Ripped Off!!!

[zappedguy]

I have tried to get a working pair of progressives for 2 months, without success. I paid $400 (!) for a pair of Optima lenses that have so much abberation as to be unuseable. (My vision is -6.5 and -7) My old prescription cost me $250 for 2 pair with frames and I can still see better with them, even though the script is bad. I had them re-done after carefully explaining to the pompous **S what the problem was. I told him the optima lens was at fault but he replaced it with another Optima!! In trying to get this issue resolved, I called another store of this small chain, wanting to talk to the boss. Was called back and was told that I really wanted the Hoya Wide, but it would cost me another $150, making the total $550 for one pair of lenses!! I just got off the phone with another shop that would give me the same lens for $175!!! I have read almost every post on this site trying to learn for myself what lens would be the best for my particular prescription. It seems that you all have your favorite brands that you like to fit. I haven't found anything to sway me one way or the other. To those of you that say they are all alike, you are dead wrong! I have worn glasses for 50 years and progressives for 10 and I'm here to tell you that they are not all created equal!!! Is there any of you out there that is high myope and wearing progressives that would care to recommend something that will work??? You all have your favorite brands but haven't told me what works in my case. You have me totally confused. Any recommendations as to how to get my money back from the con artists I have been dealing with? Is there anyone in the city of Phoenix that is to be trusted or that really knows how lenses perform in real life??? Do I seem a little frustrated?? I don't mind paying a FAIR price as long as I get my money's worth. I do expect to get quality for $400, not platitudes.

[For-Life]

It is too bad.

However, to be fair to Optima, it usually is not the lens, but the fitter.

Hope you find better success with someone else. May I suggest an independent optician.

Good luck

[Chris Ryser]

I have read almost every post on this site trying to learn for myself what lens would be the best for my particular prescription. It seems that you all have your favorite brands that you like to fit.

1)Myops, as you are one of them, are much harder to please. They can take off their glasses and look at any detail like a microscope. Therefore an optician should take measurements and make double sure that everything fits 100%.

2) All this near religious behavior of many optiboard actives of preferring one brand over the other is all big BS as these lenses all come with very minimal differences and are basically all the same, and the whole hype is marketing, advertising like you see in the drug industry.

3) If an optician is not able to fit you with one brand, he will not be able to fit you with another mostly out of one major reason..........which is ......he or she is not capable, because you are more difficult than the normal run of the mill patient, and have to be fitted.......totally right.

As For Life said above find yourself an optician who has a "diploma" hanging in his store proving that he knows what he is doing.

[Spexvet]

Do you think the problem is the lens material or the progressive design? What progressive brand were you wearing previously? What lens material? Could it be the Rx? What does your eye care professional think? These are all things that you should consider.
If you were happy with what you were wearing, choose the same options, just with the new Rx.
A good choice, if you want a good value, is the Varilux Panamic in 1.67 index, with Crizal Alize Anti-reflective coating. It's a great all-purpose progressive design, a very thin, light lens material (but not the thinnest - that would be the Hoya product recommended to you), and the AR coating will reduce the "coke bottle" look of your lenses.

Hope this helps.

[shellrob]

I agree with the others. Make sure you're seeing a good Optician that can check your lens materials, bifocal measurements, pd measurements, etc to insure a proper fit. Although I believe in some progressives over others, Chris is right, you shouldn't be experiencing what you are if the lenses are fit properly. Good luck.

[OPTIDONN]

That is a shame that they are not working out. You could try the same style of progressive lens that you were wearing before. There are distinct differances between progressive addition lenses (an A.O. Compact is very differant than a V.I.P.) I have always found it best to keep patients in what they are used to wearing. Another thing that you can do is take your glasses to another optical place and have them check the material, lens design, fitting, measurements. It is not their glasses and they not there remake so they will be very honest. Plus knowing that these are not working out they may go the extra mile to satisfy you and make you a customer for life (try the indipendants they tend to care more as a rule of thumb).:hammer:

Hope this helps!

[Rich]

Dear Zappedguy,
I'm an optician (20 + years) and a myope / presbyope (approx. -6.00 with +2.50 add) so I can relate to your problem. Here's my 2-cents worth, and this is pretty much what I tell my patients.
Amoung today's progressive lenses, none of them are BAD. They all have slightly different characteristics and you may find some to be more compatible with your individual seeing habits. With your prescription, my preference is usaullay a higher index, 1.67 or Hoya's 1.70 lens. These are more costly and of course the AR coating (recommended) adds more to the cost.
That said, the success of wearing your lens depends much more on 1) the correct prescription, and 2) correct measurements and fitting. Especially for someone who has successsfully worn progressives before, I would think that you would be able to adapt to most progressive designs if those two criteria are met.
Find a GOOD optician in your area and you should find satisfaction.
Good luck,
Rich