Yeah, that's the age I was when it hit me. I wear progressives when I wear glasses and love them. Just makes life so much simpler. When I do photography, I always wear them. I can see the numbers I need to see and still see the subject.

I do wear contacts as well some of the time. They are no longer as comfortable to me because my eyes have also dried out a bit as I've gotten older. Another insult. But I have to wear reading glasses to read when I wear contacts so that's kind of a wash. But progressives are great. I hate glasses but you're right, there are many cute styles out now. There are also cute reading glasses.

I have progressives. I had heard nightmare stories about them but they are just fine, I've had no problems with them. You might get a little messed up if you watch your feet going down stairs, but I don't usually watch my feet. It wasn't a huge adjustment. What I hate is just glasses in general, and I lost my first pair and had to pay cash to get a replacement. But I got them for the same reason, I work in academia and all that reading . . . But often I forget or loose my glasses, since I have such an active lifestyle they get hot and sweaty on my face if I'm out and about. So far I haven't totally lost them like I did that first time, but like today I couldn't find them before I left the house, and I know I had seen them last night. I need glasses to find my glasses. I'me getting to be one of those little old ladies who has to find a young person to read the fine print! Oh well, that's why G-d made young people, at least they are good for something!!

I have them, and have had them for about 20 years. I had no trouble adjusting to them, but I've found that some opticians do a better job than others. I've gotten them from Lenscrafters and Pearl and they've been great. I got a pair at Sam's and couldn't wear them without getting nauseated.

I'm far sighted and originally needed glasses just for reading, but after 45 I found even distance vision getting blurred. The progressive bifocals are wonderful.

I can't stand to wear glasses, but I switched to multi-focal contact lenses a year or so ago. The doc "stepped" me into them with 2-3 sets of lenses until I reached my desired level of being able to read close and still see okay far. But I did have to sacrifice a bit of far-sight to get the right fit.

I've been wearing progressive lenses for about 35 years....
At first I said it was like a cheap drunk....but after about 3 days I got used to them.
The alternative is to squint, wear granny glasses on the end of your nose, or wear bifocals with that "line!"
Also different brands of the progressive lenses act differently, and most likely one optitician won't carry more than one brand.
Some brands do better with side vision....that quick glance to the side that makes you dizzy if the glasses aren't right.
Go for it....the alternative isn't good at all.
Linda C

I guess I'm in the minority. I tried them and didn't last a day with them. I HATED them. Maybe it was the way they were designed. I wear glasses mostly for close up work. Well, what I wasn't prepared for and didn't know until I got them is that the part of the lens that has the close up correction was only about the size of a pea - a baby pea at that. What good is that?! I was used to wearing the "granny" glasses at the end of my nose, although I didn't wear them there - I just put them on and took them off and put them on and took them off and put them on and took them off.......that's why I decided to try the progressives. I do close up, computer work, and can use slight correction for distance, so the progressives seemed like a good idea.

Anyway, I took them back and had them make me a pair of regular old fashioned bifocals with the line. The only thing bad about those is that they're not as good for the computer, but I like them a whole lot better. Who cares about the line? I'm not vain.

Sally

Been wearing the progressive glasses for about 12 years...love them, no problems at all. Before that I just had glasses for my life long near sighted problem. Then I started having problems seeing up close. I was advised to get the progressives as my first try at both corrections...they told me it might be harder if I had had bifocals before, but since this was my first time I should get the progressives....glad I did.

Because I'm so near sighted, I still find that doing very close work is easier without any correction. So no glasses for threading a needle, reading in bed...that kind of thing.

Nancy

The experience you'll have depends a lot on whether you have any astigmatism or nystagmus. If you don't, you'll probably adjust to them fine. If you do, it will be like day three of a four day drunk. :)

I've had bifocals for over 35 years (since I was nine -- so it's not always about age). I absolutely cannot wear progressives. My prescription is too "weird" and my astigmatism too severe. I prefer the wider focus area and sharper image of regular bifocals. Unfortunately, you're probably not going to know until you try.

If it were me and I decided to try again, I'd go to a true optician shop and not some place that is ore about fashion than fit. I've never gotten a properly made pair of glasses at Lenscrafter or that ilk. Glasses lenses are one area where you tend to get what you pay for.

Hmmm. I don't even know what progressive lenses ARE.

I just got my contact lens prescription updated, I wear hard gas permeable lenses to see far away, with reading glasses to read.

I've never had bifocals but I do have a prescription for my very first pair. I'm still thinking about it, I haven't filled it yet.

Now, I'm off to find out what the heck a "progressive" lens is. My doc did offer me the contact lenses that function as bifocals and I just didn't see the point, I'm doing fine with what I have now.

I did ask about soft lenses but the doc said he never suggests that anyone switch to soft from the gas permeable ones because the gas perms are "healthier" for the eye. I know they're a lot cheaper, $180 a pair and a pair lasts me for 3 to 5 years. I do have to take them out at night and put them back in but I don't need contact lenses when I'm sleeping anyway. Sheesh, what do I need to see when I'm asleep?

Annie

I'm wearing them too! I started needing reading glasses at 39 and quickly progressed to progressives at 44. Now 10 years later I'm totally dependent. I am farsighted with an astigmatism and need the reading glasses. I've found that good lenses are really important. Another thing is lightweight frames and enough lens to make the prescription work well. Too small drives me crazy. I absolutely adore the ones I'm wearing for the last two years. In fact I needed new lenses and replaced them in my same frames. They're so comfortable I cannot imagine wearing anything else!

Here is a link that might be useful: T2 Glasses

Not only do I wear progressive lenses, my oldest son now needs reading glasses. Now that makes you feel old.

I had no problem adjusting to progressives. I think they are far superior to the half-moons in your lenses. You don't get that sudden change. I really read best by taking my glasses off altogether. I have them on my desk right now as I type. I can see beautifully close up without them, however there are times (like lokoing at price tags) that I can't continually take my glasses on and off.

So -- welcome to presbyopia! You are part of a big club!

Compumom's tips about good lenses and a big enough lens are right on. I am about to order some titanium frames I tried over the weekend. They are as light as air.

I've been wearing eyeglasses since I was six. There was a short period of time that I wore contacts.

I'm now in trifocals and I do have progressive lens. I had a difficult time getting used to them but I'm so glad I did. I don't think nice looking glasses look bad on anyone unless they have lines in them and that really is aging. I highly recommend progressive lenses.

Oh does this hit home LOL!
I got my first pair of bifocals 5 years ago!! I was a mess!
I was getting headaches and a "tunnel" feeling when I wore them. AFter a few days I went back to the eye doc who told me to just give it time.
So I did give it time...all the while I was only using the top of my glasses for everything!! I guess I just got used to doing things that way.
Fast foward 2 years. I go back to the same doc wno perscribed them. He told me my eyes actually improved and I didn't need the bifocals anymore.
Fast foward to last week...I try a new eye doc (union plan gives us the choice to change if we wish) and the new guy says I absolutely DO need readers and suggested the progressives!!
I was carefully fitted by his assistant who helped me choose a frame that would accomodate my lenses.
Alas...they have not come in yet!! GRRRRR!!!
So I have no opinion yet LOL!

I really liked this new guy though. I will stay with him if the glasses do everything they say they will.

One BIG prblem I had with the old guy was the fact that he didn't give you a walking perscription-you know so I can take advantage of all those deals out there at sears or pearle and get an eyeglass wardrobe...nope he wanted you to buy all your glasses from him and him alone!
The new guy told ne it was no problem!!

I will re post when I get the new glasses!!

Cheers!
Susie

Oh Susie--
It might be better to buy frames elsewhere, but it does matter where you buy your lenses from! One of the local tv stations here in L.A.did an expose on the quality of the lenses and how true the lenses were to the prescription. It was a few years ago, but it was shocking. Costco scored well, but Sears bombed! Some of the other chains weren't very good either. Wherever you choose to go, make sure that you go back and have your doc put them into a machine that 'reads' the prescription to confirm that you got the correction that the doctor prescribed.

I have progressives that I wear 'part-time'.
My far vision is awesome, it's just that now, at 45, my arms are too short! LOL
My first set of progressives made me nauseous, they sent the lenses back to the lab and found out they were "off".
They made new ones and those were barely tolerable. My front porch is about 3 feet off the ground and I felt like I was standing on the roof! And my far vision was made worse.

So, I really only wore them to read. Two years later, I went to Rainbow Optics (chain) and had new lenses made with my new prescription. MUCH better!!

I still don't wear them driving or just walking around, but at least I can move around the house without the 'drunk' feeling!

I agree that the adjustments and lenses need to be done really well.

My optician said if I absolutely couldn't get used to them, they would make bifocals at no charge. Maybe that's an option for giving them a try. Talk to your doc.

Deanna

I have been wearing progressive lenses for years. Deals are not always worth it, it is so important to have someone really good measure you for the progressive lenses. Add an astigmatism to being near and far sighted and yes it does take time to get used to them. Oh, someone said what good it the pea size reading part. It really helps with everyday stuff, groceries, looking at dashboard, menu etc. I find for lengthy reading lenses just for farsighted work better.

I wear progressive lenses with no problems. Without glasses I can focus only from 2-3 feet in front of my face, not closer or farther.

I have found a good eye doctor to calculate my prescription -- it makes a difference.

I moved to progressives about 3 or 4 years ago. I had a bit of trouble getting used to them but persisted and I LOVE them!

Had had it with two sets of glasses and thought I would have to go to bifocals, which progressives really are in a sense.

Love the fact they give me long distance, reading and best of all computer screen and TV range in one set of glasses. The TV range is the thing I noticed most! Neither my distance nor my reading glasses gave me the clarity my progressives do.

Takes a bit of getting used to as you figure out how to tilt your head for the right distance but it's worth it! The only think I still have trouble with is going down stairs but I've figured out how to manage that.

I love mine, all except the cost! Yikes!!!!

Well, I ordered a pair today after trying on a zillion frames. I must be weird, but I actually think of my glasses almost as a fashion accessory. Don't wear much jewelry or expensive clothes, but I gotta have cute glasses ;)

The optician I used (she works for the doctor and wears progressives herself) was great and I think she knew what she was doing. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

If they work out okay, I plan to wear them during my classes (and any other time I've got to see near and far) and possibly get a separate pair of reading-only glasses for studying/heavy reading since I don't wear my distance glasses all the time.

I'll let you know how I make out. Keeping my fingers crossed. Thanks for all the help!

Sue

Well, that explains it - I have an astigmatism too, so that's probably why I just couldn't handle the progressives. Plus, distance vision isn't really that big of a problem. As my eye Dr. said, it needs slight correction, but it's not a big deal without correction. I only went for the bifocals because I got tired of taking off and putting on my reading glasses. The computer thing is quite annoying with bifocals, and the progressives were better for that, but If I can't read a book or work my cross stitch, or walk across the room or back yard, what's the point?

Sally

OK, so even though I don't love glasses, I'm a big fan of progressives. I had my eyes checked last week and asked about the multi-focal contacts, for reading and distance. Well, my guy recommended I switch out one of my contacts for close up, and keep the other for distance. He says that works for most people and that the multi-focals don't work for everybody. So I tried it and dang if it doesn't work. It's great. I don't need reading glasses with my contacts anymore. I thought it would really mess me up but it turns out, it works just fine. He said I could wear my progressives when I wanted to and both distance contacts if I wanted, for instance if I was driving a long distance and didn't need anything for close up. Is my vision 100 percent? No, but now I don't have to put on the reading glasses when I wear contacts. I can see far and near. Kind of impressive.

So that explains why I had a difficult time adjusting to my progressives. I have bad astigmatism also.

Unsolicited advice: I have been wearing eyeglasses since I was a very young child and I'm now nearly as old as dirt, so I have lots of experience with them as well as various doctors and eyeglass places. Even though it costs more, never go to a cut-rate place and this includes Sears to buy eyeglasses. Deals are rarely worth it. There is a vast difference in some lenses and also in many doctors. Everyone should go to a opthamalogist, not an optromitrist at least by the age of thirty, preferably younger. Optromitrists sometimes tell people they can diagnose anything that an opthamalogist can and it simply isn't true. Some of them can't even make a good prescription. This is particularly true if you wear bi or trifocals. I'm living proof of all of the above and I know others who are also. This isn't a slam on optromitrists as they definitely have their place in the eyeglass business. So if you got your eyeglasses at a cut-rate place and they work for you that's fine. You are just one of the lucky ones.

Beverly

I got my first pair of progressives last year at age 44. I'm farsighted with astigmatism and I still haven't gotten used to the darned things. They come in handy for shopping or in a restaurant, for reading labels or a menu, but I have trouble finding the *sweet spot*. I find myself looking over the top of them more than through them. I wear reading glasses at work or to read a book.

I'm looking at either bifocals or reading glasses my next trip to the eye doctor.

Sigh.

I've been holding off as long as I can, but in the last couple of months it's become REALLY apparent that I need to do something. I'm now having to take off my glasses to read anything close up, and I never had to do that before.

I've worn rigid gas permeable monovision contacts off and on for about 5 years (worn hard lenses for almost 40 years). Most of the time, the monovision lenses work great.

Just in the past couple of months, though, I've had difficulty reading newsprint and magazine articles, unless I open my eyes wide and really "focus" on the letters.

I'm still interested in multifocals, too, but my eyes are heavily lidded and I wonder if that may affect their performance.

I'm an optician and I also wear progressive glasses, and monovision contacts.

I disagree with Beverlyal about everyone needing to go to an opthalmologist. A therapeutic optometrist can't do surgery but can do an excellent job examining eyes and treating infections. Most of the opthalmologists I know hire techs to do the actual refractions and contact lens fittings.

She is right that there are vast differences between brands of lenses and doctors, though. But not all cheap places are bad. When I was first starting out I worked at Sears Optical for a year. Most of the lenses they did were fine. The doctor there was very good, we rarely had remakes from his prescriptions.

Progressive lenses have their good and bad points. For people with lots of astigmatism they can be harder to get used to. Some of the newer brands are better then others (there are dozens of brands available). Some of the new "free form" lenses are designed with difficult prescriptions in mind. It is also very important that they be measured and made correctly.

Made and fit correctly studies show that more then 90% of people can wear them but an adjustment period is normal. If you take them off a lot and just wear them when reading it will make it much harder to get used to them.

Even how the frame fits makes a huge difference. They work best when wore close to the eyes. The bottom of the lenses should tilt in a little and the frame front should curve in a little at the sides.

As far as size goes, there are newer designs that work in narrower frames but a deeper frame does usually work better. I still sell lots of progressives in narrow frames because that is what people want. In the extremely narrow frames usually one area of the lenses are less then ideal.

It is usually the intermediate area but it might be the distance or the near, different progressives differ. Plus in a deeper frame the less clear areas on the side can be spread out more.

Happyladi, I agree with you about the ophthalmologist/optometrist issue. I really, really like my optometrist, who has his practice in a Costco, where I buy my glasses and contacts. Not exactly the Ritz but it seems ideal for me. In the event I do have problems with my eyes, I see an ophthalmologist but that's very rare. Not knocking either just content with my situation. Costco is very good about fixing/redoing lenses if they aren't right.

One thing Costco does right is only hire experienced opticians and pay them well. In many states anyone can call themselves an optician. Ask if the person helping you is certifed by the Americian Board of Opticianry. Of course, there are good opticians that aren't but if the person is at least you know they have met a certain standard of knowledge. My certificate is hanging proudly where I work.

One way Costco can offer glasses so cheap is that they offer very limited lenses and buy them in huge amounts. They only offer one progressive, the Ovation, in regular lenses. I believe they use another for sunglasses. The Ovation is a decent middle of the road progressive.