I went to the eye doctor a few weeks ago. I really needed new glasses. I was hoping to get progressive bifocal lenses. The price they quoted me was over $100 more than I was prepared to pay, though. Ouch!
I was debating whether I ought to get a regular pair of glasses, or maybe cheap out by going to BJ’s for a slightly inferior pair. I think they realized that I was going to bail on them, so they told me that if I waited a week and also bought contacts, there was a promotion that would let me get the glasses at the price I was willing to pay. Basically, I would get the glasses plus the contacts for the price they’d quoted me for just the glasses.
I wasn’t sure if I wanted contacts. The eye exam for contacts is more expensive. Also, I can’t read when I’m wearing lenses for distance, which is really inconvenient. But the doctor said that what works for some people is to wear a distance lens in one eye and a reading lens in the other. It sounded like a crazy idea to me, but I found that it worked.
So I bought the contacts, too. I don’t know how often I’ll wear them, but it’s nice to have the option. They were pretty much free, so even if I don’t wear them, at least I didn’t sink a lot of money in to them.
As for the progressive bifocals, I didn’t find them too difficult to get used to. However, there are two caveats, as I recently explained to my husband. First, though I can read while I’m wearing them, I can’t see as close up as I’d like, so I still sometimes need to remove my glasses. Also, as I move my head from side to side, the view in the periphery gets a little bent out of shape. This was the hardest part to get used to. It made me nauseous at first, but I’ve adapted. I still sometimes notice this “fun-house” effect, but it doesn’t cause me any trouble.
So, I’m happy now to be able to see better. Good vision at my age doesn’t come cheap. It’s most definitely worth the money, though!