They weren't for me, but my situation may not apply to everyone. The close-up lens in a progressive is typically on the bottom. This is fine for reading a book or something where you look down at it, but in my work I often need to look up at things in tight quarters, for example, under a dashboard. So I just use cheap reading glasses (3 for about $10 at Wal-Mart, which lets me keep a set at work, at home and in my car) for when I need close work.

I've been wearing glasses for about 50 years (I am almost 58). In addition, my father was an Optician who owned his own company. He sold his company many years ago but I learned a lot from him. I have a very heavy correction, nearly -9 diopters.

I've been wearing progressives for about 10 years or so, and I love them. A couple of key things to keep in mind:

1) Deal with an Optician in a brick and mortar shop. You can get away with mail order for single-vision, but for progressives, fit is CRITICAL. Also, proper measurement of distance between pupils.

2) Buy a frame appropriate for your correction and for progressive lenses. A frame with a very small lens is going to be very difficult to fit, and difficult to maintain in a proper position after you leave the store, and go through the typical wear and tear glasses take. A good optician will guide you.

Don't expect to see perfectly immediately. Give your eyes/brain a week or so to adjust. Soon, you won't even realize you're wearing progressives, you will automatically look through the right part of the lens based on what you're looking at (Assuming you have a proper frame that is adjusted appropriately).

My experience was years ago but I had no peripheral vision, particularly noticeable at intersections. I had to turn my whole head to see right or left. Took them back after two days. Do people really pay $700 for a pair of glasses?

Been wearing them since age 53, without any problems. I tried the standard bifocals first, and couldn’t get used to the line. The $700 ones from the optician in San Antonio don’t seem any better than the ones I order from Zenni Optical and pay $85 for.

It took me a couple of weeks to get used to looking through the right part of the lenses. Now I don't even notice it.

Mid 40’s here and struggle to see anything close. I know the time is coming and I dread it

I have multiple pairs of glasses:
1) driving (tinted, polarized)
2) Out and about (full distance, transitions)
3) Home Use / Work: used around house for watching TV, working on computer, etc
4) Backup full distance (for #1 and #2)
5) Backup Home use (for #3)

I don't need progressive for #1 because I'm driving. Could use but don't really need progressive for #3,5 since I can remove glasses if necessary. A little inconvenient but acceptable.

I could convert #2, 4 to progressive. (full distance and reading; #3 is stronger than reading level which is why I sometimes need to remove).

I guess I could also convert #3,5 (moderate distance and reading) but seems like it's not cost effective.

Would this be problematic switching between all the lenses? Or it easy to adjust once you get used to progressives?

I was in my late 40's when I got mine (so about 8 years or so). I took to them easily. You'll find yourself "dialing in" on the sweet spot of magnification. Soon you'll be able to recognize other Progressive wearers doing the same thing.

Hasn't been a problem shooting. I'm still just as bad as ever! LOL

Oh, and order them from Zenni.com. You can get a complete set of Glasses for way less than $100, even Progressives.

I’ve had progressives for the last 7-8 years. Took two or three days to get used to the transition. Well worth the short time of discomfort / visual confusion. My advice would be to choose the lightest weight, highest definition lenses possible. Don’t skimp in this area. I’ve chosen the “middle of the road” choice lenses and regretted the decision vey quickly. As has been said before, quality costs. Price is important but satisfaction is priceless.

I did a few years ago, progressive sunglasses. I pretty much run sunglasses all the time, and without glasses inside unless I need cheaters (reading glasses) for print that has inexplicably gotten too small.

They told me whatever I do, don't drive with them until I was adjusted. I figured, "Heck, it can't be that hard.", hopped in the car, threw them on, and drove home. Didn't notice any problems, nor any significant adjustment. I could actually see a little better at distance (tiny bit), but where things really changed was near the bottom of the lens for reading. I wouldn't dream of going back to regular sunglasses. The boost to distance vision isn't enough to bother with progressives inside, I just roll without glasses or lose 1.5 or 1.75 cheaters to read. YMMV, but I don't see ever getting non-progressive sunglasses unless / until they perfect lens replacements with true accomodation or better yet figure out how to rejuvenate one's own lenses with stem cells.

 
I've been wearing progressives since the 1980's. The early ones had a more limited field of good vision right in the middle, with poor (blurry) peripheral vision. They have improved in that regard greatly over the years. Zeiss and VariLux were the early pioneers and continue to be the leading brands (and best, IMO). I prefer the VariLux. Those two brands do cost a bit more, but are well worth it. If you get a chance to choose the brand, stick with one of those two.

I’ve used progressives for a number of years. As someone said, it can take a bit of time to get used to them but they are worth it to me. I adjusted in a week or so - it’s a matter of tilting your head just a few degrees up or down to get the correction aligned with what you wish to see. It was an easy adjustment for me but can’t speak for others. I wouldn’t go back.

59, switched to progressive bifocals about 7 years ago. I love them.

I just turned 52, and I've been wearing progressive lenses since last April. It took about a week to get used to them, but now I love them.

I have several pair, and my experience is that my ability to read very fine print varies greatly by the style of eyeglasses I've got on. Same rx on all of them, but the bigger the lens, the better I can read them. This may sound obvious, but I sure didn't consider it when choosing some of my smaller wire framed pairs...

I tell people to do three things, and they *will* adapt:

1). Wear them. Put them on in the morning and take them off at bedtime.
-Don’t switch back to your old glasses.

2). Point your nose at what you’re looking at. No sideways glances.

3). Tip your head DOWN when going on steps, curbs, or climbing through underbrush. Don’t glance down, physically tip your head down so you’re looking through the distance correction.

Do theses three things and you’ll be happy.

quote:

Originally posted by kz1000:
I'm 51, changed about 8 years ago. Took some adjustment but I'm good with them.

^^^^^^^^^^
Similar story. One caveat, do NOT let someone talk you into just buying standard lens sunglasses. The aggravation is not worth the small price savings between a standard sunglass lens and progressive sunglass lenses.

On my second prescription for them. For the first month the first time around, I thought I would never get used to them.

Excellent topic! For me, I only use them at work (sitting in front of a computer monitor). I can't stand the blurryness of the peripheral vision, so... in the real world I wear my regular glasses (for distance) and take them off when I eat or read.

As this is a gun forum site... I shoot with my regular glasses on so the sights on my gun are always blurry. If I take my glasses off, the sights are crystal clear but since I wear my regular glasses in the real world I want to train at the range with them on.