View Full Version : Eyeglass question
So I am cheerfully watching the water levels on that USGS site that Tramper Al posted. While cleaning my glasses my Flexons went snick. Toasted. Better than in the twillies, but my script is High Index mail order blah blah blah. Got a new script today, seemed prudent. Got twelve years out of those frames, but they could have bought it when it was snowing.
Questions: In the AM I head inland to shop for frames I can tolerate. Went to two shops today for a choice of three frames. For $200 I need more selection. Is there something better than a Flexon for use with a Progressive lense? I have single vision Flexon for walking, need to cover my ducks before having at it. Old, blind people encouraged to respond.
JimSproul
06-10-2005, 01:04
I wear progressive lenses in everyday life but not on the trail. The problem is the focus down is only a foot or so. Not good when you need to see where to place you foot. I stumbled several times before I figured it out. I now hike in glass that only have a traditional grind and no bifocal. I carry cheap reading glasses from WalMart for maps and such. I met a gut this spring that had the same problem and used the same solution!
To answer your real question, there are a number of place on the web where you can save a bunch of money and get anytype of perscription you need.
Good luck, hope to SEE you on the trail!
Hiking in Progressives triple-sucks. I popped for a distance only when I got into them, and have a magnifier "credit card." I wonder if there exists a better frame than a Flexon for going into the woods. My issue is liking the middle distance-getting old, have enough parts that don't work as well as in '80, so I have to spend the money on lenses. Takes a place 5-10 biz days to get my lenses in, so I keep telling myself better now.
I have a pair of glasses with stainless steel frames I take with me hiking. They have, up to now at least, stood up to a lot of abuse. They have progressive lenses in them, but I find that I only bother to wear them outdoors for reading. Things are a little on the fuzzy side, but it's nice being able to see without everything always being "framed" by my glasses.
baseballswthrt
06-10-2005, 08:02
My progressive lenses drive me nuts when I hike! I have found that I only use them on the trail to read maps and such. Since we only section hike, I am planning on getting a very cheap pair of drugstore reading glasses to hike in, and leave my glasses in the truck. Of course, I can see well enough with out them not to run into a tree...
lostjohn
06-10-2005, 13:23
I have been wearing progressive lenses for several years now. One thing I did when first getting them was to match the locations of the changes in the lenses to my purpose. This has made a lot of difference and the end effect has been great.
Well, now I am concerned. I have progressive lens and up to this point have experienced no problems - long, short, or in-between distances. However, when I go out backpacking, I do carry along an extra pair of glasses. Once burnt, twice shy (I broke a pair of glasses, right in the middle, about 40 years ago on a backpacking trip and since then have always carried an extra pair).
$4 spent. New frames and lenses. Got some breakage warranty so the hemlock had better beware. Seems I am destined to be in the neighborhood past the 19th, which is good. Will be glad when they get here. How can anyone walk in Progressives without staring at their toes? Damn expensive, but at least its correctable.
I have two pair of Progressives, one fancy rimless pair I wear socially, that make me look like Donald Rumsfield, and one rugged set of frames I wear for hiking, chain saw work, trail maintance and just working on my farm. When I first got them they especially sucked because because the optical shop misread my scrip and ordered my right lens progressive left to right rather than top to bottom. I ran into alot of trees and walls in the first two weeks but my eye doctor said, "They take some getting used to." After a month or so the error was found and the eye doctor gave me a correct free pair, the optical shop had gone out of business. I now love them and after being forced to wear them all the time have no problem hiking or working. In my bang around pair I have expensive Nikon Lenses and frames that would withstand a morter attack. I have done alot of hiking in them, cut and hand split 10 cords of wood and played about 72 holes of golf a week. I am an Alpine patroller on The National Ski Patrol so good vision of trail both ahead and at my feet at high speed is very critical, I also need to have good close up vision to work on injured skiers. I had tri-focals before and once I got used to them find the progressives much better. I have no problem seeing my feet, the trail, or the mountains in the distance. Anyone who has hiked the rocks and roots in Maine will tell you how important it is to see where you are going to step and after I got used to them --no problem, They take a bit of gettting used to but speaking for myself I would never go back to multi vision or single vision glasses,
I end up staring at my toes and get tight in the neck. I do think they are slick for normal rampaging around, just don't tell me horror stories about reversed, hack job lenses!