New to the board here, but wanted your opinions on progressives. I graduated from OD school last summer and opened my practice. I have done them all, but patients really seem to like the Gradal Top. Varilux came by to tell me that the Panamic is better than all the rest (big surprise).
Other favorties? Thanks.
Hoyalux Wide Progressive
SOLA, SOLA, SOLA. Always worked better for me than Varilux. Varilux cost you more and I had a larger number of non-adapts. The other problems I had with varilux was when pt's add power changed, the designed changed and they didn't like it. I like the mono design of Sola. The AO compact is great for small frames.
Sola have droped a lot of products lately so things have changed a bit there and uk have brought out a new :D (not another) varifocal for shallow frames. Essilor are dropping a few of there products as well later this year it's bye bye to the old fav the V2.
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Every day a grind
Every week a bind
www.iooi.co.uk
Sola XL Gold
Sara
My patients love the Varilux Panamic. They say it's the closest thing to single vision lenses.
Plus the warranty on it is tremendous. They have a 1 year no fault warranty. If you get the Rx wrong or mis-measure, it's replaced at no charge. How's that for service. I only uses companies that give me the same kind of service that I give my patients. No fault, no hassle service.
Yes it is expensive, but mess up a couple of lenses in the other brands and you have lost money.
The Nikon Performance Package is an excellent way to go. The patient gets a premium progressive, very durable hydrophobice A/R coating, and a guarunteed thin lens for their Rx. All at a reasonable price.
Varilux Comfort and Panamic here. We fit a local Ophthalmologist to various lenses as a lot of lens manufactures hand out coupons for a free pair. She is an extreme myope and astigmatic. Not that her experience is the end all, but she and others we have fit prefer them.
Jackie O (not a presbyope, yet, so depending on others to let me know)
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Still a Maina for now
Have had far, far less non-adapts with varilux comfort than any other. Have used thousands. Seems to be better even than other varilux products.
My fitting proceedure, dot em, draw a line across them, and have the patient stand up, fixate across room at about eye level, if the line splits pupil (with patient in relaxed stance) it's where you want it.
Chip
I wear the Varilux Panamic and I can really tell a difference. I don't have to adjust my head as much as with the Comfort. And best of all, I don't have to hold my chin up to read. Non-adapts are minimal. The only patients who don't like them are the ones who carry them in their purse..(expensive readers) My lab has offered a one year non-adapt which is nice for those who come back 6 months later and say they never got use to them.
We use what we feel would be most appropriate for the patients needs with consideration of their specific RX parameters.
For Myopes, we like to use the AO compact (even in larger frames) because of it's shorter corridor design.
For Hyperopes, we have good success with Varilux Comfort to diminish image jump.
For others, I maintain the philosophy of "If it's not broken then don't fix it" and usually make it a habit to identify what they are wearing and put them in the same or similar design if they are satisfied with it.
Choosing from all the progressives I have tried myself, which are about 10 brands, the one that feel the most comfortable to me are the Hoya high index Bios, the only ones that I use for everything, driving, tv, computer and daily wear, all the others work fine but fall well short of this one.
Rich R
I've been so spoiled for so many years by Varilux, 85% of our clients are in them, and the panamics are better than the comforts. we have a non-adapt about every 300 pts. Product range is important to us, since we fit most of our sunglass wearers in polarized comforts, and many like transitions, then we like having airwear and 1.6 hi index and 90% of all of them get Crizal AR, so what's not to like? Zeiss TOP, Rodenstock Multigressives, and even Pentax have nice pals.
Like the others I have fit most all of the progresives. I tend to like Sola products, VIP,XL,Sola Max. My wife and I just opened our own shop and have switched to AO Pro, AO Compact, do to the amount of money we save. The major thing is not what brand of progresive you use, but how good your optician is, not only seg ht but mono pd.
Just read all the replies. If you weren't confused before, you should be now! Some prefer the hard designs (SOLA VIP and XL); others 4-5th gen soft designs (Comfort, Panamic, Hoya wide); short corridor (Compact).
Is there a significant physical difference between the designs noted above? You betcha! But, it seems the one that works best may be the one I'm most familiar with! Hmmmmm. Interesting concept.
(By way of editorializing, the only "advice" I might offer on the above is that while the Compact may work well for myopes, it WON'T work well for adds over 1.75 or 2.00 as these (we) folks need the corridor for intermediate vision and the Compact ain't got none!)
The concept of being successful with something that one is familiar with is valid. Therefore, you might consider looking at a PAL with a wide range of material availability: CR-39, Transitions, Poly, 1.6, glass photochromic, polaroid, etc. That way, you're always fitting the same lens design and, when a patient orders 2 or more pair, you're using the same design.
Once you're chosen your "bread 'n butter" lens, you will need to choose a couple others for special occasions. The atoric designs specifically for high cylinders or adds (Rodenstock Multigressiv surfaced in Germany or the Pentax AF surfaced in Japan--not here) may be needed. Possibly a poly with a super hard coat for the athlete too.
You may want to consider the business practices of the manufacturers too: warrenty?; do they sell to chains?; do they provide education to your staff?; point of purchase materials to aid your sales?; maybe even national advertising?; etc. Or, what does your favorite lab stock and recommend?
Bottom line. Most (all?) the PAL's on the market today are good. Are some designs better? Yes. But, the experience and confidence of the dispenser will overcome (most) of any design variations.
Recommendation? Start with one of today's 4th or 5th gen designs. That way, your dispensers will become comfortable with the product most likely to provide your patients with optimal vision.
I am so surprised to hear so many of you say you love the Panamic so much. Surely I'm not the only one to see the testing done by , I think it was Bell Labs, that showed them plotting the Comfort and the Panamic and finding that one set on top of the other and you could not tell the difference.
I like the Hoya wide. I have changed so many people to the Hoya from Varilux, and they say they can tell a definite difference. They love them. The Hi-Vision A/R matching the index of the lens also makes a big difference. You have to try these lenses, if you haven't already. 1.71 Hi-Index with Hi-Vision A/R, great combo. Try em Jim Seebach
To Jim Seebach -
I would be interested in hearing more about the 'testing' on Comfort vs. Panamic. As the Technical Support Manager (West) for Essilor, and one that has worked intimately with both products - Including contour plots, et al, I can assure you they are not the same. If you have some documentation, or can tell me where to get it, I would much appreciate it. Anything that I can acquire, to increase my knowledge, is beneficial to me.
Email, if you like, at JRSMITH@ESSILORUSA.COM
Thanks
I have to agree with many of your responses and especially one that recommended picking a newer generation progressive lens. I feel that offering a patient an older design is doing them a dis-service, you need to offer them the newest and best technology. It is also important to find one that meets all of your requirements for materials. There are many good designs out there. Hoya, SOLA, Shamir to name a few.
My experience has been that the fitting procedure you follow and the more knowledge you have to give to your patients about the technology the easier it is for you and the patients.
Talking to your lab and getting their recommendation is very important. Also, finding a lab rep that you can work with, and works for you is also important. You can rely on them for good information and to help make good decisions for your patients.
I go with the Hoya Wide as my choice lens. I wear it too. I've worn various progressives including the Varilux products and am most comfortable with the Hoya Wide. My non-adapts are practically non-existent too. Having a great non-adapt warranty is wonderful, not having to use it is better.
OK-
So how many of you are inundated with managed vision care? Those of you who are, what progressive do you sell to those customers? Alot of mine only want whats "covered" thru their plan and have a hard time paying more.
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