Ask the Optician

ASK NOW

What Are Progressive Lenses?

By Patrick Conroy
Reviewed by Maria Horan FBDO
Maria Horan FBDO

Reviewed by

Maria Horan FBDO
Holding a BSc Honours in Ophthalmic Dispensing awarded at Anglia Ruskin University, Maria has over 17 years of optical experience.
Progressive lenses correct multiple vision problems by combining different prescriptions in one lens.
What are Progressive Lenses?

As the old saying goes, time waits for no man. Age catches up on all of us, and on our eyes too.  Our body goes through many changes as we age, one of which is that our eyes begin to deteriorate.

After the age of 40, most people develop presbyopia, a condition that affects our close-up vision. With presbyopia, corrective lenses are needed for activities like reading or writing. 

For those of us who already wear glasses to help with intermediate or distance vision, this can be a bit of a nuisance. Step forward progressive lenses, your three-in-one solution to the problem. 

How do progressive lenses work?

Progressive lenses, also called multifocal lenses or varifocals, contain multiple prescriptions. Each prescription caters to a different field of vision so you can easily see things at far, intermediate, and near distances with just one pair of glasses.

The upper portion of the lens is adapted for distance vision. It gradually blends into the intermediate prescription in the middle portion, which corrects anything arm’s length away from you (like your computer screen). 

Finally, the lens increases in power towards the bottom section, designed for close-up tasks, like checking a price tag or using your smartphone.

Progressive lenses have no lines between the different prescriptions, so you have a smooth transition when switching between different viewing areas.

progressive lens diagram

Do I need progressive lenses?

Whether or not you need progressive lenses depends on your vision requirements. If you have multiple prescriptions for a combination of vision problems like presbyopia, nearsightedness, and farsightedness, then you’re a good candidate for a pair of progressives.

Presbyopia is caused by the gradual loss of your eye’s ability to focus on near objects and is a natural part of aging. Without progressive lenses, many individuals experience difficulty seeing both near and far objects clearly. 

Progressives may be the best option if you are experiencing eye strain when focusing on text or other details at multiple distances.

Your eye care professional can perform an eye exam to determine if progressive lenses will help improve your vision and overall visual clarity and comfort at all distances.

Progressive lens types

We offer two different types of progressive lenses, premium and deluxe. Your choice between these two ultimately comes down to your personal preference. 

Premium progressive lenses

Premium progressive lenses are our entry level range of progressives, with four lens index options available.

The most standard progressive lenses in the collection come with scratch-resistant and anti-reflective coatings, two features that are also found in the options higher up the scale. The “comfort” version has added UV 400 protection. 

The options on the upper end of the premium scale also have UV400, as well as superhydrophobic coating and an aspheric shape. This shape makes them thinner and lighter than other versions, with 1.67 and 1.74 index versions available.

Deluxe progressive lenses

Deluxe progressive lenses are a step up from our premium options, offering a superior visual experience. There are three options available within the deluxe range.

All three of them come with the same features of the most complete option from the premium range, but they have several additional advantages.

Impact X protection comes as standard on all three deluxe options. This impact-resistant coating reinforces the lenses, so they can handle more adventurous lifestyles and are more forgiving when the odd mishap occurs.

Deluxe progressive lenses differ from their premium counterparts the most in one key aspect. Their viewing area is 30% wider than that of premium lenses.

This provides greater comfort, especially for near and intermediate vision, as these zones are enlarged the most noticeably. 

This extra space maximizes the smooth transition when switching from one viewing area to the next, and can reduce visual fatigue and peripheral distortion while wearing your glasses.

What's the difference between progressive lenses and bifocals?

Progressives and bifocals share the trait of containing more than one prescription, but there are some important differences between them. Bifocals have two separate prescription zones for near and distance vision. You’ll have your distance correction at the top, while your near vision correction is at the bottom. 

 

Progressive Lenses

Bifocal lenses have a distinct line (called a segment line) between each value which causes an abrupt jump in your vision when the eye switches from viewing something at a far distance to a near one. At SmartBuyGlasses, we do not offer bifocals.

As already  mentioned, progressive lenses work by combining three different prescriptions in each lens. They help correct all focal points without any visible lines between viewing zones, unlike bifocals. In a progressive lens, each area transitions gradually from one prescription to another, allowing smoother vision.

DID YOU KNOW?

Several people proposed designs for progressive lenses in the first half of the 19th century, but it was French engineer Bernard Maitenaz who created the first commercially successful progressive lens. 

Benefits of progressive lenses

Progressives lenses offer a lot to wearers, in terms of vision correction, comfort and convenience. Their three prescriptions are an update on single-vision lenses and bifocals. With progressive lenses, you won’t need to carry more than one pair of glasses with you. 

No need to swap between your reading glasses and regular glasses – or even your third pair! Plus, the unique design of a progressive lens allows for a smooth transition between viewing areas. 

The cost of progressive lenses is higher than that of single vision lenses or bifocals, although they are an investment that can save you further expenses on other pairs of glasses. 

This, coupled with their convenient design and the fact that they correct vision smoothly at multiple distances, is enough to assure most wearers that the price is worth it.

Getting used to progressive lenses

It may take you a few weeks to get used to wearing progressive lenses if you’ve never had a pair before. As your eyes get used to the gradient zones of the lenses, you might notice that your vision feels unusual. 

When reading, for example, if you do not move your head and eyes at the same time, the movement of the eye will catch the peripheral zone which will cause blurred vision.

It’s important to realize that this is a normal part of the process and not a sign that something is wrong. With time, you will adapt to this head movement.

Talk to your eye doctor if you’re still having trouble adapting to your new lenses after one or two weeks, but for that initial adjustment period, here are a few tips.

Moving your head more is one of the first and most essential steps to adapting to your new progressive lenses. You should use your lenses by turning your head towards an object you want to focus on instead of simply moving your eyes. A good way to do this is to point your nose to what you want to look at.

However, for near vision tasks like reading, lower your gaze, not your head, towards the bottom section of the lenses. This part of the lens is designed for close-up work, and using just your eyes to shift focus ensures you utilize the correct zone.

The middle section of the lens is for intermediate vision, so when you need to see something in that field of vision – like your computer screen – look straight ahead.

When focusing on distance vision, like watching television or driving, it’s important to look through the upper part of the lenses.

Lift your gaze slightly while keeping your head in a natural, upright position. This aligns your eyes with the top section of the lenses, which is optimized for far distances.

Finally, don’t switch between single-vision prescription glasses. Aim only to use your new pair of progressive glasses, which will help you learn how to use them the correct way quickly.

Once you get the hang of them, you’ll really be able to make the most of all that progressive lenses have to offer. Take a look at our Optical Center for more informative articles on progressive lenses and other topics.

Related articles

What are Bifocal Glasses?
Bifocal lenses have two vision segments to compensate for both nearsightedness and shortsightedness, all in one pair of glasses. This...
View more
Do Computer Glasses Work?
Computer glasses differ from traditional eyeglasses or reading glasses in a few ways to optimize your eyesight when viewing your...
View more

Related articles

What are Bifocal Glasses?
Bifocal lenses have two vision segments to compensate for both nearsightedness and shortsightedness, all in one pair of glasses. This...
View more
Do Computer Glasses Work?
Computer glasses differ from traditional eyeglasses or reading glasses in a few ways to optimize your eyesight when viewing your...
View more

Ask the Optician

ASK NOW

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *