What are Progressive Lenses – Pros and Cons

Progressive lenses are specialized eyeglasses that hold three different prescriptions. They’re usually targeted to the over 40 crowds, who would otherwise wear bifocals plus one other set of prescription eyeglasses for working at a computer.

There’s an appeal to this, particularly for those of us who do wear bifocals plus “computer glasses” and have to remember when to switch them out — yet another detail to remember in a very detailed life!

Progressive Lenses are Not Trifocals

Perhaps you’ve tried trifocals, also a three-in-one solution for the visually challenged who spend a lot of time in front of computer screens.

But unlike trifocals (and bifocals), or implantable contact lenses, progressive lenses don’t have a line between the prescriptions, so they look like regular distance or reading glasses. The seamlessness preserves any vanity on the part of the wearer who may not want to advertise his or her eyesight issues. Plus, it helps some wearers adjust to the three-in-one vision field more easily.

Progressive Lenses Pros and Cons

Like anything deemed progressive, the benefits brought by progressive lenses may be slight or substantial.

Let’s start with three key factors in favor of progressive lenses:

• You don’t have to carry around another set of eyeglasses.

• Words and objects don’t jump around your field of vision when you move your head.
• #2 makes easier to remain within driving speed limits if your vehicle has a traditional dashboard.

And here are some reasons that progressive lenses won’t work out:

• It can take some time to adjust to wearing glasses with three different prescriptions.

• Some people report dizziness and even nausea when they first venture out wearing progressive lenses.
• Peripheral vision may be distorted, adding to dizziness and uncertainty about depth perception.

Most People Adjust to Progressive Lenses and Like Them

Most people do get used to wearing progressive lenses, although it can take up to a month to be fully comfortable with them. “The adjustment wasn’t too bad for me,” one progressive wearer says. “I now look down whenever I go down the stairs, and sometimes the edges of a landscape-printed spreadsheet look a bit curved.”

She also notes that the middle range intended for computer use sometimes affects her ability to focus afterward, so she usually switches to readers if she expects a long session.

A survey of 501 progressive lens customers found 84% were roughly evenly divided as satisfied or very satisfied. Their average age was 50 – 55 years; 41% had hypermetropia or long-sightedness. Most respondents were women.

Among the 79 who reported being dissatisfied, a very small number (15) returned to where they purchased the glasses.

A concurrent survey of 810 wearers (not all completed the satisfaction survey) found that 8.5% returned their glasses because of problems they had with comfort or vision. Of this number, 80% had already worn progressives so they understood problems could be corrected.

• More than one-third had issues with distance vision.
• One-third had problems with the fitting.
• One-third wanted treatments on the lenses or needed repairs for breaks, scratches, etc.

Curious to find out more about what are progressive lenses? Feel free to reach out to Atlanta Eye Care Center! Our team members are happy to answer all your questions. We are looking forward to hearing from you!