varifocals

thank you for all the replies, looks like varifocals are the way to go but do have some issues, i think i will give them a try. optician says i have a twelve week trial and can then swap to single focus if not happy. i am a slater by trade and will have to take extra care for a while ! gary

I'm late to this topic, but I would strongly advise against varifocals for any technical work. I was concerned about my ability to machine on agricultural work ( please no comments about "near enough for farm work" and tapped our HR dept to see if they would help towards the cost of prescription work specs. No joy from that source, so I went to Spec Savers for advice. Now, if ever an outfit was misnamed, but that's another story; I was pointed to a pair of safety specs fitted with the said varifocals. It took time to get used to them, but the most worrying feature was the fact that I could not see a straight line. Everything that I knew to be straight ie Starret rule, or whatever looked like a banana. I gave the specs every chance, but when I did go back to the same guy who sold me the glasses, sorry your out of time was the cry. So £204 was totally wasted.

I now work with a set of MSC safety glasses with +2 readers which cost about £11.

Regards,

Alan.

Hi Gary, I have not read all the posts so apologies if I repeat etc, I too have worn varifocals for many years and no real issues however I would say make sure you get a top of the range lens -- not "mum's own" brand - there is a big difference in user performance at least that's been my experience [Wife's experience also] I have had Seiko, Zeiss, Nikon and all have been excellent. The first pair I had were an unknown brand and pretty much put me off varifocals but was persuaded to try a "better" brand by the optician -- as different as night & day !

As with all spectacles they are great but not so good as mother nature's originals !

John

edit -spelling

Edited By JohnF on 31/08/2020 19:38:08

I have a special pair of varifocals that have larger area dedicated to the two ‘closer focus’ filters and a very narrow band of long range.

useless for driving but excellent for careful workshop use and also for working my on the computer. I think they referred to them as task lenses or something to that effect.

I have a special pair of varifocals that have larger area dedicated to the two ‘closer focus’ filters and a very narrow band of long range.

useless for driving but excellent for careful workshop use and also for working my on the computer. I think they referred to them as task lenses or something to that effect.

Lens manufacturing technology has advanced to the point that any practicable optical design can be produced. Different lens maker have their own methods to blend the “infinity” distance zone to the reading patch at the bottom, but it is always a trade-off of distortion against optical aberrations. That said, the best varifocals work very well for most people.

If you are comfortable with ordinary varifocals and have a proactive optician (and sufficient money!), you can do what I have done and have an extra workshop pair. It seems best to choose the same lens type as your main pair. You choose a closer maximum distance, but keep the reading focus the same. I find one meter focal distance (to replace infinity) best for me, which means one dioptre more. The benefit is that the progression is more gradual, and all of the range is useful.

For example, suppose your prescription is +2 dioptres for distance and +5 for reading (addition is +3), then the workshop glasses would be +3 for “distance” and still +5 reading. The lenses do need to be set up to converge correctly. Some makers produce such specialist lenses, but these might have a different “feel" from your main glasses.

F

Edited By Macolm on 31/08/2020 22:04:48

Not sure why ordinary bifocals are not an option. Varifocals seem to be limited for some and a lot more expensive? Apart from the ‘going down steps’ problem I’ve found them perfectly satisfactory for more years than I can remember.

There are numerous advantages with varifocals as stated above, and some disadvantages, so it all depends on your particular needs.

A bricklaying friend was going to get some, until he told his optician that he had to climb ladders as part of his job, and the prescription was refused on safety grounds. Varifocals = no ladders, apparently.

Personally, I'm quite happy to climb ladders with varifocals, but that's in a non-employed capacity.

Pete

Gary,

I've worn varifocals for many years and I can only assume I'm an odd ball as I either ignore the problems others have listed or have never noticed them, before varifocals I had bifocals and they drove me around the bend if I didnt move my head and looked down the ground used to rush up and meet me.

Martin P

I have been told by a high street supplier that when he worked for a particular outlet they used the same varifocal lens make for both ends of the expense range, ie you got the same lens whatever you paid!

I have used varifocals for over 35 years and quite happy with them, started to wear them to see car instruments as well as ahead, only drawback when I want to look up, closely.

I have a driving pair which are great for straight ahead and instruments but the sideways and lifesaver views are a bit wild, my neck is reluctant to turn far enough to keep the lens in its best area So a clear look sideways needs a bit more effort than usual.

Mike

We've ignored the effect our individual prescriptions must have. Maybe because my eye defects don't require strong correction I've never noticed anything like banana bending. Others may not be so lucky.

NDIY mentioned he does OK with bifocals and a friend swears by half-moon glasses. Varifocals are a high-tech extension of the same idea. Mine have 3 lens zones: top does long-distance; middle TV viewing distances; and the lower is for reading. The join is much less noticeable than bifocals because the 3 zones merge smoothly. Varifocals work very well for me and I'd be constantly swapping and losing glasses without them.

Best ask the optician if varifocals are replacing an existing strong prescription. There must be a limit to how well varifocal lens can smoothly merge 3 different prescriptions without distortion.

Dave

Edited By SillyOldDuffer on 01/09/2020 10:05:22

I would expect that those suffering anything more than minor astigmatism might find varifocals less useful than bifocals.

Suggestions from opticians might be money-influenced on their part (depending, perhaps, on which opticians you use) to some extent. Perhaps that is why my long-standing optician never suggested them for me?

If it helps anyone.

I tried varifocals on my works provided safety glasses. Had no problems in an industrial environment, so changed from Bi Focals to Varifocals (My wife had been on varifocals for some time without problems )

Wear them all the time, reading, driving, measuring, machining, with no problems. And I have astigmatism in both eyes, on different or less opposing axes.

Like all spectacles, there is an occasional internal reflection at certain angles, but only as the viewing angle changes.

Cost? £69 at Specsavers, in new frames (No more expensive than reglazing an existing frame ).

Howard

Wish I could buy at Specsavers, if I take my eye tests to them they say we will have to get these specially made as you fall outside of our standard range.

Martin P

A bit of a nightmare.

I recently tried varifocals for a second time with Specsavers. The eye test itself I felt was quite rushed and the optician seemed to ignore when I mentioned I have difficulty focussing with my right eye. When he put the device in front of my eyes to test my vision it was half hearted and I had to ask him to straighten it so I could read the letters.

After the test I was confused by the garbled options I was told for what I could purchase and upon hearing some key-words I went for a two-for-one deal with their best lenses and selected some new frames.

Picked up the glasses and was expecting a fitting of some kind to check for correct alignment - nothing! I was just handed the glasses in two different boxes. When trying them on in the shop I commented about the right eye prescription not feeling right. I was advised by a non-optician to try them for two weeks.

The frames when I received them were bent. The nose bridge pieces were skewed to one side. The lenses had the prescriptions etched into them, visible numbers etched into the plastic!

After two weeks I took them back and got my £420 back. Only at this stage did they mention a fitting and alignment check. I don't think I'll be going there again.

Ed.

I hope this doesn't break the forum rules by mentioning a company name.

Many years ago I decided to try varifocals as my ordinary specs (for distance) drove me mad at places like supermarkets, take em off to look at labels, back on again to look down the aisle.

The optician (my local private one who are excellent} told me it would have to perservere to get used to them. Well try as I might I could not get used to them so went back to my previous ones. Move on a few years and had a chat to my optician who said lense technology had improved since my last ones so I had another go. Absolutely fine no visible line on the lense or wierd sensations. Wouldn't be without them.

Bill D.

My son inlaw was having touble with his varifocals in car use (and abandoned them).

I took him to my supplier and they found they had not been fitted properly by his original supplier, who said he would get used to them.inspite of trying them to check them..

I intrioduced him to my supplier who closed the nose pieces raising the level around 2mm, now he is more than happy!

I agree that a lot depends on the supplier.

I've been going to a small Optician's run by an Oriental gentleman (and I mean "gentleman"  ) for the best part of 40 years and he's always been most thorough and attentive. Not the cheapest place on the block but I decided years ago not to skimp where my eyes are concerned - if they aren't worth spending the money on, I don't know what is. I've always been most satisfied.

He retired some months ago and his son took over the business. Gone are all the custom fittings and adjustment - except one time when Dad showed up just as the son was (not) fitting a new pair of glasses for me .... and gave him heck to put it politely. Didn't stick though.

(phantom winkie edit)

Edited By Bandersnatch on 01/09/2020 22:50:28