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Thread: Eye opener (long post)

  1. #1
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    Eye opener (long post)

    Pun intended, as a middle aged (hate to admit it) man that has been wearing glasses for over 50 years, thanks to this forum and a couple of others I now know more about corrective lenses than I ever wanted to know. I normally have an eye exam and purchase new glasses every couple of years. In the past few years I have purchased from Costco and a local chain, having left my favorite optician in Chicago when I moved to Florida. This time what I am looking for is an optician in the Fort Lauderdale / Boca Raton area that is really up to speed on the latest in progressives. I have pretty severe astigmatism, -4.00 -1.5 and -2.5 -4.75 and am very sensitive to axis.

    4 pair this time around, rimless, sunglasses, sport goggles and intermediate/close vison computer glasses. Does anyone want to volunteer, or have any recommendations? :)

    Thanks,
    MB

  2. #2
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    Blue Jumper At your age dont try new venture in the optical..........................

    Quote Originally Posted by Mbam
    Pun intended, as a middle aged (hate to admit it) man that has been wearing glasses for over 50 years,Thanks,
    MB
    Here is my solid advice.
    You have retired to Florida, have worn glasses for 50 years. You did not state that have been wearing regular bifocals or you are using progressive lenses.

    In the case you did NOT wear progressives, do NOT purchase any. You probably have the highest addition possible, which makes the prrogressive parr and the reading section very small comapared to regular bifocals you have been wearing. On top of it tou will have at least 30% distortion to the sides. Opticians have a tendency to push people towards the progressive lenses when they should not.

    If you have been wearing them happily before..........go ahead and get them.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chris Ryser
    Here is my solid advice.
    If you have been wearing them happily before..........go ahead and get them.
    Hi Chris, thanks for the reply. Yes, I have been wearing progressives happily for years. My add is 2.0 currently.


    PS - I wish I was retired, I'm working harder than ever !!

    MB

  4. #4
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    Geez Chris....any time you get to SLAM progressives and you're happy right? It's getting tiresome.

    On the subject at hand......referrals are the best way to find the best place to go!!! Good luck.

  5. #5
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    Hi Chris:

    I think your so off base with warnings to avoid progressives. I've found that the people I LEAST expect to succeed with progressives often take to them instantly. And (a very few) others who I was sure would have no problems end up begging for seperate glassesor the "B" lenses. I think it really is based on an individuals habits and adaptability, which we cannot determine based on an add power or Rx.

    I try to screen patients needs and expectations, THEN I usually recommend trying an appropriate lens.

    And in my office we pass along the manufacturers non-adapt guarantee. We let our patients "test drive" the PAL, and when we do have a real non-adapt (maybe 2 or 3%) it is more often due to poor fit or a poor prescription.

    I swear by progressives, and so do millions of others. While you may not have been successful with progressives, you're certainly not doing anyone a service but putting them down so quickly.

    Thanks for giving my 2-cents worth a read.
    Rich

  6. #6
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    Redhot Jumper SLAMMING.........and maybe not

    Quote Originally Posted by shellrob
    Geez Chris....any time you get to SLAM progressives and you're happy right? It's getting tiresome.
    Progressives are fine and dandy...................but everything in this world has its place.

    Progressives have no place on somebodies nose that has worn regular bifocals for years, unless they have absolutely no feeling for anything and can wear shoes that are too small and pants that are too long.

    I still want to remind you that there was a time when ESSILOR gave courses to opticians teaching them (I attended them)...........to whom to sell and to whom NOT to sell progressives.

    If it is getting tiresome for you to hear the facts and declaring them as SLAMMING, I am sorry, that you have not yet learned the facts and limits of products that you like to sell...................for a lot more than you can get for a basic product that fits the case much better.

    During my time a an optician in a store I sold hundreds of pais of progressive lenses and had not one coming back because of a non adapt.
    All this because I knew to whom to sell them and to whom not to sell them.

  7. #7
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    Redhot Jumper Swear By Progressives....................

    Quote Originally Posted by Rich
    Hi Chris:

    I think your so off base with warnings to avoid progressives. I've found that the people I LEAST expect to succeed with progressives often take to them instantly. ..............

    And in my office we pass along the manufacturers non-adapt guarantee.

    I swear by progressives, and so do millions of others.
    Rich
    Hi Rich, I will not repeat what I said on above post. There are post's written by Pete Hamlin right here on the Optiboard that state the same arguments I brought forward. When you have time go and look for them. As the largest manufacturers spokesman I assume he sticks to the facts.

    I did not state in above post that at the time I was in the retail selling progressives.............."there was no such thing as manufacturers non-adapt guarantee" so we had to be very carefull and make sure the customer was a good case for the product.

    Also the lenses sold to the opticians at a comparatively much lower price at the time. I guess you pay already for the second pair at the purchase of the first one.

    I am glad that you swear by progressives, but don't forget that only 47% of multifocal wearers are using progressives in the USA. Maybe you could make a few more dollars by also catering to the other 53%.

  8. #8
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    Chris, that statement about NO non adapts was a little far fetched don't you think? That Essilor class must have been at the same seminar that they were reviewing how to replace the belt on that ceramic stone wheel!

  9. #9
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    Guys, I’m happy I was able to give you the opportunity to vent, seriously I am happy that anyone took the time to read my post :bbg: .

    Looks like I have no volunteers in SE Florida, so maybe I can ask for some advice.

    About 3 weeks ago, I was referred to a 1 man shop 3/4 hour from my house. Not so bad, couple of trips and I should be good to go, right? My scrip is from January 05, how much could it change in 6 months at my age, right? So I plunk down a pretty good chunk for the glasses I described above. 3 weeks ago I had no idea of the variety of available progressives. Round 1 - a pair of rimless with Younger Image Trivex lenses. The lightest, nicest looking pair of specs I have ever owned. Something was wrong, but I could not put my finger on it in the store. Sunglasses, put them on and could barly walk. Axis was off, then he twisted the lense to correct the axis, I didn’t realize it at the time but now the PD was off, especial the add section. Left with the 2 pair, willing to give them a try. Seg height was off on the rimless, I spent all day with my head aiming at the ground. And my distance vison did not seem right. After wearing the sunglasses for a while, I figured out that the PD was off as I could bring each eye individually into focus by turning my head. Back a week later, the sunglass’s were re-done in Varilux Panamic., re-did the rimless, only change was the seg height. I picked up 3 pair this time, the computer glasses for the first time.

    The Panamic are a ton more comfortable, actually very comfortable, but the distance acuity is just not there. I refract to better than 20/20 in the office. The seg height on the rimless is no OK, but also the distance acuity is not as good as I would expect. The computer glasses are great, but the seg height is off, I have to put my head down and look thru the top at my screen. This guy measures while standing up with me sitting, a problem yes? We have my sport goggles on hold, which is a good thing at this point. I relay my concerns, of course it must be the scrip.

    So today I go back to the optometrist, his office is in one of the local chains, nice guy, spends plenty of time with me. The exam back in January was done by one of his associates. Today the guy with the diplomas on the wall handles it. Went from

    - 4.00 - 1.50 x 158

    - 2.50 - 4.75 x 180 + 2

    to

    - 4.00 - 2.00 x 165

    - 2.75 - 4.75 x 176 + 2.25

    I might be wrong, but aside from the add aren’t my eyes pretty stable by 54?

    To further complicate the story, all my new glasses were checked. I’m glad I have purchased from this chain in the past, because they spent plenty of time with me today. Turns out the rimless are very close to the scrip, the left lens on the sunglasses is off by a little more than.25 in both sphere & cylinder. The monocular PD is off a few mm on both pair and the base curves are different. In addition to the seg height being off, the close up lenses don’t fit the frame, there is a .020 in gap at the outside top corners.

    So here’s the questions, obviously it is not the opticians fault if the scrip is wrong, but what is an acceptable tolerance for the fabrication of the glasses? Is the distance acuity a result of the scrip, the Doc thinks so. Is it possible to have different prescriptions in that short a time (I mean valid ones, obviously I have them)? I listen to people all day with unreasonable expectations, I don’t want to be one of them but I really thought by going to a smaller shop I would have a better result.

    Thanks again !!

    MB

    PS - if anyone needs advice for an inboard boat engine, I am the guy and happy to reciprocate.

  10. #10
    Allen Weatherby
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    Wow, what did the person say the reason his associate came up with such a differnent Rx?

    He should be able to offer you an explaination even if one of them made a mistake.

    What was your Rx over one year ago. How far back do you have your prescriptions?

    I can't wait to see the results

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    Big Smile Ceramic wheel generation..............................

    Quote Originally Posted by CME4SPECS
    Chris, that statement about NO non adapts was a little far fetched don't you think? That Essilor class must have been at the same seminar that they were reviewing how to replace the belt on that ceramic stone wheel!
    Funny you saying that. I got paid by ESSILOR in 1954 to make a 3 month market study throughout Canada to find out, among others, how well progressives would be doing in all the different parts of the country. Showing the lenses to hundreds of optician the result was, that they would never ever sell a lens with that much distortion on it.

    Furthermore.............are you still tinting your lenses with a slow working, ancient smelly, toxic fumes emitting dinosaur of a tinting unit? If your answer is yes..........you also belong to the mental ceramic wheel generation.

    :bbg: :bbg: :bbg:

  12. #12
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    Thumbs up Referral to a good South Florida optician

    Quote Originally Posted by Mbam

    This time what I am looking for is an optician in the Fort Lauderdale / Boca Raton area that is really up to speed on the latest in progressives. I have pretty severe astigmatism, -4.00 -1.5 and -2.5 -4.75 and am very sensitive to axis.

    Thanks,
    MB

    MB,

    Call Joe Black (past president of the Florida state society) at Eye Associates of Boca Raton (561) 391-8300.

    Tell Joe that Gil Weber referred you. Joe knows his stuff. ;)

    Good luck.

  13. #13
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    Chris was right in his warning.

    Fact is, the higher the person's add the more unwanted cylinder will be present. With high astigmatic correction in the lens on the back side to begin with, you're asking for trouble.

    What I usually do is I judge how motivated the person is to trying out PALs. I never talk anyone into it, and I've been pretty successful with it. If you have to explain it to to a patient and they still feel "iffy" about it, walk away form the PAL and keep them in what they are wearing. If they bring it up, It's our duty to explain how the lens works. I never draw the hourglass on a piece of paper, I think it cheapens the technology.

    The only lens I personally hate is a blended round. I talk my patients out of that all the time. These folks I find, love a PAL as soon as they try it.

  14. #14
    Bad address email on file k12311997's Avatar
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    Ah the nostalgia of three year old threads, funny thing is you could take any of Chris's posts and put them on todays threads.

  15. #15
    Compulsive Truthteller OptiBoard Gold Supporter Uncle Fester's Avatar
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    Seen it all...

    Quote Originally Posted by k12311997 View Post
    Ah the nostalgia of three year old threads, funny thing is you could take any of Chris's posts and put them on todays threads.
    And we do! We just don't credit him.:)
    Last edited by Uncle Fester; 07-02-2008 at 08:19 AM. Reason: punctuation...

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    Redhot Jumper Plfo............................

    Quote Originally Posted by OpticianVlad View Post
    What I usually do is I judge how motivated the person is to trying out PALs. I never talk anyone into it, and I've been pretty successful with it. If you have to explain it to to a patient and they still feel "iffy" about it, walk away form the PAL and keep them in what they are wearing. If they bring it up, It's our duty to explain how the lens works.
    Above is all that the PLFO opticians (PLFO = progressive lens fanatics only) should take at heart.

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