Progressive Lenses on Deck?

[Gunfleet]

Originally Posted by GrahamO

I cannot stand progressives full stop and bifocals are scary on a boat as the transition line always seems to be where I want to step.
My solution has been progressive contact lenses. They are awesome on a boat for the following reasons:
1. No loss of peripheral vision or transition line.
2. Ability to wear normal (affordable) sunglasses
3. No swapping glasses when going into the cabin
4. No rain/spray on lenses issue

They are a bit of a compromise as the add range is more limited than glass progressives. I have mine set to allow me to read a chart or the instruments and have very good mid vision (not much to see a long way off anyway). If I want to read a book inlow light I might wear +1 readers as well.
Worth a try.

Sorry to repeat this - I only just spotted yours!

[Over Budget]

I went from bifocals to progressives and ended up hating the progressives. I felt disoriented and off balance, so I switched back to bifocals. I later discovered mono-lenses; contacts where one lense is focused on distance vision and the other for reading. Although it took a week or so for my mind to completely adjust to the difference, I ended up loving them. It’s as if I have 20-20 vision (but of course I don’t) with no need for glasses at all — except sunglasses.

[Nepidae]

I tried the progressive lenses and as most have said, had a difficult time in acclimating to them.

I asked then for a lens that was a single focal length, a pair of glasses that hit the close items without the distortion and also the distance but not quite as clear.

This seems to handle my needs on the operation of the boat.

I did also get a pair of glasses that are for close work and another pair for distance.

Most companies who manufacturer glasses offer specials, 2 for 1 or similar, so the cost of the multiple pairs isn't that much. Just don't go for the designer frames.

This approach has worked for me.

Good luck.

[Mouetterieuse]

I discovered a similar issue with my progressive lenses, when trying to catch a rope on the side (peripheral vision) - short distances being misestimated. Potentially dangerous if it’s to hold yourself ! Now that I realized it, I’m just more careful.

[Painless]

The trick is to make sure the “reading” portion starts very low on the lens. Several times I have had them remade because they marked the transition point too high and then they were milled to that point.

[Trimaran Ken]

Originally Posted by Painless

The trick is to make sure the “reading” portion starts very low on the lens. Several times I have had them remade because they marked the transition point too high and then they were milled to that point.

The point where the transition from distance to closer starts is called the "Segment Height" which is measured from the bottom of the lens. This is one of the two key factors. The other is that the lower you go, the narrower the area is where you can properly focus. The bad peripheral vision comes from looking sideways below the segment line.

If you are willing to spend more money, you can get lenses where the usable width at the bottom is wider. The more you are willing to spend the better this can get, but it will never be the full width. Talk to your eye doctor or glasses vendor about this.

For any given pair of frames, there will be a recommended segment height (measured in millimeters), but you can request (or sometimes insist) that this number be smaller.

I have special glasses for driving and boating that have a segment level much lower than recommended. The theory is that most of the time in a car or boat, you are looking at things in the distance, or at least not real close. Looking above the segment, should give you as much peripheral vision as single vision distance glasses. Moving the segment height down 4 mm works best for me. I also tried 6 mm down, but it was not good for looking at my car's dash board without moving my head.

Online glasses are so cheap now that you can order multiple pairs just for experimentation.

Check out cheapglasses123.com and glassesshop.com.

Getting things right is worth the effort.

Ken
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[Bill_Giles]

I have used these lenses for about 20 years and they did take a bit of getting used to. Although these days I do not notice at all. So it makes sense to persist with them but in non-threatening situations! If you have invested in those lenses which auto-tint be aware that they steal a lot of light and should be avoided for night sailing.

[Freedom32]

Wow...I love my progressives when standing still or working on things close up like cutting a rope. I had to take my old sunglasses off to see up close.

However...stepping down is a problem as they distort distance. I just took a fall going to my wood steps on the dock...painful and cell phone ruined when I fell in the water. At first I thought that it was late, steps wet. But later on I saw that when I look down it is a problem.

My DR said that it is one of the bigger issues and that you adapt - learn to change focus - otherwise it is a danger. But objects are farther than they appear when looking down, so BE WARE. Practice works...and personal preference.

[Jsled]

My solution which has worked out wonderfully was to have prescription polarized distance sunglasses made with small reading half-moons inserted at the 6 o’clock position. This allows unobstructed corrected distance vision and, at the same time, the ability to read charts (or anything else) or view the chart plotter at the helm perfectly. Any qualified ophthalmologist or optometrist can have these made up for you with the reading half-moons any size to your specification. Much better (and safer) than progressives and certainly more convenient than 2 pairs of glasses.

[Dauntlessny]

Originally Posted by contrail

I have a pretty strong prescription for nearsightedness, and bad astigmatism, plus I am 69. That said, I have been using progressive lenses for about fifteen years, and love them. At first, they were a bit of a bother, and yes, there were some curves. But, I got used to them pretty quickly and wouldn't consider anything else, no matter whether it's sunglasses or not, sailing or not. Like many things optical, I think the brain learns to interpret, give a bit of time. In my case, it wasn't long, so perhaps I was lucky.

This was pretty much me also.
I'll add that the first few days were weird, then ak off a sudden, the bending just disappeared.
Even when trying to see the bending, like looking sideways, I don't, can't see it anymore.
This all took place within the first week.
That was 6 years ago. I had gotten both tinted sun glasses and non tinted.
I was also wearing contacts occasionally. My doctor had told me that that may cause my brain confusion, but it didn't.
I would also even wear an older pair of bifocals once in a while, again, my brain had no problem and i've never seen the bending again.
Good luck.

[Tillsbury]

I remember trying on my first pair of progressives. I turned my head in the optician's shop and was nearly seasick! I couldn't imagine how I was going to survive with everything swimming around. Two days later everything was perfect.

Get to a good, expensive optician, and get the right lenses. Specsavers are cheap for a reason.

[Kiwi.]

Originally Posted by denverd0n

I have been using progressives for more than ten years now. Yes, they take some getting used to. I really kind of hated the first pair that I had. But with my eyesight a set of single-focus lenses just didn't work. So I kept using them, got used to them, and now I don't even notice the changing focus.


I work in front of a computer all day long, though, and for that I do have a set of single-focus lenses that I'm wearing right now. These lenses allow me to focus from about a foot and a half out to about 4-5 feet. This way I don't have to keep my head tilted at just the right angle all day long.


For everything else, though, I would not go without my progressive lenses.


Good luck, whatever you do.

Ditto

[hobsonlea]

Another convert to contact lenses. Made the switch 2 years ago and love them. I have gone for mono vision not progressive - so I have a +4 and a +1.5 the brain works it’s out.

[MainMan]

OMG so many complaints - as a quaified Optical Dispenser and x business owner -I am guilty (or rewarded) for putting everyone into progressives. Yes I used to design different bifocal and upside down trifocals etc for specialist orders but when progressives hit the market, I made sure I understood them and experimented with differnent brands and materials.

Much of the periphial distortion is necessary to create the aspheric curvature of the surface in order to create the graduation in power. In Australia there are close to 40 different designs but the optometrists usually just stick to one or two brands (which means limited to 4 or 5 designs) in order to get their discounts. My staff and I used to sell average of 100 to 140 pairs of specs per week (seasonal changes). Majority of them were progressives. After 16 years of this I had a handfull of people that just couldnt manage one design or another.

It was critical that we knew what prescription required which design. Most retailers in optics now a days call the better designs a premium or gold class and charge much more than their standard progressive lenses but premium doesn't mean that it is more suited to you, as a first timer, or suited best to your prescription.

My experience since selling the business is that I never go to the multinational retailers as most staff are either restricted in what they know or restricted in what they order.

Another key is to ensure you are not swapping between your old Rx and new Rx.

Use detergent cleaner (my go to is dishwashing liquid disolved to almost straight water) as most dirt such as grease and salt needs to be washed off the lens and not rubbed into the lens. Forget the alcohol based cleaners, they're useless. I only use tissues to wipe away the water. Dont believe all the crud about wood chips in cleaners - thats a furfie. Once the lens is clean I treat the multicoating (anti reflective coating) with tge microcloth which I purchase from kmart in a 6 pack face cloth size. I have these everywhere on the yacht and home.

I wear polazrised progressives which unfortunately I cannot get in exactly the same design as my transition multifocal. I always get the multicoat and I love them. Yes I also have a third pair for reading my tablet and threading a needle but again they are short range progressive, sold in Australia as library, access, office brand names.

Now don't ask me to wear contacts as I just can't get them in easily thesedays but same deal, many love them and some are always struggling with them.

Therefore focus (did you like that?) on locating an optometrist that will care for you, before he/ she cares about short term profit.

Have fun and look out for me on the water!

[slanyon]

I use bifocal sunglasses. The step change is apparent but they don't have blurred peripheral as thats long distance. I really miss my 20yr old eyes