Eyeglasses and Eyewear
Progressive Lenses
Progressive lenses provide distance, intermediate and near correction in a single lens with no visible line. Power changes gradually down the lens, so you look through different zones for different distances.
Progressives solve the problem presbyopia creates: needing different corrections at different distances without carrying several pairs of glasses. Power increases gradually from the top of the lens to the bottom, with a corridor of usable intermediate vision in between.
The trade off is peripheral distortion. The gradual power change necessarily creates areas of blur at the lower outer edges of the lens, and that is physics rather than a manufacturing shortcoming. Better designs make those zones smaller and push them further out, but no progressive eliminates them.
Adaptation therefore involves learning a new habit: pointing your nose at what you want to see rather than moving only your eyes. Most people adapt within one to two weeks. Fitting accuracy makes an enormous difference to how easy that is, because the corridor is only a few millimetres wide and it has to line up with your pupil.
What this does not do
- Peripheral blur at the lower outer edges is inherent to the design.
- Adaptation takes one to two weeks and a small proportion of people never fully adapt.
- Screen work is often better served by a dedicated occupational lens.
- Fitting height and pupillary distance must be accurate, which is why measurement matters.
Questions and answers
How long does adaptation take?
One to two weeks for most people. Wear them consistently rather than switching back to old glasses, because switching restarts the process. If it has not settled after two weeks, come back.
Why is the bottom outer edge blurry?
It is inherent to progressive design. The gradual power change creates unavoidable distortion at the lower periphery. Better designs minimise it, and turning your head rather than your eyes avoids it.
Why do stairs feel strange?
Looking down through the near zone at something several feet away puts the wrong power in front of your eye. Tilting your head down and looking through the top of the lens fixes it, and becomes automatic within days.
Do I need a separate computer pair?
Many people benefit from one. A screen sits higher than reading material, and finding the right progressive zone for it often means tilting your head back for hours. An occupational lens removes that.
Talk to someone about progressive lenses
Appointments are scheduled two per hour, so there is time to answer questions properly. Call (480) 706-3937 or request a time online.