Choosing Your First Progressive Lenses

If your eye-care professional has added an ADD value to your prescription, you may be considering progressive lenses for the first time. Progressives let you see far, at arm's length and up close in one pair, with no visible line.

How progressives are laid out

• The top of the lens is for distance — driving, walking, watching TV.
• A narrow corridor in the middle is for intermediate distance — computers, dashboards.
• The bottom is for near — books, phones, menus.

The edges of the lower lens are softer; this is normal and is why you learn to point your nose at what you want to see.

Choosing a frame

Progressive lenses need enough height to fit every zone. At Lumora Eyewear we only offer progressives on frames with a lens height of at least 28 mm, and the lens builder checks this automatically. Medium-to-large rectangles and soft squares are popular choices. Browse progressive-friendly frames.

Getting used to them

• Wear them consistently for the first week or two.
• Move your head, not just your eyes, to look at things.
• Lower your chin slightly for distance and look down through the bottom for reading.
• Take care on stairs at first — look through the top part of the lens.

Most people adapt within a couple of weeks. If you still struggle after that, contact your eye-care professional; the prescription or fitting measurements may need checking.

Accurate measurements matter

Your pupillary distance and how the frame sits on your face affect where the zones land. Measure carefully using our PD guide, and choose a frame size close to one that already fits you well.