Anyone Here Knowledgeable About Eyeglasses?

[GO-NAD!]

Certainly first step should be checking to be sure the glasses Costco made are correct. They should do this without any trouble.
CostCo actually only make digital glasses (custom CNC) now, and are a great value.

I'm a firm believer in doing as much as you can on your own before going to the office.
You should also look at some far away print with and without your glasses. If you cannot tell a clear improvement from the glasses and feel your vision is good without them, then the Rx for distance is clearly wrong or not needed! You might also get a friend and compare your long distance vision against theirs.

If these indicate you need long distance Rx, then get to the Ophthalmologist.

The optometrist may have been looking at the sale of $600 glasses when he decided you needed a long distance Rx. They don't make a killing on exams, but do on glasses. Especially the progressive lenses.

You may have been better off sticking with you reading glasses or going retro with half lenses that won't interfere with looking up for long distances:

Consumer Reports rates Costco quite highly for the quality of their glasses. I'll be surprised if they haven't been made correctly. I really suspect that I don't need distance correction - or less than has been prescribed, at least. I find this odd, because I have found my Optometrist quite competent and have been seeing her for check-ups for several years. Plus, I doubt that she added distance correction just to drive up the price of glasses. If I had bought them from her, I'd inevitably be back with the same complaint I have now. If the prescription is wrong, I'll chalk it up to an honest error.

They do pretty thorough eye exams at her practice. Well, far more thorough than they ever did in the navy. Other than refraction, they check visual fields, Optomap Retinal Scan, Optical Coherence Tomography and Corneal Tomography. I don't know how that compares with the exam that an opthamologist would do. Anyway, I'm not ready to throw my optometrist under the bus yet. Professionals in any area of medical practice are still people. And, even the most competent will make mistakes, as I'm sure Doc Carter will agree.

In the end, I suspect that I'll end up replacing these lenses with an office-type lenses. Costco will replace what I have if I'm not happy and if they're cheaper, will refund the difference.

 

[rnatalli]

Try 39Dollarglasses. For the price, they're surprisingly good. I use them for my daughter as I don't care so much if she breaks them.

 

[afterlife2]

Good artice here: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/15/technology/personaltech/easing-eye-strain-with-the-right-lenses.html

 

[Ponzio]

Finding a good optometrist is just as important as finding a good mechanic. I made the Costco mistake myself 3 years ago to save some money on my bifocals and the result was that I got some poorly made lenses ... twice. So I went back to my old but obscenely expensive optometrist.

Whad'ya gonna do?

 

[herbu]

But, over the past few months, I found it more and more annoying to have to carry around the reading glasses in order to focus on my phone, restaurant menus, product labels in stores, etc. And, if I'm wearing them, I have to take them off to focus on anything beyond 2 or 3 feet. So, I was constantly putting them on and taking them off.

Yep... sounds about right. Cheapest, and for me the most satisfying solution, is plain old reading glasses. Get a couple 3-packs of cheapies at a big box store for ~$10. I have a pair in every car, by the bed, in the bathroom, by my lazyboy, in the kitchen, in the boat... When we go in a restaurant or store, I take the pair from the car. Put 'em on when I need them. Top of your head, in your pocket, or on your shirt neckline when you don't need them. Get used to it.

Have tried bifocals, trifocals and variable. All a pain in the rear. Wear contacts for distance, so essentially in the same boat as you. You know, they do make bifocal contacts. Ones you put in, leave in 24/7 for a month, then remove & replace. Easy peasy. BUT, they compromise your distance clarity. You give up a little sharpness at distance for the reading part. Not worth it for me.

Also, for your cheapie 3-packs, you can get a little stronger power for books, labels, menus, etc, and a little weaker power for computers. Works fine for me. Leave the weaker ones where you use the computer, the stronger ones where you won't.

In other words, I've tried it all. Plain old cheap small reading glasses give me the best result with the least accommodation.

 

[GO-NAD!]

Yep... sounds about right. Cheapest, and for me the most satisfying solution, is plain old reading glasses. Get a couple 3-packs of cheapies at a big box store for ~$10. I have a pair in every car, by the bed, in the bathroom, by my lazyboy, in the kitchen, in the boat... When we go in a restaurant or store, I take the pair from the car. Put 'em on when I need them. Top of your head, in your pocket, or on your shirt neckline when you don't need them. Get used to it.

Have tried bifocals, trifocals and variable. All a pain in the rear. Wear contacts for distance, so essentially in the same boat as you. You know, they do make bifocal contacts. Ones you put in, leave in 24/7 for a month, then remove & replace. Easy peasy. BUT, they compromise your distance clarity. You give up a little sharpness at distance for the reading part. Not worth it for me.

Also, for your cheapie 3-packs, you can get a little stronger power for books, labels, menus, etc, and a little weaker power for computers. Works fine for me. Leave the weaker ones where you use the computer, the stronger ones where you won't.

In other words, I've tried it all. Plain old cheap small reading glasses give me the best result with the least accommodation.

You seem to in an identical situation to mine. I already have a $hitload of 3-pk reading glasses. I decided to go with prescription lenses, hoping they would be a bit more convenient. I think I was wrong. Costco will replace the lenses with the 2-range computer/reading glasses, if I can't adapt to the progressives. I just haven't gotten around to doing that yet.

 

[Alex2507]

if I can't adapt to the progressives.

I'm glad you're thinking about giving up after trying real hard for three minutes.

I'm a slow adapter due to only using glasses to drive or read books. My job is too dirty and talking to people is weird when I have to train my gaze to have them in focus. That really only applies to like dinner table distances.

However the advantage is that they are a single solution to a multitude of problems. It's as close to having naturally good eyes as you're going to get without involving multiple pairs of corrective lenses. My progressive lenses also have an after market brown polarized clip on. The contents of one eye glass case will get me to a restaurant in blazing sunshine reading a GPS and street signs. The menu and the drive back home at night are also covered. It's a cool thing to be able to do with one pair of lenses.

" ... I can't adapt ... " tisk tisk tisk

 

[GO-NAD!]

I'm slow...

 

[Alex2507]

Hey, it's better than stuck ... in reverse.

 

[GO-NAD!]

I'm glad you're thinking about giving up after trying real hard for three minutes.

I'm a slow adapter due to only using glasses to drive or read books. My job is too dirty and talking to people is weird when I have to train my gaze to have them in focus. That really only applies to like dinner table distances.

However the advantage is that they are a single solution to a multitude of problems. It's as close to having naturally good eyes as you're going to get without involving multiple pairs of corrective lenses. My progressive lenses also have an after market brown polarized clip on. The contents of one eye glass case will get me to a restaurant in blazing sunshine reading a GPS and street signs. The menu and the drive back home at night are also covered. It's a cool thing to be able to do with one pair of lenses.

" ... I can't adapt ... " tisk tisk tisk

Exactly how you described it is why I went for the progressives in the first place. I didn't think I needed distance correction at all, but that's what was prescribed, so I went for it. For up close vision, they are fine and they came with magnetic sunglass clip-ons. The trouble is, for distance vision, they are worse than no glasses at all.

When I'm driving with them on, pretty much everything is a bit blurry - not much, but enough to be annoying. Except the gauge panel - that sharpened up nicely.

When you started wearing yours, did your distance vision seem worse, only to see it improve over time? I've had mine for 2 weeks now. I'll give it a full month, before deciding what action to take.

 

[Ponzio]

Exactly how you described it is why I went for the progressives in the first place. I didn't think I needed distance correction at all, but that's what was prescribed, so I went for it. For up close vision, they are fine and they came with magnetic sunglass clip-ons. The trouble is, for distance vision, they are worse than no glasses at all.

When I'm driving with them on, pretty much everything is a bit blurry - not much, but enough to be annoying. Except the gauge panel - that sharpened up nicely.

When you started wearing yours, did your distance vision seem worse, only to see it improve over time? I've had mine for 2 weeks now. I'll give it a full month, before deciding what action to take.

if ur eye doctor prescribed progressives u obviously need them; it's not a frill.

to ur final question; yes ... yes ... yes. at first I was cornfused by ur helplessness but now it makes sense. it usually takes about a month or so until ur eyes adapt unconsciously for near/far vision and u'lll be right as rain. my response of course is based on getting a good [read: expensive] pair of progressive lenses, where the transition in the lenses is smooth as silk. if after a month u inherently can still notice a transition from near to far viewing in the lenses, u purchased cheap or overpriced lenses. that's why i don't use my local Costco because of said problem. find a good/honest optometrist. I would also highly recommend getting progressive photochromic lenses to avoid the sunglasses clip-on's.

trust me, no one is cheaper than I am but taking care of ur vision is not something u want to cheap out on. it's not like ur buying a Onkyo AVR vs. a Yamaha. jus kiddin', calm down u Onkyo owners.

 

[Alex2507]

When you started wearing yours, did your distance vision seem worse, only to see it improve over time? I've had mine for 2 weeks now. I'll give it a full month, before deciding what action to take.

My problem was that they had my reading portion too high up on the lens which forced me to tip my head down for driving. Then they shifted the lens lower but that took away the reading portion. I forced them to get something right after a lot of back and forth crap but finally decided that paying $80 for a good script was worth it.

So ... don't wait another 2 weeks. You either have a problem with the script or the glasses. Get the glasses you now have checked out. They can map out that lens to verify it matches the script. If that checks out get a new script from the same douche who gave you the bad one because that should be free. Tell him to get it right this time. No f^%&ing way is it ever okay to see worse with glasses.

Getting use to progressive lenses is exhausting for the first few days/weeks. It's not easy but it's worth it. Some people just don't want to be bothered like my g/f refuses to learn to drive a stick. I don't understand the mentality but whatever.

Make sure you know the return policy. 30 days may be outside the 'whoops, we f^%&ed up window'.

The only time I accept the notion of putting glasses on and seeing worse is at work with mandatory safety glasses. They're dirty, scratched and fogged up so my work always looks choice.

I think cheaters can hurt your eyes and when it comes to saving money, your eyes are a bad place to start. Good luck old man.

 

[GO-NAD!]

My problem was that they had my reading portion too high up on the lens which forced me to tip my head down for driving. Then they shifted the lens lower but that took away the reading portion. I forced them to get something right after a lot of back and forth crap but finally decided that paying $80 for a good script was worth it.

So ... don't wait another 2 weeks. You either have a problem with the script or the glasses. Get the glasses you now have checked out. They can map out that lens to verify it matches the script. If that checks out get a new script from the same douche who gave you the bad one because that should be free. Tell him to get it right this time. No f^%&ing way is it ever okay to see worse with glasses.

Getting use to progressive lenses is exhausting for the first few days/weeks. It's not easy but it's worth it. Some people just don't want to be bothered like my g/f refuses to learn to drive a stick. I don't understand the mentality but whatever.

Make sure you know the return policy. 30 days may be outside the 'whoops, we f^%&ed up window'.

The only time I accept the notion of putting glasses on and seeing worse is at work with mandatory safety glasses. They're dirty, scratched and fogged up so my work always looks choice.

I think cheaters can hurt your eyes and when it comes to saving money, your eyes are a bad place to start. Good luck old man.

That's precisely what I wanted to know. I was wondering if it was natural that my vision might appear blurry for a bit until my eyes adapted. But there is no part of my lenses where distance vision is clear. So, first step is to get the glasses checked (which is what I said I would do a week ago ). If they're correct, next will be to get my prescription checked.

Thanks!

 

[afterlife2]

I got these type for very small print for home use. Why is everything printed so dang small these days? otherwise I'm good vision wise. Cost was $20 at CVS. I see ebay has them for half the price. I may get an extra pair for outside use:

 

[herbu]

I would also highly recommend getting progressive photochromic lenses to avoid the sunglasses clip-on's.

These are great, but understand they may not work in the car. The transition to sunglasses is driven by UV rays. The glass in most cars now has UV blockers, so the glasses won't darken well in the car. At least, that is what our Dr said, and has been my experience, and my wife's. We still have the magnetic clip-on sunglasses for use in the car.

 

[Ponzio]

These are great, but understand they may not work in the car. The transition to sunglasses is driven by UV rays. The glass in most cars now has UV blockers, so the glasses won't darken well in the car. At least, that is what our Dr said, and has been my experience, and my wife's. We still have the magnetic clip-on sunglasses for use in the car.

yeah my wife complains about the issue too and uses clip-on's with her glasses but she's also much more sensitive to sunlight than I am.