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Speaking of new specs....

shiny

Veteran

I hope this isn't a stupid question, but I just don't know. For those who wear bifocals, or trifocals, do the frames have to be bigger? What is your experience?

Because looks like I am going to need bifocals, or ideally, trifocals... getting older is so fun (NOT)!

The long story is: I just got new frames for computer use only. They work great, I love them. Unfortunately, as soon as I step away from the computer the world goes fuzzy... unless I swap into my old frames which work for longer distances/t.v. watching and are somewhat passable for driving-- but not ideal. For driving, I really need my contacts instead. But, I can no longer wear contacts for more than a few hours a day. Oh and when I want to read a book, or look at my cell phone or a menu, I have to do that without glasses entirely!!

Yes, my eyes are a mess....

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18 replies

Latest reply was from deb

Suz

(website)

Veteran

The answer is: it depends. And the question is, bigger than what?

A few years ago frames were so small and narrow that if you had a high prescription for myopia, plus astigmatism, plus needed reading correction, there wouldn't be room on many of the lenses. But these days most of the specs (even the non geek chic kind) are a touch wider, so typically you will be okay.

I find my progressive glasses give me good vision at all distances. However, I'm uncomfortable in any glasses (due to high rx, fit issues, etc.) for more than about half a day. My progressive contacts correct my vision, but it's a "soft" correction and my close up vision is not as good; nor is my distance vision. It's okay to drive, but only just. So I switch back and forth between glasses and contacts depending on task.

pil

Veteran

My response isn't nearly as informative or detailed as Suz's, but ask the optical store. The frames have to be a certain height for bifocals. You'll be able to eliminate some frames by checking the measurements printed on the inside of the frame

deb

Veteran

I have really bad eyesight and my lens need to be no smaller than 19mm for progressives. With all of the new frames out now I have no problem, in fact, the larger they are the better I see. I have no issue going from distance to computer to close up with my progressives.

DonnaF

Veteran

Your needs may not be as exacting as mine, but yes, as my eyes grew worse my frames needed more vertical real estate. My eyesight is dismal with pretty bad astigmatism in one eye plus a prism to make both eyes work together. I can no longer read comfortably in progressive lenses; the print is too small. Thus, I switch between reading/computer glasses and my regular transition progressive lens glasses. On my optical insurance anniversary this April, I will add sunnies since transition lenses don't work in the car, and highway glare makes my eyes tired on long trips.

The last time I bought Rx sunnies was when I first started to need bifocals. I didn't want to pay for transitions, so I got them in a distance only Rx. I forgot that it's nice to be able to read the dashboard. Oops!

Hope this helps. I also don't get my Rx filled at a bargain ready in an hour place which might work for DD whose Rx needs are very simple and can be completely covered by insurance. Even with insurance, I usually have to pay around $500.

shiny

Veteran

Pil -- My optometrist says the frames I have would "probably" work, but I'm very dubious about it. My current frames are both about 1 inch -- it says 140 mm on the frame. That seems to be about the perfect size for my face.

These are the new frames in Stardust:
http://www.coolframes.com/?fid=23210

Suz - I have myopia, astigmatism and all that. I don't mind taking the glasses off to read. I could compromise on that one. What are progressive lenses? My optometrist has been playing around with my Rx over past few years, the plus side is that my vision has actually "improved" overall -- but when it was worse I could get away with one Rx for reading, computer, t.v. and driving. Now I can't. At present I pop contacts in if I'm leaving the house; otherwise, I wear glasses and swap them out as needed throughout the day. I work from home so this means I'm not wearing contacts all day long day after day. Which is good, because I can't anymore due to a dry eye condition. Because of that condition, it's likely there will come a day when I can no longer wear contacts at all, so I want to figure out this glasses thing.

shiny

Veteran

Donna, that was VERY helpful! On my last visit I was going to invest in transitions -- until the optometrist said they don't work in the car. That's when I need them the most! I cannot tolerate any sort of glare. I also have that weird sun allergy thing where I sneeze uncontrollably the minute I walk out into the sunlight. I might as well be a vampire.

JAileen

Veteran

My experience was yes, they needed to be bigger. But, my prescription was so strong, that they needed to be smaller. Now obviously, that is impossible. Anyway, that's why I ended up getting lasik eye surgery.

deb

Veteran

Mine work in the car because I have anti-glare add to mine. Here is a web sight that give size information. The vertical number is the most important for bifocals and progressives.

http://www.simplyeyeglasses.co.....e_size.php

April

Veteran

Progressives are just bifocals/trifocals without that obvious line between the sections of the lens. If you're not the one wearing them, you wouldn't know there's more than one prescription going on.

DonnaF

Veteran

Interesting Deb! I have an anti-glare coating on my specs, too, but they don't get dark in the car. I have a slight cataract on one eye, so it adds to the glare. I have a friend who had cataract surgery and swears by it -- she was able to throw away her glasses for distance and only needs correction for reading.

kkards

Veteran

nope, they don't have to be bigger, but if this is your 1st experience with bi or trifocal, i would recommend buying from an optical shop. i have trifocals, and my glasses did not get bigger as i moved from "regular" to bifocal to trifocal.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Kkards, it really depends on the person's prescription. More complicated prescriptions can demand more real estate.

Great link, Deb.

April answered the question, Shiny.

Best to check in at an optometrist's to see. But my larger frames are 35 mm (about 1.4 inches) and my smaller ones are about an inch. And I have a complicated prescription -9.5 in one eye with +2 and astigmatism, -8.75 plus associated etc. etc. in the other.

My lenses cost a fortune, mind you. And I don't even get the most expensive ones. Anti-glare, extra thin (but not the $$$$ extra extra thin). They cost more than my relatively expensive frames. Specs are a $900 investment for me, pretty much.

Gigi

Veteran

Shiny, is the reason you can't use your distance lenses in the car because of glare and sun? I too have the no-glare coating on my lenses, plus I bought some clip-on sunglass thingies that I keep in the car to clip on my distance lenses when it's sunny. Would this combination (antiglare coating, clip-on sunnies) help you?

Carla

Veteran

Shiny, your vision issues sound just like mine! I am blind without my specs, except for close work, like reading or using iPad. Can't do contacts. Have computer specific specs, which I leave on my desk at work.

6 years ago I tried bifocals, but they were in a shallow lens and I just couldn't get used to them. My solution was the computer glasses for 'close' work, and another set for far distance. 2013 was the year of the 'progressives'. They are basically tri-focals without lines. Had to go for a deeper lens, but I got used to them in no time, and they do the trick! No more putting glasses off and on to read the price tags or car labels when clothes shopping!

I still use the computer glasses at work, though 'cause they are perfect for the job.

Below my older (narrower) glasses, and my new progressives which are Jennie Bekker for FYSH 2013.

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Catnip

Veteran

I would never presume to give anyone medical advice, but would like to share my experience. I started wearing glasses when I was eight years old, and over the many years have tried every type of contact lens available. I was able to tolerate some of them while at work, but never for what you might call a full day. At the end I had progressive lenses which were better than any other solution, but I learned the hard way that they had to be made by a very, very good optometrist.

Around 2000 I had lasik eye surgery. This is one of the best decisions I've ever made. Coming home from the procedure, I saw things in my neighborhood that I had never noticed or clearly seen before.

That was 14 years ago. I still need glasses for reading but not for distance. In the next few months I'm going to have cataract surgery and have been told I may not need glasses at all.

After all this, I've realized that I look much better in glasses than without, so whatever the results of the cataract surgery, I plan to wear glasses even if I don't need prescription lenses. My theory, which could well be wrong, is that people who were born with really bad vision often look better in glasses.

Hopefully this is helpful and not too much information.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Sigh..I'd love to have the Lasik. But am not a candidate....

Your theory is interesting, Catnip. I don't know if i agree, but I do think there is a wonderful pair of specs for everyone, if only we can find them.

shiny

Veteran

Wow, Suz, I thought my eyes were bad! Mine aren't anywhere near your Rx, and have actually improved quite a bit in last couple of years. I've gone from -4.75 both eyes to -3.5 in one eye and -3.0 in the other. There is a correction for slight astigmatism but don't ask me what it is. My eyes continue to fluctuate a lot which is a big part of my dilemma here: I have been changing prescriptions about every 6-9 months!

Optometrist wants me to try what I guess is progressives (he did not say that word, but by what you are all describing, surely that is what he meant). When we priced them out, they were $900. Add to that contacts, and the very real potential I'm just going to need a new prescription within the same year, and OUCH.

I did pick out some specs in December, they are on hold. Maybe I'll go back and take pics to get everyone's opinion. They are much larger/rounder -- but somehow, they appealed to me. I was talking myself into splurging on them and using them primarily as sunglasses, transitional lenses, since they are big like I like my sunglasses. I figured I could get those with the progressive lenses, and see how I like them, compared to current strategy. But then the optometrist mentioned they don't darken in the car, and then he said "that'll be $900" and I balked and parked them on hold to think about.

Meanwhile, I really like these new Via Spiga's, but it seems to me that 1 inch may be too short to accommodate progressives. Hence my question tonight.

Regarding Lasik: I am unfortunately not a candidate. Apparently I may have an autoimmune disorder, which effects the eyes, and rules that option out, and makes it highly likely my contact-wearing days will be soon be over. I haven't actually been able to wear them longer than a few hours/few times a week for a long time anyway, but yeah, I am not looking forward to that day. I don't find glasses all that comfortable -- though this latest pair (Via Spiga's) is delightfully comfortable. Most comfortable frames I've ever owned, in fact.

deb

Veteran

Shiny, I first started wearing glasses when I was 11 because I could not see the board at school. They have progressively gotten worse since then. I got hard contacts when I graduated from high school but they were never comfortable so I went back to glasses. Then when they came out with the astigmatism correcting soft lens (semi-permeable) I wore them for about ten years. Then I developed dry eyes from my meds, so back to glasses.

Suz, I also get the thinner lens so my eyes do not look like the head of a pin. I also need safety glass because I drop and flop periodically. My eyes worsening slightly now. I can still see well with my old prescription. When I was younger they worsened at a faster rate. I find that strange.

The list for my glasses

Progressives -trifocals
transitions - turn darker in the sun
anti- glare coating - helps with the glare of overhead light
safety lens - will not break when I fall
thinner lens - does not distort eye when viewed by others