The holy grail of eyeglasses is the pair that takes care of all your vision needs, whether you’re trying to see better far away or focus up close (or both). Over the years, manufacturers of eyeglasses have strived to make eyeglasses that conform to this concept of one pair of glasses that does it all.
We’re going to talk about a few examples of various attempts to do just that and see if they hit the mark or not. So, we’re taking a look at:
One Power Reading Glasses Review
As the name implies, One Power Readers are designed to cover all of your reading needs in one pair of
eyeglasses. This is regardless of your age, individual magnification needs, and right and left eye
difference. All of these claims are made by Flex Focus Optic Technology, which advertises the lens
covers
magnification powers from 0.5 to 2.50.
If the claims are valid, then it would eliminate the need for wearers to have multiple reading glasses.
And, you could just carry one pair for basically the rest of your life. So, I got a couple and began to
analyze them to see how these claims are possible and if it works.
One Power Readers Overview
The first thing I did was to examine the eyeglasses themselves. I looked for any knobs, levers, and
control buttons for controlling the magnification to customize the power for your viewing needs. I
didn’t find any at all. The instruction manual didn’t say how the eyeglasses worked to
provide customizable up-close vision (which includes different distances from arm’s length to up
to your nose).
The Lenses
I was curious about the lenses themselves, so I used a lensometer (an instrument that reads an eyeglass's' power) to see if the glasses had different strengths in the lens itself. What it found was a uniform power everywhere on the lens, with no power differences at all.
Lastly, I tried them out myself to see if they could “self-adjust” to different distances and
found that they do have a range of focus. Still, they did not adjust everywhere that I held my reading
material.
The Verdict
In my opinion, the One Power Readers don’t hold up to their claims on the front of the box that they came in. However, at a price point of $14.99, it’s on par with most budget priced single vision reading glasses on the market.
Foster Grant Multi Focus Readers Review
Foster Grant eyeglasses have been around for approximately one hundred years, so you can’t deny
it’s a reputable company for nonprescription eyewear. I decided to get a pair of their multi-focus
readers to see if they can fulfill the promise of a pair of eyeglasses that help you see
everything.
Multifocal Lenses and Frame Overview
The construction of Foster Grant Multi Focus lenses is different from One Power Readers in the fact that they have had three distinct zones of strengths.- The top part is what they designate as “interacting,” which basically means it’s used for looking straight ahead at people you are conversing with.
- The middle of the lens is used for “computer” purposes like your laptop, tablet, or another digital device.
- The bottom part is for “reading” materials like books, magazines, and other documents.
Frame Quality
Upon inspection of the frame and lenses, in my opinion, I found them to be a bit flimsy and felt that I
had to be very careful with them for them not to break. The hinges and temples felt of lower quality, so
it was essential not to drop them or misuse them in any way.
Lens Functionality
When I put them on, when looking through the top part, I could see relatively well for short distances, so it was right for office type situations. Still, I would not feel safe driving with them.
The “computer” and “reading” parts of the lens felt like they did an adequate
job. Still, the window for seeing through the right power seemed narrow, so I needed to put some effort
into steadying my eyes to look through the proper area. When I lost my steady gaze at the right area, I
saw distortion and blur to the point that I had to quickly change focus or risk a potential headache
from staring at blur.
The Verdict
When it comes to Foster Grant Multi Focus readers, I can see that there is a place for them in a work/office type situation. You can get away with just leaving them on your face during a typical workday. Still, I would feel uncomfortable having them on while driving home, especially at night. So, in my opinion, this falls short of a pair of eyeglasses that do everything.
ReadingGlasses.com Progressive No-Line Bifocals
Progressive no-line bifocals have multiple magnification powers all in one lens. They allow you to see
distance, intermediate, and near—or even more than one field at the same time—depending on
where you point your eyes.
The Lenses
The lens is constructed so the top portion is transparent. As you lower your eyes, the magnification power increases, which allows you to see better at different up-close distances. The middle part of the lens is designed for you to see your computer screen, laptop, or any other digital device at arm’s length. The bottom portion is for reading up close.When I put on the progressive eyeglasses, I could see far away just as well as when I didn’t have the glasses on. Then, as I looked downward, I was able to see my computer screen and my reading material all at the same time!
What’s more, it wasn’t hard to find the right power since I didn’t feel restricted that I had to look precisely at the right place to access the appropriate magnification. The “window” of each blended power was wide enough for me to feel comfortable as I looked through the different magnifications throughout the day to work on my laptop or look through my documents and reports.
The lenses were clear, and you can order options for your glasses like nonglare coating—with or
without a blue light filter—for added comfort when viewing a digital screen. Each order came with
a microfiber cleaning cloth to maintain the integrity of the lenses and a free case to protect the
eyeglasses.
The Frames
On closer examination of the frame and lenses, they looked and felt sturdy and very high quality. The
hinges were tight and didn’t feel flimsy. The temples (arms of the eyeglasses) weren’t loose
and were tight as I folded and unfolded the temples.
The Verdict
In my opinion, when compared to the other two offerings, the progressive no-line bifocals come closest to fulfilling the promise of one pair of eyeglasses that does everything. You can keep them on all day, even when driving, since they don’t interfere with your natural ability to see distance. And, they offer all-day comfort from eyestrain when looking at your favorite digital device.
Final Thoughts
We are always looking for things that make our life easier and more productive. To this end, eyeglasses that help us see clearly in all our activities, whether work or play, are very valuable. But not all eyewear is equal when it comes to tackling all the things we need to see throughout the day.
As long as your distance vision is clear enough to pass a DMV vision test, all the offerings discussed
above can fill part of your need. But, for me, progressive no-line bifocals came closest to meeting all
of my needs and providing clear vision during all of my day to day activities with just one pair of
eyeglasses.
Looking for an all-in-one solution for your vision needs?
Shop Progressive Bifocals Now
