Adjusting to progressive lenses

What are progressive lenses and why do they take getting used to?

Bifocals are lenses that have more than one prescription in them (one part of the lens holds the prescription for seeing far away, and another part holds the prescription for reading up close).

Traditionally, the reading portion of the lens visibly sticks because of a harsh line running across it.

Progressive lenses blend the two prescriptions creating a seamless “progression” between the two powers. This does three things:

• PRO: It visibly improves the aesthetic of the lens (by removing the harsh lines of a traditional bifocal or trifocal
• PRO: It creates an additional “intermediate area” for you to use (for looking at things that aren’t quite far away, but not quite within the reading distance either)
• CON: Without the harsh line running across the lens as an indicator, the human eye is left to figure out on its own where to look when reading.

It’s this last point that some have trouble with. If it’s your first time wearing progressive lenses, you may need about a week to develop the “muscle memory” where you “just know” where to look through when reading. After the adjustment period, you’ll forget you’re wearing progressives at all.

What is “Non-Adapt”? Does everyone adapt to progressive lenses?

Nearly everyone gets used to wearing progressive lenses, but in a few cases now and again a patient just can’t get accustomed to them. In such a case, we will replace your lenses at no charge with a traditional bifocal.