What is the best balanced progressive for computer users

[ilanh]

I often have patients who want progressives that they can wear for driving, computer use and reading. Yes, they have been told about the merits of separate computer glasses but they only want one pair that they can wear throughout the day. If the patient is spending "eight hours a day in front of a computer" which progressive design would be most friendly towards that type of usage? I've used Solamax in the past but it's distance is limited. I've also used Gradal Top but it's reading is sometimes limited. My optician seems to like Definity as a good choice for a balanced lens which does best with computers. Any other opinions?

[Andrew Weiss]

I think your optician is making a very good suggestion. :bbg: Definity is my go-to lens for patients like that.

[Chris Ryser]

Any other opinions?

There is no progressive of any kind that is a good solution for use on the computer.

One needs a clear and wide field of vision to see the full screen and a wide near seg for close up.

There is no need for the progressive part, so why deal with the distortion and a narrow proghressive channel,l when there are other less expensive solutions as a simple straight top with a large seg.

[dweinstein]

I usually use the SolaONE for this situation. Fit it normally at center pupil. It has a generous intermediate and reading area and is less swimmy than the SolaMAX which is OK too.

[geoflem]

The Varilux Comfort Seems To Work Well And Also Some Of The New Digitals For Myopic Patients.

[drk]

Chris is right, Ilan.

Of course patients want their general purpose progressives to work for occupational specialty use. And they want them for under a hundred bucks. And they want them to never, ever scratch.

You'll go crazy trying to finesse all this with standard progressive designs. I think its tilting at windmills.

Simply put: order a progressive that isn't a short-corridor, and you'll be doing as well as you can do for your patients. Obviously, you've tried designs that are "slightly unbalanced": SolaMax, Gradal Top, and you've noted the drawbacks to each.

Just shoot down the middle with a decent, balanced, non-shorty design and live with the limitations. When they come back a *****in', sell them what they really need. Nuff said.

[Specs]

Chris has it right. If you are looking for a computer lens, that means you don't want to crank your neck up to see at the intermediate range. "Computer lenses" have a straight ahead Rx set at your computer-intermediate focal length, so there is no "neck action" necessary. Any/every progressive lens out there has the distance Rx set at straight ahead viewing, if you want your intermediate Rx straight ahead, its neck cranking time.
So in conclusion, there is no all purpose progressive that is better than another to truly solve the "neck cranking" issue. If they don't want to spring for a specialized pr. of specs for their specialized usage issue, they should realize that a general purpose pr. of glasses will cause them to make some compromises for their usage needs.

[MarcE]

Yes, Chris has it right - and also wrong. Some people DO NOT WANT A SEG. If you contintue to try to sell them a seg because you think it is better or because you are trying to save them some money, they will go somewhere else. I have an "office" or NVF pair and I think they work swimmingly:). I can see clearly up to 10' and the computer vision is nice and the reading is all there. Sure it's not as wide clear vision as a segmented lens, but I can also see across the office.

All lenses have drawbacks and benefits. Give them what they want/need. Focusing on price (for their benefit or yours) is a losing proposition, long term.