Bifocals Glasses

[Dlr60]

Bifocal Lenses
by Dlr60, Feb 03, 2010 10:23AM


For Dr.  Hagan.  
I posted my question earlier and was replied to by Dr.  Oyakana  .   I would also  really appreciate hearing your opinion, too. .   I also added another question to my post below my first question.  

Bifocals vs Progressive Lenses
by Dlr60, Jan 28, 2010 09:51PM

I have worn Varilux  lenses for at least 15 years.  I am middle age,  female.     I was never able to adjust to the reading area of my lenses.  I recently had a new eye exam and the trouble with the reading area of my new lenses is no better.   What happens is,  when I try to read with the lowest part of my glasses I get a bit of double vision, like I am crossing my eyes.   But if I cover one eye and read,  it is all clear.  The same thing with my other eye,  but using them together does not work.  Eye doctor says I have "messed up"  eye muscles and the best bet for me would be to use 2 different glasses.   One for distance and the other for reading.   I do already have reading glasses and do very well with them.   (No double vision)   Or the other alternative would be for me to try the good old fashioned bifocals with the line,  not progressive lenses.   Does this sound like a reasonable solution?  
Thank you for your time.

2. My other question is this.  If progressive lens are made with no line showing, why is it that lined bifocals are not able to be made the same way?  Having the distance part of your lens go midway and then having your reading part just blend in with no lines.  Omitting the middle part, which I do happen to like a lot, but I’d do without it given  my problem with my eyes feeling as though they turn in because I need to look so low onto the progressive lens to try and read.  It just does not work out for me, but I do like progressive lenses very much.  It’s been pretty much of a disappointment for me.
Thank you for your time.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

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[Dlr60]

Wow,  thank you for your time Jodie.  I will search the for the article but can't promise if I'll be able to understand it ,  but I'll give it my best .   :o)  

[JodieJ]

In case you're curious, cases of double vision with progressive glasses are documented in the medical literature.  Try googling:  "Recently acquired diplopia in adults with long-standing strabismus" for a link to an abstract of Burton Kushner's 2001 article.  Then click the link on the right for a free full text version of the article.  Skim down to "Changes in Refractive Managment."  The patients described in the article did fine with a flattop "line" bifocal but not with a "no line" progressive bifocal in the same prescription.  Their problem with the progressive glasses related to the greater amount of down gaze required for reading.  

[Dlr60]

Thank you,  I understand it much better now.  

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

1. Most people would do better with reading glasses like you're doing now
2. line bifocals have a single focal point. "Blending" creases a variable focal point. So a pair of glasses like you describe cannot be creased because of the laws of optics
JCH MD