Question for those with glasses

[Alien]

So, I'm 46 and have never worn glasses in my life.  It had been 20 years since my last eye exam when I went in last week and found out...I can't see for poop. This isn't a huge surprise as both of my parents and all four of my siblings wear glasses.

 I picked up my new glasses today.  They're "Transition" lenses, meaning that the top 2/3 part is for distance (driving, walking around, etc), the center part is for the computer, etc and the very bottom is for reading.  

I'm having to learn to look with my whole head rather than just move my eyes, particularly when going down stairs. (I damn near killed myself getting on the escalator in the mall where Lenscrafters was)  

My question:  How long did it take you to get used to them enough to feel comfortable riding?  Driving my truck home from Lenscrafters was a little strange.

Any helpful tips for riding with glasses are much appreciated.

Ride Safe,

Alien

[Serk]

I was in the same boat a few years ago, at about your age.

I also tried the transitions...

And I decided, as a rider, it wasn't worth the loss of my peripheral vision even if I DID get used to it, went back and got a Rx for regular bifocals...

MUCH better.

So my recommendation would be ditch the transitions and go with regular old bi-focals.... It's okay, you're old, we all are...

[cookiedough]

that is why I did not get transition lenses but my eyes are not your eyes ONLY needing glasses to see far away or at night is blurry vs. up close I cannot wear the glasses since is blurry having NO transition lenses.  

Not sure I can or could get use to transition lenses, sorry not much help here.

Can you see up close fine without glasses?  If so,  then I would not have gotten transition lenses only got a prescription to see far away like I did.  I only use them if driving at night, but I do like wearing sunglasses while outside driving or just outside in general during the day to see better far away only.

If your eyes need up close and far away clear sight, then you will just have to get use to transition lenses will probably take some time  but moving your head all the time to see better, for me anyways, is very annoying.    I had a job once where I had to see far away to read numbers in the warehouse but hated wearing my glasses since then I always had to take them off to write the numbers down on paper.

[Timbo1]

I think you mean progressive lens.  Last I knew transition is when it's bright the lens will darken like sun glasses.

As far as how long it will take you to adjust, if the prescription is correct you'll find yourself slightly moving your head to focus on what your looking at near or far in a week or so once you've adapted to how the glass's let you see.   If the prescription is wrong or the type of progressive lens you received isn't of good quality you may find yourself searching to focus for a long time.  My last prescription I've had a terrible time with and still struggle at times to focus almost a year later but I have a medical condition with my eyes that contributes to that so in addition to the progressive lens's I also have prism's.

[Jess from VA]

Bifocals or progressive trifocals work best when you point at your work with your nose. (a bit like aiming a gun sight) (the top half is distance, the next quarter is 20" focus for computers, and the bottom quarter is 15" focus for reading)

I have them too.  However, I always order a pair of single distance (only) glasses with my (new) progressives (again, distance is only the top half of your progressive trifocals).  I drive OK in daylight with my progressives, but I prefer riding my bikes and all night driving be with only my single (distance) vision glasses, because I get to use the whole lens to drive/ride, not just the top half of the lens. I do not need to be dicking around finding the best focus when riding or driving at night.  I have no problem with reading my dash instruments and all traffic signs and lights with my distance glasses (some will).

Also, I hate wearing my progressives to watch TV in my recliner because it's impossible to look through the top of the glasses (for distance to TV) while laid back in the chair, so my single (distance) vision glasses sit on my TV table.  Otherwise, you are cricking your neck from the laid back position trying to look through the top of the glasses at the TV.  If you are sliding the glasses down your nose, to make it easier to look through the top of the lenses, you are altering the focal point of the glasses.

I also order a pair of single vision distance only polarized shades for riding and outdoor activities in bright sun.  Most people don't read or computer out in the sun.  (I own no cell phone)

Take care from scratching them up.  Never do hard outdoor work with your best pair of progressive glasses.  Never put them in a glasses case, lens down, in your bike or anything that vibrates (rubs). Only use hard glasses cases.  I do power tool or outdoor/yard/paint work with old outdated pairs of (distance only) glasses.  I probably have a dozen pair of older glasses, including the BCDs the military gave me for free (BCD = Big black plastic frame Buddy Holly glasses = birth control devices  ) My scripts have changed very little over my lifetime, so old glasses are still better than no glasses.

If you paid extra for scratch resistant coating, they will still scratch up easily.

Never clean them with paper towel (made from wood fiber).  I use new/perfect microfiber cloths and specific lens cleaning cloths.  Never use Windex (ammonia) on plastic or polycarb.  No matter how dirty or sweaty they get, resist the urge to clean them off with the old rag at hand or your dirty shirt tail, wait until you get to your good cleaning cloth.  A scratch right at the focal center of a pair of new glasses will PISS YOU OFF.

I didn't need them until about 52.  I knew when I started having to lean back to read things.

[Rams]

Had perfect vison entering flight school.  It stayed that way until I turned 35 while in S. Korea.   That's when I found out I needed bi-focals.   It was a huge adjustment.  Life was different since then.   But, this year, I had cataract surgery and things are much better.    It's amazing what they can do with a dull knife.


Rams

[Warlock]

I use the no line bi focal glasses with no problem at all. I never even notice them while riding. Been wearing them for 15 years. Tried the line bi focal and hated them. I guess like bikes and food, not everyone likes the same thing.
David

[Ken aka Oil Burner]

I'm 47, and I wear progressive bifocals as well (as Timbo1 said, Transitions lenses are the ones that auto-darken in sunlight).

As to your question, it did take me some time to adjust to them; maybe a couple weeks or so. Now that I've had them awhile, I think my mind automatically corrects for me, as to what I'm looking at. As I sit here on the laptop, I tip my head up without even actively thinking about it, so I can see out the lower section of my glasses. If I glance over at the TV, I instinctively tip my head down a bit to see out the "distance" section. Actually, it's more like the not-up-close section. The lower part is like reading glasses and the upper part is for everything else. You'll get used to it, no matter how odd it seems now. As a matter of fact, I ordered prescription sunglasses, but only in the single-vision prescription, since they are mostly for driving and riding. When I wear them, I miss the multi-vision capabilities of my regular glasses. Enough so that every helmet from now on will have the integral sunvisor so I don't have to swap glasses. My Bell Pit Boss shorty helmet and my Scorpion FF helmet both have them and all future helmets will too.

[scooperhsd]

"Transitions" are lenses that get darker when outside in the sun . This is a great feature - except if your vehicle blocks UV from coming into the car - then they will never turn dark.


What you have are Trifocals, or maybe progressive bifocals. Progressive bifocals are great - but they cost a bit more than regular bifocals (in some cases - quite a bit more).

I've been wearing glasses since age 11 ( when the physical to goto Boy Scout camp showed I was blind as a bat - nearsightedness). I started wearing bifocals / progressive bifocals at age 45 (I'm now 60, turning 61 end of September). At this point in my life - I get clear lenses Progressive bifocals for indoor use, and regular bifocals (with the line) sunglasses, and I wear the sunglasses almost all the time during daylight when I'm outside / operating a vehicle in daylight hours. I gave up on the Transitions since both of my VWs block UV light and therefore the lens darkening doesn't happen.

Instead of prescription sunglasses, another option is to get clip-ons that fit your prescription glasses. I strongly recommend CLIP-ONS instead of the magnetic type - I lost a sunglass magnetic clip-on while riding one day( they got blown off). You can get clip-on sunglasses that are polarized (you may have worn polarized sunglasses before you needed a prescription - same idea).

While I was working in the IT field - I discovered the progressive or even regular bifocals didn't work so well while looking at a screen 8+ hours /day. When I discussed this with my (at the time) optometrist - he suggested a pair of single vision glasses that focused where I kept my displays at in relation to my desk chair. this allowed me to focus from 6 inches closer to about 18 inches past my monitors - but they were absolutely useless for anything else. I could not even see to drive in them safely. But they were absolutely perfect for working in my cubicle - everything there was in focus - sharp as a tack.

If you (or anybody else) have questions - ask away. No, I'm not a eye doctor or anybody who could prescribe glasses for you - but I have worn glasses for most of my life, in a variety of environments, and I can give my opinion that you can take to your optometrist / ophthamalogist to ask for their opinions.  I do try to stay up to date with whats out there.

[..]

Progressives suck when looking from ahead to speedo to mirror.

I dumped mine pretty quickly and went to bifocals.

[Jess from VA]

Iron sight shooters can get a special pair of glasses made up to help with actually hitting things.  They give you two different lenses.

The old rear sight, front sight, target focusing sucks large with old eyes. 

Now everyone is going to red dots on their pistols.   

[Hook#3287]

I'm in agreement with Serk and Britman.

Progressive glasses were to difficult to get used to for me.

When I bought new glasses, I did a set of progressive and a set of standard bifocals.

I tried hard to like the progressive, but they've been sitting in their case as backups since a week old.

[Tundra]

Progressives suck when looking from ahead to speedo to mirror.

I dumped mine pretty quickly and went to bifocals.

This was my experience as well...tried them twice because they were "pimping them" as the greatest thing since sliced bread. I tried 30 days (the second time I tried them) Why did I try them twice? Well this time they were pimping them as new better lenses and only they had these special improved lenses...bla bla bla. Bi-focals for me. I felt like I was in a mirror fun house. Good luck!!

Oh, one more thing that worked well for me. I had them set the reading lens at roughly two feet or arms distance. This allows lower lens for computer work, cooking, working on the bike, just about everything but the distance. Works well for driving/riding as well. VERY EASY for your eyes to adapt quickly. I can't believe they still try to sell those things, they are dangerous, I simply could not drive with them going through an intersection was intense, cars passing was very uneasy feeling.
They work for some folks I tried hard to like them too, they didn't like me.

[Thunderbolt]

I have had progressive lenses for 30 years.  Long story short I just went through a long drawn out process with my last pair where they gave me what they called the latest and greatest "digital" progressives.  Problem is that the "channel" where the three stages of magnification are built are too narrow.  My old ones were what is called "natural" and the channels are wider.  Therefore the V shape of the channel especially in the upper portion is wider and you don't have to do the head wave thing.  You can move your eyes back and forth and still see the TV out of the side of the upper portion.  So tell them to build some natural progressives for you and make darned sure that your PD or the measurement of distance between your eyes and location of the nose bridge is correct.

[Bighead]

My every day wearing glasses are lined bi focals. My  sunglasses are progressive lenses. My ook me about 30 seconds to learn them.  I wear the sunglasses while riding. That is why I got them. Couldn’t read the speedo anymore now clear as a bell.

[Pete]

I was in the same boat a few years ago, at about your age.

I also tried the transitions...

And I decided, as a rider, it wasn't worth the loss of my peripheral vision even if I DID get used to it, went back and got a Rx for regular bifocals...

MUCH better.

So my recommendation would be ditch the transitions and go with regular old bi-focals.... It's okay, you're old, we all are...

I agree with Serk but would add to get the larger versions of the middle and lower lenses more so you do not have to keep moving your head. I use tri focals.

There is still a learning curve, depends on your adaption skills, say a week or so.

[Jess from VA]

I would also add that if you get a pair of single vision (distance glasses), get them made in glass, not plastic.  Sure they are a bit heavier, but glass is and has always been a better and clearer optical lens than plastic will ever be.  And you use them outdoors where they have to take more abuse than your indoor glasses, and glass is much harder to scratch, and easier to safely clean when crummy. 

Glass was always cheaper than plastic, but the last time I went in to the optometrist, they said so few people ordered glass anymore, there were less people making them and the price had gone up. 

[scooperhsd]

It really comes down to personal choice regarding progressive Vs traditional bifocals. At the cost of new glasses - get something YOU like and can live with. I'll second Jess's comment about glass being far more scratch resistant, and you should get the anti-scratch and anti-glare coatings (especially for night driving and riding). If by some chance you're STILL using CRT displays for something, the anti-glare is great for them too.

Everybody will have their personal preferences - and none of them are "wrong" ! I like progressives for indoor, and I'd use them for my sunglasses if they weren't so freaking expensive !  Others are happier with single vision riding glasses, and that's OK too - I tried doing that for my sunglasses, but I can't read without my bifocal, and I hated changing glasses all the time while doing errands - so now I change only if it's too dark with the sunglasses.

[Alien]

Bifocals or progressive trifocals work best when you point at your work with your nose. (a bit like aiming a gun sight) (the top half is distance, the next quarter is 20" focus for computers, and the bottom quarter is 15" focus for reading)

Man, I owe you a beer for this tip.  It's helping a lot.

[Alien]

Really appreciate all the info.  As many of you pointed out, these are progressives, not transitions. Today feels better than yesterday so far.  I figure I'll give them a couple weeks before I make a final decision.  My fiancee picked out the frames.  I think I have sort of a hipster serial killer vibe now.  I'll see how today goes and maybe I'll take the Mothership out for a spin when I get home.

glasses by Scott Sapers, on Flickr

Ride Safe,

Alien

[Fazer]

I have worn glasses forever.  You will get used to the progressive lenses.  I have been buying my glasses mail order from Zenni Optical.  They are a fraction of what you will pay at the optometrist.  Let's me change often and sunglasses too.  All you need is your prescription and pupillary distance.  Your doc should write it down with the rx.  Or you can measure yourself.  All you need is scale that shows mm.

[scooperhsd]

Really appreciate all the info.  As many of you pointed out, these are progressives, not transitions. Today feels better than yesterday so far.  I figure I'll give them a couple weeks before I make a final decision.  My fiancee picked out the frames.  I think I have sort of a hipster serial killer vibe now.  I'll see how today goes and maybe I'll take the Mothership out for a spin when I get home.

glasses by Scott Sapers, on Flickr

Ride Safe,

Alien

Wearing glasses at all takes some getting used to, when you have multifocal lenses (even when you have worn glasses "forever") - that takes time (it took me some time to learn to move my head and not scan , going through the progressive bifocal made everything "jump") - and since your doing both at once - don't be surprised if it takes awhile to get used to .  Eventually, you'll wonder how you ever got along without them.

[Jess from VA]

Alien, anther thing that may not apply to you.  I could never get the kind of frames you have (solid plastic with no adjustable nose pieces) to fit me correctly.  I have always needed wire rims with silicone nose pieces properly fitted to my face.  The solid plastic ones like yours were perpetually slipping down my nose and being pushed up, and good ear-hooking (or head grabbing) side pieces never made much difference.

My wires are never as strong as your solid plastics, but they always fit me better.

This may be just a personal fit to face issue, I dunno.

My latest 3-pair of glasses are wires with nose pieces, but polycarb (plastic) side arms.  I'm not crazy about the look, but the side arms are much stronger and can bend and come right back to straight (unlike wire sidepieces).  I always choose function over looks.  

I'm not much to look at anyway.  (picture withheld for public safety)  

PS; from a lifetime of wearing glasses, I have callouses over my ears where the side pieces rub.  And they itch.

[Oss]

at the library you cant read the titles of the books without tilting your head

but I have not been at a library since 2019   use the kindle unlimited

With the cataract surgery I can see riding without glasses but I have worn starting at age 3

only had 30 years 13 to 43 with no glasses

I have transistion, progressive with scratch resistant lenses  

Looking for an amber safety rated for riding this summer  any recommendations?

[Jess from VA]

Evan, if you are talking just shades with no correction, they sell various polycarb shooting/safety glasses in amber (with very good protection).

https://www.amazon.com/Walkers-Lens-Shooting-Glasses-Amber/dp/B00KCKQGY2/ref=pd_lpo_3?pd_rd_i=B00KCKQGY2&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/XAegis-Shooting-Glasses-Polycarbonate-Padding/dp/B076VB8Q78/ref=sr_1_4?crid=WKK71HENO82H&dchild=1&keywords=amber+shooting+glasses&qid=1626484010&s=sporting-goods&sprefix=amber+shooting+glasses%2Csporting%2C184&sr=1-4

https://www.amazon.com/Radians-RSG-3LK-Shotgunner-Shooting-Glasses/dp/B00AU6D3FS/ref=sr_1_28?crid=WKK71HENO82H&dchild=1&keywords=amber+shooting+glasses&qid=1626484062&s=sporting-goods&sprefix=amber+shooting+glasses%2Csporting%2C184&sr=1-28

https://www.amazon.com/Carhartt-Carbondale-Safety-Sunglasses-Sandstone/dp/B00E0P843G/ref=sr_1_75?crid=WKK71HENO82H&dchild=1&keywords=amber+shooting+glasses&qid=1626484181&s=sporting-goods&sprefix=amber+shooting+glasses%2Csporting%2C184&sr=1-75

https://www.amazon.com/Venture-Gear-Overwatch-Shooting-Sunglasses/dp/B00QM92H3G/ref=sr_1_29?crid=WKK71HENO82H&dchild=1&keywords=amber+shooting+glasses&qid=1626484098&s=sporting-goods&sprefix=amber+shooting+glasses%2Csporting%2C184&sr=1-29

https://www.amazon.com/AKSDESY-Driving-Glasses-Polarized-Prescription/dp/B08CXPFGBW/ref=sr_1_100?crid=WKK71HENO82H&dchild=1&keywords=amber+shooting+glasses&qid=1626484227&s=sporting-goods&sprefix=amber+shooting+glasses%2Csporting%2C184&sr=1-100

These have the inside gaskets which keep bugs and dirt out very well (open face helmet, or front up)
https://www.evike.com/products/46113/

I have a pair of more expensive Wiley X SG1 polycarb glasses for riding that have interchangable glasses legs or elastic band which clip on and off.  But I got a set of my distance vision polarized lenses put in them.  

https://www.qmuniforms.com/wiley-x-sg-1-convertible-sunglasses-goggles

[Sweet Cheeks]

Progressives definitely take some getting used to.  I have worn glasses since I was 13.  I went to progressive lenses about 15 years ago.  I wear them all the time … reading, driving, quilting, etc.  The only time I have an issue is if I try to look at (or work on) something under the bike (or car).  Laying on the ground, you need to look up and they just don’t work well for that.  After I spend half an hour cussing and trying to “look” from the right angle, I give up and go get a pair of the cheap “readers”.  Anyway,  best I recall, it took me a couple weeks to be entirely comfortable with the progressive lenses.  Hang in there.  You’ll get the hang of it.

[0leman]

I have wore glass since 8 years old.   About 20 years ago had to have help seeing up close, so went with progressives with trans lenses as  couldn't afford the cost of two pair of glasses.

Took a week or so before I was totally comfortable with the lenses.  Now, don't give it a thought.  I can see the car coming a mile away and the mileage on the Valk. 

I do have an issue with going down steep stairs or hill sides.  I have a hard time bending my head down enough to see what I am walking on.   So tend to go slower.   Have tried taking my glasses off, which helps sometimes. 

Jess, I have metal frames with an adjustable solid plastic nose piece.  With real glass, heavy but they do tend to last a long time and not break/scratch. 

[Jess from VA]

Glass is better than plastic in every way.... except for dropping them on concrete (and weight, but it's not like glass glasses weigh 10lbs). 

[Jess Tolbirt]

took me about 2 to 3 weeks to stop tripping over my own feet and stop that warble feeling.. now i were them all the time and love them..

[mbramley]

  I think it took me a couple of weeks to get really used to the progressive lenses. I have been wearing them for over 10 years now I think. They also have the transition lenses which I like but don't always go dark enough for me but I have a flip down visor in my helmet which adds just enough on the super bright days.

[3W-lonerider]

I was in the same boat a few years ago, at about your age.

I also tried the transitions...

And I decided, as a rider, it wasn't worth the loss of my peripheral vision even if I DID get used to it, went back and got a Rx for regular bifocals...

MUCH better.

So my recommendation would be ditch the transitions and go with regular old bi-focals.... It's okay, you're old, we all are...

iv'e worn glasses for 55 years. started wearing bifocals since i was 45. i'm 61 now. years ago i had an eyeglass place talk me into trying progressive lenses. transitions lenses are the ones that darken in the sun. i wore them for 2 minutes and told them to make me a regular pair of bifocals. i was not willing to wear them. the first 2 minutes i looked at the chart on the wall and thought i was on drugs.

[Patrick]

I don't really need glasses except for reading. I tried the transition, hated them. I use normal bifocals and trifocals when flying with clear glass for distance.

[scooperhsd]

I LOVED Transitions - but when they don't work in your cage because of UV coating - they're sort of worthless. They worked fine under my clear helmet faceshield, except for not getting dark enough...

DO NOT use polarized sunglasses while flying, however. You probably won't be able to see your instruments....

[Patrick]

Maybe we , or me, are getting things confused. I'm talking about glasses with no lines, not about the self darkening lens.  Maybe I have the terminology wrong.

I prefer the distinct lines of the bifocal/trifocal.

After 60 years of flying I'm aware of polarized lens which is why I carry clear and dark lens sets of plain glass/plastic glasses.  Heck, I don't even like them for fishing.

[Jersey mike]

Wow I never knew there was sooo much to know about wearing glasses. I have an appointment for next week for an exam..some things are getting fuzzy at times. Been wearing 1.50 readers for about 3 years, started at 1.25.

Small things are getting extremely difficult. Gauges in the car not an issue, GPS sometimes. Road signs not an issue.

My dad had transitions for years but glass lenses not plastic. His glasses would go dark the second he walked outside and always had quite a bit of shading when driving during the day but they were heavy.

[scooperhsd]

Maybe we , or me, are getting things confused. I'm talking about glasses with no lines, not about the self darkening lens.  Maybe I have the terminology wrong.

I prefer the distinct lines of the bifocal/trifocal.

After 60 years of flying I'm aware of polarized lens which is why I carry clear and dark lens sets of plain glass/plastic glasses.  Heck, I don't even like them for fishing.

Patrick - Transitions are the UV activated self darkening lenses. Apparently what you were referring to is Progressive lenses (continously variable focal length, with no lines). Reading script on the bottom, and distance vision on top. Transitions can be used on both types of bi- and tri-focal lenses. Just to really confuse you - you can get bi-and tri-focal lenses with no lines that are not Progressives.

Transitions can work for flying glasses, but they don't usually get as dark as prescription sunglasses (or aviator sunglasses). With my spectacular night vision (once you correct for nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism) - that song " I wear my sunglasses at night" almost applies to me . It DOES apply alot closer on a cloudless full moon night.

Jersey Mike - you might find a set of bifocal glasses in your future after next week. Ask your eye doctor about the different types , their plusses and minuses.

Last summer - I spent over $1200 for 2 new sets of glasses - one clear lensed set of progressive bifocals, and one set of prescription bifocal sunglasses (cheap(er) lenses (with lines) and frames). I wanted the prescription bifocal sunglasses so I could read without switching glasses all the time.

[Patrick]

There ya go !  I was screwed up, as usual.  I was thinking Progressive, but, I don't like either.

I'm pretty old skool. I use lens that don't change color/shade and have the bifocal/trifocal lines.

[scooperhsd]

There ya go !  I was screwed up, as usual.  I was thinking Progressive, but, I don't like either.

I'm pretty old skool. I use lens that don't change color/shade and have the bifocal/trifocal lines.

Hey - if it works for you - go for it .

[Jess Tolbirt]

i wear the no line bifocals, AKA progressive lens. took me a week to get used to them but once I did, its like having none on..i love em..