Varifocals

archangel

archangel

Messages
5,022
Name
Mike
Edit My Images
No
How do you find them....apparently I need them...but I am quite sceptical.....
 
Been wearing them for about 10 years, never had any problems. Mrs fabs has used varifocals for around 4 months, wasn't sure for the first few weeks but is fine with them now. Not everyone gets on with them though.

What are you sceptical about?
 
fabs said:
Been wearing them for about 10 years, never had any problems. Mrs fabs has used varifocals for around 4 months, wasn't sure for the first few weeks but is fine with them now. Not everyone gets on with them though.

What are you sceptical about?
Click to expand...


People keep telling me that they are a pain in the proverbial.....to get used to....I don't want to spend a fortune on new specs to be buggered with something I can't work with...
 
I've been wearing bifocals for about a year and am going to try a pair of varis soon. Not sure how I'll get on with them but if I don't, I'll take 'em back to SpecSavers and get a new set of bis instead! I can get away without specs around the house apart from reading (short arms!) so I have several pairs of cheap reading glasses dotted about where I read (yup, a pair by the bog!)
 
I bought a pair, but haven't been able to get on with them. I guess if I persevered, I might get used to moving my eyes rather than my head. I did try for about a month but just couldn't adapt & gave up. It is probably a personal thing.

As annoying as it is, I prefer just to swap glasses.
 
I put on a pair about twelve years ago and managed to get the hang of them by the time I left the shop (Boots) and haven't had any difficulty since.

Nevertheless it is important that they are fitted and set up properly by the optician/staff as well as having frames that are deep enough to ensure the various focus areas in the lenses are not squashed too tightly together. This also ensures the frame doesn't cut across the vision - particularly when using the closest focus area. It is also, in my opinion, important to buy the best quality and thinnest lenses you can afford - they really do make a difference.

Unlike Ian (above) I find a subtle movement of your head rather than using eye movement is how I bring the various focus areas into line.

Anthony.
 
Last edited:
Been using them for over twenty years. I found it took while to get used to them as head movement can be needed, you look down with your eyes to read and straight ahead for distance. At times you need to move your head up to look down though the reading section of the lens.
The alternative is two pairs of glasses one for normal sight and a different pair for reading. This can be a nuisance with a camera if you need to look at distance and then look through the viewfinder.
I have problems with bright light and use reactolight varifocals which darken in bright light, these can cause problems as your view through the viewfinder is darkened. Agree go for thin lenses and best quality if possible.
Hope this helps in some way.

Most opticians will let you try them for a month or so and if you cannot get on with them let you change to bifocals or two pairs of glasses. Best of luck.
Ed
 
Last edited:
I've had mine for about 5 years or so.
It took a week or two to get used to moving your head rather than your eyes.
 
After a while, you don't notice it and vision is fully restored! I didn't like them at first and ignore them for a while but now I have them on all the time as the PITA mentioned above became too much. Mine also react to light so I have permanently available sunglasses. Get some, get used to them... Sorted!
 
I've been wearing them for dunno how many years and I LOVE them. I've been wearing glasses full time since I was 6 - mumblemumble years ago and the first thing I do in the morning is stick them on my face .

My optician gave me a very useful tip for the beginning - point your nose at what you want to see :)

I drove home wearing them the day I got them.

Do make sure that the lens is big/deep enough - the frames I have have lenses slightly too shallow - a big mistake and will be corrected next time they are changed.
 
I can't get on with them , I started with half glasses some 50 years ago, progressed to executive straight across bifocals, and now use bifocals with large 38mm D's. I have always got them with real glass so they rarely scratch on viewfinders. Before I retired I had them In hardened glass.
I also have a pair of vdu glasses for when working at a computer. Which are set at an intermediate distance.
 
Couldn't / wouldn't be without them.
 
I was told I need them twelve months ago, but have put off doing anything about it.
What I have considered is laser correction for short arse vision and a pair of reading glasses; a bit more expensive, but I've wanted laser correction for years.
 
Wife wears them and as is common was very wary of them, she went to her usual optician who was very good with her, advised her that you move your eyes down to read now rather than moving your head down and as long as the vari-focal bit is set to the right height, there shouldn't be any issues - she's had no issues at all with them...
 
I've had several pairs over the last 3-4 years and just cannot wear them - I feel almost sea-sick.
Wife has them, and adapted within a couple of days.
I went to a local independent opticians, and paid a fortune, wife went to Specsavers.
I've been there too, but still no joy!

Seems I am destined to have 2 pairs of glasses, and never the right ones to hand.....
 
Last edited:
My OH keeps telling me I need "new" glasses as she gets annoyed when I take off my glasses to read menus, phone etc (close up things) - I kind of think along the lines of "if it ain't broke don't fix it" as I can see fine close up if I take off my glasses as I'm short sighted
 
Best bit of advice I can give is when you are having your eyes tested sit as you normally would, not bolt upright and tilting your neck up a little bit.
If you don't sit naturally it can cause the pupil height measurement to be wrong and that would cause problems with the varifocals.

Also make sure you get the reading distance right, if it helps take a magazine and hold it as you would when sitting in your armchair.

I have had numerous pairs of varifocals and no problem, does help if you are an eye mover rather than a head lifter. If you use them a lot for example all
day at a computer it helps to get the better quality lenses, the cheaper ones reveal more of the curved effect if looking at the sides.

All of the above will help you get the best fitting glasses and last thing is give them a fair chance, takes the brain a while to adapt.

Only speaking from personal experience as a long time varifocal wearer, probably helps to say that this was all explained to me by my daughter who is an Optometrist
 
Just recently had to get glasses, need them for distance but optician said that the ready readers that you get cheap will suffice for reading and he was right.
I don't mind using two pairs, I like the full field of view of the distance set and don't need them when using the bins/scope or camera.
Thinking of getting a third set without any coating for daily use as the coated ones seem to smear when cleaning.
 
tijuana taxi said:
Best bit of advice I can give is when you are having your eyes tested sit as you normally would, not bolt upright and tilting your neck up a little bit.
If you don't sit naturally it can cause the pupil height measurement to be wrong and that would cause problems with the varifocals.

Also make sure you get the reading distance right, if it helps take a magazine and hold it as you would when sitting in your armchair......
Click to expand...

I think technology has had an effect on reading distances as the only distances I tend to read are a computer screen, typically about 2.5 feet (distance glasses still work fine) and reading a phone, typically about a foot (glasses off works fine). I can't remember the last time I read a paper magazine or paper newspaper which would normally be somewhere in the region of 18 inches which is too close for distance glasses but too far for no glasses.
 
I think technology has had an effect on reading distances as the only distances I tend to read are a computer screen, typically about 2.5 feet (distance glasses still work fine) and reading a phone, typically about a foot (glasses off works fine). I can't remember the last time I read a paper magazine or paper newspaper which would normally be somewhere in the region of 18 inches which is too close for distance glasses but too far for no glasses.
Click to expand...

Not so sure about that, I'm sat here reading this on a 10.5in tablet at roughly the distance where a newspaper would be.
 
Last edited:
Any decent place will offer you 30 days trial on varifocals.
 
tijuana taxi said:
If you use them a lot for example all
day at a computer it helps to get the better quality lenses
Click to expand...
From my experience the more expensive lenses give a much better chance of adapting to them.
I was persuaded to get cheap varifocals for my safety glasses at work rather than bifocals and felt like I had blinkers on and lost all my peripheral vision and swapped them for bifocals.
My distance vision is fine but reading/ computer not. I picked varifocals for my everyday use so I don't have to keep taking glasses on and off all the time and after the cheap lens experience picked a decent lens and got used to it in a couple of weeks.
If it's your first set of varifocals, most opticians give you a trial period and will swap for other options if you can't get on with them.
Good luck!!
 
I've had varifocals for about 5 years and wouldn't want to give them up, like many had heard the horror stories about them but I found them easy to get used to once I got used to turning my head more.
One thing to take into account is that not all varifocals are equal, the cheap ones have a very small horizontal band where they work. The more expensive lenses have a wider band meaning less need to move your head as much.
 
The difference between cheap and decent varifocals is the balance of the varying fields of vision.
The narrower the fields, the crappier the overall vision and I would imagine the more difficult it is to adapt.
One trick is to move your eyes, not your head.
 
It helps if you get varifocals while you don't need huge amounts of correction. It's easier to adapt. A lot depends on what you're using them for. I need them for flying but can manage without glasses for most 'normal' things, so the pair I wear most are sunglasses. I got the highest quality possible in them (not the absolute highest as the tinting prevents this) and I really notice the difference between the sunglasses and the ordinary pair, which are low quality to keep the cost down. With the latter I did initially have to think about moving my head not my eyes - with the sunglasses I've never thought about it at all. I do find them a pain at work where I have three fairly large screens on my desk and can't really change the position of them, but I don't need them for computer work anyway. Maybe if I tried the sunglasses for work I wouldn't havethe same problem. Portable devices are easy as you can place them exactly where you want them. You do need deep lenses too - not a problem for men but for me (rather small lady) it's really hard finding a suitable frame. I'm now in the position where I can't find frames to fit, so on the rare occasions I have to change the lenses, it's the lenses which get changed, which is more expensive then buying new lenses with a new frame............... A decent optician will give you a reasonable period of time to try them, and if you really don't get on with them they'll take them back. Get the best quality you can, go in with an open mnd (I was very surprised they suited me - I really thought they wouldn't) and wear them pretty much continually for the trial period. I wouldn't be without mine. Expensive, but so worth it.
 
Hmm. All these positive reports are making me think I ought to try again. I did go for the best option every time to give myself the best chance but just felt unsteady when walking, like I needed to hold my hands out as if blindfolded. Got to say that any glasses are such a pain..
 
The only drawback I find with mine is while driving.

Looking over your shoulder at a junction, or when reversing, gives blurred vision because your eyes are having to go right to the edge of the frame and that tends to protrude into vision. Now, for reversing, I have a car with reverse warning and I tend to use the mirrors more.
 
archangel said:
How do you find them....apparently I need them...but I am quite sceptical.....
Click to expand...

Does anyone actually need them?

Surely two pairs or bifoculs are options?

I have bifoculs and it made my photogrpahy life much easier :)
 
KIPAX said:
Does anyone actually need them?

Surely two pairs or bifoculs are options?

I have bifoculs and it made my photogrpahy life much easier :)
Click to expand...

They "need them" in the same way as you need bifocals. Eyesight deteriorating generally. Rather than just needing glasses for reading, or for distance, they are needed for both.
Bifocals are only different insomuch as they have a hard line between the two differing lenses, varifocals don't, they graduate.
Even with bifocals you don't require two different pairs.
If you have different glasses for reading and for distance, those are single vision lenses, not bifocal.
 
viv1969 said:
They "need them" in the same way as you need bifocals. .
Click to expand...

exactly my point.. I dont need bifoculs and the op doesnt need varifoculs ... its a choice not a need..

justsayin :)
 
KIPAX said:
exactly my point.. I dont need bifoculs and the op doesnt need varifoculs ... its a choice not a need..

justsayin :)
Click to expand...

Then perhaps the OP should have said his optician has recommended that he has varifocals.

And if we're going down the pedantry route, it biFOCAL, variFOCAL.

You know, ....just sayin' ;) :p
 
viv1969 said:
And if we're going down the pedantry route, it biFOCAL, variFOCAL.
Click to expand...

Surely thats spelling police not pedantic? pulling peoples spelling is considered to be a bit.. well you know..
 
KIPAX said:
Surely thats spelling police not pedantic? pulling peoples spelling is considered to be a bit.. well you know..
Click to expand...

I'd agree, if the correct spellings hadn't been used a couple of dozen times in the thread already :D
 
i have had mine for 15 years now wouldn't be without them. i use boots opticians and thats because they have these glasses that have magnetic clip on sun glasses. which i find great. so i don't even have to change glasses in the sun
 
Ive been wearing varifocals for almost two years ago, got used to them very quickly and now only have a couple of problems which are easily overcome. Despite my initial reluctance I love them now.
When walking down stairs I cant look at my feet as I feel a bit seasick. When looking over my shoulder in the car I need to turn my head more as the edge of the lens is blurry, and finally I have to make sure the top half of my lens is aligned with the viewfinder on the camera or I cant make out what Im looking at.
I got my optician to make the distance portion of the lens quite deep, and the reading bit shallower, which suits me fine for most situations. Specsavers gave me a 30 day trial, with the offer of two pairs of regular lenses if I couldnt use vari's
 
Thanks for all the advice....still not sure which way I will go....I shall ponder over a Guinness :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top