I finally bit the bullet and took Cody to the optometrist. And I treated myself to a 2nd set of reading glasses to boot.
They put eyedrops in our eyes as part of the thorough checkup which leaves your near vision on the blurry side. When my glasses were ready (2 hours later) they let me try them on. Well, it was blurry but they said it was from the eyedrops. Ok, fair enough.
I get home and my original glasses are like breathing air, perfect. I put on these new glasses and my world is warped. Something is definately wrong here. They were the same prescription strength.
I read the bill in which they describe the glasses to be plastic. Plastic?!? Aren't glasses glass? My original ones are, why aren't these?
What's up with the plastic? Anyone have any plastic that they're happy with? Do you have glass ones to do a fair comparison by?
I will be taking these back and see about getting real ones. Cody's order is cancelled too for they also charged me for plastic on his order.
It really makes me wonder when they told me, "Have him wear them for awhile. He'll complain his world is abit fuzzy until he gets use to them."
Knowing what I personally know about the difference in quality vs. whatever you wish to call it, it sure gave me a heads up on buyer beware. And this was apparently the best place in Abbotsford to go to.
In case it matters, I ordered 100% reading glasses.
Posted by Dave Grundy (Member # 103) on :
Donna... Shirley has trifocal plastic lenses and she has no problem with them. Clear as a bell.
Mine are glass bifocals and mine are great, but since I no longer do any work that requires safety glass lenses my next pair will also be plastic.
After each of us reading 60 or 70 books in the last 3 months, if the goggles weren't good we'd be blind!!!!
[ March 24, 2007, 08:12 PM: Message edited by: Dave Grundy ]
Posted by Dick Bohrer (Member # 905) on :
I was real scared of plastic lenses, I had always (since I was 35) had glass ones. With overspray, paint splatter, I figured they would be junk real quick. Well I was suprised, the gal at the glasses place said try these I guarantee they will work for you. Bring them back if you wreck them in a year. She ordered them with a special anti-scratch coating. To my suprise they lasted 3 years until I broke the frames. I abused them and they worked out. Even washing them with mineral spirits to get paint off. The new pair I have now is even better, they are anti-static, and seem to attract less paint. The plastic glasses are light too, so you don't feel the weight. The price isn't lightweight though, $450.00 with frames.
Posted by Donna in BC (Member # 130) on :
Thanks so much for the info! Now I'm really confused as to what the real issue is. I did forget to mention, they used a special non glare model. I can't see that causing an issue though.. I don't think.
Posted by Jeff Ogden (Member # 3184) on :
Donna..
I too, was at one time confused over the whole eyeglass issue...whether "glasses" should really be "glass" or not, or if they should really be some sort of plastic...
And I am here to tell you, the plastic ones are just fine ... You need to let your optometrist explain all the reasons why..Evidently it's cheaper and safer that way. All the special coatings work too.
You won't regret following the eye doc's advice.
If you wear "real glass", the weight of the glasses would hurt you in no time at all.
I wore a miss-fit pair of glasses for years, before I realized why in the heck I wasn't feeling good.
It was because the heavier variety of glasses had actually caved in my nose on two sides, causing me to endure undo pain for a long time. It wasn't until one of the VA people noticed a prob. that everything got resolved. I am forever grateful for that moment,.
I will hence forth, always vote for lightweight eyewear.
What's important is your own comfort, when it comes to vision.
[ March 24, 2007, 09:47 PM: Message edited by: Jeff Ogden ]
Posted by Brian Snyder (Member # 41) on :
I believe the plastic used for lenses is polycarbonate. Since the 80's its all I've ever had.
[ March 24, 2007, 09:43 PM: Message edited by: Brian Snyder ]
Posted by Kathy Lowry (Member # 7353) on :
I've had plastic lenses for years. And I've had poor eyesight for 41 years! My bifocals are noline ones. The plastic lenses are lighter than the glass ones. Have them double check the prescription and redo them until they get it right. The nonglare is good for night driving and i think computer work.
I'd love to be able to wear just reading glasses. That's all my husband needs and I just pick his up at walmart or the drugstore when he loses a pair.
Posted by George Perkins (Member # 156) on :
I've worn glasses for 15 years. All I've ever had were plastic. The only drawback I can see is they will scratch, even with the scratch proof coating. NEVER clean them with a paper towel!!!
Take yours back, they obviously made them wrong. I had one pair a few years back made wrong. I picked them up and they seemed fine. Later that night I drove to the store and it was glare city. Took them back, they had messed up.
Posted by Laura Butler (Member # 1830) on :
I've worn plastic for years. One time I decided to try glass glasses. They were so heavy that my nose kept hurting and getting cuts on it from the weight. If you go for the plastic (exan) make sure and get the scratch coating on them.
Posted by Joey Madden (Member # 1192) on :
I understand perfectly why you're upset Donna, I too wear glasses and always have them made in glass to this day because my work habits and materials tell me that plastic won't hold up to glass. Of course the optometrists have told me I was wrong up until they replaced 3 or 4 lenses for me and carrying special wipes makes me feel challanged.
BTW if the eye glasses are blurry then the optometrist himself is out of whack and needs to find another profession.
Posted by Adrienne Morgan (Member # 1046) on :
plastic here, they are great, you may have gotten a bad set, take them back. A:)
Posted by Michael R. Bendel (Member # 5847) on :
Actually safety lenses are plastic/polycarbonate not glass. They do scratch a little bit easier than high impact plex or glass. Plastic is probably not the first choice for kids.
Posted by old paint (Member # 549) on :
i went to sams....and bought a pair of SAFETY GLASSES...where LESS MONEY then the "designer frames" and these have a place to put side shields on these frames if i want them. lot more sturdy then designer crap. for me with my prescription, in glass they are thick....and heavy. th plastic is half the wieght.
Posted by Donna in BC (Member # 130) on :
LOL now I'm wondering if my originals ARE plastic. They tap differently (the sound) but they aren't heavy at all.
I didn't ask for scratch resistant on Cody's, didn't know about that option. Thanks for the heads up. So many options, it's overwhelming!
Posted by James Donahue (Member # 3624) on :
At 46, I'm just starting to wear reading glasses. The trouble for me is that even the lowest strength ones are a bit much.
That and the fashions these days. Man, I went up and down the road to every glasses place asking for those grampa/John Lennon style specs. The receptionists looked at me like "Are you stupid? What kind of dork would want those?"
OK so I'm a tad old fashioned. Wait, didn't Teddy Roosevelt wear those? People just got no sense of style these days.
Posted by William Holohan (Member # 2514) on :
Donna, Some one messed up the prescription. Bring them back. Also bring your old glasses so you can show them the difference in your ability to read with the old ones. Don't let them tap dance you. Re exam and new glasses or full refund.
Posted by Joe Crumley (Member # 2307) on :
Donna,
I've also changed over to plastic, not polycarb. Poly does scratch much easier.
Ever few days I plop them in the Ultra Sonic cleaner. Be sure to have the lenses up.
Posted by Todd Gill (Member # 2569) on :
Donna - like a few have pointed out - - - -
Polycarbonate lenses are most likely what they sold you.
They are known for severe distortion and have a "sweet" spot in the center of the lense. If you move your eyes left/right, top/bottom you will feel like you're in a funhouse looking at distorted mirrors....or looking through a thick glassed fish bowl. Your whole world will seem to move and warp and distort.
This was my experience....I went back to "STANDARD" plastic lenses....which are thinner than glass but don't exhibit the distortion which is so apparent in the even thinner polycarbonate lenses.
If you ask any reputable optometrist....they will concede that poly lenses are very difficult for a lot of people to get used to.
I have problems with motion sickness anyway....and the poly lenses I got years ago made me nauseous after wearing them for about 2 minutes...I took them right back.
I get standard plastic lenses with an AR (antireflective/scratch resistant coating) and like them best. If you get the right coating they are VERY scratch resistant and even come with a warranty against scratches for at least 1 year. Ask your optometrist about the various coatings offered.
Posted by Russ McMullin (Member # 5617) on :
I've always worn plastic and polycarbonate lenses. No problems with them. My glasses are feather light, and I rarely even think about them being on. The very first glasses I got were terrible. The frames were uncomfortable and the prescription gave me a headache. Since then I've been more particular about what I buy, even if I have to pay more to get it.
Posted by Todd Gill (Member # 2569) on :
Everything you wanted to know about lens materials - and then some. I just learned by reading this why I encounter the fishbowl syndrome with Polycarb lenses - because of my astimatism....here ya go:
The Three Styles of Lenses
1. Single vision lenses can correct for distance vision or near vision, but not both. The reading glasses sold at drug stores are all single vision lenses and correct only for near. 2. Bifocal lenses correct for both distance and near vision in the same pair of glasses. Bifocals are available in lined or non-lined styles. Most people over forty years old will need bifocal lenses. 3. Trifocal lenses have three focal areas divided into lined segments: distance, intermediate, and near. Trifocals are useful for a wide range of visual needs, including computer use.
The good news is that no matter what style of lens your eye care professional recommends, it’s available in a variety of materials to best suit your needs. The Materials-Lightweight Lenses Defined
Glass-Glass lenses are rapidly becoming outdated. Glass spectacle lenses are significantly thicker and heavier than plastic lenses. Though glass lenses are heat-tempered to further harden them before they are cut to fit your frame, they offer no safety protection. They are difficult to manufacture and replace, causing them to be more expensive than plastic.
Glass lenses also frequently break during the cutting process, which can lengthen the time you’ll have to wait for your glasses to be completed. Glass lenses may be fashion-tinted or treated to darken in the sun while remaining clear indoors. The only benefit to glass lenses is their superior scratch-resistance.
CR-39 Plastic-This is the standard plastic lens available in today’s optical shops. CR-39, commonly referred to as plain old plastic, is a much lighter lens material than glass and is very cost-effective. These lenses are suitable for most prescriptions and can be coated to provide scratch resistance, ultra-violet protection and anti-glare qualities. CR-39 lenses are also available in fashion tints, sunglasses, or treated to darken outdoors. CR-39 lenses are not suitable for safety purposes, children, or people with severely compromised vision.
Polycarbonate-Polycarbonate lenses are a popular choice for a variety of needs. These lenses are thirty percent thinner and lighter than CR-39 and have the added benefit of impact-resistance. All safety lenses certified by OSHA for use in the workplace are made of polycarbonate. These lenses are recommended for athletes, children and those with severely compromised vision to protect their eyes from injury.
Polycarbonate lenses, because of their thinner and lighter qualities, are a good choice for people with moderate to high prescriptions. Anyone with more than three diopters (+3.00 or -3.00 written on the prescription) of visual correction will notice the improvement in comfort over glass or CR-39 lenses.
Lenses made of polycarbonate offer better scratch-resistance than CR-39 and come with built-in ultra-violet protection. They can be tinted for comfort, made into polarized sunglasses, treated to darken outdoors or to reduce glare.
Polycarbonate lenses are not the thinnest lenses available, and they can cause visual distortion at the edges in high prescriptions or those lenses including astigmatism. Even with these drawbacks, these are the best lenses for safety glasses, children, or those who want more protection for their eyes in case of an accident. Many insurance companies and optical retailers discount polycarbonate lenses for children’s spectacles.
Trivex-A relatively new material, trivex lenses are the lightest choice available and come with built-in ultra-violet protection. They are also the best lenses for prescription sunglasses, as they accept the tinting process with the sharpest visual results.
Trivex lenses are impact-resistant, but they are not yet certified for safety eyewear. They are the most versatile lightweight choice for all prescriptions and lifestyles and are suitable for any lens coatings or treatments—especially tinting.
Trivex lenses are sometimes marketed as Phoenix, Eagle Vision or Trilogy lens materials. This is the best lens for people who desire lightweight eyewear. They are also the best lens choice for rimless and drill-mounted eyewear styles as they will not chip or crack at the drilled points.
An added benefit of trivex lenses is that fact that the lens, in single vision prescriptions, is virtually distortion-free, eliminating the need to turn your head to see through the clearest portion of the lens.
Hi-Index-These lenses are by far the thinnest choice available. They are available up to forty percent thinner than CR-39 and are the best suited for high prescriptions. Though hi-index lenses are the thinnest, they are not as lightweight as polycarbonate or trivex. Hi-index lenses come with built-in ultra-violet protection, but are not impact-resistant. They can be coated to reduce glare and increase scratch-resistance, or be tinted for sunglasses.
Hi-index lenses are the most expensive, and usually must be special ordered. They are not suited for children or athletes. Hi-index is recommended for those who are tired of thick, unattractive spectacle lenses and don’t mind the added cost.
The least expensive lens choice is CR-39 plastic. All of the thinner and lighter materials are manufactured using advanced technology and will be more expensive.
The most widely available and least expensive thin, light lens is polycarbonate. This material is stocked in most one-hour shops, boasts excellent scratch-resistance, and has a proven track record of great performance.
If your current spectacle lenses magnify or distort the appearance of your eyes, try lightweight lenses in your next pair. These lenses almost always improve the appearance of your eyewear and minimize the negative effects of a strong prescription.
Lightweight lenses will also improve the comfort of your eyewear. Heavy lenses can cause red indentations on the bridge of the noise or painful pinching behind the ear, often leading to headaches.
Eyewear should be comfortable, attractive and suited to your individual needs. With the many lens choices widely available now, every prescription can be customized to suit the wearer’s needs perfectly.
[ March 25, 2007, 03:54 PM: Message edited by: Todd Gill ]
Posted by Donna in BC (Member # 130) on :
Wow Todd... I'm ready and armed with the right info now! Thanks!
Posted by Si Allen (Member # 420) on :
Donna ....have them check the lenses...it is not unheard of that they switched right and left during manufacture!
Posted by Theresa Hoying (Member # 7330) on :
Donna,
I got new glasses with plastic llenses that have the anti glare lenses for night driving and it made it worse. Go figure? So I know what you mean. Now I only use them if I will be working long hours on the computer.
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