Getting new glasses: The early years

I ditched the unusable progressive lenses through which I possessed no long-distance vision to speak of because the intermediate range rode far too high in the lenses and the seamless bifocals worked well only if I held my head as though I was in a neckbrace and then budged it not one inch, not one fraction of an inch. So I had new glasses made, reverting to lined bifocals, which now I discover are usable only if I hold reading material--for instance, oh, a book?--8 to 10 inches from my nose.

Mr. McGoo didn't have to hold books 8-10 inches from his nose. Why should I?

Well, that's the new dictate, I now learn, from Despotic Optometry Central. We no longer comfortably read, I'm informed, through bifocals; no, should we choose to read at a comfortable distance--say, the distance entailed by a book on one's lap--we must read through the lenses' "intermediate" range, which happens to re-rope one into progressive lenses, which just happen to cost more.

So what are bifocals good for? Other than reading in the manner of I.F. Stone--like a counterfeiter perusing documents with a jeweler's eyepiece--I frankly don't know.

I just want my old prescription back, in a new frame. That's all. But that would be illegal, I'm informed by Despotic Optometry Central. No, I must undergo yet another eye exam so that the optometrist can (re- or non-)prescribe my old prescription, which at any rate can be laser-read from the old lenses, which I still have, and which stand ready for easy reproduction at the eyeglass shop, which is what I wanted done in the first place.

The optometrist, however--and wouldn't you know it--is out of town till next week.

The saga continues ...

Somewhere in this tale there's a deeper tale about reasonable libertarianism, whose philosophical justifications I would happily research and relate, but I'm unable to read much right now, because I have new bifocals.

Comments

[Peter G]

What's tragic is that in any third world country what you so earnestly desire can be purchased for about twenty bucks. Costs about ten bucks to make.

[Robert Lipscomb]

And yet you and all other Americans are capable of selecting the best doctor and best hospital, at the best rates, while you are having a heart attack. This is why individual private healthcare is the best. I know because Rush told me.

ditto

[BobH]

PM, I appreciate your problem, I had a very similar experience. US Opticians/Optometrists who own optical stores have a racket going and they know it. They are taking advantage of the public's ignorance. After the D.O. does the eye exam, he is required to give you your prescription (fed law) BUT, before he does, the Optician tries to sell you a new pair of pricey glasses. Of course they want to sell you "designer name frames" ie: the most pricey, which are not made in the US(can we say Luxottica?, a foreign monopoly of eye frame Cos.) US Opticians/Optometrists push this foreign product at huge markups in their "eyewear boutiques". People think these are American brands, they are not, not any more.

I avoid all this by going to a stand alone D.O. and getting my examination and important tests for eye diseases, paying his fee ($45) getting my prescription, and then getting the glasses online, paying about $50 a pair for bifocals in a cheap but serviceable frame of my choosing. I sound like an ad, but try glassesshop.com. Comes from China, but hi-quality. Foreign? yeah sure, but about on-fifth the cost of these "boutiques."

[Jim Milstein]

First, progressives are not for everyone, not even Progressives.

However, not all progressives are the same. They differ in how much of the lens is given to the various focal distances. They differ in how much peripheral vision distortion you see. Another important point is the vertical size of the lens. A very short lens will not work well for this purpose.

I have been driven mad by conventional bifocals, but have got along well with progressives, some better than others, see above.

A recent attempt to buy progressive lenses from a local optometry shop was unhappy. The sales staff did not seem to know anything other than how to push product. After getting something I did not like, I went on line and found an optician who was happy to discuss the fine points. I sent him my frames and got them back shortly with much better results at half the price.

My current situation is radically different, since I'm in the process of having a portion of my eyes gouged out and refitted with new optics. This is much better than glasses, and Medicare covers (part of) it. Having gone over the cataract, the world is newly washed, bright and clear.

[William Caulfield]

Was that the Fiscal Cataract?

[Al Petschauer]

I just got a pair of Superfocus glasses delivered yesterday. They cost me $724 and they aren't as attractive as my progressives, but I think I'm going to keep them ( there's a 30 day money back guarantee.)

My monitor is currently perfectly in focus no matter how I tilt my head. I can now see my entire face while shaving. As an experiment I stuck my head under the kitchen sink and I could adjust the glasses to actually see all of the nuts and screws I'd be likely to have to work on. No more swearing when I can't see the head of a screw like I could have 20 years ago.

Watching TV and reading, especially a physical newspaper, is better. I saw no problems driving. A click or two off max distance focus was good for seeing everything, and I have a strong prescription.

I had to pay $100 extra because of my strong prescription. Most people would only have to pay $624 for what I got.

If you hate progressives, lenses that is, you might want to look at Superfocus glasses. Just Google Superfocus.

I got the third generation Leonardos with Transition lenses. Aside from my wife saying I look like Humphrey Bogart in Doctor X, I'm fine. I can still use my progressives when I care to out in public.

[Jim Milstein]

To answer Caulfield:

Yes, it is a fiscal cataract I'm going over, since it costs about $3K beyond what Medicare pays. (Toric, Aspheric, two eyeballs, &c.)

Having new eyes is, I hope, worth it.