my eyewear odyssey

[Andy Z.]

Thanks to all you optical pros for the crash course you've given me here and at sci.med.vision. If info like yours was more widely disseminated, a lot of folks would be seeing better.

I thought I would relate you my glasses-buying saga to let you know how it has been for one consumer and to ask for your advice. I admit that I am picky - beyond merely "adapting" I would like to see as well as possible!

At age 46, I am confronting the aging of my eyes along with the rest of me. It is something we all go through if we are given leave to live this long. Nevertheless, I never expected it to be so difficult.

My ten-year-old glasses broke in two. My sister recommended an ophthalmologist. He was on vacation so I saw another doctor in his office. The prescription was

OD -5.75 +1.50 x75
OS -7.00 +1.50 x95
Add +1.50

I marched off to Lenscrafters. Why LC?

I didn't stick around the doctor's office to look at the frames because my eyes were so dilated I couldn't see them. Besides, I wasn't altogether pleased with my experience there. It seemed like an examination mill. The place was crammed with patients, and I sat a couple of hours in various parts of the office waiting for an exam which only lasted a couple of minutes. I had a lot of time to inspect the advertisements for Botox, which made me feel that vision was not their #1 concern.

I would have liked to have gone to a small local optician for my glasses. I am the kind of person who prefers the independent deli to the big supermarket.

Unfortunately, the small optical shops I know of around here are either dingy, stodgy and unfriendly, or glitzy, fashionable and snobbish.

Lenscrafters, by contrast, seemed welcoming. It is big and well-lit, with a large selection of frames. Best of all, customers are free to handle the frames and examine the prices.

It would be nice if opticians, even when they keep the frames in display cases, could at least give them price tags which are visible to people who are browsing. It gets wearying to have to keep asking, "Can I see that one? How much does it cost?"

I was also seduced by LC's one-hour policy (since I was now wearing crummy fifteen-year-old glasses) and money-back guarantee (since I was nervous about entering the world of multifocal lenses.)

Finally, the recommendation from Consumer Reports was reassuring.

So, LC made me progressive lenses. They didn't give me any choice of lens design or material. I asked why polycarbonate and didn't get much of an answer. As I found out later, those are the only progressive lenses they keep in stock.

They had explained to me that a large part of the lens would be blurry. Still, I was shocked by the experience of wearing them. A slim column down the middle is the only part of the view that's at all sharp, whether distant or near. The lenses are darker than my old high-index plastic ones, and seem wavy in spots.

I can read a newspaper fairly well, but with a book or a typed page I have to keep turning my head if I want the type to remain sharp. And I still have to take off my glasses to read very small writing, like that on maps.

I have been walking around for a month now with eyestrain and headaches, and my neck hurts from craning it into position to see through the tiny sweet spots.

I went back to the doctor. He increased the add from +1.50 to +2.00. I don't know whether he did this just to humor me. I did notice that looking through his machine at +1.50, I could read the smallest type on the card I was holding in front of me, while looking through the glasses with the same prescription, I couldn't.

When I got home I started looking up what you all have said on line. I realized that there is a lot more to glasses than I had imagined, especially when it comes to progressive lenses.

I returned to LC with my new scrip. They were not happy to see me. My conclusion is that their vaunted guarantee is a bit of a shuck. They did their best to talk me out of a remake. They even made me go home to get my old glasses to compare with the new ones. And if I wanted anything but polycarbonate lenses, the turnaround would be six weeks.

They did check the fit. I think it is all right - the clearest spots in both lenses do seem to line up. One of the managers mentioned she had an associate degree in opticianry. However, when I asked whether increasing the add would make the usable area of the lenses even smaller, she said no - despite what I have read online.

I ordered new lenses in high index plastic with a +2.00 add. Once again they offered me no choice of material. I heard an associate and a manager discuss whether it should be 1.56 or 1.67 index - they decided on 1.56. At that point I didn't feel like pressing for an explanation. I still don't know what the material, manufacturer or lens design is.

I am worried about weight because my glasses chronically slide down my nose. It is not an unusual nose, but it is rather broad and flat. LC replaced my nose pads with silicone ones, which helped but did not entirely solve the problem. I wonder why glasses don't automatically come with sticky nose pads. There must be millions of people whose glasses slip.

Anyway, I'm waiting out the six weeks. If you're still with me, here are my questions -

What is causing my discomfort? Polycarbonate? Cheap polycarbonate? Bad lens design? Or maybe I'm just a non-adapter to progressives?

Is there one add that is right for me, or is it a matter of judgment? Should I learn to live with +1.50, not being able to see things that are too small or close, in return for a wider field of view?

Under what circumstances would you recommend lined bifocals or trifocals? I notice that, according to the Optiboard poll, none of you wear them. Still I wonder - if trifocals were the hot new technology with which one could actually see through the whole lens, would we all be gung ho about it?

Oh yeah and, how do you keep glasses from slipping? (Whatever happened to cable earpieces anyway?)

Thanks for listening to my tale of woe!
Andy Z.

[Chris Ryser]

After having lived a life in the optical field for over 50 years, your very explanatory story, which I hope will be read by many on the Optiboard, is a confirmation of what I learned in the 1950's.

Progressive lenses have their limits, field of vision, distortive areas, comfort, price ect.

The optician or optical seller in today's age sells preferably the most expensive lenses and does not care about if these lenses are the perfect solution or of a simple straight top with a large reading segment would be the better solution.

There are many technical aspects that are posisitive for the use of progressive lenses, but there are as many that are against it.

It is sad to hear that optical supermarkets are just promoting the currect run of the mill items and do not evaluate the personal or technical need of the individual consumer.

As for the fitting of your frame, the optician is NO optician in my eyes if he can not sell and advise you on the right frame that will not slip on your nose and that he can not adjust to a PERFECT fit.

Not every lens nor every frame in this market of plenty will do the trick for everybody's comfort or purpose.

This is why the GOOD optician will advise you on all of this, evaluate your needs and follow up on the results.

Next time, find out from your friends which optician in your area is still giving the personal service as they are supposed to be and leave the supermarkets and factory outlets in the optical trade on the side.

[Cindy Hamlin]

Andy,
Welcome to the wonderful world of progressives! I am getting into that "age" that will soon warrant them and let me tell you I will be worse than the worst patient I have ever dealt with. About glasses and clothes I am not very adaptable.

Let me tell you for a first time wearer that a progressive is the way to go! It will be much better for you in the long run.

Let me ask you a couple of questions:

1. How long did you try the new glasses before your return?

2. Did you mention to the Ophthalmologist the distances you read the paper at, books at, worked on the computer at (keyboard and monitor)? These are imperative to know since they effect the add power you are given. It can mean the world!

The problems you mention are common with progressives. Depending on where you are holding the materials you are looking at you will have more or less room. The most room in the progressive will be what you are looking at about 16-18" away (like a newspaper). The least will be about 12" (your book). If you think of the channel of a progressive lens like an hourglass figure on a woman it will give you an idea of the design of the lens. This may sound kind of strange, but I am talking shoulders to hips. So from shoulders to waist if the upper portion and from waist to hips is the lower.

Depending on your add power (which is why the MD increased your add) depends on the near area. The higher, the increased width.

I really don't believe the poly was your problem as the limitations of poly aren't significant in the progressive lens.

I wish you luck with your new pair. Give it about 4 weeks to adapt as you have to unlearn very ingrained habits that you have acquired over years of eyeglass wear. It doesn't happen over night. They say it takes 21 days to learn a new habit!

Good luck!

[chip anderson]

Andy:

Progressives and lens materials have many quality differences. They are also extreemly fussy about having all measurements and centers correct. And as mentioned, if you are not used to them there are some adaptive problems. The only way to adapt is to put them on your nose and leave them there. Lenscrafters may have or may not have done a great job or used a great or poor product, they are capable of both.

Now as to the independent competitors, they may not be as well kept as they once were because their economics may have be severly damaged by too many people being seduced by Lens Crafters adds. Every day we see what we thought were some of our most loyal patients coming back after being seduced by adds from Lens Crafters or low prices from Wal-Mart. Of course the ones that come back were not happy there.

Chip

[dfisher]

I agree that progressive addition lenses are the way to go for a new presbyope unless there are special occupational situations to consider (this does not appear to be your case).

You have pointed out one of my major complaints about many of the retail chains. In order to maximize profit most chains choose one lens manufacturer to stock in-store. That increases their volume with that manufacturer and reduces their costs. It also reduces the knowledge required by those who fit and dispense the lenses by only having one option.

Is spite of the "advances" in both the material and manufacture polycarbonate lenses, I still feel the material is the least desireable on the market for any purpose with the exception of sport and safety.

In your prescription the 1.56 material was not the lens of choice. Either the 1.66/1.67 or 1.70/1.71 would have been much better because of the reduction in thickness and weight.

Because of your myopic prescription, you have been used to seeing things at a high magnification level with a full field of view when you remove your glasses. No lens design (with the exception of single vision reading glasses) will give you the same field of view. When the doctor increased your reading addition from a +1.50 to a +2.00 it may have been to increase the magnification as a compromise to the magnification to which you have become used to. The increase in add power will change the "sweet spot" at near you described, but only slightly.

Although many people find silicone nose pads more comfortable they are not the solution to prevent your eyeglasses from slipping. As previously noted any optician worth their salt should be able to provide you with an adjustment which would be both comfortable and keep your glasses in place. Furthermore, a proper adjustment could have very well reduced some of the symptoms you experienced.

My personal recommendation for your prescription would be:

(1) Remember that even though the adaptation rate for modern-day progressive lenses is 97-99% your particular needs and sensitivities may make you one of the ones who cannot adapt.

(2) Select a relatively small frame

(3) Request one of the newest lens designs such as the Hoya ECP
in the 1.70 lens material with an anti-reflective coating.

(4) Find an optician who knows how to measure, fit and adjust your eyewear.

I hope your problem is resolved soon.

[Steve Machol]

Andy,

I just want to say welcome to OptiBoard and to tell you that yours was one of the most impressive and thoughtful posts I've seen in a long time from an eyecare consumer.

I'll leave the specific recommendations to the real Opticians on the Board (I'm nore of a 'lab guy'), however here's a couple of suggestions:

1. For a straight eye refraction with no medical complications, go to an Optometrist (OD) instead of an Ophthalmologist (MD.)

2. There is definitely a trade-off of optical and physical properties between different lense materials. For instance polycarbonate will be lighter than almost anything else, but it also suffers from a relatively high amount of chromatic aberration which effectively reduces visual acuity the farther you go from the optical center of the lens.

3. Given the wide variety of options in lens materials and designs, you may want to 'test' the knowledge of your next Optician. Ask them to explain the different materials and designs to you. If they won't or can't explain them to your satisfaction, then it's a good sign that they are not sufficiently knowledgeable about the choices.

4. Finally ask the Optician what professional credentials they have. While this is not always a guarantee of quality, the ones that have taken the time and effort to get these qualificatios are more likely to be better educated and qualified to provide eyecare services. Things to check for are; State Opticianry licenses, Degree from and Opticianry School, ABO certification, ABOM (ABO, Master), and some others I can't recall right now.

Good luck and let us know what happens!

[Texas Ranger]

Andy, my first thought is , Is this your first multifocal script, at 46? See, most folks are in a +1.00 add at about 40; occasionally I see a script from an eye doctor(usually MD) which has like a 1.50 add and writes "optional" on the rx. BS, it doesn't matter if you're a -5.00 or a +5.00, a 1.50 add is just as necessary for an all-time wearer, so, it would have help your situation if you had started in pals in 1997. I don't think your're gonna like the 2.00 add when you get them.. the biggest error we see when troubleshooting folks with pal problems, is 1. inaccurate monocular pd.s, wrong seg heights; high/low, not monocular; pals have a 1 sq. mm tolerance per eye. also, myopes going to a pal from sv, like had a spherical base curves and now have aspheric curves, and most labs surface them on too flat base curves. also could be a problem is the doctor changed your cylinder power/axis very much. we always AR coat hi index lenses, makes a big difference. folks with your particular vision need rarely non-adapt, they usually just find someone who has experience fitting pals, and uses pal designs that are more sophisticated. in retrospect, you learned than it might have been better to find someone more qualified to take care of your eyewear needs; there are a lot of great folks in retain chain employment, it's just the system. why should it take six weeks to get something they we do in 3 days routinely.? and BYW, when you finally get the glasses back and you really don't like the 2.00 add, what happens then?

[JennyP]

Andy Z,
Would you please post the date that you get the new glasses? At my LensCrafters, we tell people that out of stock lenses take up to 2 weeks to get back (tho' most come back in about a week.) I am truly sorry that our associates did not spend the time to learn what kind of lenses you had been wearing all those years (material) and that you werent given choices and information enough to make a decision for yourself. For myself, I only put people in polycarbonate at your strength of rx if they work in a hazardous environment, are under 13, or elect to try the generally lighter weight lenses on their own. (ie: my wife wants me to try them.)
Note: I have been wearing progressives for about 5 years, and I hate them when I first get them with each rx or frame change. In about 2 days, I feel fine, and this is from someone who sells, dispenses, and adjusts progressives all the time. I DO have a pair of single vision lenses set just for my computer monitor distance, since I tend to sit at the computer late at night, and my neck is too tired at that time to maintain a good mid-distance angle in a progressive for the 2 or 3 hours I am there. If you have a hobby that needs an extended period of time at just one vision distance, I highly recommend this option!
Best wishes from Tennessee!

[hip chic]

Andy Z~

After reading your story and all the posts since, I am hesitant to add my thoughts. I can't imagine how you're feeling...your head must be swimming with all of these opinions (very valid opinions I might add).

As licensed, experienced opticians we all read your post and though it gave a good amount of information, I think many of us would have other questions for you if we were sitting face to face. Troubleshooting eyeglass problems, in most cases, takes time. It involves knowing your eyewear history and experiences...certainly, in this case, it would include looking at your 10 year old broken glasses to determine differences with regard to prescription, lens material, base curves, frame size and shape and even adjustment. I think it is difficult to give the RIGHT answer or the right solution to your problem without sitting across a dispensing table.

So, in conclusion, MY advice is not about base curves or lens material or progressive vs. lined...MY advice is to seek out a good optician (and really...there are plenty of us) to help you with your needs.

Again, I in no way mean to take away what has already been written...all of the opinions and questions my peers have posed are obviously the result of years of experience.

Good Luck...and please let us know how you make out.

hip chic

[Jubilee]

I am sorry to hear that you didn't have a better experience with LensCrafters. There are many who work for them, including myself, who frequent this board and feel like you didn't get the optimum treatment.

First, the frame stylist or optician should have spent time with you discussing your options. Progressives are often recommended to most multifocal wearers, be them 1st time or other, mainly due to the better range and cosmetics they provide. On the other hand, they certainly aren't for all and that is part of the reason why we have our guarantee. Other options in store are st 28 and 35. This should have included an analysis of your old pair to compare materials, alignment, etc.

Second, Lenscrafters does carry more than one type of progressive. In my market alone, we have three different poly progressives kept in stock. We also carry plastic and hi-index (spectralite) in stock, as well as a hi-index photochromic. We can order 1.67 and get different non stock progressive designs as well (for example we can order varilux). While we do try to sell what is in stock (most people do come to us for the one hour service, and that is what we strive for) you should have been asked what you wanted from your glasses. Not only being able to see at all ranges, but also how you feel about thickness, weight, scratch resistance, and glare. What you do for a living, what hobbies you have etc, so that your needs could be evaluated and acted upon. Also, if this store was out of stock on your lenses, you can go to ANY store and have all the same guarantees and warranties. Another store might be able to provide you with better service and turn around time. Our market says 3 week turn around for special orders, but as Jenny mentioned it is normally only a week.

You should have not been given any flack for using your guarantee. While no optical likes to make glasses for free, this was not your fault. It was a doctors change. Big deal, happens all the time, and you should have not been treated worse for it. In fact, that is the time we shound re-check everything to make sure we can take care of any possible issues at once, to hopefully make it so you don't have to make additional trips.

LensCrafters does have a customer service number you can call, I do not remember it off hand, but it should be on the folder they gave you with your receipt. They also have a customer service form on their website where you can relate your story as well. If you would like to email me, I can try to look up your information and see for sure what you were given and ordered. It seems to me that you would feel more comfortable if you were given at least the name of the progressive design.

For your other questions. It is really hard to troubleshoot like this without having access to your previous and current pairs to compare. Part of the reason why they wanted to see your old pair would be to look at the material, see any change in the distant rx, frame size, adjustment, and measurements.

Looking through poly is a bit different than looking through plastic. The analogy I most often use is, it is more like looking though a plexi-glass window, than a regular glass window. You can see everything, the detail is there, but it isn't as crisp. Poly though is lighter than regular plastic, more impact resistant, has built in UV protection, and is thinner than regular plastic. Most people who have problems with poly notice one of two effects. The fishbowl where everything in the center is good, but the more toward the periphery, the more distorted it gets. This may be hard to determine in a progressive through do to the design. The second is a chromatic abberation. The white letters on the screen seem to give off a red and green trail. Basically the light is being broken up into the different color wavelengths.

And as mentioned before, one progressive does not fit all. What works best for you will depend on several factors. Your visual needs, the frame choice, how you like them to fit etc. While the progressives can't offer you a full frame view, they do offer a full field view. You can see seamlessly at every distance. Be it distance, midrange or near. In a flat top bifocal, you have the full lens area available but you only have two defined visual areas. The distance and the near. When you go between them, you get an "image jump" as it pops instead of glides into that area. With a trifocal you get all three ranges but it still just those defined areas and it will still "pop" there with no natural transitions inbetween. The reading area will be much larger though. Most people want the smoother transitions, and cosmetic benefits of not having the lines, and therefore that is why most people recommend time.

The adjustment and fit of your glasses can make a HUGE difference on how the work for you. The tilt, face form, vertex distance, and seg height all affect where you catch those sweet spots as you look through your lens. There have been several times when I worked with patients that all that was needed was a better alignment, and not a new script or lens. If they are slipping, and not comfortable, insist they adjust them till they are. You should not have to need cable temples to keep them on. If you want them, most stores do not have a conversion kit, but many optical repair shops do carry them and I know our local repair shop will convert them for around $25-35. Most stores do not carry them or the conversion kits because the demand simply isn't there.

I would wait till you had the new glasses to try them out. The increase in the add power should make it easier to read, and should make the midrange better as well. As I said don't leave till they have the fitting, and feeling comfy. Then give it a few weeks. If it still doesn't improve, you can ask them to try a different type of progressive, switch you to a line, or get your money back.

Once again feel free to email me with your information, and I would be more than happy to look up your file and see what I can do for you.

Cassandra

[opticman]

Why is every reply from a Lencrafter associate, an apology for poor quality and service. "The frame stylist or optician should have spent more time" is a frequent excuse. The fact remains that the volume of orders Lenscrafters takes,with the reduction of hours, must lead to these problems.
Lenscrafters does carry other progressive lenses, but on a limited basis. They are hesitant to order what is not in stock for fear of their RQC complaining that their outsource report shows a higher than allowed number of orders that cannot be made at the store level and also reduces their perceved 1 hour.

[Jubilee]

While yes, we are cutting back our hours to sales guidelines, that is still no excuse for poor customer service. My personal philosophy and the one my region tries to maintain is that every customer/patient deserves to be given as much time as it takes to educate, evaluate,and do what is best for that person's needs. Your customers will appreciate and value this, and those who are waiting understand as long as you apply the same amount of time and patience to them. We do greet people in a timely manner, and will direct them as need to be so they aren't ignored. But even when I worked at one of the largest stores in our group, we still took time to do the job right.

While true one hour is a goal we need to maintain, our remakes also mean a lot to us and our bottom line. Speaking as a lab manager, I would rather have an associate special order that lens, then to have someone unhappy, and later either having to refund them, or order the lens anyway. All I ask is my retail associates to come back and talk with me to see if there are any other options. 90% of the time, I sign off on their request. My RQC doesn't make a big fuss about it either, and our outsourcing is 5%. Since the company i jumping on the drill mount and speciality sun bandwagons, the are planning on exceptions to the one hour, and re-evaluating our goals based upon that.

As part of my normal stock, I have outlooks, visuality, naturals, solamax, and Rodenstock XS. I get replenishments everyweek on these, I am allowed to inventory adjust them, and they are considered part of my model stock. That means they are here to stay till a new standard is to be seen in the progressive market.

While I occassionaly get frustrated having to do more and more with less and less people, I do realize that Lenscrafters/luxottica is a business, and just like the majority of them out there, they are trying to make a profit in a weakened economy. When I see all the news reports of all the factories, airline maintanence hubs, and various other businesses going under here, and massive layoffs in a good deal more, I am very thankful I have a job that pays me well, has excellent benefits, and I have not had to let any associate go, or drastically cut their hours to keep the business going. That is something that means a lot to me. And means a lot to my fellow associates.

We all have a job to do, and there should be no excuses for not performing it to the best of our abilities. Period.

Cassandra

[Robert Martellaro]

Andy,

The second pair isn't going to be right if the doc bumped the add power, so my advice is to cut your losses, find an experienced (20 years minimum) and skilled optician who can properly fit this somewhat complex Rx/lens design. You might find an optician like this at a different LC, a bit more likely at an ophthalmology office, clinic/institute or an independent. Ask tough questions until you are satisfied with their optician knowledge and skill level. To keep things simpler stay with medium index (1.53_1.56), use a recent progressive design (no more than 2 or 3 years), select a frame that puts the lens very close to the eyes, and use the original Rx with the +1.50 add.

Hope this helps

Robert

[Johns]

LC Opticians:

Do LC opticians get paid on commission like Sears, Pearl, and many other chains ? Would a progressive be a higher commission, and would polycarb not also be a commission upgrade ?

Andy:

When you go to the corner deli, the guy behind the counter will give you his personal reccomendation. If you don't like what he suggests, he'll be there the next day, because he's probably the owner. The grocery chain has a bunch of folks in line behind you just like LC does. They cater to the masses, if you don't fit the mold...oh well.

Incidentaly, I enjoyed your post; especially the reasons why you chose LC. I'm sure that many opticians see themselves in some of the less than desirable shops you described.

The main reason you don't see cable temples anymore is that in most cases, if the customer is willing to pay the $$, there are materials and lens designs that can make the lenses lightweight, and comfortable enough to alleiviate the need to "strap" the frame to your head with cables that were designed sometime in the 13th century. Sure, Ben Franklin liked them, but his lenses were glass, yours don't have to be. (Since you had your other pair for 10 years, were they glass?) Many of the frames we sell have temples that don't even go behind the ear. They don't need to.

As for the lenses...did you mention what type of work you did ? (This is just a guess, but I'd guess an engineer of some type, or some kind of analyst, based on the Rx, the "picky" description, the Consumer Reports research, and the articulate and well presented post...but it's just a wild guess.) If you are not completely comfortable with your vision, change lenses. There should be very little head "manuevering" to line up what you're viewing. A progressive could be exactly what you need, but get the right one. Stop in and have a heart to heart with an optician or an OD, and describe your experience. Ask them what they would do for someone in your situation ? You seem like the kind of guy that can see through BS pretty easily. My guess is that you can have your problem solved in one try.

Finally, thanks again for the valuable insight into what a customer is looking for when choosing an eyecare provider.

Good Luck...

Johns

[GatorGirl]

Hey welcome to our board


I first wanted to say your posting was thought out and totally on the mark. Second I want to say is this. There are many factors in progressives working well and there many factors that make them stink

First and formost, you did get stuck with an inexperienced dispenser. I will not say optician, because based on what you said they were not one/ones.

Second, Progressive are your friend. They will give you the vision you want and it can be fabulous. I currently were a Varilux Panamic with a Crizal coating, in a -6.00-0.50 ou(both eyes)with a +1.50 add. My clarity is unbelievable. Here's the kicker it's in polycarb. Yes boys and girls polycarb. Despite the rumor it stinks,it doesn't.(Pete rejoice I love your product). I fit a good part of patients in this lens. In the 2 and half years fitting it, I have 2 returns and it was due, honestly due to money. There are few who can say that.

Here's what to do: 1. Find someone who will take the time with you to get you what you need and want.(it can be someone wilth less then 20 years in the industry. Those you have more then this tend to get lost in the past and forget about the future)

2. Get educated. Read about lenses. There are great web pages for this(Try Varilux.com to start)

3. Stay in control. Be apart of the decision. If you don't know what is going on, yell "hey I'm standing here and I'm not deaf and dumb"

4. Be comfortable. If you don't feel good, get out of dodge
If you can't find someone to work with you, let us know and we can always find someone near to you.

Good luck
Christina
ps Leave LC alone and the other retails. There are good opticians there, and they have a job to do. We privates can't help everyone for one reason or another

:bbg: :D

[Andy Z.]

Dear Optiboarders,

Thank you so much for your outpouring of advice! I greatly appreciate your warm welcome to an interloper like me.

From the diversity of your responses, it seems that opticianry is as much art as science. I am going to look for a good optician in my area (Westchester County, New York) to give me a second opinion on my glasses.

I wish I had asked more people for recommendations before I went glasses shopping. Word of mouth is best, but it can get scarce as our society becomes more mobile and anonymous. That is part of the dynamic that drives people to the chains.

I guess only way to know for sure if I prefer bifocals would be to buy a pair.

From what I have heard, many bifocal wearers don't adjust well to progressives. Apparently, for them, the ability to see clearly through the whole lens outweighs the annoyance of image jump.

I have to admit that I don't want the fuddy-duddy look of bifocals. I'm a bit ashamed of my own vanity.

There are still some things I am unclear about....

Is it possible that the frames I got are too short for progressive lenses? I measure them 34 mm from top to bottom, 19 mm from center of pupil to bottom. I don't think the lenses are of a special short design.

I still don't understand why the M.D. increased the add from 1.50 to 2.00, especially since he apparently skipped over 1.75. Is one of these definitely right for me or is it a matter of personal taste? Will the 2.00 will be even more difficult for me with respect to distortion and field of view?

As for polycarbonate, your opinions differ as to whether it would matter with my prescription. But if the optics are inferior, why not go with high-index plastic, like my last pair? I see from the poll that a lot of you wear poly - why do you prefer it to plastic?

I do notice the chromatic aberration through poly when I look for it. I wonder if that is what makes text seem jumpy. Reading has become tiring and I still find myself taking off my glasses to do it. I don't think that's how it should be!

IMO the thickness of lenses is not a cosmetic problem. What makes lenses ugly is not thickness, but refraction - they make your eyes look too small if you're nearsighted and too large if you're farsighted. If the lenses were plano they'd look OK no matter how thick they were.

How wide is my field of vision supposed to be with progressives? When I read a standard 6-inch-wide line of type on 8 1/2 x 11 paper, the left and right edges are blurry. Same with a computer monitor. And even with distance vision, where I thought I was supposed to be able to use almost the whole width of the lens, only about a third of it is clear.

As for how I use the glasses: my work entails a lot of reading, writing and computer use. I am an amateur naturalist, and I would like to see clearly, close (flowers) as well as far and wide (birds).

I hope that one pair of glasses will suffice for me. I am absent-minded and not particularly good at taking care of my possessions. It might be hard for me to deal with more than one pair.

Re Lenscrafters: I didn't mean to bash the people there. They were pleasant and patient. But I did get the idea that they were not very experienced, and that they were under pressure to limit options and not to do remakes.

I don't know if it's true that they only have one kind of progressive lens in stock, but that's what they told me. Likewise with the six-week turnaround.

As for the little guys - I won't go into one of the local stores because my girlfriend got into a scene with them when they refused to write out her prescription for her. She had gotten an exam there but didn't see any frames she wanted. Obviously that's not the way to win repeat customers.

Her last pair of glasses came from a discount internet place. At their web site

http://eyewearoutlet.com/questions.html

they have the nerve to advise you to try on frames at an optical shop and send them the numbers. Once you've got the glasses, I guess, they expect you to go back to the local optician for adjustments. It doesn't seem ethical to me. But I must admit, my girlfriend got her (single-vision) glasses cheap and is happy with them.

It's tough for the small merchant these days. People say they miss the Norman Rockwell-style Main Street shopping experience. But they end up going to chain stores or the internet for price, convenience and selection. I bet you all do it too, when shopping for things other than glasses. The only way to beat the big guys is on service. Maybe the balance is shifting back as the optical world becomes more complex. Courage!

I'd like to see opticians distribute a booklet detailing all the eyewear options. It could explain the importance of having progressive lenses fitted by an experienced optician, the difference between O.D.'s and M.D.'s, how to read a prescription, etc. We consumers have no clue.

Thanks again for your help,
Andy Z.

[Chris Ryser]

Andy Z. said:
Dear Optiboarders,

Is it possible that the frames I got are too short for progressive lenses? I measure them 34 mm from top to bottom, 19 mm from center of pupil to bottom. I don't think the lenses are of a special short design.

Thanks again for your help,
Andy Z.

Andy,

I am only going to give an opinion on above point and let the other guy's put in their 5 cents or dollars on the other issues.

Just go back in history, the Chinese used to deform their daugters feet by binding them into arches that prvented them form proper walking.............all this for the sake of fashion and good looks for that time period.

In the old day's we used small glasses because the optical quality and techniques did not allow for larger lenses.
Then suddenly large lenses became fashion and couild be made.
Large lenses....................large field of vision.

Now, because of a fad in fashion we are back to small, when we could have medium or large.

We humans give up so much for the sake of fashion and not only in the optical field, but in any other and we could start a new thread on the Optiboard just talk about useless fashions.

Fashionable is not always practical. I have some smallies with progressives and dont wear them. I love my large size frames
with my prefferred ST 35 lenses and dont even notice any image jump. But I can see just about everything on my large desk without having to turn my head.

Good luck in your search for better.
:cheers:

[GatorGirl]

Andy

I hope you are able to find someone who can help you. I wear poly because to this day and very minute I have full range in my vision and they are thin light and comfortable. Others complain because of past experience that's all. With what you do, unfortunalty you might need several different pairs. A good optician can tell you why, but the gist of it, is all the different activites you do come a different lengths and thus you have different needs for reading. I still for all around work progressives are the way to go with others pairs for your hobbies. One pair will probably not do it for you. I read alot and I have both reading and progressives.

So think about it and let good education and a fully informened decision help you decide,

Christina