Specsavers SuperDrive/SuperDigital lenses
Discussion
Seasonal Hero said:
You did also say ‘’ maybe there isn’t so much more”
And he pointed out that there is very much more.
I guess I did get lucky. As did Sheepshanks.And he pointed out that there is very much more.
Ho hum.
I would say that getting used to your first varifocal lens CAN take some time.
I had a 4 week ‘money back guarantee’, and went back before that was up to ask for them to be swapped out. Optician did various checks and assured me I was close to getting used to it, promised to honour the guarantee but asked me to try a few more weeks, and one day they just clicked: my eyes had adjusted.
The lack of nice styles at a fair price led me to looking to online sellers. Some send samples out FOC for you to try, and like I say, the lens from them have worked fine for me: now 4 pairs in.
I am sure some will struggle and need specific help with the many more things mentioned, but I don’t think everyone will. I was a contact lens wearer for decades, and any change in prescription often left me mildly unhappy. Been very pleased with my recent online glasses. YMMV
I don't wear glasses all the time, currently just reading glasses for my laptop and computer, but I do benefit from my distance glasses for driving though not essential yet.
I'm hoping varifocals solve the problem when I'm sat on the sofa wearing my reading glasses for my laptop, but have to change to my distance glasses if I look up at the TV?
So if I go varifocal route I guess I may have to leave them on all day and get my eyes used to them, then take them on/off when needed.
I'm hoping varifocals solve the problem when I'm sat on the sofa wearing my reading glasses for my laptop, but have to change to my distance glasses if I look up at the TV?
So if I go varifocal route I guess I may have to leave them on all day and get my eyes used to them, then take them on/off when needed.
chemistry said:
I’m not an optician, but as I understand it, this is a pretty good comparison:
So again, compromise. Bifocals have a bigger useful are of lens but no intermediate zone and a visible ‘close focus’ segment that is obvious to others. Varifocals have distance, near and intermediate zones and look like normal glasses (no bifocal line/segment) but have ‘wasted’ sections at the sides.
You pay your money and take your choice! Everything is a compromise.
Thanks for post very enlightening, copy saved for next time I see opticiansSo again, compromise. Bifocals have a bigger useful are of lens but no intermediate zone and a visible ‘close focus’ segment that is obvious to others. Varifocals have distance, near and intermediate zones and look like normal glasses (no bifocal line/segment) but have ‘wasted’ sections at the sides.
You pay your money and take your choice! Everything is a compromise.
Edited by chemistry on Monday 4th March 20:57
chemistry said:
Digger said:
How on earth do varifocal contact lenses work?
Do they rely on your eyelids shifting the lenses slightly upwards when looking down to read something so that the "reading" prescription gets involved?
As I understand it (as a wearer) they have the main lens (distance) and on top of that is etched a fresnel diffraction lens (near). Your eyes/brain then receive a sharp AND blurred image and just discard the blurred one.Do they rely on your eyelids shifting the lenses slightly upwards when looking down to read something so that the "reading" prescription gets involved?
I’ve got them and they work well. Only issue is low light, when I think the pupil gets too big to make proper use of the near image (so in a dim restaurant I’d still need reading glasses to read small print on a menu). 90% of the time they are great though, in all normal/bright light. Sort of the equivalent of having my 30 year old eyes back (rather than my 20 year old ones, sadly!).
Another option - which didn’t work for me - is mono vision, where you have a distance lens in one eye and a near lens in the other.
[Edit…turns out there are various types…]
Yes, currently my contacts prescription is set up as Monovision which I can tolerate, left eye for computer work / light reading & the right for distance.
Might try a pair of trial varifocals & see if they might work for me.
chemistry said:
I got my first pair of varifocals a month ago (I’m 52); Specsavers Super Digital.
Based on my limited experience so far, I’m pretty happy with them. Only downside is if I am slouched or lying down on the sofa trying to watch TV through the bottom half of the lenses, that obviously doesn’t work. Other than that, all the various focal ranges seem to be in the right places where my eyes would expect them to be, so they are generally very user friendly. The person dispensing them did spend AGES checking and double checking all the measurements. Driving is fine, by the way.
Just to echo this - I found about 5 months ago that I needed reading glasses in addition to my distance glasses. Having gotten a pair I was fed up with switching between them (although the reading glasses were a revelation! I had no idea how bad my eyes were..) so I took the plunge on varifocals from Specsavers. I went with the SuperDigital (as I wanted minimal edge distortion and maximum 'reading zone') along with all the other options such as extra-thin and light and reactions ('UltraClear SuperClean' is included when you get the SuperDrive or SuperDigital lenses).Based on my limited experience so far, I’m pretty happy with them. Only downside is if I am slouched or lying down on the sofa trying to watch TV through the bottom half of the lenses, that obviously doesn’t work. Other than that, all the various focal ranges seem to be in the right places where my eyes would expect them to be, so they are generally very user friendly. The person dispensing them did spend AGES checking and double checking all the measurements. Driving is fine, by the way.
They initially felt a little odd as I had to get used to looking through the 'right' part of the lens and I'll echo others here that say that getting the fitting right is absolutely paramount. As chemistry says, there are a few situations where they don't work such as slouched on the sofa but that's pretty much the only downside.
Having had them, I wouldn't go back now.
Funk said:
Just to echo this - I found about 5 months ago that I needed reading glasses in addition to my distance glasses. Having gotten a pair I was fed up with switching between them (although the reading glasses were a revelation! I had no idea how bad my eyes were..) so I took the plunge on varifocals from Specsavers. I went with the SuperDigital (as I wanted minimal edge distortion and maximum 'reading zone') along with all the other options such as extra-thin and light and reactions ('UltraClear SuperClean' is included when you get the SuperDrive or SuperDigital lenses).
They initially felt a little odd as I had to get used to looking through the 'right' part of the lens and I'll echo others here that say that getting the fitting right is absolutely paramount. As chemistry says, there are a few situations where they don't work such as slouched on the sofa but that's pretty much the only downside.
Having had them, I wouldn't go back now.
Thanks for the review. Did Specsavers staff spend much time with fitting your glasses and getting your measurements right ?They initially felt a little odd as I had to get used to looking through the 'right' part of the lens and I'll echo others here that say that getting the fitting right is absolutely paramount. As chemistry says, there are a few situations where they don't work such as slouched on the sofa but that's pretty much the only downside.
Having had them, I wouldn't go back now.
I was advised the same by Specsavers, Boots and another company - an advanced lens such as the superdrive / super digital might well be too difficult to get used to if you’re brand new to vari-focals.
Since then, I’ve been wearing them for about 5 years so had several evolutions in prescription and gone to different shops for glasses depending on what frames they had. The best lenses I’ve had were Zeiss from Vision Express 2 years ago but sadly they stopped doing them before my renewal was due last autumn so I went looking round.
I know we don’t name and shame but just my experience of SS last year. I was given super digital but they just gave me complete tunnel vision. I gave them a go for a full week. (Had to wear old ones to drive and walk around else I’d crash or fall over!)
Took them back and had them remade with different eye width or height measurements and tried for another week. Still very difficult.
Took them back and was offered super drive which should be better because it’s a much less ‘busy’ lens. Still rubbish for me after 3 weeks so got a refund and went back to Vision Express for their latest Esselor type. They’re nowhere near as effortless as my old VE ones but I’ll put up with them.
Since then, I’ve been wearing them for about 5 years so had several evolutions in prescription and gone to different shops for glasses depending on what frames they had. The best lenses I’ve had were Zeiss from Vision Express 2 years ago but sadly they stopped doing them before my renewal was due last autumn so I went looking round.
I know we don’t name and shame but just my experience of SS last year. I was given super digital but they just gave me complete tunnel vision. I gave them a go for a full week. (Had to wear old ones to drive and walk around else I’d crash or fall over!)
Took them back and had them remade with different eye width or height measurements and tried for another week. Still very difficult.
Took them back and was offered super drive which should be better because it’s a much less ‘busy’ lens. Still rubbish for me after 3 weeks so got a refund and went back to Vision Express for their latest Esselor type. They’re nowhere near as effortless as my old VE ones but I’ll put up with them.
Thing is everyone's experience can be different, it depends on the staff. When we moved areas 20+ years ago I had to find a new optician. Went into the local SS on High St. The eye examination was possibly the best in a long time, maybe ever, but the measurement and fitting was just appalling. Nothing much more than the felt tip dot on the lens technique and one look in the mirror proved what already knew, they'd got that wrong. Got my prescription and walked out.
Key is to know what to expect and be prepared.
Had earlier experienced another chain where things just weren't right. Tbh I didn't know then what I know now. Went back several times, give it time sir. Still no better. Final time I went back it was a newly qualified person who saw me and they sussed out what was wrong, it was the fitting height, whether it was a mistake in measurement or glazing wasn't sure. Unfortunately for the store I then overheard the most appalling bullying of her by the store manager when the issue was reported to get her to fob me off again. Name and shame rules prevail, wasn't SS in this case.
Key is to know what to expect and be prepared.
Had earlier experienced another chain where things just weren't right. Tbh I didn't know then what I know now. Went back several times, give it time sir. Still no better. Final time I went back it was a newly qualified person who saw me and they sussed out what was wrong, it was the fitting height, whether it was a mistake in measurement or glazing wasn't sure. Unfortunately for the store I then overheard the most appalling bullying of her by the store manager when the issue was reported to get her to fob me off again. Name and shame rules prevail, wasn't SS in this case.
The Gauge said:
I see there is an option to pay more for thinner lenses, is this just to make them nicer to look at, or are there any actual benefits to having thinner lenses?
The thinner lens material has a higher refractive index.The main disadvantage is higher cost, the main advantages are that for people with a stronger prescriptions the lenses are lighter, fit more easily into the frame, a wider choice of frame compared to heavier lenses. Also there is an effect from the perspective of a 3rd party that it reduces the effect of altering the size of the wearer's eyes resulting in a more natural effect.
Other disadvantages are that you can get more reflections, and possibly more prone to scratching, though that's where coatings come in, at more cost unfortunately.
The very highest refractive indexes are really only for those with very strong prescriptions in my opinion.
Probably o/t but there's a captive audience of glasses wearers.....
Will glasses help me focus quicker? I've never worn/needed glasses, have an eye exam every 2 years but have noticed lately that it's taking much longer to focus from near to far. Once focussed I can see clearly, it's just that transition from near to far is taking too long for my liking.
Optician says it's a natural age thing but didn't recommend anything.
Will glasses help me focus quicker? I've never worn/needed glasses, have an eye exam every 2 years but have noticed lately that it's taking much longer to focus from near to far. Once focussed I can see clearly, it's just that transition from near to far is taking too long for my liking.
Optician says it's a natural age thing but didn't recommend anything.
Fastpedeller said:
I got a new pair of varifolals 1.74 index and all the coatings a few weeks ago - they are as good as any IMHO for £90 including the frames! My distance figures are -7.5 and -8.5 so very high.
Wowsa! That is some keen price for varifocal specs of any brand - where was that?
57Ford said:
Think Specsavers were roughly that price with their £25 frames when I first looked at them 5 years ago.
Of course, none of those frames fit me properly so I have to shop in the £175+ designer sections of all the shops
£90 for varifocals with frames, with the thinnest glass and all the coatings?Of course, none of those frames fit me properly so I have to shop in the £175+ designer sections of all the shops
I don’t think I’ve ever seen that possible!
mikeiow said:
Fastpedeller said:
I got a new pair of varifolals 1.74 index and all the coatings a few weeks ago - they are as good as any IMHO for £90 including the frames! My distance figures are -7.5 and -8.5 so very high.
Wowsa! That is some keen price for varifocal specs of any brand - where was that?
4 years ago auto-darkening (or whatever it's called) could also be included at no cost, but now it's £39 extra..... As I don't like it that wasn't a consideration.
Also, I understand the high index 'strength' isn't the customer's choice, and they decide. ie I guess if you need -2.5 dioptres you won't get 1.74 index!
As you so rightly say though - a keen price.
Gassing Station | Health Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff