I have a lot of patients who need an all-purpose balanced PAL that does well for their extensive computer use. These are folks who have been offered and REFUSED the option of a second pair of dedicated computer glasses. I have used solamax in the past but have had a high non-adapt rate. We currently use Definity on these patients but it's an expensive lens. Any other options?
Is Sola XL still made? It has a good intermediate area but I don't think it can be put in very narrow frames.
Solamax has a very narrow distance channel, so people tend to only like it as a second reading pair.Originally Posted by ilanh
Honestly, go with the Ovation. Inexpensive, balanced, and practical.
This is old news, but Sheedy's zone measurements showed the Gradal Top to be among the best (at the time) in intermediate zone area.
Caveat: near area was small, but distance was good. You need a 20 mm for this one to work, IMO.
I fit a friend of mine with Definity Short under her VSP. She wanted a second pair so to save money I used Ovation. She likes them both but she likes Ovation better.
Delete.
Last edited by Metronome; 05-18-2009 at 01:47 AM. Reason: Delete.
Delete.
Last edited by Metronome; 05-18-2009 at 01:48 AM. Reason: Delete.
this economy has somethng to do ......................
You hit the nail on the box.....................
Furthermore there NO progressive that is use-full for computer glasses. There are 2 fix distances............screen and reading..........you need no progressive part.
You need full vision for both above described distances and the largest field of vision possible for both distances.
Anybody spending hours on a computer wants and is entitled the right to the ease of good clear vision and not having to spend a fortune for lenses that are inferior for this purpose, when optically perfect bifocal lenses are available.
I sell a fair number of the Shamir Autograph Office lens, and I just explain that a PAL is a swiss army knife. You can do many small tasks with it, but when you're gonna build a house, you get the real screwdriver, not the little one on your pocket knife. The office lens is your real tool.
I didn't fit her with that, but I've worn it myself. It was good but I don't remember much detail about it.
I have a pair of Definity Short that really do work well on the computer but the reading area isn't huge. If they had a deeper B measurement I think they would work better for reading, though.
No progressive is going to work well on a computer if the screen is too high. I have my screen set so the top of it is well below my eye level and I still need to hold my head straight to see the screen through my Definity lenses.
So many people have their screens set so they are at eye level and they will have to lift their heads up to see the screen with any progressive. A lot of people have trouble understanding why their lenses don't work, especially since they used to be able to see the screen through the top of their lenses when their add power was lower.
I explain, I draw pictures and I think most people finally get it. But so many still don't want to lower their screens (or they can't), don't want to get a deeper frame, or don't want to get a pair of computer glasses.
Of course, they eat out several times a month and think nothing of paying a hundred dollars or more on a purse or shoes.
I'm not sure I notice a big difference in intermediate width between my Definity and my GT2. I'd use either, probably gravitate toward the Definity in higher add powers.
In a less expensive lens, why not try an Accolade? Similar to Ovation but with better optics, IMHO.
All that said, none of these will work optimally for folks working on large monitors all day long. For those folks, I'd agree with Chris: the FT option gives the greatest viewing area and at the least cost. If a progressive is a must, the Shamir Office works fine, and so does Zeiss' old RD, and both are in the lower-price catagory.
Andrew
"One must remember that at the end of the road, there is a path" --- Fortune Cookie
Chris, even though you keep repeating this, it doesn't make it true in every case. Many people want to see who is on the other side of their desk, or the clock on the wall. Many will not wear a line in ANY situation. After you get used to not having a line, getting used to a line is not natural.
I understand that a lined BF will have a wider area for reading and a wider area for the screen. But there are advantages to the no-line also.
BTW we don't dispense them for profit. Our office lens is a no-line or FT35; patient's choice; same price. And since normally there is no reason for poly, it's even less expensive.
I would even suggest that others set the pricing the same. If you compare the SOLA Access to a FT35, you will see that the price is very similiar.
I'm with Chris, but then I'm not on commission or subject to having my sales reviewed at the end of the month.:hammer:
[quote=Andrew Weiss;263674]I'm not sure I notice a big difference in intermediate width between my Definity and my GT2. I'd use either, probably gravitate toward the Definity in higher add powers.
In a less expensive lens, why not try an Accolade? Similar to Ovation but with better optics, IMHO.
quote]
The Accolade has a wide distance and a fairly narrow near area under 20. Not too sure about the midrange.
OK but you need to realize that some people WILL NOT wear a lined lens.
They won't be balanced if they're strongly biased towards near function (see caveat below). Moreover, extensive computer use is a strong trigger for a separate pair recommendation. If you're seeing a lot of patients passing on separate pairs then you might not be presenting the functional advantages of a second pair properly.
If it's for a desktop monitor, you'll need a PAL design that has some plus power near or at the fitting cross, a short corridor, and where possible, a longer than typical distance to the monitor. For example, my monitor at work is at 30", with the center of the screen about 5 degrees down. The best all-in-one lens that has worked reasonably well for myself and my clients is the Hoya Summit CD.
It should be noted that my home monitor is closer and higher than my office monitor- the only lens that works for me is a separate pair with the distance adjusted for 24" (Add is +2.25 @ 40cm).
Caveat- we must tell our clients that these short corridor designs will have substantial off-axis distance blur, and depending on the Add power, PAL design, and pupil diameter, on-axis distance blur as well, and possibly some very distracting flare with lights at night.
Science is a way of trying not to fool yourself. - Richard P. Feynman
Experience is the hardest teacher. She gives the test before the lesson.
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