Personal experience with freeforms vs. other PALs

**ilanh** · 05-22-2009, 10:35 AM

OK, after being challenged by several posters on this forum I finally compared the freeform Reveal progressive, Accolade, Physio 360, Concord and Image all on myself. Same type of frames, measurements, seg heights etc. I tried to keep everything the same so as to test them. I used them all for distance, intermediate and near. I extensively tested them one right after the other, or wearing only each one for an extended amount of time. My findings are based purely on myself as a 48 year old low myope (-1.00) with add of 1.75. I found no difference whatsoever between physio 360, reveal freeform or accolade. The freeform was not "better" in any respect as far as I could tell. The Image and Concord were the same for distance as all the others but fell slightly short for near and intermediate. Overall I would say that if I had to keep one of these and discard the rest I would keep the Accolade. If I had to discard only one I would chuck the Image.

I am currently testing the reveal freeform on about 30 patients and will wait to hear their overall impressions. I also intend to test the autograph II on myself and on my patients. However, as of now I have not experienced the WOW factor on any particular progressive. I recognize that this may be me only and will differ for different prescriptions and ages.

**finefocus** · 05-22-2009, 10:44 AM

I did the same thing a couple of years ago - tried Hoya ID, Physio 360, Sola One HD, Gradal i - I liked the ID best - my Rx (-3, couple of diopters of cyl, oblique axes) gets more out of freeform than your low spheres - compared to my old Summit ECP, I found a moderate wow factor - less peripheral distortion, bigger sweet spots at all distances - it isn't what you see, it's what you don't see - cleans up much of the side effect inherent in PAL's. I haven't tried Shamir yet, want to try in PAL and also SV for night driving.

**drk** · 05-22-2009, 12:28 PM

Is it just me?

Ilan, you will not get a "wow" with a freeform progressive. Especially if you are a first-time wearer.

The only "wows" to be expected are for those who have been suffering through non-individualized, compromised designs.

**Chris Ryser** · 05-22-2009, 12:37 PM

Originally Posted by drk

The only "wows" to be expected are for those who have been suffering through non-individualized, compromised designs.

we should now call all of them lenses:

The WOW FACTOR lenses you can only appreciate if you have suffered for 2 or 3 years

with a primitive version of the most expensive progressive lenses. :bbg:

**chip anderson** · 05-22-2009, 06:59 PM

The wow factor in my Zeiss individuals is that I don't see any distortion in the lower peripheral areas at all. I have worn most everything and this is the first real improvement that I have ever seen in one premium progressive over another. Now the cheapie epiees, all had intolerable problems as far as I am concerned.

Chip

**For-Life** · 05-22-2009, 07:45 PM

Originally Posted by Chris Ryser

we should now call all of them lenses:

The WOW FACTOR lenses you can only appreciate if you have suffered for 2 or 3 years

with a primitive version of the most expensive progressive lenses. :bbg:

What was your experience from when you wore a traditional PAL to a freeform one?

**Barry Santini** · 05-23-2009, 06:42 AM

Originally Posted by drk

Is it just me?

Ilan, you will not get a "wow" with a freeform progressive. Especially if you are a first-time wearer.

The only "wows" to be expected are for those who have been suffering through non-individualized, compromised designs.

No, it's not you, drk. The apparent lack of "wow" is 'cause just as you stated: It is a comparative "wow," and this discussion just points up how really buffaloed we've all become by the "progressives are best" mantra. This is also why I maintain that all of us should be moving to optimized FF SV for astigmats asap. "YOU" should be the one to introduce this technology, not your competatition (or worse, the internet....which will very shortly)

I for one, have asked by lab to make me an Auto II SV CR 39 based on a round seg 22mm blank. This should be the very "best" (?) vision available for a multi-focal wearer with > 0.50 Cyl.

It could actually be the re-birth of the bifocal.

Incidentally, for my money, my newest Individuals are the best I've come across.

FWIW

Barry

**braheem24** · 05-23-2009, 11:45 AM

Originally Posted by ilanh

OK, after being challenged by several posters on this forum I finally compared the freeform Reveal progressive, Accolade, Physio 360, Concord and Image all on myself. Same type of frames, measurements, seg heights etc. I tried to keep everything the same so as to test them. I used them all for distance, intermediate and near. I extensively tested them one right after the other, or wearing only each one for an extended amount of time. My findings are based purely on myself as a 48 year old low myope (-1.00) with add of 1.75. I found no difference whatsoever between physio 360, reveal freeform or accolade. The freeform was not "better" in any respect as far as I could tell. The Image and Concord were the same for distance as all the others but fell slightly short for near and intermediate. Overall I would say that if I had to keep one of these and discard the rest I would keep the Accolade. If I had to discard only one I would chuck the Image.

I am currently testing the reveal freeform on about 30 patients and will wait to hear their overall impressions. I also intend to test the autograph II on myself and on my patients. However, as of now I have not experienced the WOW factor on any particular progressive. I recognize that this may be me only and will differ for different prescriptions and ages.

Can I send you another lens to test?

Acoring to the manufacturer it should be better then image and less expensive. I'm not a presbyope so I cant test it myself.

I can send you a surfaced pair or if you send me your frame I can send you a finished pair to add to your test.

**ilanh** · 05-24-2009, 02:10 PM

Originally Posted by braheem24

Can I send you another lens to test?

Acoring to the manufacturer it should be better then image and less expensive. I'm not a presbyope so I cant test it myself.

I can send you a surfaced pair or if you send me your frame I can send you a finished pair to add to your test.

Can you give me a little more info on this?

**chip anderson** · 05-24-2009, 09:15 PM

But Geeze something that's less profitable couldn't possibly be better could it?

**ilanh** · 05-25-2009, 10:44 AM

I'm not trying to make any statement or prove any point. It was simply a comparison based on my eyes only. I do have to say, however, that I am a bit surprised that the spread of cost was high (about 4x between the least and most expensive), but the differences were not as great as the costs. It could be that there are different prescriptions and age groups in which a huge difference may be felt.