# Optical Forums > Progressive Lens Discussion Forum >  Difference between progressive and no-line bifocal

## Leighlee

Hi all!
What is the difference between a "progressive" and a "no line bifocal"..no..I am not new at this, but I was having a discussion with another optician ( younger than me) who told me they were one in the same.  I disagreed with him.  Who is right? Both of us? Neither of us?
Thanks!
Leighlee :Confused:

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## chip anderson

Today, there isn't any.  There used to be (and I don't think there still is) a blended bifocal where the power did not progress but the line was blended to the point of near invisibility.  Was seldom used so it went away.

chip

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## jameselex

It was not so popular,  but I personally like it, there is no line and you can read,  it is a very good choice for someone doesn't need intermidiate but doesn't want the line; we are bring the round blended  back and people seem to like it. the only problem is manufactuers can't charge you big bucks because it's only a bi-focal so they are not keen on it.

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## MarcE

To add to Chip's reply.  Some like or use the term "No-line MULTIFOCAL", which could have been simplyfied to no-line bifocal. I like the term because many consumers may not understand the term 'progressive'.  And there really is no need for them to.  You might as well call it whatever makes sense to the people that are buying it.

Chip's right; A quick look in the lens cataloge revealed that the only blended bi-focals available any more are round segs.

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## HarryChiling

> Today, there isn't any. There used to be (and I don't think there still is) a blended bifocal where the power did not progress but the line was blended to the point of near invisibility. Was seldom used so it went away.
> 
> chip


I used one the other day it was from Sola and yup there is a difference.  Three Rivers lab makes a TRO seg which is a blended bifocal, so it ain't going away.

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## Leighlee

Thanks to you all!  I have recently come back to work as an optician after year of working as a tech for an MD.  So I am having to stir up some old brain cells and get used to the newer lens products/designs.  First thing I have noticed is there are WAY more progressive lenses/designs than there used to be when I was working as an optician. It was so much easier as far a choices went.

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## Leighlee

Back 20 years ago, bifocal choices were: a progressive, flat top, executive, and round seg  and then a separate blended (or no-line).  But if the Blended no-line is no longer available then I can see why many opticians now call the progressive a no line... and it does make more sense to the patient that way.  In my case, the younger optician ordered a 'no-line" bifocal, and I was the one who was to write up the order for the lab. So I went to him to find out what he really wanted me to order.  It was an old term that I had not heard in many years myself.  I am glad I did, for these days most opticians use 'progressive, or PAL"...right?  I might have gotten a round seg?

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## THE MEB

I managed a montgomery ward optical for US Vision, 26 years ago, and the only progressive we sold, and we were forced to sell a ton of them if we wanted our bonus, was the younger EZ2VUE blended bifocal. I was so glad when I  went to work for an independant OD, and was able to order whatever progressive I deemed fit for the patient.
    Speaking of Three Rivers, last week I was able to order, for an ENT doc, a comfort with a 40mm rd seg on top, by using their freeform technique. It is mimmicing the Overview lens from essilor, with comfort plus ultex bifocal on top, which I was last able to get for him about 10 years ago, before they discontinued it. I am looking forward to seeing how it works out.

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## Robert Martellaro

> Hi all!
> What is the difference between a "progressive" and a "no line bifocal"..no..I am not new at this, but I was having a discussion with another optician ( younger than me) who told me they were one in the same. I disagreed with him. Who is right? Both of us? Neither of us?
> Thanks!
> Leighlee


 "Progressive Power Lenses" is the most common terminology, although in the US "Progressive _Addition_ Lenses" seems to be more common, probably due to its friendlier sounding acronym (PAL). Neither term has caught on with the consumer, who seem to be stuck on blended, Varilux, and no-line bifocals, with some insisting that they have no-line trifocals, as if there were progressives that had either two or three focal distances. 

I feel that omnifocal would be the best term, although the marketing departments probably thought it was too gay, liberal, or god-like sounding.

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## TLG

> ...there are WAY more progressive lenses/designs than there used to be when I was working as an optician. It was so much easier as far a choices went.


Notice: Unabashed, self-serving post follows...

Leighlee,
If you haven't already, check out the TheLensGuru.com to help you get up to speed on today's available progressive lenses.

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## Andrew Weiss

> Today, there isn't any.  There used to be (and I don't think there still is) a blended bifocal where the power did not progress but the line was blended to the point of near invisibility.  Was seldom used so it went away.
> 
> chip


The Sola blended is still available.  Every once in awhile someone comes in who's been wearing a blended and wants to continue.  In my experience, most blended bifocal wearers do not adapt well to progressives.

The Younger blended used to be called the "Younger bifocal."  It was a great selling phrase: "Mrs White, wouldn't you like to try a Younger bifocal?"
;)

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## MarcE

> The Sola blended is still available. Every once in awhile someone comes in who's been wearing a blended


Is it a "flat top" or a round.  A few mfgs have blended round.  Including TRO and Ice-Tech which manufacturer them custom as needed.  I just looked through the lens guide and found no flat blended BFs.

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## DragonLensmanWV

> Is it a "flat top" or a round.  A few mfgs have blended round.  Including TRO and Ice-Tech which manufacturer them custom as needed.  I just looked through the lens guide and found no flat blended BFs.


They are round blended. Actually the EZ2Vue is a Coburn/Sola/Ao/Zeiss product that has a very narrow blend zone compared to the Younger Seamless.
I don't think I've ever seen a blended FT.

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## Andrew Weiss

> They are round blended. Actually the EZ2Vue is a Coburn/Sola/Ao/Zeiss product that has a very narrow blend zone compared to the Younger Seamless.
> I don't think I've ever seen a blended FT.


Neither have I; I don't think they were ever made.  Anyone actually seen one?

Of course there is Essilor's Liberty -- a progressive/bifocal mash-up, but not really a blended.

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## THE MEB

I know it's different, but what about a smart seg? I remember it was a ft35, and something else besides, lol

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## chip anderson

Smart seg was quite visible.  Good lens but not invisible.

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## THE MEB

yes, I know, but I was curious, I forgot just what the smart segs intentions were, other than being a ft35. I know I never sold one, but years ago it was espoused as an alternative to trifocal distance, someway, but I forget how, since I never sold one. Now they aren't being made, I am pretty sure.

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## Happylady

> yes, I know, but I was curious, I forgot just what the smart segs intentions were, other than being a ft35. I know I never sold one, but years ago it was espoused as an alternative to trifocal distance, someway, but I forget how, since I never sold one. Now they aren't being made, I am pretty sure.


I have a set of Smart Segs in a demo frame. They are easy to identify because they are 30 mm wide, slightly wider then standard bifocals. They were designed for bifocal wearers who needed an intermediate area but didn't want a standard trifocal. They are long gone. I sold a few but not many.

Am I the only one who tries to educate many of my patients about progressives and bifocals? I tell people that progressives and bifocals are very different things and no-line bifocals aren't really bifocals (except for blended bifocals). 

I draw pictures of the lenses on paper and explain how they both work and the benefits and drawbacks of both. Most people seem receptive to the information. I also have lenses in demo frames to help people.

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## THE MEB

zeiss has a very good counter card that we show patients the differences in the designs and usable area between progressives, intermediate progressive type lenses(computer glasses) and ft bifocals. It doesn't show a design of a blended, but that is fine because we sell about one a year of them.

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