Progressive Lenses or Laser Eye Surgery?...looking for feedback please !

cruiser

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Mar 17, 2007
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I recently went into my local optometrist for an eye exam as I have trouble reading the newspaper. I can see fine in the distance, but things up close are blurry (unless I take my glasses off). I had a feeling that he was going to say the "b" word (bifocals), and I was on the right track and he told me that I have to get progressive lenses (a type of bifocal without the line). I was hoping that I didn't have to get them as I'm only 44 !

Anyway, in saying that, I start checking out the price of progressive lenses and am being told that they range in price from $500 to $700 (I would want them to have the anti-glare/anti-scratch coatings). This was for Nikon name brand lenses. This was just for the lens and keeping my same frame from before.

Now I'm thinking....do I want to spend that much or what alternatives are there. I want to ask the perb community.

1) What are peoples opinion about progressives? I heard that it takes time getting used to them. How about pricing...is that the pricing I will be looking at or can I get them cheaper?

2) As an alternative, how about laser eye surgery? I know a few people that have had it and they swear by it. What about night vision? What about the feeling of "sand" in your eye? I live in Edmonton, so what are some good places to check out? What is the going cost for laser eye surgery? I've heard some people say that if you get it done, it will correct my current problem, but then create problems for being far-sighted (I'm currently short-sighted).

Looking for feedback. What have others done?

thanks,
Cruiser
 

BS Detector

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Sep 7, 2003
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1. It sounds like you need glasses for seeing far away (as do I) and I simply do not wear my glasses when I am reading. That would be the cheapest solution. Now, if you need reading glasses (ie you need different glasses to read than for normal vision) that would be worth looking into bi-focals in my opinion, esp if you have a habit of losing your glasses of forgetting where you left them (gets worse with age lol).

2. I am not sure laser surgery is even an option for you as far as the reading goes. Laser surgery (and I stand to be corrected) is only for people who are near sighted and I believe they do not have the technology for far sighted people yet. Again I may be WAY wrong on this but regardless, I am positive that laser surgery is not an option for people who just have reading issues. I believe when I was in Edmonton, Lasik Eye Clinic was the one doing a lot of advertising and they did consultations to see if one was a suitable candidate. Perhaps a search on the internet may answer some of your questions, at least whether or not you are a candidate.
 

Bartdude

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Jul 5, 2006
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The need for bifocal lenses is related to muscles around the eye, not the eye itself. Laser eye surgery will not help, I don't think.
 

cruiser

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Mar 17, 2007
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1. It sounds like you need glasses for seeing far away (as do I) and I simply do not wear my glasses when I am reading. That would be the cheapest solution. Now, if you need reading glasses (ie you need different glasses to read than for normal vision) that would be worth looking into bi-focals in my opinion, esp if you have a habit of losing your glasses of forgetting where you left them (gets worse with age lol).
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To clarify: I have been wearing glasses for the last 30+ years. They have always been a single vision lens. I need glasses all the time to drive/read, etc.

Now I'm being told that I need progressive lenses....basically the lens has one power when I look down/close and a different power for when I am looking far away.

I am wondering if I can get laser surgery to correct everything or will I have to go with progressive lenses?
 

Bartdude

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Jul 5, 2006
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To clarify: I have been wearing glasses for the last 30+ years. They have always been a single vision lens. I need glasses all the time to drive/read, etc.

Now I'm being told that I need progressive lenses....basically the lens has one power when I look down/close and a different power for when I am looking far away.

I am wondering if I can get laser surgery to correct everything or will I have to go with progressive lenses?
Laser surgery might help one part of your vision problem, but not the weakness in the eye muscle that necessitates bifocals.
 

rampart

Active member
Sep 1, 2005
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Surgery unless necessary just puts MD's kids through private school!

I have been wearing glasses for myopia(near-sightedness) since I was six years old. My optometrist when I was in my twenties(1970's) was one of the first eye-surgeons to be involved with radial keratonomy which is basically the precursor to Lasik.

I asked him about getting the procedure and he told me that with glasses I had 20-20 vision and the surgery would probably work however by the time I hit my forties the changes would take place that would require me to have reading glasses. His recommendation at the time was that since the procedure was so new that by the time I hit my mid-forties that technology would probably be vastly improved.

When I hit my mid-forties over 10 years ago Lasik was all the rage but still with some side effects. I opted to stay with glasses as they are part of my fashion and wardrobe so progressives were the route I chose. I have had them for years now and it only took about 3 or 4 months to get used to them. Interesting to note that my prescription has changed somewhat over the last two years where my far-away vision has actually improved. So who knows what may have happened if I had opted for surgery,

As far as pricing is concerned I have found Factory Optical just west of Cambie at 6th the best prices for lenses.

My personal belief is that surgery for anything should only be as a last resort or for extreme emergency situations.:cool:
 

Stella_Hardon

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Apr 29, 2006
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As you get older the eye's lens doesn't have the same range of motion.

This means that older people might have better long range vision as they get older but still having trouble reading a newspaper.

If you are say 45 and you have eye surgery you will still have the lens losing range so you will still need glasses over time.
 

DaBoneman

luv asian ass
Aug 9, 2004
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Googled this article it seems to answer your question. I added the highlights.



CONFUSED ABOUT LASIK AND READING VISION CORRECTION?

There is a common misconception that vision correction surgery, LASIK (Laser in-Situ Keratomileusis), LTK (Laser Thermo Keratoplasty), and CK (Conductive Keratoplasty), correct reading vision. Problems with reading (near vision) occur in everyone around the age of 40-45. This condition is called presbyopia.
For most individuals under 40, the eye’s natural lens has the flexibility to change its focusing power to accommodate for a change in an object’s position from far to near. Presbyopia is caused by the inability of the natural lens of the eye to change its shape. The lens becomes more rigid with age and therefore unable to change its focusing power. All objects within a one to three foot range become out of focus, necessitating the need for reading glasses. Only people under the age of 40 or individuals who are nearsighted have the capability of reading without the use of glasses.

The LASIK procedure has the capability of correcting nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. Conductive Keratoplasty (CK) can correct farsightedness, which can reduce the effort of focusing at near, but not the condition of presbyopia.

For adults over the age of 40 who wish to be able to see both near and far without glasses, monovision may be an option. Monovision is a condition that the surgeon creates with LASIK by correcting one eye for distance focusing and the other eye for near focusing. The nearsighted eye allows an individual to read. However, this condition is not a good option for most individuals. Both eyes are never in focus together for any given object near or far. Only 30% of individuals are able to tolerate the optical difference between both eyes. It is important to have a trial period with contact lenses to ensure that this type of correction would work prior to being treated surgically.

If you have been considering laser vision correction it is best to be examined by a refractive surgeon who will provide individualized treatment. This is the best way to ensure that you will obtain the visual result you expect from laser vision correction.
 

cruiser

New member
Mar 17, 2007
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I have been wearing glasses for myopia(near-sightedness) since I was six years old. My optometrist when I was in my twenties(1970's) was one of the first eye-surgeons to be involved with radial keratonomy which is basically the precursor to Lasik.

I asked him about getting the procedure and he told me that with glasses I had 20-20 vision and the surgery would probably work however by the time I hit my forties the changes would take place that would require me to have reading glasses. His recommendation at the time was that since the procedure was so new that by the time I hit my mid-forties that technology would probably be vastly improved.

When I hit my mid-forties over 10 years ago Lasik was all the rage but still with some side effects. I opted to stay with glasses as they are part of my fashion and wardrobe so progressives were the route I chose. I have had them for years now and it only took about 3 or 4 months to get used to them. Interesting to note that my prescription has changed somewhat over the last two years where my far-away vision has actually improved. So who knows what may have happened if I had opted for surgery,

As far as pricing is concerned I have found Factory Optical just west of Cambie at 6th the best prices for lenses.

My personal belief is that surgery for anything should only be as a last resort or for extreme emergency situations.:cool:
I've heard basically the same thing about laser surgery...you can get it now, but eventually you will need to get reading glasses.

I live in Edmonton, so am not near Factory Optical. :(

Does it make a difference if I go to a big retailer (Lenscrafters/Pearle Vision, etc) or my own doctor who also sells glasses out of the office.

Does anyone have any favourites in Edmonton for good pricing/customer service, etc?

Thanks,
Cruiser
 

rampart

Active member
Sep 1, 2005
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Optometrist vs Optician

Your own optometrist is someone that specializes in you eyes. An optician is someone who specializes in lenses for your eyes. Unless the optemetrist's practice has an optician then usually you are better off going to a big lens store where prices will be more reasonable, especially for frames. Personally I go to the thrift stores for my frames since there is always something there that is different and sometimes you can get a bargain on a designer pair.:cool:
 

Sly Devil

Member
Dec 11, 2007
85
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+1 Laser eye procedure

I wore glasses since grade 7 almost 40 years ago. I had no-touch laser eye surgery done at London Eye Center 6 years ago. My only complaint is I should have done it earlier in life.

Yes, I might have to wear reading glasses for the smaller print BUT I never have to reach for glasses to see what time it is in the middle of the night, nor when I swim, nor have glasses fog up when I step in the house after a walk on a cold winter's day.

The freedom of not having glasses is wonderful!

Sly
 

sensualsixty

Active member
Nov 26, 2007
429
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Risks

Yes, there are risks, including going blind!!! Health Canada, as well as others, have discussions about the risks - a Google search can be helpful in the decision-making process. I know of someone who is severely visually impaired because of the procedure, and the damage cannot be reversed.
 
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