Progressive lenses?

[bunsen_h]

I had an eye examination a couple of days ago.  It seems that I should now consider getting progressive lenses (or separate glasses for reading, etc.).  The gradation shown on the prescription isn't large, but the optometrist said that it's best to start with progressive lenses early, so as to "train the brain" to handle the effects while they're mild.

I'm not keen on the idea, frankly.  Part of my reluctance is that I don't think I fully understand what this "training" involves.  Am I correct in thinking that if I were wearing progressive lenses and tilted my head up and down while focusing on an object, I'd see the image distorting as my line of sight with the object passed through the gradation?  I think I'd find that very distracting, at best.

Comments

[auriaephiala.livejournal.com]

Wikipedia's explanation (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressive_lens) includes the immortal lines:

"manufacturers have been able to minimize unwanted aberrations by:
1. Improvements in mathematical modeling of surfaces, allowing greater design control.
2. Extensive wearer trials.
3. Improved manufacturing and lens metrology technology."

#1 and #3 are impressive in a bizarre way.

According to this and to http://www.allaboutvision.com/lenses/progressives.htm , there isn't any obvious line of distortion, but there are possible blurring areas ("aberrations").

My optometrist has never even suggested these for me: probably because my eyesight is so poor ...