Thick glasses

I have very low vision and have to wear very thick glasses
R +20.25 and L +18.25  
My glasses are very thick and heavy and uncomfortable.  I also wear rigid gas permeable contact lenses but as I get older and have also RH it gets harder and harder to wear contact lenses.  I would love to wear normal glasses but I am not sure if they make glasses for my type of vision that don’t look like binoculars. There is not surgery out there that can help me.   I guess my question is   Where can I go to get better glasses, I need a place that specializes in my type of vision.

[Houman Vosoghi, MD]

Depending on what kind of eye problems you have, there may be a way to get secondary lenses implanted in your eye with either iris or scleral fixation.  This usually works well for very young adults but you need to have some visual potential and go to a super-experienced surgeon to make sure nothing goes wrong.

HV

[durantic]

Thin and lighter glasses for your prescription can be definitely made. Using high-index lenses, they can be quite aesthetic and not look like binoculars. If you can support small frames that would also be a benefit. If you are prepared to get them online, then Visions of Canada (http://www.visionsofcanada.com) is one place. There are also other suggested places closer to LA.

[MHVC]

Hi-index lenses (1.6 to 1.9)  are definitely thinner and lighter than regular lens.  Not all high index lenses are the same and be aware, many optometrists will only tell you about the lenses they sell not what is available on the market. This is because they buy in bulk and it is a big profit margin for them.  Do some research before you go.  Zeiss and Hoya make very good hi-index lens (1.67, 1.7) sold in the US. Currently, Zeiss makes a glass hi-index lens (1.9 and 1.8) that is not available in the U.S.  however, you can order it from Vision of Canada.  It is incredibly thin.  The web site has pictures.  Glass is heavier than plastic but since it can be made so much thinner, it balances itself out.  Glass also is more likely to break and can also be a safety issue which is why it isn't sold in the US.  As a warning, many optometrists will try and sell polycarbonate or proprietary brands such as Trivex and tell you there are hi-index.  They aren't!  They are just thinner than conventional plastic.  Wikipedia has a very good discussion of lens http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corrective_lens