Lenses, not just frames
Single Vision vs Progressive Lenses
Single vision does one distance. Progressives do three with no line. Most people stay single-vision too long, then buy a bad progressive in a tiny frame.
Updated 27 Aug 2026 · 6 min read · single vision vs progressive lenses
One job versus three
Single vision: the whole lens is set for one working distance — 6m for driving, ~70cm for a monitor, ~40cm for a book. Progressive: distance, intermediate, and near stacked. Bifocal: distance and near with a visible line, no real intermediate.
If you only drive and watch TV, single vision is simpler and cheaper ($40–$120 with anti-reflective). If you also type and also read, you need more than one zone.
The two-pair strategy is underrated
Distance single vision for walking and driving. A +1.00 to +1.75 ‘computer’ pair for the desk. Total $80–$200. No corridor, no swim, no 28mm frame problem. Progressives win when you refuse to swap and you will pay for a decent design.
- Single vision: cheapest, sharpest in its zone, you swap pairs
- Two single-vision pairs: the honest office setup
- Progressive: one pair, narrower zones, frame height matters
When the switch is due
Arms are not long enough. Night driving is fine, menus are not. You own three cheap readers and lose them. That is an add, not a stronger distance prescription. Get both numbers checked. Do not buy a progressive as a first pair in a shallow fashion frame.
Questions, answered
- Are bifocals old-fashioned?
- They are honest. A lined bifocal in a tall frame still beats a bad progressive. The line bothers other people more than it bothers you.
- Can I use readers over contact lenses?
- Yes. That is single-vision near on top of distance contacts. Fine at a desk. Annoying if you walk around with them on.
- Will progressives make me dizzy?
- The first three days can. Persistent swim after two weeks is a fitting or design problem. Go back.
