Bi-focals

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 4:12 pm

Part of this gettin old tune-up was getting eye glasses, they`er progressive bi-focals.
They`er light weight and pretty small and am i having a hard time getting used to them. There is such a small window where they focus in, ya gotta keep your head pointed right at what you want to see clear.
If ya look off to the sides it`s blurry.
Is this normal or do i need to take them back for bigger glass?

Blaine · Post by **Blaine** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 4:24 pm

Give it awhile....don't look down, you'll pitchy over on your head.

rossim92 · Post by **rossim92** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 4:26 pm

I have bi-focals with progressive lens (no line bi-focals) they grind the edge from outside edge to the inside middle for the progressive part. You have to look straight on at what you are looking at to see clearly. If you eyeball to either side without moving your head they will get blurry. This is my second set with a stronger prescription. It will also be my last set of progressive lenses. Sometimes I get the feeling someone is walking next to me when nothing is there. Yea! it does take a while to get used to it. Fair warning, be careful of going down stairs, sometimes i will missstep the first step with my glasses on. Hope this helps ya.

slimster · Post by **slimster** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 4:28 pm

BlaineG wrote:Give it awhile....don't look down, you'll pitchy over on your head.

Groan,...Blaine-fully pun-gent!

Sixgun · Post by **Sixgun** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 5:31 pm

Yea Pitchy...thats normal. The first day I got my progressives a few years ago, I dang near wrecked the Jeep on the way home. 2 or 3 days and you will normal, but in your case whats "normal"?

Another thing I noticed with mine after I got them was when I was looking at something straight, I would swear it was bent. My bud was trying to sell me this S.A. Colt barrel and I says, "Your trying to rip me off, this thing is bent." He called me a retart--which I am---and says to take my new glasses off.

Relax pard.-----------------Sixgun

FWiedner · Post by **FWiedner** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 5:34 pm

I tried the progessives for a couple of weeks. Doing the Stevie Wonder head-drift thing to find a 'sweet-spot' drove me nuts.

I returned those P-O-S and and got a pair of lined bi-focals and haven't looked back (or in any other wacky direction not aimed exactly at what I need to see).

Don McDowell · Post by **Don McDowell** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 5:35 pm

You'll get used to it pretty quick, but they'll mess with your iron sight shooting. I quit the progressives and just get the lined bifocals and have them make that bifocal as small as they can/will.

Blaine · Post by **Blaine** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 5:46 pm

Pitchy....it's clear to see that only us High Class rascals can adjust to those contraptions.....

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 5:46 pm

Thanks guys, i`ll give them a few more days , i bought them at Walmart and think they`ll take them back.

Sixgun bout time you said something, even if it wasn`t normal.

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 5:48 pm

BlaineG wrote: Pitchy....it's clear to see that only us High Class rascals can adjust to those contraptions.....

jnyork · Post by **jnyork** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 5:51 pm

Don McDowell wrote:You'll get used to it pretty quick, but they'll mess with your iron sight shooting. I quit the progressives and just get the lined bifocals and have them make that bifocal as small as they can/will.

My experience exactly. Also, I had to be very careful when climbing around out in the hills, like using rocks for steps across a stream or coming down a steep hill, had to keep looking down, take a step, look up ; look down, take a step, etc etc. NOTHING better mess with my iron sight shooting!!

I have been wearing bifocals for about 20-25 years now, the doctors ALWAYS try to sell you progressives, the markup on them must be better or something.

bdhold · Post by **bdhold** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 6:09 pm

FWiedner wrote:I tried the progessives for a couple of weeks. Doing the Stevie Wonder head-drift thing to find a 'sweet-spot' drove me nuts.

you funny

gamekeeper · Post by **gamekeeper** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 6:16 pm

Pitchy, I had the same problem with mine, nearly fell down some stairs when I first tried them.
After a couple of days they were fine and I can still shoot with irons but that took a lot longer.

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 6:19 pm

Are the line ones just one magnification on the bottom half or do they change too.

kimwcook · Post by **kimwcook** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 6:20 pm

Getting old isn't for sissies. I had perfect vision until I turned 50 and then it went kaput. My first glasses were progressive bifocals. It took me awhile to get used to them, but I did. Then my next set I went with the standard lined bifocals. I thought I'd like the lined ones better, but find I reach for my old glasses most of the time. I don't like the problems with not seeing something to the side without turning my head, but I do like the progressive magnification. When will science catch up and give us something that works like what we were born with. Again, getting old isn't for sissies. Pitchy, I'd give the new glasses a little bit of time. It's a compromise either way you go.

pwl44m · Post by **pwl44m** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 6:33 pm

Not to fear Pitchy, You think Bi-focals Are hard to get used to, Try adjusting to "Tri-focals". It just takes some getting used to. I wouldn't use lined focals (lets people know You are getting Old) which I am not - only 64.
Perry
P.S. don't take them back but do as others have suggested-be careful with stairs, especially the Down Staircase. Besides looking down is where You will find the most Money. Just My for what it is worth 3 cents.

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 6:36 pm

Thanks bro`s, yep and on the 21st i get to have all my top teeth pulled and all but a couple anchors on the bottom.
Wheeeeeeeeeeeeee

pwl44m · Post by **pwl44m** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 6:44 pm

Now that Gabby is a whole nuther ballgame. Heck You are going to be all New when They get finished with You. U aint goin through a Mid Life Crisis are You ?
Perry

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 6:48 pm

pwl44m wrote:Now that Gabby is a whole nuther ballgame. Heck You are going to be all New when They get finished with You. U aint goin through a Mid Life Crisis are You ?
Perry

Been blind and ugly long enough, when i get that airplane done i gotta be lookin and seeing good don`t ya know.

stretch · Post by **stretch** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 7:21 pm

Well, Pitchy - progressives lasted less than 24 hours for me.
Two tiny sweet spots - one for distance and one for reading,
and close-up work I still have to look over my glasses. I loathe
lined bifocals, but they're light-years ahead of the progressives.

I use the distance portion of the prescription for shooting, and
that works fine for me. I'm 20/15 corrected, and iron sights are
not a problem.

At least not yet......

But yer a handy fella, right? Why not just grind yer own?!

-Stretch

rangerider7 · Post by **rangerider7** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 7:29 pm

I took mine back and got lined tri-focals, much better. My two cents. RR7

Old Ranger · Post by **Old Ranger** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 8:13 pm

Being in the "past 60" crowd, diabetic, and such has played pure hades with my eyesight. Have had regular bi-focals since around 1990, but iron sights are now real hard to see. My up close vision is gone...Can't see pistol sights with glasses on. Can't see the target past 40 feet with them off. Pitchy, this is not inspiring!

I learned one thing here though. Next visit to the VA, if I can ever get someone to cover for me at work, and I'll get the eye doc to fix me up with the best that they can offer in regular bi-focals and avoid the no line gizmos. I dont want to be falling down anymore than I already do!

And if you need a co-pilot for your plane....ahhhhh, well...er....um.....I'm sure you can find one somewhere! Ahhh, yeah, see, I live too far away. Yeah, that's it!

Wade

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 8:47 pm

What!!!!! now Wade i was counting on you to be the crew chief on this here project, heck we don`t need to see we`ll just point it in the right direction and take off

I haven`t shot any guns yet but i did find it easier to see the sights on my hand gun, but the rifle was a problem. The handgun ya look more straight on but the rifle ya lean your head to the side and that screwed things up.
I have 20-20 beyond five feet, it`s close up that`s bad so driving i don`t need to wear them at all. Biggest issue is looking at this puter at about three feet away.

Beaker · Post by **Beaker** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 9:20 pm

Until you get used to them, be extremely careful on stairs. You will find the stairs are not exactly where you see them.

EdinCT · Post by **EdinCT** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 9:20 pm

Pitchy, I have progressives and they can be a pain but I remember that the best lenses are made by veralux( not sure about the spelling) I think. My eye Dr told me that the window that you can see through is much larger. That said those lenses are almost three times the cost of Walmarts basic progressives in my script. With the economic downturn I may be going to lined glasses going forward.
My nieghbor once told me you think going to work everyday is tough try being 85 with bad knees and having to take a leak three times a night. This getting old isn't for the timid.
Ed

765x53 · Post by **765x53** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 10:04 pm

If you just need bi-focals, the lined type let you use all of the lens.
If you need tri-focals, progressives are the way to go, for the same reason.
For shooting, the trick is to get small, round lenses.
Big lenses won't let you get your eye low enough or close enough to the stock to get the best sight picture.

1894c · Post by **1894c** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 10:38 pm

B-focals--I am so sorry for your loss (of vision)--hanging with you guys has taught me one big invaluable lesson--getting old sucks...unless you have your sense of humor...and can remember what road you live on... :(

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 10:38 pm

I don't need glasses for far out, just for reading and up close. I keep thinking I'd like to have bifocals so I wouldn't have to look for the glasses when I need them, they'd already be on my head. When I first saw the progressives the thing that came to mind was they had shortcomings and they were for people that didn't want other people to know they were getting old because of the lines on their glasses. Not saying that to get personal with anybody here, that was just my observation some time back.

Oh, and don't the progressives cost more?

M. M. Wright · Post by **M. M. Wright** » Fri Feb 10, 2012 4:56 am

Hang in there Pitchy, you'll get the hang of 'em. I've been wearing tri-focals for years now and use the bottoms for close-up, middle is for seeing the computer screen. I even have prescription lenses ground for my shooting glasses which have a mid range at the top just so I can see my sights.

El Chivo · Post by **El Chivo** » Fri Feb 10, 2012 5:34 am

I'm an optician and it's supposed to be a crime to sell the regular bifocals nowadays, yet I don't like the progressives either. They are better for walking around and for vanity, but for desk work give me regular bifocals. For reloading I have a set of occupational trifocals with a middle window 14mm by 35mm (that's huge) and bottom portion just a little smaller. I can see over the top to look outside or at the computer screen, my reloading scale is viewed through the middle window, and I inspect cases with the bottom.

Best bet for me is to carry two pair, one for distance and one for near. I'm still young so I can still see at arm's length without glasses - plus it's all about blur interpretation. And I'm lucky that my job lets me do everything on the table in front of me - with a pair of near vision I'm good there and if I have to get up I take them off.

So, a pair of single vision distance to drive and shoot with, and a pair of single vision near to read with, are the best bet for me (and both together are less than half the cost of one progressive). I no longer have any progressives.

rossim92 · Post by **rossim92** » Fri Feb 10, 2012 8:43 am

Sixgun wrote:Yea Pitchy...thats normal. The first day I got my progressives a few years ago, I dang near wrecked the Jeep on the way home. 2 or 3 days and you will normal, but in your case whats "normal"?

Another thing I noticed with mine after I got them was when I was looking at something straight, I would swear it was bent. My bud was trying to sell me this S.A. Colt barrel and I says, "Your trying to rip me off, this thing is bent." He called me a retart--which I am---and says to take my new glasses off.

Relax pard.-----------------Sixgun

dang, you had me rolling roflmao with this one. so true things do look bent when you have progressive lens and not looking straight on

Les Staley · Post by **Les Staley** » Fri Feb 10, 2012 10:31 am

Pitchy: If'n you can see after 5 feet, just grow yer arms a little longer.. should do the trick.. I had my glasses guy make me some computer glasses.. focused out there about end of my arms.. I use them when shooting iron sighted carbines and such.. helps a bunch.. target is a little fuzzy, but sights are pretty sharp.. I've also got a Merit disc aperature that suction cups to my regular glasses.. can see the sights pretty good with that too.. HTH.. Les

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Fri Feb 10, 2012 10:37 am

There i fixed the problem, cut the top out of my reading glasses.
New progressives on the right.

Old Ranger · Post by **Old Ranger** » Fri Feb 10, 2012 11:28 am

Pitchy,

True story:

Back in the late 20's my dad, and one of his brothers, Ray, built a glider in the loft of the barn where they lived in Montana. Since Ray was younger, he was "elected" to be the pilot. Dad and the other two brothers shoved the glider out of the loft with Ray at the controls. The glider fell straight to the ground breaking Ray's arm in many places.

In 1942 Ray managed to get into the U.S. Army Air Corps and was a B17 pilot over France and Germany. He was just able to get in as they doctors were worried about the damaged arm from his glide days....He retired from the U.S.A.F. as a Brig. Gen....

Now as to the glasses, if I'm gonna co-pilt your new plane, I'll wear a helmet with blacked out visor so I can't see the crash comming!

Wade

mikld · Post by **mikld** » Fri Feb 10, 2012 11:37 am

I could not get used to progerssive lenses. I don't know how long I gave it, but searching (nodding up and down) for the "sweet spot" drove me nuts. I went to regular lined bi-focals and eventually tri-focals (I needed that extra vision for just a hair over arm's length). Either way, they really screwed up my shootin'...

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Fri Feb 10, 2012 11:44 am

Ranger.

Old Ranger · Post by **Old Ranger** » Fri Feb 10, 2012 12:01 pm

Hey Pitchy, I got my jump wings for jumping out of aircraft that were still flying right. I'll pack a chute and then I'll feel better

Rangers lead the way.....this time it might be out the door in a hurry!!

Idiot · Post by **Idiot** » Fri Feb 10, 2012 12:03 pm

I wear tri-focals. I cannot wear progressives. I thought I was odd, but my optometrist told me that not all people can wear progressives and that if lined bi or tri-focals work for me that I should not once again try progressives.

One big advantage lined focals offer over progressives is that you can retain your peripheral vision through the lenses. This is not the case with progressives - they blur your peripheral vision. For this reason alone, I wouldn't want to be strapped with progressive lenses.

BTW, I'm going back to bi-focals. I've lost my corrected "up close" vision to the point that I can now see very up close without glasses. And trying to work on cars or anything that requires me to turn my head sideways is a complete pain in the butt with tri-focals.

InTheWoods · Post by **InTheWoods** » Fri Feb 10, 2012 12:11 pm

I have had progressives for years and love them. It took a week or so to get comfortable with them, but I will never to go back to any kind of lined bifocals. Although head movement is required, I like the fact that anything at any distance can be put into perfect focus (easier to move my head than my body, in other words).

Shooting is a mixed bag. It doesn't affect my rifle shooting at all because the portion of the lens (upper) I use for long gun shooting is the same regardless of the type of lens used. I really like the progressives for handgun shooting because it is a cinch to bring the front sight into perfect focus simply my moving my head a little.

This all sounds a little awkward, but becomes so natural after a week or two you won't even think about it. I bought a set of regular lined bifocal sun glasses a couple of years ago to save money over buying progressives. Not being able to see my speedometer or my GPS drove me crazy. I then ponied up and bought progressive sunglasses. I am a happy camper driving my truck now.

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Fri Feb 10, 2012 12:15 pm

Old Ranger wrote:Hey Pitchy, I got my jump wings for jumping out of aircraft that were still flying right. I'll pack a chute and then I'll feel better Rangers lead the way.....this time it might be out the door in a hurry!!

If ya get skerd i`ll stop and lower ya down on a rope bud.

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Fri Feb 10, 2012 4:40 pm

I've worn them for 6 or so years... lsat thing off @ nite... sometimes even wake up still wearin' 'em! My optometrist recommended a laarger lens size than I wanted to give a bigger view area. I'm glad I went that route, even had a + diopter added to the very top of the right lens to aid front sight acquisition, very clear view of front sight... works for me, tho' I CAN NOT wear 'em when using binoculars.

JerryB · Post by **JerryB** » Fri Feb 10, 2012 9:37 pm

I have worn the old style bifocals for years, never had a problem with rifle or pistol sights. Like Griff sez, have to take my glasses off to look through field glasses.

OJ · Post by OJ » Sat Feb 11, 2012 4:37 pm

Personally, I think we all have different likes/dislikes - and that's good - otherwise we might all be driving Yugos - and lack of competition would price them too high for many of us.

Try as I might, I was never able to even tolerate progressives -

My presbyopia (fuzzy near sight problems) came late - but, my ophthalmologist hit me with "Are you giving your surgery patients the benefit of your bes vision?" so I bought a pair of bifocals.

Now, about that time, I had removed the original 4" wheels on my Super Cub with those infamous "expander brakes" (essentially balloons around axles - notoriously unreliable) and installed 6" wheels with disc brakes - I flew that Cub into some tight places that could require some serious brakes at tomes and the larger wheels gave me better rough country landing/take-offs. It just was coincidental I first wore the bifocals was the day I took my plane for a trial ride testing how much higher I had to hold the nose of the plane to make a good three-point landing.

Old small wheels - plane in background has larger ones.

I'll never forget it!!!

When I "rounded out" in three-point position, I looked out at the horizon and - WOW - I could see the sky just down to the horizon - but, not the dirt runway or anything out of the cockpit - from the horizon down - everything out of the airplane including the runway was just a blur - unforgettable experience. I aborted the landing, flew around, and landed with my head down to see the runway and tossed the bifocals.

That was the last time I ever wore bifocals - settled for good contacts and reading glasses - if and when I eventually needed them.

Not without problems yet, though. A cataract developed in my right eye so sights were blurry so I had it extracted and get good vision with that eye - but need reading glassed for up close stuff. Left eye has no cataract and I practiced surgery long enough to have strong feelings against having any surgery unless it's really needed - in the best of hands and circumstances, I feel surgery isn't regarded seriously enough by many and bad results can occur with the best of operating surgeons - so - now I wear a contact lens in left eye and none in the right eye - reading glasses for up close work, but, reading to induce sleep in bed at night after removing the left eye contact lens requires reading glass for right eye and accepting blurry vision in the left.

Oh well, if all problems were no worse than that - life would be nearly perfect.

Bis · Post by **Bis** » Sat Feb 11, 2012 5:43 pm

I am with the rest of you. This is my first set of progressives and my last.

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Sat Feb 11, 2012 5:52 pm

Picked up a low profile set of readers today, can look over the top of them for distance and down for reading and puter.
Will gradually try and get used to the progressives.

Nice plane OJ.

Old Ranger · Post by **Old Ranger** » Sat Feb 11, 2012 9:07 pm

Well Pitchy, my eyes are so trashed, that today I couldn't even hit at 50 yds with my Browning 92. The sights are so fuzzy, and then the target was a big blur too that I have decided to sell or trade the rifle, as I cannot stand having a weapon I can't use. It's that bad now for me. I sure hope you get your eyes adjusted to your new specs. As for me, I'm going to start using hand grenades rather than a rifle!

Wade

bmtshooter · Post by **bmtshooter** » Sat Feb 11, 2012 10:32 pm

Progressives work great for me. I did find that the way the frames fit your face have a great deal to do with how big the "sweet spot" appears. After getting a pair adjusted by the optometrist, I usually have to tweak the fit for a couple of days to get them to work properly. The lenses might be a little too close, or too far from your eyeball if the sweet spot appears small. I suggest a little self - adjustment to the fit before you give up on them.

ceb · Post by **ceb** » Sun Feb 12, 2012 11:07 am

My eyes starting changing in my late 40's, early 50's, I'm 59 now. Distance vision is still very good, but from about 30 inches and in it is a real problem. I started as many do with readers, but soon tired of having to constantly change from safety glasses (required on the job) to the readers, so went to the eye doc. They talked me into the progressives, and thats all I've ever had. Yes, they have a narrow area of clear veiwing, but I got used to them for everyday wear and like them fine. I like the fact that by tilting my head up and down a bit, I can bring things into sharp focus at different distances, and after a bit it becomes second nature.

Shooting still has its problems however, being able to get a sharp focus on the front sight is tough. With a handgun I can raise my head and get focus but its a bit uncomfortable, but on a rifle with a proper cheek weld on the stock its near impossible. I recently bought a new pair of glasses from Walmart of all places and the doc there raised the point where correction begins on the lens slightly and that has helped a great deal. While still not like it was in my youth, I can now still shoot open sights well enough to squirrel hunt. Another thing I have done when I go to the range is carry a pair of low power readers with me. It gives me a sharp veiw of the sights, yet still doesn't blur distance to the point I can't see at distance. This works to about 200yds for me. I don't much like this getting older thing, but ain't ready for the alternative quite yet!!

OJ · Post by OJ » Mon Feb 13, 2012 12:43 am

Pitchy wrote:
Nice plane OJ.

Thanks - lucked out and managed to buy it at cost from a crop duster who had never put in use - only time I ever saw a Cub with less than a thousand hours on the Hobbs meter - had FTO - ferry tome only - 20 hours. I put over 700 hours on it - ranging from San Francisco International - don't think they had ever seen such there - to hay fields in Nebraska (where I grew up a cowboy) - to high and rough mountain strips. Never let me down. Great for mountain flying - service ceiling of 19.000 feet.

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Mon Feb 13, 2012 8:50 am

Very cool,