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Thread: need a PAL closest to discontinued zeiss gradal Top

  1. #1
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    need a PAL closest to discontinued zeiss gradal Top

    I am a retired optometrist. Been retired since about 2000, so I am not current on the most recent PAL designs. I am a +3.00 hyperope with a +2.50 add. Am still wearing my old Zeiss Gradal Tops because they were always perfect for all my distances, and never gave me any swimminess. No feeling of distortion whatsoever. After the GT was discontinued, I tried the GT2 with no success. Apparently I prefer the longer corridor of the GT.

    I understand that the newer frames that have a narrower vertical dimension have forced lens designers to go to shorter corridor lengths, but that is why I have kept my old frames! I am 71, with osteopenia, so I really don't want to get off balance or get tripped up. A fall could be disastrous at this point in my life.

    Having already proven myself quite successful for years with the GT, at a +2.50 add, I won't accept the suggestion that I should suddenly switch to separate glasses for distance and reading.

    So what is the current closest equivalent to the Zeiss Gradal Top? Brand and model suggestions please!

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    Master OptiBoarder rbaker's Avatar
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    I would start calling independent ophthalmic labs as dollars to donuts some other old-timer has some dusty old blanks hidden away in the basement.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Daisydo View Post
    I am a retired optometrist. Been retired since about 2000, so I am not current on the most recent PAL designs. I am a +3.00 hyperope with a +2.50 add. Am still wearing my old Zeiss Gradal Tops because they were always perfect for all my distances, and never gave me any swimminess. No feeling of distortion whatsoever. After the GT was discontinued, I tried the GT2 with no success. Apparently I prefer the longer corridor of the GT.

    I understand that the newer frames that have a narrower vertical dimension have forced lens designers to go to shorter corridor lengths, but that is why I have kept my old frames! I am 71, with osteopenia, so I really don't want to get off balance or get tripped up. A fall could be disastrous at this point in my life.

    Having already proven myself quite successful for years with the GT, at a +2.50 add, I won't accept the suggestion that I should suddenly switch to separate glasses for distance and reading.

    So what is the current closest equivalent to the Zeiss Gradal Top? Brand and model suggestions please!
    If you are looking for a replacement.......try Nikon's SeeMax Emblematic, which has a large range of basecurves, or the PresioWide Infinite.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Daisydo View Post
    I am a retired optometrist. Been retired since about 2000, so I am not current on the most recent PAL designs. I am a +3.00 hyperope with a +2.50 add. Am still wearing my old Zeiss Gradal Tops because they were always perfect for all my distances, and never gave me any swimminess. No feeling of distortion whatsoever. After the GT was discontinued, I tried the GT2 with no success. Apparently I prefer the longer corridor of the GT.

    I understand that the newer frames that have a narrower vertical dimension have forced lens designers to go to shorter corridor lengths, but that is why I have kept my old frames! I am 71, with osteopenia, so I really don't want to get off balance or get tripped up. A fall could be disastrous at this point in my life.

    Having already proven myself quite successful for years with the GT, at a +2.50 add, I won't accept the suggestion that I should suddenly switch to separate glasses for distance and reading.

    So what is the current closest equivalent to the Zeiss Gradal Top? Brand and model suggestions please!

    You're a bit behind the times. The GT2 is long discontinued. And small frames went out of fashion several years ago.

    All the newer Zeiss lenses give you the ability to select a long corridor, up to I think 18mm (22mm minimum fitting height) which should match your old lenses.

    This will solve your problem, and if you want the best vision choose the Zeiss Individual 2 or perhaps the Drivesafe individual. But any Zeiss lens will be better than your old gradal top.

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    Master OptiBoarder AngeHamm's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Robert_S View Post
    You're a bit behind the times. The GT2 is long discontinued. And small frames went out of fashion several years ago.

    All the newer Zeiss lenses give you the ability to select a long corridor, up to I think 18mm (22mm minimum fitting height) which should match your old lenses.

    This will solve your problem, and if you want the best vision choose the Zeiss Individual 2 or perhaps the Drivesafe individual. But any Zeiss lens will be better than your old gradal top.
    The Zeiss Individual 2 is my favorite PAL design. But any current Zeiss offering should do the job for you.
    I'm Andrew Hamm and I approve this message.

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    Hoya Summit ECP iQ is a very similar design that would provide comparable optics at a comparable price.

    Zeiss lenses are very easy to adapt to, if they are properly fit. Most people wont fit them properly, so I'd avoid them at this point, even though they would by far be my go to lens option to make you happy. Summit ECP iQ is pretty idiot proof, and like I say, it is very similar to Gradal Top in performance.

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    I am in maryland and am able to properly fit, source and finish lenses of any brand you would like.

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    It's been a while as I've been bound to Big E for a while but I always liked the Seiko line of progressives (Surmount) for their lack of drop from OC to corridor like the old GT's. Regardless- I have always found powers like yours the hardest to switch.

    Also be sure you're measuring any prism thinning to match the comfy pair. Not matching would tend to give you tippyness and not swimminess, however. Equally bad for your condition.

    The Individual is a fantastic lens but any and all changes from someone who is so used to an old design always has me nervous as you often need to give the new design a solid month or more to let the vision change settle down. Even when the only change is in a frame shape. That's my 2 cents.

    Good luck.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Daisydo View Post
    I am a retired optometrist. Been retired since about 2000, so I am not current on the most recent PAL designs. I am a +3.00 hyperope with a +2.50 add. Am still wearing my old Zeiss Gradal Tops because they were always perfect for all my distances, and never gave me any swimminess. No feeling of distortion whatsoever. After the GT was discontinued, I tried the GT2 with no success. Apparently I prefer the longer corridor of the GT.

    I understand that the newer frames that have a narrower vertical dimension have forced lens designers to go to shorter corridor lengths, but that is why I have kept my old frames! I am 71, with osteopenia, so I really don't want to get off balance or get tripped up. A fall could be disastrous at this point in my life.
    Having already proven myself quite successful for years with the GT, at a +2.50 add, I won't accept the suggestion that I should suddenly switch to separate glasses for distance and reading.
    So what is the current closest equivalent to the Zeiss Gradal Top? Brand and model suggestions please!
    Hi Daisydo, the coridoor length between Gradal Top, GT2 and the subsequet back surface lenses have all been the same (Certainly is europe, which I where I am)
    It's unlikely that it is the coridoor length alone that is the primary cause of your issues.
    There are 3 areas I would look at if trying to troubleshoot yourself.
    My area of knowledge is in the ZEISS products, so I will offer a few things to suggest which resolve around the newer lenses from the current portfolio.

    1. Has there been a change in the reading addition between your comfortable Gradal Top lenses and today's RX?
    An increase in the addition is going to have a similar affect to decreasing the coridoor length, as the power is pushed further up the progression coridoor.
    Perhaps look at increasing the coridoor beyond the standard coridoor length you currently have. The ZEISS Precision Plus, Superb and Individual 2 allow you to specify this in 0.1mm increments through our Framefit+ system. The modern day equivalent of your Gradal Top would be a FrameFit Value of 4.0.
    You could increase your corridoor length 0.5mm to Framefit 4.5 or perhaps even further (upto a max of Framefit 6.0) to help keep the upper limits of your add lower in the lens.
    Related to the position of your reading is an actual change that has been made in our newer lenses, the current Portfolio have a progression start 1mm below the fitting cross, whereas the progression did not start until 2mm in our older designs, this has been to help faciliate the comfortable use of digital devices , without impacting on the width of vision.
    With this in mind, you may choose to lengthen the coridoor further to main the same reading position or amend your fitting heights by the same amount. I would suspect the latter is the better option here if you are concerned about "swimmy-ness" and dynamic movement.

    2. Change in Prism thinning. Alongside the Addition change, a change to reading addition will change the standard 2/3rds of the add vertical prism thnning that is common applied to a progressive, this is going to affect the "position" of the reading to the wearer slightly.
    Measure the prism at the prism reference point and your lab will be able to maintain the same level of thinning in your new pair.

    Beyond this, I would rule out effective power changes due to postion of wear that may now be falling outsidede of your own personal tolerance by choosing and measuring for a lens that accounts for these. indivdual 2 allows for this.
    Also with Individual 2, you can also make some changes to the design, if you are concerned about movement, then choosing the "intermediate" version of the lens will give you a design that is enhanced for dynamic movement and this also has similar effects on the lens to some of the above suggestions.
    Last edited by Adam Fairclough; 03-16-2018 at 09:01 AM.

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