Is there a chance I’ll be able to get 1.74 lenses before Christmas?
Hi everyone,
I’m trying to figure out whether there’s any realistic chance that I’ll be able to order my glasses with 1.74 index lenses before Christmas 2026.
I’m in Poland and I’m currently dealing with the ongoing 1.74 lens shortage. My prescription is approximately +5.25 OD / +5.00 OS, with a small amount of astigmatism, and I’m using a 53 mm panto frame.
I was originally supposed to get Essilor 1.74 lenses through Vision Express, but they’ve been unavailable for some time. I’ve been offered Shamir 1.67 as an alternative, which I may have to go with, but ideally I’d still prefer 1.74.
I’ve seen some recent reports that Essilor 1.74 lenses are starting to become available again in certain labs, although apparently with limited availability and longer lead times.
For those of you working in optical labs/optical stores, especially in Europe:
Are you seeing any improvement in 1.74 availability right now?
Are Essilor 1.74 single-vision lenses actually being produced and shipped again?
Do you think there’s a realistic chance that a prescription around +5.00 to +5.25 could be made in 1.74 by December 2026?
Is the situation expected to improve significantly over the next 2–3 months?
I’m not necessarily expecting normal availability — I’m mainly wondering whether getting a pair made by Christmas is realistically possible.
Thanks!