Trifocals versus progressives?

[k***@gmail.com]

Well, I've about reached the limit with bifocals. My accommodation is
now weak enough that I cannot achieve comfortable, sharp vision at both
computer-screen distance and reading distance with a single correction.
I am not at all concerned about bifocal lines being visible. But I am
very critical about wanting to see things clearly.
So, I'd like to hear from people who've switched from trifocals to
progressives or vice-versa--purely on the basis of providing clear
vision, which is better?
--
Daniel P. B. Smith, dpbsmith at world dot ess tee dee dot com
"Elinor Goulding Smith's Great Big Messy Book" is now back in print!
Sample chapter at http://world.std.com/~dpbsmith/messy.html
Buy it at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1403314063/

Progressives have VERY limited horizontal range of vision, so if you have multiple monitors side by side, you will need a lot of horizontal head movement to find and get into focus. Trifocals are MUCH better for this. One BIG trade-off with trifocals is that fixed templates may make it hard to get all the prescription ranges the way you need them for each of the 3 areas. Progressives are more forgiving in this area.

For me progressives just did not work because for computer use I needed the middle part of the lens the most a but it is the narrowest so required a lot of head movement. 12-16 hours in front of screens and it gets tiring fast; even after only 2-3 hours (after weeks of trying to get used to them).

YMMV.

[The Real Bev]

Post by k***@gmail.com

Well, I've about reached the limit with bifocals. My accommodation
is now weak enough that I cannot achieve comfortable, sharp vision
at both computer-screen distance and reading distance with a single
correction.
I am not at all concerned about bifocal lines being visible. But I
am very critical about wanting to see things clearly.
So, I'd like to hear from people who've switched from trifocals to
progressives or vice-versa--purely on the basis of providing clear
vision, which is better?
-- Daniel P. B. Smith, dpbsmith at world dot ess tee dee dot com
"Elinor Goulding Smith's Great Big Messy Book" is now back in
print! Sample chapter at http://world.std.com/~dpbsmith/messy.html
Buy it at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1403314063/

Progressives have VERY limited horizontal range of vision, so if you
have multiple monitors side by side, you will need a lot of
horizontal head movement to find and get into focus. Trifocals are
MUCH better for this. One BIG trade-off with trifocals is that fixed
templates may make it hard to get all the prescription ranges the way
you need them for each of the 3 areas. Progressives are more
forgiving in this area.
For me progressives just did not work because for computer use I
needed the middle part of the lens the most a but it is the narrowest
so required a lot of head movement. 12-16 hours in front of screens
and it gets tiring fast; even after only 2-3 hours (after weeks of
trying to get used to them).

You can get GOOD bifocals from Goggles4U for under $30 -- they have
40%-off sales every once in a while. Single-vision glasses are perhaps
half of that. If you're farsighted with no or minimal astigmatism
reading glasses from the dollar store are perfectly good.

Having to move my head around in order to see clearly is intolerable. I
use dollar-store readers for computer (+1.25) and books (+2.25) and
stack them up for splinter removal. I have bifocal glasses and
sunglasses, but the +2 part is only for emergencies.

I've bought glasses from Goggles4U for a long time and have been happy.
The biggest nuisance is trying to figure out what size frames to get,
but if vanity doesn't come into play you're way ahead of the game.