Bowing problem w/ new rx, What's causing these problems?

[gcm]

I am experiencing  bowing in the vertical planes of my new progressives (both eyes) when looking just a degree or 2 off of dead center.(intermediate is the worst). Seems like the intermediate corridor is way too narrow! NO width! Makes walking down the aisles of the grocery a bit nauseating. I've been in progressives for 5 years,this pair for 3 weeks. Never experienced this before and, the optometrist seems stumped but is willing to work with me.

I am a bit concerned because this office promotes "vision therapy" which I know has a bad rap and the Doc has inferred that maybe my eyes aren't "working together"- News to me after 15 yrs of exams. I'm 50, never needed glasses until my 40's and  I do not have an astigmatism. my rx has doubled this time.

This will make the 2nd remake as the p.d. was off in the 1st pair. This isn't my 1st progressive, but, they are larger lenses than the last pair. I am having a hard time explaining the problem I'm having with the reading sector-- the letters are sharp but seem rather light and my eyes seem unable to "settle" on them (the letters), there also appears to be an brightness between the lines, and no, I'm not crazy.They burn after trying to read for more than a minute. Now the doc is talking about 2 different powers for each eye in the reading sector.

What is the best way to proceed? Can anyone explain what might be the problem?? Also can anyone help me translate the reading issue into something my doc can understand--for example, I found out that the bowing is sometimes described as "barrel distortion".  This is a private practice and the frames are rimless silhouettes.

Thanks in Advance for your Help!!
gcm

[gcm]

Dr. Kutryb, MD,

Is it normal for the vertical corridor to be that narrow?
Thanks again,
gcm

[Michael J Kutryb, MD]

You really need to take these issues up with the office where you got the glasses.  It seems a glasses remake is in order.  Your problems are not crazy and relate to the design of the progressive bifocal, the optical center and the actual prescripition.  It may  be hard to make you happy, and I'm personally not too optimistic that they will be able to solve all of this for you.  I would give them one more chance to remake the glasses and if they still don't work for you, then you might have to eat the cost of the glasses and start fresh with a new practice.  I'm not buying into the vision therepy thing for you at this point.

MJK MD