I recently got bifocals from both Zenni and Walmart because of the way my Medicare Advantage pays. 2 pairs of prescription sunglasses and 1 regular pair. My cost was about $200 for all 3.

I tried progressive lenses one time and was not happy with them so bifocals are fine for me.

I had great progressives which I loved, lost them then got new ones which I hated and returned. Both supposedly highest end lenses. Peripheral vision IS impacted and you will turn your head more, but it was minimal in the first and unacceptable in the second. Of course I can't tell what yours look like.

Does crook your neck mean tilt your head? If so, that's clearly a misfit. If you're talking up and down, of course you have to adjust so that you're using the right section for the right distance, but if it's so bad that you're in pain that's an issue.

I'd go back to the optometrist, explain what you're dealing with and see what they say. Either they'll agree it's a bad fit which they'll try to fix with you, or they'll say this is how they are in which case you return them.

Act quickly, my understanding is the lens mfr will eat it for a limited time. After that you'll be fighting with the optometrist.

i got an Rx for computer glasses [28 inches from screen] and got a simple pair from warby parker fr $100.

My RX is not easy to fill -12 I’ve never had an issue with progressives and don't have to tilt my head or see blurriness out of the sides. i’d say they incorrectly measured the fit of your glasses. I recently was looking at glasses at Costco with my sister. It turned out they couldn't fill my rx, but she got progressives. They specifically asked her if she did computer work or read alot because it would determine how wide to make something in the lens. BTW progressive lenses are only $160 there. They sell only the 1.67 thinner lens. The 1.74 thinner than that lens goes up to -14. I was able to do that at Sam’s. Darn it, Costco has much better prices. Anyway, i think your rx was mishandled in tne lens fitting.

Contact your vision provider and let them know the problems you are having.

You shouldn't be having so much trouble

I have an appt next week to talk to them about it, I'm trying to think of what route I might want to take.

I don't think the lenses were made incorrectly, I can see quite well at the different distances it's just that I have to tilt my head back for the computer screen. This is all new to me, so I don't know if it's SOP for the fitter to query re: activities and what the glasses will be used for primarily. The Rx was from my ophthalmologist, not the eyelglasses shop.

‘I have to tilt my head back for the computer screen. ’ Have you tried adjusting the screen height so you are looking through the correct area of your lenses?

I have progressive and had the same trouble...Dr., re-adjusted (twice) the "cut-off" line,

and finally don't have to head tip! The last time, he said, "this can't be right, and

I'm sure you won't like them"....they are perfect. LOL But, I'm sure it depends

on what part you are using most, too.

I tried progressive lenses. Didn't work for me. After a few weeks, the eye doctor's office called to see how I like them, I told them it was like having Vaseline smeared acoss the lens. They said bring them back and we will make you a pair of regular bifocals. They didn't give me the different back, money-wise, but I was just thrilled to get a pair of glasses I could see with.

Adjusting the screen height would only help in seeing a small portion of the screen -- I'd still have to tilt my neck to see all of it, it would be a constant tilt-untilt motion, the intermediate distant field of vision in these is pretty small.

Take them back and express your dissatisfaction. If they didn't measure your eyes correctly, that's their mistake they need to re-do it (happened to me last time, when I was measured by a trainee, not an experienced person). If they didn't listen to your needs and made them incorrectly (too narrow for computer work) they should fix that too.

The individual 'fitter' who measures, adjusts, and gives you your glasses is so critical. When I first got progressives, they told me to "point my nose" at what I was looking at for the first few days. For example, going down steps, I needed to look down at the steps to see them correctly, not rely on peripheral vision. After a few days my eyes adjusted, no issues.

^^ Definitely a difference in how the lenses are made with the computer glasses.

I wish I would have known this right off the bat. But, they are offering to make it right. It's just which option should I go with (in original post)

I wear progressives and worked with them just fine. I did however, raise the computer monitor at work so reading the screen was much easier. If you're using a laptop, I suggest a second pair of glasses strictly for reading and computer work. But if you can raise the monitor itself by putting something under it (I used a crap load of cardboard that separates our shelf labels) it helps tons. (eta: I just realized this won't work at a sitting desk: I stood at mine)

Also: it takes a few WEEKS to get used to a pair of progressive lenses. Every time I buy new frames it takes me time to get used to them and I HATE them at first and get very frustrated. But within a week or two, my eyes adjust to the new lenses just fine.

Lisa's comment is on the money. I've twice encountered this problem. Where the different refraction areas are put on the lens is completely variable at the option of the person "fitting" the glasses to the patient. A measurement of the position of the line relative to the position of the pupil and the vertical height of the lens when the frames are on is one of the specs submitted to the lab for preparation of the lenses. Once, it was too high (there was too small of a normal vision area and when looking straight ahead, the lenses were at the "magnification for reading" position) and another time, too low (no way to read, that portion of the lens was too small and too low).

The "like having Vaseline on the lens" comment is consistent with the reading line transition being too high, trying to look at a distance wearing reading glasses.

My approach now when getting lenses is to have the optician measure the relative position of my existing glasses (how far below the pupil) to make it, then put in that spec for the new ones. I decided to buy a second pair of glasses just as a backup from Costco. Even with my suggestion, they put the line at the wrong place and I couldn't use them. I had to return them, ask they do the measurement again, and the second optician said that the first had put in the wrong numbers. The re-do pair are fine except, as they cautioned me, the "good quality" level of Costco glasses and the progressive geometry their equipment uses don't compare to the premium (and more expensive) glasses I have. The Costco ones are adequate for short term use, what I wanted, but for sure inferior. You get what you pay for. And yes, I know, opticians overprice and gouge customers. I know of no other avenues to get premium lenses.

I agree that they measured them wrong but they may also need to be adjusted on your face. Not this pair but the previous one I finally put into a drawer because I could not see clearly. I broke the one I was using but decided to have the cushions replaced on the newer ones. The tech just looking at me after replacing the cushions did some small bending of the frames and I could finally see correctly out of them.

Which option to choose ... I'd keep these progressives and add a pair of computer glasses.

And yes, it should be standard for them to ask what your normal activities are.

The shape of the lenses can affect the width of the areas of use. Narrow lenses can be problematic for progressives. It does take time to adjust to them and how you wear glasses on your face can affect things as well. I have had progressives and trifocals and much prefer progressives.

When my progressives weren't right, the optometrist staff told me their lab allows one free redo. They aren't out anything, so I'd plan to give them a chance at correction.

For anyone spending extended time looking at near objects - whether a book, a PC or tablet screen, paper on a desk, etc., progressive lenses and I suspect bifocals too wouldn't be suitable.

I have always read a lot and do plenty of screen time and my progressives are perfectly fine.

"For anyone spending extended time looking at near objects - whether a book, a PC or tablet screen, paper on a desk, etc., progressive lenses and I suspect bifocals too wouldn't be suitable."

Would your suggestion be single-vision lenses? (which is one of the options I'm considering)

Yes, that's what I'm wondering, thinking out loud. When I use something on a screen, like a PC, my head is far enough away that it's not near vision. Or maybe that's a different approach, sit farther back from the screen or raise it. I'd ask an eye doctor - whether an optometrist or an ophthalmologist - their view of this. Sorry for the unintended pun.

It isn't always the case or always convenient for reading material to be below what's seen when your sightline is parallel to the ground. Depending on the distance of what's being read to the eyes, if near vision is what's needed, a reading correction on the bottom of the lens isn't going to be of much value without having to point the head higher than level.

IIRC, different lens manufacturers can vary in the shape of the different strengths relative to the entire lens. For a (fictional) example, one may used an hourglass shape, while another will be wider in the middle. But, the prescription sections don't cover the entire lens which is why your peripheral vision is blurry - it isn't being corrected.

I couldn't adjust to my progressives - I had the same problem with having to tilt my head, which is a no-go with my old neck injury, and the computer/reading sections were too small. I keep that pair in the car for distance vision while driving, while still having the ability to read something when needed; and since then I have my ophthalmologist write out separate prescriptions for reading, computer and distance. I use the distance for watching TV, and use the computer ones 90% of the rest of the day - rarely use the reading lenses. My vision issues now are mostly presbyopia complicated by severe astigmatism (a product of having extreme near-sightedness corrected by radial keratotomy 35 years ago - my vision fluctuates and is often double.)

I had progressives for years then decided that since I always take my glasses off to read, they were kind of pointless, so my next pair was just single vision. (The optometrist said that it was common for people with my kind of vision to just take glasses off to read.)

I hated them. I couldn’t see properly when I was cooking and it drove me nuts. The next pair were progressives again.

I have a separate single vision pair for computer use.

I must be blessed, because I have never had any problems with my progressives. The only thing that I have had to do was to purchase a pair of eyeglasses of my distance prescription with a prism added to it. I had "lazy eye" as a child and did exercises instead of surgery (my parents were afraid), and I find that when my eyes are tired, I tend to see double. The prism corrects that. I use them at the theater and the opera. I sympathize with those who have issues with their glasses--such an important tool .I agree that the fitting is the most important thing. Glasses are so expensive!

On my current lenses, when the optician was putting the dot on the glasses for where my pupils are, I had to strong-arm her into raising the dots slightly to accommodate my needs for a larger and higher mid-range in my progressives. Before that, with the last couple of glasses, I was removing them for computer use, for talking across the table at dinner, and just about every other mid-range activity.

I write it off to the fact that glasses are designed for people who are taller than I am, and taller people look through a different area of their lenses than short people do. Even when sitting.

My regular glasses are progressives, but I cannot see well with them when cooking, and so I often just take them off, which is what I do for reading.

I have single vision glasses for computer use, but I can still read fairly well when wearing them, although I can read better if I take them off.

I have prescription swim goggles that are somewhere between my regular glasses and the computer glasses, but they are more like the computer glasses. I also have a prescription swim mask - otherwise I would have to wear contact lens under water, and I don't want to do that.

I have never heard of Rx swim goggles and mask -- that is a new one for me. But, I am not a swimmer, so there's that. I'm still going back and forth on this, I've been wearing my "old" glasses for work and it's fine -- not crystal-clear to drive but I good enough, and they work well for the computer.

I really don't understand the comment about progressives not being good for extended close range. I had mine for years while working on a laptop on a desk, and wore them a solid majority of the time. For certain things I'd always switch to contacts and carry readers (beach, snowboarding) but in general it was glasses.

I think it’s because a laptop screen is at an OK angle for using progressives, but a desktop screen is generally mounted higher.

thread has been going 3 days and just now I noticed the mis-spelling in the title! LOL maybe I too need new glasses!

"thread has been going 3 days and just now I noticed the mis-spelling in the title!"

LOL! I told you all I can't see the computer out of these glasses!

It seems that whatever you have gotten used to and become comfortable with are what you want to stay with.

I am all for progressives and hubs prefer bifocals.

But, I cant use my desktop computer screen with either progressives or bifocals without having to tilt my head and look through the bottom of them.

So, I just get the magnifying ones that you buy Walmart and use those for my computer glasses. That was from the advice of the optometrist.

Or just have some single vision ones made for the computer. i got a prescription for that.

It can get to be a pain and I am often to be seen with a pair on my nose and a pair on my head, as I switch back and forth.

I have come to where I just give up sometimes and just let the world go by in a fuzzy blurr.

I have progressives. I only need them for reading, but I wear them all the time, so I have them when I need them. Originally I carried them in my purse but it was a pia digging them out when needed; or I didn't have them at all.

I use my laptop 90% of the time, and a desktop that I use for my work. I don't have any issue reading on any media; paper, book, phone, laptop or desktop.

Update: UGH here it is mid-April, and still having problems with glasses since December. The first shop re-made the progressives into bifocals, but they screwed something up in the distance portion and part of the field of vision was blurry so I refused them. Went round with them a bit but finally got my money back. Went to a different shop, had bifocals made. Picked them up yesterday, and having trouble adjusting. They said give it a couple days and if still blurry then bring them back, it may take a couple-few days to adjust. Ok fine, that's what I've heard that it can make time to adjust to a new Rx, but what I question is why was the distance vision perfect in the first pair that was made, no problems whatsoever adjusting to distance. Sigh...

Even if I eventually adapt, I doubt I will be able to use these on workdays on the computer most of the time, the Rx is just too strong for 24-30" distance. I'm wondering if I do adjust to these new glasses distance-wise, just get another computer pair made to wear most of the time (like I said -- most of my activities are intermediate distance anyway, not just the computer), and save this for driving. That may work. I had an appt with my opthalmologist in a few weeks, I'm going to talk to her about all this and have her write me a Rx specifically for intermediate vision in addition to a regular Rx for distance/close-up.

My goodness this is giving me a lot of grief. I must say, I kinda do like the bifocals better, my eyes just know right where to go, none of that move your head around to find the right spot. DH asked me why I got bifocals, everybody will know because can see the line, to which I replied I really don't care, I just want a pair of glasses I can see well with!

That is what I was thinking. Since I stopped wearing contacts many years ago, i didnt like the feel of wearing glasses all the time. I am near sighted and am able to function w/o glasses when moving about.

I use my distance glasses for driving and reading glasses for reading. Not a big deal to put on glasses when I need them.

DH tried progressive and couldn't get used to them. I also question if they are made correctly.

I have to say I dont get the weird thing with not wanting people to know you wear bi or multifocal glasses. You are wearing glasses. Big deal. I had bifocals in high school. I didn't know I was supposed to be embarrassed about it though.

Wear what works for you. If progressives work except at the computer get readers for the computer and leave them there. They are cheap. Or not. My high school experience with bifocals was problematic till I learned to not look down on stairs and such through the bottom of the glasses. I was severely nearsighted though

No problems with progressives, although I had to learn to take them off when vacuuming or ironing. My neck would hurt from peering down through the 'distance' part of the glasses.