take my prescription to a discount warehouse. I was disappointed with the conversation with my optician because I felt that I wasn't being heard, and wanted to hear what other professionals thought before deciding what to do next.

Here's the follow up for those who are curious.

First, for background, my prescription (remember I'm a consumer, so I apologize if I screw this up):
R: -3.50
L: -7.75
ADD: +1.00

I returned to the office having decided that, regardless of my multi-focal choice, I would still want a dedicated pair of single vision glasses for seeing at distance as well as a dedicated pair of single vision readers. My optician still seemed determined to convince me that I wouldn't want to carry two pairs around, but I insisted that I would end up needing both pairs anyway, so that's what I wanted to start with. I selected a high index lense for the distance pair, and less expensive lenses for my reading pair. (The glass lenses thing is much less important than it used to be before the improved high index plastics, btw.) Anti-reflective coating in both, and Transitions for the distance pair. Including fashion frames and my VSP benefits/discount, the bill came to approx. $1,100.

I plan to get a pair of multi-focal glasses after the first of the year. We continued to discuss the pros and cons between a progressive lens and a traditional straight-line bifocal, and I still felt that she was overselling the progressives with features that I don't place a lot of stock in at this time (convenience, intermediate distance vision, and cosmetics), so the jury is still out as to whether I could work with her on a multi-focal pair of glasses. Frankly, until I really perceive a problem with intermediate distance vision (I can currently read anything more than 12 inches in front of my glasses, I think that two single vision pairs plus a pair of traditional bifocals will be my preference, but we'll just have to see. I reserve the right to change my mind!

[MikeAurelius]

Good for you for sticking to your guns!

[optilady1]

Good for you for sticking to your guns!

+1

[Robert Martellaro]

First, for background, my prescription (remember I'm a consumer, so I apologize if I screw this up):
R: -3.50
L: -7.75
ADD: +1.00

Ask about anisometropia, aniseikonia, and vertical prism imbalance. Ask if the vertical optical centers were measured, and if so, where they were positioned in both the distance and near pair. Ask why multifocals present special challenges with this type of Rx (anisometropic).

[MikeAurelius]

Ask about anisometropia, aniseikonia, and vertical prism imbalance. Ask if the vertical optical centers were measured, and if so, where they were positioned in both the distance and near pair. Ask why multifocals present special challenges with this type of Rx (anisometropic).

Perhaps you missed the part where he said he's getting two pair of SINGLE VISION glasses?

What you bring up are valid issues for bifocal/trifocal/progressive lenses, but not single vision, at least not in any world that I live in.

[obxeyeguy]

Perhaps you missed the part where he said he's getting two pair of SINGLE VISION glasses?

What you bring up are valid issues for bifocal/trifocal/progressive lenses, but not single vision, at least not in any world that I live in.

That's why your in the lab, as us opticians figure all these things out and order accordingly.:bbg:

In my world, they are important even in SV.