Where progressives are contra-indicated

**Graduate** · 10-23-2005, 04:57 AM

Originally Posted by Chris Ryser

Not really as you would have to polish out the separation line...............which would again would create distortion like you have on progressives.............even worse as it would be right in line of vision.

Just sell the ones that want to hide their age. look as if they dont wear bifocals the progressives as usual...................but advuse them if they do they will exchange perfect good vision for looks, and reduced quality of vision, for more money.

i think that is the main reason progressives were invented,to hide age:D

**QDO1** · 10-23-2005, 09:56 AM

Originally Posted by Chris Ryser

Not really as you would have to polish out the separation line...............which would again would create distortion like you have on progressives.............even worse as it would be right in line of vision.

Just sell the ones that want to hide their age. look as if they dont wear bifocals the progressives as usual...................but advuse them if they do they will exchange perfect good vision for looks, and reduced quality of vision, for more money.

remember the smart seg?

**Happylady** · 10-23-2005, 10:06 AM

Originally Posted by chip anderson

Why do the pro~progressive only posters totally ignore the existance of trifocals? Trifocal wearers see better at intermediate than progressive wearers.

Chip

I actually have a couple of patients that wear both trifocals and progressives. The first is a 61 year old pilot. He first tried progressives about 8 years ago and loved them for everything except flying. He perfers a 8 by 35 trifocal for flying, though he can use his progressives.

He told me he perfers progressives for the computer because with the trifocal the distance in the intermediate is very fixed. With the progressive he just slightly adjusts his head.

He wears the Rodenstock Life 2 and I made the mistake of trying to switch him to the Panamic. He told me the intermediate area of the Panamic is much smaller then the Life 2 and I switched him back.

The other man is a pharmacist and he wears trifocals at work and progressives the rest of the time.

**QDO1** · 10-23-2005, 10:10 AM

I do trifocals sometimes, not often, but when I need to

**Chris Ryser** · 10-23-2005, 11:46 AM

Originally Posted by QDO1

I do trifocals sometimes, not often, but when I need to

I use regular ST35, have several pairs for different usages from working outside to computer.

However when I want to look in fashion like all of you more advanced guy's..........for the odd cocktail party..........I will put on a pair of progressives in a mini frame. All my friends say "you suddenly look a lot younger".

After a certain time and thanks to having consumed my 3rd Scotch I will not see the distortion in the lenses no more.

**Graduate** · 10-23-2005, 12:42 PM

Originally Posted by QDO1

remember the smart seg?

What is smart seg? have'nt heard before.

**Happylady** · 10-23-2005, 12:43 PM

Originally Posted by Chris Ryser

I use regular ST35, have several pairs for different usages from working outside to computer.

However when I want to look in fashion like all of you more advanced guy's..........for the odd cocktail party..........I will put on a pair of progressives in a mini frame. All my friends say "you suddenly look a lot younger".

After a certain time and thanks to having consumed my 3rd Scotch I will not see the distortion in the lenses no more.

You might be one of those people that just don't like progressives. Some people just never get used to them, some people get used to them, but still don't love them, and some people just love them.

**spartus** · 10-23-2005, 01:15 PM

Originally Posted by Happylady

You might be one of those people that just don't like progressives. Some people just never get used to them, some people get used to them, but still don't love them, and some people just love them.

Exactly. They're nice, if you're willing to adjust to (and properly apprised of) the tradeoffs/benefits. But for everyone? Not hardly.

Trifocals are sometimes a tough sell, while bifocals are no-brainers. I had a patient I spent upwards of 20 minutes talking into a trifocal--she was deeply skeptical. At long last, she went for it, and when I dispensed them, she was surprised and very happy with them.

**Happylady** · 10-23-2005, 01:42 PM

I had a patient that needed his first multifocal yesterday and his insurance covered progressives in full. He had a +1.00 add. He asked for a bifocal at first. I explained that progressives were covered and explained the differences.

I also told him if he didn't adjust to the progressive(I told him to give it at least 3 weeks) then we could remake into a bifocal for no cost, but if he didn't like the bifocal we couldn't remake into a progressive.
That did it and he choose the progressive. I think he made the right choice, a progressive with a +1.00 add is usually very easy to get used to.

**Chris Ryser** · 10-23-2005, 02:55 PM

Originally Posted by Happylady

You might be one of those people that just don't like progressives. Some people just never get used to them, some people get used to them, but still don't love them, and some people just love them.

I have been around progressives since their inception. Have sold successfully hundreds of pairs in the early days without one come back or non adapt, when active at the retail end. All this because of having learned to whom NOT to sell them.

Opticians these day's sell them because they sell for money (translate into more profit or commissions). And in case it dont work out you have the non adapt warranty. So, who cares, if it don't work out there is nothing lost.

You don't even know that you are paying the high price because you are paying for the non adapt out front, with the original pair.

Progressives do have at least a 30 % area of lateral distortion that is bothersome to people that like a crisp view through their glasses.

I look at progressives as a means that is passable for people that want to pay a higher price to look cosmetically more acceptable, than the the old guy or women with a line across their glasses. However those people do give up at least the 30% of clear vision without knowing it.

Originally Posted by Happylady

I had a patient that needed his first multifocal yesterday and his insurance covered progressives in full. He had a +1.00 add. He asked for a bifocal at first. I explained that progressives were covered and explained the differences.

I also told him if he didn't adjust to the progressive(I told him to give it at least 3 weeks) then we could remake into a bifocal for no cost,....................

As per above quote...........this patient was a perfect case to get into progressives. With an add of +1.00 it couild not have been more perfect to adapt easily.

I would have like to see what you would have done if the patient would have had a +2.00 or +2.25 addition. These addition have such a small reading area that these people can not deal with.

This person would have looked through half eyes, single vision lenses, or bifocals until now and would have been an 80% definit case of non adapt, and you would have had to make him or her a pair of bifocal at no charge, for which he or her had already paid for in advance, by paying the high price progressives cost.

**Happylady** · 10-23-2005, 07:04 PM

Originally Posted by Chris Ryser

I have been around progressives since their inception. Have sold successfully hundreds of pairs in the early days without one come back or non adapt, when active at the retail end. All this because of having learned to whom NOT to sell them.

Opticians these day's sell them because they sell for money (translate into more profit or commissions). And in case it dont work out you have the non adapt warranty. So, who cares, if it don't work out there is nothing lost.

You don't even know that you are paying the high price because you are paying for the non adapt out front, with the original pair.

Progressives do have at least a 30 % area of lateral distortion that is bothersome to people that like a crisp view through their glasses.

I look at progressives as a means that is passable for people that want to pay a higher price to look cosmetically more acceptable, than the the old guy or women with a line across their glasses. However those people do give up at least the 30% of clear vision without knowing it.

As per above quote...........this patient was a perfect case to get into progressives. With an add of +1.00 it couild not have been more perfect to adapt easily.

I would have like to see what you would have done if the patient would have had a +2.00 or +2.25 addition. These addition have such a small reading area that these people can not deal with.

This person would have looked through half eyes, single vision lenses, or bifocals until now and would have been an 80% definit case of non adapt, and you would have had to make him or her a pair of bifocal at no charge, for which he or her had already paid for in advance, by paying the high price progressives cost.

Well now, a person getting glasses with a +2.00 or a +2.25 add is completely different. As you said, they are already wearing some kind of near correction. I would discuss what they were already wearing and if they were happy with it or not. If they were not happy or wanted a change I would discuss progressives, but I always carefully tell them the good and bad of changing. I don't push progressives on these people.

My husband wears a +2.25 add and is happy with his progressives. He has very little distance and started in progressives with a +1.00 add when he was 43. It was his first pair of glasses.

**QDO1** · 10-24-2005, 06:01 AM

Originally Posted by Graduate

What is smart seg? have'nt heard before.

A smart seg is a type of flat top multifocal, with a progresson from intermediate to near in the seg

**Graduate** · 10-24-2005, 08:15 PM

Originally Posted by QDO1

A smart seg is a type of flat top multifocal, with a progresson from intermediate to near in the seg

A flat top 35mm trifocal?

If not, any link i can see pic of it?

**Happylady** · 10-24-2005, 08:22 PM

You can identify a Smart Seg because they are 30 mm wide rather then 28 for a flat top. I don't know if they are still made, but I remember going to a seminar about them. I actually have a sample at my shop.

It really isn't a bad idea, no extra line and it allows a wider range for the "bifocal". In higher adds(+2.00 or more) there is distortion in the upper corners.

It just never caught on.

**Graduate** · 10-24-2005, 08:25 PM

Originally Posted by Happylady

You can identify a Smart Seg because they are 30 mm wide rather then 28 for a flat top. I don't know if they are still made, but I remember going to a seminar about them. I actually have a sample at my shop.

It really isn't a bad idea, no extra line and it allows a wider range for the "bifocal". In higher adds(+2.00 or more) there is distortion in the upper corners.

It just never caught on.

Thanks Lady!:)