When it comes to seeing clearly at all distances, there is a HUGE difference in no-line bifocals (also known as no-line trifocals or Progressive lenses- all interchangeable terms) designs and manufacturers.
Let’s start with the basics: If you look through a keyhole, the closer you get, the more of a room you can see. As you move back, you see less and less. This is called ‘field of view’. In digitally processed, progressive lenses, the prescription can be etched onto the back surface of the lens (closer to your eye) to give you a wider field of view. Older technologies, that are hand-ground onto the front surface of the lenses give a much narrower and restricted peripheral field view as well as ‘swim and sway’ distortion and adaptation issues.
Another alarming difference between digital progressive lenses is in the precision and accuracy of the prescription. Manually ground lenses at your local 1-hour retailer, or your typical insurance grade/mass produced lenses are measured in 0.25 of a Diopter. Digitally fabricated lenses are accurate to 0.01 Diopter. That is 25x more accurate!!! That precision and accuracy is analogous to the difference between you watching your favorite movie on VHS or Blu-Ray, using a 1.0 megapixel camera vs 12 Megapixel iPhone, or listening to music on an LP vs CD, etc. etc. etc.
When discussing these differences, I always try to make the analogy to my patients the difference between a ‘donut’ tire and a 50,000mile, all weather tire. Technically speaking, they are ‘both tires’, but given the option of driving on the highway at 55mph in the rain, do you honestly think they perform equally. The same is true with no-line progressive lenses- they don’t all perform the same!!! So the next time you are making the investment in your vision for the next few years, make sure you understand all of these huge technological differences and specifically ask for Digitally produced lenses.
