varifocals

tinaf1

Primrose can I ask what optician you have used that will let you return the varifocals if they don’t suit you.
I am due an eye test and was considering getting varifocals.
I tried them quite a few years ago but couldn’t get on with them , felt unsafe going down stairs etc they was expensive . Funny enough before I saw your thread I was having a conversation with my husband and said I wish you could try before you buy.

Boots opticians tinaf1. They offer a 28 day or 30 day guarantee anyway and he said there are a couple of lens manufacturers who offer a full refund so I went for one of them, which was Variluxe X series.

I know you can get them a lot cheaper. My previous varifocals cost around £100 from a guy who gets them made up to any prescription. He is a spectacle provider, not an optician. As I said earlier I couldn’t get on with those either and I thought maybe it was because they were so cheap but hubby has had many pairs from him and they have all been fine.

I love my varifocals and even have varifocal contact lenses.
I do sometimes find that not wearing either and just enlarging the print on my tablet is more comfortable, especially first and last thing. Maybe it's something to do with the brain adjusting more slowly nowadays?

I too have worn varifocals for years and mine are completly frameless, light as a feather and very wide angle of vision. Pretty expensive but I wouldn't be without them. I do remember the bit about going down steps /stairs. but soon got used to that. I would keep persevering if you can. BUT saying that I tried varifocal contact lenses and struggled taking them out after one of them shattered in my eye. Optician said he had never seen the like and managed to remove 7 bits with another 2 pieces on my cheek the next morning!! They just may not be for you, good luck which ever path you go down.

Well, everyday is a school day!! I didn’t know you could get varifocal contact lenses, I shall ask about those at my next eye test. I’ve never had any problem getting used to varifocals but just prefer to use reading glasses if I’m reading (book not kindle) for any length of time.

Been wearing Varifocals for 20 odd years - have never had to get used to them, took to them straight away, no problems. My left and right eyes are wildly different, so two completely different lenses, which makes my glasses very expensive. Didn't need a new pair this year, but had prescription sunglasses instead, which I think will last me a good few years.

Love them for watching TV and driving but still prefer to have a pair of designated readers. I have to say the pair I do have are far superior to previous pairs and I can read really well with them but just feel easier when looking at a screen with the readers.

I really tried to get used to wearing varifocals but had trouble reading and using the laptop with them as the field of vision just wasn't enough, even though I opted for a pair with a wider field of vision and suffered with neck ache from trying to read through the right part of the lens. I returned them after a couple of weeks and opted for a pair of bifocals I find them so much better for reading and I wouldn't be without them now.

spottysocks

I really tried to get used to wearing varifocals but had trouble reading and using the laptop with them as the field of vision just wasn't enough, even though I opted for a pair with a wider field of vision and suffered with neck ache from trying to read through the right part of the lens. I returned them after a couple of weeks and opted for a pair of bifocals I find them so much better for reading and I wouldn't be without them now.

I chose the ones with the widest field of vision too. The girl said you can’t get any better than that!

Primrose V3ra thanks for info will try Boots have always gone to spec savers but they don’t seem to offer this service.

I was told when I first had varifocals about 20 years ago, that I could take them back if I didn’t get on with them. This was from Specsavers, their policy may have changed but Specsavers are all franchises so may vary from shop to shop.May be worth anyone wanting to try varifocals asking.

My varifocals, from Specsavers also gave the widest field available and I can certainly tell the difference between those and the ones I paid less for. It’s useful having 2pairs as well.

I’ve worn varifocals for 20 years but always needed reading glasses too. After having a cataract removed I hoped I would only need reading glasses, as many people do, butI still need two pairs. I have to change glasses everytime I need to read a word or use my iPad or phone. They’re on and off all the time and always smudgy. Damned nuisance.

I very recently started losing my near vision

Varifocals gave me such a headache and constantly changing glasses drives me crazy. I'm just no good at putting the things somewhere sensible so I just keep doing without and hoping the situation doesn't worsen too much

Those of you who use varifocals and reading glasses, have you told your optician when you go for a check up?
There’s something wrong if you can’t wear them for all of your vision needs.

I think for me it is that my job needs me to constantly switch from near to far. I can be reading with a child but supervising a classroom so always looking up. Then my head starts pounding

I’ve always complained and asked why I need reading glasses as well as varifocals. They don’t know why, any more than they know why I can’t bear sunlight after the cataract ops.

I've got varifocals for driving, watching TV and walking around, I can read with them but I| have a separate pair of varifocals for reading and using a computer. tbh they were all pretty expensive but they make my vision comfortable and I can function OK with either pair. My first pair of varifocals came fro Specsavers, they made me feel sick but I struggled on with them until I just couldn't. I went to a new optician who said, funny that your prescription seems to have swapped eyes!

There are some worrying experiences here 😳

A good pair of varifocals should give you as near to "normal vision" as possible according to the lady that fitted my recent pair at Boots.

Yes they have cost me several hundreds of pounds. (To be fair I have a designer frame but that cost less than the lenses).
Yes they have taken me a while to adapt to, which I expected, but I can do anything and everything with the one pair.

I've never had good vision.
I've worn glasses since the age of 3 so nowadays I have the best I can afford 🤓

foxie48

I've got varifocals for driving, watching TV and walking around, I can read with them but I| have a separate pair of varifocals for reading and using a computer. tbh they were all pretty expensive but they make my vision comfortable and I can function OK with either pair. My first pair of varifocals came fro Specsavers, they made me feel sick but I struggled on with them until I just couldn't. I went to a new optician who said, funny that your prescription seems to have swapped eyes!

I thought the whole point of varifocals was that you only need one pair for everything. That’s what the optician told me.

Until I read this thread, I never realised people did need different varifocals for different purposes. It’s whatever you need to be able to see, and thank heavens we have a choice
I do have a pair of ‘reading glasses’ from the £ shop for reading whilst lying in bed, but that’s because I can’t afford to break my varifocals.

Had varifocals for at least 6 years. Have reactolite lenses in one pair, normal lenses in the other. Specsavers- never had a problem

I was advised some years ago to have a pair of reading glasses as well as varifocals. It was excellent advise. I can read most things but when I get into bed I can tell straight away if I don’t put my reading glasses on and find I am still wearing varifocals. It seems that the middle area of the varifocals where the change is gradually made does not allow for the clarity which the single lens gives me. Dh also uses a pair of reading glasses in bed.

VioletSky

I very recently started losing my near vision

Varifocals gave me such a headache and constantly changing glasses drives me crazy. I'm just no good at putting the things somewhere sensible so I just keep doing without and hoping the situation doesn't worsen too much

I worked with SEN children and having to suddenly run from sitting and reading with 2 lots of glasses was a nightmare. I had tried varifocals in two different opticians and couldn’t get on with them.

A third wonderful optician suggested contact lenses for distance and cheap readers to top up if needed.
This proved to be a fantastic solution and I wish I had met her years before.
Might be worth a try for you.

Thank you Notagran!

I had been thinking about trying contacts so brilliant idea

Got £519 refund this morning so goodbye varifocals. I will now just get a pair for driving/TV with reactolite lenses and a pair of new readers.

As well as not being good for reading I also discovered they are rather heavy and after a while they hurt my ears.

I am very disappointed that, for me anyway, one pair won’t do both. Back to square one.