Varifocals

[gbjbaanb]

After going throught my work/lifestyle AGAIN, the optician has decided it's COMPLETELY the wrong solution for me.

They might have suggested "occupational glasses", but said they really aren't appropriate becaue my near sight doesn't warrant it.

Suggestion was to go back to normal lenses for long distance and buy a pair of cheap reading glasses for the few occasions I can't read super small print.

I've had a very large credit that I'm planning to spend on sunglasses. It really is the bright summer light that causes me the most problems.

Thanks for all the help and suggestions. I'd offer to buy a round with the pile of cash I got back, but those Maui Jim's are calling.

monovision is great - that's one eye is set for intermediate, the other for distance, and (as long as its not way different) the brain works it all out and you can see near and far nice and sharp. Its pretty peculiar, but it works. However, you can't get it in glasses (something to do with different magnification) but you can with contacts. Or, of course, laser surgery.

And if you're really keen on fixing it, these days you can get cataract surgery to replace your lens (inside the eye) so they're flexible again.

[Snowbadger]

Hi Form,
the village "oculist " here, only just noticed the thread. From my experience of 40yrs as an optometrist, you get a higher failure rate with myopes ( short sight ) because they have less to gain than hyperopes ( long sight ). Myopes depending on degree have some retained near vision so there will be some distances that will always be better with no correction. Hyperopes on the other hand fall off the proverbial cliff once they hit the mid forties and by the mid fifties struggle with distance vision also.
The Aviator style shouldn't really be an issue with a well fitted varifocal, as most of that extra area will be pure distortional zones. Basically if you can't fit all the useful area into the chosen frame, you shouldn't be using it. Anatomically there is a limit to normal eye rotation in reading. I am glad to see you were happy with the resolution of the issue. There is no one size fit for ageing eyes.

Cheers,

The Oculist aka SB

[todthedog]

My wife took to varifocals day one with no issues.

I tried and failed so now 2 pairs of specs one to read one to drive, varifocals would have been good but two pairs is hardly a major problem. So you are not alone, my ex optician tried to tell me that I was the only person with any problems with varifocals that I must be patient and my brain would adapt. I asked for and got the money back and bought online single vision specs for a fraction of the cost of the high street chain varifocals.

Good luck.

[Redmires]

I too tried and failed with varifocals. The biggest problem was with reading, with such a small 'sweet spot' I constantly had to keep making small adjustments to the position of my head which I found annoying. I tried some bifocals from an online outfit and these do the job perfectly.

[swill453]

I got two pairs of varifocals from Asda Opticians for £120, one of them Nike sports sunglasses. My first try of varifocals but adapted to them without a problem.

I still take them off to read tiny print as I can do that better with no correction.

Scott.

[sg31]

I got two pairs of varifocals from Asda Opticians for £120, one of them Nike sports sunglasses. My first try of varifocals but adapted to them without a problem.

I still take them off to read tiny print as I can do that better with no correction.

Scott.

I use ASDA varifocals, cheap as chips and work well for me. My distance vision isn't bad but not perfect, for reading I need 4x magnification. At first I used the varifocals for driving as I couldn't read the instruments without them then I just stopped taking them off. Now I wear them all the time as it saves the bother of taking them off/putting them on and carrying a glasses case.

[DrFfybes]

It took me a long while to get used to mine. I got them when I found I was taking my normal glasses off all the time to read and do close up work, even thogh my distance prescription was the same as 30 years ago.

One issue was I had reactolites, and with the old ones I wore them close to the face to stop light getting in over the top. With the varifocals this meant the lenses were too high and I was looking through the middle distance bit for looking ahead.

The really scary bit was going in to M&S just after I collected them, I was fine until I looked down to get in the escalator and my head swum.

I also realised how much I relied on peripheral vision for driving, as I couldn't see anything in the mirrors and needed to move my head more with these. However the noticeable thing is how much my near distance eyesight has changed. After 2 years the varies are no longer suitable for PC work and I take them off to read, and recently I found a pair of poundland reading glasses helped with intricate work close up.

Paul

[Garless]

I lived with varifocals with reactolite for years. No problems in the computer industry but mainly one screen. BUT needed new glasses ever 2/3 years. Then discovered the glare when night driving was due to cataracts. After operations on both eyes all I need now is a simple supermarket pair of reading glasses for an iPad, iPhone and MacBook. BUT I was lucky, my opticians at Dollands spotted glaucoma and refereed me on, the hospital ophthalmologist then spotted signs of cataracts that were monitored. Then Dollands were taken over by Boots and the quality of service nose dived before the treatment and operations.

[quelquod]

I’ve worn varifocals for many years. I am very myopic so the distance part of the lens is strong and getting stronger with each eye examination. I have found that the ‘waist’ of the lens seems to encroach further as my prescription strengthens (though I buy quite top-end lenses) - one of the reasons I have more or less given up flying as a pilot. Computer screens are a nuisance now as relatively little is in focus for any particular head position. By far the worst inconvenience though is when playing golf - at address the ball (through the reading section) is a blur and unless it’s subsequent path happens to follow my line of sight (not an altogether common event) it tends to disappear into the more poorly focussed areas of the lens. I am experimenting now with single-vision lenses but the computer screen is a major problem as it is neither near nor far, though anything farther away than a metre or a little less is clear with distance lenses.