Specsavers SuperDrive/SuperDigital lenses
Discussion
So when it comes to correct fitting, what do they actually do? How do they ensure correct vertex distance, fitting height, pantoscopic tilt, pupil distance etc? Is this something they do before making the lenses or do they do this after the glasses are made? Do they just bend and shape the frame to fit correctly?
Edited by The Gauge on Wednesday 13th March 08:59
The Gauge said:
So when it comes to correct fitting, what do they actually do? How do they alter the distance from the eye to the lense ad how do they alter the panascopic tilt? Do they just bend and shape the glasses to fit correctly?
It's about making sure that once the glasses are on your face, the zones on the lenses are where they should be relative to the measurements they took prior to making them. Bear in mind that glasses with nose-bridge pads have a lot of adjustability, eg. closer/away from the eye, left/right, height, rotation/angle etc. Mine took a little bit of tweaking to get them sitting just right.Funk said:
It's about making sure that once the glasses are on your face, the zones on the lenses are where they should be relative to the measurements they took prior to making them. Bear in mind that glasses with nose-bridge pads have a lot of adjustability, eg. closer/away from the eye, left/right, height, rotation/angle etc. Mine took a little bit of tweaking to get them sitting just right.
Thank you.I assume the frames are all of a standard size and they then need to twist/shape them so the lens is the correct distance and angle from my eye?
With the pupil distance, does that determine how they make the lense, so they ensure the main focal areas are in the right area of the lense according to my eyes?
The first pair of glasses I had were from Boots, I don't recall them doing any of the above, pretty sure they just handed them to me and off I went. The following pairs were bought online, so no measuring/fitting done. This time I want them to fit correctly.
The Gauge said:
Funk said:
It's about making sure that once the glasses are on your face, the zones on the lenses are where they should be relative to the measurements they took prior to making them. Bear in mind that glasses with nose-bridge pads have a lot of adjustability, eg. closer/away from the eye, left/right, height, rotation/angle etc. Mine took a little bit of tweaking to get them sitting just right.
Thank you.I assume the frames are all of a standard size and they then need to twist/shape them so the lens is the correct distance and angle from my eye?
With the pupil distance, does that determine how they make the lense, so they ensure the main focal areas are in the right area of the lense according to my eyes?
The first pair of glasses I had were from Boots, I don't recall them doing any of the above, pretty sure they just handed them to me and off I went. The following pairs were bought online, so no measuring/fitting done. This time I want them to fit correctly.
Funk said:
The Gauge said:
Funk said:
It's about making sure that once the glasses are on your face, the zones on the lenses are where they should be relative to the measurements they took prior to making them. Bear in mind that glasses with nose-bridge pads have a lot of adjustability, eg. closer/away from the eye, left/right, height, rotation/angle etc. Mine took a little bit of tweaking to get them sitting just right.
Thank you.I assume the frames are all of a standard size and they then need to twist/shape them so the lens is the correct distance and angle from my eye?
With the pupil distance, does that determine how they make the lense, so they ensure the main focal areas are in the right area of the lense according to my eyes?
The first pair of glasses I had were from Boots, I don't recall them doing any of the above, pretty sure they just handed them to me and off I went. The following pairs were bought online, so no measuring/fitting done. This time I want them to fit correctly.
When the finished specs are ready for fitting the lenses will have been marked up with the significant points. You put the specs on, there will be a visual check while the lenses are still marked up to ensure the glazing and fitting is correct.
Adjustments can be made at this point to ensure that and comfort. As above it's possible by adjusting nose pads and side pieces etc to get this.
Lens markings then removed by cleaning, frames refitted, customer asked to check for vision and comfort at various distances, any other adjustments again.
For anyone who hasn't fallen asleep by now a link to an example of an Essilor fitting guide including images of the sort of lens marking being discussed and remedies if issues are found can be downloaded from the link below.
https://www.essilorpro.com/content/dam/essilor-pro...
Thanks for the explanations, gives me an idea of whether Specsavers perform an adequate fitting or not when I buy my glasses this weekend.
My employer pays for eye tests and gives a £50 voucher towards the glasses every 2 years, but they are tied to Specsavers. Whilst the £50 voucher isn't enough to tie me to using Specsavers, they are doing two for one on glasses and I do need two pairs.
Had my eyes tested with them the other day. I was quite impressed with the young lad doing the test. He was on placement having graduated at university. I'd initially had the extra eye health test for an additional £10, he wasn't quite happy with something so he asked the lady to do do some additional tests, where I had to look into a machine and press a button when I saw some flashing in my peripheral vision. He seemed very professional.
My employer pays for eye tests and gives a £50 voucher towards the glasses every 2 years, but they are tied to Specsavers. Whilst the £50 voucher isn't enough to tie me to using Specsavers, they are doing two for one on glasses and I do need two pairs.
Had my eyes tested with them the other day. I was quite impressed with the young lad doing the test. He was on placement having graduated at university. I'd initially had the extra eye health test for an additional £10, he wasn't quite happy with something so he asked the lady to do do some additional tests, where I had to look into a machine and press a button when I saw some flashing in my peripheral vision. He seemed very professional.
Edited by The Gauge on Wednesday 13th March 17:17
As an update I ordered a pair of varifocals from Specsavers today. I popped in and chatted to a member of staff letting them know that I wanted to ensure I had a good fitting experience. They lead me over to another member of staff who sat me down and explained the whole process. So I chose my frames and they marked the lenses with some measurements, then used some kind of chart/ruler to make other marks on them.
She said that when they are ready to collect in about 10 days they will spend some time ensuring the correct fit, she mentioned distance from eye, pantascopic tilt, facial wrap...all the words that have been mentioned by others on this thread, which gave me confidence.
I don't need to wear glasses all the tine, just for reading, computer, TV and sometimes for driving. For general walking about I don't tend to wear them. I decided on their SuperDigital lenses, and whilst I get a 2nd pair free they advised me to just get the one pair initially, make sure I'm happy with them for a week or two, try then out for everything - reading, computer, driving etc and then if I want an identical pair just phone them and they will make them. Alternatively they said I might want to chose a different lens, or different frame, so suggested I wait till my first pair are right, which I thought was sensible.
We discussed their SuperDrive lenses, but she suggested that for my needs they might not be so suitable. Whilst they are great for driving they aren't so great for other use. I'd be keeping them in the car and would need glasses for when I go into a supermarket etc to read prices and labels, she suggested that the SuperDrive have a much smaller area of lens for intermediate and reading, as they concentrate on having a wider and larger distance area and suggested SuperDigital would cover my needs. I may go for a 2nd pair identical to my first order to keep in the car.
I think it is these frames I've chosen..
She said that when they are ready to collect in about 10 days they will spend some time ensuring the correct fit, she mentioned distance from eye, pantascopic tilt, facial wrap...all the words that have been mentioned by others on this thread, which gave me confidence.
I don't need to wear glasses all the tine, just for reading, computer, TV and sometimes for driving. For general walking about I don't tend to wear them. I decided on their SuperDigital lenses, and whilst I get a 2nd pair free they advised me to just get the one pair initially, make sure I'm happy with them for a week or two, try then out for everything - reading, computer, driving etc and then if I want an identical pair just phone them and they will make them. Alternatively they said I might want to chose a different lens, or different frame, so suggested I wait till my first pair are right, which I thought was sensible.
We discussed their SuperDrive lenses, but she suggested that for my needs they might not be so suitable. Whilst they are great for driving they aren't so great for other use. I'd be keeping them in the car and would need glasses for when I go into a supermarket etc to read prices and labels, she suggested that the SuperDrive have a much smaller area of lens for intermediate and reading, as they concentrate on having a wider and larger distance area and suggested SuperDigital would cover my needs. I may go for a 2nd pair identical to my first order to keep in the car.
I think it is these frames I've chosen..
Edited by The Gauge on Friday 15th March 16:08
Picked up my first pair of varifocals today (Specsavers SuperDigital lenses).I’ve only worn them for a few hours but here are my initial thoughts. Basically all good but the intermediate area is too narrow…
The lady (dispenser?) who brought them out to me sat me down at a desk and I put them on, and she asked how my distance vision was (which was fine), and handed me a printed card to read from with lines of text of different sizes. When held at the correct distance from my face I could read the smallest sized text perfectly through the reading area. She checked the arms of the glasses were correct on my head, and that was it. Done. Not sure if there should have been more to it than this?
Distance vision..
I don't need to wear glasses all the time and I can generally walk about without needing them but things aren't perfectly focussed. I decided to wear the new glasses straight out of the shop to walk back to work. Distance vision was perfect, and when looking at things that were closer the intermediate vision was perfect too, and I quickly got used to moving my eyes between these two areas of the lens.
When sat at home watching TV my eyes seem to naturally look through the distance area at the top of the lenses, and everything looks perfect, which is what I wanted.
Reading vision..
For reading books etc they are spot on. Mobile phone use is great too. No complaints here.
Driving..
Perfect. I can see the road ahead clearly, and when glancing at the dashboard everything is in focus.
Intermediate vision...
This is where they fall down a bit. At my desk at work and looking at my computer screen through the lower reading area of the lenses the text wasn't in focus, and it also felt like it wasn't either for the intermediate area, so I ended up having to put my old computer glasses back on to see correctly. I perhaps need to give this more time?
Sitting on my settee at home with my laptop on my lap and typing this, the screens text is out of focus through the reading area. It’s better through the intermediate area but then only perfectly focussed if I move the laptop further away than is practical. This intermediate area is too narrow (vertically) with the known blurred areas each side. If I keep my head still and move my eyes left or right they soon go out of this area and the text goes out of focus. Instead I have to move my head and my eyes together so that I'm always looking out of that small area of the lens to keep the text in focus. Perhaps I need to get used to doing this?
When I glance down from the screen to the keyboard to type (I cant type without doing this) I'm finding I'm instinctively just moving my eyes to see the keys and they aren't fully in focus as I'm now looking through the reading area. Again I have to move my head down slightly so my eyes are in the intermediate area. Then when moving my eyes back up to the screen the same happens, I have to also move my head up or I’m looking through the distance area. So through habit I'm just moving my eyes first as I've always done, then having to follow this up with a head movement. I assume this is normal for varifocals and I will get used to doing this?
I found this image elsewhere on this site of Essilor Physio2 varifocals on the right, and with mine feeling like the ones on the left...
Summary
One thing I wanted from these glasses was to be able to get away from having multiple pairs of reading/distance glasses to have to swap between for phone, laptop, TV and driving. These varifocals tick all the boxes perfectly except when using my laptop as the intermediate area is a bit too narrow and isn't quite in focus for how I sit at my laptop and It's too easy for my eyes to wander out of this zone. I do need to spend more time getting used to them, and I haven’t walked up/down stairs with them yet!!
The lady (dispenser?) who brought them out to me sat me down at a desk and I put them on, and she asked how my distance vision was (which was fine), and handed me a printed card to read from with lines of text of different sizes. When held at the correct distance from my face I could read the smallest sized text perfectly through the reading area. She checked the arms of the glasses were correct on my head, and that was it. Done. Not sure if there should have been more to it than this?
Distance vision..
I don't need to wear glasses all the time and I can generally walk about without needing them but things aren't perfectly focussed. I decided to wear the new glasses straight out of the shop to walk back to work. Distance vision was perfect, and when looking at things that were closer the intermediate vision was perfect too, and I quickly got used to moving my eyes between these two areas of the lens.
When sat at home watching TV my eyes seem to naturally look through the distance area at the top of the lenses, and everything looks perfect, which is what I wanted.
Reading vision..
For reading books etc they are spot on. Mobile phone use is great too. No complaints here.
Driving..
Perfect. I can see the road ahead clearly, and when glancing at the dashboard everything is in focus.
Intermediate vision...
This is where they fall down a bit. At my desk at work and looking at my computer screen through the lower reading area of the lenses the text wasn't in focus, and it also felt like it wasn't either for the intermediate area, so I ended up having to put my old computer glasses back on to see correctly. I perhaps need to give this more time?
Sitting on my settee at home with my laptop on my lap and typing this, the screens text is out of focus through the reading area. It’s better through the intermediate area but then only perfectly focussed if I move the laptop further away than is practical. This intermediate area is too narrow (vertically) with the known blurred areas each side. If I keep my head still and move my eyes left or right they soon go out of this area and the text goes out of focus. Instead I have to move my head and my eyes together so that I'm always looking out of that small area of the lens to keep the text in focus. Perhaps I need to get used to doing this?
When I glance down from the screen to the keyboard to type (I cant type without doing this) I'm finding I'm instinctively just moving my eyes to see the keys and they aren't fully in focus as I'm now looking through the reading area. Again I have to move my head down slightly so my eyes are in the intermediate area. Then when moving my eyes back up to the screen the same happens, I have to also move my head up or I’m looking through the distance area. So through habit I'm just moving my eyes first as I've always done, then having to follow this up with a head movement. I assume this is normal for varifocals and I will get used to doing this?
I found this image elsewhere on this site of Essilor Physio2 varifocals on the right, and with mine feeling like the ones on the left...
Summary
One thing I wanted from these glasses was to be able to get away from having multiple pairs of reading/distance glasses to have to swap between for phone, laptop, TV and driving. These varifocals tick all the boxes perfectly except when using my laptop as the intermediate area is a bit too narrow and isn't quite in focus for how I sit at my laptop and It's too easy for my eyes to wander out of this zone. I do need to spend more time getting used to them, and I haven’t walked up/down stairs with them yet!!
Edited by The Gauge on Wednesday 27th March 20:57
The Gauge said:
Sitting on my settee at home with my laptop on my lap and typing this, the screens text is out of focus through the reading area. It’s better through the intermediate area but then only perfectly focussed if I move the laptop further away than is practical. This intermediate area is too narrow (vertically) with the known blurred areas each side. If I keep my head still and move my eyes left or right they soon go out of this area and the text goes out of focus. Instead I have to move my head and my eyes together so that I'm always looking out of that small area of the lens to keep the text in focus. Perhaps I need to get used to doing this?
When I glance down from the screen to the keyboard to type (I cant type without doing this) I'm finding I'm instinctively just moving my eyes to see the keys and they aren't fully in focus as I'm now looking through the reading area. Again I have to move my head down slightly so my eyes are in the intermediate area. Then when moving my eyes back up to the screen the same happens, I have to also move my head up or I’m looking through the distance area. So through habit I'm just moving my eyes first as I've always done, then having to follow this up with a head movement. I assume this is normal for varifocals and I will get used to doing this?
I'm in the same environment (although I got told off for saying settee on here before, so I'll say sofa) - with a 14" laptop on my knee.When I glance down from the screen to the keyboard to type (I cant type without doing this) I'm finding I'm instinctively just moving my eyes to see the keys and they aren't fully in focus as I'm now looking through the reading area. Again I have to move my head down slightly so my eyes are in the intermediate area. Then when moving my eyes back up to the screen the same happens, I have to also move my head up or I’m looking through the distance area. So through habit I'm just moving my eyes first as I've always done, then having to follow this up with a head movement. I assume this is normal for varifocals and I will get used to doing this?
I'm wearing the "free" pair of varifocals I got years ago with Specsaver's own brand (they used the Pentax name then) lenses. They seemed exactly the same as the Essilor Panamic lenses I had in my main pair. The lenses aren't very deep (as in height), so the different areas of vision are quite compressed, but I'm having no issues flicking my eyes from keyboard to screen. Thinking about it, I'm mostly looking at the keyboard, and flicking my eyes up to read (the text is half way up the screen, so quite a way).
The PH window I'm typing in is maybe 8" wide and I can read it fine by eye movement with head centred, but if I move my head to look at one side of the window, then the other side is blurred. I've got to deliberately stop my head from moving though - it just wants to do it itself. I will say that bluriness is only for close-ish stuff - in normal use I can see through the periphery of the lens fine - trying it now, things at a distance (in the room) are perfectly clear through the bottom corners of the lenses (same either side).
One thing I like about varifocals is it's like they've got adjustable focus, and you can adjust it by simply moving your head.
I do find when driving my wife's SUV I tend to sit up and forward (sometimes referred to as "command" driving position). If it do that I must have my head tilted down a bit as I'm looking out of the very top of the lens and distance isn't clear, so I've got to conciously get my head in the right place.
Edited by Sheepshanks on Thursday 28th March 08:39
I obviously need to spend more time with these varifocals, but whilst they are perfect for general walking around and reading, It would appear that the intermediate area isn't in focus for sitting at a desktop computer, or on the sofa with a laptop. Or maybe its the intermediate area is far to small an area for this use?
I'll give it more time but I might need to see if they can make new lenses and either change the focus of the intermediate area, or go for a different type of varifocal lens.
I'll give it more time but I might need to see if they can make new lenses and either change the focus of the intermediate area, or go for a different type of varifocal lens.
At desk now, just roughly meaured and I'm 2ft from the screen. Trying to analyse it without thinking about it, I am slighly lifting my head when I look up from the keyboard to the screen..
I've got a second monitor (22") at something like 45 degress off to the left. I'm 32" from that, and I've certainly got to turn my head to look square at it to read it.
I think you need to make it clear (no pun intended) to both the optician and the dispenser what you want too achieve. I guess varifocals are always going to be a compromise.
I think they're brilliant although I've never quite replicated the very first pairs I got, where I just put them on and they worked. I'm on my 3rd set now, and the current ones had to be redone as they weren't right optically (I think they'd made them too strong). But I still got back to my first pair as feeling most optically comfortable. My wife has been on the same journey and she's always moaning about hers.
I've got a second monitor (22") at something like 45 degress off to the left. I'm 32" from that, and I've certainly got to turn my head to look square at it to read it.
I think you need to make it clear (no pun intended) to both the optician and the dispenser what you want too achieve. I guess varifocals are always going to be a compromise.
I think they're brilliant although I've never quite replicated the very first pairs I got, where I just put them on and they worked. I'm on my 3rd set now, and the current ones had to be redone as they weren't right optically (I think they'd made them too strong). But I still got back to my first pair as feeling most optically comfortable. My wife has been on the same journey and she's always moaning about hers.
Edited by Sheepshanks on Thursday 28th March 16:35
Just fyi, I'm about to go back with the ones I got a while back. The clear pair are spot on, the tinted sunglasses bought at same time on same scrip are just not quite as sharp on long distance. It's to the point that while, legally, they're OK for driving, have stopped wearing them when driving as I know the vision is not quite as good and it annoys me. Will have to see what happens.
I can cope with using my computer glasses when I’m at my PC at work, but I was hoping varifocals would let me sit at home on the sofa and look up from my laptop to the TV and back again. Sadly they don’t seem suitable for this though are perfect for just watching TV, but I could have got just a pair of distance glasses for that.
I’ll give it another week or so then maybe see if Specsavers can replace the lenses.
I’ll give it another week or so then maybe see if Specsavers can replace the lenses.
FiF said:
Just fyi, I'm about to go back with the ones I got a while back. The clear pair are spot on, the tinted sunglasses bought at same time on same scrip are just not quite as sharp on long distance. It's to the point that while, legally, they're OK for driving, have stopped wearing them when driving as I know the vision is not quite as good and it annoys me. Will have to see what happens.
They are both the same prescription. Could it be when wearing the sunglasses, the pupils will be open a bit because of the dark and maybe the prescription isn't quite right? Have you tried driving with the clear ones at night and are they spot on? I had some glasses from Tesco Opticians (never again) a few years back and they were ok in day, but when I tried driving at night I couldn't tell if the speed limit sign said 30 or 50 - no good whatsoever! I went for a test (not in Tesco) and the tesco prescription was 0.5 dioptres out - but with pupils contracting in daylight it wasn't noticeable. My Daughter also had hers rechecked and the same issue with the Tesco figures. Had a BIG issue with Tesco, who claimed the other optician shouldn't have told us the Tesco prescription was wrong (we could SEE the problem) - He was 'closing ranks' and must have previously been a Post Office investigator 
.We had great difficulty getting our money back from Tesco Opticians - It was laughable if it hadn't been so serious, even the 'Optical Managers' written response wasn't on headed paper and looked like a child had written it with crayons!
Fastpedeller said:
FiF said:
Just fyi, I'm about to go back with the ones I got a while back. The clear pair are spot on, the tinted sunglasses bought at same time on same scrip are just not quite as sharp on long distance. It's to the point that while, legally, they're OK for driving, have stopped wearing them when driving as I know the vision is not quite as good and it annoys me. Will have to see what happens.
They are both the same prescription. Could it be when wearing the sunglasses, the pupils will be open a bit because of the dark and maybe the prescription isn't quite right? Have you tried driving with the clear ones at night and are they spot on? I had some glasses from Tesco Opticians (never again) a few years back and they were ok in day, but when I tried driving at night I couldn't tell if the speed limit sign said 30 or 50 - no good whatsoever! I went for a test (not in Tesco) and the tesco prescription was 0.5 dioptres out - but with pupils contracting in daylight it wasn't noticeable. My Daughter also had hers rechecked and the same issue with the Tesco figures. Had a BIG issue with Tesco, who claimed the other optician shouldn't have told us the Tesco prescription was wrong (we could SEE the problem) - He was 'closing ranks' and must have previously been a Post Office investigator .We had great difficulty getting our money back from Tesco Opticians - It was laughable if it hadn't been so serious, even the 'Optical Managers' written response wasn't on headed paper and looked like a child had written it with crayons!
Thinking about it the test is done in a darkened room.
A few days in and I've been making myself wear the new varifocals for laptop work and I'm getting on with them much better than I first was. I guess my eyes and head are now more used to moving they way they need to, to maintain focus.
If I do keep them, I'll be ordering another identical pair (as my free 2nd pair) but will go with reactive lenses, though I note that they may not react when driving.
If I do keep them, I'll be ordering another identical pair (as my free 2nd pair) but will go with reactive lenses, though I note that they may not react when driving.
The Gauge said:
A few days in and I've been making myself wear the new varifocals for laptop work and I'm getting on with them much better than I first was. I guess my eyes and head are now more used to moving they way they need to, to maintain focus.
If I do keep them, I'll be ordering another identical pair (as my free 2nd pair) but will go with reactive lenses, though I note that they may not react when driving.
Varifocal specs will inevitably take longer to get used to: persevere!!If I do keep them, I'll be ordering another identical pair (as my free 2nd pair) but will go with reactive lenses, though I note that they may not react when driving.
The human brain is key to understanding what the eye is seeing….. check this experiment for proof.
It might take you many days to weeks - not sure if I mentioned earlier, but mine took about 5-6 weeks - I was ready to ditch them within the “money-back guaranteed” month, but the optician checked & told me to try a bit longer (extending the guarantee).
The Gauge said:
A few days in and I've been making myself wear the new varifocals for laptop work and I'm getting on with them much better than I first was. I guess my eyes and head are now more used to moving they way they need to, to maintain focus.
If I do keep them, I'll be ordering another identical pair (as my free 2nd pair) but will go with reactive lenses, though I note that they may not react when driving.
I wouldn't go back to non-varifocals now - I'd encourage you to stick with them.If I do keep them, I'll be ordering another identical pair (as my free 2nd pair) but will go with reactive lenses, though I note that they may not react when driving.
Mine are reactive ones and you're correct, they don't typically work in cars thanks to most vehicles having UV-protective glass. In all other situations it's usefull though and saves me carrying around a pair of prescription sunglasses.
Although these were my '2nd pair' when I got my non-varifocals I will be getting another pair or two in case something happens to my main pair. The only time I've ever reverted to my non-VF lenses is when watching something slouched on the sofa - with the distance to the screen I'm looking through the wrong part (ie. the close-up reading section) of the VF lenses.
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