I'll weigh in with a couple thoughts. I very much like my progressive lenses. As others have commented, some are better than others.
Generally, the entire upper half of the lens is for distance, while a narrow column down the middle has the "reading" part. (OK, the transition from infinity to reading distance...) Typically, the cheaper the lens, the narrower this corrected center part is. the lower corners of the lenses have no correction.
Paying extra for "thin lenses" gets you a high refractive index plastic lens that only works well when viewed on axis, i.e., you have to turn your head rather than just move your eyes. The first time I had this (pre reading correction days) I went back to regular plastic for a few more years.
Find a good place to get what you need. Be persnickety and willing to pay for it. You should not need more than a couple minutes to "get used to the new glasses." I had a pair once that gave me a horrible headache until I figured out the optical center of the lens was not in front of my eye! Back they went.
For a few years I had a pair sunglasses with no reading correction - the reading part was useless when sharing a thermal with several other gliders. I could still safely see the panel.
An optician I visited in Munich once specialized in eyewear for athletes and had many pilots as customers. She was all about seeing well rather than looking good.
Did you know you can actually get little spot lenses that will cling to the inside of your lens? You can have a spot of reading correction in the corner of otherwise "infinity" glasses.