Progressive lenses - Narrow Field of vision normal for books/computer?

[JamesMom]

Hi,

I sucummbed to my age and got a pair of progressive lenses as suggested by my eye doctor.
I have had them for about 24 hours and I am going crazy!
I am near sighted, but need readers to read my kindle.
The good: Distance vision is good. I have gotten used to the limited peripheral vision and can drive short distances with no problem. Dont' want to drive more than a mile or two until I fully am accustomed.
The readers are fine for the 3" across my Kindle,

But...
I can't read more than that - like a magazine or computer screen. I have to turn my head and that causes a minor tilting of the text as I pan from left to right and back again. It's nauseating and disorienting.

I understand (don't like, but understand) that I have to bring my head to my chest to see the pile of clothes my kids left on the floor to pick them up. And blink while doing a quick pan around my living room to prevent a disorienting blur.
But do I really have to spend my day moving my head from left to right constantly to see the screen? I can decipher the slightly blurry words, but doesn't that defeat the purpose of glasses? I can do that by taking the darn things off, lol

For example, while typing this I can see fine until about right now. Any longer and it blurs out and I have to move my head. Makes computer and/or book reading very annoying. And yes I am using the 'mid' lens for computer and 'lowest' lens for books.

Again, I have only had these for 24 hours, but I am not thrilled. Actually mildly annoyed. I am leaving on an 8-hr each way driving trip in two weeks and need to know if I can adjust in time, or give up and have my original lenses replaced.
Thanks for listening

 

[mtemm]

I had a hard time adjusting for about a week. I had never worn glasses before, so part of my adjustment might have been simply getting used to glasses. the first day or 2 I kept taking them off until a friend who is an eye dr told me to stop it, just keep them on and ride it out. glad I did. didn't take long and I was used to them. the only thing that is annoying is if I am in my bed watching tv I have to pop them down my nose a bit so I can look thru the top portion.

dh just got progressives after wearing regular lenses since his teens. took him a couple of weeks to adjust, but he did.

I would say if you are still struggling in a week or so of consistently wearing them, go back to where you got them and make sure they are correct. once in a blue moon they have them measured a bit wrong.

 

[Straitlover]

I only use the reader part for quick reading of stuff. If I am doing a lot of reading (magazines, computer, etc), I use my reading glasses. Luckily, my regular vision is not that bad, so I put my readers on when I get to work and switch back to my progressives when I leave for the day.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Hi,

I sucummbed to my age and got a pair of progressive lenses as suggested by my eye doctor.
I have had them for about 24 hours and I am going crazy!
I am near sighted, but need readers to read my kindle.
The good: Distance vision is good. I have gotten used to the limited peripheral vision and can drive short distances with no problem. Dont' want to drive more than a mile or two until I fully am accustomed.
The readers are fine for the 3" across my Kindle,

But...
I can't read more than that - like a magazine or computer screen. I have to turn my head and that causes a minor tilting of the text as I pan from left to right and back again. It's nauseating and disorienting.

I understand (don't like, but understand) that I have to bring my head to my chest to see the pile of clothes my kids left on the floor to pick them up. And blink while doing a quick pan around my living room to prevent a disorienting blur.
But do I really have to spend my day moving my head from left to right constantly to see the screen? I can decipher the slightly blurry words, but doesn't that defeat the purpose of glasses? I can do that by taking the darn things off, lol

For example, while typing this I can see fine until about right now. Any longer and it blurs out and I have to move my head. Makes computer and/or book reading very annoying. And yes I am using the 'mid' lens for computer and 'lowest' lens for books.

Again, I have only had these for 24 hours, but I am not thrilled. Actually mildly annoyed. I am leaving on an 8-hr each way driving trip in two weeks and need to know if I can adjust in time, or give up and have my original lenses replaced.
Thanks for listening

Are you original lenses single vision or bifocals?

Adjusting to bifocals/progressives it's the same - the actual reading portion of the lens is quite small/narrow. You get used to it.

I've read that those people who didn't wear glasses before and now have to have bifocals do better at adjusting to progressive lenses than those who had single vision lenses already before getting bifocals.

I can report that it took me about 2 weeks to get used to the vision difference between looking straight ahead (or up) and down. About a full month for full adjustment.

What I found hardest to adjust to was the basic loss of peripheral vision wearing glasses, since the clearest views are straight ahead.

 

[BillSears]

As a computer programmer I spend a HUGE amount of time looking at a computer screen. Progressives just didn't work for me. Instead I have computer glasses that I leave on my desk just for the computer.

In my experience reading for 10+ hours a day with progressives isn't going to work. But if you're just using it to see around you you can probably adjust to it.

 

[lsyorke]

I tried progressives for a few weeks and finally brought them back. It didn't work for any of the type of work I needed them to work for. Constantly head moving isn't something I choose to do. I got standard bifocals for work(computer and distance) and it's perfect.

The field of vision with the progressives was just way to limited for me.

 

[Christine]

I ordered Progressives also and after a month of trying them, I had to return them.

I use the computer heavily at work and then I have reading material that I look at simultaneously.

I could NOT get the computer aspect to work. I did well with the driving/distance but just couldn't make it work. I did "okay" with reading, but ot be honest, the cheap readers did MUCH better.

So, I had the lenses popped out and had distance lenses put in for driving.

 

[3DisneyBuggs]

Do you have digital progressive lenses? I need glasses for both reading and distance. I've had the digital progressives for 2 years and they are great. The only distortion is if I lay down and watchvTV. Reading is great and so is using the computer. If you dont have digital lenses, it may be worth it to try.

 

[maxiesmom]

I have had progressives for years. I do still move my head in order to read, but I don't even notice that I do it anymore.

I wouldn't go back and forth between progressives and non progressives. You need to pick one and stick with it, or else your eyes will never adjust. I'd stick with them for a while longer, and if they just don't work out, then return them.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

After trying to do progressive TWICE in the past, I went to another place that promised to fit me correctly. I was at this point desperate because I had reached maximum need to wear progressive lenses.

It was a "trendy store" that picks out frames for you and they help you with what looks good as well.

I told them of my issues with past glasses and they picked out several pairs that would work for me. All is well.

So bottom line the optician needs to be someone who can help you with the correct frames to do the job.

 

[design_mom]

I got progressives just before Christmas. It look me about 3 weeks to get used to them. I went back to the shop twice to get them adjusted because I didn't feel like they were "right" and each time they assured me they were. I finally got used to them and don't really notice distortion anymore.

 

[Kirby]

I've worn glasses almost my whole life and when I needed bifocals chose progressive lenses instead. I haven't had any trouble at all watching tv, reading or working on the computer. I had no adjustment period. Guess I was very fortunate.

 

[quandrea]

I tried last year for a month and had to bring them back. This year I definitely need readers and I'm going with readers and distance glasses. Two pairs may not be convenient but it has to be better than the nightmare that was progressives.

 

[ilovemk76]

They have a channel. When I got mine, they gave me the "training wheel" progressives with the wide channel. I only got them for the computer. I can and still do read without them.

 

[minkydog]

Hi,

I sucummbed to my age and got a pair of progressive lenses as suggested by my eye doctor.
I have had them for about 24 hours and I am going crazy!
I am near sighted, but need readers to read my kindle.
The good: Distance vision is good. I have gotten used to the limited peripheral vision and can drive short distances with no problem. Dont' want to drive more than a mile or two until I fully am accustomed.
The readers are fine for the 3" across my Kindle,

But...
I can't read more than that - like a magazine or computer screen. I have to turn my head and that causes a minor tilting of the text as I pan from left to right and back again. It's nauseating and disorienting.

I understand (don't like, but understand) that I have to bring my head to my chest to see the pile of clothes my kids left on the floor to pick them up. And blink while doing a quick pan around my living room to prevent a disorienting blur.
But do I really have to spend my day moving my head from left to right constantly to see the screen? I can decipher the slightly blurry words, but doesn't that defeat the purpose of glasses? I can do that by taking the darn things off, lol

For example, while typing this I can see fine until about right now. Any longer and it blurs out and I have to move my head. Makes computer and/or book reading very annoying. And yes I am using the 'mid' lens for computer and 'lowest' lens for books.

Again, I have only had these for 24 hours, but I am not thrilled. Actually mildly annoyed. I am leaving on an 8-hr each way driving trip in two weeks and need to know if I can adjust in time, or give up and have my original lenses replaced.
Thanks for listening

See if you can wear them for a week. It may improve. If it does not, take them back. I had some progressives once that made me nauseous. Turns out they were set just a little bit off and needed to be re-done. Once I got the new & improved glasses, I got used to them pretty quick.

Oh, and about needing to turn your head from side to side. I need a rather high prescription for close reading and I get vertigo if I have to move my head instead of just my eyes. I have pair of strong readers for close reading because the who lens is the same strength. When I am working on the computer I do not have that problem.

 

[JamesMom]

OP, here.

Thanks for all the replies. I wore them for about 6 hours today and took them off.
Driving is fine, but reading is a hassle as well as walking around the house. I find I am getting lazy already and just dealing with the blur - which is not right! My eyes are very tired right now and everything looks fuzzy with the glasses off. I'll try and wear them for 8 hours tomorrow and hope they get better.

I wore single vision for distance only for about 20 years. I am nearsighted and only in the past year noticed a true need for reading glasses. It was getting annoying to wear glasses to see out the windshield, but take them off to see the map on my phone and put them back on again. I was hoping this would solve that problem.

Again, I am leaving for a lengthy road trip and would like non-distracted vision.

 

[tvguy]

I ordered Progressives also and after a month of trying them, I had to return them.

I use the computer heavily at work and then I have reading material that I look at simultaneously.

I could NOT get the computer aspect to work. I did well with the driving/distance but just couldn't make it work. I did "okay" with reading, but ot be honest, the cheap readers did MUCH better.

So, I had the lenses popped out and had distance lenses put in for driving.

I guess they don't work for everyone. Your situation is exactly the same as mine, 40 hours a week at the computer at work, working off paperwork that is closer, working off TV monitors that are 2 feet way, working off TV monitors that are 25 feet away and progressives are perfect, Just move my head if I am not looking through the proper correction. boom I can see. Without them I would have three pairs of glasses, reading, computer and distance, and spend all day switching glasses.

 

[disney1990]

I tried and never could adjust to them. Going back and forth from computer screen to other things and it drove me crazy.

 

[zackspal]

progressives are something that definitely take getting used to. have 3 different scripts in mine. Have been wearing for about 15 years. When first started wearing, took about a week to get used to. now cant live without. have script sunglasses, they are great for driving but not much else. these turn out to be something you either love or hate.. Good luck

 

[North of Mouse]

I've worn glasses almost my whole life and when I needed bifocals chose progressive lenses instead. I haven't had any trouble at all watching tv, reading or working on the computer. I had no adjustment period. Guess I was very fortunate.

This has been my experience also. When I needed bifocals - no 'way' was I wearing those with obvious 'lines'! LOL I went straight to progressives and have never looked back. After one day I never even noticed any difference - guess I just automatically turn my head just so.

My ideal was to wear contacts, but with dry eyes I tried everything on the market, then gave up and resigned myself to wearing glasses!

One thing you do need to remember though - even though your optician may try to 'fit' progressives into very small lenses, it will not work! You need a certain amount of 'debth' for good vision. Not 'huge', but not really thin either.