computer glasses? help!!

[gogetter]

ok can anyone shead light on the Gradal RD lens. in my office we rarely use it but it is called upon. how is it measured? is it even good? is there any other no line type lens that is better to use? i have very little knowledge on this lens or even how to dispense it and what verbage to use with patients. i feel akward when the dr asks me to put a pt in it because i always have to wing it conversation wise. Please help fellow optiboarders!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

many thanks

[Andrew Weiss]

Until Darryl gives you the REAL answer, here's mine ;)

I've used the RD with patients for many years. It's one of the oldest of the "occupational progressives". It is an "office" lens, not a "computer" lens, meaning it is designed to give the patient an effective range from about 16'' out to about 10'. "Computer" progressives, such as the Zeiss Business and Shamir Office, have an effective range of about 16" out to 4-6'. On all of these lenses, within their effective ranges, the fields are all wider and longer than a normal progressive. I've found the Zeiss RD in particular to be a very effective lens if it's fit properly.

The lens is fit with the fitting cross at center pupil, meaning the patient is looking through the upper portion of the intermediate zone. The minimum fitting height is 25mm. I have fussed with moving the fitting cross up or down to accomidate patients whose computer monitors are higher or lower than "normal".

When ordering the lenses, give the lab the patient's normal distance Rx and add and ask them to transpose the powers for the RD. As I understand it, the transposition consists of shaving 0.50 diopters from the add and adding it to the distance Rx. So a +1.00 Add 2.00 in an RD would neutralize as +1.50 Add 1.50.

The RD is available in CR39 only. It will take premium AR such as Zeiss' Carat Advantage.

Rumor has it that there's an optician in Massachusetts who uses the RD as his "go-to" progressive: he puts his patients into deep frames, adjusts the distance Rx and add so the transposition will put the patient in his prescribed distance/near, and apparently has many satisfied people. :bbg:

In my experience, it's important for the patient to understand the limitations of the lens. She will not be driving with these for sure :D The trade-off is a more useable lens for office work: better range for reading and computer work, and the ability to see people across the table at meetings.

Best of luck on this! And Darryl, please correct my errors.

[AutumN]

Well.... here's my take. We have used the shamir computer lens (forgot the name at the moment), pretty successfully. The way it was explained to me is that it kind of works like a progressive only backwards. Starting with the near power, it decreases power up so to speak. So the intermediate power is in the area of the normal distance allowing good computer area in the lens and still have the reading. At the very top of the lens is the "distance" portion, but the power is not the full distance rx. It allows the wearer about 10' out, not far distance. It's mono pd's and marked up like a progressive. It's worked great for presbyopes that don't really have a distance rx. You still give the lab the full rx, they modify it. When it comes in for check in you go by the adjusted powers on the inv.

Haven't done one in awhile, so if I'm off, others, please add.

[IcanSee]

I wish I found optiboard a month ago. I went through the same problem with the gradal rd myself and I had to researched it myself. I am glad theres is a forum for optician. Now I know more about the Gradal RD than I was last month.:)

[Uncle Fester]

We have a dispensing table mat that shows by a picture of a person at a desk what area sv readering, business, and RD's offer by highlighting each lenses field of view. I find it simplifies the explaination greatly. If you contact them they may still have some or at the very least can send you some brochures. US 1-800-338-2984 CAN 1-800-268-6489.

[Fezz]

I may be going against the current here. I have had much more success using a SV or FT bifocal with the computer rx in the top and the regular reading rx in the seg. I like to use an FT-35 or Executive seg. I have used the RD and some other "computer" or "task" lenses and find that patients are less than satisfied. I sell way more of the SV or FT as second pairs because the patients can actually afford them compared to shelling out the bucks for another progressive.

[Nettie]

I may be going against the current here. I have had much more success using a SV or FT bifocal with the computer rx in the top and the regular reading rx in the seg. I like to use an FT-35 or Executive seg. I have used the RD and some other "computer" or "task" lenses and find that patients are less than satisfied. I sell way more of the SV or FT as second pairs because the patients can actually afford them compared to shelling out the bucks for another progressive.

I couldn't agree with you more. :)

[HarryChiling]

I sell way more of the SV or FT as second pairs because the patients can actually afford them compared to shelling out the bucks for another progressive.

BINGO, thats why we sell and use the continuum alot. We price it like a premium SV lens and they fly out the door. So far patients are happy with them.

The way it was explained to me is that it kind of works like a progressive only backwards

We call those degressives, the continuum works the same way. When surfaceing we surface the Reading Rx into the lens and the top looses about 1 D of power from bottom to top. Also when checking them to verify you check them in the reading area.

[MarcE]

The Office or computer lenses are less expensive than "normal" progressives. They are meant to be priced like a FT.
We too have had decent luck fitting FTs, even for advanced presbyopes.

Personally, I wore the Shamir office almost exclusively for months. I noticed that that unlike the mushroom type clear vision of a progressive, it was like a line. A very narrow line of clear vision. I got to thinking that this channel is smaller (read worse) than the cheapest PAL out there. SO . . .

why not use one of the cheap progressives as an office lenes. Using only a +1.00 or 1.25 add, the peripherial distortion will be minimial. Use one of the older, tall designs and fit it high. I'm thinking Navigator. I did it once with a Concorde, and the pt loved it. Tell me what you think.

[Mr_Mitchell]

What's worked for me is what Fezz suggests--bifocal with Rx adjusted accordingly (I just use half the "normal" add, my doctor uses +1.25, generally it's close either way and the doc defers to me in these cases).
I've also used MarcE's idea with success, the only difference again being that I use half the reading add rather than a specific figure and I raise the OC a bit.
It's funny to think that with all the "new, exciting technology!" in today's progressives, you can generally get by in any situation with just an educated guess and some frame adjusting.