Ellen

If the expense is a problem, have you looked into ordering your glasses from the dispensary at the school in your area that trains opticians? I wear a very expensive (not reading glasses, understand) prescription. My DD is an optician in a regular store. If I ordered my glasses from her, even with the family discount, the last pair I bought would have cost me between $800 and $1000. I went to the county college dispensary, where they sell glasses at cost, just so the students have practice dispensing (the actual glasses are put together by the professors, the students just make the sale and measure--with all of that being checked by the supervising professor). I got designer frames with magnetic sunglasses, the top brand of progressive lenses, and the most expensive glare coating out there--and my glasses cost me only $213 for all of it. That's about 1/4 of what I'd have paid, and even less what a regular customer would have paid.

It really is worth having your glasses properly made and measured. And you do get much higher quality frames (than when you buy the drug store glasses) that way--so they hold up much longer. If you have access to an opticianry school you should be able to save quite a bit. Really good secret to know. And the school I go to has the latest equipment--most optical shops/labs don't have it because it's so expensive, but the manufacturer's donate the equipment to schools in hope of encouraging the students to want to use it when they get out in the field.

Just a thought.

Several articles stated that using them will in no way harm your eyes. I particularly like the otc reading glasses for computer use. When I use my bifocals, I have to tilt my head way back in order to see out of the lower portion, which results in an almost immediate headache. Additionally, I like to keep the $1 ones handy everywhere...by favorite chair, by the phone, beside the bed, a pair in each vehicle. They are frequently lost or broken. They can be often be found at Dollar Stores where 'everything' is just a dollar.

I find they are just as comfortable as my expensive no line bifocals, which I usually try to carry or where I'm away from home.

I think that switching the lenses is a wonderful way to save a bunch of money.

Sue

The above poster is right that using the OTC glasses won't hurt one's eyes, but neither will they be as comfortable or effective as one's made specifically to your measurments. Oh, and DD says you can't get the lenses out of those otc glasses--they can't even do it--they're just not made for that to happen. And they may be 'glued' in with a filler material--that's a common practice if the lenses aren't exactly accurately cut to fit (even licensed opticians do that).

The idea that progressives at the computer cause permanent neck and spine injury is one I have never heard. This is too absolute a statement in my opinion. Sure, it is possible but not definite.

The problem with progressives/bifocals at the computer is that most computer screens are too high and the person needs to raise his/her neck to see through the proper place in the lens. Also the intermediate area on progressives are fairly small. This can be uncomfortable but doesn't mean permanent damage.

If the computer screen is set correctly then the head doesn't need to be raised. My computer screen is lower then my eyes so I look down at it. Computer glasses are wonderful and I agree most people would benefit, however not having them doesn't doom you. :)

Later on, I got no-line tri-focals. I find that roughly one third of the lenses are useless because it's one part of the lens fading into another. I catch myself leaning my head back, looking out of the bottoms at my computer and this is not good.

So I bought a bunch of cheap reading glasses and they work just as well. Plus I can have them scattered throughout the house so I can always find a pair easily. And if I lose a pair it's no big deal.

It is obscene that prescription glasses should cost so much. Especially as you get older and your vision changes. But even when you're younger, there are things that happen to your glasses -- you lose them, they get sat on, etc., etc. I try to pick a frame that I can live with for awhile, and when I get a new prescription I ask them to put the new lenses in the old frame. They don't always like to do it, but they will, especially if you are returning to the place where you got them before. It saves a little.

I'm nearsighted and people think it's so funny when I have to say, "Give me a second, I can't read with my glasses." I use to laugh at the old guys who wear their glasses pushed up on their foreheads, but I've turned into one of them- only as a middle aged woman.

www.ZenniOpitical.com (Nope, don't work for or have any affiliattion with them in any way.)

Suzi

You guys must not watch Lost- everybody knows you get two pair, cut them in half, and cobble together your custom set!