Varifocals .. and how I loathe getting new glasses !

I have never had varifocals, Moving on from contact lenses ,I have one lense for near vision and one for far. It works very well indeed. Recommended by my optometrist

phoenix

The idea of constant changing of glasses, definitely not for me, they would be on and off like a whores drawers!

Thank you everyone for all your comments and views... much appreciated, and has made for very interesting reading... I am glad I'm not alone with the frustration of choosing, buying and wearing varifocals.

I do agree that they are marvelous (when there are no problems obviously) and know that I can't really have any other type of glasses. The optician did offer to change them for a pair of distance and pair of readers for the price of the varifocals.... but no way can I go back to the on off on off routine.

I think I shall probably stick with what I've got for now... as to be honest I'm fed up with the whole thing ..... what with me eyes and me teeth ...... oh don't get me started on teeth

I've worn varifocals for years without any problems, but I would agree that deeper lenses allow for more generous gradations which might be more comfortable for some people. I had an eye test in November at Tesco Vision Express. The testing was thorough but I too find the repetitive choosing between colours, lines etc confusing and not very accurate. I opted to have new varifocals and a pair of reading/close work glasses as I do a lot of sewing. Both pairs are fine, no problems, and anti glare coating was included in the price. I always have very cheap frames and don't bother with the 'extras' they offer. I will now have to be tested every 6 months as I have cataracts beginning on both eyes and I take almost regular steroids and antibiotics which could affect that. I may try an independent optician next time simply because we were kept waiting 45 minutes on both visits because they were running late.

Has anyone tried any of the online spectacle services for frames or complete glasses?

When we lived in London we had our eyes tested at a High street optician then took the prescription to a retired man living near us who had a vast selection of frames to choose from. It was so much cheaper, complete varifocals never cost me more than £50.

I have had varifocals, the best ones, for years with no problems, but this time I am less happy than usual.
DH had to take his specs back and asked to be retested and it was agreed that the first prescription was totally wrong. We are so reliant on experts, whether is it a chain or an independent company, and sometimes they get it wrong.

Varifocals here for years and wouldn't be without them. I go for the "best" lenses on offer and have found that little bit extra cost to be worth it.

I have tried varifocals twice in the past. Both times I chose the lenses with the larger reading area for use with laptop and tablet (the most expensive of course) but I just couldn't get on with them! Last time Specsavers changed them for bifocals at no extra charge and I love them. I can read a screen without moving my head around and have no problem with distance or mid ground. They just look a bit Grannyish, but that is what I am!

I have worn varifocals for nearly 30 years. I had problems initially getting used to them, but am extremely happy. They have been dispensed from various opticians over the years. It does depend on the quality of the lens with peripheral visual distortion occurring most in the less expensive ranges. I have always had Hoya lenses with absolutely no distortion.

With a mum who was blind and a dad with glaucoma, plus an anomaly behind my own right eye, I have no problem with eye tests ?

I've had varifocals for years now, and I go to a local independent optician. I think I get better service that from Specsavers, although it depends on your local branch of course.

I have very light Silhouette titanium glasses as I hate the weight of glasses. I have thinner lenses and other extras etc and they cost a fortune, but I feel it is worth it to m. I will try Asda next time as I've heard good reviews. Again it depends on your local store. At one time my prescription kept changing quite quickly, but now it has not changed for a couple of years.

I have varifocals, and am currently struggling with the strain and headaches, but the reason is I have completely the wrong prescription for my present needs.

At my eye last eye text the optician referred my for cataract surgery, and said there was no point having a new prescription until th I was done.

Problem is it is a 5 month wait for a consultation appointment! I have no idea how long after that the actual surgery will be.

Mini I think Specsavers are franchises so it depends which branch you go to whether they are any good or not. We used to go to one in Surrey and had lots of problems so changed to an independent which was very expensive. When we moved we carried on with another independent but a new Specsavers opened near us with more convenient hours and we went there. They were excellent.

I wear varifocals. I'd never had any problems with them until I got my previous pair. Through them, I couldn't focus on the tops of trees or buildings. As I was driving to and from work I was very careful. My latest ones I've had since August and they are perfect. I go to Specsavers because the opticians there do a very thorough eye test.

I hate having eye tests. The constant question of "is this better" etc., confuses me! I have glasses for distance, tv and driving. Other glasses for reading and the computer. I tried varifocals and couldn't get on with them. Like you, I felt queasy, dizzy and unbalanced. I returned to the optician, had the lenses altered, and was still no better. After a few months of trying varifocals, I consigned them to a drawer and went back to having 2 pairs of "ordinary" glasses again.

Just to reiterate, it is important not to walk out of the shop in new varifocals - it will definitely make you feel wobbly. Wait till the next morning and start the day in them.

I am very short-sighted with high level of astigmatism - I cannot have contact lenses because of this - so it is quite a mighty prescription in my varifocals, but they are fine.

I have even bought varifocals online with no problem - much much cheaper!

I have had varifocals for a few years now and I am more or less used to them occasionally make me feel a bit wonky if I am rushing about with them on. Last summer I wore my prescription sunglasses for golf as I am concerned about sun damage having already got a small area of damage on one eye. In a brilliant flash of inspiration I thought I would like a pair of adaptive lenses for those days in Autumn/Winter the sun comes and goes. So I get the new pair (£323), same prescription as the sunglasses ones and can I play in them- I cannot. How that can make any difference I do not know.

I have Poundland glasses all over the place for reading and also a pair of varifocals. I made the mistake of looking down an escalator through the reading bit - not a good experience!

After cataract operations, I now have 20/20 vision but am unable to read without help. The varifocals are mainly for when I have to read labels in shops etc. and save me from taking readers on and off. I am another Asda customer.

I mostly wear contacts but wearing contacts for distances means I can't read print so decided to try multifocal lenses. I was warned most people can't get on with them but I took to them immediately. They are nowhere near £600 either. If I do war glasses for distances they spend half the time on top of my head because they're not needed for anything else. I'm also fortunate that my prescription remains the same but when I need glasses I use specs by post and receive then in a couple of days. At 30 quid a pair I can have as many as I want.

The trouble with opticians and dentist too is that you have to take their word for it that what ever you need is correct. At least when you go to the GP if its not right or not working, at the moment it doesn't cost anything to replace or try something new (apart from prescription charge if you have to pay) We have to take the other two professions at their word and hope and pray they know what they are doing and advising. [hmmm]

I've used varifocals for years and have always been happy with them. Until the last time. My sight had only changed marginally since the previous eye test, but I fancied a change, so ordered new ones.
As always, I went for the highest spec (no pun intended!!) varifocals. When I picked them up and tried them in the shop (sitting down!) they seemed fine, so off I went. Oh my lord, walking about was a different matter entirely . If I turned my head from side to side everything seemed to bend and sway. There was no way I was going to risk driving home in them, so back to my old ones. Oh the relief!
A couple of weeks later I picked up a second pair that I'd ordered - a much larger lens, rather a 'statement' pair. These were absolutely fine, with the same prescription.
I kept saying I would go back with the first pair, but never got round to it. I found I was wearing them more and more and getting used to them. And now they are totally fine, no problems with them at all.
But you know what? That in itself kind of worries me, as I got to thinking that the new lenses had somehow 'trained' my eyes to work with them. Altered my natural vision or what's left of it. Why do they not now seem to 'bend' the landscape as they did at first?

I have been wearing them for years without problem but I do choose frames which are quite deep. If you have shallow frames it is quite difficult to fit in all the gradations.

I've had varifocals for years too and have not had a problem. I would recommend going to an independent optician.

I have had vari focals for years and never had a problem with them. I wear them all the time.
I would recommend going to Asda to get your glasses, £130 for two pairs. Never had any problems with my glasses from them. I resent paying other opticians and more than this.

Tell me about it! The file at my opticians is 2 inches thick. I'm highly myopic and have had contacts since I was 21 - as the years have gone on my prescription has changed and about 10 years ago it was decided I should have varifocal lenses as I was having to use reading glasses as well. I've always hated having an eye test as I can never decide which is better or which colour is brighter - every year when I get new lenses they are never right and I have to go back 2 or 3 times until they are correct. The optician once said he could correct my distance vision to as good as it could be but the reading aspect would be poorer. As I worked on the computer until Dec I opted for the compromise of reading to be better.

I will have my annual appointment this month and the whole process will start again. It's so tedious

I begrudge going anywhere near an optician.
During the late 80's we were preparing to go computerized so I visited an optician for glasses to wear to stop eye-strain. I didn't wear glasses at the time so was duly tested and given a pair of bi-focals. I couldn't tolerate them they made me feel sick and I feared for my eyesight so back of a drawer they went never to see light of day.

While in the supermarket I picked up a pack of glasses £2, brilliant for computer work and no sign of strain. To this day I still wear these cheap glasses with no ill effect.
I do realise that at some point I'll be forced to visit an optician but I've got some new Carolina Herrera frames £8 e-bay, for starters to lessen the expense.

I also realise that I have good eyesight, everything taken into consideration-------a ridiculously high blood-pressure and 10 years of chronic migraines and a mini-stroke, all in the past of which never left their mark ? Puzzling indeed but very fortunate.

Sheena, do you feel that you're being ripped off because I would ?