Varifocal/Bifocal glasses
Discussion
Hi,
I find myself in middle age with an irritating problem that I'm sure many of you have gone through so I'm looking for some advice.
I'm short sighted and wear glasses pretty much all the time except for when I'm reading. My prescription is nothing special... 2.0 and 1.75 from memory. This is absolutely fine for pretty much everything but on occasions some of my hobbies require me to regularly change focus from a computer screen to fiddly electronic bits on the desk. I need the glasses to see the screen without straining my eyes but don't need the glasses to work on the stuff on my desk and wearing them for that makes my eyes ache. So currently I'm taking my glasses on and off which is starting to get on my nerves.
I had a quick chat with the optician and they suggest that a pair of varifocals or bifocals will solve this for me with the top being my normal prescription and the bottom being effectively no prescription.
Has anyone got any advice as to whether varifocals or bifocals be the best choice? I'm not fussed about aesthetics as at the moment I'd only need them for this kind of work and not going out in or using at work (oddly I don't have an issue using my glasses all the time at work even though some of the work is on a pc and some making notes on the desk).
Any advice would be most welcome.
Cheers,
Mark
I find myself in middle age with an irritating problem that I'm sure many of you have gone through so I'm looking for some advice.
I'm short sighted and wear glasses pretty much all the time except for when I'm reading. My prescription is nothing special... 2.0 and 1.75 from memory. This is absolutely fine for pretty much everything but on occasions some of my hobbies require me to regularly change focus from a computer screen to fiddly electronic bits on the desk. I need the glasses to see the screen without straining my eyes but don't need the glasses to work on the stuff on my desk and wearing them for that makes my eyes ache. So currently I'm taking my glasses on and off which is starting to get on my nerves.
I had a quick chat with the optician and they suggest that a pair of varifocals or bifocals will solve this for me with the top being my normal prescription and the bottom being effectively no prescription.
Has anyone got any advice as to whether varifocals or bifocals be the best choice? I'm not fussed about aesthetics as at the moment I'd only need them for this kind of work and not going out in or using at work (oddly I don't have an issue using my glasses all the time at work even though some of the work is on a pc and some making notes on the desk).
Any advice would be most welcome.
Cheers,
Mark
I started with Bi focals, then went to varifocals. With bi focals there is just a part of the glass for the different strength, I found this difficult for switching to screen, close up and back, very tiring. With Varifiocals, change from one focal length to another is seamless, once you get used to "driving" them.
If you need to wear glasses all/most or the time, I would recommend varifocals.
If you need to wear glasses all/most or the time, I would recommend varifocals.
Big Rumbly said:
I started with Bi focals, then went to varifocals. With bi focals there is just a part of the glass for the different strength, I found this difficult for switching to screen, close up and back, very tiring. With Varifiocals, change from one focal length to another is seamless, once you get used to "driving" them.
If you need to wear glasses all/most or the time, I would recommend varifocals.
Thanks for the comments.If you need to wear glasses all/most or the time, I would recommend varifocals.
Is there any blurriness in the transitional area with varifocals? If so is the size of the lens a factor as to how useful they are? I don't want to go for full Deirdre Barlow dinner plates and normally rectangular lenses that are wider than they are tall.
Regards,
Mark
If you use a screen bifocals will be useless as they are set for completely the wrong working position vertically.
I'm amazed bifocals even got mentioned - bit out of the ark now, we only use them for the financially challenged (at their choice) or the 70+ brigade who have worn them for years and don't know one end of a comuter form the otehr.
I'm amazed bifocals even got mentioned - bit out of the ark now, we only use them for the financially challenged (at their choice) or the 70+ brigade who have worn them for years and don't know one end of a comuter form the otehr.
I got my first pair of varifocals two weeks ago and I have to admit I have struggled with them.
Reversing a car is in the blurry part of the lens at the edge, and I have felt a bit like there is some eye strain going on but this is all what the Optician told me would happen.
I'm just about getting used to them now but did not realise just how much moving the head so I can see out of the right bit of lense I would actually have to do.
Out of choice I would have now gone for two different pairs of glasses as I do not use them for close up work that often, but I'm now stuck with these lenses for a few years as they were so damned expensive and I've no choice but to stick with them.
So in essense I'm a fence sitter on whether they are worth it.
Reversing a car is in the blurry part of the lens at the edge, and I have felt a bit like there is some eye strain going on but this is all what the Optician told me would happen.
I'm just about getting used to them now but did not realise just how much moving the head so I can see out of the right bit of lense I would actually have to do.
Out of choice I would have now gone for two different pairs of glasses as I do not use them for close up work that often, but I'm now stuck with these lenses for a few years as they were so damned expensive and I've no choice but to stick with them.
So in essense I'm a fence sitter on whether they are worth it.
1598 said:
I got my first pair of varifocals two weeks ago and I have to admit I have struggled with them.
Reversing a car is in the blurry part of the lens at the edge, and I have felt a bit like there is some eye strain going on but this is all what the Optician told me would happen.
I'm just about getting used to them now but did not realise just how much moving the head so I can see out of the right bit of lense I would actually have to do.
Out of choice I would have now gone for two different pairs of glasses as I do not use them for close up work that often, but I'm now stuck with these lenses for a few years as they were so damned expensive and I've no choice but to stick with them.
So in essense I'm a fence sitter on whether they are worth it.
Most good varifocal manufacturers will offer a 30 day nontolerance guarantee which would mean the practice would take the varifocals away and replace with 2 separate pairs at no extra cost - unless you wanted a different frame. Might be worth asking if you want to chnage them.Reversing a car is in the blurry part of the lens at the edge, and I have felt a bit like there is some eye strain going on but this is all what the Optician told me would happen.
I'm just about getting used to them now but did not realise just how much moving the head so I can see out of the right bit of lense I would actually have to do.
Out of choice I would have now gone for two different pairs of glasses as I do not use them for close up work that often, but I'm now stuck with these lenses for a few years as they were so damned expensive and I've no choice but to stick with them.
So in essense I'm a fence sitter on whether they are worth it.
Thanks for the information. I wear my distance glasses for computer work so I'm imagining that monitor will be ok where it is... I'll just adjust where I look or move the monitor if it isn't. I only plan on using them for mucking about with electronics and models where I'm just using the monitor for reference so they should be fine for that.
Regards,
Mark
Regards,
Mark
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