How many times have you seen middle-aged individuals squint to read the fine print or hold documents way out at arm’s length? If your own arms seem to be “growing shorter” lately, you may be one of the many people who suffer from presbyopia. But that doesn’t mean you have to deal with lined bifocals or trifocals. Our eye doctor at Best Eyecare Associates, Dr. Christine Best, can fit you with no-line progressive lenses to provide consistently sharp vision.

When do Optometrists Recommend Progressive Lenses?

There comes a time in almost everyone’s life when viewing objects at close range become trickier. That’s because changes in the intraocular lenses make them less flexible. Since the lens normally flexes to switch between near focus and distance focus, you suddenly find yourself struggling to read, view tiny objects, or perform close work. This is presbyopia, and it usually starts around the age of 40. Optometrists correct this complex refractive error with bifocals (which have near-vision and distance-vision segments) or trifocals (which also have an intermediate-vision segment).

In recent years, however, they more usually recommend progressive or “blended” lenses. These lenses feature a gradual, continuous corrective field that shifts from distance vision to near vision with no separate segments or lines.

Reasons People Choose Progressive Lenses over Older Alternative

The main reasons people decide to forego older alternatives and choose progressive lenses are:

• To avoid the sudden shifts in clarity that occur with separate lens segments
• To see clearly at all distances without the presence of distracting lines
• To hide the fact that they’re now old enough to experience presbyopia

What to Expect From This Form of Vision Correction

The process of determining your progressive lens prescription is the same as that for writing other kinds of multifocal prescription, with our Thorton eye doctor adding a specific degree of magnification to boost near vision. We will carefully note the position of your pupils to center the corrective effect. Progressive lenses tend to provide a relatively narrow corridor of correction toward the center of the lens, but your brain soon gets used to this.

You may also notice a distortion known as “swim” when you turn your hard to gaze at objects. Most people soon disregard this effect as well. If you just don’t feel comfortable with progressives, we can switch you to bifocals, trifocals, or even monovision contacts (with near vision in one eye and distance vision in the other).

Call Our Optometry Office to Get Started

If you’re ready to progress toward progressive lenses, Best Eyecare Associates is ready to smooth that transition for you. Call our office at (303) 254-4888 for an appointment!