# Bifocals…😭



## JayGo (Jun 13, 2019)

Pardon the intrusion, but I need to vent for a quick second.

I'm 46, but I still am not used to how quietly age seems to creep in when you get into your 40's. It's stupid little things like the body taking longer to recover from things like workouts, a long day in the yard, etc…. I don't mind the gray hair at all. But in my mind, I'm still 25. &#127939;&#127995;‍♂ The body, however, says otherwise. &#128104;&#127996;‍&#129459;

But the latest kick in the &#129372; is that I'm finding myself pulling things back when I am reading. &#129324; I've worn glasses since I was 6. It's dumb to feel bummed about bifocals, but now my eyes are going, too. &#128557; Progressive lenses are in my future.

And now, back to your regularly scheduled lawn discussions.


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## BobLovesGrass (Jun 13, 2020)

I have had bifocals since I was 10yo, no big deal.
Never owned a pair of glasses that wasn't.

Go ahead and get bifocal sunglasses too, women at the optometrist alway assume I want single vision sunglasses, I don't know why anyone would do that other than false economy.

My prescription is mostly for astigmatism, and very stable.


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## AllisonN (Jul 4, 2020)

LASIK? Wife had it done and never looked back. Got tired of paying for glasses and prescription sunglasses so we just went for it. Wasn't bad at $3,400 I believe.


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## BobLovesGrass (Jun 13, 2020)

A lot of folks who have Lasik still use readers.

I know folks who are happy with it but it isn't the magic bullet the commercials lead you to believe


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## JayGo (Jun 13, 2019)

I'm one of the many that can't have corrective laser surgery. I'd be all over it if I could.


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## BobLovesGrass (Jun 13, 2020)

I haven't even particularly considered, gotta wear safeties at work, should wear them doing lawn work or automotive repair etc. Wear sunglasses in the car.
Seems like I would be needing glasses a lot of the time anyway.

On further thought 3 of my friends who I know have had corrective eye surgery and are happy have ended up needing a redo a decade later, all now middle-aged, so probably more in the future.


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## JayGo (Jun 13, 2019)

My eyes are too jacked up. I have a severe astigmatism in both eyes, plus I'm nearsighted in one eye and farsighted in the other. I've been with the same two ophthalmologists over the past 22 years. Both say that my vision isn't correctable.


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## TN Hawkeye (May 7, 2018)

JayGo said:


> My eyes are too jacked up. I have a severe astigmatism in both eyes, plus I'm nearsighted in one eye and farsighted in the other. I've been with the same two ophthalmologists over the past 22 years. Both say that my vision isn't correctable.


I feel ya. Severe astigmatism and severe near sighted. Last time my doc put a number on my vision it was 20/800 and that was several strengths of contacts ago. Now my near vision is slipping. We are trying a distance contact in my left eye and a near contact in my right eye. Takes a bit to get used to. They've told me eventually I'll have distance contacts on both eyes and have to wear readers at the same time. Getting old is a nice kick in the rear.


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## Old Hickory (Aug 19, 2019)

if you don't get the progressive lens, you'll find yourself squinting a lot more, making your face look older.


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## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

JayGo said:


> Pardon the intrusion, but I need to vent for a quick second.
> 
> I'm 46, but I still am not used to how quietly age seems to creep in when you get into your 40's. It's stupid little things like the body taking longer to recover from things like workouts, a long day in the yard, etc…. I don't mind the gray hair at all. But in my mind, I'm still 25. 🏃🏻‍♂️ The body, however, says otherwise. 👨🏼‍🦳
> 
> ...


I am currently in the early stages (pre-doctoral) of becoming an eye doc, and done my fair share of working in the field, so I'll offer my take.

First, it's worth remembering that your vision is flexible. Your eyes can heal from some degree of physical trauma over time with the right care. (E.g. retinal detachment + prompt treatment + giving it time to heal = good vision in many cases). Likewise, it's not inevitable that vision has to get worse over time at a certain rate. Take two people who should have had the same outcome over time, and their habits play a role in how quickly the near vision goes. Things like lots of outdoor time, rest, and good nutrition and exercise go a long way.

That said, presbyopia is something that no one really escapes. Studies have shown that people living in pre-technological societies today have less problem with it...you see people able to thread a needle no problem, etc. That doesn't mean that it hasn't happened to them; it just means that modern culture can make it worse than it has to be, sooner.

The best thing you can do, from what I've seen, is get a pair of custom single-vision reading reading glasses, and a pair of single-vision computer (intermediate) glasses. The optics of progressive lenses are such that there is only a narrow corridor for intermediate vision, with unusable portions of the lens filled with distortion to the sides of it. That's just how they're designed. You'll have much better, more natural vision with single vision lenses. That doesn't mean you shouldn't get progressives (also: lined bifocals are an alternative, too, and many Optometrists like them); it just means using the right tool for the task at hand. Don't believe the lens commercials that claim that progressives give you perfect vision. The less you rely on progressives, the better your long-term vision probably will be. Another reason for this is: all progressives have distance correction. The combination of all of this means that you're using less of your natural focusing, and this can result in minor changes in how your eyes point and converge at different distances. This can manifest as blurred vision at certain distances, even when looking through the correct part of the lens, and just feel unnatural.

One other thing: Depending on your distance correction, wearing distance-only single-vision lenses (e.g. for driving) might make it easier or harder to see at near (e.g. your dashboard). If your distance is not too bad, you wouldn't need any correction for driving, but might need the progressives in order to see the dashboard well.

In short, as far as progressive lenses or bifocals go, use what's comfortable. Don't use something that is uncomfortable, because it's uncomfortable for a reason. You might need to work with your eye doctor to tweak the powers slightly to get a good balance between near and far vision.

Eventually, at a certain age, everyone will likely need some form of lenses because of presbyopia. But whether that's 42 or 55, etc/, depends on the individual. People that wear distance-only lenses might just need to not wear them in order to see well up close. So it might appear they're not affected, but in reality, it's just masked by the distance vision. By age 75 or so, everyone is fully affected, more-or-less from what they say (I'm still a bit skeptical of that, but that's what it seems like).

In short, for progressives: Fit the lenses to you; don't fit yourself to the lenses. If you don't like something about them, work with your vision providers to get something that works better. There are so many variables and measurements. Even a different eyeglass frame size or one with a different amount of wrap-around (which alters the distortion) can make a difference sometimes.


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## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

JayGo said:


> I've worn glasses since I was 6. It's dumb to feel bummed about bifocals, but now my eyes are going, too. 😭 Progressive lenses are in my future.


By the way...

If you've worn glasses since age 6 and if they were for distance, single vision lenses are probably the way to go as much as possible...a distance pair, a reading pair, and likely a computer pair, too. Progressives are good for those times when you can't switch, but as mentioned, have inherent compromises.

(Keeping your old distance glasses might be OK, but if the distance powers have changed much--which isn't totally unheard of at your age--you should consider getting new ones.) Best way to test that is to get your own eye chart, and test your vision at 20 feet and 10 feet. If you can see well at 20 feet, but have a bit of trouble or are straining at 10 feet, you likely need new distance powers. If you can see ok at both distances, you can keep using your existing glasses for distance. Most eye doctors don't test for distance-range flexibility...only for far distance. But new distance lens powers can make a difference if you're losing that flexibility at 10 feet and closer. Because your near powers are a product of your distance powers, it's important to get the distance power right. Otherwise, you can end up too much ADD (in other words: "bifocal power") in your progressives.

Another tip: The best optics are in the following lens materials (other than glass, lol): CR-39, Trivex, 1.61 index, and Tribrid (which is so new you probably won't find it). Polycarbonate and 1.67 plastic aren't quite as good optically, but both have their uses.

And if you were nearsighted, you might find that certain near tasks work best without any glasses at all now.


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## JayGo (Jun 13, 2019)

@Green, thanks for all of the info. I actually read your reply after I walked out of my appointment.
My doc said much of the same stuff you did. After discussing the pros and cons of progressives, I felt the bifocals were the ones for me. The thought of paying more for progressive when a part of the lens is pretty much unusable just doesn't sit well with me.

I'll find out soon enough if I like the bifocals. I can always try progressive lenses further down the road.

I already carry two separate frames (my regular prescription and my prescription sunglasses). I certainly didn't want a third.

Again, thanks for chiming in.


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## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

@JayGo, good luck with everything. Sounds like you made an informed decision. Hopefully the bifocals will work well. 60% of people who need near correction pick a lined bifocal. There are some variables in how and where the position of the near *ADD* is located, as well as its shape. If you have trouble with comfort, you can always ask the optician you bought them through/who fitted you, about this stuff.

There is also a third, brand new multifocal lens technology (no, not trifocals...so I guess it's actually a 4th technology). It's called a *DAL* for short. This stands for direct addition lens (as opposed to *PAL* for progressive addition lens). The *DAL* is more a hybrid between the bifocal and the progressive, or a new type of true bifocal with no line.. You might want to research it if the bifocals don't work well for you even after tweaking the segment position and *ADD* power.

Link to video about new DAL lenses: https://m.facebook.com/opticianworks/videos/eyes-and-dals-a-new-concept-in-multifocal-lenses/862874770889294/?extid=SEO----
-Has some very interesting info in it about how lined bifocal users keep more of their eye's natural focusing ability over time, versus progressive lens wearers (at 11:50).

Again, I will also say: if you do a lot of reading or tablet use at home, a single-vision reading pair makes sense, too, and they can be left at home 99.9% of the time. I actually used such a pair in college, even though I didn't technically need them. A friend at the time who I used to workout with at the University gym had a similar setup...reading glasses to put over his distance contacts. We were under 20 at the time, so anyone can benefit from reading glasses, whether they can see well at near or not. I currently have a computer pair, but haven't used it in a long time.

Speaking of that, as an aside, there are new technology lenses based on multifocal technology, but classified as single vision, marketed toward Millennials who do a lot of close work. They have a very low graduated bifocal power to help relieve nearpoint stress and to better sustain convergence at near. Sounds interesting.

Since I'm more than 10 years younger than you, I am not looking forward to what you're going through. But when it happens eventually (hopefully not before 50), I'll probably just get single vision reading glasses. (I'll probably try progressives and bifocals as well regardless, just so I can understand what people go through when they select them, but for me, I think single vision is what I'm going to use most of the time personally.)

Historically, Neuro/Behavioral/Developmental/Therapeutic Optometrists love to prescribe bifocals and/or reading glasses...for almost everyone, from little kids doing school work to elderly people, because they help with focusing. Done right, the person won't become dependent on them. They use very low powers for the kids, and only have them use them in school or for homework. Many times, such lenses can allow the visual system to maintain a level of flexibility that otherwise wouldn't be possible...and therefore avoid the occurrence of maladaptive compensations (which would have led to worse visual issues over time if allowed to occur). Lenses shape the visual system as well as the person's worldview; they don't merely compensate for problems. They are an amazing, powerful tool.


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## BobLovesGrass (Jun 13, 2020)

This is very interesting, thank you.
Been in progressives myself for probably 15 years, but recently stumbled on an old pair of lined bifocal sunglasses and actually in used them on the beach and in the pool on vacation. Prescription wasn't perfect but I could have driven or read. Was wearing them as cheap sunglasses not for the correction.

Wonder if my prescription is stable even with progressive because it is mostly prism with little magnification?
For a long time I would swap back and forth with for instance my safeties being lined and my regular being progressive, I don't even notice, but after over three decades with bifocals it is possible I am just trained to skip the transition section.

I will certainly ask at my next exam if I might get some benefits from lined or single vision.

Another thought, I seem to have not followed my own advise back in December last exam I got, but I try to keep a pic of my current prescription on my phone. Just incase something happens while traveling. Once before the days of smartphones I had frame snap hours from home and ended up having to find a place with an exam opening right away.


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## Burnie (Jun 13, 2020)

I have worn Tri-focals for several years. I have an astigmatism also. I started with just reading glasses when I turned 40ish, then went to bi-focals, but as I got older I needed the mid range of tri-focals for the computer work. Sucks getting older, but the alternative sucks even more.


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## JayGo (Jun 13, 2019)

Before I started doing some reading about bifocals, I had never heard of trifold. It made sense once I read I rad about them, but I'd never given any thought that concept.
In the video Green linked above, they show how in theory you can have "octa-focals."

All that said, I'm curious what this experience is going to be like for me with plain old bifocals. I should get my new glasses in about a week. I'm hoping I won't feel the need to return them for single vision.


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## Old Hickory (Aug 19, 2019)

@Green Great input! I have a new multifocal Rx. In this Rx can I find my single-vision reading glasses Rx?


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## DuncanMcDonuts (May 5, 2019)

@JayGo I thought I told you I was an eye doc. Text me if you got any questions lol. I'm about to open my own office, too, so hit me up if you need help.


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