Can't read the computer at all with my new progressive lenses!! :(

[laurajetter]

I just received my new glasses today which have progressive lenses (it's my first time with this type of lens). I know they will take a while to get used to... I've dragged my feet to even get to this point because I've dreaded not having a full field of vision. I can be kind of picky with certain things and just had the feeling that seeing blurry spots and having to keep moving my head every which way to focus would annoy me to no end, but decided to bite the bullet and just go for it.

Granted, I've only had them a few hours... I do intend on giving them a fair chance and waiting a couple weeks to see how I adjust. Yes, I am annoyed by certain things but I feel with time maybe I can adjust. For almost everything I need to focus on it's simply a matter of moving my head into the right position for things to become clear and focused. HOWEVER, there is one thing that is just not working at all and that is not being able to focus on the computer screen. I cannot bring the words into clear view no matter what distance I put the computer or how I angle my head. I've tried the computer near, medium, far, my head tilted down, up, and in the middle... nothing is working! The clearest I can get the computer text is still all warpy and somewhat doubled, and even slight movements of my head make everything on the screen seem to do a weird fisheye movement. Also, the best I can get it still only focuses on a small area of the screen; I have to move my head around if I want to see other parts of the screen. I do freelance graphic design at home which is all on the computer, and during the day I work with middle school kids, a good bit of time is on the computer. Is it normal to have this much trouble focusing on the computer screen with progressives? I feel like I can't see it getting better since I can't ever get it to be clear. I figured it had more to do with your head/eye coordination and your body just needing time of learning the best angle to focus, yet if that's the case, then what does that mean for my inability to find ANY angle that gets the computer screen in focus? Will my eyes just magically start to focus one day?

Feeling super frustrated... Any advice appreciated!

 

[MrsPete]

I've been wearing "progressives" for years, and -- yes! -- the first pair is an adjustment. Don't expect to like them this week, maybe not even this month, but it will happen.

The best piece of advice I ever got: You can see whatever your nose towards. Progressives are awful for peripheral vision.

As for reading on the computer, tilt your chin upward. It'll look /feel odd, but you understand that your progressives have a stripe of "far vision" on the top /a stripe of "reader" on the bottom ... you have to view the screen through the reader portion.

Alternately, consider getting a pair of drug store readers for computer use.

When you need to change your computer, go with a large monitor. Can't hurt.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

It took me several days before I felt comfortable on the computer or my phone with my progressives. You will find the sweet spot eventually.

 

[Mango7100]

I wear progressives and I still can’t use them for the desktop...I bought a pair of cheap reader glasses just for the desktop and leave them sitting there.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Have you worn bifocals? When I went for new glasses, I remember the person there telling me that how long you've worn bifocals affects how quickly you will adjust to progressive lenses. The longer you've worn bifocals, the longer it will take to get used to progressive lenses. DH never wore bifocals, he wore progressives from the beginning and got used to them right away. Yet people I've known who'd worn bifocals, then switched to progressive lenses took forever to get used to them, some never did.

 

[John VN]

My first Progressive glasses were early 1990's and can say that today's lenses are much better. I had tri-focal back then and the first pair just did not work so it was back to tri-focal for a number of years until it was time for a new prescription. Second go at it was far better because the field of view was improved and NOW with my current 5 year old I can look out the left eye with head straight ahead and see fine (clear) 10+ feet away. I also have NO need to tilt chin upward to work on keyboard.

Could very well be because with this pair I had larger lenses used for improved field of vision while bicycle riding or maybe my almost 71 yo eyes just gave in and decided not to fight back.

As others have mentioned and you seem to agree, give them and eyes some time as you attempt to fine tune your head positioning.

GOOD LUCK.

 

[disneychrista]

I use readers for the computer. I coudn't imagine trying to use the reader portion of progressives or bifocals for the computer.

 

[monsterkitty]

This is my world right now! This is not my first pair of progressives and I use my old glasses to read the computer.

I prefer to take my glasses off to read a book or my iPad and can read anything close to my face without my glasses.

They have already remade this new pair of glasses once and are now telling me I "just have to get used to them". Um, when I can only use them to see in anything farther than 3 feet away something is wrong!

I want to smash them with a hammer.

 

[John VN]

This is my world right now! This is not my first pair of progressives and I use my old glasses to read the computer.

I prefer to take my glasses off to read a book or my iPad and can read anything close to my face without my glasses.

They have already remade this new pair of glasses once and are now telling me I "just have to get used to them". Um, when I can only use them to see in anything farther than 3 feet away something is wrong!

I want to smash them with a hammer.

My computer screen is 12" from my glasses and no problems. Could it be a "lens" issue r.e. your prescription?

 

[monsterkitty]

My computer screen is 12" from my glasses and no problems. Could it be a "lens" issue r.e. your prescription?

There is no way that the glasses are made correctly. I can only use them to read if I lift them up at least 1/2". The distance part is correct. The rest of the mid and close range are not. Remember though, I could go with no prescription for the reading part.

They give me a headache and I want to smash them.

 

[NC Belle]

There is no way that the glasses are made correctly. I can only use them to read if I lift them up at least 1/2". The distance part is correct. The rest of the mid and close range are not. Remember though, I could go with no prescription for the reading part.

They give me a headache and I want to smash them.

You need to get the managers (lab and retail) to retake measurements because lens sound like a mix of bad placements plus the reading height/pd sounds off. You could try to take the glasses to be read by an optician at another store or your eyecare provider to confirm perscription. It would help some if the frame alignment is double check because it can cause some errors. If all fails, get store chain customer service involved.

 

[monsterkitty]

You need to get the managers (lab and retail) to retake measurements because lens sound like a mix of bad placements plus the reading height/pd sounds off. You could try to take the glasses to be read by an optician at another store or your eyecare provider to confirm perscription. It would help some if the frame alignment is double check because it can cause some errors. If all fails, get store chain customer service involved.

I will take them to another place to have them doubled checked. I bought them at my independent optometrist's office. The manager of the optical department is new and not helpful at all. The previous manager was one of my former students and when I first made the switch to progressives about 3 years ago she made sure that they were measured correctly so that I could read my scores and keep an eye on the percussion section at the same time. She remembered what middle school percussionists were like

 

[tinkerdorabelle]

Always happens to me with my progressives and being on the computer and cannot use them. One time they did make a change to them and they were better but still never really seem right. I wear my progressives mostly for reading and sometimes tv and driving, my far away isn't that bad but being able to read and then look at computer is important and it stinks they can't seem to get it right for me so don't use for computer

 

[kirstenb1]

I have really bad vision. I got progressives 5 years ago, and they were great after just a few hours. Things like going down stairs (depth perception) were tricky for the first week, but reading newspapers, computer screens, distance vision were all great. I'd take them back if they still seem off after a week or so.

 

[tvguy]

I'm into trifocal progressives at this point of my life. There is a learning curve for sure. You have to get used to moving your head to get the right part of the lens in front of your eye. But they are a Godsend for me on the computer, no matter the font size, just move my head and I can read the type. This as my co-workers are trying to find their computer glasses, etc.
Only real issue I had was stairs. They were a bit wonky the first couple of weeks with progressives.

 

[tvguy]

I'd take them back if they still seem off after a week or so.

THIS. The location of the corrections may not be in the right place for you/
My wife got new progressives after wearing them for years, and they were all wrong. Dispensing Optician insisted they were correct. He shares space with the Eye Doctor, but is not under the same ownership. At my wife's insistence he had the Eye Doctor compare the glasses to her prescription. Eye Doctor just looked at the Dispensing Optician and said "dude, these aren't even close to the prescription I wrote". Amazingly the replacement glasses worked perfectly.

 

[Lewisc]

Some people can't get used to progressives. Check the return policy. Generally you have a reasonable length of time to return them and get something else.

Where the lens changes from distance to close can be changed. Some people do better if the distance, or sometimes the close, section is reduced. You may be able to get lenses optimized for computer distance instead of reading distance. PP gave a good suggestion. Taking off your glasses and getting over the counter lenses for computer use might be the answer.

 

[Micca]

I got progressive lenses for the first time earlier this year and I'm still not acclimated to them. Fortunately my vision is pretty good for using my computer, so I just take my glasses off. It's an odd paradox-- I have to take my glasses off so I can see better.

 

[lucas]

Oh man, you guys! I am in trouble with this subject.

I have worn readers for years. Two different ones - one for reading and one for watching tv. Driving wasn't a problem until now.

Sooooo, several months ago I got progressives from Target. I made it into the parking lot before I ripped them off. I knew they were going back and they did within a week. I just could NOT do it. I could hardly walk with them on.

More recently I ordered bi-focals from the Optician that is connected to my doctor's office (for a lot more money). I brought those back, too. They made me a nervous wreck and I was having crying fits just trying to get used to them. Besides, I hated not having mid-range and I hated the way they looked with the line. So, they are changing them into progressives (for even more money). I believe it will be a better quality than Target (?) so I am gonna give them a chance before I wind up with single lenses from the Optician. I think that is my last option.

I just don't think I can do it - with either bi-focals (does anyone wear bi-focals??) or progressives. I have no idea what to do at this point. I know everyone says to give it time. But, I put them on and literally can't stand them. I don't know what to do!

 

[samandryanmom]

I have lined bifocals. They do take time to adjust to. My eye doctor told me to just give it time. I’ve never had Progressive…I just got new glasses and kept the bifocal lenses. The eye glass store said it was hard to go from bifocals to Progressives.