I asked of others awhile back and found the results to be about 50-50. Half loved them and had no problem, the other half could never get used to them.

As a result I've decided to stick with no glasses for close up and glasses for distance and the annoyance of ripping the glasses on and off my face all day.

I have always liked them, but that said my sisters never did. I find that my balance is off with just bifocals. I could not get used to plain bifocals

Just started wearing them a month or two ago. Hated them at first, because they messed with my depth perception. It's really hard to walk when you can't figure out where to step?! I did finally get used to them. What I liked better than my other non-progressive glasses? The stuff that's far away, I could see an even larger range that was probably more "middle range" before. What I disliked? I still have to remove my glasses to see close up. sigh. I actually stepped on them and broke them a week or so ago, I haven't bothered to replace them. Makes me wonder how much I liked the like part

It took a few hours to get used to them, but I love mine.

Even after several years of trying off and on, I still cannot get use to mine. I'm debating about whether to go with bifocals, or just two pairs of single vision (since I need reading glasses very little at this point and tend to look under my lenses to read still).

DH just got his first pair of glasses and went with progressives hoping he would be able to break into them easily as someone who has never worn glasses. He likes them less and less as time goes by and will try bifocals next time. MIL OTOH wears progressives and loves them.

What didn't you like about them before? Do you think that could be different the second time around?

I wear glasses all the time. I started using progressives when my correction for nearsightedness got too strong to allow reading with glasses on. I found the adjustment a non-event.

Different on the neck, too. Not having to tilt the head back all the way all the time.

I got progressive lenses when I first bought reading glasses. I was only using them for reading, and never had them when I needed them.

My distance vision is fantastic, but I wear my glasses all the time, so I have them when I need them. No problems getting used to them. Far better than a line through the lens.

I have bifocals, can not stand progressive, make me nauseated.

If you are tiling your head back wearing bifocals you need a new person making your glasses! Well fitted bifocals should never make you move your head up or down or back to read or watch tv. It takes some one who knows what they are doing and you working with them to get your glasses set right and your bifocal line in the correct position. I cringe when I see people who are not fit properly for bifocals. Do not accept substandard work! Glasses cost way too much not to be perfect.

Quasifish I don't remember the particulars, just that they were difficult to get used to.

I have worn progressive lenses for many years and I do like them. However, when I am going to be sitting at the computer for many hours at work, I would get a neck-ache from having to look out the bottom of my glasses at a screen that is at eye height. A few years ago I decided to go with single vision distance glasses and single vision computer glasses. I LOVED the computer glasses! I hated the distance glasses, because I mostly used them for driving and had to take them off my face to see the dials and things in the car. Not good while you're driving. That was stupid.

I just had an exam and new glasses made a few weeks ago. Progressive lenses for my distance glasses and single vision for my computer glasses. While I hate wearing glasses at all and think they are all ugly, I now love being able to see everything correctly. They have actually made some progress in progressive lenses and you get what you pay for. There are levels. If you pay top dollar, you are able to get "better" vision for the bottom portion of the lenses. Better = a wider portion of the lens is devoted to closer things. It's still pretty small, but because it is so close to your eye, it appears to cover a larger area.

Progressives will make the world look strange until your eyes get used to them. It may help if you can pick them up late in the day, when you can stick around the house the rest of the evening. Wait for the swimmy-ness to pass.

I've had progressives *forever*. I don't like them when I'm vacuuming because it hurts my neck to peer through the tops (distance).

I've griped on the KT about getting gulled into cataract surgery at 72, before I needed it. I only did my right eye -- which did not correct for my astigmatism, so I've needed glasses full time anyway.

Today I saw an optometrist who says I could need the cataract surgery in a year or two. I am now 77. He said it is up to me, but that waiting *too* long makes it more difficult for the surgeon, who has to remove an older, thicker, more brittle lens. Only now am I seeing any difference in *color* between the operated eye and the other one. The unoperated eye provides a slightly yellowed view.

Now I have to decide where to get my new prescription made and hope they get the lenses adjusted right for the progressives.

I've had trifocals for years no major problems with them. I never progressive I heard they are hard to get used to

I never had an issue getting used to progressives. Its very important for the DR and the glasses person to get everything placed just right. I was looking up something for my daughter today on Visionworks and I noticed they have a 30 day money back refund policy on glasses for any reason. See if you can find something like that. Without glasses my vision is 20/800, so I'm impressed with how well I see with progressives contacts and glasses.

Here's a link to the old thread: are-you-happy-with-progressive-lenses?

I considered them prior to getting my cataracts removed. I was told pretty much what these comments reflect; either one considers them a non-even and likes them very much, or they hated them and could not wear them. Unfortunately, most places will replace them with bifocals but no refund of the considerable cost of the progressive lenses.

I ended up getting 3 different pairs glasses; one for reading, one for distance and one for my computer. I was very happy with my choice.

Just no to progressive lenses. Could not do it. They drove me crazy for a week. DD also tried it last year and same thing. She is a trauma nurse practitioner and decided the fact she must shift focus very quickly had a lot to do with her being unable to adjust to progressive lenses.

I tried them years ago and couldn't get used to them. My eye doctor warned me that people just progressing to them from single vision lenses usually did fine. But, if you were already wearing bifocals, adapting to them could be less successful. I had been wearing bifocals and I'm thinking it just may have been when I was dreading going to trifocals that I tried them.

I've worn trifocals pretty comfortably for years now without problems.

My opthalmologist made me one contact for reading (left eye) and one for distance (right eye). Awesome. I forget I ever needed glasses. And the progressives made me nauseated.

Mrs. S. I had that also when I wore contacts - it was amazing. Now I wear progressives and have for years and like them. In the beginning it took a while to get used to them and the lens graduations have to be perfect, otherwise you get a very strange feeling. I did have a problem, also in the beginning, with depth perception on looking down. It also went away. Now I never think of them.

They took me a while to get used to them, but I love mine. I have 2 prescriptions and can't imagine owning two pairs of glasses. I won't wear the bifocals with the line across the lens. Nope. No way. Every time I get new frames and lenses, I hate my new glasses for the first few weeks, until I find the perfect spot for reading. Then all of the sudden I forget I'm wearing glasses most of the time.

Love mine!

"" I hated the distance glasses, because I mostly used them for driving
and had to take them off my face to see the dials and things in the car.
Not good while you're driving. That was stupid.""

Donna, I did that with my last pair of glasses. I never had any problems with the progressive lenses but my reasoning was, "If I always take off my glasses to read (which I do), why bother with progressive lenses?" Now I can't see to cook, knit or do pretty well anything that's at arm's length with my glasses on, so I spend most of the day wandering around the house not being able to see half of stuff depending on whether I'm glasses on or off (usually off).

Soon I'm going to get new glasses- with progressive lenses. This is driving me nuts.

My first pair I bought at the cheap two for one place. I couldn’t wear them. A few years later I tried again but this time got them thru the optometrist and paid for better lenses - they’ve been fine from day one.

I've worn progressives for 30+ years since I was in my 30's and vanity overrode bifocals. I can't do the contact lenses because I have Amblyopia (among other things.) I'm close to cataract surgery. Each time I get a new prescription (about every 2 years --Myopia changes) it does take me a week or two for my brain to adjust.

"I've worn progressives for 30+ years. "

so have I. there might have been an adjustment period at first, but so long ago i don't remember now... I know I've loved them and at least for 30 yrs haven't had any problem changing from close up to far away.

had cataract surgery twice this past year. will be getting new glasses just for reading / computer stuff in the next week or 2. I've tried just regular 'readers' but that's not working for me. I don't need them to drive at least.

Lutein and Zeaxanthin are good for the eyes, especially older ones. they're supposed to help with the flare from lights, the elasticity of the lens and retinal health, plus glaucoma and macular degeneration I think. Look them up. I take both now. I don't expect my eyes to get any younger, so they need all the help I can give them.

I still don't quite understand how one goes down stairs with either bi (or tri)focals or progressives. I tried a pair of the former once--my distance vision is still fine--and the stairs were a blur. This was at the time narrow frames were the style and I couldn't find anything wider. It was a waste of money for me since I just couldn't take the chance of falling down stairs! So, how DO you all manage to walk down stairs when the portion of the lenses you'd see with your head down, is blurry?

sjerin, I remember having to walk slowly and look straight down at the stairs for the first week or so. Point your nose at what you want/need to see. Then, I guess my brain got used to it and I haven't had to look down at stairs since then.

Did not like initially but somehow my eyes got used to searching for right spot so no longer an issue

sjerin, you get to the point past where it is blurry. Your chin may be on your chest. If you can't find that point, you need to have the glasses remade with new measurments. I've had labs screw up.

"If you can't find that point, you need to have the glasses remade with new measurments. I've had labs screw up."

back when these skinnier frames became the style I was limited in frame style. they told me that the skinny ones wouldn't work. they need a certain amount of space for them to position the lens in. I wasn't into the skinny little slits of glasses anyway.

Today I looked at frames and so many are those little skinny ones - and they're back to mostly having a frame around the whole lens - which I don't want. I'm just going to use my old frames for my new glasses.

but, it sounds like some of the places people go to for glasses, don't care or aren't properly trained to help people choose the frames they need for the type of lenses they need to put in them.

I went to a local place for my latest pair. The optician chatted while he fitted my glasses. He said the big chains limit themselves to 3 standard patterns for progressive lenses - you get A, B, or C depending on how much close, middle, and far distance viewing you tell them you want. But, there's alot more options -- for example, painters, mechanics, and pilots often want some "close up" vision at the top of their lense because they often need to work with stuff just above their heads. He said he has a machine that can place your close/middle/long distance fields anywhere you want them. I enjoy hearing people talk with enthusiasm about their profession (or hobby).

at last eye exam, told doctor i was getting where i needed readers for my bifocals. really close... glasses came completely off. arm's length (computer screen) just was NOT working at all. i got presctiption and went "shopping". then saw commercial for some vision place whose name escapes me at the moment. 2 pair of progressives for $89. first thought... yeah, sure, what's the catch. ended up there wasn't one. actually got 2 pairs of lenses with frames for $89. for that price, i figured i could take a chance.

arms length and closer is much better. far distance is not as crisp but not scary. i think sunlight may be a factor.

Thanks for the explanation, drewsmaga. That sounds awkward. :)

The office we go to is very busy and owned by an individual or two partners, and the person who fitted me has been there forever. I do think the narrow style had something to do with my problem. I wonder about the future of opticians in-office as there are now many on-line as well as brick and mortor places to get that $100 pair of glasses.