bifocals

[redrhodie]

My up close vision is going. I just got new glasses last month, and discussed getting either bifocals or reading glasses with my optometrist, and I opted to wait another year. Now, a month later, I'm regretting the decision to wait. My vision is getting worse by the day, and I'm having a hard time working (I'm a goldsmith).

I can now see better while soldering without my glasses than with them, but looking for tools, etc., I need the glasses on. It's frustrating to constantly be taking my glasses off and putting them back on. I'm guessing that means I'd prefer bifocals to reading glasses.

So, what are your experiences? Has the transition from single focal lens to bifocal been hard or easy? Thanks in advance for any advice.

[Zen]

I don't like bifocals, I just take off my distance glasses and use magnifier reading glasses from the dollar store when I need them

[OakLeaf]

I just buy the cheap narrow reading glasses from the drug store, wear them low on my nose, and look over them when I need distance/middle vision. It probably looks really stupid, but it works and it's really no effort.

The optometrist doesn't even talk to me about bifocal contacts. I haven't heard good things from anyone who's tried them.



ETA: I keep looking at magnifying goggles (http://www.amazon.com/Bausch-Lomb-Magnifying-81-42-00-Magnification/dp/B0015IQBYA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1260980782&sr=8-1) for close work (in my case, mostly electrical work on the vehicles). They just flip up when you need to look around the room. Here's a much cheaper pair (http://www.amazon.com/Jewelers-Lighted-Magnifying-Visor-4-8x/dp/B000KE6YRE/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1260980782&sr=8-3), I don't know the difference. Might be a better option for your soldering. And +1 to SK on nothing but contacts and wrap-around sunglasses on the bici. In fact, when I first started needing vision correction, I had glasses, and needing my peripheral vision for cycling was the whole reason I went to contacts.

[SadieKate]

Fortunately I wear contacts 99% of the time so I use readers as necessary.

I have bifocal glasses for backup but I wouldn't ever consider wearing them on a bike. That close-up lens interfers too much with my line of sight and depth perception when riding.

[badger]

how frustrating! it's a b*!ch getting older, isn't it? I'm noticing that I'm starting to pull things farther to see more clearly.

For me, it's a bit of a dichotomy, as my prescription's very strong so without contacts or glasses, I can only see about 5 inches in front of my before things get blurry. But my very up close vision is perfect for fine details.

I thought about getting laser eye surgery, but then I'd lose that up close focus so I opted to just keep wearing glasses/contacts and one day end up with bifocals or readers.

Have you tried what Oakleaf does? to put a pair of narrow glasses low on your nose and just look down them when you're doing work up close?

[DebW]

I wear bifocals. Unfortunately, I can't just leave them on all the time because the computer screen is too far for reading glasses (and too high) and too close for distance glasses. I'm better without glass to see the screen, unless the print is small, and then I have to crane my neck to look through the lower part of the bifocal. Trying to have a conversation with someone in a noisy environment also tends to put me in the "too close-too far" zone. So I'm always taking my glasses on and off, but at least I only have one pair of glasses to look for. :cool: Maybe I really need trifocals, with plain glass in the middle.

It took me a few months to get used to the bifocals. Going down stairs is challenging for awhile, as is hiking down steep trails. You just have to remember to use your neck so you're not seeing the ground through the reading glasses (fuzzy stairs, fuzzy rocks). Driving has the same problem - you can see the road fine through the upper lens, but the instrument panel is fuzzy through the reading lens (remember to move neck). Also, if you have the bifocals with lines like I do, you get to see double images of anything that the line passes through - sometimes that's nice, sometimes it's not. I prefer my bifocals to any alternatives, but sometimes it sucks to need them.

I do ride my bike in bifocals.

[Pedal Wench]

Ugghh... similar problem. I just got my first pair of progressive lenses. I used to only need distance glasses, and I took them off or look under them for reading. But, last eye doc visit indicated I needed reading glasses too. (Was doing some soldering a few months ago and borrowed my BF's readers to see the circuit board - first hint that I had a problem. :( )

I don't really like the progressives. I have to work to find the focus point when I'm reading, and like Deb, walking down stairs is a challenge. I'm really worried about them hiking. My plan is to use my regular (non-progressive, just distance) sunglasses for hiking and biking.

[azfiddle]

I have had progressive lenses for about 4 or 5 years. Took a month of headaches to get used to them, but I don't notice them at all now. I occasionally take the glasses off for close work- probably because I need a new prescription, but have no trouble on the bike.

[DebW]

I don't really like the progressives. I have to work to find the focus point when I'm reading, and like Deb, walking down stairs is a challenge. I'm really worried about them hiking. My plan is to use my regular (non-progressive, just distance) sunglasses for hiking and biking.

I wear my bifocals for hiking now without a problem (except a sore neck on a long steep downhill). These are things you get used to if you do them consistently. My non-progressive lenses have a large focus area for reading. They are fine for biking (couldn't read the bike computer without them).

[bambu101]

I have tri-focals after wearing contacts for years and then needing reading glasses and finally my eyes were just too dry for contacts any more.

These were made up to have a larger middle distance piece for computer work, which I do most of the day. I also had a separate pair of just reading glasses made up, which I almost never wear.

You do get used to bifoclas and trifocals, and the best advice I can offer is to point your nose in the direction you want to look.

Good luck!

[divingbiker]

I've worn progressives for about 4 years, and haven't had any problem except on stairs. That's still tricky.

The only issue I've had is that the style lately has been for lenses to be fairly short from top to bottom, and you need a bit deeper lens for the progressives. So the most stylish glasses aren't an option, which isn't a problem for me since I'm not stylish anyway, but the selection of frames can be pretty small.

[Tuckervill]

I have progressive lenses in my glasses and they work great. I do have to adjust to them after I have been wearing my contacts for a while. But after an hour, I can ride my bike and go downstairs just fine. I do have trouble with balance work at the gym at first.

When I don't wear my glasses, I use bifocal-monovision contacts. Both my contacts are bifocal, but one is for reading and one is for distance. The bifocal part gives me middle distance, which I didn't have before with just monovision.

I do not consider my contacts to work as good as my glasses, and some people can't adjust to monovision, but it works well enough for me. The trade off is to have to wear glasses all the time, and I don't want to do that. I like to be able to sleep and read in any position without glasses. I don't carry a purse, so I can't carry extra prescription sunglasses, and I must wear sunglasses (cataracts are a huge problem in my family and I don't want to develop them).

It's not a perfect set up, but it works for me so far.

Karen

[Crankin]

I wear contacts 99% of the time, with readers over them. Im 56 and started needing the readers when I was maybe 42. My face is teeny teeny and I cannot buy the drugstore ones or even the moderately stylish readers in dept.stores. I go to the optometrist for the readers and use my HSA to pay for new ones every 4-5 years. I buy kids/pre-teen sized frames.
I have progressives as backups and have had them for about 15 years. I did wear them constantly for about a week when I first got them to get used to them, but now I basically wear them when I get into bed at night, when I take the contacts out, or if I am sick, allergies, etc. Most people have never seen me in my progressives. I went through the headaches and the stair thing that first week, but, now I don't notice it. I live in a house with 4 stories, so when I have them on at home, I go up and down stairs a lot. I am a little careful, but so far, so good.
I spent a lot of $ on my progressives, so in the event I have to wear them, they would look nice and be comfortable. However, I really get annoyed when I have to wear glasses all of the time. My nose hurts. My ears hurt, too. Even though I have readers, I constantly take them off and on, so it's different. I would really hesitate to wear progressives riding, but if I had to, I would. One issue is that I would need to get some clip on sun glasses for them (one pair I had came with those). I *always* wear sun glasses when I go outside, all year round. Maybe it comes from living in the Sun Belt for a long time, but I can't stand not having the sunglasses on. Wearing contacts, I just buy regular cycling sunglasses. If I am riding alone, I will bring my readers with me, in case I have to change a tube, but I can do it without them.
I have considered the bifocal contacts, but I haven't heard much good about the monovision kind. My DH's optometrist suggested the new kind that have both near and far vision in both contacts, but I think my far vision might be compromised; I am super nearsighted and also have an uncorrected astigmatism with my contacts, which is corrected with the progressives and readers. I already have really bad, I mean really bad, depth perception, so I am sort of keeping things the way they are.
I do know people that wear progressives riding and don't seem to be bothered at all.

[redrhodie]

Thanks for all the ideas. I'm glad I waited to get the bifocals. It sounds like there are issues with them I wouldn't like.

I may just opt for the looking over the top of my glasses suggestion while I can still see well without magnification. Then, when my eyes get worse, either the goggles Oakleaf linked to, or another clip-on type I found in a tool catalog.

Yes, Badger, aging is fun! (isn't that what you said? ;))

[blackhillsbiker]

I have lined bifocals with the focal distance of my computer screen at work. The bifocal part goes up as high as they'll go so I don't have to crane my neck to see the screen. I don't care for them to walk around in because the line is right in the middle of my vision, but at least now I can look up and see who is entering the room. I have lined bifocals with a little shorter focal distance for normal wear. I tried progressives but they made me really nauseous. I can't manage to ride my bike with them. I get really frustrated because I went for 43 years without needing glasses at all. DH finds this amusing since he has been wearing glasses since kindergarten. I hate getting old!

Deb

[salsabike]

I've had no-line bifocals for years. Had no problem at all adjusting to them and have no problem with them now--for me, they work great.

[Laterider21958]

I've had progressive lenses for about 5 years (2 different prescriptions using the same frames during that time) and have never really been able to get on with them. I found the area for close reading was very hard to pin point and made following a line of writing (as in the newspaper) very tedious. I resorted to the cheapie half sized lens magnifying glasses the best option for me. I wear them low on my nose and then look over them for distance viewing. Thankfully at this stage I don't have any trouble while riding or driving without glasses.

As was mentioned previously, not all frames are suitable for progressive lenses. Previously my frames were just deep enough, but this time around I think I'll have to choose something deeper. I didn't know that you could request larger reading areas etc. so will discuss this before finally deciding on a frame. It's so hard to choose frames as it is. They're so expensive and you want to make sure that you select a style that compliments your face, and the frame colour let alone having to consider the bifocal/reading/distance/progressive lens part of it all! To add to it all there's the options of scratch resistant coating, self tinting and non-reflection coating! No wonder I keep putting off making the appointment. :eek:

[Selkie]

Bifocals (line, no line) and "regular" progressives didn't work for me. One problem was the size of my lenses, I think. My eyes don't work well as a team, either, which even complicates matters. I made do with distance glasses and reading glasses, the latter of which I frankly was too lazy to bother with unless I was settling down w/a book.

After a year of taking off my glasses to read and then, to see the computer, I realized that I either HAD to adapt or switch between three pairs of specs (distance, computer, and reading). If I couldn't be bothered to switch between two, how was I going to deal with THREE? Anyway, my doctor gave me "office" progressive lenses---they have a larger middle distance area and are good for regular computer users. I got new frames with larger lenses, too. Quite to my surprise, I adjusted pretty quickly. It's hard to find the smaller reading portion of the lenses. Next time, I might go for even bigger lenses so there is a more generous reading segment.

Be prepared, progressive lenses are expensive.

I know people who can't adapt to them and make due with multiple pairs of glasses. Best of luck to you, Red.....

[Bike Chick]

Red, I wore my first bifocals in jr. high and the only issue I remember was walking up and down stairs but I got used to it after a couple weeks.

I had lasik surgery 5 years ago (one of the best things I've ever done) and my reading vision deteriorated quickly afterward. I wear cheaters on the end of my nose like Oak does and even keep a pair in my bike bag. There's no way I could change a tire without my reading glasses.

[malkin]

After a few years in bifocals, last spring I tried bifocal contacts.

I was thinking they'd be good for cycling but they're not really; the air/wind is kinda drying, so for long rides I just wear corrected sunglasses. If I'm just riding to the store I'll wear contacts and regular sunglasses--I love being able to see when I shop! I still keep a cheepie pair of readers in my trunk bag though.

I was thinking that I'd stick to my glasses at work but I almost always wear contacts to work now. My contacts give better peripheral awareness, and are less interesting to grabby little hands. And when I get smacked in the head contacts don't fly across the room or break.

So, my expectations were wrong, but I'm still a satisfied customer.

I think the way they work is that both lenses correct both near and far, but the dominant eye one has more emphasis on far vision and the other eye has more emph. on near. It took a couple tries to get the prescription right.

The brand of contacts I have are also approved to treat dry eye, which I don't have, but I do live in a very dry climate, so that's a bit of a bonus.

Is my corrected vision perfect? No, pretty far from what it was when I was a kid. Nevermind; it's good enough for all normal purposes.

[mumbles]

I have progressive no line bifocals and they are fine. However the pair I bought most recently was the first pair that I liked from the moment I put them on. Several times before I sent the lenses back to be redone after the people at the store could not seem to get them adjusted right. Now I suspect that there was nothing wrong with the lenses, it seems to have more to do with having someone that knows how to adjust them properly.

[Irulan]

I have two sets of bifocals. I got them about 3 months ago and I am sorry I waited.

One set is driving/reading and the other is computer/close for the work I do. This second set is what OP might like, a set specifically for your work conditions.

[Fontinalis]

I have had multi focals (progressive, no lines) for many years.
I learned a few things about them as I have had many different pairs, changing every three years or so.

It takes a very very good optician to make multi focals. Don't skimp on paying the price. Not all frames, lenses, will do. They redid a pair three times before getting it right, at their cost. This is a place very comited to outfit you perfectly.

Sometimes the angle of the pane is wrong. Sometime the distance between your eye and the pane is wrong. Sometime the curvature is wrong. Many many variables in that equation, beside those multi focal prescriptions themselves.

So, go for a reputable optician/shop. And one that puts it in writing that you have to be satisfied or your money back. Not just a credit note for a different set of eyewears.

Demand that is suits/fits perfectly and works for YOU. Demand 100% satisfaction. That shop gave me 60 days, each time, or money back.

Also, don't expect the multi focals to feel natural on day one. Some people will take as much as a couple of weeks to get accustomed. Actually, its not your eyes, its your brain, that has to learn to 'process' what your eyes are seeing, and 'how' to see with those multifocals. And when that works out, it is HEAVEN. I would not go back to wearing many pairs of glasses. Drives me NUTS.

I have multifocals in my regular (clear) glasses, and I have Oakley sun glasses, curved, wrapping around glasses for riding my bike and for driving, or just being outdoor on a sunny day.

I work at a computer most of the time. I drive with them. I ride with them. And all three distances (far, near, and in between) they work 100%.

(I am both presbite and hypermetroppe.)

Good luck in finding the perfect glasses for you. It is a pain to wear glasses. So, at least find good ones, ones that work, that are comfortable.

[amartha]

With my extreme farsightedness, I needed bifocal cycling sunglasses. Bolle SOS sun-shields work for me with Rx inserts. My optician fills them. I need distance and close vision for reading cue sheets. I've been using progressive lenses for 20 years. To find cycling sunglasses, I had to research the prescription limits for each design in Rx adapters.

[Catrin]

Does the combination of contacts and cycling sunglasses work if the sunglasses are a "wrap-around" style that helps to keep wind out of the eyes? My glasses are so expensive that I am balking at paying double to get a pair of prescription cycling sunglasses - and I NEED that bi-focal. I've been experimenting with multi-focal contacts that correct for my astigmatism.

[bmccasland]

I wear hard (semi-rigid) contacts, with non-Rx wrap-around sunglasses for riding (and airboating :cool:). I tuck my readers in their hard case in my jersey pocket for the "just in case" factor. Although I can change a tire without them.

[OakLeaf]

Does the combination of contacts and cycling sunglasses work if the sunglasses are a "wrap-around" style that helps to keep wind out of the eyes?

Works best that way. You get to keep your peripheral vision and your correction.

I carry one of those credit-card-sized magnifiers in a jersey pocket. Doesn't work as well as readers, but it's way easier to carry, and I don't need it that often on the bici. Mainly to read menus if we stop for a meal. ;)

[redrhodie]

OP here, with a strange update to my situation. For the past couple of weeks, I haven't had to remove my glasses to see up-close. The main thing that changed was I stopped sleeping with a blindfold. After a couple of nights without it, I realized I hadn't been taking my glasses off to solder at work.

I also started doing some eye exercises that I remembered from a yoga class. I'm not sure if either of these things this is what's helping my vision, but my eyes have also been less dry and itchy. My vision isn't as good as it was 6 months ago, but it's better than when I started this thread, and some days are better than others. Maybe this is just the way it happens? From your experiences, were there good and bad days, or was it a steady progression into vision loss?

There's a yoga studio nearby that is offering a holistic eye class in April, which I'm going to take. It can't hurt to learn more about my eyes, and maybe I'll be able to slow this down for a bit longer.