Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Where are Kevin and Ruth now? Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Where are Kevin and Ruth going next? Kuwait City, Kuwait on March 31st.

Sunday, June 7, 2015

Clothing, footwear, and eyeglasses

The three things that are not always easy to buy online. We've done all three, and we've been reasonably successful at it. And, we're happy enough with our purchases that we feel it's worth it to continue, especially when you're dealing with companies who really want to make you happy with your purchase.

Our most recent experience was with Firmoo Optical.

We had used Firmoo before, and had received eyewear that we've been very happy with for the last couple of years. I have one pair of glasses for reading and computer work, and one pair for watching movies on the laptop where the laptop is sitting a few feet away. Ruth only needed them for reading.

But as we age, ours eyes change. And I found that my distance vision was starting to deteriorate just a little bit. So we went to the optometrist in Mexico and got our eyes tested there.

Then, we ordered our glasses again from Firmoo. I like their motto "Our aim - Vision and fashion the frugal way".

I decided to spend the extra $36 to get progressive lenses. I figured that would allow me to just wear one pair of glasses, and wear them all the time.

They arrived in a nice case, with a cleaning cloth and screwdriver and repair kit.

Nice case with a map on it. Kind of suits us, doesn't it??

Kevin's new glasses!

When I first put them on, my eyes said "Whoa, that's different!" And to be honest, I didn't really like them that much. But they say that the progressive lenses take some time for your eyes to get used to them. And Ruth wasn't sure that her prescription was right and the frames kept slipping down her nose. But we wanted to give an accurate review, so we've been wearing our glasses for a few weeks in order to provide our eyes a chance to adapt to the new glasses.

So with mine, as much as I've tried, I cannot use them all the time. The prescription seems right...when I focus on something in the distance, it's clear as a bell. When I focus on the laptop, it's clear, but something in the progression of the lens gives the rest of the laptop a distortion that annoys me. And when I'm reading, the focus area is so close that I actually have to move my head as I'm reading. Again, it's not comfortable and I don't think it's right. I've never had progressive lenses, but I would have thought that I should be able to use them for reading a book. And I can't do that.

On the bright side, I like them for driving. The distance vision is perfect, and it's nice to be able to see the screen of the GPS or any of the dash gauges or dials clearly without squinting. And for going grocery shopping they're fine for having to read a quick label on something up close. It's if I have to read something that takes any length of time that it's annoying. So, having never had glasses like this I'm not sure if this is a problem with an "inexpensive" progressive lens, or if they're defective, or if it's just me. My old Firmoo glasses are still okay for reading, and the other pair for watching tv. I guess I'm stuck carrying around three pairs of glasses when we travel! Make that four pair...sunglasses too!

Now that she's been wearing them for a while, Ruth's prescription seems fine. But she's still annoyed that the fit isn't quite right. The frames she got are not adjustable and they slide down her nose. We've even tried putting band aid material taped on to the bridge section, but that doesn't work.

Fortunately, Firmoo has agreed to re-do Ruth's glasses, this time with specifications and measurements from a certain group of frame choices. We think that's pretty good of them, and we'll take them up on their offer.

So buying online with some things is easier than others. Often though, it's worth the cost savings. So we'll continue to do it in a lot of situations.


25 comments:

  1. Hi Kevin. I have the no line progressive and they work great for me. For many people , think the lined progressive work better. You may just t have to they the opposite kind of what you have now.
    Hope you find a good fit as having to strain to see things can wear you out
    Many times in the US you can take your glasses to an optromitist and they will adjust them for free even if you haven't bought them there. Ruth might try that.

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    1. Thanks for the advice Jan! Kevin was talking to someone at the campground about the progressive lenses and the issue that he is having with them. The guy he was talking too said that he also had this problem but after a while your eyes get used to the glasses and you don't notice it happening anymore, so he is going to try wearing them more and see what happens.

      I will take your advice and take the glasses into a shop to see if they can be adjusted. On the particular glasses I have you can't adjust the nose so maybe something can be done with the arms to make the fit better, we'll see what happens.

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  2. I ordered my progressives from an online place called Zenni and I love them. Complete glasses for like $60 delivered! Especially with progressives, you have to get the pupillary distance measured accurately. How did you measure yours?

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    1. The pupillary distance was measured at the eye exam we had done in Mexico. Maybe that rusty old tape measure wasn't very accurate. (Just kidding...he had some sort of high tech measuring device...)

      I have thought that maybe that was the problem though...

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    2. Say your PD was measured at 59mm. Take a 3x5 index card and using a thumbtack, punch two holes exactly 59mm apart. Now hold the card up to your face. You should be able to sight the same narrow distant object (like a phone pole or tower) through both holes AND it should appear precisely centered in each hole. If not, the PD is incorrect.

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  3. I don't like to buy glasses on line...rather go in an have it fitted and vision tested while sitting in the doc's office. I wear progressive bifocal glasses and get dark while outside so no need to buy sun glasses. I live in Phoenix and the sun is bright. I carry vision insurance and pay about $60 for examination and glasses (ins. is about $96 a year)....I have the Juicy Coutour brand...really stylish and received lots of compliments.

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    1. Sounds like you can get a great deal on your glasses where you are. An exam in Canada is at least $80 alone if not more now and you could never find a pair of glasses that are progressive bifocals and are transitional at that price here in Canada, they would be way out of our price range.

      Firmoo has been really good at working with us to make sure that we are satisfied with our glasses. We will keep our readers updated with the final verdict.

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  4. I ordered my probressives from "Eyebuydirect". Tried them for a week and then they went onto a drawer where they have stayed for more than three yers... I hate them.

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    1. Next time I'll proofread before I publish!

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    2. Kevin is going to try wearing them more now that he has talked to a few other people about them. It seems that there is a bit of a time adjustment to wearing the progressive lenses. It is definitely difficult to know if it is just Kevin or if it is the glasses, having never had progressive lenses before.

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    3. I guess everyone's experience is different. I have been wearing progressive glasses for quite a few years now, and they worked for me from the very first time. I can read, compute, and drive in them just fine. I know some people have a harder time adjusting, like my husband. He did stick with it and now has no issues with them either. But sometimes they are just not made correctly, and until you wear them for awhile, you won't know for sure. Hope that's not the case with Kevin's.

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    4. I've been wearing them fairly regularly for over a month now. I find that they are fine for certain things, but I still don't like them for the computer or for reading a book. But I do like them for driving. Even when I'm walking with them on I seem to have a problem with depth perception. I think it's just my eyes!

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  5. Speaking of wearable products, any news on Ruth's Tilley hat? Just curious.

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    1. My old hat has been sent in and they are supposed to be sending a new one out to us. We'll let you know when it arrives and what if any information that they can give us on the old one.

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  6. i have ordered from many different places and with a good and correct prescription I have never had a mishap... but then again it could be blind luck...

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    1. That's good to know heyduke50. We are pretty sure that the eye exam was done correctly so we really don't think that is the issue. It may just be that Kevin hasn't given himself enough time to adjust to the new progressive lenses.

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  7. I have tried progressive lenses a couple of times, no matter what I cannot get them to work properly for me. So the lined tri focals it is and no problems at all.

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    1. That may be the issue with Kevin, several people have now mentioned this. He will try wearing them more to see if he gets used to the glasses. Kevin just may not have given them enough time yet.

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  8. Progressive lenses do take awhile to get used to and for some they have problems with depth perception. My wife's example, she walked into the in ground pool. I will not say any more.

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    1. Thanks for the input Peter, Kevin has mentioned that he does notice a bit of a problem with the depth perception too but he hasn't walked into a pool yet, lol! ;-)

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  9. I have had progressives for the past 2 years, and I have the same result as Kevin. I love them for driving, hiking, grocery shopping, moving about when I need to navigate and read maps, labels, etc. when I need to see distance and read at the same time. But they just don't work for long periods of computer work or reading a book. So I still have to have two pair. But at least I don't have to switch back and forth like I did before I got the progressives! Now, I only swap when on the computer. I got mine in an optical shop, and they were no bargain. So in this case, shopping online may be less of a factor than our vision nuances...

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    1. So maybe it isn't him and it is the glasses! It is so hard to know when you have never had progressive lenses before. He will keep trying to wear them as much as possible and see if he can get used to them, otherwise it will be back to switching them around which is what he was trying to avoid.

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  10. Eye glasses are a pain in the neck no matter what kind they are. I wore soft sleep in them contacts for over 30 years and loved them. But among the other problems of aging is the disparity in my vision which makes them impossible. Good luck with yours.

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    1. We totally agree eye glasses are a pain in the neck no matter what kind you have. Life was that much better when we didn't have to worry about them!

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