Originally Posted by
lphilpot
I've tried progressives twice over the past five years and won't try them again. If I could get progressives that varied in focal distance vertically but not horizontally, they might be OK. However, I don't like reading a phone book where the name is somewhat clear, but the number is unreadably blurry. Having the focal distance vary horizontally is maddening to me. I also end up with headaches - Not from my eyes, but from unconciously tightening my neck muscles as I try in vain to find *that* sweet spot for whatever I'm viewing. Both times I tried them, the area of clear vision was little (if any) larger than a half-dollar at arm's length.
It was anecdotes like these that kept me from trying progressives for many years. Reading comfortably is important to me. See my sig line for my occupation, and that importance will become clear. Typical novels in the 300 page range, I go thorough one a day.
Working with an optician who understands my needs, knows the options well enough to make a recommendation based on those needs (rather than on which lenses they can get the best deal on), who takes the right measurements to get the different portions of the lens in the right places, and my willingness to part with a little extra coin, made all the difference for me. I needed all four things in place. Any three wouldn't work for me.
The wider corridor of my Seiko lenses makes it possible for me to have the entire 20½" width of my computer screen in focus at a bit more than arm's length. (Well, only one screen at a time, but even with my old lined glasses I had to move my head from the left screen to the right one.)