Cycling-friendly glasses: progressives or bifocals?
November 26, 2023 4:37 PM Subscribe
I'm a middle-aged myopic who had to start wearing various progressive glasses several years ago. I am currently juggling three pairs of glasses, but these still fall short of what I need. Help me reduce this to TWO effective sets of glasses: one for office work (I think I have this sorted) and one for TV/movie watching AND biking AND running errands/reading stuff on and off the bike. Are MeFi cyclists in my spot choosing bifocals, progressives, or something else?
I'm moderately nearsighted (Right: -2.75; Left: 4.75) with some astigmatism and typical presbyopia for my age. I ride my hybrid bike around Toronto to see people, shop, and exercise. I have never worn and don't expect to wear curved cycling glasses. I can't wear contact lenses any more, so my solution must be glasses only.
Current set #1 (emeritus): A battered pair of "office" progressives (focal length probably 6-12 feet) that are OK for everyday wandering on foot and bike, but aren't optimized for monitor distance, are impossible for reading print or my phone, and are a little soft for distance. These are the ones that need replacing.
Current set #2: Fancy new computer progressives set for monitor distance and crisp small-print reading. Keepers!
Current set #3: A new Kits.ca set with transitions lenses, distance correction only ($100 on sale). These are working well for all my distance needs and are decent sunglasses, but when I get off my bike and go inside a store, I have to take my glasses off to read labels. (Luckily, my bike computer has a pretty large display, so I can read that well enough with the glasses on.)
I am a bit unsure about the effectiveness of progressives for cyclists due to the marginal astigmatism/blur on the sides, possible effects on peripheral vision, and distortion across the lenses, especially with high power and/or astigmatism: see this for a great overview. If you're cycling with progressives, has any of this been an issue for you? Did you take a certain amount of time to get used to walking/stairs with them, then more time for cycling?
My other option is classic bifocals (distance/reading only), but is the "jump" as the eyes track across the different lenses worse than any effects from progressives? This other video (starting here) gives what seems to be a decent example of the bifocal experience (and goes on to another useful summary of progressive pros and cons.)
So what are y'all finding works for you? Bifocals? Progressives? Or should I stick with my single-vision glasses for bike use and just get used to juggling them in stores?
I'm moderately nearsighted (Right: -2.75; Left: 4.75) with some astigmatism and typical presbyopia for my age. I ride my hybrid bike around Toronto to see people, shop, and exercise. I have never worn and don't expect to wear curved cycling glasses. I can't wear contact lenses any more, so my solution must be glasses only.
Current set #1 (emeritus): A battered pair of "office" progressives (focal length probably 6-12 feet) that are OK for everyday wandering on foot and bike, but aren't optimized for monitor distance, are impossible for reading print or my phone, and are a little soft for distance. These are the ones that need replacing.
Current set #2: Fancy new computer progressives set for monitor distance and crisp small-print reading. Keepers!
Current set #3: A new Kits.ca set with transitions lenses, distance correction only ($100 on sale). These are working well for all my distance needs and are decent sunglasses, but when I get off my bike and go inside a store, I have to take my glasses off to read labels. (Luckily, my bike computer has a pretty large display, so I can read that well enough with the glasses on.)
I am a bit unsure about the effectiveness of progressives for cyclists due to the marginal astigmatism/blur on the sides, possible effects on peripheral vision, and distortion across the lenses, especially with high power and/or astigmatism: see this for a great overview. If you're cycling with progressives, has any of this been an issue for you? Did you take a certain amount of time to get used to walking/stairs with them, then more time for cycling?
My other option is classic bifocals (distance/reading only), but is the "jump" as the eyes track across the different lenses worse than any effects from progressives? This other video (starting here) gives what seems to be a decent example of the bifocal experience (and goes on to another useful summary of progressive pros and cons.)
So what are y'all finding works for you? Bifocals? Progressives? Or should I stick with my single-vision glasses for bike use and just get used to juggling them in stores?
I did pretty well with progressive lenses (just one pair) for everyday use, indoors and out, including computer work, riding a bike, driving, and riding a motorbike. My myopia was a little worse than yours. So maybe you need to discuss with your optician how to get a pair to suit you.
(I no longer use those since having a cataract fix which also fixed my myopia, giving me better than 20:20 distance vision; now I use specs for reading and other near stuff, and just buy lots of reading glasses from the dollar store as they're almost disposable to leave all over the place to pick up wherever I might need them.)
posted by anadem at 5:49 PM on November 26, 2023
(I no longer use those since having a cataract fix which also fixed my myopia, giving me better than 20:20 distance vision; now I use specs for reading and other near stuff, and just buy lots of reading glasses from the dollar store as they're almost disposable to leave all over the place to pick up wherever I might need them.)
posted by anadem at 5:49 PM on November 26, 2023
I'd go with the bifocals if you're not going to go with single vision. 99% of what you need to see on the bike is going to be at distance. The little chip for the close up vision in the lens will be good enough for the other 1%. I have two different pair, one for distance and one for reading, and I wear my distance glasses exclusively on the bike.
Side note - I've used transition lenses for a while now and I like them. However, this past time around, I went ahead and got a pair of prescription sunglasses. If you're out in the sun for extended periods of time, I highly recommend them. Transitions aren't polarized unless you get the highest end ones, but those have a tint even when not activated. Having polarized prescription sunglasses on a bright day is great, especially on the bike.
posted by azpenguin at 6:50 PM on November 26, 2023 [2 favorites]
Side note - I've used transition lenses for a while now and I like them. However, this past time around, I went ahead and got a pair of prescription sunglasses. If you're out in the sun for extended periods of time, I highly recommend them. Transitions aren't polarized unless you get the highest end ones, but those have a tint even when not activated. Having polarized prescription sunglasses on a bright day is great, especially on the bike.
posted by azpenguin at 6:50 PM on November 26, 2023 [2 favorites]
I have used progressives for cycling (and driving etc) and they work OK. The trick is to make sure the distance prescription is right on - not fudged a bit to help with closer-in vision as is often done.
The other thing I've tried, and like, is to use single focus distance glasses for outdoor activities like cycling. Again, make sure the prescription is right on for distance, so things in the distance are truly sharp. Then I take them off to read things etc.
However, I'm on to a new scheme and I quite like it (if you are like me, and can see close-up things, like to read a piece of paper, a mobile phone, a product label without any glasses). That is to get purely distance glasses, single focus, but make the lenses quite narrow top to bottom - something like this maybe. The idea is that you wear the glasses and you can see distances perfectly, but when you need to read or otherwise see things close-up, you just look above or below the lens.
It actually works quite well. I thought I would usually look below the lense to read things - that is how most bifocals & progressive lenses are set up - but actually I look ABOVE the lenses almost 100% of the time. You can slide the glasses down your nose just a little bit to facilitate this.
Also, sliding the distance lenses down your nose, putting them further from your eyes, brings the focal point in a little closer. So sometimes you can use that trick when you need to read something mid-distance, like a computer screen.
I haven't tried bifocals yet but I do like the idea of them, plus they can be cheaper than progressives, while have a larger usable area for the mid or close distance.
posted by flug at 6:55 PM on November 26, 2023 [1 favorite]
The other thing I've tried, and like, is to use single focus distance glasses for outdoor activities like cycling. Again, make sure the prescription is right on for distance, so things in the distance are truly sharp. Then I take them off to read things etc.
However, I'm on to a new scheme and I quite like it (if you are like me, and can see close-up things, like to read a piece of paper, a mobile phone, a product label without any glasses). That is to get purely distance glasses, single focus, but make the lenses quite narrow top to bottom - something like this maybe. The idea is that you wear the glasses and you can see distances perfectly, but when you need to read or otherwise see things close-up, you just look above or below the lens.
It actually works quite well. I thought I would usually look below the lense to read things - that is how most bifocals & progressive lenses are set up - but actually I look ABOVE the lenses almost 100% of the time. You can slide the glasses down your nose just a little bit to facilitate this.
Also, sliding the distance lenses down your nose, putting them further from your eyes, brings the focal point in a little closer. So sometimes you can use that trick when you need to read something mid-distance, like a computer screen.
I haven't tried bifocals yet but I do like the idea of them, plus they can be cheaper than progressives, while have a larger usable area for the mid or close distance.
posted by flug at 6:55 PM on November 26, 2023 [1 favorite]
I recently ordered my first pair of varifocals (and a separate set of shades with the same prescription/setup): I'm only moderately astigmatic, but getting old enough to have a whole-number difference for reading distances.
The main concern I had was that the opticians only drove, while I cycle on an upright Dutch-style bike (and yeah, I'm not ever going to use aero-styled wraparounds: dress for the destination, not the journey). I need to be able to glance down at a pretty sharp angle to check road surfaces, while motorists tend to look further out over the bonnet. I forget how they convinced me, but ultimately they claimed that people who have trouble with varifocals just aren't moving their head enough to hit the optimum part of the lens, in some situations.
Ultimately I decided that the ability to check my wayfinding device on the handlebars was important enough to warrant the varifocals for everything. I was astonished that they didn't already know that the polarising filter would make my screen invisible, but perhaps they use OLED phones?
On the subject of O.G. bifocals, my mother kind of poisoned me against them forever: hers gave her a dramatic sort of blind spot right on the ground in front of her, meaning she would trip and step on things constantly. Every time we left a toy out that she crushed, she'd howl "I wear bifocals!" with the clear implication that we were selfish ingrates. Since then I have just always assumed they were innately disabling in this way.
Anyway, my new specs should arrive in a week or so, and I'll have to remember to report back on how it goes.
posted by rum-soaked space hobo at 3:23 AM on November 27, 2023
The main concern I had was that the opticians only drove, while I cycle on an upright Dutch-style bike (and yeah, I'm not ever going to use aero-styled wraparounds: dress for the destination, not the journey). I need to be able to glance down at a pretty sharp angle to check road surfaces, while motorists tend to look further out over the bonnet. I forget how they convinced me, but ultimately they claimed that people who have trouble with varifocals just aren't moving their head enough to hit the optimum part of the lens, in some situations.
Ultimately I decided that the ability to check my wayfinding device on the handlebars was important enough to warrant the varifocals for everything. I was astonished that they didn't already know that the polarising filter would make my screen invisible, but perhaps they use OLED phones?
On the subject of O.G. bifocals, my mother kind of poisoned me against them forever: hers gave her a dramatic sort of blind spot right on the ground in front of her, meaning she would trip and step on things constantly. Every time we left a toy out that she crushed, she'd howl "I wear bifocals!" with the clear implication that we were selfish ingrates. Since then I have just always assumed they were innately disabling in this way.
Anyway, my new specs should arrive in a week or so, and I'll have to remember to report back on how it goes.
posted by rum-soaked space hobo at 3:23 AM on November 27, 2023
For this application I would rule out progressives, because for both comfort and safety's sake you need the widest field of view, including sharp peripheral vision to the sides and maybe more importantly in the downward-sideways directions, where curbs and feet and dogs and other obstacles are. As you probably know, down and to the sides is where progressives are the fuzziest, being neither your distance nor near prescription.
If you can get by with single vision lenses, perhaps stopping and taking off your glasses if you need to read your phone, that would probably be best. But if not, I would recommend trying a round segment bifocal instead of the usual "flat top" or D-shaped bifocal. These come in different segment sizes, and I would get the smallest segment possible, which is probably 22mm. This has several advantages:
There is no horizontal "shelf", like on a flat top bifocal, that will glint in the light when the sun is over and in front of you.
The entire lens outside of the small circular near segment is your exact distance prescription, including the "curb area" which will be perfectly clear beside the segment.
The lenses will be inexpensive, probably costing exactly the same as a flat-top bifocal.
Here's a random site I found showing a picture of the style I mean. (Don't let anyone tell you there's no such thing. A lot of shops try VERY hard to sell progressives. This is not a progressive, there are exactly two powers in the lens.)
https://eyewearlens.com/products/bifocal-round-22-plastic-spherical-clear
If you normally wear progressives, you might be surprised how comfortable these are and how well they work.
posted by fritley at 4:19 PM on November 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
If you can get by with single vision lenses, perhaps stopping and taking off your glasses if you need to read your phone, that would probably be best. But if not, I would recommend trying a round segment bifocal instead of the usual "flat top" or D-shaped bifocal. These come in different segment sizes, and I would get the smallest segment possible, which is probably 22mm. This has several advantages:
There is no horizontal "shelf", like on a flat top bifocal, that will glint in the light when the sun is over and in front of you.
The entire lens outside of the small circular near segment is your exact distance prescription, including the "curb area" which will be perfectly clear beside the segment.
The lenses will be inexpensive, probably costing exactly the same as a flat-top bifocal.
Here's a random site I found showing a picture of the style I mean. (Don't let anyone tell you there's no such thing. A lot of shops try VERY hard to sell progressives. This is not a progressive, there are exactly two powers in the lens.)
https://eyewearlens.com/products/bifocal-round-22-plastic-spherical-clear
If you normally wear progressives, you might be surprised how comfortable these are and how well they work.
posted by fritley at 4:19 PM on November 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks, everyone! I'm glad to see that everyone agrees exactly on what I can choose :-)
For now, I might take a few more rides on with my old office progressives and my distance specs to evaluate how much I'm missing re road surfaces and the like.
The round segment bifocal sounds intriguing. I like the idea of a small section available for quick, light reading that won't get too much in the way of distance vision. I'll see what else I can dig up about it.
posted by maudlin at 8:29 AM on November 28, 2023
For now, I might take a few more rides on with my old office progressives and my distance specs to evaluate how much I'm missing re road surfaces and the like.
The round segment bifocal sounds intriguing. I like the idea of a small section available for quick, light reading that won't get too much in the way of distance vision. I'll see what else I can dig up about it.
posted by maudlin at 8:29 AM on November 28, 2023
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And to clarify re my OK usage of office progressives on my bike: I didn't feel any real issues with distortion or loss of peripheral visions, but that's because the intermediate corridor is much wider in office progressives than "classic/pure" progressives, and the crappy outer portions are much smaller. It really isn't the same experience.
posted by maudlin at 4:49 PM on November 26, 2023