I must be weird... I've had no luck at all with progressives.
I've worn bifocals for several years, with the bottom lens set to keyboard / book distance, and the top to monitor / arm's length distance (I work in IT, hence the computer references). Although my far-distance vision
can be improved a bit with glasses, I can drive safely without them and usually just wear standard sunglasses anyway. I have to simply get a bit closer to distant signs to differentiate between 3, 8, B, etc. Theoretically, progressives would be a big help while driving, since all distances would be covered. Theoretically.
About six years ago I gave progressives a shot. Although I was told it might take a few weeks to fully acclimate, I couldn't do it. I ended up with eye strain, headaches adn neck (muscle) strain since I would unconciously tense up my neck trying to find the area in focus. Plus, the area of clear focus was only about the size of a quarter to half-dollar at arm's length (~30-ish mm). Everything else was blurry. If I looked at a phone book, the name was clear, but the number blurry. I literally had to point my nose at
each and every word as I read. It ground my productivity at work to a standstill.
So, I went back to bifocals.
Then, just last December I gave progressives another shot. I was told there were much newer designs, better patterns, etc., etc. - Same deal, no better at all. They're still in my desk drawer and I'm using my previous bifocals.
The progressives I was shown had (at best) an oval-shaped "area of best focus" for each distance, for lack of a better term. If I could get progressives that were "shaped" like bifocals but simply 'progressed' in focal point from bottom to top instead of having an abrupt line, they would probably work. The problem for me is that they fall off in focus from side to side vastly too much. If they would maintiain focus across the width of the lens, while changing only from bottom to top, I think I could use them.
Some of the folks at my optometrist said basically, "Yeah, everything is sharp in mine" (their's), but then said "well, it's a little sharper here, than there". If that's true then by definition "everything" is NOT sharp. Either it is or it isn't. Even a tiny bit blurry is not sharp by definition.
I guess I'll stay with bifocals, drive and bike without them, and squint a lot when reading while driving/biking.
