How to Choose Progressive Lenses

As our bodies age, our eyes begin to weaken, which may require reading glasses to clearly view smaller text and images. Traditionally, lined bifocal lenses were used in glasses so users could switch from little to no magnification above the line to the prescription lens below the line. Progressive lenses have the same purpose but without the line of bifocals. Progressive lenses provide a gradient level of magnification to gently correct vision.

Instructions

Choosing Progressive Lenses

• 1

  Visit your optician to determine the exact magnification needed for your glasses. Progression lenses are normally made with three different zones, and depending on the severity of your vision problem these zones may be small or large. If you need progression lenses mainly for computer use, the intermediate zone, which is located in the center of the lens, may be larger than the other two zones; your doctor will discuss this information with you.

• 2

  Choose the type of materials for your progressive lens. The typical progressive lens can be manufactured with a wide variety of materials, including glass, plastic, polycarbonate, photochromic or high-index lenses. While glass and plastic are the most common materials used, the other lenses offer unique benefits. Photochromic lenses can alter the lens color depending on the amount of sunlight it is exposed to, thus they can automatically transform into sunglasses in light and regular glasses in the absence of sunlight. High-index lenses are thinner than glass or plastic lenses, which allows light to travel faster to the eye. This type of lens provides the same amount of visual correction with fewer materials; thus, the lens is thinner.

• 3

  Select a frame for your progressive lenses. Selecting the right frame lets you maintain a high level of style while still correcting your blurred vision. Progressive lenses can be placed in smaller frames because of short corridor designs. A short corridor progressive lens is a lens that features little distance between the maximum magnification and the intermediate magnification. Frames that are fewer than 34 millimeters in height require a short corridor lens; however, certain lens designs are automatically outfitted with the short corridor lens.

• 4

  Test the progressive lenses in the frame that you chose for several days prior to committing to the design. Adapting to progressive lenses can take a few days; however, do not make your decision until you have had adequate time to adjust your vision to this type of reading glasses. Make sure the location where you purchased the glasses features a satisfaction guarantee so that you are able to interchange the lenses after the initial week, if needed.