Progressive Lenses: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly 

I’m 51 Got progressives. Bottoms at 2.25. Tried them for 1 week. Life is too short. Getting bifocals. Great video!!

Thank you! This really helped me to understand my progressive glasses. I am older, and am a gamer. Gunnar doesn't sell bifocals, only progressives, but I wanted to be able to see my games on my big TV, to be able to see my computer screen, and to see my strategy guides up close. Progressives fit the bill and your video helped me learn to use them right!

For a few years now I have been using reading glasses but now with age I need glasses for distance as well as reading so decided to go for varifocals (progressive lenses) instead of buying two or three pairs of glasses which would probably come to about the same amount of money. Sure I had to make some changes with regards to head eye movement but it didn't take me long to get used to it and after two weeks now I am adjusting to them very well, much better than I expected. From what I understand you get different qualities of varifocals with the more expensive one having less of the distorted areas on the left and right. I for one am very happy with them and the trade off they give for not having to carry multiple pairs of glasses and constantly taking glasses on and off my face is a major positive. Informative video none the less.

My clear glasses have progressive lenses but my sunglasses are bi-focal. This video finally explained why I get eye strain after wearing my clear glasses all day but not my sunglasses, thank you!

I have progressives and I don't like to move my head to focus all the bloody time! You're a good clear instructor.

The sad part is that it is rare to find this degree of knowledge at your local glasses retailer. My eye doctors is great, knowledgable, etc., but the person selling and fitting your lenses are not always up to spec on the science explained in this video.

How I wish I have seen your video prior to getting my progressive glasses. Everything you said is spot on

This has really helped me. Thanks for such a detailed video

Your videos are super helpful and I enjoy watching them.

Thank you for the thorough explanation!!

Great info, and great delivery of content.

I just found this and it helped explain not only how my new lens works but also how to use it. Thanks you thank you thank you!!!

As someone about to try my first pair of progressives this is very helpful. Thanks.

I wish more of my coworkers would watch your channel! Thanks for clarifying about PALs

I've been wearing progressives for 20 yrs and they are a workhorse lens good at most but not great. I read with a pair of computer lenses which allow me to read with relaxed eyes. Larry,this was most informative video. I just may get a pair of bifocals as my distance with them is clearer as demonstrated by wearing an old pair. Reading through the bottom works well too. The only thing I don't miss is the "step". Thank you.

Thank you sir.It was very informative and helped me to make an informative decision.

Great presentation. Thank you !

Thesse videos are super helpful from a consumer angle. I'm perptually curious and my optometrist didn't have a whisper of these explanations when I got my progressives 2 years ago. I stumbled may way through adapting to them and gave up because they frustrated me. When i told him that after a week or two of wearing he verbally shrugged and said "yeah - they take some getting used to. point your nose to what you want to see" and sent me on my way. I don't go to him anymore.Thank you for detailing how these lenses are constructed and the geometry they've correcting, and pointing out they are compromise/compromised lenses.

This was soooo helpful. Thanks! I was just at the optometrist and they wanted to sell me progressive lenses. I said 'let me do more research first' This was what I needed and convinced me that I want bifocals instead of progressive lenses.

Thank you! I thought I was losing my mind because I couldn't adapt to the lenses and had to take them back. I could see perfectly out of my left eye from top to bottom but my right side lense was blurry. When I told the eye clerk what was going on after putting the glasses on, she then gave me instructions in how to wear the lenses. I was told to adjust my head up, then back, then to the rear and I immediately thought to myself, wtf type of lense did I just buy? So she told me there would be an adjustment period and to give the lenses some time and to bring them back in after a few weeks if I couldn't adjust. I took them back 2-weeks later, had my eyes re-examined. I found out my right side went up and that there were a few more issues. I couldn't adjust to the lenses so I found a different eyeglass store, gave them my prescription, and told them I wanted single vision lenses. I pick them up in 6-weeks but in the meanwhile I'm stuck with these progressive lenses.

You speak very well with nice, clear diction. Recorded well, too.

I'm a 52 year old engineer and I'm just starting to wear glasses. Based on the optician's advice, I ordered progressives - and I hate them. Your explanation of the science and design principles behind progressive lenses is great. There is no chance my optometrist has any understanding of most of this. It's obvious to me that they sell lenses only so that they can sell frames. I know I'm a difficult customer because I want to "understand things". How do I find someone that will work with me to tweak the design of my lenses so that I might actually wear my glasses?

Great information! Thanks for posting! The young ladies who sold me my progressive glasses kept telling me how amazing the progressive lenses will feel and that they will be great for the 8 hours of daily reading I have to do for work. I gave them a real try for one month before returning them. Fortunately I received a refund and this was indeed the worst glasses experience I have had. They never felt right and reading was very difficult with them. They actually handicapped me. I learned a lot from your video and it validated my perception of progressive lenses.

I use glasses since the age of seven, myopia and astigmatism, started to use progressive lenes in 2013, never had any distortions it worked for 6 years, now will get my new glasses this week. Bit I made an big research and went to chose Hoya Argos Trueform, couldn't be more happy with it thanks for the video!

I've been wearing progressive lenses for years. When they first came out, they immediately made me so dizzy I lost my balance. So I waited a few years, and they've been fine for every pair of glasses since -- even ones I got at Lenscrafters (Costco not as good). I usually prefer to go to independent opticians, but their prices now are way out of my reach. I called your office for guidance, and they were exceptionally kind and helpful.

Great informative video! Thank you!

Thank you so much for your nice videos. 😊

I've been wearing progressives for maybe over 10 years, and I wouldn't be without them. I also have a pair of sunglasses with the same prescription, whichbI use exclusively for driving. I disagree about the strain on long journeys. The reason I like progressives is it allows me to see the instruments as well as the distance. Which I struggled with distance only lens.

Very informative! Thanks, I am wearing my first progressive lenses for about 3 months now and it took me couple of weeks for my eyes to adjust . But lately, I have been feeling sea-sick after wearing for a prolonged time (eg. from morning to night, 7 days).... that’s also the ugly part. It’s a good thing I still kept my other pair of glasses in case my eyes (and my brain) need a break!

This helped so much

Thanks for these educational videos. It seems, progressive lenses might be useful for a nearsighted person when walking around a city, when you spend most of your time looking at far objects but also have to glance at small nearby objects from time to time (a smartphone, a product description in a shop etc.) without taking your glasses off or when you need additional + for reading. However, progressive lenses might be a bad choice for a person with nystagmus or amblyopia because they would find it difficult to keep their eyes focused inside that narrow corridor of the progressive lens. I'm a "poor vision" person since birth (horizontal nystagmus - mostly just tiny vibrations), optic nerve hypoplasia, ocular albinism. I hoped to get some glasses that correct my astigmatism and nearsightedness to make both reading and walking around easier. With my serious conditions I didn't expect miracles. I just hoped for some relief, especially because I was a student who has to walk around a lot. Also I ended up being a programmer, working on a computer every day. I have visited opticians a few times but somehow always ended up with glasses being too strong for wearing all the time. Recently I decided to start studying the topic myself and to play with a trial frame and some lenses. Internet is a savior, I got some optometry books and bought cheap lenses. It all started making sense. I understood what and why exactly went wrong with subjective refraction for my vision. I discovered that I have meridional amblyopia and that very much explained why vertical lines of the astigmatic "clock chart" test always look blurry, no matter which lenses doctors try. So, if the doctor applies full astigmatism correction to my eye, I respond with "I see no difference" when looking at the chart. Then the doctor adds more correction and I still see no difference... until it gets too strong and then I might report feeling unpleasant pressure on my eyes, although the vertical lines still seem the same as without any lenses. Knowing this, I was able at home to find some smaller SPH and CYL values that make my eyes feel relaxed and make image sharper and that are not too strong, so I can wear them without any ill side effects (taking care about not overminusing myself). In a month I have an appointment with another doctor to verify these values and get my final prescription for both distance and reading glasses. Reading glasses is a tricky thing because my focus changes widely depending on what kind of text I'm reading (computer screen, book, newspaper...) so I hoped that progressives would be helpful to cover all of those different focus zones. But after watching this video it seems that progressive lenses might be not for me at all because of my nystagmus. My best bet is to have separate glasses for every task or no glasses for close-up at all. I just hope the doctor will be open to an in-depth conversation. Most of the doctors I've met were cold and closed people who just told me: "Do as I say and don't ask smart/dumb questions!". Excuse me for this long text and, again, thanks for your videos.

thank you this was beautifully explained.

Great piece of information. You saved me from getting fooled by progressive lens ads

Wonderful presentation

Great! Now I will approach the Opticians in an informed manner! Thanks

Good day, many thanks for all these useful videos. I like your presentation, you always make it attractive.. ✨👏👌

Very helpful vid. I just got my new progressive lenses today. I think there was a mix-up. During the eye exam I was told they're optional, but they were prescribed on the paperwork. The tech suggested I try them since switching back to a standard lens wouldn't be difficult. So far I don't like my progressives. I need glasses mainly for distance, and standard lenses seem much better so far. Maybe I'll get used to them, but with progressives there's just too much peripheral distortion.

Great info👍

sir can u make video on progressive fitting and whole procedure including all markings we do.

THIS GUY KNOWS! thank you so much,Progressive Lens suuuck!

I appreciate this overview very much. Do you have advice for a switch from monovision to bifocal/progressive lenses. Monovision was great when I was teaching, being able to scan the classroom, look down at the text and my notes, as needed. I was amazed and grateful that my eyes and brain worked this out so well! However, I noticed midrange issues as I got older, such as the computer screen and certain of my arts and crafts hobbies. I’m tired of needing to close one eye to find a better focus, and I really dislike the feeling as if the optician and sales staff are rushing me out of the exam without dealing with my concerns. I feel like the sale is all that matters. I already see two ophthalmologists, one for newly diagnosed glaucoma and the other retinologist. I just don’t have a lot of faith in the optometrist and opticians right now.

At 53 I wore glasses for distance and usually wore reading glasses on my head. Fed up wearing 2 pairs or glasses at a time I went for progressives. (I had mono vision LASIK done in one eye 5 years previous and it had regressed.) I had 2.5 dopiters difference between my eyes, one -, one +. I got theHoya Mystyle lens and though it isn’t perfect it is a great option for me and I am overall very happy. I do still use readers if I read a book. I no longer find myself taking them on and off like I used to do constantly.

Excellent and informative video

Well explained

I.am short sight for long distance since childhood, one eye is pretty blind ,now I have different eye power for near distance too . After this video I decided to go with bifocal...thanks ! With my bad eyes the narrow middle sight and the blurry edges will just give me headaches... For people with no such bad eyes and little power difference between eyes may work good.

I also wish I did more research and watched this video before having bought my first, and probably last, pair of progressives, a month ago. I took my optician's word for it, that after a "brief" adjusting period, everything was gonna be wonderful. I believed her and shelled out the equivalent of over $1100 for a pair of HOYA "premium" id custom lenses, with the "widest visual field, smoothest transitions possible." Well... NO, bollocks. For the life of me I tried to adjust to them for almost a month, and each and every minute was torture. Constant headaches, neck spasms, blurry distance vision no matter how hard I tried to focus... The only improvement over my previous, standard glasses was, naturally, being able to read my phone, tablet, newspaper, etc more comfortably. But that's it, everything else, like watching TV, desktop computing (that's my job by the way), etc, was an absolute nightmare. Not to mention driving... The total loss of lateral vision drove me literally out of my mind, especially behind the wheel. I was absolutely unable to adapt to that, zero, nada. Of course I had them checked for a possible rx mistake, but according to them everything was perfect, I wasn't trying hard enough to "adapt". So I took them back today, for good.

Great video. I just bought my first pair of progressives. Haven't received them yet. Hopefully I don't live the nightmare many other people commenting on this video are living.

I am aged 54 . Should I for separate lense for reading & computer work ? And separate for out side use ?

love the out takes!

Many thanks for this very informative explanation... It’s claimed that the Varilux X series is a game changer (on ads of course). So is it really so? I have high negative powers with astigmatism and +1.5 for reading.. so should I try those really expensive lenses or stick to what I have?

What frames can I have with progressive lenses?

Hey Guys, worth noting that for some people they do work. I really enjoy not having a clear line in my lens. I also work in a profession in which I am constantly swapping between close, mid and long distance and I find the progressives handle it beautifully. Previously I was using single distance and was getting horrible headaches from the constant swapping. While it is good to be informed, progressive lenses can be good for some people too :)

Thanks

I’ve worn progressives all my life & I recently switched to this adorable single vision pair that I bought offline, however, I don’t wear them much outside of the house because they are so vivid & it makes me dizzy. I can see clearly, but too clear. It seems very off. It’s hard to get adjusted to them, so I usually don’t wear them for long. I’ve been diving through so many articles & videos trying to find out what is off with these glasses. If I wear them more, will I get adjusted to them? Is the prescription wrong? Has my PD changed? I’m not sure, but your video has been very helpful & I will continue to search for the solution, so that the next pair I order are wearable.

One out of the most useful videos. Would it be fair to conclude that the old-style, conventional bi-focals might actually be better ? I hear that there were even conventional tri-focals, though I've not come across those personally.

Can u do a video to show what the options look like? I'm confused. Is there any line at all on progressive lenses?

Hello. Thanks for all of the great information. One question, though. As a Firefighter/Paramedic for years I have gotten accustomed to wearing Progressive lenses for quit a while. I am currently taking training at a Range for Firearm Safety. What could I do for glasses at the range where 25-30 is the distance that I need to cover? Are there single distance contacts that I could use with the protective goggles that are required? I don't believe I need to have the reading or intermediary distance lenses while at the range. What would be your input in this issue? Thanks for your response. David

Your big comment about as 'power goes up, so does distortion' now makes perfect sense that all my readers (got till my progressive Rx spex comes in) that are +3 or even +2.5 are terrible in the sides. They seem to only work great when looked through dead centre right smack dab in the middle straight on.

Thanks I am only 5 mins in and you have just saved me $300, won't be bothering one size fits all is for shifting spanners.

Do you know a competent professional (fitter for eyewear; I already have my prescription) in Tampa, FL to get fitted, that will properly fit me for lined bifocals and not try to push me into progressive lenses? Cataracts, astigmatism, and they keep wanting to push me into progressives. I need someone who will properly fit me. Thanks, and thank you for the video that confirms what I was thinking!

Could you explain the physics/optics of how “increasing the add power increases the aberrations across the entire lens”. I understand the distortion along the corridor but above the pupillary area ? Why ?

Progressive lens. Can't see with it, also can't see without it! 😂

Only now am beginning to understand as you explain. As increased magnification then more critical is the compromise with "progressive". My eyes are from 2.5 ti 4.5 close up so thinking that a distinct by focus line at with 4.5 about 26% from bottom will be better than the middle range being a distortion area! Is "executive" the type of lenses I am thinking of? Learning, thanks. Richie

So, what is the solution?

This video is extremely helpful. I have been wearing bifocals but am considering progressive lenses. I am sixty years old, far sighted, have a strong prescription and a lot of astigmatism. Should I not even bother trying progressives?

Thank you for the information. I was considering progressive lenses. I now wear bi-focal. I can not afford more than one pair. The thing I want to get but local optical stores always say I can hardly get, is glass lenses. Why is that?

Gosh....After watching this I think I'm blessed that I don't need one pair of glasses that do it all (just single vision and only for distance - my near distance sight is fine).

My eye doctor reccomended progressive lens . I have stigmatism . Do i really need that ?

Wish Id seen this 4 days ago, before I was sold $425 progressive lenses 🤬

Im still pretty new and very confused about glasses. I need a new pair cause I haven't been wearing mine and they're old. But I have the max astigmatism and I'm apparently a bit nearsighted in one eye and farsighted in the other. What kind of lenses can I get?? I thought I had to get progressives for my vision.

I knowbim latw to the game but i had to get my firat pair of glasses a d rhe optometrist auggested progressive. I hate them for comouter work. Your videos have helped me underatand why. Now i know what to ask about.

I tried progs for about 2 weeks and I decided that my perifrial vision was extremely valuable to me. I was able to get them replaced with just distance and an upgrade to trivex

Excellent video. Honestly sad part is I do not get such quality advise from a local spectacle shop. One piece nof advise will really help. I spend most of my time in front of my laptop. I had -ve power and recently got some +ve power as well. In this setting, is it good to have two singular vision lenses or one progressive lenses ?

Good advice another margarita👍🏼

Thanks for doing this. I feel like I understand what's going on a bit better. I've had progressives for 2 weeks and I hate them. I hate them! Regular headaches to full blown migraines and I just don't feel great the entire time but I'm trying to fight through it. I can function but it really sucks when I work on stuff in my shop. I feel like I'm almost forced to be crosses eyed a little bit. The add for reading is 1.50. But I literally feel as though I have the space of about a pencil eraser that's the correct prescription for distance. Maybe those two pencil eraser portions aren't lined up 100% for both eyes? I just hate these lenses. They aren't cheap either. The frames and lenses were about $1000 and they are Zeiss lenses so they're not junk. Man if I had know how bad these are I would have gotten bifocals with the line. Who cares? Not me.

Thank you very much for this video. I saw an optometrist today because I don't see far away that clear anymore. I never wore glasses before. An optician was pushing progressive lenses and I am glad I decided to think. I am looking at my Rx and I am still confused. Sphere -1.00; cylinder -0.50; Axis 110; add +1.50. Does add +1.50 mean I also need reading glasses? Should I chose bifocals?

Will people that are used to an office multifocal, 6 ft range, be more ready to adapt to progressive when they need distance correction?

As power goes up, so does distortion throughout the lens, can you go further into detail about this? Is this true for high +/- rx's? or just the effect on PALs with higher adds?

Trying see if its worth it for driving. Another issue is bright car head lights. What to get for night time driving? What is that feature called?

I noticed a problem with those and bifocals that I haven't heard a solution to. Convergence. When we read a menu in a restaurant, our eyes converge. But the channels of progression don't. They are vertical. Is that so lenses can be used for either eye or is it an oversight? Either way, it's wrong.

hi please can progressive lense helps to zoom tiny onject....i have difficulty in reading tiny object

I've got my 1st progressive lenses 2 days ago , i have never heard about it before but it was strongly advised by the optical shop , i returned back by the other day , don't ever try , it is not easy to get used of it , you have to adjust your sight angle / eyes level to the proper position to enable you to see , otherwise you can't see probably , it is very costly compared to normal lenses and doesn't give comfortable feeling

For me a hyperopic presbyopic person, progressive lenses is a must to be able to use computer and read a paper. I cannot work without them and I tried the line bifocals and they can't replace them. They are more tricky to order and often need a remake and they are more expensive, of course, but other than that they are perfect.

Why is this that once I put on glasses I can no more see clearer from close up but without glasses I see really well from close up and don’t need reading glasses ? Can someone tell me if this is normal ?

How do the Add +2.00 works? My old prescription was Add +1.75 and now it's +2.00 and I am only 43 years old. Should I be concerned?

Do do you recommend Bifocals instead? What do you recommend as best lens for Presbyopia?

Would you recommend progressive lens in sports glasses?

I have used progressive trifocals for three years and had to get new ones. I am a bookkeeper. I look down at paper and then up at the computer monitor. With my old progressives I can see all 17 inches of my monitor. With the new ones I can only see about 8 inches in the center clearly with the left and right blurry. I would ow have to look down at the paper and then look left and right repeatedly. I returned my new glasses because the seller seems to think this is normal.

I hate my current progressive lenses! My eyes cannot seem to focus most of the time. I have my yearly exam on the 24th and think I'm just getting bifocals and then separate computer glasses. Three levels of focus within one small area is just too much. It's too easy to have your eyes accidentally land in the wrong zone.

I just got a pair of RALPH #RA7061 (375065004) 1 $ 149.00 Polycarb PANORAMA EARLY PRESBYOPE 2 $ 660.00 TRNGRYGEN7 INVISIBLES UV DUAL SIDE-T and i don't think they're right as i'm seeing things in like 3d form like i feel like i have a vr headset on or something. I think they must be to strong but been told give them at least 3 week to adjust ugh, my first pair of glasses so not quite sure on what to expect but there is no way i could go down stairs ect with them on i would miss judge the steps indeed any advice i would very much appreciate.

One doctor prescibed single focus lens for me and other doctor prescribed Progressive lens for me. I am confused which one to go for. How can you help me?

for driving long hours. many of my patients are truck drivers, and require the use of progressives to see the dash of the truck. Would you still recommend a second pair of single vision in that case ?? thank you !!

I'm 51 and just got my first pair of progressive lens glasses. Like most people that get them for the first time I hate them because they are just tough to get used to. You mentioned that they are not great "all day" glasses. I am a computer programmer. would you suggest I also get a pair of medium (computer monitor distance) glasses to wear most of the time at work?

How do I find a place where the lenses are made by laramy k? How would I know?

what is the right way to get the point of distance and reading for progressive lenses ? can you make vedio for parameters. thanks

Prescribed power Dv +0.75 and add +2.00 . I need +1.25 as intermediate power. If I buy a progressive lens then what will be the exact intermediate power and why?? Please describe.🙏

Is it good for glasses used for sports? Volleyball, Basketball, Soccer

Excellent presentation 👍 Which progressive lens brand is your favorite except Laramy-k?

Yeap, I remember those pain in the neck, Varilux Plus, Varilux 2 and Varilux Infinity. By default I like the Sola XL and the Sola VIP better than those during those days, and most of the Xcel Products Image and the famous Gradal progressive from Zeiss. Varilux Comfort wasn't that much better.

I picked up my progressives yesterday to help for long distance vision. Such a narrow field of vision. Left and right side of the lens gets blurry when I look through it. Plus watching tv... everything looks clear looking directly straight but but when I move my eyes (without moving my head) to look left or the right side of the tv... those both sides of the picture goes blurry. Plus, when I look at my phone through any part of the lense it is blurry, a tiny,tiny bit clearer when looking through the bottom half but still not clear. Once I take the glasses off...I can see my phone perfectly fine. Is this normal for progressives or should I take my glasses back to the store?. Thanks for any input