Varifocals

[Smokin Joe]

Are yours the mid range model or Premium, may I ask? There's a huge difference in angles of vision between the ranges.

Mid range, though I'm back to the optician on the 23rd so if there is no improvement I'll see about an upgrade.

 

[PeteXXX]

Mid range, though I'm back to the optician on the 23rd so if there is no improvement I'll see about an upgrade.

The difference between the three ranges is quite marked!

 

[nickb]

I sent my first pair of varifocals back as I thought they were terrible. A few years later (around the year 2000) I tried again and the experience was the same but I gave them a week and got use to them. I spent a small fortune on them over the next 16 years I was using them as my vision deteriorated.

Finally I was diagnosed with cataracts and had trifocal intraocular lenses fitted. It was like being given back the vision I had as a kid: 20/15 Snellen and J1+ Jaeger. Very few, if any, NHS trusts will fit multifocal IOLs so you have to go private but even then it's cheaper than using expensive varifocals over decades.

Sounds mad but, for those that can handle the idea of eye surgery, getting cataracts is a blessing for people with presbyopia.

 

[fossyant]

I know I could do with some, he says peering over the top of his glasses to read his phone.

 

[pawl]

I got a new pair of varifocals today. My prescription has changed and these are a bit stronger than previous pairs I've owned. I'm having a bit of trouble adjusting to them as they seem to require a bit more eye movement to go from distance close up. The optician reckons it can take up to a week, has anyone found the same when they've changed and how long before you got used to them and it became automatic?

I have a pair of Vaifocal sun glasses I have to wait a few minutes for my eyes to adjust when I first put them on .Otherwise no problem,

 

[Mike_P]

Just picked up three new pairs, normal, sun and vdu and they always seem a bit strange, two fold, one getting use to them and the other eyes adjusting to the new prescription which normally means them straining less. Need to get some new cycling glasses as I have always just used distance ones but trying to read the smaller text on a Wahoo or Garmin is impossible.

 

[mistyoptic]

Having sat on the other side of the desk, until I retired:

1. To an extent you get what you pay for. No different to your car/bike/hifi/camera
2. Some lens designs will work better for certain tasks. It's your Optician's job to advise you on that. Lenses can be grouped as "hard" or "soft designs. This refers to how fast the image quality falls off to the side of the reading area. The power build up can be quick or slow (corridor length).
3. Some folk are much more, or less, tolerant to the "swim" effect. A good quality lens nowadays will give little of this peripheral distortion. Some of the early types were awful.

I was in the fortunate position of being able to try many different designs. The manufacturers are keen for one to recomment their product and used to provide complimentary pairs for evaluation. I hated some and loved others. That gave me reasons to recommend certain lenses for certain tasks.

The analogy I used, to my patients, is that varifocals are like shoes. If I give you half a dozen pairs of different shoes, in your size, they probably won't all be comfortable. They WILL be your size though. Part of the professional time you pay for is to advise what is best for your needs and your lifestyle.

Not really any different from buying a bike. You need good advice to get the best result

EDIT - The fit matters A LOT too. The curve of the frame, the angle towards your cheeks and how close they sit to your eyes can make an enormous difference to the lens performance

 

[Smokin Joe]

I'm entitled t a second pair at half price, so when I go back I think I will upgrade to premium lens. Part of the trouble with these is that I think the frames are too wide for me, my fault there as I picked them myself.

Having said that, I do seem to be settling down with them after the first full day though it's going to take a bit more before I'm happy, and the reading part of the lens is an improvement on what I had.

 

[neil_merseyside]

I can't bear to have my astigmatism corrected as I feel the ground is either falling away from me, or is rising (I forget) so whilst I now have slightly less correction than possible I do much prefer any flat ground to actually look flat!
However I am quite happy with varifocals (and even £69 Asda cheapies - who knew they did varifocal at same price as single vision?) This was as a while back, and surely the £ numbers have changed, but varifocals sold at singe vision prices (and the free option to revert to SV) is a no-brainer. I don't know why I can cope with using varifocals in the blink of an eye (well putting on the specs) but can't cope with having my distorted balls fixed.

 

[kayakerles]

I am 66 now and have had four pairs of variable focus over the years. Trifocals every time. Supposedly one range will work for my computer monitor, and it never has with any of them, so I am done with them. I got single vision specs for my monitor use and don’t like them either! My bike riding protective specs are single vision, long distance only. Love them.

I am just sad that with my very first pair of single vision for use with my computer monitor, measured specifically for that exact purpose, they just feel too strong. Put them on the shelf after a week.

 

[kayakerles]

Just picked up three new pairs, normal, sun and vdu and they always seem a bit strange, two fold, one getting use to them and the other eyes adjusting to the new prescription which normally means them straining less. Need to get some new cycling glasses as I have always just used distance ones but trying to read the smaller text on a Wahoo or Garmin is impossible.

I know what you mean on the riding specs. I love mine as they are nice size safety glasses and also keep bugs and dust out of my eyes besides helping me see when I’m riding. But I can’t read my phone or watch either. I just lift them up a little bit. If you get varifocal riding glasses, make sure there’s only a little bit of the close-up on the bottom so they don’t interfere with the main purpose you have them. Hope yours turn out great. 🤓

 

[Mike_P]

I know what you mean on the riding specs. I love mine as they are nice size safety glasses and also keep bugs and dust out of my eyes besides helping me see when I’m riding. But I can’t read my phone or watch either. I just lift them up a little bit. If you get varifocal riding glasses, make sure there’s only a little bit of the close-up on the bottom so they don’t interfere with the main purpose you have them. Hope yours turn out great. 🤓

Would bifocals be better then?

 

[MontyVeda]

I got on with mine pretty much straightaway, until i sat in front of my PC. They really don't work for that and I use cheap readers from Wilko instead. The varis are great at work, great round town, great for watching TV. I don't wear glasses for cycling and hope i never need to.

 

[Smokin Joe]

I don't wear glasses for cycling and hope i never need to.

I can only wear single vision on a bike. You move your eyes much more than when driving and there is too much distortion with varifocals.

 

[Mike_P]

I can only wear single vision on a bike. You move your eyes much more than when driving and there is too much distortion with varifocals.

Didn't have a problem with my last prescription when I cycled with my normal glasses on. Yet to try the new normal glasses cycling.