Cost of changing prescription

[plantsower]

I wonder if anyone has come up with an affordable way to change their eyeglass prescription every time their eye sight improves? My glasses cost hundreds of dollars as I have progressive lenses. There is the cost of the exam each time and filling the Rx each time which can be very expensive.

What do you think?

Online companies cannot fill progressive lens prescriptions properly. Believe me, I've tried and then my optician said it was impossible because of a certain measurement that had to be done in person. It made sense at the time, but anyway any ideas?

Thanks.

[Nancy]

The behavioral optometrist I trained with did not prescribe progressives, nor bifocals for that matter, unless the patient really insisted. They trap the eyes (discourage them from moving) even more than normal single-prescription glasses. I'd order just the distance correction glasses on-line, then use drugstore readers if you really need them for close work. Do as much without any glasses as you can, comfortably and safely.

[plantsower]

Thanks, Nancy. I had no idea about what progressives and bifocals do. I actually had trifocals before I went to progressives. I had nor problems with them until now. My optometrist said my Rx hasn't changed since two years ago but I keep seeing blurriness when I read. She said my eye muscles have become weak (you think?) so I need prisms now.

Is you advice about getting distance correction and then drugstore readers coming from you seeing what my prescription is? I said I was farsighted but I am not sure about that. I know I was as a kid. If it's from what you see in my actual prescription, I just might do what you suggested. That would be great. I hope you will respond to this so I will know what to do for sure.

Do you know if can order the distance correction online with the prescription I have, or do I need to ask my optometrist to write it a different way so I can do that?

Thanks for taking the time to help me.

The behavioral optometrist I trained with did not prescribe progressives, nor bifocals for that matter, unless the patient really insisted. They trap the eyes (discourage them from moving) even more than normal single-prescription glasses. I'd order just the distance correction glasses on-line, then use drugstore readers if you really need them for close work. Do as much without any glasses as you can, comfortably and safely.

---

Oops, sorry. I never did say what my Rx was. I put that on another forum. Sorry if that was confusing.

The behavioral optometrist I trained with did not prescribe progressives, nor bifocals for that matter, unless the patient really insisted. They trap the eyes (discourage them from moving) even more than normal single-prescription glasses. I'd order just the distance correction glasses on-line, then use drugstore readers if you really need them for close work. Do as much without any glasses as you can, comfortably and safely.

[Nancy]

I'm not an eye doctor so can't prescribe lenses. What I can do is tell you what I've learned and experienced in my own vision journey, both as a patient myself and as a teacher for many others. "Weak" eye muscles are usually just very strained from trying and trying and straining to see. They do not need to be strengthened. They need to let go of the strain and learn how to function in a more healthy relaxed efficient manner. This is exactly the Bates Method.

I don't know what your prescription is, and it really doesn't matter. You can order very inexpensive very good distance eyeglasses from http://www.zennioptical.com/ with only the SPH (diopters of correction, for both OD the right eye and OS the left eye) and the PD which is the distance in millimeters between your pupils. This latter measurement is needed to know where to put the optical center of each lens in your glasses.

In my opinion you need to know what your vision situation is -- it bothers me that you don't know whether you're farsighted or not. The more you know, the better choices you can make. I don't like the idea of prisms, which feel like they'll just deepen the existing unhealthy visual pattern. Again, I'm not an eye doctor. Get yourself an eye chart and start working with it to know how well you can see without glasses. You might also be able to get a free eye exam in a place like WalMart without a commitment to buy glasses form them -- it's worth a try. This will give you an idea of what you're dealing with, at least.

Start doing what you can without your glasses, safely and without straining. You want to start reducing your dependence on them.

[plantsower]

Hi Nancy:

I've learned a lot in the past few days from reading, watching videos and from what you've said. I plugged in my eye Rx numbers and found out that I am, indeed, still farsighted. I just had an exam at Costco last week. I've been thinking for awhile now that glasses just make your eyes weaker but was afraid to go without them. Now I am ready.

I have been not wearing them unless I have to for two days. I have an eye chart on my wall now. I am planning to get some drug store reading glasses. I've looked at them before and none were strong enough but I think I can get by. And I will order the cheap lenses and frames from online. I've also been doing some of the Bates method techniques plus crossing my eyes, plus following my thumb in all directions of the clock.

I have gone from having an astigmatism as a child, to not having one, to having one again now. Maybe because I wore glasses from age 8 because my dad was an optician and I had a lazy eye so glasses were his obvious solution. I also did eye exercise to strengthen the lazy eye. When I got to be a teenager I quit wearing glasses and did just fine. That should have told me something right there. Then as I got older I had a lot of typing to do, and felt eye strain, so returned to my glasses. I should have returned to the exercises but it never dawned on me.

Anyway a long story short, I believe you are right. Everything I am studying now confirms it. I think I just needed to be told by an individual and not by a video or someone trying to sell me something.

Thanks again for your help. I feel encouraged. I have the beginning of cataracts I am told, but nothing needs to be done at this point. Hopefully, never.

*********

I'm not an eye doctor so can't prescribe lenses. What I can do is tell you what I've learned and experienced in my own vision journey, both as a patient myself and as a teacher for many others. "Weak" eye muscles are usually just very strained from trying and trying and straining to see. They do not need to be strengthened. They need to let go of the strain and learn how to function in a more healthy relaxed efficient manner. This is exactly the Bates Method.

I don't know what your prescription is, and it really doesn't matter. You can order very inexpensive very good distance eyeglasses from http://www.zennioptical.com/ with only the SPH (diopters of correction, for both OD the right eye and OS the left eye) and the PD which is the distance in millimeters between your pupils. This latter measurement is needed to know where to put the optical center of each lens in your glasses.

In my opinion you need to know what your vision situation is -- it bothers me that you don't know whether you're farsighted or not. The more you know, the better choices you can make. I don't like the idea of prisms, which feel like they'll just deepen the existing unhealthy visual pattern. Again, I'm not an eye doctor. Get yourself an eye chart and start working with it to know how well you can see without glasses. You might also be able to get a free eye exam in a place like WalMart without a commitment to buy glasses form them -- it's worth a try. This will give you an idea of what you're dealing with, at least.

Start doing what you can without your glasses, safely and without straining. You want to start reducing your dependence on them.

[plantsower]

I figured out I am farsighted (or presbyopic). I don't know the difference except that I have always been farsighted and maybe then became presbyopic as I got older. I will be 66 in 10/14. I don't know the difference. But I looked at my Rx after posting here and figured from what I've learned that I am one of those. I have progressive lenses as stated.

So, knowing that, it seems to be I cannot get an Rx for distance since my Rx is already a plus Rx because of my farsightedness.

Would it then make sense to just use my glasses when absolutely necessary (for reading small print) and use readers? (I bought five of them in descending powers from the Dollar Tree yesterday.) I also bought pinhole glasses.

So my plan is to
1) Go without glasses as much as possible
2) Wear my pinhole glasses to read and watch TV (distance isn't all that clear anyway)
3) Wear my highest powered readers to start (2.25) and do my exercises everyday without glasses.

I also try to read my books and computer without glasses for short periods, though I feel strain when I do it. Even the readers don't help me read much. My Rx is for Right: +3.75 and Left +3.25 plus all the cylinder and axis stuff. My right eye is the weakest one, so I thought that power would be stronger. Huh! I really don't get this much. So maybe if I can find stronger readers to start like 3.25, I could wean off as my eyes get stronger.

Sorry this is so long, but I've been researching like crazy to try to get a handle on this. I know there is a big bru-ha-ha about plus glasses, but I can see where it could help a farsighted person wean off glasses completely.

Any thoughts?

Thanks so much.

Rita

Hi Nancy:

I've learned a lot in the past few days from reading, watching videos and from what you've said. I plugged in my eye Rx numbers and found out that I am, indeed, still farsighted. I just had an exam at Costco last week. I've been thinking for awhile now that glasses just make your eyes weaker but was afraid to go without them. Now I am ready.

I have been not wearing them unless I have to for two days. I have an eye chart on my wall now. I am planning to get some drug store reading glasses. I've looked at them before and none were strong enough but I think I can get by. And I will order the cheap lenses and frames from online. I've also been doing some of the Bates method techniques plus crossing my eyes, plus following my thumb in all directions of the clock.

I have gone from having an astigmatism as a child, to not having one, to having one again now. Maybe because I wore glasses from age 8 because my dad was an optician and I had a lazy eye so glasses were his obvious solution. I also did eye exercise to strengthen the lazy eye. When I got to be a teenager I quit wearing glasses and did just fine. That should have told me something right there. Then as I got older I had a lot of typing to do, and felt eye strain, so returned to my glasses. I should have returned to the exercises but it never dawned on me.

Anyway a long story short, I believe you are right. Everything I am studying now confirms it. I think I just needed to be told by an individual and not by a video or someone trying to sell me something.

Thanks again for your help. I feel encouraged. I have the beginning of cataracts I am told, but nothing needs to be done at this point. Hopefully, never.

*********

I'm not an eye doctor so can't prescribe lenses. What I can do is tell you what I've learned and experienced in my own vision journey, both as a patient myself and as a teacher for many others. "Weak" eye muscles are usually just very strained from trying and trying and straining to see. They do not need to be strengthened. They need to let go of the strain and learn how to function in a more healthy relaxed efficient manner. This is exactly the Bates Method.

I don't know what your prescription is, and it really doesn't matter. You can order very inexpensive very good distance eyeglasses from http://www.zennioptical.com/ with only the SPH (diopters of correction, for both OD the right eye and OS the left eye) and the PD which is the distance in millimeters between your pupils. This latter measurement is needed to know where to put the optical center of each lens in your glasses.

In my opinion you need to know what your vision situation is -- it bothers me that you don't know whether you're farsighted or not. The more you know, the better choices you can make. I don't like the idea of prisms, which feel like they'll just deepen the existing unhealthy visual pattern. Again, I'm not an eye doctor. Get yourself an eye chart and start working with it to know how well you can see without glasses. You might also be able to get a free eye exam in a place like WalMart without a commitment to buy glasses form them -- it's worth a try. This will give you an idea of what you're dealing with, at least.

Start doing what you can without your glasses, safely and without straining. You want to start reducing your dependence on them.

---

Instead of trying to find stronger plus glasses, I could maybe use my Rx but bump it down, and then get glasses online with the lower Rx and not give the cylinder and axis numbers so I wouldn't have to deal with the progressive part. How does that sound? Then I can bump down from there with the Dollar Tree glasses.

Rita

I figured out I am farsighted (or presbyopic). I don't know the difference except that I have always been farsighted and maybe then became presbyopic as I got older. I will be 66 in 10/14. I don't know the difference. But I looked at my Rx after posting here and figured from what I've learned that I am one of those. I have progressive lenses as stated.

So, knowing that, it seems to be I cannot get an Rx for distance since my Rx is already a plus Rx because of my farsightedness.

Would it then make sense to just use my glasses when absolutely necessary (for reading small print) and use readers? (I bought five of them in descending powers from the Dollar Tree yesterday.) I also bought pinhole glasses.

So my plan is to
1) Go without glasses as much as possible
2) Wear my pinhole glasses to read and watch TV (distance isn't all that clear anyway)
3) Wear my highest powered readers to start (2.25) and do my exercises everyday without glasses.

I also try to read my books and computer without glasses for short periods, though I feel strain when I do it. Even the readers don't help me read much. My Rx is for Right: +3.75 and Left +3.25 plus all the cylinder and axis stuff. My right eye is the weakest one, so I thought that power would be stronger. Huh! I really don't get this much. So maybe if I can find stronger readers to start like 3.25, I could wean off as my eyes get stronger.

Sorry this is so long, but I've been researching like crazy to try to get a handle on this. I know there is a big bru-ha-ha about plus glasses, but I can see where it could help a farsighted person wean off glasses completely.

Any thoughts?

Thanks so much.

Rita

Hi Nancy:

I've learned a lot in the past few days from reading, watching videos and from what you've said. I plugged in my eye Rx numbers and found out that I am, indeed, still farsighted. I just had an exam at Costco last week. I've been thinking for awhile now that glasses just make your eyes weaker but was afraid to go without them. Now I am ready.

I have been not wearing them unless I have to for two days. I have an eye chart on my wall now. I am planning to get some drug store reading glasses. I've looked at them before and none were strong enough but I think I can get by. And I will order the cheap lenses and frames from online. I've also been doing some of the Bates method techniques plus crossing my eyes, plus following my thumb in all directions of the clock.

I have gone from having an astigmatism as a child, to not having one, to having one again now. Maybe because I wore glasses from age 8 because my dad was an optician and I had a lazy eye so glasses were his obvious solution. I also did eye exercise to strengthen the lazy eye. When I got to be a teenager I quit wearing glasses and did just fine. That should have told me something right there. Then as I got older I had a lot of typing to do, and felt eye strain, so returned to my glasses. I should have returned to the exercises but it never dawned on me.

Anyway a long story short, I believe you are right. Everything I am studying now confirms it. I think I just needed to be told by an individual and not by a video or someone trying to sell me something.

Thanks again for your help. I feel encouraged. I have the beginning of cataracts I am told, but nothing needs to be done at this point. Hopefully, never.

*********

I'm not an eye doctor so can't prescribe lenses. What I can do is tell you what I've learned and experienced in my own vision journey, both as a patient myself and as a teacher for many others. "Weak" eye muscles are usually just very strained from trying and trying and straining to see. They do not need to be strengthened. They need to let go of the strain and learn how to function in a more healthy relaxed efficient manner. This is exactly the Bates Method.

I don't know what your prescription is, and it really doesn't matter. You can order very inexpensive very good distance eyeglasses from http://www.zennioptical.com/ with only the SPH (diopters of correction, for both OD the right eye and OS the left eye) and the PD which is the distance in millimeters between your pupils. This latter measurement is needed to know where to put the optical center of each lens in your glasses.

In my opinion you need to know what your vision situation is -- it bothers me that you don't know whether you're farsighted or not. The more you know, the better choices you can make. I don't like the idea of prisms, which feel like they'll just deepen the existing unhealthy visual pattern. Again, I'm not an eye doctor. Get yourself an eye chart and start working with it to know how well you can see without glasses. You might also be able to get a free eye exam in a place like WalMart without a commitment to buy glasses form them -- it's worth a try. This will give you an idea of what you're dealing with, at least.

Start doing what you can without your glasses, safely and without straining. You want to start reducing your dependence on them.