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A quick explanation and background of a progressive addition lens is necessary in order to understand the importance of choosing the proper lens for your needs.

A progressive lens gives people an array of prescriptions - placed in the proper positions throughout the lens - to best imitate normal vision. Imagine having the precise correction needed to see a television screen more than 15 feet from you, while reading this article on your desktop computer, and then looking down at your keyboard in order to start entering the address to your favorite website. This, in a nutshell, is exactly what the progressive lens is ideally capable of accomplishing with one pair of glasses.

Having the least amount of peripheral distortion, and one of the wider ranges in both distance power, astigmatism, prism, and add power availability, we find this lens to be very versatile. The most important thing to you is that this product feels very natural in front of your eye. For first-time progressive lens wearers, there is a stigma that it takes a bit of time to adjust to a lens that holds multiple prescriptions. This is often still an issue if places use old technology lenses or don’t take careful measurements to assure the proper placement on the lens in the frame. However, with modern technology, the use of computers to fine tune this amazing product, and careful measurements and lens positioning by your optician, this lens does the best job we have seen in mimicking perfect 20/20 vision at all focal lengths.

Along with the progressive lens itself, there are other additional treatments, or “add-ons” that can immensely improve one’s experience with their glasses. These products will be touched upon in future articles in more depth, but options such as Transition Photochromic application, Anti-Reflective Coatings, and choosing a Polycarbonate scratch-resistant lens are just a few of the more popular choices.

So when making a decision for your next pair of eyeglasses, please understand this: Vision is an incredibly important aspect of daily life, and it should be treated with the utmost care and importance. Along with keeping up with your yearly examinations, make sure you are treating your eyes properly when it comes to your decisions for corrective lenses.

Article contributed by Richard Striffolino Jr.

The content of this blog cannot be reproduced or duplicated without the express written consent of Eye IQ

One of the hardest questions eye care professionals deal with every day is when to tell people who are having difficulty with their vision to stop driving.

Giving up your driving privilege is one of the most difficult realities to come to terms with if you have a problem that leads to permanent visual decline.

The legal requirements vary from state to state. For example, in New Jersey the legal requirement to drive, based on vision, is 20/50 vision or better with best correction in one eye for a “pleasure” driving license. For a commercial driving license, the requirement is 20/40 vision or better in both eyes.

In some states there is also a requirement for a certain degree of visual field (the ability to see off to the sides).

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the highest rate of motor vehicle deaths per mile driven is in the age group of 75 and older (yes, even higher than teenagers). Much of this increased rate could be attributable to declining vision. There are also other contributing factors such as slower reaction times and increased fragility but the fact remains that the rate is higher, so when vision problems begin to occur with aging it is extremely important to do what is necessary to try to keep your vision as good as possible.

That means regular eye exams, keeping your glasses prescription up to date, dealing with cataracts when appropriate and staying on top of other vision-threatening conditions such as macular degeneration, glaucoma and diabetes.

It is our responsibility to inform you when you are no longer passing the legal requirement to drive. Although there is no mandatory reporting law in all states, it is recorded in your medical record that you were informed that your vision did not pass the state requirements to maintain your privilege. And, yes, it is a privilege - not a right - to drive.

If you have a significant visual problem and your vision is beginning to decline, you need to have a frank discussion with your eye doctor about your driving capability. If you are beginning to get close to failing the requirement you need to start preparing with family and love ones about how you are going to deal with not being able to drive, preferably before it becomes absolutely necessary.

We have had the very unfortunate occurrence of having instructed a patient that he should stop driving because his vision no longer met the requirements only to have him ignore that advice and get in an accident. Don’t be that guy. Be prepared, have a plan.

Article contributed by Dr. Brian Wnorowski, M.D.

The content of this blog cannot be reproduced or duplicated without the express written consent of Eye IQ. This blog provides general information and discussion about eye health and related subjects. The words and other content provided in this blog, and in any linked materials, are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice. If the reader or any other person has a medical concern, he or she should consult with an appropriately licensed physician.