Multifocal Eyeglass Lenses - issues and questions

Related to this but with at a slight tangent:
Q. Why do your spectacle frames (whether new or used) which are getting lenses have to be sent to the lens people?

Surely it could be arranged that a digital template (of every frame ever manufactured) be held in the lens manufacturers’ digital library, and the lenses shaped to fit. The correctly shaped lens would come back to the optometrist, who would fit the lens into the spectacle frame.

From the discussion to this point, it is obvious that optometrists are often loathe to reuse frames. Now I understand that sometimes frames are distorted, or misshaped from use. Surely the optometrist (or the dispenser who is probably not an optometrist) could see if the frames are in good condition or not. If the frames are really distorted, then maybe they are either in need of replacement, or they can be sent off to have the lenses fitted.

If the old frames were in good condition, the client could wear the old script to the optometrist, and walk out with the new script, instead of possibly being without spectacles for up to two weeks. Obviously, this would eliminate the need to buy new spectacle frames just to have prescription glasses to wear. It would mean that people only need to buy frames when THEY chose to.

Perhaps, Choice could do a shadow shop of spectacle dispensers :nerd_face: and see if they are attempting to pull the wool :sheep: over our eyes by refusing to reuse shoppers’ perfectly good :eyeglasses: frames?

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I am not sure that is always the case, but I suspect that in spite of what seem to be exact standards to us, the same product can vary depending on the factory. I previously posted about pairs of the ‘same’ shoe where those manufactured in one factory were perfect and those from ‘the other’ did not fit me. The company provided the explanation; there was no visual or coded difference excepting where the logo was applied. The processes in the two factories had minor variations resulting in ever-so-slight different product characteristics. How many of us buy multiple pairs of the exact same shoe? Not many, hence we might never notice similar variations in the industry.

We also bought two ‘identical’ sets of Target branded dishes from the same display and did not need the second set for a long time; we just checked for cracks and chips and repacked the second set. When we needed the second set the dishes were about 2mm larger diameter than the first set. I would expect both factories worked from the same drawings that probably had a generous +/- tolerance to keep the costs down and both were in tolerance.

Since the costs of the lens can be comparatively high I can accept they might want everything in hand. While one might think if an engine manufacturer can build to tolerance why not frames, but. Could be the softer materials coupled with contract manufacturing – that is my suspicion not necessarily fact.

There was a TV report on Luxottica a few years ago and all the attention was on cosmetics with functionality second because that is the market they created. Prior to Luxottica glasses were boring and functional. Luxottica got ‘credit’ for changing the market to high fashion where they could deliver fairly cheap-to-make merchandise at high fashion prices. They continue to absorb related companies and dominate the frame (most brands) and lens (Essilor) markets.

From personal experience I have old frames in as new condition, and others that look as new that developed weakness, especially where the hinges mounted, and one where the nose bridge lost its temper. So I can understand why most just do not want to deal with the possibility although I do not agree with it.

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I tried multi focus glasses some time ago, but couldn’t stand them. I kept tripping on steps because was looking through the wrong part of the glasses.

I returned to by-focus glasses, and they are much better for me.

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I sympathise. It took me a few months to get used to turning my head not just moving my eyes to use the progressives. A few days after getting my first pair I got out of a lift into a restaurant lobby decorated like an Arabian tent where there were zero vertical ‘lines’ for reference; I got vertigo and fell against the wall to stay up. Progressives also affect depth perception.

Some can adapt and many cannot.

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I tend to look through under the frame to the steps, then up to see where I am going, then down again. This causes vertigo, and more than the occasional stumble.

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I visited a small number of opticians to price getting my normal top end lenses put into my old frames. Everyone had the same price, none in writing. I might be suspicious of retail price maintenance but that evidence! None recorded.

Costco was having an optical sale so I figured why not. $300 for a pair of Costco ‘Kirkland’ house branded progressive lenses made by Eisslor put into my old frames, all the bells and whistles included. Costco was up front about how their product differed from my top enders, and claimed that with my correction I should not notice much if any difference.

Putting them on they were a bit different, but every new prescription has been. Bottom line after a day, $300 out of pocket instead of close to $800, I am totally happy with the product and almost $500 better off.

Anecdotally I might have been over-buying for many years. YMMV.

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The reason the Opto finds difficulty is plain profit! The cheap plastic frames they sell make up nearly all of the profit - much more than the “X” lenses which are cast with micro particles to give much better gradation. I had a pair of titanium frames which were discarded as “old fashioned” and “worn out” !

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went to get new glasses , was decided multifocals would be best. I the only thing I can do with them is see at a distance, cant read up close or anything. I cant afford not to read or lose that amount of money the optician is not replying to my contacts

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Have you been back to your optometrist? What did they say?

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Are these traditional multifocals or variables? Are they your first multifocals or have you been using them for some time?

Would you identify the optician? Are they an online supplier rather than bricks and mortar? Any reputable optician would check the lenses against the prescription as well as the glasses adjustment.

Have you sent email or rung them? Are they closed for the Christmas holidays?

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You will notice I moved your post to an existing thread to do with multifocal eyeglass lenses. You may get some useful information from the preceding posts.

Did you attend the optician’s workplace? If so, can you go back there and inform them that the lenses are unsuitable because… (give them facts about what you can see, how far you can see it, difference between the two eyes, where in the lens you see best, etc.)

My eyes are unusually finicky apparently, and if the lens is even slightly wrong, it reduces my vision noticeably. I have gone back and been retested, and had lenses redone all for free.

So as with any other purchase you would make go back and ask politely for the fault to be rectified. Opticians provide a service, and optical lenses are a product, so both would be covered under the ACL.

For more information see the ACCC - Consumer Guarantees & Repair, replace, refund pages.

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Both sets of frames were probably manufactured by the same company.

My main pair of glasses is in a frame that is at least ten to twelve years old and has seen a few sets of lenses in its day. My backup is even older.

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I had progressives once. They made me seasick. Had to revert to two pair.

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I have heard that from others. Apparently it is fairly common but some can use them and have no problem.

Another possibility for those who need glasses for close vision but want to look up to see into the distance is half glasses. These give you close up in the lower half and nothing at all in the upper half which is more accurate and comfortable than perching them on the end of your nose and looking over the top.

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My first progressives took a while. About 2-weeks in while still trying to adapt I got out of a lift into a restaurant decorated in the style of an Arabian tent. Beyond the lift doors there were no visible vertical lines/surfaces for reference – I got vertigo and fell. Once I had a look around to find some reference surfaces I could stand again, but had to be purposeful and careful while there.

Some people adapt in hours but most I know including myself took about a month to get comfortable with progressives and how one learns to move the head, not just the eyes to pan a scene/page.

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I read many years ago about some researcher who decided to experiment on his assistant by developing special glasses that showed everything to him upside down (which is in fact the way our eyes see the world, but our brains do some translation). After a couple of weeks the assistant’s brain inverted the image and saw everything as ‘normal’.

One wonders whether progressive lenses might even add some flexibility to the brain.

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I was talked into progressive glasses once. I need a certain prescription for reading, and another for driving.
They drove me mad. Didn’t even last two days before I was back at the optometrist demanding my money back.
So, I have reading glasses, for that sole purpose, and driving sunglasses, for that sole purpose, now.
And never again will I listen to any optometrist sales pitch about multifocal glasses.

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Therein lies a problem. You should have been advised about the difficulties of adapting to progressives and how long it usually takes. A follow-on issue with them is if the prescription changes much it can also take a week or two to adapt to the new prescription,

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I’ve used multi-focals for years, probably much more than 20. My eyesight was dreadful. I found that with bifocals I could not play golf but multi-focals allowed that. I could see to write the score on the card and just viewing the golf ball was so much better. I still use multi-focals even though my eyesight is considered normal (lens replacements). I also pay more for good quality lenses as after all it is my vision. Depending how long you keep your glasses divide the cost by the number of days and it is really no longer exorbitant.

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well the shop opens up again tomorrow ( Monday ) I can see the distance but I cant read no matter how I move the thing Im reading wish me luck

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