You rely on progressive lenses for your everyday eyeglasses, but can you put progressive lenses in your sunglasses?
Yes, you can! Enjoy the same benefits from progressive sunglasses that you experience from your everyday progressive eyeglasses, including clear vision at all distances without those distracting lines separating the different magnifying powers.
Whether you’re working outdoors, driving, playing sports or just going for a walk, progressive sunglasses will protect your eyes from damaging UV radiation and glare while providing the multifocal vision correction.
Another option? Consider progressive lenses in your eyeglasses with photochromic (such as Transitions) technology. You get progressive lenses, UV protection and your glasses adapt going from indoors to outdoors and vice versa.
To learn more about progressive sunglasses, we compiled answers to frequently asked questions about sunglasses that let you see clearly at all distances and protect your eyes from the sun's harmful rays.
What are progressive sunglasses?
Progressive sunglasses have line-free lenses that provide a seamless progression of magnifying power to help you see clearly near, far and in between; plus they provide UV and glare protection.
Progressive lenses are sometimes referred to as “no line bifocals.” But, progressive lenses aren’t just bifocals; they are multifocal. This means a near-endless number of correction gradations, so progressive sunglasses wearers can see objects up close, far away and at all intermediate distances while enjoying outdoor activities.
A wearer's progressive lens prescription can be made into a pair of tinted, polarized or UV-filtering lenses. But note: Because progressive lenses are specially designed and manufactured to incorporate multiple corrective powers, they’re not always available in popular fashion sunglasses with unique frame shapes.
Benefits of progressive lenses in sunglasses
Progressive sunglasses will provide you with the same precision vision correction as progressive eyeglasses while offering additional advantages of protection from the sun’s damaging UV rays and filtering out too-bright light.
This enables wearers to see clearly from near and far through one pair of sunglasses while engaged in outdoor everyday and sporting activities.
Progressive sunglasses also eliminate those pesky lines seen on traditional multifocal lenses, offering a more youthful, modern appearance.
Who can wear progressive sunglasses?
Progressive lenses are ideally suited for people 40 and older who experience presbyopia, which is the deterioration of near vision.
Presbyopia is a natural part of getting older and worsens as we age because our eyes’ lenses gradually harden and are no longer as elastic as when we were younger.
Progressive lenses in any corrective eyewear can be beneficial, so adding them to sunglasses is perfect for anyone who prefers progressive eyeglasses.
Adjusting to progressive lenses in sunglasses
Getting used to progressive lenses, including progressive sunglasses, can be challenging. Those new to progressive eyewear will need to train themselves to look through the part of the lens that provides the clearest vision because the lens power is different at various points across its surface.
Progressive lenses also distort things viewed through their outer edges, which affects peripheral vision. Thus, wearers must get used to adjusting the angle of their head so that their eyes remain centered behind the lenses whenever possible.
For some progressive lens wearers, this adjustment period can be as short as a week. For others, it can take as long as 12 weeks to acclimate. During this time, new wearers may experience symptoms including:
Once the “sweet spot” has been found, progressive lenses in sunglasses can drastically improve the wearer’s experience while performing everyday outdoor tasks.
Where to get progressive sunglasses
If a sunglasses frame is designed to accommodate prescription lenses, there’s a good chance it’s possible to put progressive sunglass lenses in them.
A professional eye care practitioner can help you select frames to fit progressive sunglass lenses that will give you a comfortable visual experience.
Page published on Sunday, February 16, 2020
FAQs
Yes, you can! Enjoy the same benefits from progressive sunglasses that you experience from your everyday progressive eyeglasses, including clear vision at all distances without those distracting lines separating the different magnifying powers.
Can we make progressive sunglasses? ›
Take a pair of glasses with ordinary, clear prescription lenses. Add a tint to the lenses, and you create prescription sunglasses. If those lenses are progressive lenses, then you get progressive sunglasses. The sun can cause a lot of damage to your eyes and the skin around them.
Can I get progressive lenses in Oakley sunglasses? ›
Yes. You can get progressive lenses for any Oakley prescription sunglasses, which is a real plus for people who like to wear athletic frames all the time.
Can I put prescription lenses in my sunglass frames? ›
If you've found a pair of sunglasses that you love and you're wondering if they can be fitted with prescription lenses, the answer is yes! As long as the shape of the lens doesn't distort your vision and it has a sturdy frame, almost any pair of sunglasses can be equipped with prescription lenses.
Can you put progressive lenses in wrap around sunglasses? ›
Wrapped frames, the kind you usually wear for sports, tend not to be able to accommodate a lined bifocal as well. They work much better with a progressive, so it leads back to the question of whether you should get progressive lenses for sports.
Is it worth getting progressive lenses in sunglasses? ›
Progressive sunglasses are advanced eyewear that caters to both your vision needs and protection from harmful UV rays. They are not just ordinary sunglasses, but they also help in correcting nearsightedness, farsightedness, and presbyopia.
What is the downside of progressive lenses? ›
Also, because of how they work, progressive lenses can cause peripheral blurriness. This causes minor distortion at the edges of your field of vision. It can cause discomfort and may take some time to get used to.
Can you get progressive prescription sunglasses? ›
A wearer's progressive lens prescription can be made into a pair of tinted, polarized or UV-filtering lenses. But note: Because progressive lenses are specially designed and manufactured to incorporate multiple corrective powers, they're not always available in popular fashion sunglasses with unique frame shapes.
Why are Oakley sunglasses not suitable for driving? ›
Oakley's Polarised Lenses are Category 3 lenses, defined as “General purpose sunglasses”. These provide high protection against sun glare and good UV protection; they are not suitable for driving at night or under dull light conditions. However, Polarisation makes it difficult to view LCD screens.
What frames are unsuitable for progressive lenses? ›
When wearing progressive lenses, it is advisable to avoid specific frame shapes. Retro cat-eye, classic tear drop aviators, and heart shapes have a bottom that truncates and may obstruct the reading portion, causing difficulties with near vision.
The true average is somewhere between $150 and $500, depending on the power of your prescription, the frames and lenses you choose, and the financial support of your vision plan.
Can I turn any sunglasses into prescription sunglasses? ›
The truth is that many designer sunglasses can accommodate prescription lenses, however, most cheap sunglasses can't. This is because in order to turn normal sunglasses into prescription lenses, the frame needs to have both stability and the necessary structure to support prescription lenses.
Can I put prescription lenses in my Oakley sunglasses? ›
Yes, you can get polarized replacement lenses for nearly any Oakley sunglass, including prescription. Simply search for your frame style in our search bar or send them to us for a custom lens replacement if you don't know your frame style / prefer to have us do the installation for you.
Who Cannot wear progressive lenses? ›
Who does not fit for progressive glasses?
- Any Older Patients who have the probability to fall down.
- Individuals with abnormal body posture or eye positions who cannot move their head and eyes freely.
- Special occupations with visual demands that don't align with the design of progressive lenses.
- Anisometropia in the eyes.
Alternatives to progressive glasses lenses include multifocal contact lenses, more than one pair of glasses for different refractive errors, or corrective surgery. Talk to your eye care health provider to determine if progressive lens are a good option for you or if there is a better alternative.
Should I wear progressive lenses all the time? ›
Progressive lenses are meant to be worn all day. So, though there may be some discomfort at first, stick with it – consistent wear will speed up the adjustment process. Wear them full-time for about two weeks and after completely adjusting to them, you can wear them only as needed, if preferred.
Can I make my prescription glasses sunglasses? ›
If you move regularly between outdoors and indoors or don't want to worry about forgetting your sunglasses at home, you might want to try Reactions lenses. These can change your regular prescription glasses into 2-in-1 sunglasses, by using special technology that reacts to light.
Can progressive lenses be customized? ›
Measurements. As compared to standard progressive lenses, more measurements will be taken to design customized progressive lenses. The following measurements are taken for most customized progressive lenses : These measurements can be measured precisely using digital centration device like ZEISS i.
How are progressive glasses made? ›
The typical progressive lens is produced from a so-called semi-finished lens. The semi-finished lens is molded with an asymmetrical power pattern on the front. On the back side a custom surfacing is made to adjust the power for each patient. This method is however problematic, especially for astigmatic prescriptions.
Can sunglasses be made into bifocals? ›
【Suitable for All Eyewear】Stick-on bifocals allow you to turn any style of eyeglasses, sunglasses, or safety glasses into reading glasses. Do not need to carry around two pairs of glasses, just apply our bifocals directly to your eyeglasses of choice, and enjoy.
