What PALs would you suggest as being similar to the Comfort yet lesser expensive?

[William Walker]

I have a patient who comes in wearing Varilux Comfort progressives. She likes them, and has had trouble in years past when opticals have attempted to fit her into other progressives (I'm guessing hard vs. soft PAL design or big jump from Varilux to something much narrower).

We've priced out a new set of Comforts, but it looks like that might not be financially viable for the patient right now. Would anyone have any suggestions on a lens similar in design to the Comfort yet maybe not carry as high a price? The patient is aware that the lesser expensive lens may come with some compromise compared to her Comforts.

Thanks!

(Oh yeah, Rx is:

+1.00 -1.50 x 123
+0.50 -1.25 x 040
2.25 Add)

[CuriousCat]

Look into the Seiko products. Supercede or Supercede WS depending on her add power. Usually priced very competitively.

[William Walker]

Thanks, I'll have to look and see if those are options that I can get.

[jonathan barber]

Another option would be the Essilor Natural...I have fit plenty of former Comfort patients with the Natural with no problems. After all, its design was based on the Comfort itself.

[Lee H]

I have a patient who comes in wearing Varilux Comfort progressives. She likes them, and has had trouble in years past when opticals have attempted to fit her into other progressives (I'm guessing hard vs. soft PAL design or big jump from Varilux to something much narrower).

We've priced out a new set of Comforts, but it looks like that might not be financially viable for the patient right now. Would anyone have any suggestions on a lens similar in design to the Comfort yet maybe not carry as high a price? The patient is aware that the lesser expensive lens may come with some compromise compared to her Comforts.

Thanks!

(Oh yeah, Rx is:

+1.00 -1.50 x 123
+0.50 -1.25 x 040
2.25 Add)

Hoya Amplitude

[chip anderson]

I have on occasion gotten into trouble fixing things that ain't broke. Especially when I tried to fix it with cheaper products.

Chip

[anthonyf1509]

This situation may be a little more frequent than in years past. I'm with Johns, how much really are you looking to save to offer her a less expensive product? Generally they'll come up with it when presented back to them negatively, but if it's a sale that'll not happen I'm sure you can win her for life by explaining how you're going to give her whatever price you had in mind for less but not sacrifice any change in lens for her. If you have to, tell her to wait on that frame and get something less, they never wanna change frame and done deal.

I've found that the patients who routinely get their exam and eyewear yearly, are now hesitant to spend $900 each yr and wanna go every other. So we have to be willing to sacrifice margin to keep the sale and keep the patients in the best, and they'll see we're out for their best interests

[William Walker]

Thanks for all of the replies. I would really rather keep her in the same progressive she's been accustomed to as well. If there was a lesser expensive option with very little compromise (like the Panamic to Ovation), I would feel pretty confident about it.

[EdgeOptical]

Natural, AO Easy, Amplitude, image

[Now I See]

FWIW....I know you said you'd like to keep your patient in the same PAL, but I have switched people from the Comfort (and the like) to the Amplitude. The only thing I found was that the Amplitude's intermediate corridor is longer than the Comfort, the complaint was that they had to look WAAAYYY into the bottom of the lens to find their reading area, so I switched to a Amplitude short and have had no more complaints.

[DragonLensmanWV]

I have on occasion gotten into trouble fixing things that ain't broke. Especially when I tried to fix it with cheaper products.

Chip

Good idea. But in this case, Essilor discontinued the Comfort and replaced it with the "New Comfort" for triple the price.

[Happylady]

I agree about the Natural. It's a good choice for a Comfort wearer.

[rdcoach5]

I have a patient who comes in wearing Varilux Comfort progressives. She likes them, and has had trouble in years past when opticals have attempted to fit her into other progressives (I'm guessing hard vs. soft PAL design or big jump from Varilux to something much narrower).

We've priced out a new set of Comforts, but it looks like that might not be financially viable for the patient right now. Would anyone have any suggestions on a lens similar in design to the Comfort yet maybe not carry as high a price? The patient is aware that the lesser expensive lens may come with some compromise compared to her Comforts.

Thanks!

(Oh yeah, Rx is:

+1.00 -1.50 x 123
+0.50 -1.25 x 040
2.25 Add)

That's easy , Younger Image for long corridor. 19 mm or more and Younger Adage for short corridor or for hyperopes like my wife who always demand more plus. She loves her Adage - duplicate of GT2 Rx which was way better than her Genesis. I keep saying higher adds like shorter corridors

[Java99]

Good idea. But in this case, Essilor discontinued the Comfort and replaced it with the "New Comfort" for triple the price.

I have tried to move someone from a Comfort to the new Comfort....was a disaster. Ended up putting him in a Natural, and he was happy.

[Happylady]

I have tried to move someone from a Comfort to the new Comfort....was a disaster. Ended up putting him in a Natural, and he was happy.

Interesting, I had read that it was supposed to be a easy change but there is always an exception.

Natural is decent but I like it at 20 and above the best.

[optilady1]

Another option would be the Essilor Natural...I have fit plenty of former Comfort patients with the Natural with no problems. After all, its design was based on the Comfort itself.

+1

[snotbagel]

Why don't you try some digital lens designs? Quite a few all digital labs have inexpensive offerings, and unless you're fitting a high hyperope they all work fairly well. They also usually have a choice if corridor length so you can match their old form more closely..

[Barry Santini]

In adds 2.00 and below, I have found Digital Eyelab's Digi Pal and Shamir Element to be acceptable substitutes.

B

[jefe]

In adds 2.00 and below, I have found Digital Eyelab's Digi Pal and Shamir Element to be acceptable substitutes.

B

I've been using the Element as a Comfort replacement regularly without any problem.

[LensNinja]

Exactly the Natural and the Essilor Accolade are a very close second and my lab has had noprob dispensing them and they are a bit lower cost

[scriptfiller]

I'll chime in for the Natural, have done plenty of these types of re-fits with success.

[sharpstick777]

Thanks for all of the replies. I would really rather keep her in the same progressive she's been accustomed to as well. If there was a lesser expensive option with very little compromise (like the Panamic to Ovation), I would feel pretty confident about it.

Actually, Varilux fixed that for you. Although the New Comfort is better, its different. They already changed lenses.

An alternative would be the Younger Image, I found that to great alternative to the Comfort and less expensive.

[sharpstick777]

I had trouble with the Natural in the higher adds, but great luck in lower adds. Its a soft design and the reading narrows above a 2.00 add.

[Celso Cunha]

I have a patient who comes in wearing Varilux Comfort progressives. She likes them, and has had trouble in years past when opticals have attempted to fit her into other progressives (I'm guessing hard vs. soft PAL design or big jump from Varilux to something much narrower).

We've priced out a new set of Comforts, but it looks like that might not be financially viable for the patient right now. Would anyone have any suggestions on a lens similar in design to the Comfort yet maybe not carry as high a price? The patient is aware that the lesser expensive lens may come with some compromise compared to her Comforts.

Thanks!

(Oh yeah, Rx is:

+1.00 -1.50 x 123
+0.50 -1.25 x 040
2.25 Add)

Dear William,

The characteristics of Comfort add 2.00 are:

IA maximum level of 2.00 DC.
Area corridor useful (intermidiate) with threshold 0.5DC: 51.1 mm ².
Area field near minimum mounting height: 37.2 mm ².



If this patient is already used to a large near area and these values ​​of IA, you do not need to put more advanced PAL with lower IA and larger intermidiate (or Zeiss GT2 3D GT2 or DV, or Physio or autografh, or Seiko proceed ) as the minimum mounting heights they have small near area.

You can adapt the Natural, the Solamax Hoya or wide, they have the same characteristics of Comfort, but neither has design the same.

Unfortunately I haven´t add 2.25, but do not believe that is very different to compare the marks PAL.



Do not forget to keep the mounting height and trade for one of these, I suggest leaving the cross assembly 1 mm below the previous one.
Regards,

[sharpstick777]

Dear William,

The characteristics of Comfort add 2.00 are:

IA maximum level of 2.00 DC.
Area corridor useful (intermidiate) with threshold 0.5DC: 51.1 mm ².
Area field near minimum mounting height: 37.2 mm ².

If this patient is already used to a large near area and these values ​​of IA, you do not need to put more advanced PAL with lower IA and larger intermidiate (or Zeiss GT2 3D GT2 or DV, or Physio or autografh, or Seiko proceed ) as the minimum mounting heights they have small near area.

Ceslo, would you mind explaining your terminology and numbers more clearly? IA, DC, etc. Thanks.