Some of the best and least expensive glasses I've ever gotten came from Sam's Club.

Even my ophthalmologist told me to stick with them as they were well made and the lenses were perfect. Considering that he sells glasses and lenses, that was high praise.

quote:

Originally posted by mark123:
A secondary question, are progressives a compromise?

I've been wearing progressives for about 12 years now. I don't think they are a compromise.


They are dang expensive though, one year I tried to save some money - ordered a pair online from a place that offered the same brand of lens, etc. First pair that came in were horrible, I couldn't see a thing. Replacement pair were a better, but never as good as what I got at the local Ophthalmologist. Lesson learned.

Pupil distance and segment height.

Finally found a great Doc and he had me try on the exact glasses that I was getting and used a magic marker to mark my pupils on both lenses. They used this to center my prescription in the lens and used a ruler to determine segment height for the progressive bifocal to start.

My last set the bifocal started to high and I wore my glasses way down on my nose to see over it. Now both my regular and safety glasses match and I am happy with them.

I also got the drivewear transition tint that will also change behind the windshield that I really like. I got tired of switching from clear to tinted glasses all the time

quote:

Originally posted by Flash-LB:
Some of the best and least expensive glasses I've ever gotten came from Sam's Club.

Even my ophthalmologist told me to stick with them as they were well made and the lenses were perfect. Considering that he sells glasses and lenses, that was high praise.

There are three ophthalmologists in town. So far we’ve got the best service from the one that works at Walmart. One of the others lied to me and gave me a prescription that he claimed he told me would not work for me and when they didn’t he wanted paid anyway. The final one is independent and good but her staff is absolutely horrible.

My local Sam’s did a great job for single vision but he retired and hasn’t been replaced so we had to go to a more distant Sam’s. So far we’re losing faith. We’ll see.

We talked to a different lady at the optometry counter last night. According to her the doctor overprescribed the reading section on my wife's glasses and underprescribed the reading section on my glasses. She claims that when the doctor changes the reading section it will fix all of our issues. I'm still skeptical but we have a new appointment with the doctor on February 8.

Apparently competency is way out of fashion these days. I see it everywhere.

Costco has a set type of lens, it's less expensive than getting the higher end Varilux lens.

We got my dad fitted for progressives last week, with Varilux lens, coating, lens that change for outside, $1300 with frames.

Same at Costco for me, sans varilux is about $400 max.

Mine have been fine from day one, getting used to them wasn't a problem.

Progressives should be good for everything you do I ride a motorcycle with them, distance is fine, looking down for gauges, fine, transition between not a problem.

The key is the ability of the ophthalmologist who's setting up the scrip, then the lens grinder getting it right, get both good ones and you are good.

I posted the image on page 1 of this thread showing the way you do a set of progressives for close up computer work, it's a good idea to have a special set for computers, both with the size of the area for viewing enhanced and special coatings. In fact I'm using mine now, Costco as well.

So the big difference is my dads insurance and higher cost services outside of Costco for progressives were $1300 fully covered by his insurance which includes the top end Varilux lens, and mine Costco, $400...

We went back for our retest today. Doctor said the wife’s prescription is correct. Wife argues that she can’t see the computer (her current readers are 0.75 and the progressives are 2.0) and he said she has to get used to the glasses. She just won’t use them for her work then. She is happy with them otherwise. Driving, tv and reading are fine for her.

He said my prescription was also correct. I showed him on the glasses where I could see distance. Way up at the top, basically having to touch my chin to my chest. He agreed to change the placement of the distance part to a lower position and then it hit him that my readers are 2.5 and not the 2.0 that he prescribed. I showed him, comparing my current readers with the progressives, where reading distance was in focus and he agreed to change the prescription to 2.5. We’ll see (pun, sorry).

Hope they get it worked out for you, all this discussion I went back to be checked out, wife was going for new Contact script which changed a bit, mine came back basically the same, if I wanted to get new lens there is a slight correction that would be better but it's not worth the cost to do it otherwise.

They called me and I went to pick up my new glasses. They let me try them on and I said “these are the same glasses, you were supposed to send these back and regrind be lenses”. The lady said, “these are the new lenses”. She checked them on the lens measuring thing and said we must have reordered your first prescription again.

I don’t know what game they’re playing. I think they didn’t change the lenses at all. Maybe they thought I am stupid and the placebo effect of telling me this is the fixed prescription would work but they have one more chance and then I’m demanding a refund.

quote:

Originally posted by mark123: I showed him on the glasses where I could see distance. Way up at the top, basically having to touch my chin to my chest. He agreed to change the placement of the distance part to a lower position and then it hit him that my readers are 2.5 and not the 2.0 that he prescribed. I showed him, comparing my current readers with the progressives, where reading distance was in focus and he agreed to change the prescription to 2.5. We’ll see (pun, sorry).

Mark, where in the heck are you going to get this done? I’ve been wearing glasses for 35 years, bifocals for ten, and I’ve never had an Opthamologist or Optometrist (the people who can write a prescription) set the segment height. That is done by the Optician (the person making the glasses).

I’m going to say this again, it sound like whoever is making these glasses for is ordering computer or occupational progressives instead of regular progressives and they probably don’t even realize they are doing it. They are punching codes into a computer with no thought as to what they mean or what they do.

Go back and look at the picture that HRK posted on the first page. It really sounds like that’s what they made for you.

quote:

Originally posted by Broadside:
Mark, where in the heck are you going to get this done? I’ve been wearing glasses for 35 years, bifocals for ten, and I’ve never had an Opthamologist or Optometrist (the people who can write a prescription) set the segment height. That is done by the Optician (the person making the glasses).

I’m going to say this again, it sound like whoever is making these glasses for is ordering computer or occupational progressives instead of regular progressives and they probably don’t even realize they are doing it. They are punching codes into a computer with no thought as to what they mean or what they do.

Go back and look at the picture that HRK posted on the first page. It really sounds like that’s what they made for you.

It’s the Sam’s Club in Boardman, OH.

When I got to the point where I needed bifocals i went with progressive lenses. Wore them for decades with good effect. But after my cataract surgery I don't wear glasses most of the time, just "readers" for close-in work. Only you can determine if progressive lenses are for you.

flashguy

quote:

Originally posted by flashguy:
When I got to the point where I needed bifocals i went with progressive lenses. Wore them for decades with good effect. But after my cataract surgery I don't wear glasses most of the time, just "readers" for close-in work. Only you can determine if progressive lenses are for you.

flashguy

I’m sure I’ll do fine as soon as they get the prescription corrected.

quote:

Originally posted by slosig:
The first pair I got they goofed on the line where the pupil is and I had to tip my head down to read street signs out of the very top of the lens. Didn’t go further than around the block before taking them back and saying “Something isn’t right here.” They redid the lenses correctly and I’ve never looked back. No issues, no problems, wear them all the time.

That's exactly the problem I had with them. I didn't even bother taking them out of the store. Still waiting for the fixed lenses to come in.

Oh, my. Holy crap. You're not going to believe this.

I got the call to pick up my third set of glasses and guess what?

I know some of you are thinking "they finally got Mark's glasses correct" but you'd be wrong. Absolute incompetence. I honestly cannot believe what I'm going through.

You know when you'd grab your friends glasses in elementary school and everything would be out of focus. That's what I got today. Obviously some one else's prescription or they just ran some random numbers into the order. I said they are obviously incapable of helping me and asked for a refund. My wife cannot use her glasses at work so she's going to return them on Sunday.

They said they cannot return the cost of the eye exams ($110) so I may have to call the credit card to try a chargeback.

quote:

Originally posted by mark123:

Obviously some one else's prescription or they just ran some random numbers into the order <snip> credit card to try a chargeback.

Reminds me of many years ago, before Costco optical was in this area. I got some glasses at LensCrafters. Optician carelessly swapped '+' and '-' in the prescription. OOPS! They said new ones would be ready the next day, I told Tham they had already wasted enough of my time, just cancel and refund. That prompted them to have the new ones ready in less than an hour.

Re credit card, I do not file a lot of disputes, just done a very few. I did these online, on the card issuer's website, and I never had one refused.

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:

quote:

Originally posted by mark123:

Obviously some one else's prescription or they just ran some random numbers into the order <snip> credit card to try a chargeback.

Reminds me of many years ago, before Costco optical was in this area. I got some glasses at LensCrafters. Optician carelessly swapped '+' and '-' in the prescription. OOPS! They said new ones would be ready the next day, I told Tham they had already wasted enough of my time, just cancel and refund. That prompted them to have the new ones ready in less than an hour.

Re credit card, I do not file a lot of disputes, just done a very few. I did these online, on the card issuer's website, and I never had one refused.

Thanks for the info. I do see a place where I can dispute a charge on the Mastercard website but I’m giving them a chance to do the right thing first.

Mark,

First of all - get your eyes checked again by someone else. Then take your business elsewhere for getting the glasses. You might consider the Costco in Cranberry Township. I've had much success using Costco for glasses. I wear progressives every day. Most of the Costco locations have an INDEPENDENT optometrist on site.

quote:

Originally posted by SigSAC:
Mark,

First of all - get your eyes checked again by someone else. Then take your business elsewhere for getting the glasses. You might consider the Costco in Cranberry Township. I've had much success using Costco for glasses. I wear progressives every day. Most of the Costco locations have an INDEPENDENT optometrist on site.

I’ll definitely get a new exam and prescription.

This guy at Sam’s Club is also independent. He’s just not able to help us.