What Are the Benefits of Wearing Progressive Lenses?

If you wear glasses to correct for distance vision, there may also come a point in your life when you can no longer read fine print close to your eyes. This used to mean that you'd automatically need bifocals, but you do have another option. Progressive lenses, a multi-focal lens with no visible lines, were actually invented back in the 1950s. While early progressive lenses had their problems, the technology has improved to the point where they now have several distinct advantages over bifocals.

No Image Jump

• When you wear bifocal lenses there is a distinct line that divides one focal power from another. When your line of sight moves across this dividing point, images can seem to jump or move suddenly. While many wearers adapt to this without problems, for some it can cause real difficulties, up to and including nausea. Progressive lenses don't have this distinct dividing line, and image jump is not an issue.

More Range of Distances

• Bifocal lenses have, as the name suggests, just two lens powers. You can see close to, or far away. Objects at a medium distance, particularly computer screens, can sometimes be in that awkward middle range that's not covered by your bifocals. Progressive lenses solve this problem by having a wider range of focal lengths, so that it's easy to find an appropriate correction for mid-range vision.

Better Screen Posture

• Another advantage of progressive lenses for long-term computer use is that it's often difficult wearing bifocals to find a comfortable posture in front of the screen. There's actually a name for this, computer vision syndrome or CVS, and you know you have it when you have to sit closer to the screen and tilt your head backwards in order to use the lower part of your bifocals. This commonly leads to muscle pain and neck problems. The comfortable mid-range vision given by progressive lenses means you can adopt a normal distance from the screen and a more comfortable posture.

More Youthful Appearance

• None of us is getting any younger, but the moment when your optometrist tells you that you need bifocals might be a shock to many in their mid-40s. You don't necessarily feel or act old at this point in your life, and you might not want to let your friends know that you now need extra help with your vision. While bifocals can give you an "old" look, progressive lenses will help you keep your secret if you choose to.