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Medical Forum / General / Vision / February 2006Need opinions re: best lens material
I'm sure this has all been answered here before but please help me out. I need new progressives made with a slightly stronger prescription than I had before. I've had several pairs of progressives over the past six years, some good, some so bad I've taken them back. I can't afford to experiment--I need to do this right the first time--but I am willing to pay for top quality lenses. I have recently spoken to two different opticians about what lens material to use. One said negative things about polycarbonate, while the other seemed to think polycarbonate was the only way to go and that other materials (from Varilux) were too soft. Not sure what any of this means. My prescription for one eye is spherical -1.75, cylindrical -1.50, axis 095, with a +2.00 for the reading part of the progressive. (Other eye is similar: -2.25, -1.00). I will not be getting skinny frames--my frames will have B measurement of at least 33 mm (I think I'm using the right terms...). Of course I want thin looking lenses, who doesn't? I suppose I will be getting the ordinary Varilux lenses (Varilux Comfort, Varilux Panamic? What's the difference?), and I will have a high-end coating such as Crizal Alize applied. Also, will most likely get a pair of progressive sunglasses, and will get them at the same time, with same frames, with same everything (except the tint) as the regular pair. (I want them to be as similar as possible so switching back and forth is extremely comfortable.) I do some bike riding but that's about it for sports. I'm currently attending school (again, at age 50!) and do a lot of studying and spend a lot of time in lectures where I am alternately writing/reading notes up close and looking up at the lectern, blackboard, and projections--currently this bothers my eyes and sometimes gives me headaches. Also, work involves going back and forth between many vision distances: close up work with my hands, using a computer, and further distances. Any suggestions or advice would be most graciously appreciated. I only wish I were more knowledgeable about all this, perhaps you can help me get that knowledge. Polycarbonate vs. what? Which Varilux progressives, or perhaps other manufacturer? Alize, is it all it's touted to be? Thanks. Randy i am an optometrist and not an optician so i cannot be as specific as some in this forum can. in general i would recommend plastic lenses over polycarbonate. for some patients, and for some prescription types, both types of lens materials can perform equivalently but overall there are less problems with plastic lenses. many optical places will try to sell polycarbonate more because they make higher margins on it. some key questions. what type of lens material are you using now? what specific lens brand are you using now? in general, if you are getting along fine with the lens type you have now its a good idea to stay with that same type. otherwise the channel width, etc. might be different and if might give you some adjustment problems. in my opinion there are many good brands of progressives. Varilux is good but isn't IMHO significantly better than many others. Varilux has one good thing going for it-- name recognition. do some searching in this forum because you are right-- this topic has been discussed numerous times before. also, probably you will get some good quality posts from the more optician-oriented experts here shortly. good luck in school again. >Polycarbonate vs. what? With your Rx poly is ok. >Which Varilux progressives, or perhaps other manufacturer? What matters the most is that the lens is positioned properly in front of the eyes. >Alize, is it all it's touted to be? The new oleophobic AR coatings seem to be easier to clean than uncoated lenses. >Thanks. > >Randy Regards, Robert Martellaro ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Optician/Owner Roberts Optical robopt@execpc.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "An expert is a person who has made all the mistakes that can be made in a very narrow field." - Niels Bohr for your prescription, you do not need a high index lens. so it depends on the frame that you are getting, if it is a rimles frame or a half rim frame, then polycarbonate is a good option. (th material scratches easily, but will not chip or crack which is goo for frame types listed above. There is a bit more distorition in th polycarbonate lens, but you would most likely not notice th difference, most people don't notice at all. The best thing that I can suggest is, check for the pair that was MOS comfortable progressives and get the same brand or stick with you last pair and don't change the brand since you're are already used t it. If you want REALLY good progressives, Zeiss has an awesom progressive. It is a German company and makes GREAT lenses. Th Varilux Panamic is good and quite highend. They claim to have les distortion.. but it's probably marginal compared to the Comfor Secondly, instead of getting a second pair for sunglasses.. have yo ever thought about getting TRANSITIONS? it is when the lens insid is clear and when you go outside in the sun, activated by UV light will turn either dark grey or brown slowly. On overcast days it wil change half way etc Randall, I'm not an expert in the field, the following is based on my experience as a user. I have worn a strong prescription progressive for years. My first experience with a progressive lens was a failure, it was a polycarbonate, tho I'm not saying the material was the cause of my problem. After taking my glasses back twice and complaining of problems, I was told that I was one of the people who could not adjust to progressives, so I went back to bifocals. About a month later a friend recommended his Optician to me. I decided to give them a try. I went in and told the Optician of my prior experience trying to wear progressives. He gave me a short understanding of the importance of the optic material. He recommended that with my strong presciption that I use the Varilux Comfort len. From the second I received the new glasses and put them on, I had no adjustment problems, the were very comfortable. I use Varilux for a number of years. Four years ago when I went in with a new prescription, the same Optician recommended a new thinner optic from "Zeiss". I switched from Varilux to Zeiss and found the new glasses equally as comfortable. Several years ago my medical insurance company sent me a notice that I could get a special discount for one of the local optical shops in my area. I went in when I got my next prescription. I asked the optician what material they used. She told me they used a high grade polycarbonate. I told her that I had used Varilux and Zeiss for many years, and I would want the same quality lens. She told me that Varilux, and Zeiss were the best, and if I found that with my strong prescription they were comfortable for me, then I would not be satisfied with their len. Good luck. Earl > I'm sure this has all been answered here before but please help me out. > [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] > Any suggestions or advice would be most graciously appreciated. I only wish > I were more knowledgeable about all this, perhaps you can help me get that > knowledge. > Polycarbonate vs. what? [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > Randy |
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