With traditional prescription lenses such as progressives, bifocals, and multifocals, different areas in the lenses offer correction for different types of vision. With adjustable glasses, however, you have one lens that varies depending on where you are looking and how you adjust it.

These glasses are known as adjustable eyeglasses because of the adjustment dials that help you vary the viewing distance for far- and nearsighted correction in a single pair of glasses. Depending on your specific needs, you can experience improved vision for driving, reading, working on a computer, or other everyday activities.

How Do Adjustable Eyeglasses Work?

The central mechanism is a fluid-filled lens technology that allows the wearer to adjust the power of the lens based on the type of vision they need. The wearer will twist the dial until they see as clearly as possible.

Each lens has a sort of membrane that can be adjusted outward or inward by adding or removing fluid. A small syringe attached to each arm of the glasses controls this. Moving the dial pumps fluid in or removes fluid from the lens. Fluid entering the lens increases its power, correcting for farsightedness. Pumping the fluid out corrects nearsightedness.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Adjustable Glasses

The affordability of adjustable glasses can be quite attractive, as they require no prescription or eye exam. However, there are a number of drawbacks. Because of how the frames are constructed, frame selection is low and they're usually not as attractive as traditional glasses. It can also be quite difficult to adjust the lenses to exactly meet your visual needs at any given time.

Overall, the affordability and ease of access make adjustable glasses a fine option as a backup, but they certainly shouldn't be considered your primary form of vision correction day-to-day.

Visit our eye care clinic at Dayton Optometric Center in Kettering, Ohio for all your vision needs today. Call (937) 228-2020.