Trouble with New Progressive Lenses? Answers from an Optician!

"I’m having trouble with my new progressive lenses – now what?"

It happens. You’ve worn progressive lenses successfully for years, and all of a sudden, the new glasses you got just don’t seem to be quite right. What do you do next? Where do you go first? What should you be looking for in the trouble-shooting experience?

Before you do anything, if this is a change of Rx (prescription), wear them for at least three days solid to make sure you are giving the new Rx a fair chance. Here is another quick tip I find useful: looking at a distant object, cover the left eye. Is the vision OK with the right eye? Now cover the right eye, and check your vision with the left. If that looks OK, but together the eyes seem blurry, this is just an adaption issue, and should resolve within a week.

If not, the very first stop will be to return to the optician who sold and fit your glasses. The optician should listen carefully to your explanation of how the lenses are not meeting their expectations. They should repeat what you told them to ensure they understand you correctly. They should then ask clarifying questions to get more information to help them determine each and every issue.

The next step SHOULD be that the optician takes your glasses, and “spots” them, finding the Major Reference Point (sometimes referred to as “seg height”) and verifying that the prescription, pupillary centers (PD) and MRP are exactly as prescribed and ordered. For many Rx’s, the PD or MRP being off by as few as 2mm can have a significant detrimental impact on your vision. Don’t be afraid to ask to see a copy of your lens “neutralization” which will show the prescription actually made on the glasses by the lab, and to see how they checked the PD, which should be by using a grid supplied by the lens manufacturer.

At that point, the optician should put the glasses on your head, and check for optimum fit. Today’s progressive lenses are very sophisticated; if the panoramic (faceform) or pantoscopic angles are not correct, your perception can be thrown off significantly. Once all the above steps have been completed, and only then, the optician should replace the glasses on your head, and ask you if any efforts they have made have improved your vision. If so, it is reasonable at this point to have them ask you to try the lenses for three more days. If they tell you a week or more, be a bit wary; if you’re NOT adapting, don’t put off returning on YOUR timetable.

An alternative outcome might be that an error in the ordering or fabrication of your glasses will be discovered during the course of verification. This is where it starts to get tricky. Does the optician recommend having your doctor do a recheck of your written prescription, or just go with their first analysis? Do they stop at the initial issue they find, or do they continue past the obvious to dig even deeper? What happens if they order new lenses for you and they STILL don’t work? Ask questions during this process – it benefits both you and the optician and clarifies options and expectations.

The optical marketplace continues to change dramatically on an ever accelerating time-line. Skills that used to be commonplace are disappearing; many states or well-known national eyeglass providers do not even use Licensed Dispensing Opticians. It really pays to have a good relationship with a great optician when you have issues with your new glasses. There is a LOT more to trouble-shooting than the few tips above. If you’d like another article with more in-depth and technical aspects of figuring out why you are having issues with progressive lenses, leave me a comment – if I get enough comments, I will share more of the hard-won information I have gleaned over the years. Hope this helps – good luck with your new progressive lenses!

Just another reason why YOU need a good Licensed Dispensing Optician!

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Copyright © 2011 All Rights Reserved

Fashion Frames: Big Mens Cole Haan

One of the troubling issues we as Opticians have had to deal with for the last several years is the shrinking sizes of frames. The “Fashion gods” seemed to decree that EVERYONE would wear a small rectangle frame, with no exceptions. So if you didn’t meet those criteria, you either ended up with a frame that was to small, or looked like a refuge from the ‘80’s.

Fortunately, a few manufacturers’ stepped up to the plate and brought in stylish frames both for people needing either petite or XL sizing. The Cole Haan 985 neatly fits the bill for both fashion AND fit for men requiring a larger frame.

The front is a trim and tailored rectangle that is sized and proportioned for a man with wider features. Where this frame really sets itself apart from the look-alike competition is in the temples, which features a beautiful block of real wood for the front portion of the temple. It is followed by a small, square block of cast metal with an interesting design, neither Celtic nor digital, but maybe a cross between the two. That is followed in turn by a husky chunk of laminated plastic, tapering slightly to the end. This frame doesn’t scream fashion, it’s more like (ahem) fashion, very noticeable, but brilliantly understated. Add a spring hinge to lend ruggedness when wrestling with the kids, and this frame is a winner. And that’s what I like about the Cole Haan 985.

To try on this frame, or any of the hundreds of fun fashion frames, please stop in at better vision care providers anywhere.

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Copyright © 2011 All Rights Reserved

 

Fun, Flattering and Funky Frames from Calvin Klein

Fun, Flattering and Funky best describes this new offering from Calvin Klein. Chunky enough to fit in with pierced eyebrows; fashionable enough for diva poses while trying on clothes at Nordstrom’s, this is a go-anywhere, do-anything frame. A welcome departure from right-angle rectangles, the uplifted oval sports a sensuous sweeping arch at the eyebrows. There is a bit of tongue-in-cheek décor at the top – seven very small metal squares evoking old-fashioned rivet heads, but placed in a way to suggest jewels without the baggage of bling. The cut of the frame at the lower temporal side of the front adds even more visual interest by deviating from the upsweep of the lens shape with a tiny chunky corner piece.

The temple continues the faux rivet heads theme with a right-angle design butted up against the front of the frame and framing a discreet “ck” logo. Calvin Klein again makes use of laminated plastic with a rich dark tortoise shell layer backed by a pearlescent purple, adding more visual interest and depth. As an added bonus, the temples have spring hinges making the frames both durable AND good looking. And that’s what I like about the CK5594.

To try on this frame, or any of the hundreds of fun fashion frames, please stop in at any Calvin Klein authorized dealer.
 

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Copyright © 2011 All Rights Reserved

Fashion Frames: What I Like about the Gucci 3147

Is bling dead? With the economy still in the doldrums, I’ve noticed a big decrease in the number of women who are looking for that bejeweled frame – maybe just a bit over the top with the national frame of mind at the moment. That doesn’t mean they don’t want a bit of something special on their new frames. Enter the new Gucci 3147 to the rescue.

The front embodies a perfectly flowing symmetry, with an arch at the top that will compliment most women’s eyebrow line. The bottom of the frame is a nearly straight line; no rounding or sagging curves to pull the features down. The outside edges are nicely sculpted to come to a point and add a bit of a lift to the shape.

The temples, though, is where the frame starts to shine. They are in a contrasting but complimentary color to the front. The round shape is rare enough to be called unique, but does not cross the line into a wacky or bizarre interpretation. The piece de resistance is the bamboo-like bead just back from the hinge that is flanked by metal rings with four micro studs. These three elements – the round temple, the bambooish bead and the metallic rings – combine to create a jewel-like appearance without the cultural baggage of jewels.

As an added bonus, this frame is constructed of Optyl, so it is very light and comfortable, as well as flexible and resilient. All in all, this frame is a great option for that woman who wants that perfect look from a top name designer. And that’s what I like about the Gucci 3147.

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Copyright © 2011 All Rights Reserved

 

What I Like About the Varilux New Comfort Progressive Lens

Where would the optical world be without the original Varilux Comfort? It was truly the first progressive lens that validated the concept of a no-line “bifocal” with a patient acceptance rate of over 90%. Easy to fit, easy to wear, it set the benchmark for progressive lens designs for years and years.

But that was back in 1994, 17 years ago, and the science and application of computer modeling to optics design and manufacture has resulted in quantum leaps forward. Varilux has brought out a host of new products since then, and so have the other lens manufacturers. But just as Chevrolet recently re-introduced the Impala to capitalize on name brand recognition, Varilux has re-engineered the Comfort, and rebranded it as the New Comfort.

Thanks to John and Carol at Jorgenson Optical in Tacoma, WA, I recently got a pair of New Comforts to take for a test-wear. The first thing I noticed when I put them on was – the comfort. As Varilux notes on their website, one of the reasons the Comfort was so popular was because of its “soft” design. Every design has its own merits, but it’s tough to argue with almost instant adaptation.

Some new features with this design: 1) It uses a single-vision front surface, with a digitally produced back surface. 2) They have reduced the corridor length by 1mm on the standard lens for faster rotation into the near. 3) For the first time, they now have a short-corridor design for smaller frames.

So how does this stack up against other designs I have reviewed? First, on its own merits, it looks like Varilux once again nailed the set and forget design, making this a very easy lens to sell, fit and wear. It has a good sized distance area, with peripheral distortion only apparent in the far extremes of the lenses. The intermediate is accessible and usable, but not remarkable. I do have to rotate my head a bit to read this entire sentence in Word without blur, but that is normal for most progressive lenses. The near vision is likewise very acceptable, and without glaring issues.

Varilux recommends this lens for patients switching from the OLD Comfort, or for those switching from another brand (presumably due to non-adaption issues). It is priced right for an entry-level digitally surfaced lens. While this is not as sophisticated a design as other offerings from Varilux or Hoya, it is a good value with a solid design. And that’s what I like about the Varilux New Comfort.

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Copyright © 2011 All Rights Reserved