New to Bifocals

[Scott F]

I've been using reading glasses for over 15 years and at the age of 61, my distance vision has been getting progressively worse. It isn't horrible, but seeing items across the room isn't as clear as it used to be and my HD TV isn't so HD. I saw my eye doctor and got a prescription for bifocals. Never having worn bifocals I really did not realize how limiting they are. My distance vision is so much better but the field of view trying to read my phone, iPad or laptop is so small compared to my reading glasses, I am very disappointed. Trying to read lines of type on a page or screen, I can only see a few words clearly then have to continually shift my head around until the rest of the words become clear. The people at the shop where I got the glasses, said this is normal. I got progressive bifocals in the largest frames I could find on the shelf.  For you guys with bifocals, is this really normal? Is this what I have to look forward to? I am so sorry I spent so much money on glasses. At this point, I'm going to toss them back in the drawer and go back to my readers and less than perfect vision. Far distances like while driving are pretty good and I don't really need glasses for anything over 100 yards away. I can take the glasses off and see just as well at those distances, it just closer stuff and indoors that I could use some help. I like to sit and watch TV use my iPad or laptop at the same time, switching back and forth between reading lasses and regular glasses is not practical so functional bifocals seemed to be the solution but so far it's not. What are your experiences with bifocals?

[Team9nine]

Put it off and put it off because I thought the worst. Optometrist had been telling me I could use them for years. Finally got to the point where my vision was affecting my fishing (hard to tie knots, thread eyelets, etc. doing things close-up) as well as everyday things like reading labels, books, etc.  so I broke down and bought a pair. Went progressive like you did, and realized I'd been a dumb a** for putting it off so long. Fastest pair of glasses I've ever adjusted to that I can remember. It does take a week or two before you will naturally develop the right distance and perspective to view various things, but the more you wear them, the better that should become. Thought I'd be walking into walls and tripping over my own feet, but that passed quickly. I know everyone is different, but I'm sold on wearing them at this point. Had the same thing with getting tired of switching between regular glasses, reading glasses, computer glasses, etc. Now, one pair for everything

-T9

[S. Sass]

Got my first pair of bifocals about 2 years ago. I got the no line style as well. Took about a week to completely adjust to them from my nonbifocals. Today they are just normal to me. I can read my phone great and can see my lure as far as I can cast it.

If in a few weeks of dedicated wearing your still having issues I would get a second opinion or at least go back. You have to wear them to ever expect to get use to them though. 

[Al Wolbach]

Progressive took longer for me to adapt but after some time, as others have said, they will improve.  Regular bifocals were a quicker adjustment for me. But the no lines look better to my wife/kids. 

[.ghoti.]

took me less than two weeks to adjust to my first pair. I need to go back and get fitted again.

[Columbia Craw]

Don't give up on them just yet.  I wear no lines. Your brain will make the adjustment and the reading nod will become second nature. I'm a little older than you. It's not that difficult of a transition.  It's prescription sunglasses that will make your you know what pucker up. $$$$$

[Oregon Native]

I've tried the no lines twice over the last number of years...wow....headaches and so forth.  Ditched em.  I used to be near sighted but since I got pancreatitus a couple years back I am now far sighted...not sure why.  Anyway at 66 I will just use the reading glasses and hope my far sightedness stays pretty good.  Good Luck

[FrankW]

I have wore glasses for most of my life and now 81.  No-lines are sold to many people who don't need them.  The basic bifocal works way better for me than the progressive lenses.  Some people have problems with basic bifocal because the bifocal is set too low in the lens.  If your doctor says you have cataracts and you will eventually need to have cataract surgery, do it early, don't wait till it gets worse.  After cataract surgery my eye sight was greatly improved.  I can now see iron sights on a gun again.

Frank      

[Fisher-O-men]

What everyone is saying about adjustment time is right, however, it could be that your "reading" area is in the wrong place, for you, or not wide enough.  I had that problem with my first pair of trifocals.  I took them back and had them remade.  Still took time to adjust but the first pair was not going to work.  The worst thing about these type of glasses, for me, is looking sideways.  The peripheral vision is not as well corrected. So you learn to swivel your head more.  I always wondered why old people did that!   I am 61 as well.  Hate getting older, but it beats the alternative.

[Bankbeater]

Took me about two weeks also to get use to them.  I had to keep moving my head around until my vision got clear.  Going back at the end of the month for a new pair.

[S. Sass]

For me it also helped that my sister-in-law is a professional in the field. And my daughter is as well. From them talking It is very possible to have some made that don't place the correct portion of the lense in the proper place for you to be comfortable much less see. 

It's just like custom fishing stuff. The builder has as much if not more to do with it working than the actual parts. Someone who has the experience and knowledge and knows how to apply it can make some really nice stuff.

Same goes for the person making the glasses. The wrong frames can ruin the perfect lenses by pulling/sitting the lenses up to high. The opposite can happen low as well. Then you have the style/shape of lenses that some do not make for a great transition lenses too narrow or short etc. 

This is why I said originally try them for a couple of weeks you should be either use to them or making great progress in 2 weeks. If not they missed the mark designing/building them. Headaches are one of the number one causes of I'll designed / fitting glasses. The actual lenses power etc is pretty much a fail proof system with the technology and machines these days. So any decent eye physician can get the prescription correct. 

[Scott F]

The first pair I got, I couldn't read almost anything no matter how I turned my head. The store had them remade and the second pair is better, but not as good as I was hoping for. I'm taking everyone's advice and I'll live with them for a while. To me, it's like saying you will get used to that stone in your shoe! I sure hope you guys are right! Thanks for the replies.