Glasses/bifocals

[JumboBeef]

I am 46, and have worn glasses for years (distance). I don't *need* to as my eyesight is legal for driving but I like to see everything in HD.

My glasses are ago four years old. Two years ago, the eye test showed slight change but they said it wasn't worth changing the lenses. Yesterday, another slight change (different opticians)(right eye slightly better, left slightly worse) but still legal to drive.

Anyhoo....

I tried varifocals four years ago, and hated them (£340 for two pairs!) Went to normal lenses for distance.

I have found I need to take my glasses off to read and recently some smaller text is a bit....blurry. It has been recommended I have either reading glasses as well, or go for varifocals/bifocals.

What are bifocals like to use? I don't want to have two pairs of glasses......

Thanks.

[daz3210]

My mother has Bifocals, and went for vari's last time.

From what she has said she has to be careful going up steps, more so with the varifocals, since the step edges appear not to be where they really are.

From what she has said they need to be worn and got used to.

[F i F]

daz3210 said:

From what she has said they need to be worn and got used to.

This ^^

If you have a decent optician they will have a good discussion with you about what activities you do and should then find a varifocal design to suit.

I started with Navigators and tbh they are still the ones I have got on with the best. Currently have some of these so called purpose designed jobbies, I believe Specsavers do something similar. OK but relatively unimpressed. Sit at computer like Noddy.

[Starfighter]

Varifocal and astigmatism do not fit well - I'm currently having mine remade as single vision.

Medically, the eye changes in mid-life and is not able to fully flex as it did. This manifests itself as needing to hold books that little bit further away. You can have glasses made up with a plane distance lens if that helps.

[audidoody]

In my experience the performance of Varifocals depends on how much you are willing to spend on the lenses. My first varifocals were relatively inexpensive from Tesco Opticians and I thought I was watching the world through a goldfish bowel for two weeks or more. Two years ago I went into an independent optician and splurged £400 on Varifocals lenses (frames were extra) computer mapped to my eyes. The difference was astounding. A much bigger 'sweet spot' at the sides and no distortion anywhere. It was like not wearing glasses at all and having perfect vision.


I am now convinced that, as I spend every waking moment looking through these lenses, I am always going to buy the most advanced and expensive ones I can find when the time comes to replace them.

BiFocals are fine if you want to look like a vey old person.

[Sticks.]

audidoody said:

....I thought I was watching the world through a goldfish bowel....

Doesn't sound good

Totally agree though. Just had this conversation with the optician. Said there are different rates of change in the lenses too, which widens the good areas. Not cheap though.

Just got some single vision spares and the desk is sloping to one side!

[Fastpedeller]

I got vaifocals (for the first time) 5 yrs ago, using a Boots prescription, from a local dispensing optician cost c£250. They said the glasses may take some time to get used to.Took to them straight away, no probs and they have been great.
In May I had a Tesco test and needed a slight change, and as my glasses were 5 years old, decided new frames/lenses would be the way to go, and I'd have the old pair as emergency spares. The new varifocals (supplied by Tesco) didn't feel good from day 1. They just said 'have you had varifocals before?' (yes for 5 yrs!). A month later I couldn't bear wearing them any more and went back - they adjusted the frame (flattened it a bit in plan view), and adjusted the bridge, and it has to be said there was an improvement, but still not as good as my old specs. I noticed in sunlight when I read a white menu, that it had a huge yellow fringe at the bottom as well! Last week I was driving at night, and the headlight coming the other way were like flares, and it's impossible to read the sat nav without moving me head - ie can't just glance with eyes, as it's out of focus!. Saw them again yesterday, and they had my eyes tester again(different tester) who said the prescription was correct. I said it's the lens quality, to which the tester said some varifocals have a narrower field of vision (corridor) than others. The manager was quite offhand 'have you tried varifocals before?' was asked again. I was told 'other stores only have 1 quality of varifocal, we have 4, you have the 'Elite'. To which I then asked 'are the other 3 worse than there then?' She was then stumped for a reply. I was then told they could change the lenses to 'Made for You' ones, which are £50 dearer...... Bit puzzling that as they didn't offer these from the start. She then said 'there's nothing wrong with these, (the pair I'm struggling with), but some people don't get on with them' Implying I was some way to blame. I just stayed calm (but firm) and stated that I expect to see better with new glasses, not worse! and that they are dangerous whilst driving. We'll see what happens in the next couple of weeks. The thing that bothers me is also how many people who may find varifocals to be great (like my 1st pair) are put off by being told (have you tried them before?) and think that they are all difficult to see with. Oh how I wished I'd just taken the prescription and gone back to the local place.