Anyone wear Vari-focal specs?

Hi Ed,

I would echo the comments about your prescription changing. I have vari-focals and because my prescription is high, around -8, I paid more for Zeiss high index lenses. The trouble is, if you're in your fifties, then as others have said your near vision might change fairly quickly and then you will need to replace them which is not cheap. I've resorted to using an older pair of single vision glasses for most activities apart from driving. I also resent the way we are restricted to letterbox frames because of fashion. These are pretty useless for vari-focals and I've been searching for some round frames for years.

One last thought, don't throw your old pairs out. As your near vision gets worse they become useful again.

Gary

Varifocals have improved over the years.

The first set I had, which where first generation, I had to give up on as the field of vision was so narrow they made me feel sick, even after weeks of persevering.

Now, however, I wouldn't be without them.

Two cataract operations 15 odd years ago gave me long distance 'lenses', so I only need the glasses for reading and workshop etc.

As mentioned, it does take a while to acclimatize in their use, especially having to move your head instead of eyes only to look at thinks. You have to focus through the comparatively narrow field of undistorted vision, compared with natural vision, in order to keep things from distorting, if that makes sens., When reading you have to move your head and not just eyes to follow the printing etc, otherwise,  looking through the edges of the lenses will distort things appreciatively, which was the problem with the first generation. I'm now on third, and they are absolutely fine.

The one negative, however, is having to tilt your head back to focus close up on things above eye level, but that has become so automatic I find myself doing so even when not wearing the glasses.

The real, real, REAL pain in the ar6e, however, is having to focus on something when you have to adopt an awkward position, and that's when single lense glasses come into their own, the worse is lying on your back or side or head down, and looking up at something fairly close, sush as behind a dashboard or under a car or such like.

Getting the motor assembly into the Boxford shaper was such a time, especially connecting up the V- belt and motor tension adjusting bits and pieces.

Persevere with them, and unless you are extremely unlucky, you will be fine with them.

Really small, and delicate work will need special single focus lenses as my Dad had made for him, for his modeling of historic Man o'War sailing boats.

Geoff - Typing this on an iPad 3 wearing varifocals with no problem at all

Edited By OuBallie on 15/06/2013 10:44:01

Thank you all for the additional replies.

I started wearing glasses when I was 11, couldn't see the blackboard in school clearly and had to sit nearer the front of the class. Fortunately I didn't get any stick from other kids when I got my first pair of specs. I had progressively stronger prescriptions about every 5 years up until I was about 30 and things settled down. I'm 47 now and things are changing again.

These new spec's will be from Specsavers as I'm unemployed and taking advantage of their current deals. The Lenses (lens' ) are Pentax which I suppose should be good as they made optical gear for NASA. Specsavers offer a range of vari-focal types and my understanding is that the better, more expensive varifocal you go for the less of a transition there is between the different focal areas. Because I have a strong prescription I can also have thin, light glass (optical plastic) with anti-scratch and UV coatings. Apparently I can't have darkening lenses for sunlight because the plastic is too brittle for the frameless style I'm going for.

Cheers,
Ed.

Edited By Ed Duffner on 15/06/2013 11:31:55

Phil,

Where did you those those clip-on magnifying lenses?

They sound like the perfect solution.

Geoff - About to rain here in South Norfolk

Edit: Its raining heavely with lightening and thunder

Edited By OuBallie on 15/06/2013 10:45:53

Ed

I've used Specsavers for years and I've always been satisfied. My wife gets her specs there too and she has experienced a few problems with her latest prescription. If you do too go back and tell them about it - don't just struggle along. She went back three or four times , had re- tests and changed lenses until they were just right. Absolutely no hassle about this, no extra charge, and she is now quite happy with the result.

Cheers

Norman

I've always used bifocals and years ago my optician with the near sight at the top an dlong at the bottom excelent for drawing board work

Roy

I've worn glasses for 40 years, and varifocals for the last 10 years.

When I got my first set of varifocals I was told to try them for short periods at a time to get used to them. I then drove to work, tried the varifocals, and never took them off. I had absolutely no problems adjusting to the varifocals, and no problems judging levels and straightness. It was easy to land taildraggers without bouncing.

After a few years I needed new varifocals and went to a local 'cheap' optician on recommendation. Big mistake! The glasses were awful, eveything was wavy, off level, and made me feel very sick. I complained and got the glasses adjusted so they were better, but they were never completely right. I couldn't land a taildragger for toffee with these glasses.

Finally I went back to a 'proper' optician and got a new set of varifocals. I've had no problems with these glasses; in a completely different league to the ones from the 'cheap' opticians; who by then had gone out of business. As soon as I got these new glasses landing a taildragger beccame a piece of cake again.

Three years ago I had a major eye operation which significantly altered my prescription, so I'm now on my fourth set of varifocals, again with no problems.

I use my varifocals for all day to day activities with no problems. They're the only glasses I have (plus a spare pair of course, as it's a legal requirement of my aviation medical to carry a spare pair).

With my varifocals I can focus down to about 6 inches. However, I do take my glasses off for fine work, particularly in electronics, where the components are so small you can't even see the darn things at 6" let alone read what is on them.

Regards,

Andrew

I wear Varifocals and agree with most of the comments so far. Although generally I get on well with them there are times when I wish I had a single vision pair of glasses. My problem is that I have one eye that is different to the other so non prescription glasses are useless for me. I am intrigued by these adjustable focus glasses **LINK**

Has anyone tried them? At £25.00 they may be worth a try?

... but not, in that case, an anti-reflection coating. (The anti-scratch has to go on the outside where it negates any anti-reflection coating).

I personally prefer the anti-reflection coating, especially for driving at night, so I forego the anti-scratch.

Twice I have had (non cheap) glasses ruined when the coatings have crazed. In less than two years it can start to go and rapidly spread.

The last time I got some glass etching cream which completely removed the spoilt coating and the glasses were as new. I don't worry about losing the anti-uv - after all non-spectacle wearers have to cope without it!

Neil

I have worn glasses since I was 11 (am now 65) due to myopia, I have worn vari-focals since they came on the market many moons ago & wear them for everyday use (100%). It took a while to get adjusted but I am now so used to them it is second nature to me. I have a spare pair on hand & both have transition lenses in them which is a boon when we get (very rare) sunny days. I have become so used to them that when I am reading or doing something mid range my head goes into 'auto mode ' & adjusts accordingly without me making any conscious movement.

I have a pair of bi-focal safety glasses that I use when I'm in my man cave & on either machines but these need renewing now as they are quite old & I can tell the difference clearly now. The disadvantage with these is that they are sighted for long distance & the 'D' bi-focal is for reading so not really suited for machine work (med' -close range, so on my toduitlist ) so when I look around I get two sight variation extremes. If I keep my vari focals on I tend to put a full face shield on or dig out a pair of over glasses that I have kept close at hand, also, like Andrew, I when I have need to examine some thing 'close up' I find I have to take my specs off for anything less than 12" away.

Regards

George

I have worn varifocals for many years now. I could not drive with a single vision lens because I cannot read the instruments. There are time however when the "pilot" version would be very useful (have the top edge also reverting back to near vision) Still obtainable but not the cheapest. As I change prescription virtually every year I go for midrange pricing (not from the optician). Do not have a problem with level or roundness that others refer to.

Hello Ed - I have had my vari-focals for two years and wished I'd had bi-focals instead. I just cannot get on with them. The distance part of the lens is OK but when I use the middle part for the computer screen I end up with a crick in the neck. Trying to read with the bottom bit for any more than a couple of minutes hurts the back of my eyes.

In the workshop I use my computer type glasses for regular work, a pair of readers for closer work and a third stronger pair for very close work. These three are duplicated in my study and again in the car with an additional pair of prescription Polaroid's for driving. Sometimes things get a bit mixed up and I can end up with six or seven pairs on my desktop - something of an optical spectacular.

I did think of getting my eyes lasered but if only 1 in a thousand ops go wrong I just know I'd be the number 1. So I've been out and bought a new lathe and milling machine with the money instead.

Rik

I think the question was how are varifocals for model making? It may depend upon how much you pay for them. Mine do not cover the whole of the lower part of the lens and consequently 'straight' things are like a banana! I have just lashed out on some +2.5 safety specs for lathe and mill work, and use fixed focus for other workshop stuff. Enter w/shop, take off varifocals (as they are expensive) and use cheaper single focus (if they suit you).

Bob

If you have significant astigmatism in addition to normal long/short sight, then non-prescription single vision lenses probably won't suit and those things usually (always?) come in the same strength for each eye which may not work either.

I have used varifocals for some years now and apart from initial "wobblies and bendies" get on fine.

The small lens size that fashion dictates is not helpful especially if you have a stiff neck to cope with.

I found a useful middle way was a pair of "office varifocals" which are basically a normal vari focal with an additional "closeup lens" integrated. In practice this means the maximum sharp focus is a few feet (2 or 3) and looking straight ahead (as at a computer screen) is sharp, with closer focus as you look downwards. Distance like out of the window is blurred.

I did try a pair of bifocals engineered in the same way but they were not easy to use - the dividing line was always in the way!

John

Hi Rik,

I have very short sight, but losing accomodation (focusing power) I now culd do with several sets of glasses. The thing about laser, is it can only make your eyes right for one distance - you still need reading glasses. So why bother?

Neil

As I have got older my eyesight has gone to far distance / long sight and of course the eyelens hardens and will not focus to short distance, this one of the faults of old age!

I have varifocals and a pair the same that darken in the Sun, but these, I cannot use when working the bees as they darken everything and I cannot see the bees properly so i wear the non darkening for the bees.

Being an Instrument tech. I need to work very close sometimes and I find that Solder flux fumes cloud the lens. A quick dunk in the ultrasonic cleans them up.

Clive

Wife, son and myself have recently been to spec saver for a total of 6 pairs of glasses.

5 pairs have had to go back and I had had 3 eye tests in 4 weeks, still not happy with either pair I have. Will never use them again.

However I did notice when in there that you can get hobby varifocals that combine reading and computer glasses, so close and mid range. Does say these are not for driving.

So if they are doing them I bet others are

Well John

All I can say is go back again until they do get it right. Your experience has not been mine with Specsavers.

N