Guillotine Jones, Flâneur1d ago
Question for the Fediverse:
I'm in need of new prescription eyeglasses.
For the last few decades I've been wearing verifocal lenses, which are costly.
My vision issues are slight myopia and significant astigmatism.
My question: To save money, could it be practical to get two pairs, I.e., one pair for distance, and a second pair for reading?
The assumption I'm making is that I could have both acceptable vision and also save money this way.
I suspect that I'm being impractal rather than practical, but I'd love to have that confirmed or refuted by someone who is knowledgeable.
Thank YOU.
#Eyeglasses #FediverseHiveMind
Show threadsolastalgia kris ☀️🧘🚲

@Guillotine_Jones

If you want to save money you can switch from varifocal (I'm working on the assumption they are the same as progressive so I might be off the mark) to bifocal, those have a visible line where the glasses switch prescriptions.

I mean, sure you can get cheap non prescription glasses as reading glasses and save a few bucks, but if your astigmatism is as severe as you say those will make you feel very dizzy, wouldn't recommend.

Mar 27 at 7:19pmWeb
Show threadsolastalgia kris ☀️🧘🚲1d ago
@Guillotine_Jones I was in the industry a long long time ago so take what I say with a grain of salt, the term varifocal is new to me 😅
Show threadGuillotine Jones, Flâneur1d ago
@iyashikei_kris
It may be a trade name, now that you mention it, Kris.
Show threadGuillotine Jones, Flâneur1d ago
@iyashikei_kris
Thank YOU, Kris, for taking the time to respond.
Yes, by verifocal, I DID mean progressive.
What I was trying to say -- but didn't express very well -- is that my vision issues are more astigmatism than myopia.
(I had cataract surgery on one eye, so I can cover the other eye for distance viewing. Not very practical for driving, though. Hope that wasn't TMI.)
An optometrist once actually suggested trifocals for me, bit I still clung to my vanity back then.
I'm starting to think this might be me trying to deny my age and state of decrepitude.
Show threadsolastalgia kris ☀️🧘🚲1d ago

@Guillotine_Jones

Yes without looking at your prescription I was making many assumptions 😅

Over the years people develop a condition called presbyopia, which in short is myopia (difficulty to see objects far away) and hypermetropia (difficulty to see objects up close) combined, and this is what progressive or bifocal glasses are for.

I assumed you asked if you could use two pairs of glasses to treat these issues separately, and you can, this is what people usually mean by "reading glasses"

Show threadsolastalgia kris ☀️🧘🚲1d ago

@Guillotine_Jones

Buuut since you need to treat for astigmatism as well you are not going to save a lot of money, you can get reading glasses for cheap, but they won't be of any use for your astigmatism

Show threadsolastalgia kris ☀️🧘🚲1d ago

@Guillotine_Jones

Because reading glasses you can get at a Walgreens or something use a very generic prescription (i.e. +1 on each eye) and astigmatism requires a very tailored pair of glasses to your very specific needs

Hopefully all of that makes sense 😃

Show threadGuillotine Jones, Flâneur1d ago
@iyashikei_kris
I'm just a layman, but even I can see that this is an important consideration in this discussion, Kris.