Varifocal glasses

ChrisH

ChrisH

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Decided at the age of 54 and having reduced eyesight at both ends of focus to go for varifocals.
Thing is I'm having a heck of a job getting used to them.
I went for the highest spec lenses but still find it difficult to hit the right spot on the lens to focus a lot of the time. This means I'm wobbling my head like a weeble.
Does anyone else wear them and how long did it take to get fully used to them.
In principle they are very good but in practice I'm getting very disillusioned.
 
I've been wearing them for years now Chris and wouldn't be without them. They do take a bit of getting used to as you have to learn to look through the correct part of the lens, but if it has all been measured up correctly there shouldn't be a problem. You do have to make sure that they aren't creeping down your nose and such like, or else you won't see properly, but they're ideal for driving where you can glance between road and speedo and always be in focus. I've seen a bit of debate about looking through a camera viewfinder and viewing an LCD screen, but a viewfinder with adjustable dioptre is more common nowadays anyway.
 
I tried them a few years back and could not get the hang of them. Almost fell down the stairs and narrowly escaped being run over while crossing the road twice. The pc screen looked like an egg timer, just couldn't get on with them. That said my wife took to them overnight as did my mum. Gone with bifocals now. It can take a week or so to get used to them.
 
Never got on with mine :(
 
I wear them now, never wore specs before so could not compare really. You do get used to them after a while.
 
Wouldn't be without mine. I was fortunate and took to them straight away. Correct measuring and fitting is a must.

I do have a second pair of specs which focus at the right distance for computer use and I find they are easier on the eyes when gawping at the screen for extended periods.

Anthony.
 
love mine - (even if the lenses are by Nikon !!) got used to them within a few hours. Advise I was given when I first got them I was told to point my nose at what I wanted to look at!
 
Been wearing them for a few years with no problem, suit people who move their head rather than their eyes
Peter is right about positioning them correctly, also need to sit as you normally would when the measurements are taken.
Common failing is to sit bolt upright and formally rather than in an everyday relaxed position

Do take some getting used to, but in my opinion worth persevering with. Worth getting the measurements rechecked and if needed the glasses adjusted

Know a bit about this because my daughter is an optometrist and the above are often the reasons that people initially have problems with varifocals
 
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Yeah - another one who is not just disillusioned but way out of pocket as I have tried them twice now, both times I went for the most expensive lenses in the hope that they might make it easier to adjust, and both times I have ended up walking around with my hands out as if blindfolded. Both times I have been to a 'proper' opticians rather than a high street chain in the hope that it might have meant better service and maybe a higher level of experience and knowledge when it came to fitting etc. I tried for 2-3 weeks each time.

I'm back again to 2 pairs of glasses which is a right faff..
 
Tried them - no use because they made me dizzy. Boots Opticians refunded the cost in full.
 
High St chains and independent optometrists attend the same universities to obtain their degrees.
Training is governed by the same body and all have to be registered with the GOC
 
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they do seem t affect different people in different ways. It took me about 10 seconds to get used to mine


tijuana taxi said:
High St chains and independent optometrists attend the same universities to obtain their degrees.
Training is governed by the same body and all have to be registered with the GOC
Click to expand...

Very true. Someone I used to work with swore blind that the chains didn't use qualified opticians.
 
Cheers one and all. It's just the distance focusing I'm having problems with. They seem to have a fairly small window of focus. Close up they are superb, but I seem to have to lower my head a little to get the sweet spot for distance.

I might have to nip back and just get them checked.
 
ChrisH said:
Cheers one and all. It's just the distance focusing I'm having problems with. They seem to have a fairly small window of focus. Close up they are superb, but I seem to have to lower my head a little to get the sweet spot for distance.

I might have to nip back and just get them checked.
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You may already know that the lens available can in terms of proportion favour reading or distance

When I bought mine like you they worked great for reading however if I moved my head left right things like walls had a tendency to lean vision express returned the frames and had a lens that favoured distance far more that solved buildings leaning dizzy spells and allowed me to see the car door mirror again.

On the camera I dislike them with a passion and use the diopter without glasses on at all. I did try hoodman for glasses but could not use without pain on the bridge of my nose
 
It's worth persisting with. It's like learning to see again, it takes time for your body to become acquainted with how to use them.
You have to learn to move your head and not your eyes, to hold your head in a certain way that what you are looking at is clear.

It can take from a few days to maybe two weeks.

I never use them for taking pics. I always use the diopter adjustment, preferably with contacts to avoid taking my specs on and off.
 
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Sounds like you were moving your eyes rather than your head therefore not looking through the central area

The distortion is at the edge of the lens, better quality lenses do improve the effect, but its inherent due to the nature of a varifocal
 
Difficult to advise you, Chris as I had no problems at all with my varifocals. They were the first glasses I had and I walked out of the opticians very pleased with them. All I can suggest is to keep trying, once (or if) you can get used to them they are great. My eyes are so poor now that I need glasses all the time and I would not want to have to swap between pairs.

All the best

Dave
 
Tried bifocals a year or so ago but couldn't get on with them. Ended up with a retest (at Specsavers' expense) which showed I have ocular hypertension. That's now settled down and I have a new pair of bifocals which I am getting on with fine. I was advised to go bi rather than vari so I have the distinct line of demarcation between distance and reading rather than a lot of OOF for both uses. Waiting for the shades to be made up for me in extra dark so I can use them on holiday on the beach (and for photography!)
 
I posted a similar thread about a year ago. I wasn't impressed.
I have to say though that perseverance paid off.
Once you find each sweet spot you'll not lose it.
I wouldn't go back now.
 
I've always been a bit short-sighted and have worn contact lenses since my late teens. Another approach to aiding presbyopia is 'mono vision' where one eye wears a lens for distance and the other for close-up. it sounds odd but it does work when you get used to it, it's surprising the brain's 'elasticity' when you persevere.
 
Totally hated mine and never again! A big and expensive mistake!! Couldn't get anything in focus, felt dizzy walking down stairs, computer? .... No way!!!

I'd rather have separate specs for reading and distance. At least I can see now, even if I have to swap specs for different things.
 
Quicksnapper said:
Totally hated mine and never again! A big and expensive mistake!! Couldn't get anything in focus, felt dizzy walking down stairs, computer? .... No way!!!

I'd rather have separate specs for reading and distance. At least I can see now, even if I have to swap specs for different things.
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Just goes to show...Each to their own.
Any decent dispenser will give you a period to adjust or replace.
 
Tried my best to get on with mine, just could not get on with them. Shame really as they are a lovely looking pair of specs, just going to waste now!
 
Tried bifocals and had the same issues as others here, almost came a cropper on the stairs, whatever I was looking at never seemed to be in the optimal direction for the bit of lens I needed to use.
 
It's like back button focusing, once you get the hang of em you'll not go back.
I'm on my second pair now, took a couple of days to crack the technique on the first pair but was fine after that. You get used to the moving your head more than before too.
 
Got my first ever pair of bifocals yesterday. Welcome to old age. Only for use sat on me 4rse watching telly and consulting iPad at same time though. Very handy.
 
Sorry, nothing really to add to the discussion as I only wear glasses for computer use. The irony that this was posted in 'Out of Focus' just amused me :D
 
DorsetDude said:
It has caused me a few problems. Went for a waz with them on, looked down and saw two, one small and one big. So I put the big one away as i knew it wasnt mine and then wet myself.
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:ROFLMAO::clap::clap::clap::ROFLMAO:

:notworthy:
 
DorsetDude said:
It has caused me a few problems. Went for a waz with them on, looked down and saw two, one small and one big. So I put the big one away as i knew it wasnt mine and then wet myself.
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Thank you, Sir, for giving me the best laugh of the day. Spluttered cappucino all over my monitor at work when I read it right enough, but definately the best laugh of the day...I've got a wee one as well...
 
I find my bifocals handy when peeing - the base is in the reading bit and the end is in the distance.

Oops - wrong thread! Should be in the dream one!!!
 
Good one, Keith:)

Interesting that a fair proportion of folks on this thread clearly have problems with varifocals. Wonder if there has been any research on why.

Dave
 
I've just had my first pair (2 weeks).

I've been wearing distance specs for years but my ability to focus close up is gone now and I take them off for reading. However I work at a place where safety specs are mandatory and I do close up work, so I've had to bite the bullet and get some.

I guess they're OK, they do the job but its a bit disconcerting when I move my head and the bench in front of me appears to rock like a boat. Also when I'm walking about and all the lower half of my vision is out of focus.

They don't make me feel giddy but I can imagine they would for some people, I'm just not the sicky type. I'm still in two minds weather to get some for normal life or just stick with the distance ones.
 
SickAsAParrot said:
I've just had my first pair (2 weeks).

I've been wearing distance specs for years but my ability to focus close up is gone now and I take them off for reading. However I work at a place where safety specs are mandatory and I do close up work, so I've had to bite the bullet and get some.

I guess they're OK, they do the job but its a bit disconcerting when I move my head and the bench in front of me appears to rock like a boat. Also when I'm walking about and all the lower half of my vision is out of focus.

They don't make me feel giddy but I can imagine they would for some people, I'm just not the sicky type. I'm still in two minds weather to get some for normal life or just stick with the distance ones.
Click to expand...

You've got this far. ...stick with it :-)
 
well i pick my first ever pair up this friday ,,,,,so watch this space ,,,,unlike me who by the sounds of it wont be able to. :)
 
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